We are nearing the end of our first year of the new system of tutor groups, instead of the traditional grade groups. We are pleased that the vast majority of people involved - staff, girls and parents - have reported it to be a great success. There is certainly a greater feeling of house spirit, which in time will build more school spirit and the integration between various age-groups in the school has been significant. 

We were asked to present this model of learner organization as a successful strategy at a Positive Behaviour seminar organized by the Department of Education. Such was the interest in this model, we were asked to present it again in the follow-up conference which was held last Saturday. Central to this model is the Class Tutor who remains the one constant in a learner's life from beginning to end of her high school career. We urge parents to build their own relationship based of good communication with their daughter's Class Tutor as they also share your vision of excellence for your daughter.

No new system is without its concerns and the outgoing leaders from 2004 were asked for their comments. Among others it was brought to our attention that we need to focus on building relationships within the grades, and also re-define some of the job descriptions, which have become clearer in this first year. However, we were encouraged to receive a very positive "Yes" vote from the matrics of 2004 who were very opposed to this system when it was first introduced!

We would welcome further comments from parents of your experience of this first year. Positive and negative feedback will allow us to improve on the areas of concern and build on the good points. Please direct all comment, by e-mail (principal@wynghs.co.za) or letter, to me at school.

Regards
Shirley Harding

DID YOU KNOW THAT . . .

Kate Giljam was elected captain of the South Peninsula team which participated in the SA Bisley held at Worcester during the holidays. Kate scored 1006 points out of a possible 1200 - this is 44 more than she scored last year. SHOT, Kate !

Tarryn-Anne Anderson and Michelle Adams participated in the Fish River Canoe Marathon in Craddock during the holidays. This is a grueling K2 race, held over 2 days covering 82 kms. There were 1771 competitors in 855 boats.

Tarryn and her rowing partner finished in 361st position, while Michelle and her partner finished 611st. Congratulations to both of them on this excellent effort.

PILLAR AWARDS

Once again it is time to honour four girls who have earned the right to call themselves the pillars of the school in their particular sphere.

It gives us great pleasure to award the Orpheus Trophy for Culture, this term, to the Head of the Cultural Pillar, Kerryn Lancaster. Kerryn has worked hard to develop the cultural pillar of the school in a number of ways. She was responsible for co-ordinating, driving and supporting the numerous clubs and societies and for liaising with our brother and sister schools. She also worked hard to promote unity between the various cultural organisations such as the Xhosa Society, Dance Department and Music Department. Kerryn has revealed an unquestionable commitment to the development of the cultural pillar of Wynberg, and it is with great pleasure that we award this trophy to her.

This term, in awarding the Discobolus Trophy for Sport, we would like to recognize Jenna Cunliffe for her outstanding captaincy and her excellent level of play throughout the season. Jenna over-came a serious knee injury and was unable to represent WP U18 this year, which meant that she missed out on possible SA selection and yet she stayed positive and always encouraged her teammates throughout this time. She supported and sometimes refereed for junior teams on her free Saturday mornings. She also helped coach the U12's from Wynberg Girls' Junior on her free Friday afternoons. Jenna is an exemplary role-model for all sportswomen and is fully deserving of this award.

The Athena Trophy for the third term has been awarded to Jessica Groenewald, our Academic Head. Jesica is someone who has excelled in academics throughout the year, maintaining a high aggregate in both the June and September examinations in spite of all her other commitments to our school. Jessica has participated in every Olympiad offered this year, entered the SIAT Australian tests) and has been totally involved in peer tutoring over the past two years. Jessica has been an excellent leader, set a very good example, has shown initiative and has certainly handled her portfolio in a competent and admirable manner. We are extremely proud of her.

This term, the Demeter Trophy for Service goes to the Head of Service, Ellie Shortall. Ellie has been involved in service since Grade 8. She has been an active member of Interact and has most recently served on the committee as president. She has also been very involved in organizations such as the Sunflower Fund. As Head of Service, Ellie facilitated the formation of the service committee, which has helped to establish a sense of unity in the service pillar. Ellie has been a committed leader, always giving of her best while remaining down to earth and approachable. Her energy, enthusiasm and passion for serving the community are an inspiration to us all.

> 1680 (80%) Full Colours
>1575 (75%) Half Colours

ACADEMIC COLOURS 

Full Colours:
New Awards:

Erin le Roux
Nikita van der Berg

Nikita Verkijk is reawarded Academic colours

Re-awards:

Lauren Baerecke
Rebecca Blundell
Ondine Corewijn
Jenna Diamond
Lucy Eastman
Samah El-Boraei
Hailey Griffiths
Jessica Groenewald
Gillian Lupton-Smith
Abbey Smith
Nikita Verkjik
Tamlin Wightman

Half Colours:

New Awards:
Jennifer du Plessis
Rosanne Hodson
Stacey Metcalfe
Andrea Meyer

Re-awards:
Danielle Alexander
Sally-Ann Critien
Kate Jennings
Simone Potter
Keri-Ann Sabata
Nelisiwe Shongwe
Olivia van den Heever

MUSIC COLOURS

Half Colours:
New Awards:
Tammy Binedell
Stacey Lewis

It was then the Matrics' moment: Mrs B Fay, the president of the Old Girls' Union was introduced and began handing out certificates. Streams of girls were called up to the stage, some awarded as many as thirteen certificates! The prize for third place in Matric was awarded to Lauren Baerecke, second place to Rebecca Blundell, and the Dux Pupil Award was presented to Nakita Verkyk. But, as is always the case with Wynberg Girls' High, there was more to come! There is something so enticing about surprises, and that's exactly what the next set of prizes were! The recipients of these prizes had no idea that they were going to receive them. Trophies were awarded for hockey player of the year, the student who had persevered the most, the most outstanding drama student and the student who had served her peers through her kindness, to name but a few. It was evident that the recognition of multiple talents and important values is regarded as praiseworthy by Wynberg. 

Emma Bryce

Last term Wynberg girls eagerly emptied piggy banks and collected handfuls of copper pieces, not for extra tuck shop money but to collect money for the "Change for Change" project, which raises funds for The Haven Shelter. 

On the given day, the eight houses - Apsley, Cavannagh, Copenhagen, Constantia, Kirsten, Silverlea, Waterloo and Wellesley - all gathered in the hall to lay out their coins on the floor. The objective: to see which house could make the longest line of coins in the shortest time!

On the floor of the hall were eight different lanes - one for each house - and competitors were to lay the coins on the floor during relays of ten seconds, and at the end of each relay, they were to tally the numbers of coins that had been placed on the floor. 
The music jived, competitors stood tense and ready, and encouragement was chanted by the different houses as a voice over the loudspeaker counted; " five-four-three-two-one-GO!".
The competitors from each house raced up and down the lanes and lines of copper, bronze and silver coins stretched out on the wooden floor within an amazingly short time! With teachers and pupils united in the spirit of good fun, the screeching of a hall full of girls reached a roof-cracking climax. When the judging finally began it was evident that Waterloo and Apsley were the clear winners with an incredible three and a half rows of coins each!

Once again, Wynberg Girls' High School succeeded in combining the elements of good fun, high spirits and community service in a unique mixture!

Deciding to be different from all the rest, the first Waterloo challenge run by the house leaders of 2005, was an intra-house challenge - the competition took place between the four different tutor groups of Waterloo, and the challenge was the Chubby Bunny Game. For all of you who are unfamiliar with this game, the object is to stuff as many marshmallows as possible into your mouth while still being able to say the words "Chubby-Bunny".

There were two representatives from each tutor group and two rounds. One of the two reps was in each of the rounds and then there were the finals to determine the ultimate Chubby-Bunny champion. It was lots of fun to watch them squeeze "just one more" into their already marshmallow-filled-to capacity mouth. 

INTERHOUSE SINGING

After being postponed for a term, this annual interhouse event finally took place on the last day of the third term when the thought of the holidays put everyone, teachers included, into high spirits. This was the first interhouse singing competition with eight houses competing, and to make things easier each house came up one by one and performed on the stage.
With the 2004 Heads of Houses leading Apsley, Cavanagh, Constantia, Copenhagen, Kirsten, Silverlea, Waterloo and Wellesley into battle for the last time, the school hall was soon filled with energized cheers, flag waving and general excitement. Of course there was some singing too!

The event was a great success and most will agree that Kirsten stole the show and deserved to come out on top. 

Bronwyn Nussey 

When are sparkling fairies, famous singers and the occasional Cruella de Ville permitted to enter the gates of Wynberg Girls' High School? Has to be Valedictory day!

This year, the Matrics traipsed colourfully in their various guises and the rest of the excited school gathered around cheering. Several fairies led the way, ranging in colours from pink to green to orange, and in procession were Snow White, Alice in Wonderland and a number of other fairytale characters. Also spotted were Obelix, a jester, a handful of very happy Rastafarians, is it a bird, is it a plane...no! It's our very own Superwoman Head Girl! Very fitting!

The rest of the school raced into the hall and grabbed seats as near to the front as possible and then, the festivities began! Two MC's welcomed everyone and explained that the purpose of their presentation was to honour and acknowledge their teachers. Then the royal red curtains opened and the magical matrics poured onto the stage! 

The thank-yous were endless, although very much deserved and entertaining! Memories and stories were recounted amid tears and hysterical laughter as teachers were thanked. Many girls noted that their teachers had stretched their lessons beyond the boundaries of the syllabus and had taught them, perhaps more importantly than any academic education, lessons of life. 

Once the gratitude fest was over, the grade 11's sang to the matrics, sendimg many matrics into fmore tears. Then the teachers had their last word in their song to the matrics, designed to send everyone into fits of laughter! And, as if there hadn't already been enough singing, the Matrics then sang to the school! This signaled the end of the show and the very emotional Matrics danced their way out of the hall as the school sent them off with a cheer.

We have confidence in every Matric that their first few steps 'alone' will be strong and courageous as they remember the times they cried and laughed and sang together when they were at Wynberg. 

Emma Bryce

At Wynberg Girls' High, the last day of Matric schooling always brings with it three important functions: the Matric breakfast, the informal valedictory concert and the formal valedictory assembly. Inevitably, it is within the more disciplined, structured service that there is a reflecting on the significance of what school means to each of us. A formal occasion, this rite of passage is the last formal assembly which they will attend as a Matric body. The Matrics entered last, as honoured guests, and took their place in the middle of the hall, surrounded by teachers, parents, invited guests and Grade 11's. 

Mr Burrel (deputy-head) welcomed everyone, and spoke of his experiences with the class of 2004. Rebecca Blundell (Head of School) was up next and she spoke of the lessons learnt, the hardships, the fun and the laughter that she and her grade had shared. Graciously, she thanked her peers for their support and her teachers and parents for their guidance, and reminded us wittily, and, perhaps unexpectedly for some, that "if at first things don't work, do them the way your parents told you to!" Rebecca spoke of how desperately all of us anti-cipate the last test, the last lesson, the last assembly ... but that when it arrives, no one is prepared for it. In fact, very often, deep down, the last thing we want is for "the last" anything to arrive! She wished the Matrics of 2004 good luck and pointed out that this moment marked not the end, but the beginning of a new journey for all.

Thereafter, the leaders of 2004 were invited to the stage, to hand over their badges of office. It is a poignant moment as each removes her own badge, and places it on the table adorned with the cloth of gold, the Wynberg emblem, and the motto "Honour before Honours." 

With the last words from Mrs Harding, the hall of people rose and sang the school song - for some for the last time. For the Matrics, a turning-point or the official end of school, was over, and for many, excitement, and a side-serving of trepidation filled the space. 

Emma Bryce

Sheree Lang talks about the 
Cultural programme offered at the school

Mrs Harding outlined the school policy, and then the Heads of the four pillars of Wynberg spoke of their areas of concern. All spoke articulately and eloquently and left parents and prospective pupils most impressed with what the school had to offer. 

Ms McCarthy spoke of the GET programme, and Ms Paverd ended the meeting with an outline of the student support structures that have been put into place at the school. 

Some staff members were then involved in academic discussions about option choices for the Grade 8' next year, while others were stationed at various points in the school such as the Library, Computer Centre, Life Skills room and Art Studio so that these sections of the school could be visited. Parents were invited to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the tuckshop. 

It is always good for those at Wynberg to hear that others are impressed with what is done at the school: the staff and pupils do work hard, and Wynberg does pursue excellence. So when numerous parents express how "bowled over" they are, or claim that they're finding it hard to get up from their chairs so impressed are they, it makes us very pleased and very proud. It was an excellent evening, and we are delighted that we have so many newcomers who are delighted with and feel privileged to come to Wynberg.

Ms Pat Orpen

Mrs Hettie Glass

Editor's note: What Mrs Glass neglects to mention is that this hiking route is the most strenuous of all and that she is one of the very few people her age (sorry!) to manage it!