9 May 2025

Dear Parents,

A warm welcome back to all our parents and learners! We hope you had a restful and refreshing time with your families on mid-term break.

Please take note of the following important reminders:

Winter Uniform
Please note that we have transitioned into winter uniform.

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.
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

Parklands College Preparatory Faculty presents
DreamWorks Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR.

DreamWorks Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR. features original music and lyrics by George Noriega and Joel Someillan, and book by Kevin Del Aguila.

As the show opens, we learn that Marty the zebra may be celebrating his tenth birthday at the Central Park Zoo with his friends Alex the lion, Gloria the hippo, and Melman the giraffe, yet he longs to experience life outside of the zoo’s walls. When Marty eventually escapes, his animal friends from the zoo pursue him into New York City. After reuniting, the animals are chased by the police, and ultimately felled by tranquilliser darts. They awake, trapped in crates, on a ship, which, through a series of events, is thrown off course. Upon reaching land, the animals discover they have been shipwrecked on the island of Madagascar. Ultimately, it is only in being so lost that they can begin to discover where they really belong.

Every Grade 4 - 6 learner as well as every Grade R - 3 dancer is getting ready to Move it! We hope to see you join in the fun too! Ticket Sales are now open!

Book here via Quicket.

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

Author Visit: Roslynne Toerien

The learners were captivated by author, Roslynne Toerien's engaging book readings from her beloved animal series. Roslynne’s stories bring South African animals to life through lively characters, playful rhymes, and vivid illustrations, allowing learners to both enjoy a good story and deepen their knowledge of our country's rich wildlife. The book signing was a highlight of the day, with many little faces beaming as they received their very own signed copies.

Out of the Mouth of Babes: Celebrating our Mothers

In honour of Mother’s Day, we asked our learners to share what makes their moms so special and their heartfelt (and humorous) answers did not disappoint! Enjoy these little gems from our learners as they share, in their own words, what makes their moms one-of-a-kind.

Cake Sale

A big thank you to the Grade 2K & 2R parents for contributing to today's cake sale with such delicious treats - everyone thoroughly enjoyed them! A special thank you to all the special people who assisted at cake sale-we really appreciate your time and love having you here.

Beyond the yummy eats and fun, the cake sale also supports our outreach efforts. An amount of R2634 was raised this morning. Later in the year, we will inform parents which charity has been selected by our outreach committee to receive the proceeds from our cake sales.

LIBRARY NEWS

Author Event

Our learners had a great experience when they met author Roslynne Toerien on Monday. Ros hails from KZN and was in town for the Suidooster Festival, which annually brings authors from far and wide to our city. This inspiring author is also a trained teacher, who knew exactly how to keep her young audience entertained. She introduced the different books and then shared The Speedy Six Olympics in an interactive way which involved the audience throughout - they even got to do a Cheetah Rap! The children were fascinated by the speeds that different animals achieve, and most impressed by the QR codes that allow them to listen to a recording of the stories, even including the brilliant bird sounds in The Feathered Five. What a treat!

If you would like to add some of these beautifully illustrated books to your home library, they are available from local booksellers. The books can also be ordered and delivered to school. Please call Nicole on 064 530 6693 or email nicole@thebookbox.co.za.

Star Wars Day

This week the Book Club relived those initial tense moments of Episode 4, A New Hope, first screened in 1977. Princess Leia’s ship has been boarded by Darth Vader and his stormtroopers, and she hides the hard-won plans to the Death Star in her droid, R2D2. The droids, R2D2 and C3PO, escape to a nearby desert planet, Tatooine, where Luke finds her desperate message to Obi-Wan Kenobi, begging for his assistance for the Rebel Alliance. At this point the Book Club members started a board game in which R2D2 has run away in his quest to deliver the message, and Luke and C3PO are in pursuit. They are attacked by the Sandpeople, but Kenobi comes to their aid. And so starts a saga that almost fifty years later has become an integral part of our lives. May the Force be with you!

Tom Gates Doodling

During World Book Day we traditionally spend time in the world of Tom Gates, the book character who loves to doodle. Well done to Sing Yuet who successfully tried a banana doodle. Such fun!

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.

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

From the Junior Prep Sports Desk – Welcome Back to Quarter 2!

Welcome back, Parklands families! It’s been a fantastic return to campus as our learners wasted no time jumping straight back into the swing of things.

Right from Day 1, our fields and courts were buzzing with activity as training kicked off in full force – a clear sign that our young athletes are ready for an action-packed rest of Quarter 2!

Our U9 Netballers led the charge with two exciting fixtures, taking on Milnerton and Blouberg Ridge. The girls showed amazing grit, energy, and teamwork in their first matches of the term – a great way to set the tone for what’s ahead!

With festivals and back-to-back weeks of fixtures on the horizon, there’s plenty to look forward to. The enthusiasm and commitment shown at practices and matches already have us beaming with pride.

We’re in for a term of growth, challenges, and celebration – let’s keep the energy high and those cheers even louder!

🏐 The Week That Was – Junior Prep Sports Recap 🏐

Our Junior Prep sports stars have hit the ground running in Quarter 2, and it’s been fantastic to see their dedication and growth in action!

U9 Hockey vs CBC St. Johns
Our U9 hockey boys had an incredible start to their Hockey season:

U9 drew 2-2 | ⭐ Players of the Match: Luke and Leon-Matthew

Netball vs Blouberg Ridge
Our U9 netballers took to the courts with great energy and enthusiasm:

U9 A lost 3–1 | ⭐ Player of the Match: Leruo
U9 B lost 4–0 | ⭐ Player of the Match: Kuhle

Netball vs Milnerton
We’re still waiting on the results for these exciting fixtures – but one thing’s for sure, the effort and team spirit shown were truly Parkie-proud!

U9 A lost 6–2 | ⭐ Player of the Match: Cathy
U9 B lost 6–0 | ⭐ Player of the Match: Busi

As always, we’re incredibly proud of the heart our learners show on the court. These matches are all part of the learning journey and build the foundation for something special.

🗓️ Coming up: We’re looking ahead to the weekend of 17th May for another fantastic day of Netball action at Camps Bay. Get ready for more teamwork, cheers, and unforgettable moments. Please note, your daughter will be notified via email with a match day notification!

💙💛 "No rest for the super stars!"
#ParklandsPrepSport #JuniorPrepPower #WeekThatWas #ProudParkies

U9 Hockey Boys

Some action shots from the Hockey and Netball Practice

Hockey Friday mornings

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

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

Follow the link below to register your spot on Quicket:

LINK TO REGISTER

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 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

Please join me in wishing Coach Jared a very happy birthday for next week Tuesday the 13th of May!

To all the incredible mothers, mother figures, and caregivers in our school community, we celebrate and thank you for the love, strength, and care you show each day. Wishing you a joyful and well-deserved Mother’s Day filled with appreciation and special moments.