The Internal Music Competition of the school took place on Thursday evening, 2 November. What a showcase of talent! Not only was the event run professionally, the participants excelled and the audience was entertained by top class musicians.
INSIDE:
SNIPPETS FROM THE SAN
MUSIC EXCELLENCE
5 BENEFITS OF BOARDING
Follow me to page 2
03/11/2017 I TERM 4 I NEWSLETTER
ISSUE
65
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I would like to take this opportunity to thank the School community for producing yet another great MiMs weekend. In particular, I would like to thank all the boys for their tremendous resilience, dedication and professionalism during the preparation and the event itself. We
GOODBYE TO STEVEN AND MELANIE…CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE HEAD
MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE HEAD
MUSIC EXCELLENCE…CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
It is often said that every person who competes is a winner, and we know that is not really the case, but I only saw winners on the stage on Thursday evening. Congratulations and well done to all the boys. We are proud of you.
At the platinum jabot ceremony on Friday, the Grade 9 boys received their jabots. The boys honoured the pledge that they made when they were awarded concert status. This was a very special moment for both the parents and the boys. The applause was overwhelming and the Grade 9s blossomed during the concert that followed. May I once more congratulate the boys.
The provisional school calendar for 2018 is available on our website. (http://dbchoir.com/web/school-calendar/) The final calendar for 2018 will be made available to parents during the course of next week. Parents must please take note that certain changes have been made that may affect their planning for next year. For example, some of the dates for the parents’ weekends have been changed.
We trust that all our parents will enjoy a delightful weekend with their sons and that the boys will return to school, ready for the examinations.
Anton Redelinghuis
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CONCERT STATUS
Congratulations to the following boys that received there Blues and Jabots this week:
Matthew Frattaroli Daniel van Jaarsveld
Richard Hildebrand Bokang Mmusi
Sabonga Mdletshe
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NEWS FROM THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT
CHOIR AWARDS FOR THIS PAST WEEK
COMMENDABLE PERFORMANCES
CHORISTER OF THE CONCERT
SOLOIST OF THE CONCERT
Kevin Jordaan
Reece Olsen
Dylan Palm
Layton Abrahams
Ntsako Lekula
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NEW BOYS OF THE WEEK
VOICE GROUP OF THE CONCERT:
Altos
Brian Brits Pierre Esterhuizen
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IMC - 2017
IMC (Internal Music Competition) is an event created for our boys to display their talents. The performances were beyond the expectations of all present.
From the first performance you felt it could not get better than this, yet each performance took the event to a new level. I was completely awestruck by these young men’s talents.
Congratulations to Obakhe Delubom on receiving the overall prize and Owenkosi Mngewu who received the jurys’ special award.
Anybody who missed last night’s performances, don’t forget to book your tickets for 2 December, it is well worth it! (dbc.nutickets.co.za)
Thank you to our sponsors, The Drakensberg Sun, The Waffle Hut, Dragon Peaks, Scrumpy Jack’s and the Valley Bakery.
Obakhe Delubom
Owenkosi Mngewu
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FIVE WAYS BOARDING SCHOOL GIVES YOUR CHILD A HEAD START
Cold showers, creaky beds and cliques are all common stereotypes that we might associate with boarding schools,
but thanks to the evolution of the modern day boarding system, these are all things of the past. Over the last few
years the number of privately educated pupils has stayed at a steady level, with boarding school becoming
increasingly attractive to both parents and children for reasons which go far beyond the undeniable appeal of
Harry Potter’s Hogwarts.
Choosing to send your child to a boarding school can be a difficult decision. After all, you are letting your child fly
the nest perhaps a little sooner than you may have originally anticipated, and there is no guarantee they will find
their own feet in such an unfamiliar environment. However, the worth of boarding school outweighs any worries,
as a private education can offer your child the best possible start, not only in their education but also their adult
lives.
Whether you want to know what your child will get out of boarding school or if you’re just toying with the idea of
private education for your child, there are five big benefits that only boarding school can offer your child.
Enjoying their independence
Whether it’s done via rebellion or requesting additional responsibilities, children often want to become more
independent and act older than their years. Striking the balance between bending over backwards and ruling with
an iron fist can be difficult, but this is where boarding school comes in. When attending a boarding school, children
are offered a real taste of independence whilst still being supervised. It is this level of independence that will allow
your child to develop a mature attitude towards freedom and self-reliance, rather than take advantage of it as
soon as they leave home at age 18.
The highest quality of teaching
One of the key reasons why parents choose to send their child to boarding school is to provide them with the best
possible education. The teachers at boarding schools are carefully chosen from the cream of teaching talent,
ensuring that your child can benefit from the attention of some of the country’s finest educators.
Generally classes in boarding schools are significantly smaller than those typically found in state schools, so
teachers are spread less thinly. Fewer pupils in one place competing for their attention means that teachers can
dedicate the necessary time and effort to educating your child.
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Developing extra-curricular activities
It is drilled into students that extra-curricular activities and hobbies are an integral part to character building and a
successful CV, and boarding schools heartily encourage such interests in their students. At boarding school, your
child has the chance to develop an impressive range of extra-curricular activities, as they will have access to
enthusiastic staff, impressive facilities and dedicated time for pursuing their interests.
This is something to consider when choosing a boarding school for your child; for example, if they are musical then
sending them to a school which specialises in sport won’t be conducive to them getting the most out of their
education. Boarding schools also relieve parents of the demands of juggling home and work life when helping a
child maintain a hobby, as any travelling to competitions, tournaments or performances will be handled by the
school.
Sharpening social skills
Suddenly finding yourself sharing a living space with strangers is a situation that will quickly encourage the
development of important social skills, and is yet another advantage which boarding school offers your child. By
being challenged to introduce themselves and interact with others, your child will step outside their comfort zone
and build the confidence needed to develop well-rounded social skills, which will greatly benefit them in adult life.
Adventurer and television presenter Ben Fogle stated that boarding school made him the person that he is today
by encouraging him to make decisions for himself and stand taller as a confident individual – a far cry from the
cripplingly shy boy he was before attending boarding school.
Preparation for adult life
Sharing their sleeping quarters teaches children to respect others and take pride in their own surroundings, which
prepares them for living with others at university, as well as encouraging them to be mindful of how they present
themselves. After all, first impressions often mean everything, so the importance of learning such skills should not
be underestimated.
A child that attends boarding school is being offered the best possible start in life; the highest grade of education
in an environment that encourages development on all levels will help yield a well-rounded individual fully
prepared for the adult world.
This article was written by Sophie Jenson, a freelance writer and blogger on education, on behalf ofQueen
Ethelburga’s Collegiate.
http://www.independentschoolparent.com/school/five-ways-boarding-school-gives-your-child-a-head-start/
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NEWS FROM THE ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
Matthew Evans handing over the grey trousers donated by the parents of DBC to ………………………. A very BIG Thank you to you all.
POETRY BY MATTHEW ROBINSON (GRADE 8)
THE TREE
The tree stands stock still
Beaten by raging tempests
Guarding the forest.
ACROSTIC POEM: MATHS
Mental
Abuse
To
Helpless
Students
The owners of these shoes are downstream, collecting pebbles for their Visual Arts exam.
PREPARING FOR EXAMINATIONS
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NEWS FROM THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT
MY SCHOOL CARD
Thank you for supporting the DBCS by swiping your My School Card. Those that do not have a My School Card, please get the application form at the reception at DBCS.
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SNIPPETS FROM THE SAN
We woke to another glorious day in our mountain retreat this morning. While all seasons here have their charm, a sunrise stroll to the San at 0545hrs every day does wonders for one’s spirits. It certainly beats stumbling through the dense blackness and bitter cold of winter. Either way, I like to flaunt the fact that the word “traffic” has vanished from my vocabulary, and that birdsong instead of taxi-song accompanies my short commute to work.
To continue on a personal note, the week did not start well for me. On Sunday afternoon I broke a cardinal school rule. I threw a stone at a monkey. The blimming animal was taunting my dogs, for goodness sake! The stone went straight through a (closed) music room window.
In my favour, I owned up immediately. In fact I even confessed to the boys at supper that night. This was to demonstrate what a good role model I am after committing a misdemeanor. And to save them from exposure to staff disbelief when they all denied culpability. Pity about my hand-eye coordination.
The second small aberration cropped up in the staff room on Monday morning. I prefer not to disclose details. The question is whether my dear colleagues can be trusted to not out me and tarnish my sterling reputation. On the upside, Mrs. Couzyn did say that I had made her day and cleared her mind of misery and discontent. In more words than that, of course.
Sister Lianne
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NEWS FROM THE BOARDING DEPARTMENT
GRIFFIN HOUSE
Boarders of the month:
Siphesihle Shembe and Josh da Fonseca
Congratulations for displaying the epitome of brotherhood!
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DATE EVENT TIME
3-4 November Parents’ Weekend
3 November Staff Briefing
Grade 9 Dinner
10:20
19:00
6 November Fire Drill
Staff Briefing
Assembly
Prefects Tea
Staff Meeting
07:20
07:25
10:40
14:30
7 -12 November Examinations
8 November Wednesday Concert 15:30
9 November Assembly
10:05
10 November Staff Briefing
SCA
10:20-10:40
11 November Conference – Champagne Sports 16:00-20:30
12 November Chapel
SCA
10:00-11:00
18:00-19:00
Calendar 3 November – 12 November 2017
DRAKENSBERG BOYS CHOIR SCHOOL
PRIVATE BAG X20 | WINTERTON 3340 | KWAZULU-NATAL | SOUTH AFRICA
Tel: +2736 468 1012 | Fax: +2736 468 1709 | Email: [email protected] | www.dbchoir.com
INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION NOT FOR GAIN - NPO 002-106
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