Headmaster's Newsletter December 2018

Tel: +27 (12) 348-1221 110 Clearwater Road
Fax: +27 (12) 361-1917 Lynnwood Glen
Cell: +27 (82) 458 0250 Pretoria 0081
Twitter: @ShaneKidwell
 Private Bag X01
www.stalbanscollege.com Lynnwood Ridge
Email: [email protected] 0040
South Africa
Shane Kidwell BA (UP) HDipEd (PCE) LDP
Headmaster

30 November 2018

Dear Parents

It is almost inconceivable that we are about to take some time off for the Christmas break with our families and
I would like to thank all who have been involved at the College this year for their commitment, passion and
generosity of spirit. 2018 has been a significant year in the life of the school and we have been successful as a
result of our focus of ensuring that all who are part of our school feel like they have a voice and feel like they
belong in this community. St Alban’s is fundamentally built on the foundation of authentic relationships and it is
our intention to ensure that we continue to strengthen and grow our relationships between staff, boys and
parents.

It is my opinion that our boys have thrived this year because of the support they have received from you, as
their parents and from their teachers and mentors. It is a truism that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and we
will all need to commit ourselves to this partnership as we progress into the future. There is no doubt that we
can always improve relationships and I am looking forward to sharing with you some of the interventions we
have placed in our calendar which will enable you to interact with me personally and with us collectively next
year.

Unfortunately, there are many reasons for schools, parents and boys to be anxious in the modern world. Our
spaces are filled with negative news regarding issues ranging from education, inequality, the economy,
corruption and political pettiness and it will take an enormous effort to ensure that we allow our young men to
feel like there is hope and purpose in our daily lives. I am fortunate that I have the privilege of interacting with
your sons on a daily basis. This generation is filled with love, kindness and innovative solutions and I am
emboldened each day after conversations I have with them. David Landes writes: The optimists have it, not
because they are always right, but because they are positive. Even when wrong they are positive and that is
the way of achievement, correction, improvement and success. The one lesson....is the need to keep trying.
No miracles. No perfection. No millennium. No apocalypse. We must cultivate a sceptical faith, and dogma,
listen and watch well, try to clarify and define ends, the better to choose the means!

Ultimately it is important to remind parents that your conversations at home, formally or incidentally, are being
heard and listened to and it is incumbent on us, as adults to provide an environment which will enable, excite
and motivate our sons (and daughters) to interact with a world which needs optimism, pragmatism and
positivity.

Staffing

We have some changes to our staffing complement at the end of this year.

Chris Oldnall has been appointed as Housemaster of a Boarding House at Pretoria Boys High. This is a wonderful
achievement and a huge challenge for him. We wish him all the very best as he starts there in January 2019.
We have appointed Justin Brits as the Deputy Housemaster in Knoll House and will announce Justin’s
replacement in Murray House during Term 1 of 2019.

We have recently appointed Callan Moore, an Old Albanian (2013) as an English Teacher to start in January
2019 and I am excited about what he will bring to a very experienced team. Callan will also be involved on the
sports field.

It takes a school with vision to prepare a young man for lif1e

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Marianne Scholtz is retiring at the end of 2018 and we are grateful for all she has done to reestablish our French
Department. We wish her every blessing in her retirement. We welcome Sonica Bruwer who will be heading up
the French Department from January 2019.

Sandra Schwartz will be joining our Science Department. Sandra is a very experienced Science educator and
joins us from St Anne’s in KwaZulu-Natal.

Deidre Preussler recently started teaching in our EMS and Accounting Department and has already made a
significant impression.

Jaco van Wyk joins us at the beginning of 2019 to establish out new Drama Department and I have no doubt
that our boys are going to enjoy this new offering in years to come.

Guy Elliott joins us as our new Director of Hockey and English Teacher. He joins us from the University of Pretoria
where he was the Head Coach of the men’s team.

David Pryke joins us as our new Housemaster in Ochse House and will be teaching Natural Science as well.
Dave is a well-known educator and cricket coach and is a wonderful addition to our team.

Nobuhle Mtshali joins us in our Marketing Department and will be in charge of all our social media feeds as well
as our webpage. Her presence on campus will certainly help us to improve our communication in the future.

Thembi Mtshali is moving on after 22 years of service to the College to take up a position at Kingsmead in
Johannesburg. Her presence will be sorely missed but I have no doubt Lazarus Khuzwayo, who joins us from
Crawford in Johannesburg, will pick up where she has left off.

Shaun Thompson leaves our Afrikaans Department to begin working in the private sector. We wish him well in
this new venture.

I would also like to inform you about the exciting news that Bruce Collins has been appointed as the Director
of Member Engagement at the International Boys’ Schools Coalition. This is a huge loss to the College but we
are fortunate that Bruce will be based in South Africa and have an office on the property at St Alban’s. He will
be starting this exciting new opportunity in April 2019.

Campus Development

We have really taken the time to ensure that we are continually improving our campus and I am hoping that
you have seen the small and big changes we have made this year. The Tom Hamilton Wellness Centre is now
complete and this facility is being used to capacity. We have also built three new state-of-the-art classrooms
for our English Department and as you can imagine this has also been welcomed by both the boys and the
staff concerned.

I would once again like to thank all who have been involved in helping establish the new @thegreyandblue
Clubhouse which serves both the Basketball and Hockey fraternities. This facility has become a favourite space
for parents and if you have not yet visited this venue, please know that you are always welcome.

Our Pavilion upgrade has also made a massive difference to our hosting capabilities for parents and I am
hoping that this facility will really draw more parents to sporting fixtures in the future.

Our Chapel project is on track to be finished in the first term of 2019 and to be quite honest we cannot wait to
celebrate our first service in this building. I will inform all parents of the opening of this facility during the first term
of 2019.

Matric Examinations 2018

I am confident that our Matrics have been prepared well for their final examinations and after chatting to a
few of them, I have no doubt that they will achieve all they have hoped for in the final challenge of their school
careers. I will be communicating with all parents once the results have been published.

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Many of you have asked for a link to my Speech Day address and I include that here for those who are

interested. http://anyflip.com/jvui/kdft/

We have a wonderful team of teachers at the College and I would like to thank them wholeheartedly for all
they have done to encourage and mentor your sons this year. As always it has been a privilege to interact with
you and your sons and I sincerely hope that this Christmas time will be one of joy and peace for you as you
reconnect with your sons and celebrate their many achievements.
God Bless.

Shane Kidwell
Headmaster

It takes a school with vision to prepare a young man for lif3e