Covid-19 and Queen's College update 8

As promised, here is my correspondence regarding the re-opening of schools. I hope that this letter finds you all healthy and in good spirits.

The Minister of Basic Education, Ms Angie Motshekga addressed the nation last night. She announced that the schools are scheduled to re-open for Grade 12 on 1 June 2020. However, she did not indicate when other grades will be allowed to return to school. We assume that the Department of Basic Education will implement a phased in approach with regards to the returning of the other grades. Staff will go back to school from 11 May to

prepare the school for the learners.

Our School Management Team and School Governing Body are busy planning and implementing measures to make sure our school is going to be Covid-19 free.

Turning my attention to our e-learning program. The program is an ideal opportunity for our boys to advance their academic development under challenging circumstances. I am disturbed to hear from our staff that some boys do not take part in the program or that their participation is sporadic. This should not be the case. Please help us to make sure your son is attending and participating in all classes. I am going to ask the staff to take roll call at the start and end of each lesson. Should we find that a boy is not attending lessons, we will contact his parents in order for them to assist us in ensuring that their son fully participates in the school’s e-learning program.

Queen’s College is a Great School. We expect top performances from our boys and staff in the classroom. Every invested hour spent on your own education is an hour well spent. Nobody can ever take that away from a person.

Our Old Boys’ Association deserves high praise for the financial contribution made by many Old Boys towards devices or data for boys who were in need thereof. Queen’s College is grateful to these Old Boys for their support of our boys.

Please consult the “Management of Data” letter that was sent out previously for most economic use of data. You will find it on the D6 Communicator and other social media platforms. No Queenian should be disadvantaged in the e-learning program due to a lack of data. If your son is a beneficiary of this program, please encourage him to show his appreciation by sending a thank you video or written note to his Grade Head. However, I do need to stress that the data that our boys receive through the generosity of our Old Boys is not for personal use, but for use in the “online” classroom, which resumes once again on Monday, 4 May 2020.

In closing, we need to work together for the sake of all of our boys’ progression. Please help our teaching staff, by ensuring that your son is actively engaged in the school’s e-learning program, which is in your son’s best interests.

Stay Healthy, Stay Safe and remember to wear your masks if you need to leave your residence.