It is with sadness that we wish two of our young staff members farewell and good luck on the new and exciting ventures that they are taking their careers in. We are also excited to report on one of our new staff member’s initiatives to help her grade 11 learners revise.
Mrs. Kirsten Feather and Ms. Leandri Cronjé are both leaving us at the end of this term to start new adventures in their lives elsewhere. Ms. Cronjé started at VHS three years ago and has been here for most of her teaching career. She started the Scimath club in 2015 and has nurtured our learners not just in the classroom but also here. Two of her Scimath learners were invited to participate in the Science Olympiad last year, based on their achievements. We wish her all the best of luck with her new adventures in the Western Cape.
Mrs. Kirsten Feather is an old learner at VHS and we were so lucky that she chose to return here as an educator as well. She started here in 2013 and has been a force to be reckoned with not only doing her due diligence in the classroom, but also dabbling in a variety of other areas in the school; next to the netball court and swimming pool as well as serving on the SGB and taking charge of our school’s leaders and shaping them into the leaders of tomorrow with integrity and other important values. We wish her and her family courage and luck with their new adventures abroad.
We would like to thank both these teachers for their dedication and hard work in and outside of the classroom, you have made a difference and your time with us mattered.
It is also with great pride that we add this little section from one of our new educators, Ms. Oberholzer, on her initiative to help her grade 11 learners revise. She had the following to say: On Thursday, 8 June, a few Grade 11 Life Sciences learners took part in the ‘BIO-LYMPICS’. Incorporating revision with fun and physical activity, creating positive associations with learning. Questions ranged from micro-organisms to the biodiversity of plants and cellular respiration. According to one of the learners it was, “The most fun class I’ve ever had.” By mixing fun and theory, more senses can be engaged, paving the way towards academic excellence.
Thank you Ms. Oberholzer for going the extra mile to make learning fun and relevant to the learners.
We continue to wish all our learners the best of luck with their exams and their studies, and patients and energy to our teachers with their late night marking.
Exam quote: There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure. – General Colin Powell
The November examinations are well on their way and a lot of learning, writing and marking is taking place. As it is the end of the year we have to say goodbye to many learners and some of VHS staff. This week we take leave of Mrs D Jonsson:
She started at VHS in 1988 teaching EngHL and EngFAL with Mrs Lubbe and Mrs Struwig. They soon became known as the three D’s: Daphne, Dianne and Deanne-a formidable team who taught happily together for many years. In 1989 she started marking matric papers and this lead to many adventures in very strange locations!
The SCA has been very important to her and she attended many fun camps and youth weeks. She always set a very good example to these and other learners with her kind and righteous behaviour.
She coached hockey for a few years and also accompanied these teams on many tours and away-games! She assisted with drama productions and also took over the running of the library which means she gave up many of her breaks and afternoons to keep it open for learners to use. She also did duty for many years in the girls’ hostel and later in the combined hostel. In 1995 she accompanied a group of learners on an Art and History Tour of Egypt, Europe and London. For many years she also assisted Mrs P Schulte in the kiosk.
Despite being an experienced world traveller Mrs Jonsson always remained the sweet, considerate lady with great empathy for all. We hope the blessings she has bestowed on learners and colleagues throughout the years of devoted service to VHS will now be rewarded. We wish her a happy, fulfilling retirement and abundant good health.
Remember: Your life is your message to the world, so make sure above all else that it is inspiring!
Diary:
- Gr. 8-11 November Exams 31 October – 18 November.
- Gr. 12 NSC Exam 24 October – 25 November
We uphold the 5 values : compassion, integrity, responsibility, respect and excellence at VHS! If you uphold these principles and make the right choices, SUCCESS will follow! Remember this when you are preparing for the November examinations. As this is the last school month of the year many activities will take place with the main focus being on the examinations. However, it also means that we have to say goodbye to many learners and some of VHS staff. Not many people will ever be able to match Mrs M Puttkammer’s record at this school:
Mev M Puttkammer was ‘n leerling van hierdie skool van 1962-1965. Sy was oorgeplaas hierheen in April 1969 om Biologie en Wetenskap te kom gee. In 1973 het sy haar diens onderbreek maar kom weer in 1975 om uit te help vir 6 maande. In 1982 aanvaar sy ‘n permanente pos tot 2013! Van 2014 is sy deur die SGB aangestel.
In 40 jaar as baie streng onderwyseres by Hoërskool Vryheid het sy wonderlike tye beleef met goeie kollegas om haar. Sy tree af aan die einde van 2016 met goeie herinneringe om saam met haar in die toekoms in te neem. Om iemand te bedank vir 40 jaar se toegewyde diens kan nie in woorde gesit word nie en daarom in die woorde van een van haar leerlinge: She’s going out as one of the legends of VHS!
We wish her a well-deserved retirement filled with peace, happiness and good health.
Diary:
Gr. 12 NSC Exam 24 October – 25 November
Gr. 8-11 November Exams 31 October – 18 November