Letter To Our Parents: January 2021

Celebrating 2020 Academic Achievement & Starting 2021

Dear Parents

It is my pleasure to announce the following boys who have all excelled in their academic endeavours in the end of year assessments and they are accordingly acknowledged. They will receive their certificates of recognition on their return as well as obtaining their academic ties etc.

TOP 10

2^nd Form

1.       Werth JR
2.       Ferraz CBI
3.       Robinson C
4.       Tredgold SJ
5.       Jikijo IO
6.       Jacobsz FR
7.       Norton SR
8.       Moodley ER
9.       Kloppers J
10. Egberink GJ

3^rd Form

1.       Pillay D
2.       Roux G
3.       Kock E
4.       Froise RJ
5.       Ganie T
6.       van Rooyen MP
7.       Karrim M
8.       du Toit LT
9.       Emberton BM
10. Nuttall TH

4^th Form

1.       Abramia TE
2.       Goddard KB
3.       Malani Y
4.       Essa U
5.       Chetty N
6.       Peens JB
7.       Kisten K
8.       Hankinson CI
9.       Zimu TL
10. Fihlela MB and Mthimkhulu KN

5^th Form

1.       Desai U
2.       Essa A
3.       le Roux JR
4.       Patel TM
5.       Pearson MA
6.       Laithwaite MP
7.       Lalor JM
8.       Padayachee S
9.       Magwaza L
10. Baldrey CT

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Academic Tie
AM Chowdhury B Clifton EH Coulthard RJ Crookes M Daly TJ Guise-Brown S Hanson-de Jager SD Harvey CM Hibbert MP Howard YA Jooma AZ Keith HS Kemp RC Kingham CG Lee LL Maharaj	R Mohanlal JJ Moller N Naidoo AS Ndlovu BM Ndlovu CD Osborne Y Parak KH Ramdhani J Roets OT Sekgonyana BJ Tarr JL Van der Merwe BJ Westwood J White RP Whitehead C Williamson
Colours
TE Abramia LN Biyela N Chetty BA Cotterell SG Delport BN Els U Essa MB Fihlela RJ Finnie KB Goddard	CI Hankinson K Kisten Y Malani SAX Malinga KN Mthimkhulu TJ Pakkari JB Peens W Pretorius CEA Schultz BC Sims-Handcock TL Zimu
Colours and Scarf
JO Beauclerk TS Conolly	NA McFarland MJ Whyte
Honours
CT Baldrey U Desai GB Emberton A Essa JD Govender Keshlyn Govender KN Hansen MP Laithwaite JM Lalor JR Le Roux	L Magwaza UPJ Maphumulo BD Nuttall S Padayachee TM Patel MA Pearson BS Raw DA Thomson B Van der Merwe NM Zondi

Congratulations and well done on your efforts in a very tough year. We wish you all the very best for 2021.

RESEARCH HOUSE SURVEY 2020

It is my pleasure to provide initial feedback on the research that was conducted toward the end of 2020. Thank you to all the boys, staff, parents and OCs who contributed to what is very useful data as we charter the strategic direction of College over the next 3 – 5 years.

Theme: Back to Basics
Objective: To determine what can be done to make College even better
Methodology:

Qualitative
15 focus groups –staff, boys, parents, old boys – face2face and zoom
Confidentiality guaranteed

Context:

Representative in nature, not statistically → feedback may be an individual’s opinion only and should not be interpreted as the overriding opinion.
Perceptions may not be factually correct.
Participants may offer opinions on how things should be done → these suggestions may or may not be the right approach.

Kudos for College:
- Powerful foundation and culture.

Intense passion and pride, and commitment to the school was evident.
Traditions were highly valued and embraced.
The hierarchy system was recognised as important for the development of the boys, individually and as a group.
The MC values were key to the success of the school.
Discipline, manners and respect were instilled, and appreciated (by adults and the boys).
A ‘brotherhood’ and a feeling of belonging, especially amongst the boarders was highlighted.
- Excellent structure and organization.
- High academic and sporting standards and healthy competition.
- Good facilities – well maintained and upgraded.
- Uniform (including the bashers) was sacred.
- Incredible opportunities (academics, sport, cultural and community) were available – boys were treated as individuals and encouraged to explore their interests.
- Strong Old Boys involvement and appealing Old Boys’ network, plus recognition of the success of the Old Boys.
- The type and nature of boys who matriculated at MC – strong, well-mannered, and disciplined
- MC was keeping up with the times.
Social Awareness was being nurtured.
Discrimination was being addressed by the College Credo which documents the College Culture.
Assistance was available via the Pastoral Programme and Mentorship classes.
- Quality teachers – top class as well as being kind and caring.
- Exceptional value for the offering.
- Highly desirable and successful boarding establishment.
Marketing was effective and the application process was easy.
Communication with parents g., D6 and email, was effective and appreciated.

Over the next few weeks we will continue to share further important data and feedback from the research.

RETURN TO SCHOOL

With the delayed return of our boys to school, Maritzburg College will commence with an introductory online programme for all boys from Wednesday 3^rd February.

The initial focus will be from your son’s mentor teachers to welcome him back to school, and to open the communication lines for direct contact with their mentor teacher. With the psychological impact of the pandemic on so many families, we believe that the mental well-being of our boys is of paramount importance, and the mentor teachers and housemasters play an integral part of the overall pastoral care.

From Thursday 4^th February, subject teachers will make contact with their classes, introducing themselves, their subject material and preparing boys for the academic year. Work schedules and resources will be uploaded for the academic programme to be followed in the coming week.

This year, we have streamlined our online platforms, and will be using two viz, MS Teams and Moodle. Moodle, which is zero data rated, will provide work schedules and the necessary resources for a grade in a particular subject area, and this platform will be managed by the Subject Head of that subject. There will be a guest section, which will allow parents access to the work schedules for the week. MS Teams is the platform for communication within individual class groups, and each subject class will be set up in a team which is managed by the subject teacher.

Any queries or assistance that is required, should be channelled to the class teacher via MS Teams. For matters of a more general nature, parents should email the Subject Head of that subject area. Details of the procedure to login on Teams and Moodle, will be published shortly.

The DBE has given written permission for all boarding boys to return from Friday 12^th February and for all our 2^nd Form boys to have an orientation day in preparation for the commencement of their College career as well on the same date. We are very pleased with this and further communication will be forthcoming in the next week.

A request from the school is that all families, in preparation for the return to school, please attempt as far as possible to remain in their family ‘bubble’ as it were to restrict the spread of the virus. Furthermore, to please adhere to the Covid regulations religiously.

Pro Aris et Focis

#Stay healthy #Stay Safe

Chris Luman
Headmaster