Vuleka St Mark’s Annual Report 2018 ‘ForeveryonebornofGodovercomestheworld.Thisisthevictorythathasovercomethe
world,evenourfaith’.–1John5:4
Year2018willberememberedasoneofthebestyearsatVulekaStMark’s.Welaidstrongfoundationsuponwhichahappyschoolwasbuilt.WebecameknownasaschoolofPride,Love,Happiness,HonestyandHardwork.
Thevisionofourschoolistoeducatepupilswhoaregoingtoberesponsibleglobalcitizenstomakemeaningfulcontributionstothecountryandtherestoftheworld.Asweprepareour pupils for the 21st century education, we identified four important skills, CriticalThinking, Communication, Creativity andCollaboration.However,wenever neglected theemotionalandspiritualbeingofeverypupilinourschool.
1. PupilDevelopment
LearnerSurvey
WeconductedasmallsurveyintheGrade7classandrequestedourclient(children)togiveusfeedback,telluswhattheylikeandnotlikeabouttheschool,andweaskedthemtogiveussuggestions.Whatagreatfeedbackwegotfromthosepupils!
Implementation:
1. Educationaloutingswereorganized.2. Healthyrelationsbetweenstaffandpupils3. Morefunactivitiesinclass.4. LadumaSoccerprogramwaslaunchedinterm2.5. Privatemusiclessonsarehappening.
HappyMoments:
1. RACAFestival:OurschoolchoirwonthePlatinumAward(94%)2. WehadthePositiveSpiritinalltheVulekasportingevents.3. SchoolConcert:AroundTheWorld.4. PlantingflowersonSpringDay.5. Valentine’sDaycelebrations:BalloonsandmessagesonHyperionRd.6. Honouringstaffandpupilsonspecialdays.7. StaffTenPinBowling@MonteCasino8. Teacherschangingtheschoolenvironment:decoratingthestaffroomandotherpartsof
theschool.9. Pupilsbringinginlostmoneytotheoffice.WehavecollectedalmostR300andthathas
promotedthecultureofhonesty.10. Umalusi:Wehad a fullUmalusi inspection and theywere so impressedbywhat they
saw.
Academics
OurpupilstookpartintheConquestaexam(external)andsomeofourgradesdidverywell,especiallythegrade1classwhoobtainedanaverageof71%inMathematics.
- WeintroducedtheThinkingHatsconcepttothewholeschool.Ourteachersreceivedtrainingandstartedapplyingtheconceptinclassandinconflictsituations.
2.StaffNews
VisionaryTeam
Asaschool,wesatdownatthebeginningoftheyear(twodaysbeforetheofficialDay1)andhadconversationsonhowwewant tomake the schoolbetter.We focusedon threeimportantvalues,Professionalism,PrideandExcellence.
StaffReflection
Atthebeginningofterm2,wesatdownandhadaseriousS.W.O.T.analysis.Welookedatour Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Strengths. We felt we needed to buildhealthyrelationsamongststaffandwedecidedtoorganiseteambuildingeventssuchas,braai,TenPinBowling@MonteCasino,StaffShoutOutNoticeBoard inthestaff lounge-staffenjoywritingeachothermessages.
Wehadtheseworkshopsforstaff:
1. Diversity(StanleyBongwe)2. ThinkingHats3. ReadingforFoundationPhase4. TeamBuilding:TenPinBowlingatMonteCasino&staffbraais
3.Parents
We started looking at howwe could involve our parents andmake them believe in ourproduct.
PWC–ParentsWhoCaregroupwasformedtogetparentsinvolvedintheschoolactivities.
GreenfieldProject:Weidentifiedthemainfieldasthefirstprojectthatourparentscouldfocuson.Theydonatedmoneytobuygrassandallthosepatchyareaswerecovered.
Teacher – Parent Whatsapp Groups: We use such platforms to inform and inspire ourparents.Wepostbestlessonsandoutsideclassactivities,andthathasimprovedrelationsbetweentheschoolandparentbody.
Study SkillsWorkshop:Weorganized the study skillsworkshopwhichwas runbyKerrynGiles(educationalpsychologist)anditwaswell-receivedbythosewhoattended.
Toast Masters Program: We have introduced the Toast Masters program, focusing onleadership and communication skills. Some of our parents have joined the club and areravingaboutit.
4.FinancialSustainabilityandcapacitybuilding
Church
WehavebuilthealthyrelationswiththeStMark’schurchandthatwasevidentwhentheRevShonaFlemingorganizedsponsorshipwithHot91.9FMandtheypaidfullschoolfeesfor two of our families. The church volunteers and the neighbours are supporting andfeedingsomeofourpupilsonadailybasis.
In-houseMarketing/Promotion
Weused the staffWhatsApp group tomarket and promote the schoolwithin the schoolcommunity.Wechangedthenoticeboardsonaregularbasis tobuildthatSenseofPrideandLovefortheschool.(Facebookpage:VulekaStMark’s)
FinancialSustainability
Withallthesechangesthatwerehappening,theparenttrustfortheschoolwasrenewed.Theystartedpayingschoolfeesandgettingmoreinvolvedinourfundraisingprojects.
Newinitiatives
1. Karri App:We have just launched the Karri app for the parents to use to pay forevents such as Cake N Candy, Civvies, Photos etc. Our parents are enjoying thisbrilliantapp.
2. TermPlanner:Wesendthetermplannerbooklettoallourparentsbeginningofthenewterm.Thebooklethasalltheimportantdatesandeventsfortheterm,andtheteachersemailaddresses.
3. Homework Planner:We send the homework planner everyMonday. The plannerhashomework for theweek and that helps thepupils toplan theirweek andnothave toomuch homework in one afternoon. (we can only give homework of twosubjectsinoneafternoonandnotmorethanthat)
4. TeacherOrganizer:It’sa12pagedocumentthatguidesstafffromday1tothelastdayofterm.Ithasalltheimportantdates,breakduties,birthdays,meetings,clustermeetings, and their one on one meetings with the school head. The teacherorganizerispreparedduringholidaysandgiventostaffatthebeginningofthenewterm.
5. Dropbox:Oursecretarycreatedthedrop-boxforustostoreallthefilesandbeabletoaccessthemwhenthey’reneeded.
6. TeachersNameplates(professionallydone):Wemadenameplatesforteachersandthey’re up on the walls outside their classrooms. Teachers can feel that sense ofbelongingandbeingrecognized.
Enrolments :194 pupils in the school andwewould have liked to get to 200 butwe canachievethatnextyear.
I would like to thank the Vuleka council, Melanie Sharland (the outgoing ManagingDirector), Central Office, Vuleka colleagues, St Mark’s staff, parents and pupils for thesupport that they have given me as the head of St Mark’s and I have full trust in Mrs.LushendrieGovender (newheadofStMark’s), she isgoingtotaketheschool tothenextlevel.
‘BeTheChangeYouWishToSeeInTheWorld’-M.Gandhi
MrSaneleMajola(Headmaster)