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Time Travellers Tea Party

Grade 9

Class of

2016

Volume 20 ∞ Issue 2 ∞ 10 February 2017

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Out Of The Hat WHY SELF-CARE AND WELLNESS

ARE SO IMPORTANT Approximately 9½% of teachers will leave the classroom before the end of their first year. Between 40% and 50% of teachers will leave the classroom within their first five years. Burnout in teachers is approximately 4% higher than any other profession. Reasons for teachers leaving are varied: experiencing a lack of respect; feelings of disempowerment; high stress-levels; exhaustion and struggles with balancing life and work. Despite caring deeply for their students, many teachers find the workload, emotional toll and the com-paratively low pay just too much and choose to leave. In her book Thrive, Arianna Huffingdon, relates how re-searchers at Carnegie Mellon in the USA found a 10% - 30% increase in stress levels from 1983 to 2009 across all demographic groups. The Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in the USA estimates 60-90% of doctor’s visits are to treat stress-related conditions. In the UK, stress has emerged as the top cause of illness across the nation with thou-sands of patients suffering from stress or anxiety and being hospitalised each year . Stress accounts for 105 million lost work days annually in the UK.

H uffingdon also explains how society’s notion of success has been reduced to power and mon-ey. It is no wonder more and more people of all ages are experiencing some kind of break-

down. It therefore did not come as a surprise when Ms Tasker and Mrs Gardner announced at the opening staff meet-ing, that their theme for this year, is “Self-care and Well-ness”. Quite simply, if we look after ourselves and one another physically, socially and emotionally, teachers, staff and girls will be happier and less stressed.

M s Tasker led the way by completing her first canoe race. Together with Mr Willows, in

a K2, she successfully navigated Ernie Pearce weir and various rapids to complete the Dash and Crash, raising R10 000 for DUCT in the process. The following day, Mrs Gardner led fifty-two staff and girls over, under, up, down and around 17 pink, wet and mud-encrusted obstacles in the Muddy Princess Fun-Run in Giba Gorge. This event is aimed at creating awareness and raising funds for Can-

cer. Not surprisingly the girls outran the staff. How-ever, fun and laughter was had by all while war-stories and personal expe-riences were shared in the days that followed.

Mrs Bird, utilising the ex-pertise of the staff, has put together a Wellness Pro-gramme including walking, mindfulness, pilates, aqua zumba, swimming and gym. Activities have been embraced by many staff members.

From as early as 5:15am on Tuesday morning, staff were working out in the gym and swimming in the Eagle Ridge pool. That afternoon at Eagle Ridge, while the girls were doing a high intensity kettle-bell workout in the gym, one group of staff were doing a peaceful pilates class next door and another group were enjoying Aqua Zumba in the Eagle Ridge pool. There was a noticeable sense of enjoyment, laughter and cama-raderie amongst all the staff and girls. The girls have also been encouraged to take care of themselves by ensuring sufficient sleep every night; taking part in regular physical activity; ensuring a few minutes of quiet, inward-reflecting ‘me-time’; giving to others and laughing and socialising together.

If we are able to integrate these different aspects of life, we will reconnect with ourselves, our loved ones and our TWC community. Sources: www.theatlantic.com ‘Why do teachers Quit?’ Oct 2013 Thrive by Arianna Huffingdon. Publisher WH Allen

Cathy Thomson - Deputy Headmistress

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Senior School

IMPORTANT CONTACT E-MAILS:

Mrs Debby Bird Grade 8 Co-ordinator sportsscience@twc.org.za

Mrs Levern Green Grade 9 Co-ordinator leverng@twc.org.za

Mrs Bernie Elmer-English Grade 10 Co-ordinator bernadinee@twc.org.za

Mrs Dalene Briggs Grade 11 Co-ordinator daleneb@twc.org.za

Mrs Anne-Lee Marx Grade 12 Co-ordinator annem@twc.org.za

Mrs Aileen Metherell Deputy Head: Academics aileenm@twc.org.za

Mrs Cathy Thomson Deputy Head: Cultural Affairs cathy.t@twc.org.za

Mrs Jean Ladbrooke PA to Deputy Heads jeanl@twc.org.za

Ms Sue Tasker Lady Principal admin@twc.org.za

Mrs Gill Koller Boarding Co-ordinator gillk@twc.org.za

The President’s Award The following girls have just received their certificates for levels completed in 2016: Rachel Taylor Bronze Lesley Jung Silver Jessica Hirschowitz Silver

Six Grade 12 participants attended a PMB Youth Am-bassador’s Workshop for the President’s Award on 31 January 2017. They have undertaken to assist the School Award Leader in promoting the programme. One of our goals for 2017 is to ensure a 100% annual com-pletion rate. This year we have enrolled 36 Grade 9s to do either their Bronze or Silver level certificate. We would like to see each and every participant finish what they have set out to do. In 2016 we achieved a 50% completion rate.

Some of the benefits of participating in the President’s Award Youth Empowerment Programme are listed be-low. Balance The four sections provide a framework to encourage physical activity, mental challenge, individual persever-ance, teamwork and interaction with other people. Progression The participant achieves success through personal pro-gress and development. Should a participant start at the Bronze level, continue to Silver and then to the Gold lev-el, the Award Programme will demand more time and commitment from the participant.

Personal development The Award is a programme of personal and social devel-opment. The value to young people is dependent on per-sonal commitment, the learning process and the quality of the experience.

Each Grade 12 ambassador will mentor six Grade 9s to encourage them to finish their award level within the year. TWC’s ambassadors on the Youth Committee are: Holly Daugherty and Emma Daugherty, Lesley Jung, Olwethu Mfeka, Zoë Brown and Rachel Sweeney. Holly, Lesley, Olwethu and Zoë are working towards their gold level award. Emma has just completed her Bronze level and Rachel is working towards her silver level award.

CHOC 2017 HAVE A BLUE HEART!

On 14 February 2017, we will be supporting the Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (CHOC) in their fundraising endeavour. Pupils may wear red or blue civvies and donate R10 to this foundation. We will also be writing messages on blue hearts to hang in a tree in the courtyard. To join this ‘HAVE A HEART CAMPAIGN’, we encourage you to dress up in blue (or red), make a donation, record a message and hang your blue heart in the senior courtyard.

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EASTER EGG DRIVE AND KNITTED SQUARES

The Easter Egg drive starts after half-term when we run a competition to see which class brings in the most Easter Eggs. Our target is 6000 eggs. The winning class will be rewarded with a cake. The last day for bringing in Easter Eggs is 20 March 2017.

On 1 March (Ash Wednesday) the annual Inter-House Knitting competition starts. We encourage each girl to knit at least one square and this competition will run until half-term of the second term. Squares are worked together into rugs and small blankets for distribution. The Grade 12 Geography girls will be distributing 25 blankets to the families of the Sigidi Community in Pon-doland this week end. Pam Esterhuysen

Junior School CLUBS

Each Friday between 1:00 and 2:00 pm the girls attend a club of their choice. There are various options, cater-ing for all sorts of tastes. The skilled teachers guide them in their creative endeavours and the girls love this time of doing something they enjoy and have chosen to do. Clubs on offer are: board games, computers, colouring-in, cooking (Gr 6 & 7), Green Team (Gr 4 & 5), debating (Gr 6 & 7), fabric painting, knitting, chess (Gr 3), book club, crochet, sewing, sketching, art, music, ball skills, crafts, beading. Annabelle and Jenna creating a page of memories in Scrapbooking Club. Topeka, Georgie and Grace creating 3D artworks using strips of paper in Art Club.

Grade 3 girls, Zanda, Azania and Regan creating ban-gles in beading club.

Grade 3 girls playing Uno in the Games club. L to R: Saiyuri, Amaanah, Zoë and Siphokazi.

Ayanna, Hannah and Sarah in Art club.

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The girls attending computer club learnt how to code on iPads using Minecraft.

Left to Right : L’Oreal, Neo-e-ntle; Julia and Megan.

GRADE 4 MATHS

The Grade 4 girls played snakes and ladders during maths this week. It was an exercise used to consolidate

place value.

Left to Right: Hannah, Zainab, Anelisa and Grace.

Khanya, Topeka and Sarah.

Grades RRR and RR at play.

CHESS MATCH AGAINST LADDSWORTH Our chess club has grown in leaps and bounds, with 43 girls attending practices on a Thursday afternoon. Com-petition is stiff and the girls are learning the importance of tactical moves. Okuhle and her opponent considering their next move.

Lerato thinks carefully before moving a piece.

The girls played their first match of the season against Laddsworth. Despite losing 23-9, our girls learnt much and had fun.

Friends forever! Waiting for a turn on the slide.

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake…. Big girls at their desk!

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Time with Christ Week 6-12 February 2017

In the Junior School we enjoyed a week of focussing on the story of David and Goliath and this led to us being inspired to face the “giants” in our own lives. The girls thought about some of the “giant-sized” issues they face in life. Assemblies, Chapel, SCA meetings and class-room scripture lessons taught us how, just us David de-feated Goliath with 5 smooth stones, we can defeat our “giants” with the 5 “smooth stones” of TRUST, COUR-AGE, PREPARATION, CONFIDENCE, and VICTORY. To help us remember these important lessons the girls from Grade 1-7 put together little draw-string bags with the five stones and their words inside. The bag was tied closed with a quote from Max Lucado which says “Focus on giants and you stumble, focus on God and giants tumble”.

The well known story from Samuel 17 was acted out, studied thoroughly and it was decided how well this fa-mous story fits with our theme on wisdom. For David courage was not enough, he required the Lord’s wisdom in order to defeat his giant. We all need this wisdom too! The girls all had the opportunity to enter a bible quiz dur-ing the course of the week and the winners in each class will be announced in assembly on Monday. This weekend 68 girls and four staff are heading off to El Olam for an SCA weekend of fun, fellowship and faith.

Karen Gardner - Headmistress

Emily in Grade 3 shows off her “5 smooth stone” bag.

Emily, Olivia and Keona with their “5 smooth stones” bags.

Mihlali, Regan and Pari Sharma com-pleting their bible quiz.

The Ablaze team from El Olam came to lead SCA on Wednesday lunchtime. The girls enjoyed acting out the story of David and Goliath in the atrium, learning verses and singing together.

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General News

TWC PARENTS WHO PRAY: 2017

Over the years, several parents of girls from both the Junior and Senior Schools at TWC have met weekly to pray for TWC. PLEASE feel free to join us each Friday morning at 7:20 in Meeting Room 1 (next to the Main Reception) for a time of prayer for, amongst other things, the Christian life of the School; wisdom for the School’s leadership; protection as girls and staff engage in a range of activities and trips, and for the general needs of the girls, staff and parents. We appeal to those who are committed but cannot be physically present to consider praying in their own space or place for TWC’s Community each Friday morning. Please feel free to contact us - Linda Grant, Michele Gevers, Petra Hatfield, Kate McBean or Jacqui Carshagen

- if you have any queries or if you would simply like to let us know of your commitment to praying for TWC. Thank you Linda Grant (ajsgrant@home.vnh.co.za)

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EQUESTRIAN Diya Singh competed at the SANESA Qualifier this last weekend at Canterbury on Peppy Girl at a height of 80cm

and was placed 5th in her first round and third in her second round.

SWIMMING Results from the Cordwalles A Gala held on 31 January:

TENNIS Congratulations to Lerato Shezi, Kian Green, Isabella Uys, Savannah Ingledew, Emily Starmer and Sarah Sutton who have been selected for the Midlands Tennis Team.

Left to right: Lerato Shezi, Kian Green, Isabella Uys, Savannah Ingledew, Emily Starmer and Sarah Sutton.

SPORT HIGHLIGHTS Junior School

FINAL POSITION 1ST 1 Cordwalles A 122

2ND 2 Merchiston A 117

3RD 3 TWC A 94

4TH 4 Pelham A 72

5TH 5 Athlone A 64

6TH 6 Laddsworth A 58

7TH 7 Epworth A 56

8th 8 0 0

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Senior School

TENNIS The tennis season started during the second week of term. However, the weather did not help us as all the matches were rained out. Well done to TWC 1

st team

who beat St Anne’s 2nd

team 15-12, TWC 6th team who

beat Voortrekker 2nd

team 4-2 and TWC 7th team who

beat Voortrekker 3rd

team 52 games to 11. On Saturday 28 January, two TWC tennis couples took part in the annual Smythe Tennis Trophy. Well done to Sam Yeats and Jodie Conolly who were placed 5

th and

Kate Dunton and Yasha Nair who were placed 14th out

of 24 schools.

SWIMMING The first gala of the season took place at Epworth on Wednesday 25 January. It was the 25m Sprint Relay Gala. Well done to all the swimmers who swam some fantastic races. TWC were placed 2

nd overall, five points

behind St John’s. TWC paired up with Hilton College B team at the Dimont Co-Ed Gala held at Alex Baths on Wednesday 1 Febru-ary. Well done to all the swimmers, our combined team placed 6

th out of eight teams.

On Wednesday 8 February, TWC travelled to St Mary’s, Kloof to take part in the ISASA Gala. The team were placed 4

th out of eight schools and placed the top PMB

school. The Senior School Inter-House Gala is taking place on Wednesday 15 February at 5pm and we look forward to seeing parents there. The following TWC swimmers were selected for the Um-gungundlovu Swimming team that will participate at the KZN High Schools Aquatics Championship on Sunday 5 March 2017 at Kings Park Pool, Durban: Chelsea Walden, Emma Huxtable, Jessica Reimers and Paige Brombacher.

Congratulations to Paige Brombacher who has been selected to represent South Afri-ca in the U14 girls events in Zimbabwe over half term.

CANOEING TWC hosted the Dash n Crash on Saturday 28 January. Well done to all our TWC paddlers, especially Gemma Lawson and Paige MacKenzie who were placed 1

st in

the K2 U18 section. In the K1 U19 section, the results were as follows: 3

rd Gemma Lawson

5th Savannah Mitchell-Innes

6th Sarah Macleod

7th Gina Holdsworth

8th Paige MacKenzie

10th Lesley Jung

In the K1 U16 section, Jessica Behrens was placed 2

nd.

CYCLING Just before the start of Term 1, Sarah Ryan cycled in the KZN Road Champs. She has moved age groups and now has to compete in the U17 age group. Well done to Sarah who won the U17 Time Trial and then went on to win the Road Race.

EQUESTRIAN Emma Anderson and her horse, Lingfield Tokara, partic-ipated in an Eventing Show held at Underberg on 3 and 4 December. She was placed 1st in the 80cm class. Hayley Conway and her horse, Casanova were awarded the Pony rider/Children's Elementary Victor Ludorum for 2016 at the annual KZN dressage awards at Galloping winds in Ballito. Our riders have participated in a SANESA show over the weekend of 4 and 5 February. Chanel Lötter did very well on her new horse, Winter Desire. They came 2

nd in

the 80cm Equitation Class and were placed in the 80cm Jumping Class. Robin Martin and her horse, Davenport Rasputin, have also excelled. They were placed 1

st in two 1.10m Jump-

ing Classes. Our riders have started on a high note this year and we wish them and their horses well for the up-coming shows.

Erin Schmidt and Melissa Walton.

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ATHLETICS Congratulations to three of our TWC athletes who trav-elled to Pretoria to take part in the Menlo Athletics com-petition. The results were as follows: Jemma Fox 1

st U17 High Jump

Luzaan de Wit 1st U16 1500m & 800m

Mieka Mohaud 3rd

U14 800m Linda Royston - Head of Sport

Luzaan de Wit, Mieka Mohaud, Jemma Fox.

EAGLE RIDGE HEALTH CENTRE

We are pleased to advertise the practitioners based at Eagle Ridge in the Sports Science building. Together they will form part of the Eagle Ridge Health Centre. Our professional practitioners are: 1. Sandy Boshoff – Physiotherapist Her special interests lie in back and neck pain, sports injuries and children with poor pos-

tural control. Her contact numbers are: 084 4910536 033 3453716 Sandy also offers Pilates classes. 2. Stephanie Joyner – Dietician Her special interests are in chronic illness, sports nutrition and eating disorders. Her contact number is: 072 6703544 3. Nicky Irvine – Biokinetist Her special interest is in sport specific training and post-op rehabilitation. Her contact numbers are: 084 2451365 033 3454020 Nicky also offers Kettlebell and Pilates classes. 4. Jennifer Hosking – Occupational Therapist Her special interests are in physical rehabilitation (specifically neurological conditions such

as stroke and spinal cord injuries) and orthopaedic conditions. Jennifer also provides therapy for children with learning difficulties and neurological condi-

tions such as cerebral palsy and developmental delays. She can assist with treating and managing depression and personality disorders. 5. Nicki Davies – Fitness Practitioner/Personal Trainer Her contact number is: 082 3364999