27 July 2017 Newsletter 8

St Nic’s News ST NICHOLAS DIOCESAN SCHOOL

34 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033-345-1566, admissions@stnicholas.co.za

Dear Parents/Guardians

It is hard to believe that we are already into the third term of 2017. The children of St Nicholas have achieved so much in the first half of the year and we plan to keep on encouraging them to achieve in all spheres of education at the school. I recently attended a conference at The WITS School of Education where we focused on the topic of “Liberating Learning”. One of our key focus areas was how to build the academic confidence of our learners so that their self- belief in their abilities shines through. I was reminded of the quote by Marianne Williamson:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. You’re playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

We as South African’s need to take personal responsibility to uplift our communities one person at a time. For St Nicholas this means ensuring our children are confident enough to try new things and are not afraid to fail; are able to show compassion and empathy to those less fortunate than themselves; have the self- discipline that is required to bring their God given talents to the fore; and the humility to know that all their talents stem from God.

To achieve this requires a staff who is not only focused on academic achievement but who is able to focus on the whole child. St Nicholas teachers understand how “brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous” our learners are and work tirelessly to ensure that your children will become the leaders of a generation that is brighter, kinder, more courageous and disciplined than our generation.

Yours sincerely

Leon Grové

(Principal)

27 July 2017 Newsletter 8

Page 2 St Nic’s News

Sports Fixtures

Wednesday, 02 August

Hockey vs MCS (A)

HS Girls Basketball

vs TWC

Thursday, 03 August

HS Girls Soccer

vs St Anne’s

JS Soccer vs Ixopo

Primary (H)

Friday, 04 August

HS Boys Soccer vs

MCS

PMB Soccer Trials

Congratulations

to our u16 Girls

Basketball Team

on their

outstanding win

against Linpark

High School.

We wish Mr Jumah

and our Marimba

and Steel Drum

Band all the best

as they head off to

participate in the

National

Competition in

Boksburg.

Our St Nicholas Diocesan School Community wishes to thank Mrs

Dobson for her 27 years of dedicated and committed service to our school.

We wish her a blessed retirement.

27 July 2017 Newsletter 8

Newsletter 8

We will be featuring one staff member

each week….

Page 3

Mrs A Rheeder:

Mrs Rheeder has been a part of our St Nicholas Family for 13 years. She is the Head of

Administration (HOD in our HS) and also our Grade 10-12 Accounting Teacher. Family and her

Faith are very close to Mrs Rheeder’s heart. Mrs Rheeder is a very devout Christian who loves

the Lord and her family very much. She cannot imagine making decisions and choices without

His guidance as He is very real in her life. We are very fortunate to have Mrs Rheeder leading

our SCA (Student Christian Association). When asked to think of her life at St Nicholas, Mrs

Rheeder responded by saying “I can only say that I am here because God wants me here. He

has a purpose for my life and especially for my life at the school.

Originally, when I was offered the opportunity to lead the High School in all facets of school life

beginning in 2005 with our first Grade 9 class, my main purpose was to ensure that the teachers

were guided and children were taught well and that our first Grade 12 pupils in 2008 would be

ready to write the National Senior Certificate Examination,

which they did with a 100% pass rate for which I was very grateful to God.

Today I love being available to staff and students to talk to,

I love teenagers and I love sharing my love for Accountancy

with those who chose the subject.

My prayer for the school is

always the same:

My God keep on leading us in

order for His name to be

glorified via all the happy

children in our school.”

We are very lucky to have

Mrs Rheeder with us and we

thank her for the joy and

light that she brings into the

lives of our learners and staff.

We are humbled and encouraged

by her example of the importance

of faith and family.

27 July 2017 Newsletter 8

THE UNIFORM SHOP TIMES:

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY:

7h15 – 8h00 & 14h00 – 14h30

TUESDAY & THURSDAY:

7h15 – 8h00 & 16h00 – 17h00

FRIDAY:

7h15 – 8h00 & 12h30 – 13h00

Haven’t liked our

Facebook Page or

followed us on Twitter

as yet??? You could be missing out on amazing

photos and posts of

your children. If you would like the opportunity to advertise your business in our St Nic’s Newsletter, please contact

Mrs Christian on 033-3451566 for the package offering.

Public Holiday on Wednesday,

09 August

Blood Drive on Friday,

18 August

Half Term on Monday,

21 August

Foundation Phase Parents

Morning on Saturday,

26 August

Junior School

Spring/Arbor/Casual Day

Celebration on Friday,

01 September

Junior School Parents Morning

on Saturday, 02 September

Grade 1 Parent Evening on

Tuesday, 05 September

High School Camps begin on

Wednesday, 06 September

St Nicholas Family Heritage

Day on Saturday, 16 September

Grade 7 Epic Adventure

(17—20 September)