Dear Friends
Term 3 ended quickly and before we knew it we were already counting the days until the Christmas Play! It’s been action packed and as we move towards December we have plenty more on the go. We share our recent news…
Pyjama Day – Melanie Roux
Friday, 8 August was a beautiful sunny winter’s day. The children and teachers rolled out of bed and came to school in their snuggly and warm pyjamas. It was a very exciting day which the learners were eager to participate in. Each child brought a donation which will go to the Reach for a Dream foundation to make a sick child’s dream come true. The RDP learners were also very excited to be able to share their dreams and wishes with the rest of the class.
Outdoor Challenge – Irene Mazibuko
The children had an amazing and fun start to the weekend of the 12th August. It was once again Outdoor Challenge day. The learners were split up into groups and taken to various locations to participate in a fun and educational outdoor activity. Some learned about planting seeds, while others were taught water safety and got to paddle in a canoe. A group of learners went bird watching and discussed the various bird that are prevalent in the area. Fire safety during camping was on the agenda for the kids doing the camping fun activity and learning about caring for the environment was on the cards for those learners participating in the forest adventure. The older children were driven to All Out Adventures and went on a fun cable tour or went on an exhilarating horseback ride through the mountains at The Cavern Berg Resort. What an enjoyable day!
Sports day – Idah Kumalo
Sports day was a very enjoyable event for children and parents alike. The children had the opportunity to show off their athletic skills and to be part of a team that was competing for first place. The children had a blast motivating their team mates and loved being able to celebrate when they won an event. Each child had several races to participate in and they all gave it their best shot. In the end, the yellow Duiker Team arose victorious and the red Bushbuck team was awarded the spirit trophy.
Spring Day – May Campbell
Spring blessed right on time this year! The fruit trees were in blossom and tiny green leaves were sprinkling the trees. The children arrived at school with bright smiling faces and were dressed in their favourite civvie clothes. We spent the morning reading books about our environment and the importance of keeping our planet clean and green. Each class planted their own tree and learnt about the basic anatomy of trees. We ended the day by running under the sprinkler or swimming in the stream. Happy Spring Day everyone!
Grade 4 and 5 outing to Mandela monument and WESSA environmental camp – Kevin Mackenzie
Our grade 4 and 5 learners went to Mandela monument this term to learn more about one of our country’s greatest leaders. The Monument was a big hit with the visual and metaphoric long walk to see the statue of Mandela. The museum curator made Mandela history come alive for the children; the children have a new appreciation for what Mandela went through before he became president.
The WESSA environmental camp was a great overnight trip for our children many of whom had never experienced a trip away from their guardians. WESSA was a great learning and team building experience for the children. The environmental study of our surrounding areas was greatly received and many of the children have taken to heart how precious our environment is. The night activities were made more interesting by the fantastic stories of animals and how they came to be in the area that were told around the camp fire. The obstacle course was a very good challenge and made the children work together to overcome the obstacles.
Final Word
Next year we celebrate our 10th Birthday. Royal Drakensberg Primary was started in 2007 with just 15 children. The school has been blessed to have incredible staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure a quality start to the little children. What a journey!
Best wishes to all of you that have encouraged and sponsored and been part of this massive change!
With warmest regards,
Megan & Loretta