Gazette

Dear Parents,
The past year has been filled with excitement ; we have grown,
Dates to Remember :

we have played and we have learned.

School Opens (Photo Day

The time to take the next step has arrived: parents, learners and

11 January 2017

teachers are getting ready for 2017.

First Meeting
18 January 2017

Some of our little ones are taking the big step to Grade 1
and others are taking their own big steps.

Cake Sale
03 February 2017

We wish everyone the best of luck and love with these changes

Interhouse Athletics

and we hope that Christmas and the New Year is filled with

03 February 2017

blessings.

Cake Sale
03 March 2016
Provincial Athletics
04 March 2017
Fun Athletics
10 March 2017
Cake Sale
03 March 2017
Sandwich Drive
29 March 2017
Easter Market
30 March 2017
School Closes
31 March 2017

SomerStrand College

Important for 2017 (planning minutes)

It is extremely important for our school parents to submit their book and
clothing orders now (if not already done); this to avoid disappointment. Go
directly to the Oom Polla website to order stationery and books. (See the
attached information page in this regard). The SomerStrand College clothing
suppliers Missus Ks. Please ensure that your new school and sport uniform is already ordered and paid for. No student will be allowed to participate in sport and movement programmes without the correct uniform.
Please note that a R60-fee for Stimu-Zone (computer training) & Acmix
Mathematics and Remedial reading programme (included in the R60) will be
added to your school account. If you dont want this very special package,
please inform the admin office before the start of school in January
2017. (For the first month, a R20 once of registration fee will also be included).
School sport for next year includes: soccer, athletics, cross country, mini
cricket, dancing and equestrian sport. We are working on getting the sport
field green and ready for 2017. Thank you to all for supporting our sport
raffle so enthusiastically.
We are affiliating with Green Roads for 2017. They will educate our
champion grower on how to do organic planting and harvesting; also, how
to get the students involved in the process. Afterwards our produce will be
sold in the market place. SomerStrand will therefor introduce organic fruit
and vegetables in our school diets. We will also, start with preserving some
or our produce.
We need our parents to commit as the recycling in SomerStrand College
will be taken to new heights. We will be introducing a new structured recycling and garbage programme inside the school. We will give this programme three months and hope that we can make this happen for our
school.
Changing of school rules: high school (summer uniform)- white shirts with
the school logo, without a tie will be allowed (formal wear tie and blazer). ONLY SUMMER TIME.

Pre-School News
Lesley Hoffman
What a year it has been... there have been many ups and downs, but looking back you realise just how much the children have achieved and grown. We should all feel very proud!
Thank you to each and every parent in the Pre-school for their enthusiasm and support towards their children and the school throughout the year. It is greatly appreciated.
We hope you will enjoy reading through this Gazette and are reminded of all the happenings
that took place during 2016. What a year it has been
Just a reminder for the last few weeks As the days are becoming warmer, our little Caterpillars, Ladybirds and Bees are enjoying break time in the sun. Please remember to send a hat to school every day to avoid any burnt faces.
There are only a few weeks left until the end of the year and we
can already feel the Christmas spirit creeping in

The countdown has begun!!!

We are now well into the 4th term and with the concert under our belts, assessments are going strong. The children

are working hard to achieve the best results they can.

Thank you to everyone who supported us with the concert, I think it was clear to see that our precious little children
had such fun on the night. Just take a look

Page 4

Shiny Seahorses and Urchin

Our beautiful Jelly fish

Mila, Abigail, Shuki and Lunje

Nina, Nicole, Paris, Kiara

Look at those Fish go

Look out for the Sharks

Liam, Likuwe, Alex and Zac

Jean, Conrad, Reece, Tyler

Stunning Starfish and Crabs

Aurora, Tihelia Jonah, Alonzo

Page 5

More from the Preschool

Aurora with her

masterpiece
Congratulations on
your achievement
in the
Eisteddfod!
Throughout the year, we have learnt about Our bodies, Farm animals, Sea creatures, Transport, Occupations, Plants, Pets, Birds, Reptiles, Dinosaurs, Insects, Trees, Space, Spring, Christmas and much
more. The Busy Bees and Ladybirds have worked so hard but have also had so much fun. Here are some
photos to remind you of all the activities throughout 2016
Concert, Spring flowers and cleaning, Dinosaur eggs, planting, art outside, working hard, Valentines
day, messy fun, Easter hunt and looking so Smart in our uniforms!

Thank you very much for all your support

throughout the year so far, just a few
weeks to go.
We hope you enjoy
the holiday and if you
are going away,
please travel safely.
Teacher Lesley and
Lizzy

Inside Story Headline

Boys and Girls from: Grade 1 to Grade 10.

Thank you for the support of the DANCING LESSONS AT SSC for the end of 2016. Its been a great
pleasure to see the motivation of little kids, boys and girls in something that is a passion for me, thank
you for the opportunity I have learnt a lot and I think the kids had fun.
Dance lessons are going to be part of SomerStrand College at no additional cost.
It will be an option inside of the extra mural activities. Currently lessons are held on Wednesday from
15:15 to 16:00.
At the end of 2016 I started to give lessons to kids and the response has been amazing in one month
the kids have already learned a little flamenco dancing ( Spanish Dancing) choreography and I am very
proud of them. Bravo!
DANCING LESSONS 2017
Lessons are going to go ahead with a minimum of 5 students. Depending on the interest, classes are going to be divided into two or three age groups, depending on the numbers. Auditions will be held for
those interested in dancing.
The completion of a enrolment form will be compulsory. With details of the student and some questions
for example: Has the student had dancing lessons before? What type of dancing?
*Dates will be on the 2017 extra curricular time table.
*I will give a more detailed explanation of what the classes will entail in early 2017
Wishing you all a very happy end of the year, looking forward to lots of
dancing with SSC students.

Background
I am a mom of a grade R student and I have been dancing for more than 15
years. I have done a small course in contemporary Dance as well as had lessons with the best dancers in Chile, Argentina, Spain and South Africa.
Currently I am taking adult ballet dancing lessons and am preparing for level 3
next year.
Thank you for your time and support!
Kind Regards,

Marianne R
marianneafrique@gmail.com

Our eco club has had an eventful and successful year.

We learned about pulses, pollution, trees, bees and bio-diversity.
Hard work was put into creating a culture of recycling, its been challenging, exciting and
rewarding. Our parents have put great effort into assisting with this.
We had various field trips that have been both fun and educational. We reached out to
various groups in our community from Temperance Town to Animal Welfare.

Stodels and the Mike Woods Eco School sponsored us various trees that we planted all
over the school grounds.
We maintained our Platinum status and was awarded our International ECO Flag.
Green Roads are partnering with us and will be training a Champ to teach our kids
about planting organically.

Dear parents
It is that time of the year when we look back at all the achievements of 2016
and give thanks.
Our year started off, on a high and heated note, with a veldfire the day before
school started. The whales, big and small, worked together to save our precious
school and animals.
Great excitement ruled during our Aquarium outing in the big bus to Cape
Town.

The Valentine Barn dance had us all moving and grooving to the beat till the
early morning hours.
On the sport front we had athletics and cricket matches against Newberry
House and the International School.
The second term brought its own challenges for Teacher Jane and I who had to
learn to coach soccer. Considering the new, inexperienced coaches, our matches against the International School and Reddam House turned out well. We all
had fun.
Our highlight of the year was our School Concert and the Art Expo/ Cheese and
Wine.
We just finished our exams and very soon it will be time for our Annual Prize
giving.
We are looking forward to 2017 when we will implement Stimu Zone, a computer based programme, which will empower our pupils in the technological
field. It can also be used as a remedial program for Mathematics and Reading.
Sadly, we have to say goodbye to some pupils, parents and Teacher Jane. We
are looking forward to Teacher Simone joining us all the way from Gauteng
(Grade 1 Teacher) .
We wish you all of the best on your journey forward. Remember to pop
in and say hello, when you are in our area.
Season greetings to all.

Concert News:

This year we packed up our surfboards and beach balls

and headed off on a fabulous beach adventure. All the
learners of SomerStrand College, right from the adorable
babies in Teacher Ursie's class to the Grade 10 "grampas
and grannies", put together a truly entertaining concert.
Even the teachers joined in the show as they swayed
along to their very own Cliff Richard. Well done to everyone involved for putting together a top class performance.
Every member of the team - from prop-making to music
making were truly invaluable.
NEXT STOP - BROADWAY

January

February

New Year's Day

Su

Mo

10

Tu

Project + Test dates

11

We

16

Mo

Fr

Cake Sale + Interhouse Athletics

11

Sa

SACSSA invitational Gala

(swimming)

School Opens( Photo day)

14

Tu

Valentine's Event wear red / R 5

Year Planner all subjects +

Orientation Week

17

Fr

Valentine's Parents Function

22

We

Regional Athletics

Educators Return

17

Tu

Orientation Week

18

We

First School Classes

meeting + Orientation
Week

19

Th

Orientation Week

20

Fr

Orientation Week

26

Th

Interhouse Gala

March
3

Fr

Cake Sale

Sa

10

Fr

Fun Athletics (Pre-primary) + School camp (Grade

4 - 11)

11

Sa

School camp (Grade 4 - 11)

12

Su

School camp (Grade 4 - 11)

21

Tu

Human Rights Day

22

We

Walk for Water

29

We

Sandwich Drive

30

Th

EASTER MARKET

31

Fr

School Closes

Provincial Athletics