SELCOURT PRIMARY SCHOOL - DOC - DOC

							                         SELCOURT PRIMARY SCHOOL
                         STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE



                                                                                                                                 2011-01-12
Newsletter No. 1/2011
                                                                 SUCCESS
                                                        FOUR STEPS TO ACHIEVEMENT;
                                                             1. Plan Purposefully
                                                            2. Prepare Prayerfully
                                                            3. Proceed Positively
                                                            4. Pursue Persistently
                                                                                   (William A. Ward)
Dear Parents

Welcome back after the Festive Season and Holidays! May we take this opportunity of wishing all who are connected with Selcourt Primary a
most successful 2011. We trust that all the learners will enjoy the various activities offered by the school, both in the classroom and on the
sports field. We encourage parents to become involved in the school’s activities. It is necessary for your child’s adjustment to school life that
you as parents show an interest in his/her school career and in the school itself. There are many ways in which this can be achieved. Our
school has an open door policy and teachers can be interviewed simply by making an appointment. Check your child’s books regularly, check
homework daily and sign the homework book. Attend meetings, functions and sports activities arranged by the school. See that your child
is correctly dressed and arrives punctually. SCHOOL TIMES (in accordance with National Policy) Gr 1 and Gr 2 : 07:40 - 12:50.
Gr 3: 07:40 – 13:20; Gr 4 - Gr 7: 07:40 - 13:50. Support Governing Body, the PA and Mothers’ Club. If you are concerned about anything,
make an appointment to see Mr Mons, the Deputy Principal or myself in this regard. We need to be aware of potential problem areas.
Parents are requested to inform the school in writing of any medical conditions of a serious nature that their child may have, please.

A Communication File has been given to every learner from Gr 4 - Gr 7. Parents are requested to check this file every day please. Learners
need to bring this file to school daily so that it can be checked. Thank you.

New parents, please be advised that at Selcourt, school work commences on the first school day. Your child has received his/her timetable
and instructions on classroom rules, homework etc. Sports practices for Inter-House occur during the Activity Period, thereafter learners follow
the timetable.

Please note that Reports are handed out on the last day of each term at 11:00 to learners. Please do not request them before this time. If
a learner is not at school his/her report will be posted. Learners are expected to attend school until the last day of term. Failing this a sick
note from parents is necessary. Parents who allow learners to stay away from school do their children an injustice. Good habits should be
cultivated when your children are young!

Parents visiting the school must report to the Office on arrival. NB! No parents may go directly to classrooms. The safety of our
learners is important. Please do not bring any items to the Office for the Admin Staff to hand to your child. This is not permitted.
Encourage learners to pack bags the night before.

Please note that swimming is compulsory. Every child is expected to swim. It would be appreciated if every child has a swimming cap.

All of the above items, if attended to, will make your child realize that you care about his/her school life and this in turn will make him/her
interested in and proud of his/her school. We need your support to provide a rich educational environment for your child. They are our future
leaders, and you the parents the primary educators of your children.

Our Theme for 2011 is: Success: Four Steps to Achievement: 1. Plan purposefully 2. Prepare prayerfully 3. Proceed positively
                                                           4. Pursue Persisently (Wiliam A. Ward)

Staff : We begin the New Year with a full staff. We trust that they will have a happy and rewarding year. We welcome Mesdames Seedat,
Mezzatesta and Jorge to Selcourt Primary, we hope your stay at Selcourt will be a happy and successful one. It is important to get to know
your child’s teacher. After all, your child is placed in his/her care for approximately six hours per day. Effective communication and rapport
between parents and educators will ensure an atmosphere for our children that is conducive to learning. Team work and effort is vital. If you
are experiencing any difficulty or you are not sure of certain issues here at school, please feel free to see me at any time.

School Uniform: It is expected that all learners come to school correctly dressed in school uniform. If boys wear the open-necked shirt it
must have a badge on it, otherwise the tie must be worn. These are available from the Office. A green school jersey, blazer or the correct
Dri-Mac are the only items of clothing that may be worn if the weather turns cold. Coloured tops will be confiscated if worn. Please note
that all children who represent the school e.g. choirs etc. will be expected to wear a blazer. The School Tracksuit may be bought at school.
This is not school uniform and should be worn for all sports meetings and swimming galas only.

Learners may not wear any jewellery. The plain gold stud or sleeper earring may be worn as well as a Medic Alert bracelet. Hair must be
neat and tidy at all times. Exotic hairstyles will not be tolerated. No child may have tinted or bleached hair. Your child’s education
depends upon many factors, one of these is the tone of the school. Each of us can contribute to this by seeing that our children come to
school correctly dressed.

Please be aware that the school cannot be held responsible for Cell phones that are brought to school.

Punctuality Learners must arrive at school on time. The school day begins at 07:40. Learners must arrive 5 minutes before! Many
parents and transport drivers regularly drop children at school after the bell has rung. This is unfair to your child and to the school. N.B.
Teach your child to cross the roads around the school only at the Scholar Patrols. We can do this by our own example.
N.B. Combi Transport: We request that combis transporting learners to and from school utilise the car park on the corner of Charterland &
Itogen Roads. This is not only to facilitate movement around the school but for the safety of our learners. Children will then cross at the
Itogen and Charterland Scholar Patrols. Parents please bring this to the attention of your child’s combi driver. My thanks to combi
drivers who comply with this request.
Scholar Patrol: My thanks to Mr Kruger, Miss Wakeford and the Scholar Patrol Teams who work very hard to ensure the safety of our
learners. I do request that learners must cross at the Scholar Patrols. This is a safety precaution. With the congestion of traffic in front of the
school I would appreciate it if parents do not park in front of the school gate or in the bus stop area.

Waiting Class Parents of Gr 1 and Gr 2 learners are requested to collect their children promptly at 12:50 or to arrange for After-
care. This is so important. Leaving children to wait outside the school is not safe. I urge parents to arrange for After-care if necessary.
Learners can be collected at their child’s classroom.

Due to the fact that the safety and security of your children are of primary importance to us, kindly take cognisance of the following:
         No child will be released during school hours unless:
         a)         A written note is submitted to the school, written, signed and dated by the parent/guardian.
         b)         In the event of a child being collected by a nominated person during school hours (7:40-13:50) proper
                    identification will be required as well as a letter from the parent/guardian authorising this, which must be
                    submitted prior to collection.
         No child will be released unless the above requirements are met.

Inter-House Sports – 22nd January 2011: The annual Inter-House Athletics Meeting will be held on Saturday 22nd January. The Houses
will meet on the Soccer Field in preparation for the March Past which will take place at 08:00. All children taking part must wear House
Colours (please note – Sable – yellow; Oribi – emerald green; Kudu – royal blue; Impala – red) Boys – white shorts and coloured T-shirt
(depending on the house colour). Girls – black shorts and coloured T-shirt (depending on the house colour). (No writing etc. to
appear on the top). Selcourt T-shirts for team sports may be ordered at the Office. No shoes or takkies are necessary. If it is a hot day a hat
is essential. Sun block lotion also needs to be applied.    Parents are cordially invited to attend our Interhouse. Any parents willing to assist
as Officials or work in the Tuckshop are requested to contact the school. Thank you.

School Finances: We thank the parents for supporting the school in 2010. The fees for 2011 are R4275 per learner. SCHOOL FEES ARE
PAYABLE IN ADVANCE please pay your school fees as early as possible. Parents who have not yet sent in the forms indicating their
chosen method of payment, should please do so. If you have lost your copy they are available from the Bursar’s office. It is imperative that
parents who are in financial difficulties communicate this in writing so that the Governing Body can make the necessary
arrangements. Failure to do so will result in high legal costs. Subsidies can be applied for If the necessary criteria are met. Any parents
who need subsidy forms must fill them in and return them to school not later than 28th February. If school fees are paid in full before the end
of Term One a discount of 10% is applicable.
The following facilities are available for payment of school fees: 1. Credit Cards (all); 2. Direct Deposits – Bank details for direct
deposits into our bank account: Selcourt Primary School Standard Bank – Springs Branch – Branch Code 01-21-42 Account No.: 0208
14941; 3. Cheques and Cash.

Why we are dependent on school funds: 1. Some salaries are paid to educators and non-educators by the School Governing Body in
order to maintain our high standards; 2. Water and Lights – without lights we will not be able to use all the electrical teaching aids in our
possession; 3. Textbooks; Laboratories – new books are needed; 4. Affiliation fees – no learner may participate in any league unless these
fees are paid; 5. Insurance – this amounts to a large sum to secure buildings, equipment etc. These are only some of our commitments.
Please support the school in this matter, it is very important. Handing recalcitrant parents over to lawyers and Credit Bureaus is costly.
Parents are responsible for all costs!

We hope 2011 will prove to be a rewarding school year for you and your child.


J SMIT
PRINCIPAL
                                                             Quotation:
                                          Everyone has the power for greatness, not for fame, but for greatness,
                                                because greatness is determined by service.                      Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

Dates to Diarise:

22nd Jan             Inter House Athletics
24th Jan             SGB & Finance Meetings




  The importance of homework:
                Homework teaches students to use their time wisely. Planning is an important skill for completing homework ...
                 and success in life.
                Trying to educate the young without help and support from home is akin to trying to rake leaves in a high wind.
                 Pauline B Gough
                PARENTS CAN HELP AT HOME
                With your child, choose a good place and time to study daily. Have needed materials such as a dictionary and
                 paper, available.
                If there is no homework, suggest using this time for reading or as maths practice time.
                Encourage your child to check his/her homework. Many errors result from carelessness.
                Point out mistakes in a pleasant way.
                Realise that children are becoming more independent, but they still need your attention.
                Remember to give lots more praise than criticism and try to criticize in a positive manner.
                If your child does not understand please write a note to the teacher.