The document is the weekly newsletter from Southern Cross Schools in South Africa. It provides updates on events from the past week, including grade 12 exams, inter-school swimming competitions, outdoor trips for grade 3 and 5 classes, and an educators certification ceremony for the Reach-a-Cross community partnership program where 66 educators received certificates. It also announces upcoming events like grade 6-7 exams and a Christmas market.

1. Southern Cross Schools
PO Box 116
Southern Cross Schools
Hoedspruit
1380
Phone: 015 793 0590
E-mail: raptor@scschools.co.za
Weekly Newsletter 39 of 2011
A Peek at Last Week … School for the Planet Week 3 of November 2011
• Grade 12 examinations in Life
Sciences, English, Mathematics Educators Recognized in Reach-a-Cross Certification Ceremony
and Mathematical Literacy were
written during the past week.
• An inter-school swimming gala
was held at the Southern Cross
pool involving Laerskool Mariep-
skop and Laerskool Drakensig, on
Tuesday 15 November.
• Our Grade 5 class went off to
the Blyde Adventure Centre on
Thursday 17 November.
• Our Grade 3 class went for a
sleep over outing to King’s Camp
on Thursday 17 November.
• A group of Prep School learners
travelled to Hazyview to partici-
pate in the Summerhill adventure
morning.
• Our Grade 8 to 11 learners
started their final exams on
Friday 18 November.
• Our Reach-a-Cross certification
ceremony took place on Saturday
19 November. On Saturday 19 November the Southern Cross Schools course of the year. Sixty six of these educators have been
• The boarding house Christmas Reach-a-Cross Community Partnership Programme held its dedicated enough to attend at least 50% of this year's
Dinner was held at the Leadwood final curriculum support workshop for educators followed by workshops, and these are the people who were presented
Lapa on Saturday 19 November. a certification ceremony. Sixty six educators from with certificates on Saturday. The morning turned out to be a
disadvantaged rural schools in the Oaks and Acornhoek areas celebration of the excellent work being done through the
attended the workshop. During the course of the year more Reach-a-Cross programme. A great deal has been achieved in
Important Dates: than a hundred and ninety educators have attended at least the past year thanks to the hard work of Mr Mandla
one of the eleven workshops that have been held during the Mangwane, our Reach-a-Cross coordinator.
Grade 6 & 7 final exami- 21
nations begin. Nov
SCS Swimmers Excel at Inter-school Gala
Gr. 12 History PI exami- 21
Southern Cross Schools hosted a friendly gala at the medals of the 52 on offer for the individual races. They
nation (am). Nov
school pool on Tuesday 15 November. Swimmers from also managed 31 silver medals of the 52 on offer.
Gr. 12 Geography PI 22 Southern Cross competed against those from Laerskool It is very gratifying to note that the hard work that is
examination (am) Nov Mariepskop and Laerskool Drakensig. being put into swimming at Southern Cross on a variety
It was very pleasing to note that a large number of parents of levels is bearing fruit. Simone Braun and the Swimming
Gr. 12 Geography PII 22 from all three schools attended the gala. Medals for the Academy, Neil de Boer and the physical education les-
examination (pm). Nov top three swimmers in each race were presented to the sons and then the staff responsible for swimming in the
swimmers by the 2012 College Head Boy, Matthew Wil- afternoon activity programme are all having a positive
Gr. 12 Afrikaans PII 23 kinson-Luck and Head Girl, Nicole Wentworth. impact on the quality of swimming in the school. No
examination (am). Nov The Southern Cross swimmers excelled, winning 38 gold doubt we can expect even better results to come.
Gr. 12 Physical Science 24
PII examination (am) Nov
Our drummers perform- 24
ing at Air Force passing Nov
out parade.
Grade 1 Orientation Day. 25
Nov
Organic Earth Market 27
with a Christmas theme Nov
from 10h00 to 13h00.

2. School for the Planet - Grade 3s and Grade 5s Enjoy Overnight Outings
Southern Cross Schools On the afternoon game drive the group saw and identified many
PO Box 116 animals, birds and trees. That evening they were treated to a
wonderful meal which was completed with Cathan’s birthday
Hoedspruit cake. It was a very tired group of youngsters (and adults) who hit
Limpopo the sack that evening! The group was woken by birdsong the
next morning and after muffins and hot chocolate they went on
1380 another game drive. This time they were lucky enough to see
Phone: 015 793 0590 hyena with pups as well as a leopard relaxing under a bush.
They really were so privileged to see all these animals.
Fax: 086 530 5153
The outing was concluded at Steers where everyone celebrated
E-mail: Cathan’s birthday before returning to school. A special word of
raptor@scschools.co.za On Thursday, 17 November, a very excited Grade 5 class
thanks is extended to the Moore and Owen families for hosting
packed the Quantum and set off for the Blyde Adventure the class and providing this fantastic opportunity.
Camp. There, the class was treated to a very busy schedule
that included: team building activities; swimming in the river;
Tarzan swing; abseiling; river crossings; sliding into the river;
stalk the lantern and braaiing marshmallows to name but a
few. It was a full programme of fun and adventure and a
wonderful outing.
Also on Thursday the Grade 3 class visited Mrs Wiggill’s
house where they went on a game drive, climbed and meas-
ured the huge Baobab, swam and played with the dogs and
cats. As many of our learners live in Estates where pets are
not allowed, these pets were the highlight of the morning! It
was then off to the Timbavati where the class was warmly
hosted by Lisha and Warren Moore at Vielmetter’s Camp.
Boarding House Christmas Dinner
In Memory of Bill Archbold
On Saturday 19 November the boarding house held their
Bill Archbold, our school’s highly com- Christmas Dinner in the Leadwood Lapa. The opportunity
mitted and successful fund raiser, was used to: wish the Grade 12s everything of the best in life
passed away on Sunday 20 November after Southern Cross; thank the boarding house staff for all
2011. Our thoughts and prayers are with their hard work and bid farewell to Ms Kathleen Painter as
his family at this sad and difficult time. she embarks on her university studies in 2012.
We trust that they will find comfort in
the knowledge that Bill worked selflessly
to improve the lives of those less fortu- Green Awards
nate than himself.
The following Green Awards were presented at as-
a sembly on Friday 18 November: Grade R - Renee
o. z
s.c McFarlane; Grade 1 - Tristan Cary & Calvin
h ool
ssc
nc ro s Severin; Grade 2 - Felix Puttkammer & Kate Schwae-
her ble; Grade 3 - On an outing; Grade 4 - Nozizwe
out
w.s
ww Ramoshaba; Grade 5 - On an outing; Grade 6 - Cait-
lyn Schulze and Grade 7 - Kevin Braun.
Thank You:
• Karen and Jasper Puttkammer Grade 11s Attend Physics Symposium
for sponsoring medals for the
swimming gala. The Grade 1 class was kindly invited to Ntoma, in the Klaserie, by Our Grade 11 science learners got a real taste of sci-
Sean and Sonia Fairhead. An informative and exciting game ence at the highest level when they were invited to
• Zandspruit Bush & Aero Es- drive delivered a herd of buffalo, giraffe, elephant, plains game attend a morning of lectures at an international
tate for the use of your ga- and a Wahlberg’s Eagle. Luke shared his knowledge of the bush
physics symposium held at Makutsi. Physicists from
zebo at the swimming gala. and his birthday with the class. The swimming pool was greatly
appreciated after a warm game drive, and the "foefie" slide was a all over the world spent a whole week presenting
• Pick n Pay Hoedspruit for hit! Our thanks go to the Fairhead family for being great hosts. papers, at the symposium, on the latest research
sponsoring t-shirts for our being done around
Reach-a-Cross delegates. the globe. Although
• FH Chamberlain Trading for the general level of
sponsoring book bags for our the discussion was
way beyond the sci-
Reach-a-Cross delegates.
ence knowledge of
the SCS learners it
was valuable for
them to see just what
scientific research
involves. Thanks to
the Puttkammers for
the opportunity.