LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

One of the long standing traditions at Sedaven Primary School is the annual leadership camp in which grade 6 and 7 learners spend three days off campus in a beautiful scenic spot under the guidance of trained instructors developing various physical, mental and spiritual leadership skills.

Our learners have just returned from the 2013 leadership camp and they are really excited about their experience. Our Photo Gallery will give you a picture of some of the activities that they were involved in. In our following post we will share the testimonies of some of our learners regarding this camp.

Below is a short description of the kind of programmes that are offered by JC Seals Adventures:

J.C. Seals Adventures is a Christian Adventure Ministry whose staff members are accredited as Service Providers with the Mountaineering Development Trust (M.D.T.), and registered as Adventure Guides in Mountaineering with the Gauteng Tourism Authority (G.T.A.). It operates as a ministry wing of Spiritlife Ministries.
J.C. Seals Adventures, in partnership with 3 Rivers Christian Academy, provides adventure-based education through Team-building and Leadership-training day trips and camps. The students receive personal and group ministry while participating in action packed adventure programs that challenge them physically, mentally and spiritually.
These programs take place on the beautiful grounds adjoining the Klip River, making use of the many established facilities to enrich their experience.

These include:

· Wall Climbing
· Abseiling
· Fly-Fox (Fuffi-Slide)
· Caving (Tunnel)
· Team Building
· Survivor Games
· Adventure Racing Games
· Orienteering
· Rock Climbing
· Hiking
· Fitness Obstacle Course
· Fitness Programs

The Programs are tailor-made to meet almost any situational need and endeavour to produce the following character traits and life-skills in every student:

· Devotion To The Lord Jesus Christ
· Trust In God
· Discipline In All Areas Of The Christian Life
· Self-Discovery
· Confidence Building
· Character Building
· Leadership Development
· Team-Building
· Initiative
· Creative Thinking
· Bush & Survival Skills
· Orienteering

MERRIT CERTIFICATES

We would like to congratulate the following learners for being awarded merrit certificates for "Good Behaviour":

Grade 1:  Nandipha Nyatsandiso (Blue Team - 10 Points)

Grade 2: Tshiamo Mofokeng (White Team - 10 Points)

Grade 3: Sibusisiwe Ndlovo (White Team - 10 Points)

Grade 4: Moreblessing Javangwe (Blue Team - 10 Points)

Grade 5: Laura Nyathi (White Team - 10 Points)

Grade 6: Alan Makhene (White Team - 10 Points)

Grade 7: Minehle Mbambo (Blue Team - 10 Points)

By being awarded merrit certificates these seven learners become the first to receive recognition under the new system (started 2013) whereby recognition is given at bi-weekly intervals throughout the year for various forms of learner achievement.

These learners are also the first to each earn 10 points for their respective school houses. Points for the houses are earned throughout the year by participation in various sporting events and also for being awarded academic or other merrit certificates.

The points earned by the Merrit Certificate candidates bring the total for each house to:

White House:  40 Points

Blue House: 30 Points.

FULL STEAM AHEAD

We have just finished our 2nd week of teaching for this new school year. All systems are in place and teaching is in full swing in all classes. Most of the teachers have already started the process of continuous assessment to ensure that they know to what extent learners have grasped the new content. Teachers have also aready identified some learners who are working extremely well and some others who are apparently not making any effort at all! We are asking parents to keep a sharp eye on the homework books and to question their children carefully about what they are supposed to be doing for homework. Homework is not intended to teach new concepts but to practice concepts that have been taught in class. Sometimes homework is to prepare for class tests! Please ensure that your child packs his school books, and stationery before coming to school. It is extremely frustrating if a learner says that he/she does not have a pen or pencil or textbook at school!

Merrit Certificates

We are pleased to announce that the first merrit certificates for 2013 will be handed out during chapel tomorrow (Monday 28 January). Each class teacher has identified one learner in her class who was most well behaved during the past two weeks. Some teachers indicated that it was a very difficult decision to identify one learner because there are many learners in their class who are well behaved! We were pleased to hear this. The names of the merrit candidates will be released on this website tomorrow.

Sport Activities

It has been extremely hot this last week and our Junior Phase learners really enjoyed frolicking in the small baby pool next to the big pool. (See our Gallery Page for some photos). Our Senior Phase learners practised for the sports day every morning between 8:00 and 9:00 before the heat of the day. On Friday they ran quite a crueling cross country. Some teachers ran with them. (See photos on the Gallery Page)

NO SMOKING!

Smoking has always been considered a major offence at Seventh-day Adventist schools. In spite of this, we do from time to time find young boys who experiment with smoking. We always view this in a serious light. We trust that parents also do their best to educate their children not to get caught up in this ugly habit. The following article explains something about the history of this habit and also gives some interesting facts about smoking:

SWOT ANALYSIS 2013

Our teaching staff spent some time yesterday to do a SWOT-analyis of our school in 2013. In this analysis we followed the acronym SWOT. 

S - is for strengths     W - is for weaknesses     O - is for opportunities     T - is for threats

A full report on the outcome will be rendered to the School board and published in due time. For now we would like to mention just a few of the main conclusions:

As far as our Strengths are concerned the staff reached concensus on the following: Commitment of teachers, excellent qualifications, sound finances, availability of innovative technology, small classes and good school transport.

As weaknesses the staff identified the lack of a good library, lack of good sporting facilities and lack of a proper staff room

The most important threats for now is the down-turn in the economy which makes it very difficult for parents to afford our quality education

The most important opportunities that have come into our radar since the beginning of this year is the new school bus that will now make it possible to go on educational trips and even to get to some sporting facilities which we don't have for ourselves right now.

These, and some other, strengths, weaknesses opportunities and threats will be kept in mind as we now enter on the re-formulation of our long term strategic plan.

Parents and others are invited to contribute to this discussion and to become involved in our planning for the future.

AVAILABLE SPACES - 2013

This is an announcement:

There are a few open spaces in our dormitory for 2013 as well as some openings for day scholars. These openings came about as a result of learners who booked their places, but who, for some or other reason, were not able to come. Please contact the school if you are still looking for a space for this year. The contact details are in the footer of any of the website pages. Thank you!

Our first chapel period for 2013

FIRST SCHOOL DAY - 2013

School started without the typica first day rush. All teachers were in place and learners on time and in full school uniform. After assembly outside learners went to their register classes where the normal administrative tasks had to be dealt with. Textbooks handed out, roll call taken and rules explained. After first break al the learners assembled in the school chapel for formal opening and welcoming by the school principal.

The following are a few candid snapshots taken during the course of the morning:

Line-up outside

Chapel:

While the principal was explaining the school rules

New prefects on trial until after the leadership camp

Congratulation: Birthday in January

REGISTRATION: DAY 2

The second day of the 2013 registration went much more slowly than yesterday. However, the good news is that there are now 187 names on the school roll. This is a record for our school - although only 2 more than last year's starting enrolment figure. Our school enrolment has had an upward trend for the last few years. This is contrary to the enrolment trends of similar private schools in South Africa. We believe this trend is the result of continued high quality education with the resulting client satisfaction. Our staff has been challenged to continue delivering only the best quality teaching supported by an forward thinking management and with the help of innovative technology.

A number of our parents are becoming aware of our website and have filled in our Guest Book page. We invite you to also visit and browse our website and then to give us some feed back by means of the feedback form on the Guest Book page.

 REGISTRATION: DAY 1 - 2013

The first registration day of 2013 went off well. Just more than 100 learners were registered (out of 185). Tomorrow on the second day the boarders will register together with the rest of the day scholars. All the staff members were involved in the registration process. Each one manned a table with some specific document that parents had to sign etc. The process ran very smoothly and efficiently. The principal, Mrs. L. Van Schalkwyk mentioned that the school is full to capacity and that if there were more classrooms one could have added a second grade 6 and grade 7 class. This again underscores the need for our new school to be under way.

Other news is that most of the outstanding book orders were delivered today and the learners will receive their new text books and stationery on Wednesday and effective teaching could start immediately. We praise God for all these blessings!

Parents waiting to register their children

WHAT IS YOUR 'PROJECT' FOR 2013?

The following poem by Robin Sharma, the well known motivational speaker made me think about what my project would be for this year. Please free to share your own very special project for 2013.

THE PROJECT
By Robin Sharma

Within each of us lies The Project.

An idea longing to be nourished, cherished, launched and completed.

Writing a novel. Starting an enterprise. Raising a family. Freeing a nation.

Our deepest desire is to do The Project. To express our vision. To carefully and patiently watch it unfold. To present it to those who will benefit by it. And to experience the pride of the job beautifully done.

Yet, a million distractions battle for our attention. And one hundred doubts fill our hearts. And so slowly and subtly, we recite the excuses that construct our reality. And we shelve The Project. Postponing it for a better day.

But postponing The Project is life’s greatest lie.

Picasso and Basquiat, Einstein and Edison, Jobs and Jay-Z didn’t wait for an ideal day to do their dream. They started. When it was hard. Though they had little. While they were alone.

So many of the world’s troubles are symptoms of The Project undone.

Pain is the result of potential denied. And when you avoid The Project, you dishonour your gifts. Your Talents. Your Genius.

A portion of you goes numb. Silent. Quiet. Scared.

The moment you start The Project, everything shifts. Purpose, focus, passion and peace returns to your life. Eyes sparkle. Energy explodes. Inspiration flows. And your days become supported by coincidence, power and peak possibility.

This very day, the first of a fresh year–presents your greatest opportunity. To be a lion not a sheep. To walk with giants versus among the meek. To celebrate your best instead of succumbing to the worst. To lift others up versus tear others down. To pour creativity, mastery, courage and light into a world aching for marks of heroism.

So please, step up. Release all chains. Dispute all doubts. Start The Project. Do the dream. And change the world.

You are responsible for no less.