Sandton April 2026
May 13, 2026
Pre-Primary
Special Persons' Day
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the grandparents and special guests who joined us for our Special Persons’ Day celebration. Your presence made the occasion truly meaningful for our little students.
We hope you enjoyed the heartfelt concert just as much as the children enjoyed sharing this special time with you. Thank you for being a valued part of our school community.
Grade 00 / Ramadhaan
As part of last term’s Unit of Inquiry, Who We Are, our Grade 00 students reached an important stage in their learning journey: taking action.
To bring their learning to life, the students participated in a meaningful project where they collected essential hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, face cloths, and soap for children in need. With great care and enthusiasm, they decorated special bags and thoughtfully packed each item themselves.
The donations were then handed over to the Frida Hartley Foundation, an organisation that supports vulnerable individuals and communities through social welfare services, care programmes, and the distribution of essential resources.
This experience was a wonderful opportunity for our young students to begin developing an understanding that not everyone has access to the same resources we do. Through this hands-on activity, they practised kindness, empathy, and generosity in a very real and meaningful way.
Preparatory
Digital Wellness Talk for Grade 6 and 7
Last week, our Grade 6 and 7 students were privileged to attend an engaging talk by Professor Anke de Beer, a respected expert on digital addiction. Her presentation, “How to Break Up with Your Phone,” explored ethical device usage, managing screen time, and practical strategies to help children navigate the online world responsibly. Professor de Beer highlighted how unmonitored device use can place children in vulnerable and potentially risky situations. She also kindly shared a selection of her slides with us.
Some of the key facts that stood out included:
- South African teenagers currently spend approximately 70% of their time online, averaging nine hours per day.
- The average person touches their phone around 2 500 times daily and receives close to 200 notifications in a single day.
- Research shows that top academic achievers are often those who have the discipline to keep their phones in their bags, or at home, during the school day.
Professor de Beer also offered practical strategies to help children and families actively work towards “breaking up with their phones,” including:
- Sleeping with phones in another room, not beside the bed.
- Turning off non-essential notifications.
- Avoiding social media use before the age of 13.
- Switching screens to grayscale after 6pm to reduce the addictive appeal of apps.
- Creating device-free zones within the home.
Following the one-hour rule: starting and ending the day with 60 minutes of no-phone time to allow the brain to rest.
Owning the AI: using technology to explain concepts, not to do the work for you.
Prioritising real-life relationships over online ones.
We are grateful to Professor de Beer for sharing her insights and equipping our students with valuable tools to develop healthier digital habits.
Community Service Awards
We are proud to celebrate the following students who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and have earned Community Service Awards.
Bronze Certificates
- Tesla Mihic
- Lesego Bogatsu
- Jaiden Levine
Silver Certificate
- Caitlyn Joubert
Gold Certificate
- Tina Luthuli
College
Deysel Siblings Shine on the National Stage
The Deysel siblings, Kaleb and Hannah, have made an exceptional impact on the national chess scene, showcasing remarkable talent, determination, and composure under pressure.
Kaleb Deysel (Grade 9) competed in the U16 division of the South African Closed Chess Championship, held from 28 March to 2 April. This prestigious, invitation-only tournament featured approximately 30 of the country’s top players in his age group. Over nine demanding rounds, with each game lasting up to four hours, Kaleb demonstrated outstanding focus and skill.
Kaleb secured an impressive 5th place in the U16 Open section—an exceptional achievement, particularly as he is still in his junior U16 year and will compete in this category again next year.
- His performance has earned him the honour of representing South Africa at several major international tournaments: African Youth Chess Championship (Ghana, May)
- Commonwealth Chess Championship (Sri Lanka, May)
- World Youth Chess Championship (Italy, June)
- In addition, Kaleb placed 5th in the SAJCCC 2026 Blitz tournament, scoring 7 out of 9 in a highly competitive open field of 114 players, which included adult competitors.
- We congratulate Kaleb on his phenomenal achievements and wish him every success in his upcoming international competitions.
Hannah Deysel (Grade 10) also delivered an outstanding performance at the South African Closed Chess Championship, held during the same period. Competing in the highly competitive Girls U16 section, she was among an elite group of approximately 25 invited players from across the country—an achievement.
Across nine intense rounds, Hannah demonstrated resilience, focus, and strategic excellence, finishing a commendable 16th out of 38 competitors in her age group. Her performance reflects her dedication and continued growth as a chess player.
Hannah’s success extended to the SAJCCC 2026 Blitz event, where she achieved an extraordinary milestone by being crowned Ladies Champion. Competing in an open section against a wide field that included adult players, her victory highlights both her skill and competitive edge.
Hannah’s achievements are a testament to her perseverance and passion for chess. We look forward to seeing her continued success in the future.
Mishayla Meyer Shines on the International Stage
Mishayla Meyer (Grade 8) delivered an outstanding performance at the International Dance Open South African Qualifier, held at the Roodepoort Theatre on 22 March 2026.
Competing across multiple categories, Mishayla achieved an incredible set of results:
- 1st place – Junior Acrobatics
- 1st place – Junior Contemporary
- 1st place – Junior Lyrical
- 1st place – Junior Jazz
- 1st place – Junior Musical Theatre
Adding to her remarkable success, she was awarded Overall Highest Junior Solo for her Contemporary performance, “Torn.”
These exceptional achievements have earned Mishayla a place on Team South Africa, qualifying her to compete at two International Dance Open Global Finales:
- Zagreb, Croatia (5–10 May 2026)
- Dubai, UAE (29–31 January 2027)
We are incredibly proud of your dedication, talent, and achievements, and we wish you all the best on the international stage.
































