T3 HORIZONS 2017

HoriZons 

The Ridge School Term 3 2017

Editorial 

“We have so much time and so little 

to do. Strike that, reverse it.” 

ROALD DAHL, Charlie and the 

Great Glass Elevator 

Indeed, strike that, reverse it, as we 

come to final edition of Horizons 

for 2017! After a jam-packed term, 

I have a jam-packed Horizons for 

you: plays; music concerts; outings; 

tributes; summer sports; art exhibition; 

Reading Breakfast; camps; market 

day, golf day; Leaver’s Dinner; 

outings and visitors, and more… 

But beyond all of the photo-worthy 

activities you’ll read about in this 

edition; are innovative and creative 

activities that take place inside the 

classrooms that you may not know 

about. 

Through this, the Grade 5 boys 

have shown how generous and giving 

they are with their time and resources 

and it’s a pleasure for me 

to be witness to that. 

And it’s that, ahead of this holiday 

season, when we are surrounded 

by people who have far less than 

we do, that is something to both 

cherish and continue. 

Enjoy the read! 

Anton Pretorius 

For an hour each week, the Grade 

5 boys have a subject called BlendIT. 

In this hour, boys get to experience 

and learn about things outside of 

standard school activities. In the 

first semester, boys had some basic 

dance and movement lessons and 

more recently, boys played Ridge- 

Opoly, a board game, like Monopoly, 

which integrates elements from 

Geography, Mathematics and English. 

As in Monopoly, boys manage 

a budget to buy and sell property 

while working in teams or syndicates. 

Through loud and heated 

discussion, boys learn more about 

how to work as a team and resolve 

conflict! 

Unlike Monopoly though, community 

tasks are real tasks and require 

boys to step out of their comfort 

zones and give back to the community 

in some way, picking up litter 

in a local park; make food packages 

for homeless people or cook dinner 

for their family. 

The Ridge School 2 Horizons Term 3 2017

Headmaster’s Message 

Dear Parents 

We are into the final week of the 

2017 academic year here at The 

Ridge and as always there are a 

number of really significant happenings 

to enjoy before we can 

bring the curtain down. Central to 

so much of it will be the final farewell 

to our Grade 7 leavers. In this 

context, then, it is appropriate for 

me as Headmaster to begin this last 

Horizons newsletter of the year by 

paying tribute to our outgoing senior 

year group. 

In keeping with every other year, 

the Grade 7 crop of 2017 leavers 

has touched the life of our school 

in their own very special, highly energized 

and remarkably talented 

way. From the classroom and the 

sports fields to the performing arts 

and cultural pursuits, not to mention 

their areas of leadership and 

service, they have worked hard to 

stake their claim as a senior class 

above the norm. Their many and 

varied achievements and awards 

certainly bear testimony to their 

praiseworthy successes and to a 

legacy that will prove to be both 

noteworthy and long-lasting. Of as 

much importance, however, is the 

fact that they have gelled so well 

together as a group of boys; they 

have worked hard to hold high The 

Ridge badge and banner, and they 

have developed a depth of relationships 

with each other and members 

of staff that will clearly stand 

the test of time. 

Well done to each of you young 

men. We are confident that you will 

go on to your senior schools ready 

and able to make a difference, to 

play your part and to build on the 

foundations that have been laid 

here at The Ridge over the years. I 

have no doubt that down the road, 

you will be noticed and looked up 

to as young leaders of character, integrity 

and principle. Go well and 

may God bless you all. 

To the Grade 7 parents, and on 

behalf of the extended Ridge family, 

I would offer a sincere vote of 

thanks for all that each of you has 

done in support of our school over 

the years. In particular, for the role 

that many of you have been happy 

to play this past year as the parents 

of our senior boy: being willing, on 

so many occasions to add value and 

your own expertise to projects, activities 

or fund raising ventures. We 

trust that for you too, The Ridge 

memory will be a lasting and precious 

one. We wish you well as you 

enjoy opening the new and exciting 

college chapter with your boys and 

as you stand on the threshold of 

new senior school adventures. 

From the pen of C.S. Lewis a message 

to take away with you; “Some 

journeys take us far from home. 

Some adventures lead us to our 

destiny.” 

Still in the ‘thank you’ mode, I would 

like to pay a special tribute to our 

Ridge staff team. 

It should go without saying that it 

is within the design and make-up of 

a school’s human resource that the 

true success and deeper meaning 

of what the school stands for and 

delivers on can be most accurately 

measured. It is a fascinating paradox 

that at a time when technology 

and the digital world is having 

a huge impact on the way teaching 

and learning happens in schools 

throughout the world, the facilitating 

and pastoral role of the teacher 

has taken on more significance than 

ever before. 

As instructor to learning, confidant 

and friend, trusted care-giver, and 

as moral guide, amongst a host of 

other responsibilities, it is the primary 

school teacher who more often 

than not is being called upon 

to manage and oversee so many 

vital and contributing attributes of 

a child’s holistic well-being and so, 

alongside the parents, to manage 

the facilitation of a safe transition 

from childhood to adulthood. 

There is no doubt that, individually 

and collectively, The Ridge teachers 

measure up as being some of the 

very best around. It is my privilege, 

as their colleague, friend and headmaster, 

to acknowledge, affirm and 

congratulate them all on the wonderful 

work that each has done 

during another memorable year 

where child-centred growth and 

development has been the order 

of the day. Thank you, one and all, 

for the remarkable job that each of 

you has done. 

My grateful thanks too, is extended 

to the wonderful support staff team 

of men and women who make up 

our committed and hard-working 

admin, marketing, kitchen, housekeeping 

and ground staffing teams. 

So many of the lasting and happy 

memories from this past year are 

as a result of all that is done behind 

the scenes to host events, functions 

and fixtures at levels that set standards 

that are the envy of many. 

In closing, I wish our Ridge family a 

marvellously relaxing, fun-filled holiday 

and festive season. Please travel 

safely, take special care and God 

bless you all. 

Richard Stanley 

Headmaster 


Board Chair Report 

Being a bit of a “laat lammetjie” 

compared to my two brothers, I 

have been visiting The Ridge School 

for most of my life. As a young child 

I remember the current Rose field 

having no grass on it at all, a cricket 

mat was used for the pitch and 

the pavilion was a three sided tin 

shed. Even when I left the school 

in 1981 our standard 6 (Grade 8) 

classroom, yes they offered it in 

those days, was a semi-tin, semibrick 

building with a woodwork 

studio as the entrance to our actual 

classroom. 

The point is that over the years 

that I have visited the school its facilities 

have changed substantially. 

Today we have a campus that is the 

product of some excellent Governors 

who had a vision, followed 

through, and delivered something 

that The Ridge alma-mater can be 

proud of when they re-connect 

with our school. 

It is clear that the way young children, 

in our case boys, are taught 

is evolving. STEAM is a great example 

of this! We are proud of the 

fact that other schools are coming 

to our school to understand how 

we have successfully implemented 

STEAM into the Grade 5 curriculum 

this year. STEAM, which combines 

Science, Technology, Engineering, 

Art and Maths, is “taught” 

across three lesson times, has no 

formal assessment, is overseen 

by four teachers simultaneously 

and the classes are broken down 

into sub-groups. Quite a change 

from the way my older sons were 

taught at The Ridge - and they left 

the school as recently as 2014 and 

2016 respectively. 

We are acutely aware that there is 

a pre-requisite that Grade 7 boys 

impress prospective high schools 

with academic assessments and 

the likes, but the point is that the 

way boys are taught will require 

more flexibility going forward. The 

current Junior Prep building has 

done an adequate job to date, but 

looking towards the future this is 

highly unlikely to be the case. Certainly 

every possible tweak, tuck 

and extension that the architects 

could think of has taken place since 

it was built in 1973 and extended 

in 1988. We are really looking forward 

to the completion of the new 

Junior Prep building which will provide 

our boys and teachers with an 

incredible facility that will enable 

many Ridge boys to fully benefit 

from the evolution of education for 

decades to come. 

The new JP building is on track to 

get underway as soon as school 

breaks up in December this year, 

with the contractor having been 

appointed this week, and the keys 

for the temporary facility having already 

been handed over. 


Board Chair Report cont... 

Naturally, there are a number of 

other exciting capital projects 

planned for the future. As an example, 

though, we would love to 

see the Lawley Road staff housing 

moved to the top of the campus to 

make way for an astroturf or field. 

The houses in Lawley Road were, 

after all, acquired for this purpose 

some 15 – 17 years ago and would 

alleviate an enormous amount 

of pressure on our current sport 

fields, including the Hope field, as 

the school has grown to 500 pupils. 

The campus “map” below shows 

the current long term capital project 

plan, which will, in our minds, 

facilitate the continual improvement 

and upgrades to the school 

facilities as has taken place over the 

forty seven years that I have been 

visiting The Ridge and enabled our 

school to remain current, relevant 

and desirable from so many different 

aspects. We need to ensure 

that this remains the case for decades 

to come. 

James Clucas 

Chairman, The Ridge Board 


Senior Prep Report 

“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability 

to learn is a skill; the willingness to 

learn is a choice.” – Brian Herbert 

It’s a scary thought that 2017 is coming 

to an end. Christmas paraphernalia has 

already begun cluttering the shelves of 

stores, businesses are starting to wrap 

up end of year goals, and schools such 

as ours, begin to wind down as we finalise 

another year that has flown by. 

Much has changed on the academic 

front, and we are starting to see the 

positive impact that P4C, STEAM and 

the two Academic Semesters has had 

on our boys this year. A shift in culture 

and mindset, as well as an understanding 

of what education really looks like 

in the 21st Century, bodes well whereby 

our teaching pedagogies align with 

the way in which our boys learn. 

Teaching and learning continues to 

change, and what an exciting place our 

scool is to be in and be a part of at 

this time. The word “Digital Natives” 

springs to mind - Education author Jay 

Cross said “education is moving from 

the individual to the individual and his 

contacts”. This rings true, whereby 

boys are tasked daily to check Google 

Classroom, to upload projects and 

documents to Google Drive, and turn 

in assignments on given due dates. 

Content has shifted from “what I know 

to what WE know”. Sharing, collaboration 

and communication have become 

fundamentally important in the classroom 

environment. 

We have to understand that the landscape 

of education is changing at such 

a pace that the illiterate of the 21st 

century will not be those that cannot 

read or write, the illiterate will be 

those who cannot learn, unlearn and 

relearn. Tony Wagner says that “there 

is no competitive advantage today in 

knowing more than the person next to 

you. The world doesn’t care what you 

know. What the world cares about is 

what you can do with what you know.” 

I sent a newsletter out a few months 

back, which touched on something we 

like to call the softer skills, with some 

of these being empathy, grit, resilience, 

communication and collaboration. I 

feel we will do our boys a disservice if 

these are not taught and role-modeled 

everyday. Angela Duckworth, an academic 

and psychologist writes on grit 

and resilience and how regular individuals 

who exercise selfcontrol and perseverance 

can reach as high as those 

who are naturally talented—that your 

mindset is as important as your mind. 

As a primary school, and a foundation 

for learning, I strongly believe that the 

softer skills outweigh a mark or average 

on a report card. We need to continue 

asking ourselves what we (both 

teacher and parent) want our boys to 

“look like” when they leave The Ridge 

School. If we’re just focused on one, 

two or all three core pillars (Academics, 

Sport and Music) that make up our 

school, then we are doing our boys 

a disservice, and they will leave here 

with a very narrow minded approach 

as to what real life is about. 

Within the next 15 to 20 years, this 

will undoubtedly have changed. Your 

son, or sons will have graduated, and 

the story of what schools will become 

has already been written. The Ridge 

School will certainly be one of these 

establishments. It will be a place where 

teachers, parents and students come 

together to learn about the world, a 

place rich with technology that lets 

our boys dream big and where we create 

the fuel for those dreams. A place 

where learning is fun, where it’s not 

necessarily so much about competing 

against one another as it is about 

working together to solve the really 

big problems we’ll face together in the 

years to come. 

Gareth Dry, principal at Riverview 

Preparatory School in Melane, Mpumalanga 

says it best: 

“We are in the middle of another revolution 

– a revolution of thought. The 

future of our country and the world 

depends on the work we do today in 

our classroom. Are we going to continue 

to educate children by date of 

manufacture, or are we going to encourage 

flexibility, individual thought 

and opportunities for growth at different 

rates?” 

I am excited for what lies ahead of us 

in the coming years, and what we as 

a school, in partnership with parents, 

can achieve. 

May I take this opportunity to thank 

you all for your support. As education 

evolves and continues to change, The 

Ridge School will continue to remain 

at the forefront of teaching and learning. 

On behalf of the staff, enjoy a well-deserved 

and safe holiday. I have included 

a link below called the “WestJet 

Christmas Miracle”, where, some of 

the softer skills of what I have mentioned 

earlier apply. 

https://www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=zIEIvi2MuEk 

Nicholas Diana 

Deputy Head: SP Academics 


Junior Prep Report 

I’m always amazed, when compiling 

this end of year article, at the 

volume of activities and events 

that we pack into any given year. 

Our core business in teaching 

and learning, and the growth and 

development that happens from 

January to December is exponential. 

Our precious time together 

is sprinkled with delights including 

dress up and theme days, outings 

and innings, concerts and galas, 

play dates and extra murals, sports 

and music. This year, the boys even 

witnessed a helicopter landing on 

the Hersov field! 

2017 saw the introduction of the 

Grade 1 & 2 Homework supervision, 

which has proven to be a 

huge ‘value-add’ for parents. It has 

provided consolidation on work 

done in class, and freed up space in 

the evenings for working parents 

who can now just relax with their 

children as opposed to starting 

homework when children are tired 

and ready for bed. 

For parents who perhaps don’t 

have time to check the school app 

regularly, please see the Junior 

Prep info icon for “Recommended 

reading list” and forward any interesting 

articles to me and I will load 

accordingly. I would also encourage 

you read the article on resources 

for parents. We’ve realised 

in the last few months, that we are 

not doing enough to up-skill our 

parents in the area of parenting. 

Our boys have an important 

role to play in the future of our 

country, and encouraging them to 

have a heart for the community 

continues to be a top priority for 

me. Our combined and continued 

efforts in this department this year 

have been fantastic! 

Term 1 task money – Salvazione 

Christian School R10 000 

Term 2 task money – The Link 

Literacy Project R9306 

Term 3 task money – Brainy Birds 

Parrot Rescue & rehabilitation 

Centre R5500 

Mini City Council – Easter Egg 

Collection and sweets 

Fruity Fridays for the Hope School 

Santa Shoebox Project – Grade 0 

Rotary – Christmas gifts for the 

Ilanga Nutritional Care Centre 

Teddy Bear Clinic – Christmas 

gifts from Grade 3 boys & R10 000 

from the Greeting Card Project 

Heritage Day & 67 Minutes of 

Service 

Barring a few leaks due to the big 

rains we’ve had, the move to the 

temporary village has been amazing! 

Any move provides you with 

an opportunity to do a proper 

spring clean, reflecting on resources 

that are no longer relevant 

or perhaps some gems that you 

forgot you had! We are extremely 

excited to watch our dream of a 

new building become a reality. 

My son said to Garreth and I the 

other day, I wish I could invent a 

function on your cell phone that 

only allows you to use it for a limited 

number of hours in a day! And 

he’s right! My encouragement to 

us as parents, is to use these holidays 

as time to make many meaningful 

‘screen free’ connections. 

Everyday I feel honoured to be 

part of this incredible Ridge family. 

I am blessed to work with an 

amazing team of ladies and gents; 

all of whom have a passion for 

little boys and seeing them reach 

their full potential. They are totally 

professional in all they do and I 

am fortunate to be their leader. 

Nothing is ever too much trouble 

and especially heading into this 

frenetic time of year, concerts, 

plays, tributes, class slips, induction 

of new staff and boys, info sessions, 

parents interviews, ‘case conference’ 

meetings and reports, they 

are miracle workers and certainly 

strive towards our goal of “Creating 

an inclusive, emotionally literate 

environment”. Our boys are a 

delight and we so enjoy the time 

we spend together. I not only think 

we have the best Junior Prep but 

I know we have the best school 

ever! 

Mandy Herold 

Head of Junior Prep 


Parent Association Report 

The Ridge School PA has had another successful year, 

thanks to the dedicated Class Moms and Dads. One 

aim of the PA is to act as a go-between for parents and 

staff, and to act as a forum to raise issues and work 

together to find solutions. Our monthly PA meetings, 

attended by PA reps and the school Executive Committee 

are lively and constructive – albeit long meetings! 

A big thank you to Mr Stanley and the Exec for 

their willingness to listen and act on parents’ suggestions 

and concerns. 

A second aim of the PA is to arrange social functions 

to facilitate Ridge parents getting to know each other 

in a relaxed setting, and to fund raise. We have had several 

social functions, detailed in this and other issues of 

Horizons. These functions have been enjoyed by parents 

and boys alike, with many friendships cemented! 

This year we raised in excess of R340 000, which will 

be given to charitable causes and selected projects at 

The Ridge, the details of which will be shared when 

finalised. We also raised R60 000 from the Cake Sales, 

which goes toward the Grade 7 Valedictory Dinner. 

ground and security staff also received R50 airtime. 

The PA has also sponsored the sunscreen situated 

around the school. At the beginning of the year we set 

out to make all our events welcoming to all parents. 

We hope we have made progress in achieving this goal. 

On a personal note, my highlight of the PA year has 

been getting to know the wonderful parents in other 

Grades, and working with all the dedicated Reps on 

the various functions and activities. Thank you to all 

the Reps for your time and commitment, and senses 

of humour! And thank you to all Ridge parents for 

generously supporting the PA initiatives. 

Fenella Johns 

A third aim is to look after our community. For Ridge 

families and teaching staff, this is achieved with the TLC 

funds, which are used to celebrate, commiserate and 

provide some comfort in tough times. This year, as a 

PA outreach initiative all Ridge staff were given a small 

jar of sweets to celebrate their birthdays. All cleaning, 


Tributes - Happy Retirement 

Nomsa Mogale 

Nomsa Mogale arrived at The 

Ridge School in 1988 as the Grade 

0 teacher’s assistant. The school 

was much smaller then and Nomsa 

has witnessed many changes during 

her time here. One of the most 

dramatic being the introduction of 

technology and computers. Nomsa 

has also seen many changes of staff 

over the years. She speaks highly 

and fondly of the late Eula Taylor, 

Felicity Dempster (now Headmistress 

at The Parks), Di Arthur (living 

in England), Trishie Parker (retired 

to St. Francis Bay) and Jenny 

Jones (teaching at Kairos School). 

The Ridge has been a real family 

to Nomsa, supporting her during 

ill health and several family losses 

over the years. Nomsa has weathered 

these hard times stoically, and 

I know that the love and care of the 

boys, parents and staff have assisted 

her during these difficult periods. 

As can be expected after serving 

the school for nearly 30 years, 

some of her charges have returned, 

bringing with them their own sons. 

To Nomsa’s delight, 2017 saw the 

enrolment of Tyler-Rhys, son of Old 

Boy, Kaizer Motaung and Kuhle, Son 

of Old Boy, Muhle Tshablala. What a 

proud moment for both dads and 

sons. 

Nomsa has performed her duties 

tirelessly and is always willing to 

step in and lend a hand. She is an 

amazing detective and is able to 

weasel the truth out of any little 

boy who thinks they can pull the 

wool over her eyes. As teachers, 

we are often calling on her to help 

us find mislaid items, which she 

does calmly and efficiently. She is 

an amazing doctor to the little boys 

who have splinters in their hands 

or feet from the jungle gym, and is 

able to extract the offending piece 

of wood without them noticing. 

Her brilliant seamstress skills are 

often called upon, to sew on buttons 

or do last minute adjustments 

to concert costumes. 

Despite her years, Nomsa still retains 

her youthful prettiness and 

has bursts of high energy. The boys 

are delighted when she plays ‘catches’ 

or soccer with them. Nomsa has 

an amazing story telling talent - she 

expertly regales the boys with stories 

passed down to her from her 

grandmother. In this age of technology 

it is gratifying to witness the 

boys, seated at her feet, completely 

spellbound by her enthralling tales. 

It is difficult to do justice to 29 

years of service in a few short paragraphs 

and to express the amount 

of appreciation and thanks for the 

work and devotion she has given to 

the staff, boys and parents. Nomsa 

retires at the end of this year for a 

well-earned rest and to be a Goggo 

to her three beautiful grandchildren. 

We salute you, Mrs Mogale, 

and wish you all the best for a 

peaceful and happy retirement. 

The Grade 0 Team 


Tributes - Happy Retirement 

Pat Munton 

A wind of change 

Change is being embraced in the office adjacent to 

mine, as we sadly witness the retirement of a Ridge 

legend - Pat Munton who has been the ‘front of house’ 

with the Ridge family for some 18 years. More often 

than not, her pretty, smiling face was the first introduction 

that many prospective parents had to The Ridge. 

Pat has a wonderfully calm and serene disposition and 

a knowledge of all that life at The Ridge entails. She has 

been a psychologist, a nurse, a confidant, a shoulder to 

lean on, a secretary, a travel agent, a sweet shop, and a 

P.A to Mr Diana and myself. Nothing has ever been too 

much trouble for Pat. 

Pat has loved The Ridge and we in turn have admired, 

respected, loved and trusted her. Pat’s warmth, genuine 

interest and respect for staff, boys and parents 

has enabled her to make a difference in their lives. Pat 

has directed parents to ‘read the app’ and patched up 

more boys (and staff) than she cares to remember. 

She is greatly loved and valued by all staff – academic, 

cleaning, administrative and ground staff alike. She has 

always quietly got on with her job and always had a 

smile and a kind word for everyone. Her integrity and 

reliability have been beyond reproach. 

We say thank you, Pat, for the wonderful contribution 

you have made to the success of the school over your 

years, and we wish you well as you spend more time 

with your family in the bush. You will be sorely missed. 

May the years ahead be kind to you in every possible 

way. 

Chris Verster 

Tributes - Bon Voyage 

Megan Gorringe 

Megan: meaning “pearl” 

Definition of pearl : a person 

or thing of great worth, highly 

prized as a gem. 

That is certainly our Megs. 

M 

E 

G 

A 

N 

magnanimous 

energetic, elegant 

gregarious, gorgeous 

altruistic, adventurer 

nurturing, non-pareil 

G 

O 

R 

R 

I 

N 

G 

E 

generous, glamourous 

optimistic, omniscient 

radiant, reliable 

resplendent, 

resourceful 

intrepid, inspirational 

noteworthy, nature 

lover 

gracious, genteel 

enthusiastic, exuberant 

“Of all the books in the 

world, the best stories are 

found between the pages of a 

passport.” 

Thank you for letting us be 

part of your story! Good luck 

back home! 

Di Wellard 



Astrid Read 

The journey through life is an interesting 

track 

But for Astrid and Craig there is no turning 

back 

It’s time to write your next chapter and create 

some adventure abroad 

Your bravery for starting a new is something 

to applaud 

An exciting chapter awaits, a journey begins 

Although both scary and exciting, it’s bound 

to lead to great wins 

While South Africa is your home and for it 

you might yearn 

It’s time to give the land of Kiwis and Maori’s 

a turn 

Astrid has fitted in perfectly into the Lighthouse 

team 

Where laughter is aplenty, and support supreme 

We complement each other in so many ways 

Whether it’s finding lost keys, deliberating, 

lending a helping hand or offering praise 

Let’s face it, we are all slightly off the wall 

But through encouragement and jest we have 

always survived it all 

Without question or query you have always 

had our backs 

Your nurturing nature, your concern and 

countless kind acts 

Your laughter, your consideration, your wisdom 

and sharing 

Your golden heart that knows no boundaries 

of caring 

Your generous spirit, your warmth and sincerity 

we admire 

Your intuition and concern for others is 

something to inspire 

Learning support is your heart, your passion, 

your drive 

To truly connect with each learner is that for 

which you strive 

Your way with the boys is something to behold 

Fond memories of you we shall always uphold 

We shall never forget you, you made such an 

impact 

An incredible colleague of which that is a fact 

Without you, our team will never be the 

same 

Our time has been short, but sweet, and we 

are so glad you came 

Empathy always encircles all that you do 

But for now, our dear friend, it’s time to wish 

you well and bid you adieu 

Candice Fletcher and Jan Mallen 

You have definitely made your mark in two 

short years 

And now that you prepare to leave us, we are 

left with some tears 

Your approach has always been one of charm 

and grace 

And to match there has always been a beautiful 

smile on your face 

We love that you are sharp, insightful and 

witty 

Your zest for life, compassion and ability to be 

gritty 



Gift Sanele Nkosi 

African myths sketch a conceptual world presided 

over by a divinity that is responsible for 

the emergence of humanity and the development 

of a community. Its in this realm that Africans 

look when naming a child. Gift (Mpho), 

a beautiful and prophetic name, given to one 

that comes into the realm of the living as a 

blessing from the Ancestors. Our Gift has been 

nothing but a blessing, he is spirited yet has a 

calm demeanour about him. Gift chuckles a lot 

but has clarity of thought and a solid head on 

his shoulders. He possesses the wit to read 

situations and make the right call, therefore 

displaying a maturity far beyond his 20 years. 

Ungu Sanele, a direct response from us of this 

world to acknowledge his presence amongst 

us. Indeed Sanele ngokufika kwakhe, we are 

happier for his coming and glad that our paths 

crossed. 

afraid to speak truth to authority and be morally 

upright. The children you will teach are 

your charges - inspire them, care for them, 

but most importantly, love them. 

We will miss you, but rest assured that we will 

be following your progress with interest. We 

will be rooting for you from our corner up on 

the cliff. We will be claiming you as our own 

as we know you are destined for great things. 

Stay humble, Bhuti, work hard. And make us 

proud. 

Godspeed and farewell, Ntwanenkosi, Wena 

wekunene, Dlamini! 

Moeketsi Motsepe 

Nkosana ya kwa Dlamini, may you keep being a 

gift and blessing to those that you come across. 

Choose your battles carefully, understand that 

the world requires and expects much to those 

whom much has been given. Be a star in the 

spaces you find yourself in. Allow you light to 

brighten the lives of those around you. And 

most of all know that teaching is not a profession, 

but a vocation and a higher calling, meant 

for those that are selfless, who give of themselves 

with no expectation of a reward. It is for 

those who are conscripted to poverty and a 

lifelong dedication to serving their fellow men. 

Teach then, Babe Nkosi, with a quiet dedication 

and a resolution that you are contributing 

meaningfully to the shaping of generations 

to come. Teach while others look at amassing 

great wealth at the expense of those things 

that we, as teachers, consider important. Be 

brave when you enter this space, for many 

have fallen by the wayside. Stand resolute, for 

these days we need teachers that will not be 


Tributes - Onto new pastures 

Denny Surgey 

Denny joined The Ridge four years ago as an 

Intern in the Learning Support Department. 

During that time she completed her Honours 

Degree in Inclusive Education and then we 

were very happy to ‘hijack’ her into Grade 4, 

where she has taught for the last three years. 

Denny has a delightful sense of humour, particularly 

appealing to children and has even 

been known to go down the ‘high’ slide on 

Founder’s Day, much to the joy of children in 

her class. She understands within the framework 

of her teaching the importance of keeping 

in touch with children. In the words of one 

of my favourite teachers, a two-inch tall mouse 

named Stuart Little. Denny understands and 

epitomizes the three important rules: 

• Be a true friend 

• Do the right thing 

• Enjoy and live the glory of everything. 

Denny is an excellent teacher and she has certainly 

made her mark. She has the ability to 

think ‘out of the box’, is creative and enterprising 

in her methods. The boys, and their parents 

alike, grow very fond of her during the year 

they spend in her class. She is incredibly caring 

and has a wonderful depth of understanding 

of her boys, taking each one under her wing 

during the course of the year. 

Whilst she has been in Grade 4, she has taken 

responsibility for the Climbing Team and 

been involved in the Cross Country. She has 

also been a lifesaver when it comes to putting 

a song together and writing the lyrics for 

the Grade 7 tribute - which has been a great 

relief to the less musical members of the department! 

Denny leaves us to go and complete her Masters 

in Inclusive Education next year. She has a 

busy and exciting time ahead, especially with a 

wedding to plan as well. We thank you for all 

you have contributed to Learning Support and 

Grade 4 at The Ridge. We are going to miss 

you but we wish you all the happiness in the 

world in your exciting new ventures that lie 

ahead. Remember Denny “If a flower blooms 

once, it goes on blooming somewhere forever. 

What is changed is never gone unless we let it 

go. You will be remembered.” 

Jan Mallen and Erica Kinnear 

Beneath Denny’s slender frame, lies a remarkable 

inner strength. She is not afraid to take 

on new challenges and her determination and 

resilience will see her succeed in all that she 

does. She ran the Comrades Marathon this 

year for the first time, unsure whether she was 

going to do it until the last minute, and then 

surpassed all her dreams and expectations. 

Denny is a woman full of courage and grit, and 

those qualities have certainly seen her through 

the challenges of the last few months. 



Marilyn Middlewick 

Marilyn began teaching at The Ridge in January 

of 2011 after Gill Olley decided she could 

no longer teach our Grade 0s. She was an 

obvious and wonderful choice! Marilyn came 

to The Ridge with endless experience, a tremendous 

love of children and huge knowledge 

of this age group. She continued this valuable 

and important role with ease and love. Her 

teaching is inspired, appropriate, and provides 

the most wonderful start a little boy can have 

as he embarks on his exciting musical journey. 

One just has to go into a Grade 0 music lesson 

to sense the happiness, joy and fun these boys 

are have. 

Marilyn is also a very organised person and always 

knows what to do and how to do it well. 

Her concerts are a delight for everyone, and 

one can only marvel at what she manages to 

achieve in a single year with these very little, 

very energetic boys. They arrive straight from 

nursery school, very young, quite unruly and 

not very confident. They have in most cases 

done very little music but within a few short 

weeks they are ready to perform their musical 

debut for their grandparents. It is quite amazing. 

She has managed to create a delightful musical 

performance in only a few short weeks! 

Marilyn’s work ethic and determination is unrivalled. 

Even when she has been very ill, nothing 

has stopped her from appearing at work 

and preparing the children brilliantly for their 

concert. She even gave a Grade 0 concert with 

a broken pelvis. Marilyn does not let anyone 

down - the show will go on! 

Marilyn, you can look back with pride on the 

countless children who have gone through 

your hands, knowing you have provided the 

most wonderful musical inspiration for them. 

I know you will remain at Pridwin next year, 

continuing your sterling work until the next 

chapter begins. We hope you will continue to 

teach music to children, but you also deserve 

to enjoy your ‘own time’ with Paul and your 

beloved sons. Thank you for a job very well 

done. We will miss you. 

By Janet Fox Van Der Poel 



Gerrit Koorsen 

Gerrit has been teaching ‘cello with 

us for 5 years. Many people don’t 

see him very often as he comes in 

early, teaches his pupils and then 

rushes off to UJ for his ‘proper’ job. 

Gerrit is one of the lucky ones who 

combines a musical and an academic 

career. 

many people don’t know about him 

is that he is the highest qualified 

member of The Ridge staff, with 

a Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD) 

from Cambridge University and a 

Masters of Science degree (MSc) in 

Molecular Biology from UCT. He is 

currently a Senior Lecturer at University 

of Johannesburg. 

Gerrit we appreciate all you have 

given to us and we understand that 

you need to spend more time with 

your Biochemistry students. You 

will be sorely missed by your ‘cello 

students and colleagues. Go well 

special man. You leave a big gap. 

Janet Fox Van Der Poel 

Gerrit is loved and revered by his 

pupils, and is admired and hugely 

respected by his colleagues. He 

is humble, unassuming and an extraordinary 

musician in his own 

right. He performs regularly as a 

soloist and in in the orchestra for 

operas, shows and ballets. 

His pupils play beautifully and he has 

enhanced many of our musicals and 

performances over the years. Gerrit 

is very hard to replace. What 

Tributes - Leaving Locums 

Susan Hughes 

The Ridge has been exceptionally 

lucky to have Sioux Hughes join 

the Grade 6 team for the final term 

this year. She had big shoes to fill 

with the very popular and energetic 

Shannon Diedricks heading off 

to teach in Sweden. However, she 

made her positive mark immediately, 

and has done an outstanding job 

of “knowing and growing” her boys, 

and providing them with a safe and 

caring learning environment. 

Her formal teaching responsibilities 

were as a Grade 6 class teacher, as 

well as teaching Natural Science 

and Afrikaans. Although she dutifully 

took on all these classroom 

responsibilities with consistent 

professionalism and care, it was her 

unwavering passion to go above and 

beyond for the boys and the school 

that really made her stand out during 

her time with us. She is one of 

the first staff members to put up 

her hand for extra responsibilities, 

and I was particularly impressed by 

her creative and divergent thinking 

that she would always employ 

when tackling a new task or school 

project. 

She personifies taking initiative and 

this was particularly evident in the 

energetic and thoughtful manner 

in which she has headed up and 

planned the entire “Innovation 

Week” for the Grade 6s at the end 

of this term. Further to this, she is 

far more than just an “ideas” person, 

and her commitment to delivery 

of top quality education combined 

with a gentle motherly touch 

was a privilege to watch on a daily 

basis. 

We will miss her dearly next year, 

and wish her all the best in her future 

contributions as a significant 

educator in South Africa. 

Daniel McLachlan 


Tributes - Leaving Locums 

Robyn Presbury 

It has been an absolute delight to have Robyn step 

in for Lauren Baines-Fourie, who was on maternity 

leave. In her own gentle and warm way, she has connected 

very authentically with her fellow members 

of the Grade 1 team and they have enjoyed working 

with her. Robyn has also been very approachable to 

the parents, and above all, she has been amazing with 

the little boys in her care. 

Mandy Herold 

better fit within our team, than Robyn. She ahs also 

kept us well fed with a carrot cake on our very busy 

Fridays. Thank-you for everything Robyn! 

Wendy Schultz and Tracy Beukes 

Robyn has a wonderful sense of humour and keeps us 

laughing all day. She is a perfectionist and her preparation 

for each day is top-class. She has been supportive 

of all our ideas with plenty of new suggestions to add 

to the programme. She loves her family and has been 

very calm even though her son was writing matric 

examinations. She has a very busy life but is always 

willing to add more to her schedule, such as homework 

supervision. In the words of a Grade 1, “she is 

cool and very very very nice!” She is organised and 

arrives early to ensure her day runs smoothly. She is 

game for anything and we could not have asked for a 

World Teachers’ Day 

On the 5th October, The Ridge 

teachers celebrated World Teachers 

Day. In true Ridge style, many 

staff members dressed up for the 

occassion by dressing up in school 

uniform! 

“World Teachers’ Day, also known as 

International Teachers Day, is held 

annually on October 5. Established in 

1994, it commemorates the signing 

of the 1966 “Teaching in Freedom”. 

“Empowering Teachers” is the theme 

of this year’s (2017) World Teachers’ 

Day, celebrated around the world 

since 1994. 

Its aim is to focus on “appreciating, 

assessing and improving the educators 

of the world” and to provide an 

opportunity to consider issues related 

to teachers and teaching.” 

Source: Wikipedia.com 


Music Report 

What a wonderful term this has 

been with so many cultural highlights. 

These have to include a brilliant 

instrumental soiree and music assemblies, 

Junior and Senior choir 

festivals and exciting instrumental 

festivals for orchestras, jazz and marimba 

bands. Our year ended with 

outstanding performances from 

all our boys. Our Grade 0’s entertained 

their parents and guests 

with their wonderful “Rumble in 

the Jungle” concert and then of 

course the Junior Prep boys from 

Grades 1 – 3 gave 3 performances 

of their exquisite Nativity Play, ‘The 

Light of the World’. 

The Senior Prep were in particularly 

good form for their ‘African 

flavoured’ Carol Service which had 

to include Mango Groove’s ‘Special 

Star,’ which the orchestra performed 

to rapturous applause. Each 

performance was meaningful and 

beautiful. 

We have had a wonderful year culturally, 

beginning with ‘The Sound 

of Music’ and culminating with 

beautiful carols and end of year 

sparkles. Thank you to all our wonderful 

boys and staff for their very 

hard work. 

Janet Fox Van Der Poel 

Director of Music 


Sport - Swimming 

Captain: Jonathan Stagman 

Vice Captain: Ashton Haslam 

The 2017 season saw each of our 

3 teams faring well in their respective 

leagues. It was like a ‘military 

manoeuvre’ on a Friday afternoon 

with over 100 boys heading off to 

their various venues for their galas. 

Having entered a C team for the 

first time at the end of last year, 

they have now established themselves 

in the B25 league. As only a 

few schools can field a C team, they 

often found themselves competing 

against many of the B teams where 

they certainly held their own. 

In the Inter House Championship 

Gala earlier in the year saw Rose 

surprising everyone (not least of 

all themselves!) by winning the gala, 

with Nicolson finishing in second 

place. 

And then more recently, the ever 

enjoyable Tabloid Gala saw history 

repeating itself with Rose winning 

again and Nicolson coming second 

place again. 

Erica Kinnear 

Our B team had some tough galas 

but finished well amongst the 

best of the B teams from the other 

schools and attained 4th place in 

the Boys Prep Schools Gala. 

The A team often found themselves 

short on numbers with various 

clashes on a Friday afternoon, but 

always showed their true mettle 

and rose to the occasion. They retained 

their very creditable 3rd position 

at the Prep Schools Gala with 

the Open team winning 4 of their 5 

races. We’d like to thank them for 

the invaluable contribution they 

have made to the swimming teams 

through their years at The Ridge 

and the high standard they have set 

for the future. We shall really miss 

them next year. 

Congratulations must go to Jono 

Stagman, our captain, who has attained 

National Colours for Swimming 

which is a wonderful achievement, 

and to his brother, Richard, 

for achieving his provincial colours. 


Sport - Water polo 

The senior water polo squad enjoyed yet another successful 

and enjoyable year. For the first time we were 

able to enter 3 senior teams. This shows the growth 

of the sport at The Ridge, especially considering that 

water polo is completely optional. The commitment 

shown at early morning training, combined with the 

competitive edge displayed during fixtures, has ensured 

strong development of skills throughout the year. 

Undoubtedly the highlight of the year for the 1st team 

was the tour to Cape Town, where we took part in the 

SACS water polo tournament. This was a steep learning 

curve for the boys involved, playing against some of 

the best teams in the country. The team can be proud 

of their efforts, playing a very high standard of water 

polo throughout the tournament. Unfortunately 

we struggled to find the back of the net, instead managing 

to hit the crossbar on several occasions. Ryan 

Bezuidenhout, our team manager, eventually offered 

to repaint the goals in an effort to repair the damage 

caused to the woodwork! 

I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching this fantastic group 

of boys. They listen to suggestions, ask intelligent questions 

and give 100% in the water, making them the most 

coachable group I have had the pleasure of working 

with. I wish the Grade 7s all the best as you move on 

to your various high schools and I sincerely hope that 

many of you choose to continue playing water polo, as 

you have shown great potential this year. 

Thank you to all players, parents and coaches who 

have contributed to making 2017 another incredible 

year for senior water polo at The Ridge. I hope you all 

enjoy the holiday and I look forward to getting started 

again in the new year. 

Mike MacFarlane 


Sport - Cricket 

This term saw the 1st XI play some 

scintillating cricket. During the half 

term break, when most of the boys’ 

friends were ‘chillaxing’, our boys 

were battling it out against our 

visitors from Clifton Durban and 

Cordwalles. 

In the T20 against Clifton, the Roy 

brothers batted well together with 

Troy scoring a half century and 

Croy falling just short of his (47). 

The boys pulled off an emphatic 

win with Coleston hitting a superb 

boundary off the last ball. 

The following day we returned to 

play a time match which ended in a 

draw. Despite the draw, Croy again 

got into the forties (42). Kinger 

supported him with a fine 36 and 

Cuffie picked up 4 sticks. The time 

match against Cordies on Saturday 

was quite remarkable. Cordies had 

a strong side and convincingly beat 

St John’s the day before. We only 

managed to score 190 runs in our 

allotted time, with Lano scoring a 

fabulous 63. Cordies believed it was 

not enough, as our boys “could not 

even reach 200”. But cricket is a 

funny game. We bowled and fielded 

very well. Dippy took a blinder of a 

catch to get rid of their kingpin and 

as the day got older, the spin factor 

came into play. Our spinners ripped 

through the rest of their batsmen 

taking 8 wickets between them. 

Cordies only managed to score 

152 all out and were sent packing, 

with their tails between their legs! 

The awesome half term experience 

carried us through to the 

Eastrand where CBC Boksburg 

awaited. Mackers was in fine form, 

and his magnificent century (100) 

along with another half century 

(53) from Lano and 42 in quick 

time from Troy, aided the team to 

score 241/7. Consistent bowling 

saw CBC bowled out for a mere 

90, with Harters picking up 3/13 

and Bram 2/6. 

Onto St Benedict’s, arguably our 

weakest performance of the year. 

Collectively, the boys’ heads were 

simply not in the game. We fielded 

poorly and allowed St Bennies to 

score freely. Despite this, Mackers 

got a 7 wicket haul to end St Bennies’ 

innings on 227. Our batting 

let us down and we were forced 

to close up shop and try to grind 

out a draw. Brangus batted beautifully 

and showed a true test of concentration 

to score his maiden half 

century (56*) for the 1st team with 

Kinger supporting him on 39. In the 

end, it was a bridge too far and we 

were bowled out in the second last 

over. 

Our final game of the year was 

against the old foe from Pretoria, 

WHPS. We batted first, with Mackers 

scoring freely and getting his 

2nd half century (54) of the year. 

Lano chipped in with 33 and Troy 

reached 45. Croy and Kinger looked 

set to score their top scores of the 

year. Croy reached his half century 

(finally) and Kinger got out on 40. 

With limited time left, Croy teed 

up. Despite Bucks pushing an extra 

over in, Croy fell just 4 runs short 

of his century, hammering a sublime 

96*. Chasing a massive 318, WHPS 

batted for the full 3 hours, ending 

up on 176/4 thus drawing the game. 

Congratulations on a fine term of 

cricket, I wish you all success in 

your cricket endeavours. Remember, 

if the door of opportunity does 

not knock, go out and build a door. 

Chris Verster 


Sport - Tennis 

What sport can help educate and 

inspire a 9-year-old and at the same 

time be picked up by a 90-year-old? 

The sport of a lifetime – that’s 

what! 

For generations past, and for generations 

to come, tennis has positively 

impacted the young and old, 

on and off the court, in countless 

ways. I strongly believe in the mantra 

“Quantity plus Quality Equals 

Success” 

At The Ridge, one of my primary 

goals is having and maintaining a 

“No-Cut Tennis Program”: anyone 

that wants to play, gets to play. 

I’ve always thought that if you cut a 

person when they’re young, they’ll 

drop the sport and never pick it up 

again. Tennis can be a lonely sport 

but this year we have injected a 

sense of fun and adventure into our 

Ridge Tennis Program. 

Here are some of the highlights in 

2017: 

1. The Ridge A Team successfully 

defended their title at the prestigious 

Sun City South African 

Private Schools Tournament – 

held in August. We became the 

first school to win this team 

championship 2 years in a row. 

2. Nick Lane (Grade 7D) who is 

the A Team tennis captain was 

awarded Player of Tournament 

– congratulations Nick – well 

done! 

3. The Ridge A Team went undefeated 

during Term 2 winning 

every fixture against all other 

schools, which is a tremendous 

achievement. 

4. Jayden Pakkiri, Grade 6, ascended 

to the Number One 

singles ranking in South Africa 

in January in the boys U12 division. 

Congratulations Jayden, on 

this great achievement! Jayden 

was also nominated by Tennis 

South Africa during the August 

holidays to participate in a Tennis 

Europe Championship in 

Copenhagen, Denmark. 

5. The Ridge resurfaced and upgraded 

all 3 tennis courts and 

they now look and play beautifully! 

6. We have a record number of 

boys taking up tennis in Grades 

4-7, coming to weekly practice 

and having fun learning the 

sport. 

7. Tennis is offered across all 3 

terms here at school. 

8. A Ridge Saturday Social Tennis 

afternoon program started in 

Term 3 with the aim of encouraging 

Ridge parents to play tennis 

with and against each other 

on Saturday afternoons. This 

program has really taken-off 

and is well attended and enjoyed 

by our Ridge parents. 

As any tennis player knows, the 

sport can be humbling. Here are 

how some of the best players in the 

world started playing tennis in their 

own words: 

MARIN CILIC 

My parents were an inspiration. I was 

6 and , so I didn’t have much choice 

in deciding which sport I was going 

to play. But I enjoyed tennis and loved 

it from the first point. I also have to 

thank my cousin, who was playing tennis 

in Germany and started before me. 

ANDY MURRAY 

My mom used to be a tennis player, 

and then she got me and my brother, 

Jamie, playing when we were young. 

We had tennis courts very close to our 

house, a two-minute walk. I just loved 

doing anything sporty when I was a 

kid because my brother was doing it 

as well. It was great family time for us. 

SIMONA HALEP 

The very first person that pushed me 

into tennis was my brother, because he 

was playing before me. Also my father, 

because he brought me to the court— 

even if I was smaller than the net. 

NOVAK DJOKOVIC 

I started playing tennis when I was 

four years old. Nobody had ever really 

touched a tennis racquet before me in 

my family, so there was no tradition to 

inherit. Three tennis courts were built 

in front of the restaurant my parents 

were running, so it was kind of a sign 

of destiny for me to start playing. I fell 

in love with it. A lot of tennis camps 

and clubs from Serbia came to those 

courts. I was watching them, then joining 

them, and that’s how the love story 

evolved. Ever since then I’ve been 

in love and feel the joy of holding a 

racquet every single time. As long as 

that’s there, I’ll be playing on a high 

level. 

Damian Pakkiri 


Sport - Kayaking 

2017 was another highly enjoyable 

year for the Kayaking Club at The 

Ridge. The club consisted of over 

20 enthusiastic Grade 6 and 7 boys, 

that made the Monday and Friday 

afternoon sessions held at Emmarentia 

Dam during the 1st and 3rd 

terms. Also, on the 9th of December, 

a group of 18 boys, siblings and 

parents will again embark on an 

epic Kayaking Club Orange River 

adventure, which should round off 

a very busy school year on a fantastic 

note. Below is an article written 

by William Mills for the Game 

of Life, which to a large degree captures 

the essence of the Kayaking 

Club in 2017. Enjoy the read. 

We look forward to an enjoyable 

year in 2018 and we not only 

continue our Kayaking Club, but 

also look to expand kayaking into 

Grade 4 and 5. 


Kayaking- a waste of 

petrol or not? 

The Ridge School is one of the few 

schools lucky enough to have their 

own small kayaking club. 

We are not the biggest or most 

competitive club, in comparison to 

schools like like St. David’s or Parktown 

Girls who sometimes come 

down to Emmarentia, if they have 

not gone to a far off dam to practice. 

Driving to places in school vehicles 

is always costly on the environment, 

no matter who is paying 

for the petrol. 

The motive (in my eyes) for having 

a club at our school is to promote 

the sport of kayaking. It is also to 

have a good time and to learn a 

new skill. 

Some of the things I have learnt or 

improved on are: 

• Better balance 

• How to roast your legs on the 

top of the boat 

• How to sprint in a kayak, for 

example when you need to get 

away when someone is trying 

to capsize your boat 

• What to do when your boat 

capsizes 

• The importance of focus. On 

this note, Mr McLachlan one 

Friday told the Grade 6’s in the 

club to take another whole lap 

without chatting, which was a 

minor success. 

• That when one boat capsizes 

it is an accident but that when 

three boats capsize it must be 

deliberate and is considered 

as disrespectful to the boats 

because it wears the fibreglass 

out when you are emptying out 

the water. 

To show a bit of what we experience 

besides all the small bits of fun 

in between, here is our schedule: 

• Have hot lunch (for those who 

do it) or pack a lunch box if you 

need it. 

• Be down at the bottom parking 

lot by 13:45. 

• Everyone get into the combi. 

• Drive to Emmarentia dam and 

enter the parking by the boats. 

• Grab a boat and bring it through 

to the bank. 

• Get a life jacket and paddle. 

• Board your boat and start paddling. 

• Come in and return your life 

jacket. 

• Return your boat to the racks. 

• If there is anything you left on 

the bank, go fetch it. 

• Get into the combi. 

• Be counted in the head count. 

• Drive back to the school. 

• You are back after a rousing and 

wonderful session of kayaking. 

In conclusion I am very grateful 

that Mr McLachlan for running the 

Ridge Kayaking Club. 

William Mills 


Cultural - Art 

This year’s Art Week was a riot of 

colour and activity. Boys paraded 

wearable art, there were funky Picasso 

faces made from cool-drink 

cans, beautiful interpretations of 

Aloes and shells, Pop Art, soaring 

Eagles and much more. 

The evening was a showcase of art 

from Grade 0 through to Grade 7. 

With every boy having an artwork 

on display, there was something for 

everyone to enjoy. 

Once again the school was able to 

raise a substantial amount for the 

Rhino Fund, due to the generous 

pledges made by parents against 

their boys’ artworks. 

The art on display was the result 

of working individually and collaboratively, 

learning about various 

techniques through painting, sculpture, 

collage, printing and drawing. 

Art classes have stretched our 

boys to create valuable and interesting 

works of beauty and technical 

prowess. But more importantly, 

through the process of making art, 

they have been challenged to think 

creatively, critically, problem solve, 

and be more empathetic. The variety 

of work was testimony to boys 

as makers and thinkers. 

The evening was topped off with 

sumptuous cheese and wine, and an 

award ceremony for the top 5 artworks 

on exhibition, in each grade. 

It was an evening filled with laughter, 

pride, creativity and fun. 

Nicci Kurz 


Cultural - Media 

This term kicked off on a high note 

with the amazing On Cue Productions 

team performing their hilarious 

Around the World in 80 Days. 

The Grade 1-7 boys were able to 

sit back and enjoy the play, based 

on the classic by Jules Verne. 

On the 15th of September, we had 

another fabulous Reading Breakfast, 

celebrating Roald Dahl’s birthday. 

Boys had to dress up as their 

favourite Roald Dahl character or 

book, and the creativity was endless! 

Families shared breakfast 

goodies as well as good books with 

each other and also shopped at the 

wonderful Book People’s book tables 

for some new reads. We once 

again had a Stop-Drop-Read activity, 

at random times through the day, 

where boys had to sit down where 

they were and read until the signal 

was given to carry on. 

Part of our Reading Breakfast activities, 

was the Revolting Rhymes 

competition for Grade 3-7. Boys 

love Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes 

and had to come up with their own 

masterpieces. The winners were: 

Grade 3: Oli Bouilliart, Connor van 

der Walt and Khashane Maenetje 

for their revolting gum rhyme 

Grade 4: Milo Thornhill-Davis for 

his revolting spider rhyme 

Grade 5: Ben Workman for his revolting 

Humpty Dumpty rhyme 

Grade 6: Cameron Fleming for his 

revolting fantasy-literature rhyme 

Grade 7: Winston Bailey for his 

revolting rhyme titled ‘The Tinderbox’ 

Well done boys! 

Hanlie Lombard 


Grade 0 

The Grade 0B boys embraced 

Outdoor Day by taking their 

books and stationery outside, and 

enjoying the sunshine and freedom 

of space. 

Grade 0R had fun creating a pond life freeze. 


Grade 1 

What an enjoyable and exciting 

year in Grade 1. The boys have 

worked so hard, but we still found 

the time to have a ton of fun too! 


Grade 2 

The Grade 2s completed a Homework 

Journal called “My Random 

Act of Kindness” – the boys had 

to choose something kind to do 

to someone they either know or 

don’t. Boys chose to bake a cake/ 

buy a meal/donate something to 

an orphanage. Below are some 

examples of what boys wrote in 

their journals. 

My Random Act of Kindness 

My random act of kindness was baking 

chocolate brownies for Terrence 

and the guards. The reason I baked 

the chocolate brownies was because 

every day they have to stand in the 

hot sun when we get to be in a cool 

classroom. They also have to protect 

us all day. When I gave them the 

brownies they were very happy. 

Ryan Magill 

My Random Act of Kindness 

On Tuesday my mom and I were 

driving home from school and we saw 

a homeless person that we usually 

see when we drive to school. So we 

stopped and spoke to him. He said 

his name was Ernest and he has 

no home and no food to eat. I then 

gave him a blanket we had in the car 

and we bought food for him to eat 

and also gave him some money. This 

made me very happy that I wanted 

to cry. 

Ernest was very grateful and kept 

saying thank you. 

It felt great to give and I want to 

keep on giving to people in need 

because it makes me so very happy. 

Lelo Mofokeng 


Grade 3 

The Grade 3 boys have been learning 

about Egypt in between getting 

ready for the Nativity Play. They 

have done some wonderful story 

starters and developed their writing 

skills. 

As part of their homework, the 

boys made canopic jars that they 

researched and creatively designed. 

Di Wellard 


Grade 3 - Camp 

On Monday the 16th October I 

was going to camp for the first time 

in my life. In the morning right after 

my brother woke me up, I ran out 

of my bed and I ran to my mom and 

dad’s room to wake them up. 

“Dad dad wake up” I said. Right after 

he woke up he said to me “Go 

and shower now” 

Before I could answer my brother 

came in and said it was my turn. After 

I showered I ran to the car. 

When I got to class I gave my meds 

to Miss Wellard. I packed the bus 

and got on and went to sleep. Then 

I woke up and started talking to 

Lwazi and Zuzu about games. 

We got to camp. I was so happy. I 

got out of the bus and got my bag. I 

went to the facilitators and they put 

us in groups. Ater we went to our 

dorms. I was in the buffalo dorm. 

lunch. It was great food. I wished I 

could have it everyday. 

When we had finished eating, we 

went back in our groups. We went 

to the start of the obstacle course. 

Moose told us everything that we 

needed to know. We started with 

the ropes of death which were 

metal. Then we did the log of love 

and right after that we had to crawl 

into the pit of pain. It was like I was 

in minecraft. 

Leruo Chikapa-Phiri 

We went into the hall. The facilitators 

told us their names and the 

reasons for their names. After we 

learnt their names, the facilitators 

put us into new groups. We had to 

make war cries. Moose told us to 

choose a president. The president 

was Ikenna. Then Moose asked 

us who wants to paint the flag. 

Khashane and Jono painted the flag. 

We started thinking of war cries. 

We had 3 options. The first suggestion 

was from Sizwe and I, and the 

last suggestion being from Moose. 

We went with Moose’s suggestion. 

Then it was time for the language 

of the country. Our language was 

pig latin. Everything was ready so 

we went to the hall. I had to say 

what Sizwe was saying but in English. 

After all the groups were done we 

were told to go and get a hat and 

sunscreen. After my camel bag was 

filled with water we went to play 

volleyball. It was the boys vs the 

facilitators and teachers. Volleyball 

was super fun. Then it was time for 


Grade 3 - Camp cont... 


Grade 4 

Gold Reef City 

I went to Gold Reef City with The 

Ridge School. We went inside the 

old mines to learn about Joburg’s 

gold rush. When we got back up 

from the mine tour we were split 

up into groups. My group was Elliot, 

Davrin, Tom and Matthew. We went 

to Nando’s to eat. I had chicken 

wings and a Stoney. I won a prize 

for a game where you hit cans with 

a ball. The prize was a baby Dragon 

Plushi. I named it Dingo. I then went 

on the log ride, it was fun. I got very 

wet. On the way back I sat next to 

Elliot and Dav. Great day! 

Luke Camerer 

Outdoor Teaching Day- 

Writing a descriptive 

paragraph 

The Telkom Building 

The Telkom building shone in the 

colourful rays of the sun. The sound 

of the traffic makes the city feel 

alive with joy and wonder. The sky 

scrapers are filled with busy workers. 

The jacarandas blooming with 

purple are an amazing sight. All the 

radio towers stretch up into the 

brightest blue sky while the birds 

are returning from an exciting migration. 

Sebastian Newton-King 

Outside 

The sun reflected off my book as 

if it was a tiny mirror reflecting 

all the bright sun into my face. I 

could hear the loud leaf blower 

in the distance. I was standing 

with my friends writing the paragraph 

I never wanted to write. 

Instead, I decided to turn it into 

a glorious story. Beside me is one 

of my best friends. In front of me 

is a green bowling machine and 

behind me is there is a beautiful, 

but freezing, pool. There was a 

lot of noise in the distance now. 

Just to the right of me was a hut 

made out of straw. On one of the 

brown benches was an abandoned 

plate with just a few crumbs on it. 

Who knows what its history was? 

I could see a shiny bakkie in the 

distance. The cricket nets were 

open, waiting for the happy sounds 

of boys coming to play. It was such 

a glorious day and I started to notice 

the millions of purple flowers 

all around. As I walked back up to 

class, I realised how much I wanted 

to write this. 

Tom Dewar 


Grade 4 cont... 

The Great Outdoors 

The bright shining sun is reflecting 

off the varnished wood. Birds are 

singing and the leaves are rustling in 

the gentle wind. The grass is bright 

green and is as soft as could be. The 

teachers are calling and the children 

are talking. I can smell the spring 

flowers and the fresh plants while 

listening to the buzzing of the bees. 

I see there is a small bright red fruit 

that has fallen to the ground from 

a colourful tree. I feel the warm 

spring sun shining on me and I can 

see that nature is smiling. 

Kabir Budlender 

Creating the Phases 

of the Moon using 

Oreos! 

Oreos present the perfect opportunity 

for boys to combine their 

love of food with learning about 

the phases of the moon. Although 

for some the temptation became 

too much and the Oreos were 

eaten before the phases were 

complete! 

Erica Kinnear 


Grade 5 

Outdoor Classroom 

Day 

On Thursday 12th October, the 

Grade 5’s participated in World 

Outdoor Classroom Day. In addition 

to the other enthusiastic 

teachers at The Ridge, we joined 

thousands of teachers from around 

the world who are making outdoor 

learning and play part of children’s 

everyday lives. 

The Grade 5’s were tasked with 

a Social Science treasure hunt, 

whereby they had to search around 

the Channon Anniversary Quad 

to find various bits of information 

about South Africa’s heritage. In 

completing this fun challenge, boys 

learnt about the various heritage 

sites within each of South Africa’s 

provinces – from The Cradle Of 

Humankind in Gauteng, to the Castle 

of Good Hope in Cape Town. 


Grade 5 Visit to 

Maropeng 

As part of their learning of South 

Africa’s heritage, the Grade 5s visited 

Maropeng in the Cradle of Humankind. 

The boys learned about 

the history of humans, observed 

many interesting and wonderful 

displays and even enjoyed a fun and 

mildly scary underground boat ride. 



Grade 6 

Maths 

Our Maths programme in Grade 6 

has incorporated a number of “project” 

based learning opportunities 

throughout the year, and this term 

we focused on an outdoor investigation 

around the school, which 

gave the boys an opportunity to 

apply their measurement skills to 

various objects and areas around 

The Ridge. 

Some of the features of the school 

investigated were: 

1. The Periodic Table outside the 

OSIC centre 

2. The Glass Cubes in the OSIC 

centre 

3. The polygons in the Grade 2 

Jungle Gyms 

4. The volume of the school 

swimming pools 

5. The area and perimeter of the 

cricket pitches 

6. The total number of squares 

on the chess board outside the 

Music Block 

7. The height of the bell tower in 

the Channon Anniversary Quad 

(using its shadow) 

October is a beautiful month of 

the year to spend outside, and the 

Grade 6’s thoroughly enjoyed this 

practical learning experience. 


Afrikaans 

Learning in a variety of environments 

turns a routine lesson into 

a memorable experience. 

For Afrikaans poetry, we sat 

around the sunny quad and envisioned 

the sights and sounds 

conjured in the poem ‘Nuwe Jaar’. 

We practiced the rhythms and 

rhyme as we let the words roll off 

our tongues. 

Susan Hughes 

Design and Technology 

The boys participated in a fun and 

highly practical Design and Technology 

program this term. A lot of 

fun was had and the boys learnt 

many practical skills. 


Grade 7 

Grade 7 isiZulu Class 

Project 

Ukwakha iqhugwane – Building a 

traditional beehive hut. 

Little did we know that iqhugwane 

(a traditional beehive hut) has so 

much to teach us. For our 2017 

isiZulu project, we decided to build 

our own. We collected wire, thatch 

grass and very thin wire to tie the 

ends tight. It was such an exciting 

exercise, as we worked outside the 

classroom and breathed some fresh 

air. We also got the opportunity of 

working as a team and realised that 

every member of the team is important, 

no-one is inferior or superior. 

We worked as equals and we 

equally owned our iqhugwane. 

As we finished building a structure 

we sat down and we looked 

at the symbolism of iqhugwane to 

us as The Ridge School community. 

These are the things we learnt 

about. 

The exterior of Iqhugwane 

• The beehive shape gives iqhugwane 

more balance; it’s not easily 

swept away by strong winds 

or waters instead it keeps holding 

– This teaches us that, being 

together and holding hands will 

help us stay balanced, no matter 

the storms, winds or waters. 

• The grass thatch keeps our 

Iqhugwane warm in winter and 

cooler in summer – We need 

to retain that warmth and be 

able to adjust to all situations. 

• The poles and sticks which are 

tied around as the foundation – 

symbolise us holding together 

to make a firm foundation. We 

need to keep holding, otherwise 

the centre will not hold if 

the foundation is weak. 

The interior of Iqhugwane 

• As we sit around the fire in 

a circle we are all on par, the 

distance from the fireplace to 

where everyone is sitting is 

equal and it becomes easy to 

see when one member is not in 

a good space. In this school, let 

us all treat one another equally 

and ensure that everyone is 

reachable. 

• Sitting in a circle also symbolises 

unity and togetherness – We 

need to be united as one family 

irrespective of the fact that we 

are different –instead, we need 

to celebrate the fact that we 

are different. 

• The fire that keeps burning at 

the centre symbolises hope to 

every member of the family. 

• It is also a symbol of motivation, 

zeal, passion and determination 

– we as The Ridge family, especially 

the boys, need to display 

all these elements wherever we 

go. To the Grade 7’s, as we go 

out to high schools next year, 

continue to be motivated, show 

that zeal and determination and 

keep achieving the high standards 

of The Ridge School. 

• To the boys who are remaining 

at The Ridge School – keep that 

fire burning, keep the school 

warm, keep doing the right stuff 

but remember this: “United we 

stand! And Divided we fall.” 

SIYABONGA. 

Zaahid Sallie 


Grade 0 Concert 

Rumble in the Jungle was the theme 

for the Grade 0 concert this year. 

The stage was miraculously converted 

into a dense, creeper-filled 

forest, full of wild animals and exotic 

birds. The Grade 0 boys were 

transformed into growling, trumpeting, 

hissing and croaking jungle 

creatures. They loved singing and 

dancing to the jungle songs and recited 

their poems most beautifully. 

Thanks must go to Martin Rousseau 

(the Rousseau twins’ grandfather) 

who spent hours painting the 

magnificent backdrop. Jess Russell 

was instrumental in designing and 

making the set come alive, with 

full size animal cut outs and jungle 

prints. Thank you to all the parents 

for helping their children learn their 

poems and for all the help with the 

costumes. This year we had a bright, 

colourful programme, for the parents 

to have as a keepsake. Thank 

you to Darshan Mistry for compiling 

this. 

This concert was Marilyn Middlewick’s 

last Grade 0 concert with 

The Ridge School and what a triumph 

it was. Thank you, Marilyn 

for all your hard work with our 

boys, over the last 7 years. They 

have enjoyed coming to your lessons 

and the concerts have always 

been a highlight for them and their 

parents. We wish you many more 

happy concerts and musical times 

in the future. 

The Grade 0 Team 


Junior Prep Nativity Play 

The end of the year always sees the 

appearance of the baby in a manger, 

stars shining so bright and of 

course angels in heaven! 

This year we also had a special 

guest appearance of Mrs Herod! 

Who would have thought that she 

was left out all this time? 

The theme of this years Nativity 

was “Light” which also saw a new 

addition of Prophets of Lights and 

Rays of Light. It incorporated Diwali, 

Hanukkah and the usual stars! 

Although it was slightly different, 

the message of peace and goodwill 

remains the same. The wonderful 

Christmas story reminds us of the 

importance of family and friends. 

Di Wellard 


STEAM 

STEAM has been a highly successfgul 

initative at The Ridge, and consequently 

found the school has 

been the focus of a few articles 

tnat have appeared in various publications. 

Over the next two pages 

is an adapted article from one of 

these publications: 

STEAM: Equipping learners 

with a mindset fit for 

the 21st century 

How relevant is the current curriculum 

to the rapidly changing world of work? 

Primary school learners are headed 

for a future for which jobs have not 

yet even been invented. How do we 

prepare them for the unknown? 

Some educators are saying the answer 

is in developing specific life skills. An inquiring 

mind, resilience, creative problem 

solving, collaboration and self-confidence 

will allow learners to adapt to 

and thrive in any environment. 

to the real world. This year the Grade 

5s have had to use recycled materials 

to build a transporter that could 

feasibly navigate the terrain on Mars. 

They’ve designed and filmed their own 

scientific experiments for their own 

Myth Busters episodes. They created 

3D warrior masks and then coded a 

narrative about them using a software 

programme. 

The boys document everything on 

their iPads to share with their peers, 

and the groups meet up at end of the 

session for reflection on what they 

each learned, their frustrations and 

what they enjoyed, and to gain each 

other’s input to improve their work. 

What has surprised Science teacher, 

Anton Pretorius, most is “the complete 

learner investment.” He says, “It was 

as if they were craving something like 

this. They’re so invested in what they’re 

doing. The majority are genuinely putting 

their heart and soul into each 

project.” 

This year, The Ridge Preparatory 

School in Johannesburg put STEAM, 

the next evolution of STEM learning 

(which integrates Science, Technology, 

Engineering and Maths) into action. 

STEAM is all of these disciplines, but 

with Arts and Design at the centre. 

“We’re working with the child’s whole 

being, not their left or right brains 

separately,” says The Ridge’s Head of 

Visual Arts, Nicci Kurz. “These subjects 

are actually all interconnected. We see 

them as stronger together than apart.” 

“The thing I look most forward to is 

definitely building,” says Thomas Clucas 

(11). “We get to be boys – having 

fun building things and getting dirty.” 

STEAM is highly practical, project-based 

learning that develops 

multiple skills. The project themes 

are often topical and always relate 


STEAM 

Teachers walking the talk 

The six teachers running the programme 

at The Ridge are living the 

STEAM philosophy themselves. They 

are not trained in STEAM but are “going 

by feel” and adjusting the process 

as they go. “We came in completely 

cold at the beginning of the year and 

relied only on hard work and motivation,” 

says Anton. In the same way that 

the boys need to be adaptable and 

open to new ways of doing things, art 

teachers have had to learn about coding 

and maths, and science teachers 

about colour and aesthetic proportion. 

to be seen, but having the fundamental 

values of creative, exploratory 

thinking and curiosity will surely help 

them in the long run – and potentially 

help make the world a better place. 

“We’re only getting better at it as we 

gain more experience,” says Anton. 

One thing is for sure - The Ridge’s 

Grade 5s will be continuing with 

STEAM in Grade 6 for 2018, because 

for them, there is no going back. 

Failure is part of the process. 

“The boys have got to make their own 

mistakes, and we have to let them 

make them. This is how we develop a 

growth mentality, so that there is no 

fear of failure,” she says. “Innovation 

happens when we are faced with a 

problem,” says Nicci. Of course, failing 

is not always comfortable or enjoyable. 

“The Myth Busters project was my 

best. It was extremely challenging. We 

wanted to see if Mentos and Coke 

could self-modify in a vehicle,” says 

Tom. “We failed eight times. But after 

getting it right, the feeling of success 

– I love it so much. Then reflecting on 

it makes you even happier with what 

you’ve done.” 

“As teachers, we have had to really 

let go,” says Anton. “We have to give 

them the freedom to do what they 

want. Some learners have been extremely 

ambitious … Generally teachers 

struggle to let go and watch them 

fail, but it’s vital to the growth mindset 

process.” 

Will it catch on? 

At The Ridge, learners are beginning to 

see the bigger picture – a more holistic 

and connected view of things. Whether 

this will result in changes to high 

school curriculums before they reach 

that point in their education remains 


Market Day 

The Grade 7 Market Day initiative 

gives boys the opportunity to show 

off their entrepreneurial skills. The 

boys were tasked to sell at least 

one durable product, as well as 

other products of their choice, and 

many of them opted to sell food 

and drinks. Our eager and enthusiastic 

boys were tasked to sell their 

wares to The Ridge community, ensuring 

that they take into inconsideration 

their different target audiences: 

boys, parents and staff. 

After the initial excitement of the 

task, the boys were woken to the 

realities of what it is to run a business 

and the difficulties faced when 

selling a product in a very competitive 

market. During the 5-week 

project the boys understood the 

importance of advertising, managing 

a budget and the value of team 

work. The boys got the opportunity 

to demonstrate and develop 

these vital skills in a fun and exciting 

manner. 

On the respective Market Days, 

the atmosphere was lively and energetic 

and it was lovely to see our 

Grade 7 leaders manage their project 

so wonderfully and efficiently. 

Boys from all the grades supported 

the Grade 7’s and it was fantastic 

to see the boys engage with each 

other so happily. 

The Grade 7 boys would like to sincerely 

thank The Ridge community 

for supporting them so generously. 

The profits made will go towards 

the Grade 7 gift for 2017. 

Urvasi Naidoo 


The Ridge Golf Day 

The 2017 Ridge Golf Day was 

another successful event on the 

school’s social calendar in aid of a 

worthy cause – Salvazione Christian 

School. This year approximately 

100 golfers took to the 

sublime Parkview greens to enjoy 

an afternoon out with friends. The 

fourball alliance competition meant 

that great team spirit was exhibited 

at all times as each team battled 

to claim bragging rights at the 19th 

hole. The weather was once again 

on our side as the summer rains 

stayed away and allowed the field 

to finish what turned out to be a 

glorious and relaxed afternoon of 

golf. 

Once again, I would like to thank 

our generous sponsors who assisted 

greatly in reaching our target of 

R80 000 over the past two years. 

Most importantly, thank you to the 

golfers on the day for taking time 

off work and your busy lives to 

make the event possible. The 2018 

golf day will take place in early November 

so please look out for the 

invitation soon. 

Joe Kotwal 


Class of 2012 Assembly 

The Grade 12 Assembly (Class 

of 2013) was yet again a great indication 

that Ridge Boys not only 

achieve incredibly well at college 

but they will always cherish their 

roots. 

This year 42 boys out of a possible 

57 arrived from all over the country 

to reignite bonds with past class 

mates, connect with former teachers 

but also to simply give thanks to 

an institution that never said goodbye 

but rather good luck! 

The assembly was an opportunity 

for The Ridge to encourage and 

support our class of 2013 as they 

take on the challenge of their final 

exams but also to honour them 

one last time as they venture into 

the world. 

Each Old Boy received a Ridge engraved 

pen from a Grade 1 boy to 

remind of where they started. 

Joe Kotwal 

Old Boys Cricket Game 

The annual Old Boys Cricket match 

against St Peter’s Old Boys took 

place at the beautiful CCJ Auckland 

Park cricket field on 7 October. 

Following a stiff defeat in 2016, The 

Ridge team sought to even out the 

scoreboard and did so in emphatic 

fashion dishing out a 6 wicket win 

in a rain shortened game. 

St Peter’s elected to bat first and 

scored a competitive 142 for the 

loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 

20 overs. Although chasing at 

just over 7 to the over may have 

seemed a tall order it proved to be 

about 30 runs short as The Ridge 

team strolled to victory in 16 overs 

with 6 wickets in hand. Lunch followed 

the completion of the game 

just as the heavens opened up and 

washed away the remnants of what 

went on that day. 

The St Peter’s team have vowed to 

avenge this defeat as we return to 

their home ground next year. This 

rivalry will only continue to grow 

as both sets of Old Boys rekindle 

fond memories of playing for their 

school. 

Joe Kotwal 


Lumo Dance 

The Lumo Dance was held by The 

Ridge PA on 6 October 2017, with 

boys and girls from The Ridge and 

our extended school communities 

in attendance. The dance is a 

fundraiser in support of Salvazione 

Christian School, which offers 

cost-effective, quality education to 

children from the Slovo Park informal 

settlement and the surrounding 

areas. 

The weeks leading up to the dance 

saw a buzz of activity with Mums 

from the PA organising everything 

from décor to drinks, music to 

merchandise, and fabulous food 

vendors. The boys had the opportunity 

to add their favourite songs 

to the playlist prepared in advance 

for the DJ. 

On the day the children, and indeed 

some parents, arrived dressed in 

their brightest luminous gear which 

they supplemented with fantastic 

accessories purchased at the Lumo 

merchandising stall. 

While the children had fun and 

danced in the Nicolson Hall, parents 

socialised outside in the carpark 

on a pleasant spring evening. 

A special thank you is made to the 

vendors that supported the Lumo 

Dance, who either discounted their 

services or donated a percentage 

of their profits to the fundraiser. 

They are Tony Main (Purple Plate 

Catering), Lilly Js River Café, Sushi 

Bus, Beerhogs, and DJ Duane. 

Jenny Henderson 


Grade 7 Leaver’s Dinner 

On the 1 December, the school 

celebrated the Grade 7 Leaver’s 

Dinner. A fanatasitc evening was 

had by all. Below is an extract from 

a speech made by Matthew Botha, 

one of the Grade 7s. 

Good evening Mr Stanley, teachers, 

pupils, mums and dads. 

As you have just heard I was born and 

lived in the United States. I came to 

South Africa on holiday in December 

2011 to visit family and I have been 

living here ever since. So what can 

happen in 6 years, twelve cabinet reshuffles 

for a start. But for me they 

have been 6 years at the most amazing 

school where I have made wonderful 

friends and participated in an 

array of activities from freezing movie 

nights on the field to a nativity play 

with a dish towel on my head. During 

this time we have developed both 

physically and mentally into the fine 

young lads you see before you tonight. 

Before I came to this school I had categorically 

declared two things 

• I will never go to a school 

where l would sit at a desk, unlike the 

school I was attending in the US 

• I will never wear a school uniform 

The Ridge had a different idea for me. 

However, once I was smartly dressed 

in that uniform I wore it with pride 

as I still do to this day. In fact at my 

first civvies day I refused to to wear 

“civvies” and chose to go in uniform. 

I was probably the only one wearing 

a uniform that day besides the lonesome 

few who forgot. I truly loved the 

uniform, it gave me a sense of belonging 

and made me feel accepted by my 

classmates. And as for a desk school, 

who would choose any other? 

We as pupils at this school have so 

much to be grateful for, so much to 

be proud of and so many people to 

thank. How far would we have come, 

how many lessons both in and out of 

the classroom would we have learned 

without our precious teachers? These 

amazing people have guided us 

through tough times and given us fond 

ones. They have inspired us, they have 

looked after us, they have disciplined 

us and most importantly they have 

been like a family to us. They have 

taught me to use my brain, which according 

to the controversial Woody Allen 

“it’s my second favorite organ” 

For all this, on behalf of all the boys 

I would like to thank all the teachers 

and coaches for everything they have 

done for us during our magnificent 

time at this one of a kind institution. 

I would also like to thank those that 

have been with me by my side through 

this journey, my peers. Most of us have 

been together for at least 6 years and 

through the bonds of friendship we 

have made many wonderful memories. 

There is so much more than the daily 

grind of lessons, such as the camaraderie 

we share on the sports field, the 

wonderful and exciting tours we have 

shared as a group and the immensely 

disappointing social injustices of ZuluDesk. 

The dynamic that exists within 

this group is a healthy, supportive one 

with good people who uplift one another 

and drive each other. Whether 

you are academic, sportsman, artist or 

musician we have mutual admiration 

for one another. 

It has been an incredible honor to 

know and be able to connect with all 

of you. For some there will be final 

goodbyes next week but the memories 

will remain and I wish you all the best 

for your future at whichever college 

you have chosen. I don’t think there 

is one of us here tonight that won’t 

admit even to himself that he will miss 

this place. 

And so to the class of the hour – THE 

RIDGE SCHOOL CLASS OF 2017, 

I would like to say thank you for 

the amazing lifetime memories and 

friendships made. 

Although I still say gras instead of 

grass I am now firmly a part of this 

vibrant African nation, the school and 

my peers have played a major role in 

this transition. 

We have been privileged to attend The 

Ridge and have been blessed with a 

fantastic, holistic education. Remember 

that Success will not come to us 

rather we must use the tools we have 

been given, take the opportunities we 

are presented with and chase our 

goals and dreams. We can only truly 

show our gratitude to our parents, 

teachers and friends through our actions 

in the years to come. 

I leave you these words adapted from 

Dr. Seuss 

“So, Be your name The Egg, Potato, 

Jimmy Nutron, 

Khaya Zondo, Keshav Maharaj, Hog 

Rider, Stoney or The Rat 

We are all off to Great Places! 

Today is our day! 

Our mountain is waiting. 

So let’s get on our way!” 

Thank you 

Matthew Botha and his dad, Jean 

Botha 


Grade 7 Leaver’s Dinner Photos

T3 HORIZONS 2017

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