“And it came to pass, when the time was come that He should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem”, Luke 9:51

One could say the 40 days of Lent is like a countdown to the most amazing mission that has ever been undertaken here on earth – a mission impossible? “But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible”. Matthew 19:26. This is the point in which Jesus knew what lay ahead- ‘He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem’ – the cross.

The Gospel of Luke from here on in invites us to join Jesus on the journey towards the cross. I think that’s what Lent is all about - a journey of transformation, Jesus has a date with destiny to coin a dramatic phrase and maybe in some small way we do to. Do you know your purpose here on earth? Have you tried to seek after God, to know His will upon your life? Maybe it’s time for us to find out. For it is what God has being doing since we human beings first drew breath. He has been calling us but all too often we fail to listen.

The Long Walk is now less than three weeks away. We are acutely aware of the public outcry around the Enviroserv landfill and its impact on air quality. In the interest of safety, we have decided to make a change to the Long Walk route. This was communicated to the parent body by e-mail on Monday morning. The Long Walk Committee held a special meeting last evening to consider the logistics of the change. We will notify all those who have volunteered to help as to how the change will affect them. This will be our 55^th consecutive Long Walk and we are determined to make it as memorable as any other.

After meeting with St. Mary’s, Highbury and Kearsney last week, we will soon publish the school term dates for 2018 on the website. There should be a great deal of similarity between the four Upper Highway independent schools next year. We are aware that there are families with children in more than one of these schools.

It is incredible how quickly time is flying. Perhaps as we get older time seems to pass more quickly. I can hardly believe that a season of summer sport is now drawing to a close and the winter sports are already starting up. In terms of performance it has been an outstanding season and sport is certainly reaching lofty heights at TMC. The High School One Act Plays are being staged on Thursday evening.

Our much acclaimed Acapella choir Retrobeats have been invited to partake in a little local Music fiesta during the holidays. It will take place on 11 April at Tinas Hotel and they will be doing two sets with a ‘dinner club’ type setting.

“Kindness and good nature unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any agreements whatsoever, since thereby the engagements of men's hearts become stronger than the bond and obligation of words.” ― St. Thomas More 

 

This week we look forward to our annual inter-house One-Act Play competition. The Grade 11 directors have been working tirelessly with their casts this term to prepare a veritable thespian celebration on our stage this coming Thursday night in the Peter Habberton Hall. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

This week marks the official changeover from our summer sports programme to our winter sports programme. I must offer a hearty thanks to all our summer coaches and managers for an outstanding season. Our teams have competed admirably; however, more important is the manner in which we have played. Our teams bat above their weight, and in so doing we learn valuable lessons. It is through the challenge of “stepping up” that we “step out”. And so, I wish all of our winter sports teams a season of “stepping out” and welcoming the challenges we will invariably face.

Across the full gambit of this term’s array of activities, I must pay tribute sincerely to our staff who give up countless hours over and beyond the demands of our academic programme to facilitate these opportunities for our children. They make Thomas More College such a dynamic space in which to grow and learn.

In closing, as we edge closer to Human Rights Day, let us be mindful of those whose rights are being disrespected, ignored or flagrantly butchered. Archbishop Desmond attests that hope is the ability to see the light in all the darkness. May we BE the light for those whose worlds are filled with darkness.

 

Life has continued to be very busy this week. We thank our swimmers for their commitment and team spirit at the D & D “B” Zone gala at the Kings Park last Tuesday afternoon. Almost every swimmer also improved his/her own personal best which is most encouraging. Swimmers also benefited from the friendly inter-schools gala we hosted on Friday against 8 other schools, enabling our own pupils to gain further practice in tumble turns in preparation for the Highway “A” zone gala at Westville Boys today, Tuesday. This together with cricket, netball and tennis matches, as well as a music school performance all bears testimony to how busy many of our pupils and staff are.

Our first team cricketers played a traditional touring side, Penryn, yesterday. Thank to families hosting the boys! Not only is there the Highway “A” Zone gala today, but also a gala at St Mary’s on Friday from 13:00 to 16:00.

We also look forward to the Grade 4 and 5 Sunset Proms on the grass below our Music School on Friday at 18:00. There appears to be a plethora of varied cultural items on offer promising an enthralling evening not only for our performers but all those family and friends who are spectators.

With all these things happening, children and staff may feel overwhelmed and possibly even fearful. I thus spoke to children about overcoming their fear in assembly last week. This is also fitting with the Zenith Graduation looming and our challenging Long Walk in the not too distant future.

This is always such a special day of camaraderie and pitting yourself against yourself. I did want to share with you today from an article by the well-known Nikki Bush, entitles “ Loving your fear” as it is most appropriate for this time of our school calendar. The core message is that any challenge is difficult, no matter what it is. There is so much to get used to. There is much to fear that may be different or new. But with fear, comes growth. Many fears are ones we all experience. They vary from not being fit enough, to not fulfilling our potential, to not getting the marks needed to take the next step in life, and so on. These fears can make us grow, galvanising us into action and energizing our lives. The article ends by saying, “I love my fear.” When kids get the opportunity to overcome something through their own personal experience they grow in leaps and bounds, in ways you cannot imagine and could never orchestrate if you tried. True confidence and self-assuredness is only truly discovered and ‘owned’ in the moment of actually facing challenges and triumphing. Life responds to our expectations – let us all rise to its challenges! In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Neither you nor the world knows what you can do until you have tried…

It has been very rewarding to see the general commitment our teachers and pupils give to all they undertake at Thomas More, and this together with the wonderful feeling of nurturing and care encapsulated in what makes our school so very special and sets us apart. There are many stories of pupils and their families going out of their way to meet commitments, even making personal sacrifices. It is also embodied in the teachers who stand for hours in the sweltering sun, without complaint, for the reason that they want to give each and every member of their teams a chance, to those who are at school really early to serve the individual and the team, to those who go out of their way to check on the personal happiness and well-being of their precious charges. Such dedication and unswerving loyalty is truly heartwarming

Wishing you all the best for the full week ahead.  

 

Weekly Achievers 

Kindly sponsored by Wetrock Adventures - visit www.wetrockadventuresco.za for further info.

Dance Sport

Congratulations to our dancers who competed on 3 March at yet another successful fixture at Kloof High. Our U16 Girls took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Kailin Wiggett took 1st, Thando Dlamuka 2nd and Hannah Sida 3rd. All the girls showed real determination and talent on the day. We are very proud of all the participants.

HS Debating

Congratulations to our Senior team consisting of Nicholas Leisegang, Jordan Pieters and Sarah Gonggryp, won their debate against Kingsway. Congratulations to Nicholas Leisegang for being awarded Best Speaker.

HS Cricket - Top Achievers

Well done to the following pupils who excelled in Cricket this term.

Batting

Bowling

* including hat-trick *

SP Swimming Captains

Congratulations to our Swimming Captains and Vice-Captains on their recent appointments:

Boys - Matthew Gray (Captain), Nathan Riddle (Vice-Captain)

Girls - Megan Fowler (Captain), Jordyn Cheary (Vice-Captain)

SP B-Zone D&D Gala

Well done to our swimming teams on improving all their personal best time and for a great team effort

Girls placed 9th

Boys placed 10th

HS Cricket

TMC U15B 100/7 (S. Maharaj 20, R. Camp 22). Kloof High U15B 60. (R. Camp 3/15, D. Gregson 3/16). TMC won by 40 runs.

Westville U14H 116/8. TMC U14B 117/5 (Barnes 35, Govender 32 not out) on by 5 wickets

TMC U14A vs St. Henry's. TMC U14A 59/3. (Brimelow 24 no.) TMC won by 7 wickets

TMC U15A 289 all out (Hooper 143, Foxon 4/61). St. Henry's 69 all out (Riddle 6/9, Nyandeni 3/22). TMC won by 220 runs

TMC 2nd team 109 all out (Ronne 3/14). St. Henry's 57 all out (Vergeer 3/10). TMC won by 53 runs.

TMC 1st Team 220/9 (Lutz 92. Kriegisch 30). St. Henry's 1st team 122 all out (Moodley 33. Naidoo 3/24) TMC won by 98 runs.

SP Cricket U11A vs Northdene

Northdene batted first and 122/8

Braydan Doran 4 overs 7/1; Adam Gray 3 overs 9/1; Phila Nkosi4 overs 13/2; Bryan Ireland 3 overs 14/3; Ryan Browning 5 overs 17/1; Miguel de Freitas 3 overs 12/0; Jason Reed 3 overs 11/0.  Thomas More scored 123/3. Ryan Browning 51 not out; Ross Hoffman 29 not out.  Thomas More won by 7 wickets.

SP Cricket U10A vs Northdene U10A

Northdene - 96/6

Tristan White - 5 overs 3 wickets 16 runs

Nathan Valentine - 3 overs 2 wickets 10 runs

TMC - 81

Connor Mackinnon - 18

Liam Oets - 14

TMC lost by 17 runs.

SP Cricket 3rds vs Northdene 3rds

TMPS batted 1st

102 / 4 (20 overs)

J. Staples - 51 (43)

Northdene 71 / 7 (20 overs)

TMPS won by 31 runs

SP Cricket 2nd Team vs Northdene

TMC 55 for 2 after 10 overs

Northdene 52 all out

TMC Won by 8 wickets

Blaine Dunbar 3 overs, 7 runs, 4 wickets

Ethan Hughes 2 overs, 2 runs, 1 wicket

Luke Bartlett 11 Runs

Cade Gamble 15 Not Out 

SP Tennis

TMC vs St Mary’s C - won 25 games to 20

TMC vs Reddam Umhlanga - won 25 games to 20

TMC vs Winston Park - won 33 games to 12

SP Netball vs Northdene

U10A team lost2 - 1

U10B team won 4 - 0

U10C team lost 4 - 2

U11C won 5 - 0

U11B won 6 - 0

U11A won 9 - 1

U12A – Lost 12 - 4

U12B – Won 12 - 3

U12C – Lost 5 - 4

U13A won 19 – 2

U13B won 24 – 1

U13C vs Northdene U13 B won 19 - 0

SP Netball vs Hillcrest Primary

U13A won 9 – 13

U13B won 8 – 3

U13C won 13 – 2

U12A lost 13-1

U12B won 6-5

U12C lost 4-3

U11A lost 3 -1

U11B lost 2 -1

U11C lost 9 - 4

U10A lost 4 - 0

U10B drew 1 – 1

U10C lost 7 - 0

Fencing

Congratulations to the following pupils who took part in the first Fencing KZN Provincial ranking tournament at UKZN. Michael Kiggen won the Silver Medal in the U13 Epee and finished just outside the medals in the U20 Men’s Epee event. Kate Dutton finished just outside the medals in both Junior and Senior Women’s Epee. Well done to both pupils.

Karate

Congratulations to Connor Harris who did very well - he came 2nd (silver medal) for kumite (fighting) in his age division. He also did very well in kata and got through to the quarter finals but unfortunately did not medal. Well done Connor.

HS D&D Co-ed Gala

TMC placed 5th

HS Golf

TMC vs George Campbell - won 8-0

HS Boys' Waterpolo

TMC U14 vs St. Charles - Won 7-5

TMC U15 vs St. Charles - Won 12-0

TMC 1st team vs St. Charles - Won 14-7

TMC U14 vs Crawford LL JNRS - Won4-1

TMC U15s vs Crawford LL SNRS - Won 7-2

TMC U15A vs Northwood U15B - Won 11-2

TMC 1st Team vsNorthwood 1st Team - Lost5-8

TMC U14A vsNorthwood U14A - Lost 10-3

HS Girls' Indoor Hockey

TMC 1st team vs St Mary's B - Won 5-0

TMC U14A vs Crawford LL - Lost 1-5

Cycling

Congratulations to Liam Theunissen (Gr 6) who placed 1^st in the first Roag series (20km) MTB race at Wartburg the weekend before last. 

Triathlon - This last weekend Liam was placed 1^st in SA Xterra Triathlon Champs 12-15 age group – in Grabouw - well done Liam.

Congratulations to Courtney Smith (Gr 11) who has been selected to represent South Africa at the upcoming African Continental Track Championships to be held in Durban.

Triathlon - Bridget Theunissen (Gr 10) placed 3rd lady overall and 1st in her age group at the Xterra Lite SA Championships held at Grabouw this past weekend.

KZN Provincial Mountain Biking - Gravity Series race 1 @ St Ives

Keagan Brand (Gr 6) placed 3rd in the Downhill and 5th in Enduro in the Sprog category

KZN Provincial Mountain Biking - Cross Country Series race 1 @ Hilton

Sprogs: 1st - Liam Theunissen (Gr 6)

3rd - Keagan Brand (Gr 6)

Sub Juniors: 2nd - Anvia Bredenkamp (Gr 7)

Youth: 1st - Travis Stedman (Gr 9)

3rd - Mitchel Potgieter (Gr 9)

5th - Dean Gregson (Gr 9)

Juniors: 1st - Cian Leveridge (Gr 11)

1st - Tiffany Keep (Gr 11)

2nd Courtney Smith (Gr 11)

SA Cross Country Cup Series 1 @ Rhebokskloof in Western Cape

Youth: 11th - Travis Stedman (Gr 9)

Juniors: 1st - Tiffany Keep (Gr 11)