Good morning
Reading:
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting. – Psalm 100:4-5
I will meditate on the glorious splendour of Your Majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness and shall sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:5-7
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. – Psalm 27:13
Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted, praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things; let this be known throughout the earth. – Isaiah 12: 4-5
COLLEGE CAROL SERVICE
Congratulations and thank you to our music department under the guidance of Messrs Solomon, Linde, Heyns, Ngcobo, staff and boys choirs plus the jazz band, for a wonderful celebration of carols and music last night, with Epworth Girls and Laddsworth , at Hilton Christian Fellowship Church. It was a special evening heralding the start of the Festive Season, enjoyed by all.
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
Well done to the boys who have excelled recently in a variety of activities:
J Jansen van Rensburg [Calder] Consistent achievement in Canoeing in Term 4
LD O’Connor [Strachan] Consistent achievement in Canoeing in Term 4
JS Gotte [Snow] Consistent achievement in Canoeing in Term 4
MJ Rawson [Fuller] Consistent achievement in Canoeing in Term 4
KG Clarke [Calder] 2nd U14 School Canoeing League
BC Gotte [Snow] Tie 3rd U14 School Canoeing League
MJ Rawson [Fuller] 2nd U16 School Canoeing League
CB Baxter [Calder] Consistent achievement in Cycling in Term 4
DE Janneker [Lamond] Consistent achievement in Cycling in Term 4
K Searle [Fuller] Consistent achievement in Cycling in Term 4
LJ Puddu [Pape] For scoring 209 against Kearsney 15A Cricket Team
BL Zakwe [Pape] For taking 5 – 23 runs vs Kearsney 15B cricket Team
DS Rencken [Forder] For achievement in Go-Karting
KH Vogt [Calder] KZN U16 Waterpolo Team
CI Mason [Lamond] KZN Inland U19 Cricket Team
S Dzanibe [Commons] KZN Inland U19 Cricket Team
DC Nadasan [Snow] KZN Inland U19 Cricket Team
T van Niekerk [Snow] KZN Inland U16 Cricket Team
RG Willson [Barns] KZN Inland U16 Cricket Team
AB Barnes [Calder] KZN Inland U16 Cricket Team
AR Bharath [Calder] KZN Inland U16 Cricket Team
ACADEMIC AFRIKAANS ATKV JUNIOR OLYMPIAD RECOGNITION:
In the recent Junior Olympiad for Afrikaans First Additional Language, two of our boys excelled achieving 80% and above. Congratulations to Joshua Badenhorst (Form 2) who scored 80%, and Divan Dry (Form 3) who achieved an impressive 84%. In addition, Divan Dry came first in KwaZulu-Natal and received a R1000 cash prize for his top placement.
SPORT AWARDS
Well done to the following boys who have have excelled in their various codes.
LARGE WHITE BADGE
Cricket
KL Dedekind [Lamond]
SJ Hughes [Nicholson]
D Naidoo [Nicholson]
NRK Pembridge [Commons]
COLOURS & SCARF
Cricket
LC Sutherland [Snow]
Tennis
AC Tilbury [Calder]
HONOURS
Cricket
CI Mason [Lamond]
DC Nadasan [Snow]
END OF YEAR:
We now await the NSC results to see how our F6 have faired in the examinations. The top achievers will be invited to our F2 – F5 Prize-Giving Ceremony in the second week of Term1 where they will be acknowledged. Each of you in your own way need to reflect on the past year and measure your success and whether you have achieved the goals you set yourself.
The end of the year is often also a sad time as we bid people who are leaving us farewell.
Staff leaving at the end of 2024
- We thank both Mr Xolani Ngubane Isizulu who assisted as a locum in IsiZulu and Mrs Wells who was in the remedial English Department leave us. We thank them for their contribution to College and wish them well for the future.
- Ms Nonku Gumede has been with us for three years teaching English and more recently running our Khanyisa programme and assisting in the BE. She was also a mentor in Nicholson House and a passionate administrator in basketball. We thank her for her contribution and wish her every success at TWC.
- Mr Lethu Shongwe has been at College for five years and rose through the ranks swiftly to be HOD, running the school RCL programme and teaching Physical Science and Natural Science. He also ran chess and was a passionate BE master in Nathan House. We thank him for his contribution to College and wish him every success as he departs to TWC.
- Sister Claire Olivier has worked at College for the past four years and as Senior San sister for three years. She has led her team of nurses with distinction. The systems and procedures which she has implemented and managed has allowed the San to function with efficiency. Her ability to work alongside the school doctors and First Aid team on a Saturday has also allowed many sportsman, in particular rugby players, to be attended to with care and efficiency when they are injured. Thank you Sister Olivier for all your effort, attention to detail, diligence and mist importantly care and expertise which you have shown towards our boys, to our staff and even the children on campus. We wish Sister Olivier well as she leaves us to start a new chapter of her life, together with her husband Peter, as they move to America in December.
- Finally, and most importantly, Mrs Denise Mitchell is retiring from College. Mrs Mitchell joined the College staff all the way back in January 1993. For 32 years, she has been the “face” and “voice” of Maritzburg College, as the school’s smiling, warm and accommodating receptionist and switch-board operator. For many College parents, when they made their initial enquiries about the possibility of their sons attending College, Mrs Mitchell would have been the first person to whom they spoke. Always professional and calm with parents and visitors, whatever the nature of their enquiry (and she has had to face some very irate people, at times!), Mrs Mitchell has been an outstanding ambassador for our school for more than three decades, and has been a bright, patient and generous presence in the Front Office for all this time. In her no-fuss way, she has always been an example of dedication, loyalty and quiet, behind-the-scenes service. She retires at the end of this month after 32 years’ dedicated service to our school – Mrs Mitchell, THANK YOU. We wish you a very happy and well-earned retiremen
STAFFING APPOINTMENTS:
It now gives me great pleasure to announce the following internal staffing promotion appointments in key positions for 2025.
2025 Term 1 Internal Promotions
- Khanyisa Co-Ordinator High School Mrs Rodelle Govender
- Khanyisa Co-Ordinator Primary School Mr Sbonga Shange
- Subject Head Business Studies Mrs Waasia Khan
- Temp Assist Housemaster: Lamond Mr Cornel Myburgh
- HOD: Wellness & Pastoral Care Miss Lindy Mkhize
- Assistant HOD Leadership Mrs Courtney Sanders
- Subject Head of English Miss Shenisse Paramanand
We thank all the staff who have held these positions previously for the dedication and commitment to their respective roles.
In closing, to those boys who are also leaving for various reasons, we thank you for your contribution to College and remind you that you will always be a part of College and the RED, BLACK and WHITE family.
I end with a poem that is pertinent at this point
‘The bridge to the future’ Author unknown.
I cross the bridge and leave behind the world I know so well
A place without surprises
With stories I can tell.
Across the bridge
what lies there?
If only that I knew.
A land of possibilities
Where all my dreams come true?
Every bridge I cross in life
Will take me to new ground
Old things will be left behind
But new ones will be found.
For all of you today – this is the last day of F2, 3, 4 or 5. Not only is it an end but also the beginning of something new: a new chapter in your lives. Try to remember that, as you face new challenges, you are not alone. There are good things waiting for you just around the corner. So step out with confidence and take new opportunities in your stride as you return in 2025 .
It is essential that during the course of today and tomorrow, you take the time to thank all your teachers for their considerable efforts this year in keeping you on the academic track as best as possible and your mentors and housemasters for their support.
I wish you all a very merry and safe Christmas with your families and a prosperous and enjoyable 2025. Please ensure that you do thank you parents and others who have made personal sacrifices for you to attend College – it should never be taken for granted. Make sure that you also give of yourself, as this is the season for giving.
Please stay safe and healthy.
Pro Aris et Focis
Dr CJ Luman
Headmaster