Dear Parents

We wish all our families a very happy New Year and hope you have all had a good break. 

We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to our Admin, Housekeeping and Grounds Support staff for their dedication during the holiday. Their meticulous efforts in preparing, painting, plastering, landscaping and cleaning have created a welcoming environment for our learners.

This weekly memo which is sent out on a Friday, is our main form of communication and includes important information regarding the College. 

Our staff email addresses are included below under "Staffing" and the general Preparatory email address may also be used: prep@parklands.co.za

For IT- related queries: Christian Oertel : Network Manager - choertel@parklands.co.za

Our most important events this week are our Grade 1 Orientation today, Wednesday 15 January from 13:00-14:00 and our Parent Meeting on Thursday, 16 January from 15:00-16:00.

Please note that stationery must be labelled and sent to school on the first day of school. Books DO NOT need to be covered as this is done in class with the children. 

If you have ordered your child's Walton's kit and indicated that collection is at Parklands College, this is a reminder that collection is on Thursday 16 January 2025 from 14h00 - 16h00 from the Senior Preparatory Faculty in 50 Wood Drive.

Congratulations to our Matriculants of 2024 on their outstanding results.

GRADE 1 ORIENTATION

Parent Information Meeting

Our Parent Information afternoon is on Thursday 16 January from 15:00 to 16:00. Please remember to collect your stationery from Wood Drive between 14h00 and 16h00 if you have arranged for it to be delivered to Parklands College.

The Grade ones will have their meeting in the auditorium, the Grade Twos in the art room and the Grade Threes will meet in their individual classrooms. 

Please note that this meeting is not for the learners to attend. 

HOLIDAY CRICKET CLINIC

It was lovely to see our fields filled with learners as our Sports Dept hosted a holiday Cricket Clinic for Grade 2 and 3. The Protea's better watch out ... we have some super stars on the horizon!

IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Wednesday 15 January

1-2pm: Grade 1 Orientation and 5 minute pop in for Grade 2 & 3 new learners 

Thursday 16 January

3-4pm: Grade 1-3 Parent Meeting 

2-4pm : Stationery Collection 

Monday 20 January

School Starts

Grade 1's leave at 12

Tuesday 21 January

Grade 1's leave at 12

Wednesday 22 January

Grade 1's leave at 12

Thursday 23 January

Grade 1's leave at 12

Friday 24 January:

Grade 1's leave at 12

Grade 3 Swimming trials 2-3pm

Monday 27 January

Sport and Cocurriculars begin

Grade 1's stay for the full day -2pm 

Wednesday  29 January: Chinese New Year

Sunday 2 February

Happy Birthday Anastacia Mvulana

Tuesday 4 February

Grade 3 Outing to The Two Oceans Aquarium 

Wednesday 5 February

World Read Aloud Day

Wednesday 12 February

Happy Birthday Andrea Martch

Friday 14 February

Friendship Day (Dress Up)

Grade 3P and 3A Cake Sale

Riaan Manser with the ultimate Friendship Story Grade 2 - 6 @ 12:00

Saturday 15 February

VRS Mini Cricket Festival

Open Day

Monday 17 February

Happy Birthday Nikki Niemand

Tuesday 18 February

Happy Birthday Kirsten Hartley

Friday 21 February

International Mother Language Day

Saturday 1 March

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

Sunday 2 March

Dr Seuss' Birthday

Friday 7 March

Grade 2 Outing to Intaka Island: 

Tuesday 11 March

Happy Birthday Christopher Robin Pre-Primary

Friday 14 March

Happy Birthday Nadia Rabe

Grade 3R, 1L, 2L & 3L cake sale

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

LEADERSHIP TEAM

ADMINISTRATION

EDUCATORS

SPORT

ROBOTICS

CULTURE

GENERAL INFORMATION

DEVICE REQUIREMENTS

Please click on the link below to view the device requirements for this year.

2025 Device Requirements

Grade 1

Please note that stationery must be labelled and sent to school on the first day of the year. Books DO NOT need to be covered as this is done in class with the children. 

Please note that the full Waltons kit is offered at a discounted price. If the list is changed, the discount falls away.

Waltons Stationery Letter (how to order)

Grade 1 Waltons Stationery List

If you have ordered your child's Walton's kit and indicated that collection is at Parklands College, a reminder that collection is on Thursday 16 January 2025 from 14h00 - 16h00 from the Senior Preparatory Faculty, 50 Wood Drive.

Grade 2

Please note that stationery must be labelled and sent to school on the first day of the year. Books DO NOT need to be covered as this is done in class with the children. 

Please note that the full Waltons kit is offered at a discounted price. If the list is changed, the discount falls away.

Waltons Stationery Letter (how to order)

Grade 2 Waltons Stationery List

If you have ordered your child's Walton's kit and indicated that collection is at Parklands College, a reminder that collection is on Thursday 16 January 2025 from 14h00 - 16h00 from the Senior Preparatory Faculty, 50 Wood Drive.

Grade 3

Please note that stationery must be labelled and sent to school on the first day of the year. Books DO NOT need to be covered as this is done in class with the children. 

Please note that the full Waltons kit is offered at a discounted price. If the list is changed, the discount falls away.

Waltons Stationery Letter (how to order)

Grade 3 Waltons Stationery List

Caxtons Letter

Grade 3 Caxtons 

If you have ordered your child's Walton's kit and indicated that collection is at Parklands College, a reminder that collection is on Thursday 16 January 2025 from 14h00 - 16h00 from the Senior Preparatory Faculty, 50 Wood Drive.

Blazers

In order to affirm our unique image, the College blazer from Grade 1 - 12 has changed.  Current parents will have until the start of the Academic Year 2026, to replace the existing light blue blazer with the new royal blue, striped blazer.  This fabric is unique to our College, and therefore distinguishes our learners from other schools who are wearing the same colour as our current blazer. 

Every Grade One learner and all new learners joining the College are required to wear the striped blazer.

Parents are reminded that our blazers are an important part of the uniform which sets us apart from other schools.  We therefore request that parents be particular about the condition of a blazer and if it is either faded or too small, it must be replaced.

Houses and House Points

Our school houses are Oxford (yellow), Yale (red), Harvard (green) and Cambridge (blue). The house system provides opportunities for each learner to develop friendships across all levels within the College, and at the same time provides occasions for a healthy spirit of competition. Learners earn “house points” for internal sports and cultural activities, as well as outreach projects. Each teacher and learner is assigned to a house upon enrolment.

Please note that learners will be allocated houses in the next few weeks and house tops will not be required immediately.  House shirts may be purchased from School and Leisure once our new learners have been allocated houses.

For new learners, within the first few weeks, a badge will also be ordered and issued to your child to wear on their blazer.

The Parklands College uniform can be purchased at School and Leisure. They are situated in the N1 shopping mall and online.

Website: https://www.schoolandleisure.co.za/pages/parklands-college

Telephone: (021) 914 0495, extension 341: Gabeebah Petersen

Email: tygervalley@schoolandleisure.co.za

Please ensure that all uniform items are clearly labelled with your child’s name. This assists in returning missing items to the rightful owner. 

School Hours

To support our Grade Ones in adjusting to the change in routine, their school day will end at 12:00 from Monday 20 January to Friday 24 January.

GRADE 1

START: 08:00
END OF DAY: 14h00. 

Collection from outside the Grade 1 classrooms. Learners who are not collected at this time will be sent to aftercare and billed.

GRADE 2

START: 08:00
END OF DAY: 14:00. 

Collection is in the Amphitheatre. Learners who are not collected at this time will be sent to aftercare and billed.

GRADE 3

START: 08:00
END OF DAY: 14:30. (except for a Monday and Friday as sport is from 14:00-15:00)

Collection is in the Grade Three Quad.  Learners who are not collected at this time will be sent to aftercare and billed.

Drop-off

Please ensure that learners arrive on time for the start of the academic day. Parents are welcome to drop their children off between 07:30 and 07:55 and are requested to use the Drop and Go Zone at the back of the school in Wood Drive.

You are welcome to park in Wood Drive and walk your child to their classroom for the first few weeks of the quarter. Our Junior Preparatory parking area is a Drop and Go Zone and parents may pull into the yellow zone for learners to get out and walk into school on their own. Please do not park or leave your car in the Drop and Go Zone.

Lunch and Snacks

Learners require a packed lunch box and a bottle of water for an early morning snack and two break times. Please note that Parklands College is a nut free zone and no nut butters i.e. peanut butter or nuts may be sent to school.  Learners store their lunchbox and water bottles in the classroom. All items must be clearly marked with your child's name. There are NO tuckshop facilities for the Junior Preparatory learners.

Aftercare

Aftercare is a combined group of Grade 1-3 learners. Parents, please inform the College via email should you wish to make use of our aftercare facility. Learners may wear their Parklands College sports uniform and in the interest of security, learners are signed out when collected.  Learners attending Aftercare will be escorted to the venue.  Parents who wish to make use of our aftercare facilities, must please inform us via e-mail.  Learners must be collected promptly by 17:00, as the College is locked at this time.

Security and Car Stickers

For safety reasons no learners are permitted to wait outside the College gates at any time.

Parents entering our campus are required to have a 2025 car identification sticker which can be collected at reception. By displaying the sticker on your car you will gain easy access to the College premises.  Vehicles who do not have a sticker will be scanned. ‘At the Gate’ Access Solution is used by the College and involves drivers' and car license discs being scanned.  This information is stored on a secure database off-site for future reference should the need arise.  Pedestrians are also required to produce identification.

Transport from Sandown campus to the Preparatory and Pre-Primary Faculty 

We have a school bus that leaves at 07h15 from the Secondary Campus, Sandown, every morning to transport learners to the Preparatory and Pre-Primary campuses. There is a supervisor on the bus to ensure that the little ones travel safely.  Kindly email Gillian (goppenshaw@parklands.co.za) if you would like your child to make use of this transport.

Medication

Should your child have a medical condition/ allergy /require prescribed medication to be administered, please e-mail Meagan Petersen on mkotze@parklands.co.za or Sisanda Mvulana on smvulana@parklands.co.za.

Immunisation schedule

Please ensure that your child’s immunisations are up to date and forward a copy of the updated immunisation record to the secretary once your child has received the vaccine.

Department of Health recommended schedule: Childhood Immunisation Schedule

Parent and Learner Directory

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

Junior Preparatory 2025 Parent and Learner Directory

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 14 February: Grade 3P and 3A Cake Sale

Friday 14 March: Grade 3R, 1L, 2L & 3L Cake sale

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

ACADEMICS

First Additional Language (FAL)

Our Grade 1 - 3 learners have a choice between Afrikaans FAL and isiXhosa FAL. Learners in Grade 1 will have the option to choose between Afrikaans FAL or isiXhosa FAL and learners in Grade 2 - 3 can either continue with Afrikaans FAL or change to isiXhosa FAL from 2025 onwards.

It will be automatically assumed that learners wish to continue in their chosen 2024 FAL should the form not be completed. Please click on the link to complete the form. Link to Google Form:

First Additional Language 2025

SPORT AND CO-CURRICULARS

Grade 3 Swimming Trials - Fri 24 Jan 2025 from 14:00 - 15:00

SIGN - UP FOR THIS QUARTER'S ACTIVITIES

Please complete the sign-up forms by clicking on the link below, as cocurricular and sport activities will commence on Monday, 27 January 2025.

All information and days and times for co-curriculars are included in the link.

Summer Quarter Co curricular Sign Up Form 2025

The sport and extramural programme will start on Monday 27 January. Please refer to the timetable and select activities carefully as there may be clashes because match days are determined by the various Sports Associations.

 ALL learners MUST wear their school caps when outdoors. NO HAT, NO PLAY! 

There is an additional charge for Design Society, Drama Society, Golf, Chess, Junior Chefs and Marimba. Your child will be billed for these activities if they elect to participate in them. Please refer to the fee structure for 2025. 

From a young age we are teaching the children about the importance of commitment and sportsmanship, and we encourage them to commit to their teams and attend all practices. Please inform the class teacher if your child is unable to attend an activity. 

Parents are notified via email whether their child has been selected to play in a match or not. 

Grade 1 and Grade 2 learners may wear their sports kit to school on their two Grade sport days as well as their PE Day. Grade 3 learners may wear their sports kit to school on their PE day. Grade 3 learners are to bring their sports kit to school in the navy drawstring bag, on their sport days. The learners will change at school before their chosen sport.

Sport Days (during the school day)

Grade 1: Tuesday and Thursday from 1-2 pm
Grade 2: Monday and Wednesday from 1-2 pm
Grade 3: Monday and Friday from 2-3 pm

PE AND SWIMMING

Please pack in Parklands Swimming costumes / Parklands Swimming Cap / Towel and sunblock. 

Although coaches guide and support learners during swimming in Physical Education lessons, we are not a Learn to Swim School and for their own safety it is critical that learners are water safe and able to swim.  Please liaise with the coaches if you need contact details for LEARN TO SWIM schools for your child to attend.

Sunblock and Sun Hats

Please apply sun block on all exposed parts of your child’s body before they come to school in the morning. All learners must wear the Parklands College cap/hat for break time and sports. In order to protect your child’s skin from the harsh rays of the sun, we have a “no hat, no play” policy.

EXTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Please find a link to the notification letter informing the College of a learner's external achievements at Area/Regional/Provincial level.

External Achievements

LIBRARY

CULTURE

MUSIC LESSONS 

We invite parents of all current individual music learners as well as those wishing to commence individual lessons in 2025 to please complete the following enrolment form: JP Individual Music

We require a new form to be completed annually. A form for Ensembles, including Marimba, Choir, and Orchestra, will be shared at the start of 2025.

We will endeavour to ensure that your child is placed with the same teacher as in 2024, but we can only finalise a time slot at the start of 2025.

DANCE

Dance Link

PARENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Parklands College and Christopher Robin Pre-Primary parents who are in business are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory – www.parklands.co.za/parent-business-directory/

LISTINGS ARE FREE and include contact information as well as the opportunity to include a business logo or advert.  Listings are available 24/7 on the College website and will be updated each quarter.

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 are very excited to welcome our learners back to school on  Monday 20 January 2025. A special welcome to the new learners and families joining us this quarter. We hope you feel part of our Parklands College family very soon. 

We look forward to chatting to our Parents at the Parent Information Afternoon tomorrow,  Thursday 16 January at 15:00. 

Our next blog will be sent on Friday 24 January 2025

Chantel Lamb

Junior Preparatory Principal

clamb@parklands.co.za
Follow us on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParklandsCollege/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParklandsTweet

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parklandscollege

Links to other faculty blogs:

Pre-Primary Faculty: https://ppblog.parklands.co.za

Senior Preparatory Faculty: https://spblog.parklands.co.za

Secondary Faculty: https://secblog.parklands.co.za