Bulletin

Schools That Rock

The Union schools are now part of the Schools That Rock news platform.

Established in 2015, Schools That Rock – a website, promoting various school activities – is an online medium in South Africa for schools, that boosts them by publishing, not only their achievements but also their fun and games.

Since its establishment, the website has become a very popular communication medium for schools through which to share their news with South Africa and the rest of the world

Visit https://easterncapepe.schoolsthatrock.co.za/ to have a look at some of Union’s articles on the Schools That Rock (Pty) website.

Shooting, Sport Results

Shooting

On Wednesday afternoon, 17 April, Union High School hosted its very first competitive shooting league event.

Twelve UHS competitors took part in this sporting contest against the top shooters from Hoër Volkskool and Marlow Agricultural High School.

The event – which was held at the HVS shooting range – was a great success and saw the Union shooters achieve some very good results.

Bulletin

Stands for Sports Grounds

Union High School would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Mr. William Biggs who gifted the school with five 60-seater stands for our sports grounds.

These new stands will enable us to increase the spectator seating capacity next to our sports fields and in so doing, give parents, visitors and supporters a better experience when they attend sports days hosted by the school.

A word of thanks is also extended to Mr. Shawn Botha of Botha’s Garage who provided transport for the stands to the school. It is immensely appreciated.

Academic, Bulletin

Integrated Learning Therapy

Mrs. Christine Scott, an educator as well as school and career guidance counsellor at Union High School, recently successfully obtained her certification as an ILT practitioner.

Developed by Educational Psychologist, Dr. Shirley Kokot, Integrated Learning Therapy (ILT) strives to uncover the root causes of children’s learning difficulties and behavioural challenges in order to help them overcome them.

Mrs. Scott, who has always sought ways to widen the scope of help available… to learners at UHS, completed the ILT practitioner course in order to empower her with the knowledge needed to recognise the possible causes of learning difficulties in children and to then, initiate remedial movement and other activities in order to help.

Mrs. Scott encourages parents of children who experience learning and behavioural challenges to visit the ILT website to find out more about the efficacy of ILT: https://www.ilt.co.za/

Bulletin, Cultural

Music In The Mountains

The Union delegation with a few members of the Drakensberg Boys Choir.

A small delegation from Union High School’s music department headed to the mountains of KwaZulu-Natal on Easter weekend to attend the annual Music in the Mountains festival.Music in the Mountains, hosted by the Drakensberg Boys Choir School, is held over three days at the end of April each year and offers a quality craft market and performances by well-known South African artists and the Drakensberg Boys Choir School (DBCS).

This year, the main events were a performance by Loki Rothman, the Saturday Pop Gala performed by the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra and the Drakensberg Boys Choir as well as the Mozart Requiem by the Drakensberg Boys Choir, St David’s Marist Inanda, Johannesburg Youth Orchestra, and the Drakensberg Boys Choir Old Boys.

The Union learners and staff enjoyed their adventure in the Drakensberg tremendously.

Apart from attending the spectacular shows, the excursion also saw the group explore the beautiful region surrounding the Drakensberg Boys Choir School.

On Friday, they drove to Monk’s Cowl – one of the most unspoilt areas of the Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park.  From there, they hiked to Sterkspruit Falls where they were rewarded with beautiful views. Some brave souls even ventured a swim in the crystal clear, but ice cold, rock pools.

The excursion was enjoyed by all and the group, who arrived back in Graaff-Reinet on Monday evening, returned enriched after the varied three-day programme of jazz, pop, gospel and classical music that included Bach and Beethoven right through to African folk.

Bulletin, Hostels

Hostel Meeting

Early Monday morning, 15 April, Lyn Rose-Innes, the Governing Body representative of the Union Schools’ boarding houses, met with interested parents of the schools’ weekly and termly boarders.  This meeting is held each term and enables parents to air their concerns, if any, and discuss other matters of import such as fundraising activities and the like.

The meeting is also used to convey information to the parents relating to the three boarding houses, Arthur Kingwill House, Max Kroon House and Herby Arnott House, that concern the boarders. 

Among matters discussed this term, was the town’s prevailing water crisis and how this is impacting the boarders.  The annual Farmers’ Market fundraiser that will be held over this year’s Interschools weekend was also discussed.

It was also mentioned that the boarders will soon have access to wifi. The wifi will be strictly regulated and only available between a certain timeframe, but it should assist parents in reducing their expenses relating to their child’s data usage.

Academic, Eco-Schools

Geography

What sets an excellent learning experience apart from a mediocre one?

The ability to solve problems in creative ways!

Geography learners at Union High School were recently tasked with planning a commercial farm on a specified landscape provided to them.

The lesson was simulation-based and required learners to plan the lay-out of their ideal farm by applying content recently covered in class with regards to valley climates, river management systems and factors to take into account when making decisions on establishing a settlement.

They could then present their effort to their respective groups and negotiate the best possible solution. Each group then made a final presentation to the rest of the class.

The young geographers had loads of fun applying their newly acquired knowledge.

Academic, Bulletin

Study Skills for gr 6 & 9 Learners

The importance of good study habits can never be minimized. But, how can you make studying not only tolerable, but actively fun?

This is something that Elevate Education – South Africa’s largest provider of study skills seminars – have mastered.

Earlier this morning, Wednesday, 17 April, Elevate Education’s two young and vibrant study skills facilitators, Brett and Guy, once again paid a visit to the school to meet up with the Grade 6 and 9 groups for their second study skills session. (The first session – a Study Sensei seminar – was held in February.)

Shouts of delight could be heard ringing through the corridors as the presenters entered their respective venues and were greeted by the excited learners.  Time management skills were on the agenda today and the learners were shown, among other things, how to create an effective study timetable.

• UHS looks forward to seeing the Grade 6 and 9 learners’ parents when they meet the team tonight at 17:30 in the school hall for the Elevate Education study skills information session.  This is an opportunity for parents to find out what study skill students have been learning at school and how they can play an important role in supporting them at home.
Bulletin

Word Riders Visit UHS

There was much excitement at Union High School on Friday morning, 12 April, as a group of 31 motorcyclists – the Bible Society of South Africa’s Word Riders – arrived at the school.

Their visit was part of an annual week-long tour during which these Christian motorbike enthusiasts travel to different parts of South Africa distributing Bibles to schools.  During their visit to the school, the Word Riders brought with them a message of hope and boxes filled with Bibles, as well as booklets explaining how the Bible should be read, which were distributed among the school’s Grade 7 learners.

According to the Bible Society’s communications officer, Leon Steenkamp, the donation of the Bibles was made possible by the Bible Society’s Bibles for Grade 7 Learners Project, as well as funds that were raised by the bikers themselves.

Steenkamp invited people who would like to learn more about this tour or who would like to become involved with the Bibles for Grade 7 Learners Project to contact the Bible Society of South Africa at 021 910 8777 or send an e-mail to biblia@biblesociety.co.za

Bulletin, Media Team

Union News

The UHS Behind the Scenes media team’s latest edition of ‘Union News’ feature segments on South Africa’s upcoming general elections, the renovations at Max Kroon House and sports injuries. Watch it here:

Union News: 16.04.2019

The UHS Behind the Scenes media team's latest edition of 'Union News' feature segments on South Africa's upcoming general elections, the renovations at Max Kroon House and sports injuries. Watch it here:

Posted by UHS (Union High School, Graaff-Reinet) on Tuesday, 16 April 2019