And we are BACK!

South Africa has seen a steady decline in active Covid Cases for 31 consecutive days. We are grateful for the positive direction in which the statistics are heading. However, we ask of the whole Queen’s College team (Parents/Guardians, Learners and Staff) to be disciplined in observing Covid regulations and precautions.

We also want to take a moment to keep all who have lost loved ones to Covid and other causes in our thoughts and prayers. May their souls rest in peace.

We are extremely excited to be able to welcome our boys back to school this week. We have been advised that Minister Angie Motshekga will be addressing the public during the course of Sunday, 14 February 2021. Should the Minister inform us that all learners can return to school at once, we will continue to platoon for at least the first week of school. The platooning of the boys coming back to school was set out in detail in my letter to you last Friday, 5 February 2021. As in 2020, (and due to the Covid19 pandemic), if your son is unable to attend school, then you are required to formally apply in writing to the Department of Education for his exemption for a certain period of time. Parents who need to apply for this exemption should contact the school on 045- 8394188 and request the relevant application forms from the respective Grade Secretaries.

A new Academic Timetable has been drawn up, which our boys will follow from 07:30 – 13:30 each day. A copy of the Timetables (Grade 10 – 12) and (Grade 8 – 9) have already been uploaded onto D6 and your son’s Grade WhatsApp group. The Timetables will be emailed to parents as an attachment with this newsletter. A poster was also uploaded onto each Grade’s WhatsApp groups for the boys to see where their classes need to be at break each day so that social distancing can be observed under the watchful eyes of our staff. It will also be uploaded onto D6.

ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL:

Boys should be punctual. They are to screen through their designated entry point at school between 07:00 - 07:25. Thereafter, all gates and entry points will be closed and boys will be sent home should they arrive late.

Please ensure that your son knows which entry point he is to report to on the days when he is at school. In this regard, please refer to the Entry Point schedule at the end of this letter.

We request that boys wear a proper mask at all times. No buffs and broken/ineffective masks may be worn. The school provided 2 face masks to each Queenian in 2020 (as well as a face shield). In 2021, each new boy will also be provided with 2 face masks, which needs to be marked with a permanent marker or sewn-in name tag.

APPEARANCE AND UNIFORM: Your son must ensure that his haircut is neat and according to the school’s Code of Conduct. The same applies to his uniform. Grades 9 – 12 are to ensure that their blazers are clean, have 2 buttons, with only the top button done up on the blazer. All Queenians are to ensure they are wearing regulation grey socks, the shirt with the badge on the pocket and correct grey trousers. Only a PLAIN brown or black belt may be worn. Any incorrect belts or belts with flashy and/or large buckles will be confiscated. New boys will have name badges ordered for them at no cost (they will take a couple of weeks to arrive). All other Queenians are to ensure that they wear their name badges on their blazers. If your son has lost his badge, he needs to pay R30,00 to the Bursar’s office and a new name badge will be ordered for him. A reminder that only the QC School Bag may be used for school books (as per my Newsletter 3/2020 in December – in the Newsletters folder on D6 for ease of reference); and only the QC Sports Bag may be used for sports kit.

2021 COVID19 QUESTIONNAIRE:

Despite return of the Questionnaire being due by noon on Wednesday, some questionnaires remain outstanding, notwithstanding phone calls to parents requesting the submission of these forms. Your son will not be allowed entry into hostel on Sunday; the school on Monday (Grade 12, 11, 10); nor on Tuesday (Grade 8, 9) until such time as the Questionnaire has been submitted. The whole point of this exercise is to ensure that we maintain a Covid free campus and we urge all parents and guardians to complete and submit this questionnaire as soon as possible if you have not yet done so.

TEXTBOOKS AND STATIONERY:

We shall be pleased if you would ensure that your son has a 2021 Homework diary, which is available from our official stationery Stockist, Spectra; as well as most supermarkets and other stationery outlets.

I confirm the contents of my Newsletter of 15 December that we received a welcome surprise in the form of stationery packs. All New Boys will receive their stationery packs on Monday and Tuesday next week; as well as all existing Queenians who did not receive stationery packs when collecting their end of year reports.

The Bookroom will be open for your sons as follows:

Monday 15 to Wednesday 17 February 2021 1st and 2nd break; and after school until 13:45 A list of books still available from the book room has been uploaded onto your son’s Grade WhatsApp group.

SPORT

Non-contact sport will commence on Monday, 15 February. The Sport practice schedule has been uploaded onto your son’s Grade WhatsApp group, D6 and is emailed with this newsletter. Please be advised that the training sessions are limited to groups of 10 per session, with Covid19 protocols in place.

GENERAL

The 2021 School Calendar has been amended. The Calendar will be emailed as an attachment to this letter; and has already been uploaded onto the D6 App.

Grade WhatsApp groups – many boys are not bothering to read the messages etc on their Grade WhatsApp groups. We understand that on some days many messages are sent, but they are informative and necessary. Academic timetables including the new timetable effective from 15 February 2021 Google Classroom Codes for all Academic Subjects, Cultural and Sporting Activities RCL Voting process Sport practice timetable commencing 15 February 2021 Reminders (many) about submitting the Covid19 questionnaire

Important notifications – both from the Grade Heads and the Headmaster have all been uploaded onto these groups. We wish you a wonderful and healthy weekend. Stay safe and strong.