Junior Preparatory Weekly Memo

14 February 2025

Dear Parents,

Today we celebrated Friendship Day in a vibrant display of red, pink, and white. The day was made even sweeter with the first cake sale of the year, made possible by the generous contributions of our Grade 3 families. A sincere thank you to everyone who helps make these events so memorable!

Please take note of upcoming events:

School Hours

Please note that school opens at 7:30 and there is no supervision for learners until 07h30. To ensure everyone's safety, please do not leave your child unattended before 07h30

School is LOCKED promptly at 17h00 daily. Please assist us by ensuring that your child is collected before 16h45 allowing our dedicated staff to return home to their own families.  A late collection fee of R200 per half-hour (or part thereof) will apply for children collected from aftercare after 17h00.

Contact:

Staff email addresses: Staffing
General Preparatory email address: prep@parklands.co.za
IT queries: Christian Oertel, Network Manager - choertel@parklands.co.za

Diphtheria

The Western Cape Department of Health has issued an alert regarding an increase in diphtheria cases in the Cape Metro District and Province. Diphtheria is a highly contagious and potentially life-threatening bacterial disease that can be prevented by vaccination.

The recommended vaccination schedule for diphtheria is as follows:

Please ensure that your child is fully vaccinated to prevent the spread of diseases.

Diphtheria.PDF

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

Friendship Day

Grade 3 Cake Sale

Thank you to Grade 3P and 3A parents for making our first cake sale of the year such a special and fun one and for all the delicious treats. It made our Friday Friendship Day even better. 


Besides the yummy eats and fun, the cake sale is about outreach and R 2436 was made at the cake sale this morning. We will inform parents later on in the year which charity our outreach committee has selected to donate our cake sale profits to for the year.

Assembly in the Amphitheatre

The Junior Prep held assembly in the Amphitheatre. We look forward to many more engaging assemblies in this beautiful space.

Classroom Features

PE On the Sports Field

Grade 2 Six Bricks Fun

Grades 1 and 2 had fun with Six Bricks outside!

Even teachers like to play! Coach Liam asked Mrs Hunt for five more minutes to plot his Lego floor plan. 

Grade 1 Learning their Letters & Numbers

Painting in the Art room

LIBRARY NEWS

Book Donation

Thank you to Joshua and the Benien family for two books for our German section. These are often just what is needed to assist newcomers to feel right at home. Vielen Dank!

Birthday Books

We wish Mason a wonderful birthday and say thank you for this lovely Birthday Book of everyone's favourite, Bluey. 

Extreme Reading

We are receiving the sweetest photos of our children reading in strange places. Thank you for assisting them to capture the moment.  We have two more weeks to go! 

AI in the Classroom

On 11 February, Mrs. Steynberg, Mr. Knaggs, Mr. Mayers, and Mrs. Duke attended a Tech Connect session to investigate the integration of AI in the classroom. 

They examined the potential of image-generation tools to help learners visualize written content, particularly for exam preparation. The group also discussed strategies for teaching learners to fact-check information while using AI effectively and safely. 

They looked into the importance of providing the right prompts when working with AI and the need to critically evaluate its responses. 

One exciting possibility discussed was the use of AI-powered drawing prompts to help learners create visuals to further enhance their understanding of complex topics. They also studied how AI could be used to customise websites for focused research, minimising distractions and supporting more efficient learning. 

They also studied how AI could be used to customise websites for focused research, minimising distractions and supporting more efficient learning. 

Feeling inspired by the session, they left with a renewed enthusiasm for investigating AI tools and discovering the latest trends in educational technology.

Lost Uniform Items

CO-CURRICULAR TIMETABLE

For Blog 29 Jan.pdf

Junior Preparatory Choir

The Junior Preparatory Choir is now full, and we are unable to accommodate any more learners until further notice. Kindly remember that the JP Choir is a full-year commitment, as we participate in eisteddfods and concerts throughout the year.

SPORT

FROM THE SPORTS DESK

Our numbers are soaring! 

What a fantastic week of sport! We are so proud of our young athletes for showing up with commitment at every practice and bringing a positive attitude to every session. Your energy, teamwork, and love for the game shine through, and we can’t wait to see you grow even more!

We need your consent for sports travel to away fixtures/practices. Please click the link below and select "Agree."

Consent to travel for Sport 

Keep practising, keep smiling, and let’s keep the momentum going!

Yours in sport,
Jared Margetts
Head of Preparatory Sports

The Week That Was: 

Dedication in the Pool & on the Court

Our swimmers and tennis players continue to show incredible commitment, with growing numbers at each practice. The energy and enthusiasm have been inspiring, and we love seeing our athletes push themselves to improve.

Junior Prep on the Rise

It’s been amazing to see our Junior Prep learners embrace their sporting journey with such passion and progress. Their hard work and determination are setting the tone for an exciting season ahead.

Here’s to another action-packed week!

Grade 1 Physical Education

Cricket and Softball matches this week

On Thursday, our teams played against Rallim, with our cricketers and softballers ready to compete. Our U8 cricketers played their first-ever competitive fixture for 2025, alongside two U9 teams eager to showcase their skills. Our softballers stepped onto the field for their first match of the year, and demonstrated teamwork and sportsmanship

Results

Our U9 cricketers gave it their all but fell short, while our U8 cricket team secured a draw, and our U9 softball girls played an intense match, ending in a thrilling 10-10 draw against Rallim!

U9 Cricket

U8 Cricket

U9 Softballers

Reminder:

We have back-to-back cricket festivals: on 22 February and 1 March 2025, our U8 and U9 cricketers will take to the field at the Van Riebeeckstrand Cricket Festival (22 February) & Table View Primary Festival (1 March)- a great opportunity to test their skills and enjoy the game.  Keep an eye out for match day notifications and get ready to cheer on our young cricketers as they take to the field

Our Open Day Cricket session for U8s and U9s is just around the corner - join Coach Liam and Coach Jared on Saturday 15 February from 10:00-11:00 for a fun-filled morning of cricket action. Sign up using the form below:

Sport Calendar:

Sport Quick Links

IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Every quarter our school collects items for our local community in need. For the first quarter, we will be collecting food for animals in need at Fallen Angels. 

Saturday 15 February

Open Day

Monday 17 February

Happy Birthday Nikki Niemand

Tuesday 18 February

Happy Birthday Kirsten Hartley

Friday 21 February

International Mother Language Day

Saturday 22 February

VRS Mini Cricket Festival

Saturday 1 March

TVPS Mini-Cricket Festival / Curro Century City Mini Cricket Festival

Sunday 2 March

Dr Seuss' Birthday

Tuesday 11 March

Happy Birthday Christopher Robin Pre-Primary

Friday 14 March

Happy Birthday Nadia Rabe

Grade 3R, 1L, 2L & 3L cake sale
Final Day for outreach collection: Fallen Angels

Monday 17 March

Monday Gr 1 "My First  Photograph in Gr 1" in JP library

Tuesday 18 March

Grade 2 and 3 Individual Photographs

Wednesday 19 March

18:00 'Autumn Awakening' Choir Concert 

Friday 21 March

Public Holiday: Human Rights Day

Tuesday 25 March

Reports Released

Report Feedback Meetings

Wednesday 26 March

Report Feedback Meetings
Thursday 27 March

Report Feedback Meetings

Friday 28 March

Last day of the Quarter

Saturday 29 March

Happy Birthday Sisanda Mvulana

Dates for 2025

Summer Quarter: 20 January - 28 March

Autumn Quarter: 08 April - 25 June

*Mid-term break: 29 April - 2 May

Winter Quarter: 22 July - 23 September

Spring Quarter: 14 October - 05 December

Cake sales

Classes will all have an opportunity to host a cake sale and there is much excitement as the children eagerly look forward to this treat.  Cake sale money is used to support various outreach projects.

We request that items such as cupcakes, popcorn, crisps, muffins, etc. are sent in by the classes that are hosting the cake sale. Please ensure that items donated for cake sales do not contain nuts. We love healthy goodies, especially popcorn!

Parents are welcome to send the year's money in advance to be kept safely locked away (i.e. 6  cake sales x R10=R60.00) or send in R10 on cake sale days.

If you are able to assist at your class cake sale from 09h40, please notify your child’s class teacher.

Friday 9 May: Grade 2R and Grade 2K Cake Sale

Friday 30 May: Grade 2P & 2A Cake Sale

Friday 19 September: Grade 1P & 1A Cake Sale

Friday 24 October: Grade 1R & 1K Cake Sale

QUICK LINKS

Ed-Admin Multi Portal Installation



The new Ed-admin Multi Portal App (Ed-admin MP) is now available on the Google and Apple App stores. The features include access to your child’s reports, calendar activities and daily attendance records to mention a few.


To install the App please follow the below instructions:


1.) Download the Ed-Admin Multi Portal App by using the relevant link below:


●  Apple App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ed-admin-multi-portal/id646910856
OR

●  Google Play Store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edana.edadmin&hl=en&gl= US

2.) Enter 230034 (Parklands College Code) and your email address to log in. For your convenience, please refer to the image below:
 

3.) The next step will require you to enter the login code sent to you via email. For your convenience, please refer to the image below:


Please ensure that you keep this App updated otherwise you will be logged out and will have to repeat the above process to regain access.

Edana App - Individual Music Time slots 


Currently the Edana App does not generate specific time slots for each individual Music lesson. You will observe that the lessons are set for Monday 08:00-08:30. 


Please contact your child’s Music educator should you wish to confirm their individual lesson time. 

PARENT & LEARNER DIRECTORY

Please read through the Parent and Learner Directory, which includes important information about Parklands College and the Junior Preparatory learners.

Junior Preparatory Parent & Learner Directory

PARENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

College parents who are in business are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory for freewww.parklands.co.za/parent-business-directory/.

Should you be interested in marketing your business to over 1000 families, email: marketing@parklands.co.za to get started.

All listings will be subject to the College’s final approval.

This week's feature business is...

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

We would like to wish Mrs Niemand a very happy birthday for Monday and Miss Hartley for Tuesday! We hope they have a special day.

Please invite friends and family who may be interested in learning more about our school to our Open Day tomorrowl.

Wishing all our families a wonderful weekend.

Chantel Lamb

Junior Preparatory Principal

clamb@parklands.co.za