Union High School’s senior rugby teams faced Spandau Secondary School on Thursday afternoon, 15 May, with our boys putting together a pleasing set of results across the age groups.
The ๐จ๐ญ๐ฐ๐๐ recorded a 51-0 win, while the ๐จ๐ญ๐ฑ๐๐ followed with an 8-0 result and the ๐จ๐ญ๐ฒ๐๐ secured a 32-7 victory. The ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ซ๐ฉ added a 43-10 win and the ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ฉ closed the afternoon with a 57-6 result.
๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ to Grade 12 learner ๐๐๐ต๐น๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐น on completing the 25km Camdeboo Hospice Hike & Hobble fundraising event this past Saturday, 9 May. Taking on this meaningful challenge alongside her mom, Union High School secretary Sharon Krige, makes the achievement all the more special.
Union High School had the privilege of hosting a ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ข this morning, arranged by X2Y Career Exhibition, bringing a wide range of tertiary institutions and opportunities onto our campus. ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, gaining valuable insight into the many pathways available to them after school.
Despite the cold weather, our matrics spent a meaningful and engaging day in the warmth of the Tony Burrell Union clubhouse, attending a well-supported ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ.
The programme offered valuable insight into a range of post-school opportunities, with informative presentations by Michela Groener (International Hotel School, Gqeberha), Amelia van der Merwe (Eduvos, Gqeberha), Izanne Grobellaar (Uxi Sport, Gqeberha), Lindy Hulley (Stenden) and Marnus du Toit (IETI Baytech, Gqeberha).
๐ช๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐. Opportunities like these play an important role in helping our matrics make informed decisions about their futures and we thank our presenters for sharing both practical guidance and real-world insight.
A huge ๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ to Grade 8 learner ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ on being awarded his EP colours for representing the U16 Eastern Province Elephants team at the Junior National Indoor Cricket South Africa tournament this past April.
This past weekend saw a proud showing from our Grade 7 learners, with ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ (loose forward) and ๐ฌ๐ผ๐น๐ผ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐น๐ฎ (hooker) representing us in Makhanda at the Eastern Province Rugby Unionโs second round of trials for the EPPSRA U13 team.
At the same time, ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ and ๐๐ฎ๐๐น๐ฎ ๐ข๐๐ flew the Union flag high in Gqeberha as they took part in the second round of EP U13 hockey trials.
A big ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ to our Union High School rugby boys on their well-deserved selection to various representative teams.
We are incredibly proud to see ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ฎ named in the U16 Grant Khomo Invitational Team, which will compete in Durban during the June holidays, as well as ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ท๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ and ๐๐๐๐ผ๐น๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐ถ (U16 Karoo) and ๐๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ต๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ฒ, ๐ง๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ, ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ and ๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ (U18 Karoo) earning their places.
We were deeply grateful to receive a supply of Gilbert match balls last week, kindly sponsored by GBG Graaff-Reinet in partnership with Xero.
The handover took place during a delightful gathering on Thursday afternoon at The Coldstream Restaurant – a relaxed and meaningful occasion that brought together local schools and community partners around a shared vision: ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
These match balls, along with the thoughtful goodie bags, represent far more than a generous gift. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐, our programme and the important role that sport plays in shaping characterinstilling discipline, resilience teamwork and pride.
It is with deep sadness that we share news of the passing of ๐ ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ป – a much-loved member of the Union family, an educator of rare dedication and a gentleman whose quiet impact will be felt for generations to come.
An ๐ข๐น๐ฑ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ, Roryโs connection to Union was lifelong. From his own school days, through to attending his ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐๐ต ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ผ, he remained closely bound to his classmates and to the spirit of the school he loved so dearly.
After studying geology at Rhodes University, Rory returned to education with purpose, later completing further studies in mathematics and teaching through UNISA. In ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ญ๐ต๐ด๐ต, he began his teaching journey at Union – one that would span over two decades and leave an indelible mark on countless young lives.
He went on to serve as ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ and during a pivotal time in the schoolโs history, stepped in to act as Headmaster, leading with steadiness and integrity until the appointment of Mr Pringle. He retired at the end of 2011.
Yet, beyond the titles and years of service, it is the ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ we remember most vividly.
Rory had a remarkable way of making the complex feel possible. In his classroom, ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ – not just as subjects, but as shared discoveries. He brought humour into the lab, patience into every explanation and a genuine care for each learnerโs journey. Stories shared on social media over the past week speak of a teacher who made time, who listened, who debated and who believed deeply in fairness and understanding -๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ช๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฏ๐ข๐ท๐ช๐จ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ถ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ, ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ.
Roryโs legacy is also woven through his family. Together with his wife Pam, they raised four children – Margot, Ted, Steve and Kathy – all of whom matriculated from Union, continuing a proud and enduring family connection to the school.
As we reflect on his life, we are reminded that the true measure of a teacher is not found only in results or accolades, but in the ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ. In this, Roryโs legacy is extraordinary.
To the Kroon family, we extend our heartfelt condolences and hold you close in our thoughts and prayers.
For those in Graaff-Reinet, an ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐น ๐บ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ will be held on ๐ง๐ต๐๐ฟ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ญ:๐ฌ๐ฌ at the ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น, ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐, where friends are invited to gather, share stories and celebrate Roryโs life.
