News from the Horse's Mouth
Newsletter 40
| Letter from the Editor | |
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Please find the Scripture for the week here.
Stock Shop Wedding - We wish Ms Winnie Mbili (Foundation Phase teacher) and Alfred a very special day for their wedding in December. 2016 dates to diarise: Wishing you all a relaxing, safe and blessed Christmas.
Have a great week, |
Hay Hoe BP Service Station Hay Hoe BP Service station situated at 6 Underwood Road Pinetown is supporting our fundraising efforts for the 2016 overseas tour. Each parent should have received their card in the last week of last term. Your card number will be recorded everytime you fill up. In addition TMC parents who use this petrol station will be entered into a monthly draw for a food/goodie hamper to the value of R250-00 and 2 free car washes.
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| Scripture for the week | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, Wise-men (Magi) from the east came to Jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. And when Herod the King heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:1-3 In this passage we learn something about these men who came to visit Jesus: Firstly, they were known as the Magi (which is a Persian word for wise) therefore they might have travelled as far away as Babylon or Persia itself, a distance of approx. 1200km as they came “…from the east”. Secondly, they must have read the Bible “for we saw his star in the east” is from Numbers 24:17 “There shall come forth a star out of Jacob” and from Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem ….from thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting”. Thirdly, they sought out Jesus: travelling goodness knows how many kilometres, they followed a star??? Some people must have thought ‘Are they crazy? What have they been smoking?” Fourthly, they recognised the worth of Jesus: they brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the last two, expensive perfumes/incense of the day. Fifthly, they came to worship Jesus: here these men (or women) understood who Jesus is and humbled themselves and worshipped Him. Lastly, at the end of the story instead of returning to Jerusalem to tell King Herod the whereabouts of the child, they are warned in a dream to return home by another route (Matthew 2:12). They’d rather obey God than man. They were truly wise men and I pray this Christmas season, that we too may seek out Jesus. To all of you, have a blessed and safe Christmas and many thanks to all who helped in the Carol service on Sunday and many, many thanks for all those who gave so generously we managed to raise R7 678.60 for Orphan Aid. God bless you all. |
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| Whole School News | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The end of yet another very successful year has come. Last night's carol service was a resounding success. A huge crowd thoroughly enjoyed the new format and it was a truly magical evening. It was particularly special to have a beautiful display of Christmas lights in the grounds. We are indeed grateful to Magic Lighting for the loan of these. They certainly helped to create the Christmas spirit. Thank you so much to Mrs. Mordecai-Jones, Reverend Easson and Mr Balarin who put so much effort into co-ordinating the evening. Sadly the end of a year often heralds change as we say goodbye to those who are leaving us. In the final assemblies this week, tributes will be paid to staff members who are moving on in the various phases. In the High School, Mr. Engelbrecht (History) and Mrs. Johnson (Afrikaans) move on to new challenges at Umhlanga College and St. Mary's respectively after many years of service to TMC. Mr. Dawe (IT Manager) is relocating to Cape Town to join Amazon and Mrs Hamilton will be retiring after 23 years in the Accounts Department. We also lose our Catering Manager, Lynn MacDonald who relocates to Cape Town. Sadly "Juffrou" Röttcher (Afrikaans) retires from the Primary School after 16 years and Mrs. Moerdyk leaves after 18 years to look after her grandchild. In a big change, High School Headmaster Allan Chandler retires after 20 years at Thomas More College. While there are some big holes to fill, we attract outstanding applicants and 8 wonderful new staff members will join us in the New Year. The Matric results come out on 30th December and we have every reason to believe that they will be as good as ever. May I take this opportunity to wish the Thomas More College community a blessed and restful Christmas holiday. We look forward to seeing you all back, refreshed and committed to the success of Thomas More College in the New Year.  Shane Cuthbertson |
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| High School News | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The beginning of the end of my tenure at Thomas More College, and my advance into a so-called retirement state, has involved joy, sadness, excitement, dread and anticipation, among other things. It has been a time of riding an emotional rollercoaster and being somewhat betwixt and between. (Much of the following appeared in my farewell speech on the occasion of the Matric Prize Giving) For 20 years I have trod the boards of a unique and very special institution. The lure of private education brought me to Thomas More in 1996. I filled 3 roles in the next 2 decades as Deputy Head, Senior Master, and Headmaster. Peter Habberton was a good friend from school cricketing circles and he employed me. Two of my present High School colleagues, Ora van Zyl and Philip Lanz, started with me in that year, and Leigh-Ann McKenzie was already on the staff. Of course the school was smaller, number wise, in those days, and was aesthetically different to what it is today. The Dalberg Library was the Hall and we conducted all assemblies, drama productions, supper and songs et al in that edifice; hard to believe when I look at it now. An old tennis court that doubled as a basketball arena graced the sight of the present Peter Habberton Hall. The staff room was the present pottery room, and the single unisex toilet was the dark room. What won me over to TMC happened in the first couple of years of my occupancy. A young lad called Matthew Willman, today an internationally renowned photographer, danced for the NAPAC ballet company. At one of the early variety shows that were staged, Matthew performed a solo dance on stage, of immense skill and grace. The pupils gave him a standing ovation, and born in me was an essential part of this school’s ethos; all are accepted and respected for what they are. To take this one step further; I have lost count of the number of boys and girls who arrived at TMC lacking in self-esteem, struggling with their studies, and being lost souls in society. As time went on, they regained their self-worth, improved their academics, and became happy and contented young teenagers. I remember one youngster who came to us from the ‘I’ class in a government school (yes, the ninth and bottom class in the grade). He was one of the more extreme cases of a severe academic struggler and a personal nonentity in his eyes. Today he manages an International Hotel overseas, and is a very happy family man. I often hanker after those old days when the high school was half the size that it is now, and all pupils were known to each other and to staff. It was a happy and intensely personal place, in which so many youngsters thrived. I have many happy memories. The History Costume days when all pupils and staff used to dress in period costume; the staff performances at the Supper and Songs; my coaching of the boys’ hockey 1st team, and selecting Nadine van Niekerk, the best girls’ player, to bolster the playing ability of the side. Nadine won 2 ‘man of the match’ awards; the young girl who arrived in a helicopter for her matric dance, and of course there was the late Ken Garside, a real character, loved by all pupils and staff. Then there were those History lessons that produced so much fun, discussion and learning, and that I enjoyed so much. My teaching style has always been a bit different culminating in many adventures, including diving off the lockers at the back of a classroom in order to make a pertinent and important point, but accidently head-butting a revolving fan and slicing my head open. The kids loved it!! On a more serious note what was not different in the early days, was the special ethos which has stood the test of time, and is still our pole star guiding light, and will continue to be, well into the future. We are unique and different and not like other schools, and we are proud of this. We must never end up being a clone of other academic institutions. We must retain our individual identity at all costs. This is a very special place. Education itself has changed dramatically in the last 4 decades. One of the major differences is the seeming lack of acceptance of accountability on the part of some pupils and parents; the teachers, or the schools, take the majority of criticism and blame. This makes no sense in the partnership that should exist between all parties. The other major change, of course, has been the development of technology which has revolutionized education pedagogy. I look back over my life and 41 years in education and know that I have been very blessed and rewarded, with a wonderful wife, a wonderful son and extended family, very good friends, good health and a profession that I have really loved. All the youngsters who I have come into contact with have been very special to me. There are two important things about one’s choice of job; that it should promote the happiness and well-being of others, and secondly, give satisfaction to one self. I have experienced this in abundance. To all families, past and present, and to all those Thomas Morians out there, I extend sincere and heartfelt thanks for the all the support and encouragement that I have been given. I wish you God speed and richest blessings, and may the wind always be at your backs. May the decades ahead resonate with the spirit, truth and ethos of an outstanding school.
Allan Chandler
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| Primary School News | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Congratulations once again to all our prize winners at Friday’s Sport and Cultural prize giving. Thank you too to all our teachers, specialists and coaches for your contributions over the year in sport and culture, and to parents for your continued support. It is truly appreciated! Our annual “Carols “ which took on a new form in our “ Christmas Wonderland” last night was very special with participation by all our Primary School choirs, Junior High School marimba band, school community orchestra and the Grade 6B and 4M classes. It was further enhanced by the superb light effects outside, making it even more enjoyable! Special thanks go to Candice Mordecai- Jones, Roberta Ramasamy, Claire Coleman, Gary Balarin and the Reverend Easson on this very memorable evening to remind us about the true meaning of Christmas and the spirit of giving. It was wonderful to honour our risen Lord at the commemoration of His birth. Thank you to all the participants, and those who supported it and contributed to the donations for Orphan Aid. It is indeed a most fitting way to thank God for all He does, and for holding our school in the palm of His hand. We also appreciated the good turnout at the Grade 3 Final Assembly this morning – once again thank you for your excellent support at this very special function! I hope the Grade 3’s remember to be involved in all four pillars of what embodies Thomas More as they embark on their Senior Primary career, with God as their ultimate guide. May they ‘ fizz” with excitement at the new opportunities which exist for them. Last reminders: parents are welcome to attend the Senior Primary Final assembly tomorrow, Tuesday 1 December, at 07:30 in the Habberton Hall, which is the occasion at which effort, progress or academic merit for the fourth term only, are awarded. In addition we award some technology and other certificates. The final Prize Giving is on Tuesday evening at 18:00 in the Habberton Hall. Children are to be in their classes by 17:30. Our year then closes on Wednesday 2 December at 11:00 for the Foundation Phase and at 11:30 for the Senior Primary when reports may be collected from the class teacher in your child’s classroom. As this is our last newsletter, I wish to pay tribute to and sincerely thank all those who have played a part in and contributed to the success of the Primary School of Thomas More College, whether it is the Pre-Primary, Junior or Senior Primary, as a staff member, parent or pupil. With your support it has been a pleasure to head this realm of Thomas More College. To our management teams, both Foundation Phase and Senior Primary, and our teaching staff – thank you for going beyond the call of duty, for your commitment, loyalty, dedication and hard work. Despite the demands placed on you in today’s world, you have risen to each challenge in the classroom, on the sports field and everywhere where you have served the school academically, extra-murally, culturally and spiritually. Our appreciation also goes to our admin and support staff who support us in multitudinous ways. We are also most grateful for our parents and the many ways they have assisted us, from serving the Board, working on sub-committees of the Board, being on the Parents’ Council, being a class rep or reading mom, the moms and dads who pray, those who work in the library, coach sport, or support with transporting children to and from matches, on outings, taking photos, and assisting in various ways, at school activities and special functions. We are most grateful for ALL you do! Thank you, too, to our pupils for being such special young people and for generally contributing to life at Thomas More in a positive way, especially to our Grade 7s who are leaving the Primary School for High School. You will be missed, but we are glad to have been a part of your life and shall follow your future with interest. We wish you well and trust you will stay in touch with all of us at the Primary School. We wish Mrs Liesel Rottcher and Mrs Debra Moerdyk everything of the best as they retire after many years of dedicated service to Thomas More and shall miss them sorely. We hope they will stay in touch and that we shall still see them when they support various activities at school. We also wish Mr Chris Parker, our SP intern well as he goes to South Korea to teach next year. Thanks and good wishes also go to Ms Angelique Jacobs as she moves to Kloof Junior Primary as an intern in 2016. We also extend our gratitude to Mrs Taryn Tretheway for spending the year with us doing a locum in Grade 0. It has been a real blessing seeing our children grow, blossom and achieve so much over the last twelve months. We wish you and your families a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year, and trust you will have precious time to spend with your loved ones over the holidays. If you are going away, over the holidays, please take care. We look forward to seeing you back at Thomas More on Wednesday, 20 January 2016! (Our Grade 6 and 7 pupils are fortunate to start their grade trips that very day!) God’s richest blessings and best wishes to you all!  Barbara Taljard |
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| Academic Achievements | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Weekly Achievers - Sponsored by Debonairs & Steers – Kloof No achievers were announced for Grade 1-3 last week due to Grade 7s writing exams in the Mackenzie centre.
Advanced Mathematics Well done to Luke Leppan for taking part in the Advanced Mathematical problem solving course at UKZN.
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| Cultural Achievements | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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none to mention this week.
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| Sporting Achievements | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Grade 3 Netball TMC 1 vs St. Mary's won 3-0 TMC 1 vs St. Mary's won 4-0 TMC 2 Winston Park lost 0-2 TMC 2 vs St. Mary's drew 0-0
Dads & Lads cricket Last week we had our dads and lads cricket matches throughout the grades. The dads showed us what they could do on the pitch & much fun was had by all. U11A cricket result vs Curro HCA Saturday 21 November 2015 Thomas More batted first and scored 133 for 8 in 25 overs Nathan Riddle scored 53 and Imani Motsoahae 21 not out Curro HCA scored 125 all out Jason Brien 4.4 overs 14/4; Liam Mackinnon 5 overs 24/2; Tyrelle Reddy 5 overs 9/2; Imani Motsoahae 5 overs 25/2 Thomas More won by 8 runs
Toppies & Tots Golf Day Winners – Hayden and Jason Brimelow Freshee Award – Kim Wood Hacker Award – Larry Riddle Well done to all who took part
SP 1st Cricket vs HCA TMC 136 for 8, M McMurray 42, M Sim 20 HCA 139 for 0 HCA won by 10 wickets
SP 1st Cricket vs Dads TMC 187 for 6, M Human 52 no Dads 161 all out Lads won by 26 runs
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