Month: May 2022

We are delighted to announce that rehearsals for Union High School’s 2022 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 is in full swing and going excellently to date!

𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗻-𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲 of a young girl, Mirabel Madrigal, who has to face life as the only member of her family without magical powers. The film quickly rose in popularity since its release by Disney in November of 2021, gaining plenty of attention for its viral original songs, such as “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”

[ 𝘙𝘊𝘓 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺, 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴. ]

This development session was aimed at developing the RCL members’ overall confidence in their role and explored a number of areas, including roles and responsibilities, team-work, assertive communication and problem-solving.

Union extends its grateful thanks to the members of Hoër Volkskool Graaff-Reinet and Union High School, Graaff-Reinet‘s Representative Council of Learners for attending the event.

“The locker room should be your home,” says Mr Christopher Felix, Union’s 1st XV coach. “It should be a place you’re proud of that represents the team, the school’s rugby programme, and anyone using it.”

“With our new space, we wanted top of the line lockers that gave our guys 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣,” says coach Felix. “In addition to the new lockers, we repainted, carpeted, installed perspex name plates and redid the adjoining bathroom.”

“The new locker room is fantastic and the boys absolutely love it,” says Mr Felix. “This is a place where the boys want to be, and they love that there’s been an investment into their space. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚.”

The 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗖𝗛 to the new locker rooms are small brass plaques affixed to the lockers, featuring the names of past rugby players who took the field for Union’s 1st XV. These plaques are being sold as a fundraiser in aid of the school’s rugby programme and 𝙬𝙚 𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙊𝙡𝙙 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙪𝙨 to add their names to the walls for perpetuity.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 2022 𝘬𝘪𝘵!

It is with this in mind, that Union High School, Graaff-Reinet initiated its very first 𝗗𝗜𝗚𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 today, Tuesday, 2 May.

The week was kick-started with two workshops – one with the Grade 5s, followed by one with the Grade 6 learners.

𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗳𝘁, 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 & 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗾𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 Screen Smarts, the workshops were fun and engaging sessions, aimed at helping our learners reflect on how their digital lives impact their social and emotional well-being and teaching them digital citizenship skills to help them make smart choices online and in life.

Topics covered with the learners included, among other, their digital footprint, online predators, cyberbullying, online privacy and finding a balance between time spent online and in real life.

Tomorrow will see the Grade 7 and 8 workshops being held.

𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴!

Perhaps your son plays Fortnite or watches YouTube clips?

Perhaps your daughter adores TikTok or Instagram?

As parents, we need to use technology to our advantage, and take back control of our children’s digital spaces.

𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝘂𝘁, and you are battling to manage your child’s screen time, you have to attend this event!

➼ 𝗢𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝟱 𝗠𝗮𝘆, 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟳:𝟯𝟬, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀’ 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗳𝘁, 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 & 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗾𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀.

In an endeavour to improve the entire digital landscape of the Union and Graaff-Reinet community for our kids, the event will be 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗮𝗳𝗳-𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Topics that will be covered with parents include:

• A parent’s role: Monitoring & Mentoring

• Harmful content

• Pornography & addiction

• Online predators

• Filtering software

• Safe Gaming

• Social Media

• Sexting & Cyberbullying

• Setting boundaries & digital citizenship

• Being a digital role model

The evening forms part of a 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 that will be held at Union from 3 to 6 May, where learners will be engaged in a 4-day long interactive, fun, learning experience, during which they will be coached in managing screen time, digital life skills, cyber safety and everything else a netizen needs to know to make smart choices in cyberspace.

𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴!

➼ 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁: bit.ly/screensmartsparentsevening

(𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: 𝗥𝟱𝟬.)

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝘀 𝗘𝗹𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁.