BRIDGE HOUSE
PRE-PRIMARY
PREPARATORY
COLLEGE
COLLEGE NEWS
No 10
www.bridgehouse.org.za
20 March 2015
Bridge House - A Wonderful World!
The music, movies, song, dance, words, all in Twenties-style for the School’s 20th birthday on a sunny
Saturday morning, made for a delightful, fun, entertaining and uplifting occasion. From the tiny
“flappers” to our twenty year-old past pupils, whose sincere, thought-provoking speeches made us
proud, our children were the focus of the assembly on Founders’ Day. The coming together of the
entire school community to thank our Founders, Susan Huxter, Tim Rands and Richard Friedman,
and to celebrate our birthday, is a wonderful tradition at Bridge House and the number of parents
who patiently pack into every nook and cranny in the gym is a mark of the community spirit that exists
at our school. This year after the assembly, families picnicked on the lawns and enjoyed some
quality time together and entertainment from our talented musicians. Next year is a milestone
birthday, our 21st, and special celebrations are planned.
Carmen Millar and Simpe Jonas
Above: Singing in the Rain
Below: Mr Mike Russell
Above right: Mr Lucas Heinen and
Mrs Marie Katzke.
Right: Mr Gary Clack
Left to right above: Cameron Clack, Georgina Visser, Rethabile Sebotsa
Below: Chris Bolton, Daniel Pretorius, Hannah Robichon, Cameron Clack
Bottom: Mr Marc Barrow, members of the IT Department
Tiny “flappers” and Born2Sing “flappers”
Picnicking at Founders’ Day
Past vs Present Pupils Water Polo Matches at Founders
Day
Congratulations to all involved in the Past Pupils’
Water Polo fixtures held on Founders’ Day. A special
thank you to Caleigh Opperman for organising the
Girls’ Past Pupils team and for reffing the matches
with Nicole van Renen. Thanks also to Dan Pretorius
for getting the Past Pupils Boys’ team together. The
spoils were shared with the Old Girls victorious in their
game while the Bridge House Boys’ 1st team beat their
older opponents !
Mrs Colleen de Villiers
Are you #ProudlyBridgeHouse?
Bridge House is a
special place filled
with amazing
people and
wonderful experiences. #ProudlyBridgeHouse week was
an opportunity for both staff and pupils to acknowledge our
school’s heritage, celebrate our twentieth year and be
proud to be a part of an amazing school. The week saw
numerous activities taking place with the highlight being
the Bridge House heritage treasure hunt. Teams of pupils
(and staff!) searched the school from top to bottom for
clues to answer the twenty questions about Bridge House’s
history and to finally solve the anagram of ‘The Roaring
Twenties’. Team #Hashtaggers were the victors while the
IT-tech team claimed the staff prize! Well done to everyone
who took part. We look forward to challenging you again
next year!
The beautiful Bridge House photograph timeline outside
the Learning Commons was a real trip down memory lane
and a chance for everyone to see how much we have
grown in twenty years. Our Foreign Languages department
also took the opportunity to show various movies
throughout the week and our talented drama club surprised
the school with a flashmob!
Thank you to Mr Malcolm Jnr, Mrs Laubser, Ms Lazenby,
Mrs Shone and Ms Harris for their help in making the week
a success. We hope that everyone is and always will be
#ProudlyBridgeHouse!
Ms Morag Greener
Drama pupils performed a #Proudly Bridge House flash mob
dance.
Condolences
Our thoughts and prayers are with Monique Williams (Grade 9) and her family, on the recent passing
of Monique’s father. We wish the Williams family strength at this time.
Bridge House AGM
The Bridge House AGM took place on Monday 16 March. Forty two members (parents) of the Nonprofit Company attended the meeting and sixty two proxies were received.
According to the Memorandum of Incorporation, one third of the Directors, excluding the Head and
the Chairman of the Parents’ Association, are required to retire by rotation at every Annual General
Meeting of the Company. Three of the existing Directors, Gary Clack, Carole Day and Susan Huxter
retired and agreed to stand for re-election and did not need to be nominated. Dave Rundle and Tim
Noakes resigned from the Board and Anna Hamilton, who was co-opted, declined to stand. There
were therefore six vacancies. Originally seven nominations were received but one was withdrawn.
One parent, Kgabo Ralebepa and two independents, Des Kruger and Lynn Campbell, put themselves
forward for election. With six places and six nominees, there was no need for an election and Gary
Clack, Carole Day, Susan Huxter, Kgabo Ralebepa, Des Kruger and Lynn Campbell were elected
unopposed.
After the formal proceedings of the meeting were over, Shaun Kirk, Director of the Learning
Commons, presented the School’s vision with regard to the implementation of a 1:1 iPad programme
in 2016.
Implementation of 1:1 iPad Programme in 2016
You should have received an email about the above on Wednesday this week. If you did not receive
the mail, please contact Gill Malcolm [email protected]
Happy Passover
To our Jewish families, we wish you a Happy Passover
Happy Easter
To our Christian families, we wish you a Happy Easter
Happy Holidays
To all our families, we wish you happy holidays. School re-opens for the second term as follows:
boarders return in the afternoon of Tuesday 7 April and normal school starts for all with a full
academic day and sport programme on Wednesday 8 April.
Pupil / Teacher / Parent Interviews Term 2
Please note the Parent-Pupil-Teacher interviews on the afternoon and evening of Tuesday 14 April.
Please do discuss your child’s report in detail, and please make appointments to see her or his
teachers by contacting Jenny Jones at reception. (021 874 8100 or [email protected])
Umhlanga College Concert Tour
On Wednesday, Bridge House students were treated to an
amazing performance by a group of 103 musicians (Grade 5 –
10) from Umhlanga College. They were accompanied by 11
staff members.There was a combination of 50 Prep and
College students in the choir and marimba bands,
percussionists, djembe drummers, guitarists, string players,
recorder players, flautists and an oboist, who performed in
many of the songs.
The touring group was introduced by Mr Graeme Waite their
Deputy Head. Ms Fia King conducted most of the groups and
the choir. Their programme included a variety of some
classical pieces such as Pie Jesu as well as more
contemporary songs. One of their soloists, Byron Gindra
(Grade 7), really impressed the audience with his solo part in
All of Me.
Our pupils enjoyed every moment of the concert and what an
amazing audience they were! The Head of Umhlanga College,
Mr Greg Brooks, thanked our students for being a fantastic
audience and commended them on their good behaviour.
Mrs Adele Bate
Abigail Stubbs to participate in the South African
Championships of the Performing Arts
Congratulations to Abigail Stubbs who was selected for the Western Province
Performing Arts team which consists of singers, dancers, models and actors. Abigail had
to prepare five songs representing different styles such as Jazz, Contemporary, World
Music, Latin and Broadway and entered in the singing category. She will be traveling
with the WP team to Rustenburg to compete against the other Provinces from 3 – 12
April at the South African Championships of the Performing Arts. Well done, Abigail. Break a leg!
Well done, Mrs Sandra “CAN DO” Buys!
The PA would like to take this opportunity to thank Sandra Buys who implemented and has
successfully managed the Swimathon for the past 6 years. She has helped to raise over
R1.3million for the school. We salute and thank her for this effort. Our thanks as well go to all the
parents who helped her along the way, as well as the children, sponsors and staff.
THANK YOU SANDRA for your CAN DO attitude.
Bridge House is testing a cashless concept in the Tuckshop Cafe [only], with the
intention of the whole school going this way down the line. It would be great if you
would take the time to sign up to SnapCash. It is a closed cashless system, meaning
it can only be used at participating schools. We felt this was a safer option than
others. So if you are a parent, boarder, teacher, student or regular visitor you will be
able to sign up.
All you need is the SnapCash card on your smart phone [if you have not got a smart
phone you can save a .jpeg of your card in your pictures and use that]. You simply
top it up online and you are all set. No need to carry cash, your wallet or your bank
cards and it is really easy to use!
For all the delicious products offered at the Tuckshop Cafe!
Click below and sign up Now !!
http://mysnapcash.com/bridgehouse/
Sign Up Now
All enquiries should be directed to
http://mysnapcash.com/contact-us/
Climbing in the Clouds
The boarders, climbing
in the clouds on Lion’s
Head this past
weekend.
Sports Update
BOYS WATER POLO VS FISH HOEK (away) FRIDAY 13 MARCH
U15 lost 1- 8
1st lost 2- 3
GIRLS U15 TENNIS VS PAREL VALLEI (away) FRIDAY 13 MARCH won 4-2. Congratulations to
Michelle Hamman, Christa-Marie de Lange, Kayleen Fortuin and Anais Masson.
CANOEING – SATURDAY 14 MARCH
Congratulations to James Horner who
participated in the WCCU race on the Berg River
from Paarl to Skooltjie. He was placed 6th overall
and 1st in the U18 section.
GOLF VS STELLENBOSCH HIGH SCHOOL AT PEARL VALLEY MONDAY 16 MARCH
Bridge House won 84-49. Congratulations to Ashleigh Mills, Liam Millard, Sidney Gray, Tristan Killops
Stubbs, John Rowett and Ethan Sterley.
SPORT PRACTICES DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF TERM 2 2015
Wednesday 8 April
15:00 – 17:00 Soccer
15:00 – 17:00 7s Rugby
15:00 – 17:00 Mountain Biking
15:00 – 16:30 Cross Country
15:00 – 16:30 Netball U14 & U16 (No netball for U19 players)
Thursday 9 April
NO HOCKEY AS THE COACHES ARE INVOLVED IN TOURS & FESTIVALS
SPORT FIXTURES DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF TERM 2 2015
Monday 6 April – Thursday 9 April U14/U16 Boys and Girls Hockey squads to Maties Hockey
Camp
Wednesday 8 April – Saturday 11 April Boys and Girls 1st Hockey teams to Fairmont Easter
Festival
Wednesday 8 April – Sunday 12 April 1st Netball team to St Andrews Netball Festival –
Johannesburg
THE SPORT FIXTURES FOR THE REST OF THE TERM WILL BE SENT OUT VIA EMAIL ON
WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL
Art Club
There have been several requests from parents that we start an Afternoon Art Club. Dave Fuller (College
Art) would be prepared to ‘host’ such a club for pupils from Grades 6 -9. The intention would be to limit the
numbers to +/-10 students and to hold it on one afternoon a week between 15h00 and 16h30. There would be
about 8 lessons per term and during the course of that term Mr Fuller would endeavour to teach a new skill and
practise it (eg linoprints).
There would be a cost of R150 to cover materials. Should there be any funds left over, they would be put into
the Bursary fund.
Attendance at this club would be on the proviso that sports obligations would be a priority. Once pupils
have signed up for the club, they would be expected to attend for the whole term.
To help us assess whether such a club would be viable, could interested parents (as there is a cost involved
we need parental permission) contact Dave Fuller [email protected] either during the holidays or at
the start of next term. He would need to know the names and grade of each student as well as their sports
commitments.
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