Dear Parents/Guardians

NEWSLETTER TERM-END

After serving as the acting Principal of MPHS for just over a year and a half, the Circuit Manager, Dr Msomi from the Department of Education announced a few weeks ago that Ms AN Ngidi has officially been appointed as the Principal of the school. This comes at a time when most Covid-19 protocols have been relaxed and the school, under the new principalship, is working hard to create the best learning opportunities for all learners, both in terms of academics as well as extra-murals.

We are now well into our academic year and trust that your daughter has managed to comfortably adjust into the new normal. All grades are back at school and learners will continue to ensure that Covid-19 protocols are adhered to at all times. As mentioned by the President of our country, learners will now be allowed to remove their masks in open spaces, which means that they can now have mask-free breaks on the Senior and Junior fields. We are still expected to self-protect by wearing our masks inside the classrooms and sanitizing regularly.

Academic Report 2021:-

The Class of 2021 collected their long awaited NSC Results on Tuesday, 20th of January 2022. As predicted, the overall results were not very impressive and the school has put some measures in place to ensure that academic results for the Class of 2022 will be worth celebrating. A new caption, “Class with a Difference” has been adopted by all stakeholders of the school and every effort is being made to remind both the learners and staff of our core duties and responsibilities – TO TEACH AND TO LEARN.

As usual, Awards Day celebrated our academic high flyers on Friday, 25^th of February 2022. Despite the pandemic, a number of the girls had committed themselves to their studies. The Top NSC candidates for 2021 are as follows:

1. Dux: Gumede Anele (7As – 85%)
2. Runner-up to Dux: Luthuli Nomathuli
3. 3^rd in the Grade: Bukula Onikitha, Khwela Siphumelela, Hlengwa Amahle

We are extremely proud of those learners who have received quality results in 2021. We also acknowledge the commitment and sacrifice made by their Educators to push them in the right direction. We wish our girls well in their different institutions of study.

Recipients for 1^ST PLACE in the Grade and the PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS (2021) were:

The Grade 8 Olorenshaw Scholarship Award, named after the Founder Principal of MPHS, Miss Olorenshaw, went to Nokuthenda Mukandiwa (Gr 8 T).

Founders’ Day:-

A successful Founder’s Day event was held on Friday, 25^th February 2022 as the school officially welcomed its newest members, the Grade 8 learners to the school. We thank the Grade 8 parents for their attendance as well as the guest of honour, former old girl of MPHS, Dr Wendy Ntshingila for gracing our event with her presence.

Finance:-

We would like to thank those parents who have honoured their school fee payments and continue to remind those who have not made payment on time to kindly do so in order to avoid them going into arrears and causing the school to go through a financial crisis. When making your payment, clearly mark the deposit slip with your school account number and your daughter’s name, surname and grade.  Please email / hand deliver a copy of the deposit slip to the Finance Office / finance@mowat.co.za.

The school banking details are as follows:

Staffing:-

A school’s staffing is dynamic. It was with great sadness that we bid farewell to a long serving member of the school. Ms Michel was a learner at MPHS and thereafter joined the staff on a learnership programme. She has given 20 years of passionate teaching to countless number of learners and has also played an active role in promoting school spirit among the learners and the staff at the school. We wish her well in her future plans in a new country.

We welcome Ms Subramoney as the new temporary replacement educator for Ms Michel.

Mr Bagirathi (Maths Literacy, Life Sciences and NS) has been on sick leave for the term. We are pleased to report that he will be returning to school in the new term. His classes have been temporarily taught by replacement educators.

We welcome both Mr Blay (Physical Sciences) and Ms Mthembu (English) and hope that their stay here at MPHS will be fruitful and that our learners will benefit greatly from their subject expertise.

Parent-Learner Meetings:-

Grades 9-12 meetings were held over a number of Saturdays to ensure that all stakeholders work well together towards developing the whole girl child. Special mop-up meetings were arranged for parents who did not attend the scheduled meetings. We would like to thank all our parents for their positive contributions in these meetings. It is clear that 2022 is going to be a Class with a Difference.

Term 1 Common Tests:-

Learners were issued with a Term 1 Common Test Time-table well in advance. Assessments officially began on 14^th March 2022 and ended on the 24^th March 2022. Learners who did not write any assessment without providing evidence of their absence as per rules stipulated in the time-table and discussed at the parent meetings will receive a ZERO. We are an academic institution that treats our academic programmes seriously and expect all learners and parents to abide by the rules of the DOE or face the consequences thereof.

Extra Classes Time-table:-

A number of Educator have run extra classes after school and on weekends in order to catch up with their subject syllabus. Parents are always encouraged to take note of the dates and times in the official letter that is sent to them. NO LETTER = NO CLASSES. If in doubt, kindly call the school to confirm such information. Attendance registers are kept for all Extra Lessons.

Grade 12 Holiday Classes Time-table:-

Grade 12 learners have received the above time-table. Attendance to ALL classes, EVERY DAY is COMPULSORY. Please note that new sections of the syllabus will be covered in all subjects, starting Monday, 28^th March – Friday, 1^st April 2022.

DOE Subject Workshops:-

A number of educators have had to attend subject related workshops in the course of the term to keep abreast with curriculum matters (eg. syllabus requirements and formal assessments etc.) since the beginning of February 2022. Even though learners were placed in batting lessons, Educators left behind planned work for each lesson.

Careers Dress-Up Day:-

Grade 8 and 9 learners participated in an exciting Careers Dress-Up Day in February where uniforms/attire that represented career choices that they are interested in were worn.

Valentine’s Week Celebrations:-

Learners enjoyed a fun-packed week to celebrate the month of Friendship and Love. This culminated in a concert with some of the staff featuring in it as show stoppers.

Neighbourhood Clean-Up Campaign:-

This campaign, held in February this year had a double barrelled aim:

1. To change the reputation of the school in the neighbourhood so that MPHS is seen as partners with our community, and
2. To ensure that our environment (in and outside the school) is conducive to teaching and learning and promotes school pride.

Much excitement was experienced by learners, staff and some neighbours on that day as our girls went about filling up the big green rubbish bins and black bin bags with litter from in and around the school. According to the Learner Leaders in charge of the Campaign, “this is only the beginning of great plans that we have for our Dream School”.  Well done, ladies on making this campaign such a huge success.

D6 Connect:-

Once again we urge those parents who are not on the School’s D6 Connect to please upload the Application as all communication between the school and the parent will be made via that platform. UPDATE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS (Personal information, cell number, email address, etc.) with the Admissions Secretary, Ms Mayeza on  admissions@mowat.co.za or contact her directly on 031 4690425 to guide you through the process.

SGB Bi- Elections:-

Please note that bi-elections were held in the course of this term and the vacant positions that were created by outgoing parent members have now been filled. The following positions have been filled:

SGB Chairperson: Ms Zungu
SGB Deputy Chairperson: Mr Mbonambi
QLTC (Quality Teaching & Learning Committee): Ms Khwela
Deputy Secretary: Ms Hlubi

The school acknowledges the commitment of the SGB as well as the parents who participated in this important election process. Thank you.

May I take this opportunity to thank all our stakeholders once again for their investment in our school. There are many challenges that we experience on a daily basis and we are only able to achieve some degree of success because of the common vision that we all have for the school. Thank you once again for your supportive partnership in assisting us to educate South Africans future women leaders. We wish all our learners a restful and safe break and trust that they will return to school refreshed and revived to embrace another term of the academic year.

School re-opens on the 5^th of April 2022.

Quote:

Yours sincerely

__________________

AN Ngidi (Ms)

PRINCIPAL