The School Corridor Tatler

Today I visited two of my high schools: Crestway and Ocean View High Schools. Crestway High School Vernon Safers with his deputy principals, Cheryl Jacobs (left) and Janet Daniels(centre). Crestway High School is one of our Robin Hood schools. Everybody is welcome here. The school has improved their Grade 12 results in 2014, surfacing from an implosion they suffered the previous year. The school principal, Vernon Safers, and his two deputy principals, Janet Daniels and Cheryl Jacobs are happy with their performance, but they are still guarded. "This pleasing performance of our Grade 12s is the result of very hard work," said Vernon. We are learning from our mistakes. We started early with our support programmes. The tutors from the district helped. We extended the day for our Matrics and we made the telematics programme available for the students throughout. We are still drilling into weaknesses in our system here. We want to expand the model to our grade elevens. ...

Celebrate whenever you can. Why don't we make time to celebrate our small victories? Why do we feel that those small steps are not worth being showcased? We only want to highlight the big goals we have achieved. Somehow we believe that those breakthroughs are the only ones worth celebrating. I suppose others can see the fruits of our labour because the final product is there visually. But,what about those smaller, significant steps of success along the way that made the big dream come true?   Organisations that integrate celebrations at all levels of achievement as a cultural practice, maximize the spin-offs. Staff morale increases because they can see their efforts are being acknowledged. There is also renewed energy to accomplish the bigger goal. They can see the progress. They also get a better understanding of how goal-setting activities scaffold one another. If other stakeholders are invited to these occasions, they too feel valued, energized and driven to work harder. In a...

The macho culture is so ingrained in our culture that we often deepen cultural or structural practices that promote gender inequalities without us realizing it. Now that the United Nations marks 11 October as the “International Day of the Girl Child”, we will hopefully see more sustainable awareness campaigns against violence against girls especially at schools and at community level. This week I attended two school events where the girl child was empowered. Grade 11 girls host their Speakers’ event at Ocean View High School All the Grade 11 Girls who participated in the Speakers' Circle.  In front row: Shireen Klein ( Deputy principal), Keith Klein ( Principal), Virginia Truter ( Deputy Principal). At the back: educator and parent posing with the girls.  At Ocean View High school, eleven Grade 11 girls participated in a Speakers’ Circle where they presented talks on varied topics such as the critical need for honesty, quality education to help eradicate poverty and the role o...

Ocean View High School had a fantastic Motivational session for their Grade 12s post June Examinations Grade 12s visualise and share their dreams of their future with one another By 8h30 the Grade 12s had gathered in the hall and the excitement was visible. An NGO was invited by the school to facilitate a motivational session. Soon everybody was busy in their groups discussing their dreams. The animated expressions and the intensity of the exchanges showed that these young people were enjoying themselves. The Head of Grade, Andrew Saunders, stayed in the background, just making sure that all was well.   Two community speakers and entertainment by Cafda School of skills   During the second part of the programme, the learners were entertained by the newly-established jazz band of Cafda School of Skills. Two speakers, Adele Campbell, the SGB chairperson of Prince George Primary School and Elgan Fortune who works in the mayor's office were the keynote speakers. Taswell, ...

Ocean View High School chose April month to re-open their library, the significant month when we celebrate our freedom and look forward to all the possibilities to get all South Africans to soar. The Ocean View High School community after the unveiling of the plaque in the newly re-opened library. Last night, while the rain beat down and the wind ran through trees and roads, Ocean View High school re-opened their school library. Why you ask, did the school choose to have the opening and unveiling of the library/resource centre at 19h00. Well, this school is working hard at involving and embracing the community in their work. If you want the community present, if you want the parents and the School Governing Body to be celebrating with you, you host the events at a time that suits them.   Powerful messages of walking the talk. Trumpeting our National Anthem A trumpet recital of our National anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ IAfrika, was played by one of Ocean View High students. Yes, Go...