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ST DOMINIC’S SENIOR
SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
SENIOR
NEWSLETTER
18 MARCH 2015
Hand over of the
Grade 11
Pilgrimage Cross
Inside this issue:
Grade 11 Pilgrimage 2
Ethos & Charity
Drive
3
Drummie News
4&5
Sport & Culture News 6&7
Public Speaking and 8 & 9
History Post
Alumni News
10 & 11
Dear Parents
I cannot believe that we are already more than half way through the first term. As
usual, the school has been buzzing with activity. As part of our Lenten observance,
the Pilgrimage Cross was delivered to us from Veritas College and was prominently
displayed around the school. At the beginning of this week, the Grade 11s took the
cross to St Catherine’s to continue its journey.
What a wonderful end to the swimming season. Three of our girls represented St
Dominic’s at the Inter-School diving competition. This is our first year of competition
and our diving is growing steadily with our divers improving in leaps and bounds. The
water polo girls had a very encouraging season which culminated in their winning the
prestigious Shield Trophy. However, the highlight of the season was the performance
of the swimming team. In 2014 they made it through to the Prestige Gala in 9 th place
and it was touch and go whether they would sustain their place. They finished the
Gala against Johannesburg’s top girls’ schools in 5th place. Later the same day, the
swimming team secured an outstanding first place in the Eastern’s Gala. This is a
tremendous achievement and I am so proud of the girls. I would like to compliment all
the team captains for their motivation and continued encouragement of the girls. I am
looking forward to the Inter-house gala today, which will be a fun and inclusive way to
end the season.
Our public speaking teams continue to impress and have conquered their nerves to
garner some fine results. We wish them well for the remaining competitions. The
House plays are going ahead as scheduled. The girls have been busy rehearsing and
we eagerly anticipate their productions.
I am very pleased to announce the arrival and installation of the new generator. It sits
snuggly against the walls of Marian House and, although I am not one to look forward
to load-shedding, we can’t wait to see it kick into action. The generator forms part of
the school’s long-term vision and we thank the Board of Governors, Mr Loring and
Mr van Dyk for their foresight and efforts.
Finally, a word of thanks must go to Mrs Dani Els and her team of teachers, Mark
Stent and the Grade Eleven parents for a superbly organized Glow Party. Funds will
go towards the matric dance which will take place in May. The weather was kind, the
music was loud – all in all, the event was a lovely, safe way for our students to socialize and let their hair down.
Sharon Fitzgerald
One School, One Family, One Spirit
Page 2
Grade 11 Pilgrimage Cross
On 21 May the Grade 11s will be attending the Gr 11 Mass at the Cathedral of Christ
the King in Johannesburg. This is an annual event when all Grade 11s from Catholic
Schools in the Johannesburg area meet to celebrate mass together. To prepare them
a pilgrimage cross passes from school to school in the weeks from Ash Wednesday.
St Dominic’s received the Pilgrimage Cross from Veritas College on Tuesday 3
March. All our Grade 11s assembled in the chapel to receive the cross, which we in
turn passed on to St Catherine’s on Monday 9 March. Eight Grade 11s accompanied
the cross to St Catherine’s. St Catherine’s took us on a pilgrimage through their
school grounds before receiving the cross from us. We in turn related the story of St
Dominic and his commitment to teaching the truth 800 years ago.
We are now looking forward to the Gr 11 Mass in May when we will meet up with
many more Grade 11s from Gauteng.
Mrs Rindfleisch
One School, One Family, One Spirit
Term 1 Ethos and Charity Drive
Each term, the St Dominic’s Ethos and Charity committee adopts a project and
encourages the girls and their families to get involved in helping people less fortunate
than themselves.
This term we feel it is important as an all-girls school to empower young ladies across
the country by providing them with re-usable sanitary towels that will last 5 years.
Dignity Dreams is the organisation we will be helping in order to raise funds for these
dignity packs. Each pack costs R140, and Dignity Dreams aims to raise enough
money for 18 000 packs by Mandela Day.
The reason these packs are so important is that many girls are not educated about the
changes happening in their bodies and/or poverty prevents them from purchasing
adequate sanitary wear. This often results in their having to miss school every month.
Please assist us in raising as much money as possible. These packs are restoring
dignity to woman all over South Africa. 7.1 million girls and women are in need and we
can only make a difference with your help.
If you have any concerns, or want additional information, look on the Dignity Dreams
website: www.dignitydreams.com.
Robyn Mooney
Motto for the year: IT'S TIME TO GIVE! It starts with you...
Robin Mooney
Head of Charity and Ethos
One School, One Family, One Spirit
Page 4
Drum Majorettes
Our Drum Majorettes started their season with their first
competition at Eldoraigne in Pretoria held on Saturday
7th March. Lots of excitement was in the air as we had
many girls marching in new positions or marching for
the first time. The Senior results were as follows:
Flag Group Solstice 1st
Flag Group Equinox 2nd
Small drill Leader 2nd
Subbies 1st
Squad 1st
Display 1st
Overall 1st
Sheri Kock
Well done, girls’, keep up the hard work!
Good luck for the next few competitions.
Leader 2015
One School, One Family, One Spirit
Sheri Kock
Leader 2015
Page 6
Sport and Cultural Results
Water Polo Festival held at St Dominic’s Saturday, 21 February
st
1 team vs St Stithian’s (lost)
1st team vs Crawford (lost)
1st team vs St Dunstan’s (won)
1st team vs St Stithian’s 2nd (won)
St Petrians 1st Team Water Polo Tournament
Our girls played a series of matches throughout the weekend, and we qualified to play
off against Bloomhof for the Shield Cup. This was most certainly an intense game
which ended up in a penalty shootout! Our girls did us proud and we won the Shield
Cup with a final score of 6 – 5. Special mention must be made of Jessica van der Spuy
who was named woman of the match in that final game.
Under 15 Water Polo on Saturday, 21 February, held at St Dominic’s
Running
Well done to our runners
who took part in the Sarens
Race in Edenvale on Sunday 8th of March. The
results were as follows:
5 km RUNNERS:
Melissa Kruger: 25 min
Kiana de Freitas: 30 min
Zoë Robinson: 35 minutes
10 km runners:
Amy Meewes: 1hr 5 min
Caitlin Noel: 1 hr 19 min
Shannon Noel: 1 hr 15 min
Reece Pierce-Jones: 1 hr
14 min
Under 15 vs St Stithian’s (lost both games)
Under 15 vs Crawford (lost one game and won the second)
Swimming
Our school swimming team kept the St Dominic’s flag flying yet again.
On the 17th of February we competed in the Inter Catholic Schools Gala and we were
placed 2nd.
On the 19th of February we swam the night gala at St Stithian’s and we were placed
3rd.
Thursday 5th of March we participated in the Prestige Gala at Ellis Park. We competed
against the top private girls schools in Johannesburg. Our team was ranked ninth, and
in true St Dominic’s spirit, we fought all the way to the end, where we were placed in
5th position overall.
The same team went on to competing in the Inter High Gala that same evening which
we ended up winning.
Well done, girls. We are very proud of you.
Tennis
th
17 February vs Kingsmead (lost)
Special mention is made of Samantha Johnson for winning her singles game 7 — 0.
24th February vs Holy Rosary (lost)
Well done to Mrs Naidoo,
who also completed a
42km marathon, in
Comrades qualifying times.
Golf
22nd February Teagan Lubbe came 2nd in the Junior Ekurhuleni Golf Competition at
Nigel Country Club.
One School, One Family, One Spirit
Indoor Netball
Monday 2nd of March: Both our senior and junior teams
unfortunately lost. Well done to Zezenkosi Davhula who
was named Player of the Match for the junior team and
DATES TO DIARISE
20 and 21 March
Cancer Relay
20 to 23 March
1st Team Netball Tour
Saturday 21 March
Drummie Competition Waterkloof
Human Rights Day
Abena Osei-fofie who was named Woman of the Match
for the seniors.
Monday 9th of March our junior team won their match
23 – 10! The senior team played very well, but unfortunately lost their game.
29 March to 2 April
Babanango Tour
Friday 3 April
Good Friday
Monday 6 April
Family Day
8 and 9 April
Grade 8 Retreat
Thursday 9 April
Matric Literary afternoon
Friday 10 April
Senior School reports go out
Debating
The junior teams participated in the 1st set of rounds for SACEE league. The
teams were as follows:
Junior Team A: (Lost 1 and Won 1)
Claudia Lilje
Andile Nkadimeng
Reece Pierce-Jones
Research: Nomusa Sidu and Paige Dinner
½ Day Goal Setting
Junior Team B: (Won both rounds)
Workshops
Grade 8 & 9s and
Aurin Naidoo
Dayna Mc Clean
Kiara Stent
Research was done by: Nokhanya Sangweni
Well done to Reece and Andile who were awarded the most promising speakers,
and Aurin who won the most promising reply speaker.
9th March Junior Debating vs Willowmore (Impromptu): (Won)
The team consisted of:
Kayla Stevenson
Caitlin de Bruyn
Reece Pierce-Jones
Research was done by: Dayna Mc Clean and Nomusa Sidu.
Congratulations to Reece who was voted as best speaker.
Grade 10 to 12s
April School Holiday
Using the analogy of a train
journey, this ½ day, age group
specific goal-setting workshop,
goes through the steps needed
to identify and break down
goals – making them more realistic and attainable. Cost
R495,00 pp. Please visit
www.calminstorm.com/
upcoming-events
for specific dates.
Contact Gary Hirson:
0836082194 or on
One School, One Family, One Spirit
[email protected]
Public Speaking Results- February 2015
Megan Roberts
Our Public Speakers Are Making Us Proud!
On Monday the 22nd of February the Grade 11 Impromptu team
consisiting of Given Mpotu, Michaela Rees, Lebo Segooa and Paballo
Mosikidi spoke exceptionally well at King Edward VIII making made
St Dominic's immensely proud by achieving an A!
The following evening, the 23rd of February, the Grade 12 Trophy
team made St Dominic's extremely proud as our 3 brave speakers,
Maserame Sebalo, Logan Ferreira and Heidi Davis brought home an
exceptional A from St Andrews School.
Well done ladies!
For both events, a huge thank you is in order to all of the teachers,
parents, students and the members of the executive committee for all
their support.
(Image Below) The executive committee along with Mrs Fanucchi
supporting the Matric Trophy Team at St Andrews.
Megan Roberts
Head of Culture
One School, One Family, One Spirit
Page 9
Post available for
HISTORY EDUCATOR
St Dominic’s is a Catholic day-school for girls situated in Boksburg. An opportunity
has arisen for St Dominic’s to appoint a History educator (Grades 8 – 12). We
therefore invite dynamic, motivated candidates with a passion for educational
excellence to apply.
The successful candidate would ideally begin teaching on 8 September 2015 at
the start of the third term.
Requirements:
A minimum of 5 years’ experience teaching History
Experience teaching High school under the National Curriculum Statement
A professional teacher’s qualification
SACE Registration
Availability to offer Academic Support during the afternoons
Computer Literacy
Main Tasks and Responsibilities:
Identify with and support the Catholic ethos and values of the school
Teach History according to the needs of the History Department
Offer Academic Support during the afternoons
Key Competencies:
Commitment to teaching excellence
Ability to work as a team member
Advantages:
Experience teaching History at an IEB School
Availability to get involved in the extra-mural life of the school
Ability to integrate IT with traditional teaching methodologies
To apply please e-mail your CV with references to
[email protected] .
The closing date for applications is 30 March 2015.
Only applicants who fulfill all of the above requirements will be considered. Application does not automatically entitle the applicant to an interview or an appointment. If you have not been contacted with regard to an interview by 31 March
2015 please assume that your application has been unsuccessful.
One School, One Family, One Spirit
Bianca Costa-Tré, Grade 11, is the third of three generations of Costa-Tré women to attend St Dominic’s. We
asked her to interview her grandmother and mother to find out what St Dominic’s used to be like.
This is part 2 of 2. THANK YOU BIANCA!
1985-1990
Maria’s Reflection
My St Dominic’s career started in 1985 when I moved across from
Farrarmere Primary for Standard 5 (grade 7) in order to secure my
place in the high school. I remember being nervous but humbled by
the warm nurturing environment that St Dominic’s offered. This was
the beginning of a very happy school journey for me.
Right: Standard 5 (grade 7) first year of my journey.
At this stage, there was no longer a boarding school at St Dominic’s. It
was no longer called St Dominic’s convent but rather St Dominic’s
School for Girls.The dormitories had been converted into classrooms
and while there were still nuns teaching us, they were now in the minority. Nun’s that had taught my mom a generation back, were still
teaching at the school (Sr. Bride among some of them), when I joined. I am happy to say that when bringing my three daughters to St
Dominic’s, the familiar faces of teachers that taught me welcomed me home. Mrs Livie, Mrs Cloete Mrs Oosthuizen, Mrs Gous, Sr
Linda, Miss Rindfleish and Mrs Lithgow.
The current staff room was then the typing room, which girls took as a subject instead of Maths and I remember rows of desks with
manual typewriters filling the room.
The classroom next door was the sewing room, which likewise had rows of sewing machines lined up for use.
Our standard 6 year (grade 8) we enjoyed a new subject -Home Economics (Consumers) - whereby six months of the year we learnt
to cook and the remaining six months we learnt to sew. It was important to take care to sew with pride and accuracy, as at the end of
the year your final piece of work, (a kimono gown for us) would be modelled for the whole school to see on a catwalk in the school
hall.
One of my highlights in standard 6 (grade 8) was getting to
ring the school bell at the end of each class period. I remember being so short that it was a delight to swing up and
down as the rope lifted me off the ground with each ring.
The current finance office was then the staff room, which
was out of bounds to students, with a “Ticky
box” (payphone) for us to call our mom’s to collect us at the
end of that day. Believe it or not we schooled at a time of no
cellphones and fax machines.
I remember being an active scholar and enjoyed public
speaking and debating with Mrs Livie every Monday afternoon.
Left: Debating Team 1988
Music played a very important part of my school days. As an active member of the choir and taking private singing lessons in the
afternoon in the music room (now the computer room) with Miss de Vaux, we were always proud of our annual musical production
or song evening. The grades competed against each other with songs and the choir provided the more rehearsed numbers. We even
had the participation of our teachers on some of these delightful evenings.
The Jubilee Centre was an open air theatre/courtyard where we often held our carols by candlelight services and used it for class
photos on the grandstands that surrounded the lawn. Many a pleasant open air evening was spent under the stars entertaining our
parents.
The school too maintained the ethos it had carried for so many years, of educating and bringing well rounded spiritually strong
young ladies into the world. We were nurtured and refined into responsible young women with opportunities ahead of us in the
world.
Our era saw the introduction of the white blazers for the first time. While all girls wore the blue summer dress as you know today
(with a belt), we wore black and white striped blazers up until standard 9 (grade 11) and progressed to plain black blazers for Matric.
Prefects (executives) had white cords added to distinguish them from the others and the Headgirl and Deputy Headgirl were awarded
the honour of the White Blazer.
The Matric Farewell had progressed from a picnic to a formal dinner-dance at the school hall. As is done now, the standard 9s (grade
11) would raise money to put together a spectacular evening for the matrics, only to reveal the theme on the day.
Tradition had it that all matriculants wore white dresses to the dance, and would
walk up onto the stage to collect a token while parading the dress for all to see.
Above: Matric Farewell 1990 – traditional white dresses were worn.
Our only stress in those days was EXAMS. I remember carrying desks up and down stairs into the hall to write these terrifying exams either in the cold months of June or hot months of November.
I can reminisce for hours about the happy years I had at St Dominic’s. I can say that I am proud to be an Old Girl of such a wonderful school. My three daughters; Bianca Costa-Tré - Grade 11, Gabriella Costa-Tré - Grade 5 and Angela Costa-Tré - Grade 0, too
show enthusiasm with each day of school and I enjoy watching them make their own happy memories each day, which I hope they
will too pass onto their children one day.
Maria Costa-Tré (nee Mavrandonis)
18 February 2015