Muizenberg Junior School - Seagull Yearbook (Cape Town, South Africa)

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NEW POLITICAL DISPENSATION It is just as well that our financial and educational system is healthy, for developments, especially political developments are at work which are already profoundly effecting our educational system as we know it at present and we as a school and you as a parent body must be prepared to face the challenge of what is going to happen to us in the future. Under the new political dispensation Education is an Own Affair - it no longer falls under the jurisdiction, of the Old Cape Provincial Council but is controlled directly from Pretoria. Frcxm Pretoria the money trickles to the 'various Departments and the emphasis is on the word trickle. Add to this fact that our Director of Education, Dr Walters is working on the same budget as 1986 and you will begin to appreciate some of his fand our! problems. A first result has been the abolition of teachers' posts. A second is that it is now far more difficult to secure teaching posts even when a school's enrolment is increasing. The third effect - and the one that touches us rmore personally has been the drastic cutbacks in terms of what the Department provides. This school' hall of this kind, for example, will not be in the plans of schools to be built in the future, unless the school corrmunity is prepared to finance the building costs. If this school hall were to burn down tomorrow the Department will not rebuild it - and so it has to be insured by M.J.S. - a further drain on our school funds. The fact that we no longer have a maintenance grant for our fields and equipment is well known to you. The pool chemicals amount will be R35 tjmousand next year so if you want your chi.ld to swim, which I'm sure you do, you have to pay for it. There is also the warning that if school expenditure on text-books, electricity, water and the telephone not be reduced by 252 Kas compared with 19867 - then the school is liable for payrment. In the circumstances I expect that all schools will have no option but to raise their school fees considerably in order to maintain their basic facilities Cteaching aids, library books, audio-visuals, copying facilities, sporting facilities and equipment, grounds machinery and so forth! . In order to keep such an increase as low as possible it is imperative that parent and pupils support the staff in ensuring that text-books and exercise books are properly looked after and that children are taught the importance of caring for school equipment and facilities. oompunazms IN EDUCATION , It is not only the new Political and Financial dispensation that is going to effect us. Altogether another sphere which is increasingly dermanding our close attention is the dramatic grcwth of the Computer, which is now so much part of our modern-day living that we as parents and teachers simply must give your child every opportunity to master basic skills and to provide funds for more computers. Our school is fortunate in having an expert in Computer Education join our school r year, namely Mr Peter Rickards, to whom we look for guidance in this context. Fortunate is M.J.S. too, to have a parent group which has sustained the Computer Club over the past few years. NEW METHODS 'IO ENHANCE THINKING SKILLS This last year, the teachers and I have attended courses and seminars I concerning new meduods in teaching your child thinking and reasoning skills to unlock the potential of that miracle organ which is the brain. In addition in-service training courses are planned for next year at M.J.S. PLEASANT VDRKIINK: ENVIRONMENT And then last, but not least, we need to look at the appearance and image of our school. Plans and moves are underway to improve those very im- portant First Impression areas: namely the Secretaries' office and foyer, and the Staffroom, a room to which so many dignitaries are invited. I think you will agree, that our hard-working Secretaries and Teachers also deserve a pleasant yet efficient working environment. CDIXULUS ION In conclusion, I give you earnest assurance that we will stay up at the front with the best of them, we will continue to improve ourselves Cboth teachers and pupils! and we will continue to improve our facilities, if the finances are provided. But whatever we do, we need you, the parent at hcme, supporting us positively in all our endeavours for the ultimate benefit of your child. RWJUST

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PRINCIPAIJS ADDRESS 1987 1 . INTRODUCTION I arm going to depart from my usual format of giving an account of most of the school activities. As we are essentially a child- centred school so I am going to give our children, represented by Head Girl Kim Montgomery and Head Boy Quinton Atkinson the oportunity of reporting on the children's activities as seen from the children's point of view. For my part I wish to comment on the Staff, and the outlook for our School in the years to come. 2 . STAFF ' They say a school is only as good 'as its Principal but it is also true that without a good staff you cannot have a good school. I must also tell you that our staff is regarded by Inspectors and numerous visitors to the school as one of the rmost enthusiastic, inspired and one with an unusually strong team spirit and close bond between members. Each one of them cares about your child and each one will go beyond the call of duty to ensure the happiness of your child. They are indeed a staff of which to be proud. Part and parcel of our staff on the administrative side is Mrs du Preez our hard-working'School Secretary and Mrs Hickey, our efficient and ever- cheerful Accountant and Assistant Secretary. ' Junior Members in the businessinof theqschool are the Prefects. Thanks to them for duties well-performed. Seeing our children safely across the road is a vitally important duty - our thanks to Mrs Brough in this regard. Iast but not least thanks to the cleaning staff led by Caretaker Mr Volsteedt. 3. ACADEMIC, CUL'I'URAI. Sf SPORT With regard to our various other activities, we have made some notable impressions. O1 the sportsfront, soccer was introduced after a request made by yourselves and the boys. At the Afrikaans Eisteddfod we came away with the Santam Shield for the greatest participation by any school lboth English and Afrikaans! in Cape Town. In addition we claimed other trophies and many diplomas at this Eisteddfod and the Cape 'Down Eisteddfod. In the field of Gifted Education our Sub A activities were presented to a select group of 60 teachers at the Teachers College i.n the form of a tapefslide show. The numerous odmer activities have progressed well, with our fair share of highs and lows, defeats and triumphs. Greater detail may be found further on in the School Magazine. ---if MUIZENBERG HIGH SCHCDI. At this point I wish to pay a special tribute to Mr Gibbon and the High School Cormwittee for their outstanding spport and co-operation with the Junior School. What is particularly pleasing from our point of view is the increase in numbers at the High School this year and the fact that more teachers have been appointed in the field of Art and Music. May die High School go fren strength to strength and may the bond between us growl ever stronger. THE P.T.A. Sf THE PRE-PRIMARY CC1WVlI'I'I'EE The P.T.A. Committee, under the leadership of Tess Louw, and with your co-operation in the important business of fundraising, brought in a sum of over R12 O00 and money is ccming in. Many thanks to them and to you. The Pre-Primary, underrthe firm, yet unobtrusive leadership of Roy Glover has met virtually every demand imposed on it. THE SCHIL CG IbfDI'l'I'EE In this my l0th year at M.J.S. I look back over my associationland work with many School Committees, but I can assure you that this Ccmnittee, under the leadership of Jeremy Poole, now in the 3rd and final year of office, has been one of the most demanding yet one of th the most efficient, hardworking and concerned Curmittees I have had priviledge to work with. Their achievements have been many, but I wish to highlight theirthree main contributions which I personally think benefitted the school most: Firstly the problem of providing transport for the many teams and groups that go out frcim our school week after week. A school bus is an expensive item, especially in G a school that has limited funds, yet the Ccmmittee have spared no effort to resolve this problem and are getting closer and closer to their goal of purchasing a bus for our school, naturally with your financial support Secondly, the introduction of our new school uniform has given our school and pupil image a definite boost. Nerd: year I hope all pupils will be in new uniform. ' 'Ihirdly, and most significantly has been the introduction of a detailed school budget, closely monitored and constantly being improved upon. Our finances in the meantime have also improved - and here I must give my unreserved praise and thanks to all the parents who so generously and unselfishly paid their school fees. Thus on behalf of the school my sincere thanks to the Ccxmmittee for their labours over the past 25 years.

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As 1987 draws to a close so does our three year term of office and I should like to review it briefly Firstly, school fees were increased and together with stringent control measures and a vast improvement in the payment ratio the financial position of the school improved dramatically. These stringent financial controls willunfortunatel now always be part of our day to day financial Y planning as the cutbacks in education tal e effect Secondly the bus was sold as it had become uneconcrmical to run We are at present negotiating the purchase of a minibus. A sincere thanks to all the parents and teachers who transported children to and from matches. Without their assistance our sporting activities would surely have ground to a halt. This year saw the introduction of a new look uniform and a new sport - soccer. Both have proved to be very popular and have rapidly become part of the school life at M.J.S. i Contact and oo-operation with the High School has developed into joint planning meetings and we look forward to further opportunities to serve our joint interests. I During the year we said farewell to parents and teachers alike and at the end of this year we must again bid farewell to all those leaving the school and we wish them well wherever they may go. In conclusion I should like to thank you for your support through troubled times. It has been most gratifying to know that we could always depend on full parent co-operation. It has made our task that much easier. Wishing you la blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. JEREMYPOOLE SCHOOLC1lVlMI'I'I'EECI-IAIRMAN SCI-III. QlV1'MI'I'I'EE Mr J Poole iCnairma.n7 Mr R Pringle Mr R Crowhurst Wice-Cnairmanl Mr E Smith - Mrs M Montgomery Mr J Kipps Mrs A Myers Mr D Potgieter P T A REFLECTIONS ON 1987 As our fundraising year of 1987 draws to a close, we can, I feel, look back on a successful year of fundraising for Muizenberg Junior School. We land hopefully youl , enjoyed fundraisers such as the Barn Dance held in May, The International Evening and the 'Great' M.J.S. Sleep Out. I E r I: M J S pupils were very enthusiastic about the Craft Classes which were C ! run on two occasions during school holidays, some lovely handmade 5 Christzmas Gifts were madeQ The 2nd International Evening once again proved a great success and it , was very encouraging to see the tremendous turn-out of family and friends. I! I An enthusiastic response was received for the Friday 13 Sleep Out at . Sandvlei, with the children using great imagination in creating their 1 COStUITES ! 1 A tremendous rapport exists between the M.J.S. staff and the P.T.A. y Cormiittee and I thank the Staff sincerely for all their help and co- y operation during 1987. To you, the parent, a very sincere word of thanks. Without your backing i and support we cannot function as a fundraising body. 'Every financially J successful fundraiser helps to keep the schools budget in the Pink . L, Finally, to all those hardworking P.T.A. Ccmmittee members, many, many 5 thanks for your loyal support and back-up throughout the year. - were an excellent team. To those brave souls who have offered to yi serve a second year on the Committee - see you next year ! Year, and I am sure May you all have a very happy Christmas and New will have a tremendous fundraising year in 1988 oo SCHOOL CIMMI'I'I'EE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT ' ' ' , I I o TESS LOUW CHALRLADY 1987 P.T.A. mMVlI'I'l'EE Mrs T Louw Mrs FNJones Mr J Kipps Mrs A Venables Mrs J Jacobs Mrs F Calverey C Chairlady J K Secretary J C Treasurer I Mrs Potgieter Mrs C A Sharpe Mr C Plastow Mrs D Kenney QPre-Primary Representati Mr E Smith iSchool Committee Representative! WE g we , ' W ..,,,.., 7 I , 5 , ,, R Q - 5 gg. :V .,-g,l1'. ...,,Q1-3 .3 z ,