25 April 2025

Dear Parents,

Please take note of the following important upcoming dates and reminders:

Important Change Regarding Aftercare Collection Procedures
To further enhance the safety and security of our learners, effective immediately, all learners must be personally collected from aftercare and signed out on the register by their parent(s), designated lift service, or caregiver.

Library dates to note:

Monday 5 May: Visiting Author: Roslynne Toerien (Grade 1 - 3) - author's books available for purchase. Please see the library section for details.

Mid-Term Break
Monday 28 April - Friday 2 May: Mid-Term Break
Winter Uniform
Please note that we will transition to Winter uniform on Monday 5 May.
Parking
Please make use of the Junior Preparatory parking area only and not the Pre-Primary drive-through.

Contact:

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

Learner Code of Conduct

Building a positive and supportive school environment is central to our vision at Parklands College. Our Code of Conduct is regularly discussed during assemblies and class teaching. We are committed to guiding and supporting our learners, alongside their parents and guardians, to understand what behaviour is appropriate and what is not. This is an important part of fostering a respectful, safe and happy learning environment for us all.

We would like to remind our Parklands College family about our Code of Conduct, which is included in the Parent and Learner Directory. It outlines our shared expectations and helps us maintain a safe and happy space for both learners and staff.

LEARNER CODE OF CONDUCT .pdf

While we prioritise positive reinforcement — as seen through the many merits awarded — we also recognise the importance of issuing appropriate consequences for unacceptable behaviour. These might include warnings or demerits, depending on the situation. Please note that, just as parents are not notified before a merit is awarded, we are unable to contact parents in advance of issuing a consequence, i.e. a demerit, as it is important that we act swiftly and appropriately to prevent further behavioural issues.

We appreciate our parents' support in helping us create a happy and safe environment where positive interactions and behaviour are the expectation and the norm.

Highlights

World Book Day

Our learners and teachers brought stories to life by dressing up as their favourite book characters - from classic heroes to whimsical creatures! The excitement didn’t stop there, our Bargain Books sale was a huge success, with learners thrilled to choose and buy their very own books with a fantastic selection to choose from.

Gr3 Book Day Video.mp4

Outreach: A Heartfelt Thank You! 🐣💛

We want to extend a huge thank you to all our wonderful parents for your generous Easter egg donations! Because of your kindness, we were able to spread some Easter joy to the children and elderly at:

✨Indy from Elundini Educare in DuNoon
✨IEkhayakidz Educare
✨IRia Abel
✨IHuis Zonnekus

Your contributions made a real difference — bringing big smiles, sweet treats, and happiness to grateful hearts. Moments like these remind us of our incredible community. Thank you for helping us share the love this Easter! 💐🐰

Easter Outreach video.mp4

Grade 1 Science Centre Visit

The Grade Ones embarked on a sensory adventure at the Science Centre, where curiosity came alive through touch, sight, sound, and more.

In an interactive workshop, they explored the fascinating world around them, using their senses to investigate and discover. One of the highlights included experimenting with colours— watching in awe as different colours mixed to create entirely new shades.

The day was filled with wonder, creativity, and plenty of hands-on fun!

Teachers having fun too.MOV

The teachers had fun too!

Cooper Science Centre.mp4

Science Experiment.mp4

Grade 2 Visit to SANCCOB

The Grade 2R, L & K learners enjoyed a wonderful outing last Thursday to SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds). During their visit, learners learnt about the vital work SANCCOB does to protect coastal birdlife and explored how humans can help care for our environment.

It was a meaningful and inspiring experience that deepened their understanding of wildlife conservation.

Space Week: STAR PROGRAMME

Not only has it been a week of celebrating books, we have been celebrating space too! It’s STAR week! STAR is our school programme to inspire the next generation of Earth and Space inventors, explorers and scientists. This programme prepares our little learners for jobs in space exploration, helping you understand our Earth and explore the stars.

S - Science

T - Technology

A - Aerospace and

R - Robotics

Our Grade One classes collaborated in building space rockets in the Block Room. They brainstormed ideas on fuel tanks, wings and how many seats were needed. The Block Room was a happy mess and you could just about hear the take off sequence 10…9…8…7

The Robotics Lab was the home for the Grade Two classes who designed spaceships and satellites using Lego. This needed lots of great communication in order to create their designs.

Coding was the order of the day for the Grade Threes who navigated their rovers over ‘Mars’ and needed to avoid dust storms, rocks and the two rovers. Lots of perseverance and curiosity was needed to get to a safe space.

At the start of each lesson this week, the learners learnt about our STAR programme and the vision for it. One learner asked Teacher Nikki “Where do I sign up for STAR?” The good news, we do aspects of it each day, no sign-up required.

Thank you, Teacher Nikki, for a great week. You are a star yourself!

Hyperion Bots Shine at FIRST Tech World Championships in Houston

The Hyperion Bots’ trip to the FIRST Tech World Championships in Houston was a thrilling blend of competition, learning, and unforgettable experiences. The team proudly represented South Africa, delivering a strong judges’ presentation and passing both robot and field inspections with ease. On the field, they fought hard in the Edison Division, earning exciting wins in matches Q-11, Q-25, Q-139, and Q-158, and tackling technical challenges—including a broken robot arm—with impressive perseverance and teamwork. The vibrant atmosphere at the competition was electric, with learners enjoying the mascot dance, trading team memorabilia, and cheering on alliances from around the world. Beyond the competition, the team explored the wonders of space at NASA during a private tour, discovered cutting-edge tech at Limitless, and capped off their trip with a fun and educational visit to the Museum of Natural Sciences. From presenting like pros to dancing with mascots and learning about nanotech, every moment was packed with energy, inspiration, and pride.

Well done to the team who placed 47th in the Edison division - an outstanding achievement for a first-year team.

LIBRARY NEWS

A Special Visitor

Our World Book Day adventure continues as we welcome a children’s author, Roslynne Toerien, who will be visiting our Grade R, 1, 2 and 3 classes on Monday 5 May. This lovely lady has a passion for bringing books to children and is founder and CEO of The LEARN Project ( Let’s Educate A Rainbow Nation), with the aim of equipping schools with libraries and book corners.

Her animal series is highly entertaining and hugely popular with our young readers. The rhyming text, creative use of font styles and beautiful illustrations make the animals come to life. The books also contain not only a story, but valuable information about these creatures which satisfy the learners’ desire to know more about the animals.

We are delighted to be able to introduce TWO new books in the series, namely FEATHERED FIVE and NOCTURNAL NINE. Roslynne will be signing books on the day, which is always a memorable moment for the children. Books can be pre-ordered (see the information below), or purchased on the day (cash or card).

Shopping!

Happy book shoppers at this week's Book Sale.

Book Donation

A big thank you to Akuchinyere and the Tabata family for the donation of “I will Learn to Share!” This book teaches an important life skill as Ollie the Owl grapples with sharing the forest.

Our Culture department has been designing the costumes and set for our production of Madagascar Jr. Please help us by collecting and sending the following recyclable materials to school (see poster). We would also appreciate help in finding old scout uniforms.

Aladdin poster.pdf

Bookings through Quicket

https://www.quicket.co.za/events/215034-disney-aladdin-jr/

or take advantage of this special offer:

A special rate of R120 for the following performances:

Tuesday 13 May (Carpet Cast) at 19h00

Wednesday 14 May (Lamp Cast) at 19h00

Thursday 15 May (Carpet Cast) at 19h00

These tickets can be booked directly with Lee Merryweather via email: merryweatherla@gmail.com or WhatsApp: 083 298 3141

Olivia Huang (Grade 5) is Lago in the Carpet Cast (along with Jorja Hoppé in Grade 9), and Lela Demissew (Grade 5) is Manal in the Lamp Cast.

Winter Co-Curricular Time Table

Q2&3 Extra Mural timetable.pdf

Please follow the link to sign up for the Winter season:

LINK TO SIGN-UP FORM

SPORT

FROM THE SPORTS DESK

Junior Prep Sports – Sticks Up, Spirits High! 🏑💙💛

It’s been an exciting week in Junior Prep as Hockey season officially got underway! Our U9s kicked things off in fine fashion with a great match against CBC St. John’s – the energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork on display were truly inspiring. For many of our learners, this was one of their first-ever hockey matches, and they showed incredible promise on the field.

With the mid-term break just around the corner, our players are already gearing up for a packed calendar of fixtures right after the holidays. It’s been wonderful to see the learners showing such dedication at practices and Physical Education, giving their all and demonstrating real growth and excitement for the season ahead.

As we head into the break, we encourage our learners to keep up the energy and effort – every little bit of practice and movement counts! Whether it’s tossing a ball, running around outside, or simply staying active, hard work doesn’t stop, even on holiday.

We’re so proud of the way our Junior Prep athletes have started the term, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll achieve next. Here’s to more smiles, sticks, and sporting success after the break!

#JuniorPrepHockey #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork #OurBloodRunsBlue #ParklandsPride

Week that was – U9s Shine with Spirit and Skill! 💙💛

This past week saw our U9 Boys team step onto the field to take on CBC St. John’s, and what an exciting afternoon of junior sport it turned out to be! The Boys drew 2-2 with Luke and Leon Players of the Match. One thing is for sure – the heart, hustle, and hunger were absolutely undeniable.

From start to finish, both teams showcased just how far they’ve come in such a short space of time. Their commitment to training and their eagerness to learn were clear for all to see as they demonstrated excellent teamwork, improved skill execution, and growing confidence on the field.

Even more impressive than the passes, tackles, and shots at goal was the incredible team spirit on display. Our U9s played for each other – backing their teammates, cheering from the sidelines, and showing what it means to be part of the Parklands family.

We are incredibly proud of their growth and can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds. This is only the beginning for our young athletes – and the future is bright!

#ParklandsPrep #U9Sport #TeamSpirit #WeekThatWas #OurBloodRunsBlue

Some action shots from the Hockey & Rugby Practice

For their safety, learners are required to wear a gum guard and shin pads for hockey, and a gum guard for rugby. They may NOT PARTICIPATE in practices or games without this.

Sport Calendar:

Sport Quick Links

SPORT INFO

TRAVEL CONSENT

EXTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS

SPORT CALENDAR

IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

Autumn Quarter

Friday 25 April: Happy Birthday Coach Liam

Saturday 26 April: Happy Birthday Anine De Lange

Sunday 27 April: Freedom Day

Monday 28 April - Friday 2 May: Mid-Term Break

Monday 5 May:
Change to Winter Uniform

Author Visit: Roslynne Toerien (Books for sale)

Tuesday 6 May: JP Dancers to Sea Point Civic Centre - Eisteddfod rehearsal
Friday 9 May: Grade 2R and Grade 2K Cake sale

Sunday 11 May: Mother’s Day

Monday 12 May - 12 June Dance Eisteddfod (dates will be confirmed with Parents)

Tuesday 13 May: Happy birthday Jared Margetts

Thursday 15 May: International Day of Families

Saturday 17 May: Camps Bay Netball Festival

Tuesday 20 May: Happy Birthday Serena Domingo

Saturday 24 May: Elmer Day

Wednesday 28 May: Grade 3 visit to Secondary for an Afrikaans Culinary Experience
Consent Form Gr 3 Outing to the Secondary Faculty

Thursday 29 May: Grade 3 Outing to the Alpaca Loom Consent Form Gr 3 Outing to Alpaca Loom

Thursday 29 May – Thursday 5 June: Child Protection Week

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

Saturday 31 May: Open Day

Sunday 1 June:
International Children’s Day & Child Protection Week

Happy Birthday Chef Kerry

Tuesday 3 June: Happy Birthday Chantel Lamb

Wednesday 4 June: Happy Birthday Elise Crouse

Thursday 5 June: World Environment Day (Grade 3's celebrate this day with author Helene Booyens and "Mammal Safari"; Book Sale)

Wednesday 11 June: International Day of Play

Friday 13 June: Grade 3 PBL: Food Fair (Parents invited)

Sunday 15 June: Father’s Day

Monday 16 June:
Public Holiday- Youth Day

Thurloe Ernstzen’s birthday

Wednesday 18 June: Grade 3 PBL: School Showcase (Parents invited)

Friday 20 June: Grade 1 PBL: School Showcase (Parents invited)

Monday 23 June:
Madagascar Run-through

Reports released
Report Feedback Meetings

Tuesday 24 June:
Madagascar Photographs

Report Feedback Meetings

Wednesday 25 June: Last Day of the Quarter

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

QUICK LINKS

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 are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory for free – www.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...

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

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

Grade 2R and Grade 2K are hosting our Cake Sale on Friday 9 May - please remember to send R10 with your child so that they can enjoy a yummy treat!

Please join me in wishing Coach Liam a very happy birthday for today and Anine De Lange a very happy birthday for tomorrow!

Wishing all our Parklands families a wonderful Mid-term break. We look forward to welcoming our learners back to school in Winter uniform on Monday 5 May.