This circular from Fairmont High School provides information on upcoming exams, important notices, sports results, and community events. It includes: 1) A reminder that there are 7 exam days remaining and important information about collecting past matriculation certificates. 2) A calendar of the remaining exam days in June and upcoming dates in July and August including school holidays, public holidays, and events like aptitude tests. 3) Sports results for hockey and a notice congratulating Devon Keys for receiving his 50th cap. 4) An announcement about ticket sales for a fundraising event called "Rock Royalty" to benefit the Matric Dance.

1. CIRCULAR NO. 19
11 June 2015
Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s)
“CHARACTER DEVELOPS AMONG PEOPLE,
ACHIEVEMENT DEVELOPS ON YOUR OWN.”
W.A. de Klerk
My Classical Portrait
(Artist: Angeline Dancig - Grade 11)

2. 1) ACADEMICS
We continue to add our full support and encouragement to all pupils in our school as they proceed
through the exam writing process. Seven more exam days remain before the exams are completed
and we can then look forward to our mid-year break.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION RE MATRIC CERTIFICATES
We have received a directive from the Western Cape Education Department that every
unclaimed matric certificate that we hold at Fairmont has to be returned to the Education
Department by the end of this term. Should you know of a past pupil or be one yourself
who has never collected the certificate, to do so urgently. They will be held at the
Department in Cape Town for a period of three years only and thereafter will be
destroyed.
The 2014 matric certificates will remain at Fairmont until the end of the year. The
unclaimed certificates will be returned to the Department where they will also remain for
a period of three years and thereafter will be destroyed.
COUNSELLOR'S CORNER
Teen drinking – an alarming reality
Adolescents' alcohol consumption has reached alarming levels. Many teenagers are drinking
heavily, and the starting age is becoming ever younger.
Adolescents have always been known to experiment with alcohol, but what we're seeing now is a
very different story. The age at which heavy drinking starts, the number of teens involved, the
frequency and the quantities consumed are very different to 'when we were young'. Binge-drinking
is becoming increasingly common and teen alcoholism is on the rise, as are a number of other
alcohol-related side effects.
There is an abundance of out-of-control teen parties where alcohol flows freely, parental supervision
is inadequate and behaviour is wild.
Most parties for thirteen-year-olds and up involve alcohol (with or without parents' knowledge). It is
smuggled in, delivered to the gate, openly carried in, or quite often even supplied by the hosting
parents themselves. Parents say that if they try to ban alcohol from a party, they're told that 'no one
will come', that they're forcing their child to commit 'social suicide', and that 'everyone drinks
wherever we go; it's the norm'.
A typical scenario we often hear about goes something like this: Your teen persuasively tells you
about a party, sleepover or club that 'everyone is going to'. You don't want to to be the only stick-in-
the-mud, nor do you want your child to be branded as antisocial, so you make all the necessary
arrangements to get him or her (and possibly a friend or two) to the event, and to go back to one of
the friends' homes afterwards. Unbeknown to you there is alcohol at the party, and your beloved,
along with many mates, overindulges.
They go back to the friend's house, where they proceed to throw up for the rest of the night, sleeping
late the next day to recover. As you collect them later that day, you're met with pale faces that are
explained away as 'a late night'. The hosting parents, even if they suspect what happened, probably
won't mention a word in order to avoid any recriminations. Some children will only get so drunk once,
while others turn it into a regular occurrence.
Alcohol – the root of many problems
Some of the realities include the following:
 Alcohol is a gateway to the drug scene. Under its influence, joints of 'weed' are tried, and
these in turn often lead to other, stronger drugs.
 Teens lose their inhibitions and engage in sexual activity they would not otherwise have
indulged in.

3.  Alcohol affects decision-making. After even one drink, teens may well make questionable
decisions concerning drunk-driving, going home with someone they've only just met, spending
money, etc.
 Drunk girls are a rape target. Many rapes occur because the girl is too drunk to protect herself,
ends up in bad company or makes decisions that lead her to dangerous places.
 Aggression increases, leading to confrontations and fights. Stories abound of fights at
parties, schools and homes as a result of alcohol-fuelled aggression.
 Health-related side effects. Various studies have shown that excessive use of alcohol is
physically detrimental, damages brain cells, can jeopardise fertility, reduces bone density,
increases the risk of breast cancer and can affect various other areas.
 Teen alcoholism is growing. There is no arguing the point: alcohol can be addictive and, when
consumed regularly in large quantities, a reliance can be formed and the chances of becoming
an alcoholic rise sharply.
 Drunken driving claims young lives and forever devastates families.
Parties: quandaries & tips
When they’re off to someone else’s party
In the interests of de-stressing the party issue:
 Find out as much as you can about the party, for example, at whose house will the party be?
Will the parents be there all the time? (Never allow your child to go to a party if the parents are
not there). What boundaries are they implementing?
 Don’t be shy about phoning the hosting parents to enquire about any areas of concern.
 Let the hosts know if you’re uncomfortable with particular aspects, such as serving
alcohol, and ask them not to allow anything that breaks the law.
 Always check that you’re comfortable with the driver and that they won’t be drinking.
 Feed them before they go. Unless you’re 100 per cent certain that food will be served, and
even if you’re assured that they’re not hungry, ensuring that they eat something before going is
a good idea, especially if they drink alcohol (as so many do nowadays).
 Make sure they have access to a charged phone. Then, if at all worried, they can call.
 Make it clear that they cannot under any circumstances leave that party and go to another
without getting your express permission.
 You (or a trusted parent) should pick them up at the agreed time but they should also know
that they can phone you at any stage if they need to leave.
 Be awake when your children return home or have them wake you. Engage them in
conversation for a while.
 Encourage them not to take valuables to the party, and, if they do, to hang onto them at all
times. Cellphones are often essential and cameras are great fun, so if these are taken along,
it’s worth stressing their vulnerability to being lost or stolen.
 Keep reminding them never to leave their drink unattended!
 Define your rules and make the consequences of breaking them absolutely clear. And be
strong in enforcing any consequences you may have listed.
 Instil values in your children from young and discuss what happens to people who don’t
adhere to them.
 It’s your prerogative to tell your teens they can’t go if what you hear about a particular party
makes you totally uncomfortable. First make sure that you’re not being unreasonable or
unnecessarily paranoid, but at the end of the day, you’re the parent and your word goes.

4. When you’re the one hosting the party
 Make sure you have a large, preferably undercover area where everyone will fit and clearly
state the designated areas.
 It’s best to allocate which loo you want them to use. Even with the best of intentions, some
guests may overindulge, and this may result in throwing up or missing the loo seat, so in the
interests of keeping stress levels down, restrict them to where you’d like them to go.
 Control the number of guests. Facebook invites are popular but risky as this can result in
hundreds of guests (and many strangers) so it’s worth implementing a policy upfront.
 Provide something to eat in spite of what your offspring might be telling you.
 Provide plenty of soft drinks. Don’t serve alcohol to underage kids, it’s against the law.
 Consult your teen on every decision – and, even if you’re directing operations, make them
feel that their input counts and that plans are along the lines they’ve envisaged. Some points
are non-negotiable, and you need to list those early on in the process.
 Agree what your booze policy will be and how you will enforce it. Some parents man the gate
and search every arrival, pouring out any unwelcome contents. Others just float around,
surreptitiously sussing out whether alcohol is posing a problem, and deal with it if found.
 Do not leave the premises during the party – you are responsible for other people's children.
 Relax and look forward to the party – and let your teens see your enthusiasm. Many of them
will be in a state of anxiety ahead of the event, hoping that it’ll be declared a great success, and
cringing in fear of no one coming. De-stress them with your words and actions, and help them
to set the scene for an enjoyable evening.
 Treasure the chance to host your teens’ friends in your home. Even though you may not
get to meet too many individuals in the throng, your teen can feel proud of hosting everyone on
his or her home turf, and you get to know more about their friends.
(With kind permission from www.lifetalk.co.za – please look at this website for more information on
teen issues).
MATRIC FOCUS
41 TEACHING DAYS
School
Holidays
Public
Holidays
Matrics writing exams
April May June (2 Days)
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30
July (10 Days) August (19 Days) September (3 Days)
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 5
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30
30 31
October (7 Days) November December
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 27 28 29 30 31

5. 2) REMAINING EXAM DAYS UNTIL END OF TERM
JUNE 2015
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
11
14 15 School Holiday 16 Youth Day 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 SCHOOLS
CLOSE
27
EXAMS END 9 - Aptitude tests 10 - Community Serv.
10 - Community Serv. 11 - Job Shadow
11 - Job Shadow
3) IMPORTANT NOTICE : GENERAL CALENDAR : 2ND
TERM
Mon, 15 June School holiday
Tue, 16 June Youth Day
Sat, 20 June WP Drill Championships
Wed, 24 June Exams End
Thu, 25 June Gr. 9 Aptitude Assessment
Gr. 10 Community Service
Gr. 11 Job Shadow
Fri, 26 June Schools Close
Gr. 10 Community Service
Gr. 11 Job Shadow
Westering Sport Tour leaves
Sat, 27 June U19 Boys’ Soccer Team depart for East London
4) SPORT RESULTS
HOCKEY
Boys Results vs Bishops Girls’ Results vs Pinelands
U14A Won 1 : 0 U14A Won 10 : 0
U14B Won 2 : 1 U14B Lost 0 : 1
U16A Won 2 : 0 U16A Won 4 : 1
U16B Lost 1 : 4 U16B Won 2 : 0
U16C Lost 0 : 5 U16C Won 2 : 0
1st
Team Lost 0 : 4 1st
Team Won 1 : 0
2nd
Team Lost 0 : 4 2nd
Team Won 7 : 0
Devon Keys receives his 50th
Cap
Devon Keys received his 50th
Cap for Fairmont this past weekend against Bishops.

6. U16B Girls’ vs Pinelands
Well done Girls on your 2-0 Victory against Pinelands. Keep it up!
5) MADCO FUNDRAISER : BARNYARD - ROCK ROYALTY
As part of our annual fundraising initiative in benefit for the Matric Dance, the Matric Dance
Committee has been actively selling tickets for a show at the Barnyard Theatre (Willowbridge)
entitled ROCK ROYALTY. We would like to encourage you to buy a ticket to this enjoyable
performance taking place on Saturday, 1 August 2015. Tickets are sold at R140-00 per ticket. The
doors will open at 18h30 and the show will commence at 20h00.
Feel free to pack a picnic basket, and drinks are only to be purchased at the cash bar.
Thank you to all who support us in our efforts to make the Matric Dance of 2015 a truly memorable
event.
ROCK ROYALTY
A Tribute to flamboyant Rock Stars
Get ready for an explosion of electric charge
as we pay tribute to the flamboyant and
outrageous music legends of our time. Rock
Royalty will give you a music experience
close to the real thing! Watch and hear this
10-piece cast pay tribute to legends: Freddie
Mercury, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Michael
Jackson, Pink, George Michael, Prince, David
Bowie, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Madonna,
Beyoncé, Rihanna, Lenny Kravitz, Whitney
Houston, and many more.
So if you are into danger and excitement on
stage – put yourself out on a limb and get
down to see the awesome new Barnyard
Theatre show: Rock Royalty and you will be
rocked till eternity!
Book your ticket by Friday, 26 June 2015.

7. 6) JARYD PAYNE (PAST PUPIL) – MISSING AT SEA
The families of Anthony Murray, Reginald Robertson and Jaryd Payne are raising funds
http://www.gofundme.com/t2md9s to locate, properly examine for survivors, secure and bring to port
the upturned catamaran hull that has been sighted in the Indian Ocean – most recently on 5 June
2015, 552NM SE from Reunion Island.
Experts advise the families that this is almost certainly Moorings A5130, the Leopard catamaran that
was on a delivery trip to Phuket from Cape Town when all contact was lost with the crew on
18 January, at the time of Cyclone Bansi.
The families of Anthony, Reg, and Jaryd have been driving the search for their loved ones for over
four months, via a Facebook group and a Tomnod campaign, and with the help of official broadcasts
to all ships in the area of drift as designated by the maritime authorities of South Africa and Australia.
This campaign is to raise funds to urgently establish if the three yachtsmen are alive in the hull or if
the life-raft was deployed. The funds will also be used to properly bring the yacht to shore for
investigation and examination by authorities, as well as for any legal costs that arise, for the families
out of this traumatic and ongoing incident.
For updates go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1550511385236726/
Reg Robertson, Anthony Murray and Jaryd Payne’s arrival in Thailand is long overdue. The
trio set sail to deliver a catamaran in Thailand and their expected date of arrival was 2
February 2015.
Reg Robertson (59) Anthony Murray (58) Jaryd Payne (20)

8. 7) LIBRARIAN’S CHOICE
THE LAST ROAD TRIP
by GARETH CROCKER
Following the death of a man they barely knew, five friends decide
to make the most of what’s left of their lives. Abandoning the
humdrum routine at their retirement estate, they embark on a
thousand-mile road trip that takes them from the furthest corner of
the Kruger Park to the blazing stars of Sutherland for the biggest
adventure of their lives and one last hurrah together. Along the way,
they rediscover things about themselves that they thought had long
since been lost. Above all, they discover that it’s never too late to start
living.
8) WELL DONE
23rd
World Scout Jamboree - Japan 2015
Fairmont is very proud to announce that 7 of our pupils will be attending the 23rd
World Scout Jamboree in Japan, from Tuesday, 28 July – Saturday, 8 August 2015.
The Scout Association of Japan (SAJ) has started a new project that is to build new
friendships for Scouts through Scouting: “Welcome The World” Project (WTW), that
ties up Scouts from all countries with the local Scout groups in Japan.
The 7 learners are:
Michael Middleton (Gr. 12)
Matthew Venter (Gr. 11)
Stephen Cochrane (Gr. 10)
Celine Gravenor (Gr. 10)
Dylan Cloete (Gr. 9)
Daniel Marais (Gr. 8)
Enrico Fernandes (Gr. 8)

9. Devon Gdanis (Gr. 9)
Devon (a Grade 9 pupil at Fairmont High School) is
pictured here with his younger brother, Liam (a Gr. 7 pupil
at Durbanville Primary joining the Monty family in 2016),
and their father, Peter Gdanis.
All three family members received their Western Province
colours for South African JKA KARATE on 25 April 2015.
Devon competed in the U15 age group and received a
Gold & Silver Medal. Liam participated in the U14 age
group, finishing with a Silver and Bronze medal.
The three members also participated in the South African
Championships in Johannesburg from 4 - 6 June 2015. At
the championships, Devon was placed second in the U15
age group and received two silver medals; Liam achieved
fifth place overall for U13; and Peter was placed in the Top
Twenty in the Veterans’ Division.
Congratulations to this very talented family.
Keenan Opperman and Braydon Smits (Gr. 9)
Keenan and Braydon have been selected for the U15 Western
Province Cricket Winter Squad to participate in the Winter training
programme for 2015.
Well done on your inclusion in the Winter training school, and
we wish you well with the team selection later in the year.
9) PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
We wish our families a happy long weekend, and encourage our pupils to make every effort with
their studies.
Yours sincerely
Mr R Dingley
PRINCIPAL
Disclaimer:
Fairmont High School does not necessarily endorse the products/services advertised in this circular.