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NEWSLETTER

MICHAELMAS TERM No 4/2010 Dear Parents In the newsletter you will find the new St John‟s College Steroid Testing Policy. This has been approved by the PA Executive, the Sports Council and the Council of St John‟s College. It appears at a very opportune time and I urge parents to discuss this matter with their sons. Your support in educating and guiding your son to make wise choices is appreciated. Schalk Burger‟s first address to the boys as Head of School was inspirational. I have printed it for your interest. It is a challenge from a young man to the “men” of St John‟s to hold true to the values of this fine institution. Mr Cameron, staff, fellow pupils and guests. I greet you with the words of the prophet Isaiah, Chapter 40, verse 31: “But those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles." It seems like yesterday when I visited St John’s College for the first time. I was still in Grade 7 – a “boertjie” from Jan Celliers who had a dream to become a pupil at St John’s. After we had written an entry exam, all the new boys were taken on a tour of the College grounds. We walked through the school, the chapel, Pelican Quad and David Quad. We stood on Burger field and in amazement I looked up at the extraordinary school buildings. I was in awe – as I still am today. But the moment above all the one that I shall always remember of that first day, is when we came to the bronze statue of the eagle in front of the science block. The inscription on the base is from Isaiah 40, which I have just quoted. I knew then (as I still do today) that those words captured the heart and the spirit of St John’s College and that I wished – with all my heart – to be part of it. Today, 4 years later, I stand here in front of you and I address you in a spirit of humbleness, trust, openness, but above all, with a deep faith in those words of the prophet Isaiah. And I invite you – gentlemen of St John’s – to join me and share my vision for 2011 which is: “To soar on wings like eagles!” As I start my term as Head of School, I asked myself what I envision for the next year. Firstly, I would like to develop unity amongst our students. Unity is something, which does not happen by chance. We have to seek unity and work hard to get it. It is an ethical integrity not to divide the powerful, positive forces in our life. In maths it is the smallest numeral representation and I believe that we should group ourselves into this unit. Why? Because unity produces strength and courage. Look at your blazer – pockets. The eagle is a symbol of strength and vigour. Through unity we shall be able to realize our strength to soar with courage during 2011.

Secondly, I would like you to join me in seeking excellence. We at St John’s want to be excellent. There is no doubt about that. The College is a school of excellence, academically, culturally, on the sports field and in community work. Excellence is to process good qualities to the highest degree. True excellence is to strive to improve yourself and the environment around you.

It can only be achieved through hard work and rising up to the challenges presented to you. It also means never to lose sight of your goals. Eagles have the ability to fly directly into the sun without being blinded. Therefore, let us not be blinded by anything which can weaken our focus during 2011.

Thirdly, I would like to invite you to make a commitment of loyalty to the school. Here at St John’s we need people like you and me to have commitment – to bind ourselves intellectually and emotionally to our school. We are the products

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of one of the finest educational institutions in the world. This is a privilege and in the years to come we shall always be thankful for the opportunity we had, which is nothing less than a gift. At St John’s, I came to understand the missionary values of: discipline, integrity, honesty and charity, based on the teaching and examples of our teachers and those who are part of this institution. Therefore I would like to challenge each one of you to be part of our Johannian outreaches to underprivileged people. Let our exclusivity not blind us to the needs of others, instead let's be open to the world outside. Let’s be exclusive in our existence but inclusive in our lives.

Mr Cameron’s message at Speech Night was to encourage us to give thanks. As a result, tomorrow morning during chapel I will explain the project in which the whole school’s participation will be of utmost importance.

In addition I encourage all of you to strive for a healthy balance between body and soul. We need to be ethical in everything we do. Let us remember that our mission in life is to become responsible people. We are fortunate here at St John’s to have the best foundation ever to become dependable citizens. Life is tough and we need to be prepared to face successes and failures. We must remember that the ten plagues of Egypt still exist today, just in other forms. We might not so much have frogs and mosquitoes, but we have slow ADSL, computer viruses, Trevor Noah…. and, more seriously, often also poor relationships with people around us. May we always try to resolve our differences in 2011 in such a way that we grow in the process.

And above all, let’s be gentle and caring, especially toward the young and upcoming generation here in our school. Let us help them to fly, but like true eagles, let us also catch them when they fall.

I also want to take this opportunity and thank each and everyone (students and teachers) who trusted me enough to give me this opportunity of being Head of School for 2011. I am committed not to fail you and to lead this school to 2012 in the best way I possibly can.

Many people have played a role in my development and of those, my parents deserve the most credit. I know that they sometimes just shook their heads, wondering what I was up to, but never did they give up on me. They are always willing to create new opportunities for me. Dad, Mom, I want to thank you for this. Thank you for pushing me to my limits. Thank you for opening the door to St John’s for me. And above all, I would like to thank my Heavenly Father, who has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams.

Finally I want to conclude with the words of Rudyard Kipling. He echoed Isaiah when he said:

“If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master,

If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

and lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss,

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

If all men count with you, but none too much,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son”

My prayer for 2011 is that we stay focused on the Lord, on true and honest living and ultimately to become the men we were born to be.

Only then shall we soar on wings like eagles, shall we run and not grow weary, shall we walk and not be faint.

Schalk Burger Head of School – 2011

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ST JOHN’S COLLEGE

PREFECTS - 2011 Head of School: Schalk Burger Second Prefect: Jeffrey Long Additional School Prefect: Travis Bradfield Head of Nash: Peter Raney Head of Hill: Dylan Feldner-Busztin Head of Clayton: Jesse Bulabula Head of Thomson: Markus Trengove Head of Alston: Matthew Diepenbroek Head of Clarke: Paul Malakou Head of Hodgson: Kathu Ramabulana Head of Fleming: Tebogo Lekubu Head of Runge: Marina Ceccarelli

FIRST AID

Head of First Aid – 2011

Simon Brooks

San Co-ordinator – 2011

Matthew Wilson

INTERACT

President Anish Daya

Vice-President

Tinaye Tengende

PRO Keith Mhlari

Secretary

Bhaveen Kalidas

Treasurer Shaneel Kalyan

Chief Whip

Andrew Tuma-Waku

LIBRARY Head of Library

Jarryd Wood

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ACADEMIC AWARDS MICHAELMAS TERM 2010

Upper V

ACADEMIC COLOURS

Dixit Dullabh

Edmund Wessels

ACADEMIC HONOURS

Richard Fisher Adam Maserow

Lower V

ACADEMIC COLOURS

Richard Berry Rowan Dalton

Scott Hunt Sahil Jamnadas

Akshar Jivan Reshard Kolabhai

Johan Prinsloo George Varughese

ACADEMIC HONOURS

Schalk Burger

Asiri Rathugamage Jarryd Wood

CULTURAL AWARDS

Honours - Music

Pieter Swart Kendrick Walsh

Colours – Music

Michael Cloete

Half-Colours – Music

Jonathan Beard

Colours - Drama

Sekh-Fei de Lacy

Honours – Art

Adam Maserow

Colours – Art

Ferdi le Grange Barry Povey

Simon Lee

Half-Colours Re-award

Devin Marder

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MUSIC

The following boys passed their: Trinity Guildhall (London) - Practical Examination Angus Mackenzie Trumpet Grade 4 Hamish Mollett Trombone Grade 6 Jason Smythe Trombone Grade 7 Matthew Lillie Harp Grade 5 Bryan Moore Cello Grade 7 Asiri Rathugamage Jazz Saxophone Grade 8 John Whittle Violin Grade 5 Murray Conway Violin Grade 5 Suleiman Sacranie Violin Grade 6 Francois Du Plessis Violin Grade 7 Robert Nutt Violin Grade 5 Michael Cloete Saxophone Grade 7 Robert MacMurray Saxophone Grade 3 Stephen Havenga Saxophone Grade 4 Oliver Vincent Saxophone Grade 5 Kiyan Kurji Saxophone Grade 5 Mohamed Sacranie Flute Grade 7 Daniel Erasmus Clarinet Grade 4 Riaan de Kock Piano Grade 8 Benedict Didcott-Marr Recorder Grade 6 Travis Bradfield Recorder Grade 8 Eric McLaughlin Piano Grade 4 Miguel Neto Piano Grade 4 Marius Vermaak Piano Grade 7 Sarah Hunt Piano Grade 7 Thomas Geffen Piano Grade 8 Matthew Taylor Piano Grade 2 Stephen de Souza Piano Grade 2 Siya Urio Piano Grade 1

CHESS The Inter-House Chess matches were played on Friday 15 October and because they were played after Speech Night and the awarding of the Le Sueur Cup, these points will count towards next year‟s Le Sueur Cup: Results: Seventh: Hodgson Fifth: Alston and Nash Fourth: Thomson Third: Hill Second: Fleming First: Clarke The Captain of Clarke, Matthew Tong received the Double Knight Trophy on behalf of Clarke and Neil Viviers received the Gold King Trophy having won all his games playing on Board 1. World Youth Chess Championships Jaishil Modi participated in the Boys U16 section of the World Youth Championships held in Porto Carass, Greece, and was ranked 125 out of 150 and finished 90th.

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MICHAELMAS TERM 2010 COLOURS AWARDS

ATHLETICS, SOCCER & ROWING ATHLETICS AWARDS

The season consisted of four meetings. Inter-House, one Inter-Schools, Private Schools and Inter-High meeting. Three records were broken: S Tenza in the 100m & 200m and J Van Der Bijl in High Jump .

Present position:

Team Blazer: Ferdi Le Grange Brendon Levendig Dylan Feldner-Busztin Honours: Senzo Tenza

NEW AWARDS: Team Blazer: Willie Morgan Dean Gordon Jesse Bulabula Nicholas Jelonek

Colours: Edward Butler Honours: Jonathan Van Der Bijl Katlego Moanakoena SOCCER AWARDS Team results – Played 18 – Won 9, Lost 6, Drew 3 - Attended both the St David‟s and St Peters Festivals

Present position: Team Blazer: Sandile Xayiya Honours: Matthew Becker

NEW AWARDS: Team Blazer: Rea Khumbane Dylaan Mafumu Thobi Ndzimande Ethan Brownhill Pele Collins Tebogo Lekubu Wesley Coulentianos Jared Kruger Matthew Collins Zain Patel Colours: Paulo Loureiro Shaldon Valjalo Jason Newton Dave Jacobs Senzo Tenza

ROWING AWARDS NEW AWARDS: Willie Morgan was awarded full colours for Rowing in April 2010. Subsequently he was selected to represent South Africa at the Junior World Championships held in Prague in August of this year. Willie has upheld the values of a Johannian at all times, receiving compliments from senior athletes on his work ethic and attitude. For his contribution to Rowing at St John's College and his selection for South Africa, Willie is awarded Rowing Honours

Honours: Willie Morgan

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STAFF NEWS Congratulations to Dr Bruce Tobias on being awarded his PhD at a graduation ceremony on 28 July 2010 held at the University of the Witwatersrand Great Hall. The title of his thesis was: From textual problems to mathematical relationships: case studies of secondary school students and the discourses at play in interpreting word problems.

Picture: Bruce Tobias with his wife, Liz (left)

and his sons Gareth (OJ 2008) and Mark (OJ 2006)

SACEE CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION

Congratulations are due to the following boys who entered the Sacee Creative Writing Competition: Sacee is the South African Council for English Education and this is very well supported competition for which there were several hundred entries. There are four sections and St John‟s won all four. The senior prose was won by Shaneel Kalyan (UIV), senior Poetry by Tom Geffen (LV); junior prose by Luc Feldner-Busztin (LIV); and the junior poetry by Benedict Didcott-Marr (LIV). In addition to this Alistair Bashall (LV) and Andy Petersen UV) were runners up in the senior prose section. All this beautiful writing will be published in the 2010 magazine. Well done, boys. SACEE DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 The senior team reached the semi-finals, and were narrowly defeated by Pretoria Girls‟ High. The junior team reached the finals, and were narrowly defeated by Pretoria Girls‟ High! Andy Petersen, Michael Macklin, Gianluca Agostinetto, Luke Quinn: selected for provincial trials. Michael Macklin: Best Senior Provincial Debater, 2010 Junior Best Speaker list: Gianluca Agostinetto placed 4th, Luke Quinn 5th. ANNUAL INTER-SCHOOLS ART EXHIBITION 2010 Our sixth Annual Art Exhibition 2010 was for the third time held at the FADA gallery, UJ, opening on the 14th September. It was again organized by the St John‟s Art Department, and expertly curated and hung by Eugene Hon from the UJ art department. We had the usual excellent turn-out, more schools than ever participating, and the highest standard of art displayed so far at this prestigious public annual exhibition. Last year, our guest speaker, world renown South African artist William Kentridge, encouraged art teachers to emphasize the importance of perceptual drawing – still-life, models, etc, and not only working from photographs. Many art teachers present at this year‟s exhibition felt that the lift in standards was partly due to this salient advice from South Africa‟s most well-know artist. A wide variety of media, conceptual and perceptual art work was represented. St John‟s College was proud to have one of its pupils take home one of the three prizes once again – Sam Kentridge was awarded second place for his two large gridded, collaged self-portraits – congratulations to him. We can look forward to the growth and continued success of this exhibition in the future, now firmly established in the schools‟ art calendar. CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS ART TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE

A very interesting, stimulating and useful conference was held at St John‟s College on Saturday, 2nd October. Liz Castle, a well-known art educator gave an excellent power-point presentation, high-lighting the various emphases on standards of Cambridge marking, expectations and assessment objectives. All the teachers present agreed that it was a most worth-while function which we intend to repeat regularly.

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ANNUAL MATRIC ART EXHIBITION 2010 For the first time we had our Major Matric Art Exhibition in the Rene England auditorium on Monday, 18th October. This proved to be a spacious venue which comfortably accommodated many works, and an attendance. 41 art boys exhibited a varied and on the whole, excellent body of work. Well-known print-maker artist, Kim Berman gave the opening address, complimenting the boys on their high standard of work, and the art department on their inspiring approach to attract so many art students at a time when other schools fear the closing of their subject due to low numbers of pupils‟ choosing art as a subject Kim also commended the art department on its ability to inspire such a high and varied standard of work. She also encouraged the pupils to continue to make art relevant to today‟s world. Kim judged the following boys as winners: Ferdi Le Grange – best artist on exhibition, Adam Maserow 2nd and Barry Povey 3rd. Congratulations to those boys on this excellent achievement. Congratulations also to all the pupils who enriched our evening with their superb work.

NATIONAL SCIENCE EXPO 1-2 OCTOBER 2010

Six projects from St John‟s College were chosen to go through to the National Expo held at the University of Pretoria from 1-2 October. Our boys were great ambassadors for St John‟s College. Bronze medals were awarded to:

Chris Maree and Jordan Wheeler (Remove) for “Power of Batteries” Mohammed Kaskar and Nabeel Seedat (U4) for “Silver Solutions”

Silver Medals were awarded to:

Ahmad Soni and Ebrahim Mohamed (L5) for “Moringa Seed: Nature‟s answer to clean water in rural South Africa”

The Kelvin award was made to Matthew Taylor and Nikita Dartchiev for “Magneto-hydrodynamic Motor”. This award is presented for an outstanding project showing an awareness of and understanding of a current technological challenge and offering an innovative solution. Gold Medals were awarded to Schalk Burger and Peter Raney for “Evapo-Gravitational Generator”. They also won Best Project and have been selected to attend an elimination round to decide if their project will be one of five to represent South Africa at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Congratulations to all our boys on excellent projects.

SHOW JUMPING Congratulations to Heather Robertson (LVI) on being awarded provincial colours and on being selected to represent Gauteng at the SA Junior Championships to be held in Port Elizabeth in December. SPORTS NEWS SUMMER SPORTS CAPTAINS

Basketball

Captain: Tebogo Lekubu

Chess

Captain: Yianni Moustakis

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Cricket

Jason Newton

Golf

Captain: John Newsome

Rowing

Captain: Paul Malakou Vice-Captains: Ben Myers Daniel Trollip

Boatman: Grant Verheul

Swimming

Captain: Dylan Feldner-Busztin Vice-Captain: Francois Du Plessis

Vice-Captain: Murray Bantock

Tennis

Captain: Rowan Dalton Vice-Captain : Kirk Bolland

Water Polo

Captain : Alex du Plessis

SWIMMING Gareth Baker (L4 - Clayton) recently took part in the Seagulls Championship Gala held in Durban and earned Personal Bests in all nine of the events that he swam. He made the qualifying times in five of the event for the Open South African Youth Nationals to be held in April next year. The highlight of the Gala was in his final event, the 200 Individual Medley, where he earned a Silver Medal against Murray McDougall (17) who had just returned from representing South Africa at the Youth Olympics in Singapore. KARATE Austen Parfitt (U5 Clayton) was awarded his 2nd DAN belt at the national KWF Karate examination on 9 October by a unanimous decision from a panel of 8 examiners. This is a great achievement as it is seldom given to a Karateka as young as Austen (18), as not only is the technical proficiency of the candidate required, but their leadership qualities, teaching abilities, and maturity all play a major part in passing this examination. Zayan Daya (Rem – Alston) was awarded a gold medal for Kumite and silver for Kata at the Southern Gauteng Goju Kai held on 4th September at Vanderbijlpark. He has subsequently been awarded Eastern Gauteng colours for Karate. At the South African Goju Kai Nationals held 25th in September in Durban, he was awarded a silver medal for Kumite and bronze for Unison Kata. Well done Zayan!

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Inter-House Cross Country Results Juniors (First eight positions) 1 Gareth Harvett 20:35 Nash 2 Kyle Lion-Cachet 20:55 Fleming 3 Justin Boyce 21:30 Nash 4 Christopher Huntley 21:37 Hodgson 5 Blake Skirving 22:03 Nash 6 Alastair Fletcher 22:18 Clayton 7 Kiyan Kurji 22:32 Thomson 8 Rowan Batzofin 22:32 Clayton 9 Oliver Vincent Nash 10 Hamish Mollett Clayton Seniors (first ten positions) 1 Carl Coetzee 16:37 Runge 2 Dylan Feldner-Busztin 17:15 Hill 3 Ferdi le Grange 17:26 Thomson 4 Gregory Harrup 18:23 Hill 5 Willie Morgan 18:58 HodgsonHodgson 6 Dipolelo Moraba 19:08 Nash 7 Bevan Dell 19:25 Clarke 8 Jody Swartz 19:37 Nash 9 Kyle Robertson 19:49 Hodgsonodgson 10 Lebogang Mokgosi 20:01 HodgsonHodgson Juniors (by house) Juniors (by house) 1 HodgsonHodgson 1 HodgsonHodgson 2 Nash 2 Nash 3 Hill 3 Hill 4 FlemingFleming 4 Flemingleming 5 ClaytonClayton 5 Alston 6 Clarke 6 Clarke 7 Alston 7 ThomsonClayton 8 Thomson 8 Thomson Overall 1 Hodgson 2 Nash 3 Hill 4 Flemingleming 5 Alston 6 ClaytonClayton 7 Clarke 8 Thomson

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ST JOHN’S COLLEGE STEROID TESTING POLICY

Reasons for the policy The desire to achieve an “enviable” body image, to succeed on the sports field, or play for the school first or provincial team, are strong and often overriding motivators and influences in the lives of adolescent boys. These influences can cause boys to risk their short and long-term health by using banned performance-enhancing substances as a shortcut to meeting these goals. This is cheating and a violation of the honesty and integrity that should be inherent in fair participation. Moreover St John‟s College is committed to act against this behaviour by introducing a steroid testing programme and to educate boys on the health dangers of taking anabolic steroids. The Headmasters of the boys‟ schools have also agreed to work together in eradicating this behaviour by introducing testing in their schools. Reasons for testing

Using steroids without a prescription and without proper medical supervision can cause serious, adverse health effects.

Using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs can give an unfair advantage over the competition, and is cheating.

Testing for steroids can help deter their use among school pupils. Steroids are drugs that should only be used to treat medical conditions. Possession, use or

dealing of most steroids without a prescription is illegal.

St John‟s recognizes that it will take a community-wide effort by parents, coaches, pupils, teachers and physicians to attack this growing challenge. Steroid testing is one tool that can assist in discouraging pupils from taking steroids. Definition of Steroids Anabolic steroids, officially known as anabolic-androgen steroids (AAS) or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs which mimic the effects of the male sex hormones testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the build-up of cellular tissue (anabolism), especially in muscles. Anabolic steroids also have androgenic and virilising properties, including the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics. www.wada-ama.org The Policy definition It shall be considered a violation of the sportsmanship code of conduct for any student to possess, ingest or otherwise use any substance on the list of banned substances as indicated by the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS), without written prescription by a fully-licensed physician as recognised by the South African Medical Association, to treat a medical condition. In short, use of performance-enhancing drugs by pupils at St John’s College is considered to be cheating and will be penalized. Consent form All pupils‟ parents or guardians at St John‟s consent in writing to the drug-testing policy administered at St John‟s. Testing for performance-enhancing substances forms part of this testing programme. Failure to sign the consent form renders the student ineligible to participate in any sports programme, whether it be at an inter-house or inter-schools level, until the form is signed. The testing programme

Any pupil can be tested. The school will carry the cost of the initial test but in cases of positive results the follow-up tests‟

costs will be for the relevant parents‟ account. Testing can be conducted at any time of the year, pre-season, during a particular season or

after. Testing will not be restricted to any one particular sport.

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The programme will be administered in two ways: - Internal testing by the school through Drug Detection International (DDI) – Violations

here, as a result of a positive test, will be penalised in accordance to the school policy and will not be reported to SAIDS.

- External testing through SAIDS and mostly for inter-schools matches – Violations here will be dealt with at National sporting level and bans of up to two years are possible. These tests will be conducted when playing in tournaments, festivals and inter-schools matches, and not necessarily only at 1st team level.

Urine tests will be used. The substances tested for will include any substances that are banned by SAIDS which falls

under the banner of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA). Using any substance belonging to a banned class violates the rules of sportsmanship, can be detrimental to the pupil’s health and is considered cheating.

Nutritional and dietary supplements are not on the banned substances list but all pupils must be aware that many supplements contain banned substances due to the unregulated nature of the supplement industry. Impure supplements may lead to positive test results because the purity and safety of nutritional dietary supplements cannot be guaranteed. The use of supplements is at the student’s own risk.

Recommended consequences for violating the steroid policy Any person who tests positive in a test, or any person who refuses to provide a testing sample, or any person who reports his own violation, through the programme at St John‟s College:

- Will be informed, along with his parents, according to the same process as per the substance abuse policy, of the consequences in regards to the violation. This will be fully documented.

- May immediately forfeit his eligibility to participate in any competitive sport for St John‟s College for a period of one year from the date of the test.

- Will need to continue serving the seasonal sports chosen in whatever capacity required i.e. linesman, scoring, table duty etc.

- May also forfeit any individual honour earned while in violation. This means that colours awarded, during the season prior to the test being positive, may be removed.

- Will only resume eligibility for participation in sport after he has undergone counseling and produces a negative test result from the same testing organization DDI. This will be at his own expense.

Any pupil who deals in steroids is in violation of the substance abuse policy and will be called before the Disciplinary Council with his parents. Selling drugs including steroids or other illegal substances at St John's College may lead to expulsion.

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SUBSTANCE ABUSE The problems associated with what has become the almost free availability of drugs in society permeate all sectors of our community, and St John‟s is no exception. Drug experimentation and use poses a threat not only to our own well-being, but through peer group interactions, to other boys in our community. Drugs and drug use, therefore, have the potential to significantly undermine the ethos and achievements of our community and the individuals within it. Documented research shows that the notions of „soft drugs‟ and „safe drugging‟ are misconceptions, and that these forms of drug taking are often the start of full-scale abuse. The use of performance enhancing drugs in sport is damaging to health and regarded as cheating. Additionally, these practices are illegal. The realities of our society are such that it is likely that at some point every St John‟s boy will have access to drugs. For these reasons it is of critical importance that we do everything in our power to ensure that St John‟s boys are properly prepared for such a situation, and that a programme exists to dissuade boys from accepting, if offered drugs. Under the auspices of the School Psychologist/Counsellor, a Life Skills programme has been introduced which, amongst other things, educates boys on the dangers associated with drugs. Additionally, a programme of random drug testing has been instituted at St John‟s. In addition to testing for recreational drugs, we will also be testing boys for the use of anabolic steroids. We have become aware that some boys are taking these to grow bigger and stronger without being aware of the serious consequences to their health. Simple urine tests provide an effective method of determining whether a boy has been experimenting with drugs. The results will be strictly confidential and will only be revealed to the boy‟s parents, Housemaster, and the Headmaster. This programme forms part of the broader pastoral role of the school. Where a boy tests positive, he and his parents will be given full support by the school and counselling from professional counsellors. Only in cases of a repeated positive test would a boy‟s drug taking become a matter of school record, and a disciplinary issue. In the case of the use of anabolic steroids together with other boys‟ schools we will not allow boys to participate in the sporting programme for a period of time. Details of our policy regarding this abuse are outlined in our steroids testing policy to be found on our website. Kindly complete the consent form attached and return it to the School Secretary. Should you have any queries, please feel free to phone your son‟s Housemaster or you might wish to speak to me personally. Please note that the purpose of this programme is to be proactive and prevent drug abuse happening at St John‟s in the future, with the support of parents in a programme to deal with a real societal threat to our boys. R D T Cameron Headmaster

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SUBSTANCE ABUSE CONSENT FORM

I (parent / guardian name) __________________________________________ as parent / guardian of (pupil‟s name) _________________________________ Pupil‟s house ____________________________________________________ do hereby give permission for my son / ward to be tested at school for the presence of drugs, including steroids as part of a random testing programme. I understand that the results of such tests are strictly confidential and will be disclosed only to myself, my son‟s Housemaster, and the Headmaster. In the case of steroids, the Director of Sport and his coach will be informed. I understand that the tests are non-invasive (urine) tests carried out professionally and in private by qualified medical staff. I understand that the costs of these tests will be borne by the school, except for the subsequent tests which will take place monthly in the event of my son testing positive for the presence of drugs, in which case such costs will be for my account. Signed: ________________________________________ Date: ________________________________________