CBHS Newsletter 7 - Aug '09

Dear Parents

This years Matric Dance at the Rotunda Ball Room turned out every bit as magical as expected. Mrs Wessels, Mr Jenneke and their team of Grade 12 Tutors managed to transform the venue into an ‘Ice Palace’. The stage became an Ice Cave, and backdrop to numerous group photographs. The high-domed ceiling of the ball room had white drapes running from the floor to the chandelier. With well planned lighting, the venue looked incredible. A nice new touch this year was the addition of a message book for each Grade 12. This allowed them to write expressions of friendship to each other in the course of the evening. Russell Daries gave an inspiring address to the Matric Class of 2009. This Grade 12 group have a great class spirit, which was evident throughout the evening. The DJ could not believe it when the entire grade got on the floor to do a line dance. This was truly an evening where memories were made.

ALCOHOL AWARENESS WEEK
Alcohol Awareness week saw our pupils engage with their tutors and Life Orientation teachers in discussing the dangers of alcohol abuse. The week was launched by Kim Brand, who told her story in Assembly. She was driving home with her boyfriend behind the wheel. They had both been drinking. He lost control of the car, and in the crash she lost her eyesight. There were many questions that the pupils put to her in Assembly. She answered them all with humour and honesty. The new Minister of Education, Donald Grant, came to the Assembly to support this initiative. We had a wrecked car on its roof in front of the school to raise awareness for the week. We painted the car with ‘blackboard’ paint, and pupils wrote sayings around alcohol awareness on the car. These included:
• This is not how you want the party to end
• Your life can change in an instant
• One drink too many
• Alcohol can turn your life upside down
• This can be a life sentence

GOVERNING BODY
The first meeting of the new governors was held earlier this month. It gives me great pleasure to announce the following parents who will be serving you as governors for the next 3 years.
Eddy Cassar - Chairman
Eugene Malan - Treasurer
Alma Horn - Communications
Colin Harvey - Buildings & Grounds
Ardi Hagglund - Discipline
Michelle Harvey - Special Projects
Simone Segal - Parent Liaison
Sandi Britzz - Fundraising (Co-opted)

The pupil representatives are Russell Daries and Charlotte Saunders. The staff representatives are Louis Mostert and Ettie Cronje (Academic Staff) and Victor van Heerden (Support staff). The Principal is automatically a member of the Governing Body. This is a great group, and I am sure they will continue to build on the good work of the previous governors

SPORT

RUGBY
U19 vs Groote Schuur lost 3 – 5
U15 vs Groote Schuur won 12 - 0

CROSS-COUNTRY
We ran a cross country race a week ago. The weather was fantastic and the route through the Glen and around the school must rate as one of the best courses in the Cape. Congratulations to all pupils for their excellent performance.
All cross country results can be viewed ‹‹here››
DANICA DAVIES also came 17th in the Interschool’s Cross Country held at Rondebosch.

NETBALL
The U16A netball team played Oude Molen yesterday and WON 15 – 3. The girls played extremely well. Well done!!

BOYS HOCKEY
CBHS beat Elkanah House 2 – 1. Jason Smuts scored both goals. Well done!
Well done on another victory!! 1 – 0 vs Tygerberg. Goal scored by combined effort of Matthew Harvey and Selan Twentyman-Jones.

SOCCER
Week ending 31st July
All soccer results can be viewed ‹‹here››

KARATE
Julia Cassar became SA Karate Champion – girls U18 Funekoshi Karate last weekend at the SA National Champs. Julia has been awarded SA Colours and well be included in the SA team for the Commonwealth Karate Games to be held in October. Congratulations Julia!

Congratulations to Benji Kokhine, who will be representing South Africa at the 5th Karate Goju Kai World Championships from 23rd – 25th October 2009 in Bellville.

SWINE FLU
A tremendous amount of hype has developed around this strain of flu. It seems as if every school has a few pupils who have contracted this flu. At Camps Bay High we have one confirmed case. He has been sick but has recently returned to school completely well. The WCED has issued a circular on this, and I will include some of their information below:

How does the flu virus spread?
Influenza viruses are very infectious. It is almost impossible to stop influenza viruses, whether seasonal or pandemic, from spreading from person to person mainly through coughing or sneezing by infected people. Touching surfaces such as counters and doorknobs with influenza viruses on them can also infect people and afterwards their mouth, nose or eyes. This is why handwashing helps. However influenza viruses are very infectious and all precautions can only decrease, but not eliminate, risk.

How can the spread be limited?
You can reduce the risk of getting or spreading influenza by taking standard precautions:
• Wash your hands or clean them with alcohol-based hand rubs frequently, especially after you cough or sneeze and before you eat.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a clean tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in a rubbish bin immediately after you have used it.
• Alternatively, cough and sneeze into your sleeve.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, as you could infect yourself that way.
• Limit close (1 to 2 meter) contact with people who are sick with flu.
• If you get sick, stay at home and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Symptoms of an influenza like illness:
These are the same for pandemic and seasonal influenza. Typical symptoms include a sudden onset of high fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, body aches, chills, tiredness, and lack of appetite. Some of those affected have reported nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

BAYSIDE SCHOOL
We were very sad to learn that Bayside Christian School in Hout Bay is closing at the end of August. The school has over the years offered a very nurturing faith-based school experience to its pupils. We have offered some of the pupils place at Camps Bay and hope that they will be happy here.

PAST PUPILS SPORTS DAY
Saturday 29th August
Hockey
Netball
Rugby

This is a wonderful sporting day always enjoyed by all. Please support.

At Camps Bay High we like to try new ways of really doing things. Some times this is not necessary, like the recent Afrikaans camp. The Grade 12’s benefited tremendously from their intensive Afrikaans weekend in Elgin under the leadership of Mr Cawood and his team. On Friday we did do something new, when the Grade 8s’ and 9’s were assessed for their Life Orientation mark on an outdoor ‘Ultimate Survival’ course. This was a new and novel way of evaluating pupils while they were having fun solving problems. Well done to Ms Herbert and her team of Grade 11 group leaders.

Looking ahead this week, we have some of our Grade 11 Science pupils going to display their research projects at the MTN Science centre. We wish them all the best. On Saturday 29th August we have our past pupils day. This is usually a wonderful opportunity for our past pupils to catch up with each other and their old school. If you know anyone who wants to play, please contact Mr Becker at the school. Otherwise simply come along and enjoy the occasion.

On Saturday we have a few of our pupils playing in the Beau Soleil Gala Concert in the City Hall. Good luck to Lisa Duvenage, Eric de Korte, Mfundo Manana and Ruben de Girardier.

The academic focus is this terms number one priority. The test and assignment programme is to be followed carefully and can help you at home to keep track of your child’s work.

Yours sincerely

DAVID DE KORTE
PRINCIPAL