Principal’ s
Report
As I take time to reflect on 2016 at Wynberg Girls’ Junior School, I am humbled by how much has been achieved. This is thanks to the combined efforts of so many dedicated and loyal people, who are at the heart of every success we enjoy.
Our focus for the year was to build on the values that we would like our girls to take into their everyday lives and beyond. For 2016 we selected the values of Accuracy, Awareness, Acceptance all of which lead to being Awesome. We saw trees wrapped, colourful scarves, lunchbox days, flash mob dances and working towards bracelets, alice bands, badges and medals. These activities helped to imbed the importance of understanding and applying the value. A highlight was certainly Friendship Day where girls were given an opportunity to interact with someone from a different group of friends.
A thought struck me during our Outreach Programme of teaching and encouraging each girl to learn to knit, that our lives are like a long piece of wool. It is certain that there is a beginning and an end. We begin by casting on – our birth or arrival at school. Then we progress through the‘ Kindergarten’ knowing that we may drop stitches at times, we are secure in the knowledge that these will be picked up and knitting will continue. Our girls have learnt to be accurate, but also to review, correct and learn from errors. As they progress to Grade 4 we start to knit with thinner needles, and eventually we are holding our own needles and knitting independently. Sometimes when our wool gets into knots we wonder if it wouldn’ t be easier just to cut the wool, but we realise that life cannot be interrupted. Knitting teaches us we can’ t pull and tug at the wool – it simply makes the knots worse. We need to gently untangle each problem, and be patient when approaching challenges. Never compare your knitting with another’ s until the final stitch is knitted. If you have knitted a patchwork blanket don’ t try to convert it into an angora scarf. Keep to the pattern intended for you.
Each Wynberg girl is an individual with her own unique pattern, yet each one has benefitted from the many opportunities offered at Wynberg.
Some of the highlights of 2016 include the following events:
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Swimafun
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Family Fun Run
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The Mother Daughter dance
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The new LO and SAC integration ensuring 100 %
participation in sport
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Talented music performances and exceptional results from music exams
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Stylish new sports uniforms
Our girls have all progressed, not only in academic achievements, but in learning to care for others.“ People who help us” was the theme for our choice of charities. From Easter eggs for Red Cross Children’ s Hospital to donations for animals, each girl was eager to contribute.
It takes a village to raise a child, and we are incredibly blessed to enjoy the support of our school community. My thanks to the SGB, Fundraising Committee, Class Reps, parents, grandparents and our community who support and assist our school.
This magazine serves as a record of the year and we invite you to enjoy it as you hunt for your daughters’ pictures or written contribution. As our Grade 7s leave us to embark on their high school education we wish them everything of the best and urge them to believe in themselves and uphold the motto“ Honour before Honours” in all they do.
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