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SOMERSTRAND NEWS
25 April 2015

Term 2 Newsletter

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From the Principals Pen:

Dear Parents,
The second term is well underway, and exams
not far off. The schools theme for this term is
Academic Excellence in line with my vision of
Momentum and Improvement towards 2018. I
have challenged every pupil from Grade 4 upwards together with me to set themselves realistic targets for each subject for the June Exams, and I will be chatting to each of them individually, so that
we can agree on what needs to be done. It is a serious matter,
particularly after the underperformance of many of them in term
one. We need you as parents to support this approach, and our
teachers, and communicate with them whenever you are concerned. Please ensure your child is given the best chance of
doing well by ensuring that he or she is completing homework
and assignments, and is thoroughly prepared for tests and exams.
Following from this, I was very disappointed to say the least, at
the small number of parents who attended our Parents Teachers meeting on the first Thursday of this term. It was a great opportunity to chat to each of your childs subject or class teachers on a one-on-one basis. It is a concern that so few of you
turned down this invitation. I seriously appeal to you to get involved in your childs education. I thank those who did attend,
and hope you found it worthwhile.

Important Dates
Term 2:
April:

27thPublic Holiday

29thCake Sale

30thOrganic Market

30thBarn Dance @ School

May:

2ndPublic Holiday

7thMothers Day morning

27thCake Sale

28th Organic Market

EXAMS
May 30thJune 15th
June:

17thSchool Holiday

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate those

parents who were elected to the School Governing Body,
namely Martin Zaaiman, Riaan du Plessis, Danie Klue, Jordan
de Lange, thank you for all agreeing to stand and accept this
very responsible position within the school. We shall shortly be
meeting to elect a Chairperson and other portfolios from within
this group.

18thFathers day Afternoon

21stfield trip

24thschools close

25th Organic Market

Regards,

Please ensure that you have all

the important dates on your
calendar.

Spencer King

Introducing the School Governing Body for 2016/7

Parent Name:
Martin Zaaiman

Student Name & Grade:

Alonso Zaaiman
Grade R

Riaan du Plessis

Adriaan du Plessis

Grade 10

Jordan de Lange

Kayla & Cindi de Lange

Grade 2 & 4

Danie Klue

Marelise Klue

Grade 3

Jennifer Julyan

Odette & Jacques Theron Grade 10 & 7

Staff elected members:

Anschen du Plessis

Teachers Representative

Lesley Hoffman

Teachers Representative

Illona Nel

Administrative Representative

Spencer King

Principal

Co opted members (no voting rights):

Odette Theron

Student Body representative

Kim Roos

Student Body representative

Top 10 Cell phone/Tablet Safety Rules :

The following basic cell phone safety rules apply to all members of
a family parents as well as kids
1. Have a conversation about when its OK and not OK to use the
phone for talking, texting, apps and other functions. This
should include both time and place. Talk about rules for cell

phone use during dinner, at social events and in public places

like movie theatres and restaurants.
2. Consider having a centralized resting place for the phones to
charge up while family members are sleeping. There are lots of
reasons why phones shouldnt be used or sending out audible alerts after bedtime. Just because your phone
may also be an alarm clock doesnt mean it necessarily should be sitting on your or your kids nightstand.
3. Talk about the polite use of the phone, such as not talking in a loud voice (people think its necessary but it usually isnt) and not talking or texting in a way that will disturb others or violate your privacy.
4. Never text, send email, use apps or configure the phones GPS while driving, riding a bicycle or on a skateboard. There have even been texting while walking accidents, so be sure that you dont hurt yourself and others.
5. Kids need to know that phones can cost a lot of money to replace (sometimes far more than the subsidized price
you might have bought it for). Be careful around water and be gentle with the screen. Consider getting insurance to cover loss and damage.
6. Consider software that not only provides some security but also helps avoid loss. Products like Apples free
Find my iPhone and Lookout.coms free security app for Android can send a loud alert if the phone is missing,
can wipe the phones data if its lost or stolen and can actually show you on a map where the phone is as
long as the phone is on and the battery is not dead. Because these apps can locate the phone, they can also
locate the family member.
7. Be sure that all family members understand the appropriate use of the phones camera. Avoid taking and sharing pictures that may be inappropriate or that could embarrass you or get you into trouble. And consider other
peoples privacy when taking and pictures of those around you.
8. Be careful about any apps you download and install. While most apps are fine, there are some that pose security and privacy risks. Read the reviews and make sure that the app is from a legitimate source.
9. Make sure that anything you post using social networking apps or websites is appropriate. And be aware that
smartphones have web browsers so whatever rules apply to Internet use at home should also apply to browsing

on smartphones.
10. Make sure all family members understand the cost of using their phone. That includes any charges for calls,
text and data as well as the purchasing and use of apps and in-app purchases.
And parents, one more thing: What you do is more important than what you say so be sure to be a good
role model and dont let your kids see you violating these rules.Cell Ph
http://www.safekids.com/rules-for-family-cell-phone-use/

Real Stories from the Front Line

I asked my teacher friend, Will McIntyre, who has a 25-year career and currently teaches in a typical American high school in
one of the nation's ten largest districts, about the parents in his school. He rolled his eyes and had plenty to say. His observations supported the disturbing statistics cited above: "Parents don't read at home. They buy the kids iPods, expensive
phones, and all kinds of electronic gadgets, but few parents are modelling reading. Even the kids on free lunch somehow find
the money for a three hundred dollar iPhone, but not a free library card or an eReader."

His biggest concern was that too many parents are disengaged, and he could cite example after example. Few parents show
up at open house or communicate with teachers unless there is a problem. Even though his high school provides electronic
access to grade books and daily assignments, half of the parents rarely use it. One father whose 12th-grade daughter had a
1.4 grade point average complained to the counsellor that he had "no idea" that his daughter was not on track to graduate.
The father was shocked to learn that graduation required a 2.0 grade point average. "I don't have time to use online parental
academic review," the father complained, "and she refuses to show me her report cards." How is that an option in any home?
My teacher friend went on to say: "In my suburban high school of twenty-two hundred students, the typical yearly Open
House/Back to School Night only brings in ten percent of the parents. Students who are in academic jeopardy seem to have
the parents who are less likely to attend. We made the mistake of scheduling one parent meeting during the American Idol
Finalsroughly two dozen of the five hundred invitees attended."
Tips for Engaging Parents

Maybe schools need to be more aggressive in communicating to parents the importance of parent engagement, including
what the school expects of the parent. A state representative in Florida actually filed a bill in 2011 that would have required
PreK-3 elementary school teachers across the state to grade parents based on the quality of their involvement in their children's schools. A parent grade of "satisfactory," "needs improvement," or "unsatisfactory" would have appeared on the child's
report card rated in four categories. Did these parents communicate with teachers, attend meetings, help their children complete homework and prepare for tests, pay attention to absentee and tardy rates, and send kids to school rested and well
nourished? We don't know. The bill didn't pass.
Grading parents may be heavy handed and a little harsh. In place of a parent report card, here are tips to encourage parents
to be more involved in their child's schooling.

Teach your pre-schooler to read before entering school.

Team with the school, be an advocate for your child, and monitor your child's progress.

Praise your child's effort (not achievement); celebrate success.

Have heart-to-heart discussions at home about successes and/or problems in school.

Investigate your child's academic problems before assigning blame.

When possible, encourage and/or help with homework and encourage your child to prepare for tests.

Get to know your child's teachers.

Pay attention to your child's absentee and tardy rates.

Make school a priority.

Discuss realistic long-term school and life goals.

Parents who back their children make a difference in school success by helping develop an appropriate mindset, motivation, and self-discipline at school. Disengaged parents promote school failures and are helping create
a generation of children who are less well educated than they are.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/raising-readers-writers-and-spellers/201107/lack-parent-engagement-helpscreate-failing-schools

Teacher of the month:

Amore Van Der Merwe

Farewell Uncle Manfred:

After many years of tireless service to the school uncle
Manfred has decided to retire from the school Maintenance position at the end of April.
We wish him a relaxing retirement.
Sports & Cultural news:
Chess
Our First match of the season was played against Gordons Bay Primary,
where for the first time our team walked away with 2 winning matches of the
6.
Our second match of the season was against Mondeor Eco School under 11
team, where our school team learned a tough lesson. Eowyn managed to win
her match, Jeandre also won his match as his opponent became ill and retired. Angus decided to draw his match as he felt sorry for the child who was
younger than him and afraid to lose. I was very proud of this team and the
valuable life lessons learned from this match. Our senior team also learned
that they should never judge an opponent by their age, a match is always a
match.
- Teacher Stefni (Chess co-ordinator)
Fundraising Grade 1-3
Our grade 1-3 section are pleading for educational toys (Lego & Puzzles).
The winter months are fast approaching and as the children will be spending
more time inside we need lots of activities to keep them busy.

Lice Policy:
To prevent the spread of these unwelcome guests, we request that you attend to this matter immediately. SomerStrand College follows this basic
policy:

Parent/s are contacted immediately to collect their kiddie

The childs bedding, pillows, clothing, towels are removed & sent home to prevent any further spread.
All parents will be notified to check at home for any signs of the visitors. PLEASE report any cases immediately to Anschen or the office & not to
the class teacher.
All bedding, towels, clothing in the school will be returned home for washing & sterilization.
Classrooms are stripped, vacuumed & sterilized daily.
Hair-inspection daily for the next two weeks as the nits (louse eggs) are hard to see & hatch quickly.
The Principal will conduct her own examination before the kiddie can return to class. Lice are highly contagious & can spread quickly from person to person, especially in group settings.

How Are Lice Treated?

Your child's doctor can recommend a medicated shampoo, cream, or lotion to kill the lice. It's important to follow the directions exactly. Your child's
doctor may recommend repeating treatment in 7 to 10 days to make sure all the nits have been killed, because even one nit left behind can lead to a
re-infestation. If your child is 2 years old or under, you should not use medicated lice treatments. You'll need to remove the nits and lice by hand.
Other things you can do that may help get rid of the lice and their eggs:

Wetting the hair beforehand is recommended because it temporarily immobilizes the lice and they become easier to comb out.

Wash all bed linens and clothing that's been recently worn by anyone in your home who's infested in very hot water (60 degrees Celsius) then
put them in the hot cycle of the dryer for at least 20 minutes.

Have bed linens, clothing, and stuffed animals and plush toys that can't be washed dry-cleaned. Or, put them in airtight bags for 2 weeks.

Vacuum carpets and any upholstered furniture (in your home or car).

Soak hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes in rubbing alcohol or medicated shampoo for 1 hour. You
can also wash them in hot water or just throw them away.

We recommend an organic product called Sterisolve that can be used on the head as well as to sterilize. The product is available from Doug
Fischer on 021 7825646 or 0824928582. (see attached)
Lice are easily passed from person to person in the same house; other infested family members will also need treatment to prevent the lice from
coming back. In your efforts to get rid of the bugs, there are some things you shouldn't do. Some don'ts of head lice treatment include:

Don't use a hair dryer on your child's hair after applying any of the currently available scalp treatments, because some contain fl ammable
ingredients.

Don't use a cream rinse or shampoo/conditioner combination before applying lice medication.

Don't wash your child's hair for 1 to 2 days after using a medicated treatment.

Don't use sprays or hire a pest control company to try to get rid of the lice, as they can be harmful.

Don't use the same medication more than three times on one person. If it doesn't seem to be working, your child's doctor may recomm end
another medication.

Don't use more than one head lice medication at a time.

Having head lice is not a sign of uncleanliness or poor hygiene. The pesky little bugs can be a problem for kids of all ages and socio-economic levels,
no matter how often they do - or don't - clean their hair or bathe. However, you can help to prevent your child from getting lice - or from becoming
reinvested with lice - by taking the following precautions:

Tell your child not to share combs, brushes, hats, scarves, bandanas, ribbons, barrettes, hair ties or bands, towels, helmets, or other personal
care items with anyone else, whether they may have lice or not.

Examine members of your household who have had close contact with a person who has lice every 3 or 4 days. Then, treat those who are found
to have lice or nits close to the scalp.
Will They Ever Be Gone?
As many parents know first-hand, lice infestation can be a persistent nuisance, especially in group settings. If you feel like you're following every
recommendation and your child still has lice, it may be because of one or more of the following:

there are still some nits left behind

your child is still being exposed to someone with lice

the treatment you're using isn't effective

There's no doubt that they can be hard bugs to get rid of. If your child still has lice for 2 weeks after you started treatment or if your child's scalp
looks infected (with pus or sores), call your child's doctor. No matter how long the problem lasts, be sure to emphasize to your child that although
having lice can certainly be very embarrassing, anyone can get them. It's important for kids to understand that they haven't done anything wrong
and that having lice doesn't make them dirty. And reassure your child that as aggravating as getting rid of the annoying insects can be, there is light
at the end of the tunnel. Be patient and follow the treatments and preventative tips as directed by your child's doctor for keeping the bugs at bay,
and you'll be well on your way to keeping your family lice-free.

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