We started the week off with our Assembly in the Ampitheatre. The weather was in our favour and it was so lovely to have all our Junior Prep learners together. 

Everyone was reminded to wear the correct uniform and wear it with Parkie pride. Mrs De Lange took the opportunity to show some of the lovely items received for Outreach and encouraged everyone for the last few donations to make 100 packs. Coach Liam took to the mic to acknowledge the Grade 3 players of the match and Mrs Crouse had some lovely birthday books to present. 

ACADEMICS

Throughout the quarter, our Junior Prep learners continue with their formal and informal assessments. These are carefully integrated into the school day, ensuring your child feels supported and comfortable in their familiar classroom environment.

For a learner to successfully progress to the next grade, the Department of Education requires the following averages throughout the year:

• Home Language: English - Code 4 

• Mathematics - Code 3 

• First Additional Language: Afrikaans/isiXhosa - Code 3 

Regular attendance is equally important for academic growth. As per Department guidelines, a medical certificate is required for any absence of two days or more.

REPORT FEEDBACK MEETINGS 

Reports will be released on Friday 19 June and feedback meetings are scheduled for Friday 19 June, Monday 22 June and Tuesday 23 June.

This is a wonderful opportunity to sit down together, celebrate your child’s strengths, and look at how we can support their continued growth. We encourage you to book a slot via the Google Calendar links provided by your child’s teacher. Appointments are usually 15 mins in length. We greatly value our parents’ and teachers’ time and urge parents to be on time in order to ensure that other parents are not kept waiting. Please contact your child’s class teacher directly should you be unavailable to meet on the specific days and times scheduled.

A HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

With the change in season and colder weather, we see an increase in illnesses. Any child who is unwell or taking antibiotics must stay at home. We appreciate that this can be challenging for working parents, but preventing the spread of infection to other learners and our teachers remains our priority.

SLIPPER DAY: FRIDAY 29 MAY

Learners are welcome to arrive in their PE clothes and enjoy a day of wearing slippers/stokies/pantoffels - call them what you like! 

All learners wearing slippers will be billed R20 to support this wonderful initiative. 

SIX BRICKS CHALLENGE

Mrs Manickum's class had a creative time solving two Six Bricks challenges! 

• Can you build a structure so only 21 studs are showing?

• In a group of three, can you build a structure that hangs off the table edge?

There was giggling, loads of bricks crashing and noisy chatter as solutions were tried and tested. 

WONDER WALL

The Grade 2 classes are exploring different habitats and one of their initial tasks was to ask questions that they would, with time, discover the answers to during their research. These questions are displayed on a Wonder Wall for easy reference. Look at these great questions that they are curious about:

Mrs Naidoo's class learning new words in their Afrikaans lesson -  'my gesig'. 

NASA Astronaut Dorothy “Dottie” Metcalf-Lindenburger Coming to Parklands College

Cape Town Highlight of the National Space Tour 2026

Cape Town, South Africa - Former NASA astronaut, educator, and STEAM advocate Dorothy “Dottie” Metcalf-Lindenburger will visit South Africa for the Space Tour 2026, running from 22 July to 4 August 2026 across Cape Town, Gauteng, Durban, and selected remote communities.

As part of the Cape Town leg, Metcalf-Lindenburger will headline a public presentation evening at Parklands College on Monday, 3 August 2026, from 18h00 to 20h30, a rare opportunity for learners, families, and educators to hear directly from a NASA astronaut about life in space and the future of exploration.

Tickets: Book here on Quicket

Presented in partnership with Living Maths, the tour will bring world-class STEM inspiration to schools, universities, science centres, and communities nationwide including underserved and remote areas where learners often lack access to global role models.

Metcalf-Lindenburger flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the historic STS-131 mission to the International Space Station in 2010, serving as Mission Specialist 2 and robotic arm operator. The mission delivered over 27,000 pounds of equipment to the ISS and travelled 6.2 million miles during 238 Earth orbits. She was also part of the first occasion on which four women were simultaneously in space. A former earth science and astronomy teacher, she was selected by NASA in 2004 through the Educator Astronaut Program and was the first Space Camp alumna to join the Astronaut Corps. She later commanded the NEEMO 16 underwater exploration mission and today champions STEAM education globally through Dottie ML, LLC.

Steve Sherman, Chief Imagination Officer of Living Maths, said the tour is about possibility. “When young people in South Africa meet someone who has travelled beyond Earth, it changes the way they think about their futures. Curiosity and talent are universal, opportunity is not. This tour is designed to help bridge that gap.”

Metcalf-Lindenburger added: “Science and exploration thrive when young people are encouraged to ask questions, solve problems, and imagine boldly. I’m honoured to share experiences from space exploration, teamwork, and discovery with audiences across South Africa.”

Tour Dates: 22 July – 4 August 2026

Public Event: Parklands College, Cape Town, 3 August 2026, 18h00–20h30

Tickets: quicket.co.za

Media & booking enquiries:

Steve Sherman, Living Maths

steve@livingmaths.com  |  +27 83 308 3883

Break time fun in the sunshine!

IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Quarter 2 and 3 Reminders

This is a reminder to check that your child has the correct items for hockey and rugby that will take place this quarter and next quarter. 

QUICK LINKS

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

Looking to the week ahead, the Grade 3s are looking forward to their outing to the Secondary Faculty kitchen for an Afrikaans culinary experience on Thursday, 28 May. 🧁

May all our Parklands families have a good weekend!