General News – applies to all three phases
Wonderful Start
We are pleased to announce that we have had a busy yet productive start to the new school year. This week, we are happy to welcome even more new families to our Courtney team, whom we wish well and we know will have a happy and fruitful time with us.
Newsletters
We urge all families to subscribe on the website www.courtney.co.za to receive the weekly newsletter via email. This is a valuable and important source of communication between home and school. Parents who have not already done so, are urged to do so as soon as possible. It is a quick and simple exercise which only requires a few minutes of your time by inserting your email address where it asks you to.
Term Dates for 2019
Term 1 16 January – 12 April 2019
Term 2 7 May – 28 June 2019
Term 3 23 July – 20 September 2019
Term 4 7 October – 11 December 2019
Term Dates for 2020
Term 1 15 January – 20 March 2020
Term 2 1 April – 12 June 2020
Term 3 7 July – 18 September 2020
Term 4 5 October – 4 December 2020
Courtney Kids News – applies to children in Tiny Tots, Grades 000 and 00
Pre-School Parent Information Meeting
Thank you to all the parents who attended the Parent Meeting on Thursday afternoon.
Extra Mural Registration Forms
All extra mural registration forms must be returned to school no later than Monday 28 January.
Tuck Shop
Tuck Shop will start on Friday 1 February. Children may bring money, not exceeding R10, to buy treats from the tuck shop.
Courtney House News – applies to children in Reception Year to Year 6
Civvies Day
Children may wear civvies (any clothes of their choice) on Friday 1 February to mark the beginning of a new month and as a reward for their excellent start to the 2019 academic year. We are extremely proud of all the Courtney House pupils who have demonstrated polite and diligent behaviour since the start of the school year.
Extra Murals
Children received an extra-mural selection sheet on Friday 18 January. Please select the extra mural activities you would like your child to participate in and send the form, together with payment, in the envelope provided. These must be returned to the school office or sent with your child to school by no later than Monday 28 January. Every term, parents will receive a new selection sheet for the term.
Except for ballet, all other extra mural activities will start the week of 28 January.
Kentro Archery
We are pleased to be able to offer Archery as an extra mural to students in Grade 4 to Grade 6. This extra mural will take place on Friday afternoons from 13:00 – 14:00. Registration is based on a first-come, first-serve basis and only the first 10 participants will be accommodated. All equipment is provided for and students can achieve Provincial and National Colours as well as compete in various tournaments. Please consult the school office for more information and for registration forms.
Text Books
Text books must be covered in a transparent plastic cover. Please ensure that all text books are clearly labelled with your child’s name and surname. Please return the covered and labelled books to school on Monday 28 January.
Ingwe Forest Adventures Leadership and Adventure Camp in Plettenberg Bay
No further registrations to participate in this camp may be accepted. Parents shall receive an updated information pack which will include all the necessary details and information they need. On Monday 18 February, the camp group will depart from Courtney House at 05:30 in the morning for OR Tambo airport. The camp group can be collected from Courtney House on Saturday 23 February between 15:30 and 16:00. Special T-Shirts for the Monday departure and the Saturday return shall be arranged and handed out to the camp group to wear on those days for extra visibility at the airport.
In addition to the leadership and team-building activities presented at Ingwe Forest Adventures, the group will visit The Elephant Sanctuary for an educational presentation as well as have an opportunity to walk “hand-in-trunk” with the elephants and feed them. There will also be a full day visit at Featherbed Nature Reserve in Knysna which will include educational presentations on the fauna and flora of the area as well as the historical/geographical features of the Knysna Heads and Lagoon. This will include a Nature Walk as well as a Ferry Trip on the lagoon. Extra activities also include Supping (Stand Up Paddling) on the Keurbooms River as well as a visit to Adventureland Water Park for fun water slides and tubing. Group Drumming Sessions as well as a “Master Chef Cooking Challenge” have also been planned.
Thank you to those parents who have made all their payments. We request that all final payments are made by no later than Wednesday 30 January.
Parents are asked to submit a certified copy of their child’s birth certificate, which is required for the flights, by no later than Wednesday 30 January. These can be handed in at the school office.
Teachers attending include: Demi; Natasha; Danielle; Marie-Chen and Elliot.
Children in Grade 3 to 6 who are not attending camp, are required to attend school as normal during that week.
Transport During Camp Week
Please be advised that since Elliot shall be accompanying the Grade 3 to 6 children on camp during the week of 18 February – 22 February 2019, there shall be no bus transport provided by Elliot.
Demonstrations
The children participated in demonstrations for Judo and Archery this week as introductions to the particular extra murals.
Moonstone Masquerade DVDs and Photos
Parents who have ordered DVDs and Photos from the Stage Production should receive their orders sometime in February 2019. Parents can still place orders this week, should they want to.
School Times
School starts at 07:50 am with line up and morning greetings. Children are to arrive on time for this.
Children in Reception Year to Grade 3 finish school at 13:30.
Children in Grade 4 to 6 finish school at 14:00.
On Fridays, all classes end at 13:00.
Break Times
There are two formal breaks during the day. A morning snack break from 10:00 – 10:30 and a lunch break from 12:30 – 13:00.
On Fridays, the lunch break is from 12:00 – 12:30.
Tuck Shop
Only on Fridays, children may bring between R 10 and R 25 tuck shop money if they would like to purchase treats which include: ice cream; packets of popcorn/crisps and sweets.
Swimming
Class swimming has started. Children are to wear a plain navy- blue swimming costume and a swim cap. These are easily accessible from Woolworths or Edgars. Swimwear and a towel must be packed in a bag. Children will change at school for their swimming lesson.
The following classes will have swimming during the school morning on the following days:
Tuesdays: Grades 4; 5 and 2
Wednesdays: Grades 6; 3 and 1
Thursdays: Reception Year
A swimming gala will be arranged for later this term.
Meet-and-Greet
Thank you to the parents of children in Reception Year to Grade 6 who attended the “Meet-and-Greet” on Friday afternoon.
Pre-Packed School Lunches
Parents shall be able to order healthy, well-balanced, wholesome and fresh pre-packed school lunches for breaks and aftercare. Parents should receive emailed information with details pertaining to placing orders as well as menu plans from Ali-Cat Deli.
This has already started with a few children already receiving their lunches delivered to school. Parents who have opted for this service are asked to please send a snack for the morning break as the pre-packed lunches are only delivered for 12:30 lunch.
Parents are requested to order and make payments in advance. Orders cannot be received on the same day as a lunch pack is requested. Children who are fussy eaters and who have complicated dietary requirements are not really suited to this service.
School Uniform Update
Manufacturing for Courtney House uniform items has started and shall be available for order and immediate purchase by no later than the end of February 2019. Purchasing will take place directly at school for parents’ convenience.
Important Dates to Remember
Courtney College News – applies to students in Year 7 to A/AS-Level
Extra Murals
Thank you to Teacher Patrick for organising the free trial week for all extra-murals at the College.
Extra murals will start, officially, on Monday 28 January. We request that parents make the necessary payments in advance.
Checkpoint 2020
On Monday, 4 February, we will have a “Meet-and-Greet” at the College for all the parents of Grade 7 students. This will take place from 17:30 – 18:30. Please join all the Grade 7 teachers for an informal get-together.
