The 2021 School Year is in Session!
Students listen to headmaster David Handyside at their first day of school assembly.
The Ubuntu School's first day back was filled with eager students ready to take on any task thrown at them. The first day took its time coming due to the Covid lockdown restrictions, but it finally arrived and the School is now free to make its mark in 2021.
The first day of school isn’t easy. Students and teachers need to test the waters and get their heads back in the game. It’s no different at the Ubuntu School, where ambitious people are trying to mentor the next generation of leaders in South Africa. The new year means new challenges and new people to guide you. Starting a new school year can feel daunting: being in a new grade with a new system and having to get to know the new teachers takes courage.
Ase is ready to take on Grade 11!
We dive into Grade 11 student Asemahle Sawuka's shoes as he relates how his first day of school did not go as planned. "It was like playing a football match: you start a bit rusty but gain intensity as the match progresses," he states as a way of explaining his state of mind towards the first day of school. Maybe he wasn’t mentally prepared to be back at school yet, but he’ll get there as it becomes routine again.
From L to R: Shaakir, Kehl, Enrique, and Jordan.
The new year also brought us new matrics [grade 12 learners] with the hunger to chase their dreams no matter what. Their names are Jordan Katnis, Enrique Jacobs, Kehl Lee Smiler, and Shaakir Ahmed. These four students are excited to make a difference and it was apparent on their first day. Jordan said that he was ready to 'ace' this year and states that he is the trendsetter when it comes to confidence in the group. These students may be excited for a great year ahead but their reactions were priceless as they realized that Grade 12 is no joke: they received homework on the very first day of school.
Mr. Gallagher with his Grade 7 class.
Ubuntu is made up of people from various communities, cultures, and completely different worlds. In fact, one of our new staff members hails from Liverpool. Mr. Gallagher, who teaches Grade 7, plans to change his classroom environment for the better. "I want to build a relationship with the students so that they know that I am here to help them flourish," said the Liverpudlian. His vision is to create a place where the students feel safe to make mistakes and grow. Mr. Gallagher intends to accomplish this by building relationships with the boys based on trust so that he can be a father figure away from home. Like his students, he was a bit nervous on the first day: he didn’t know exactly what to expect, what with being in a foreign country and only having been at the school twice before. Not to worry though, the boys fell in love with him the moment they heard his accent!
We can’t wait for an exciting year of learning and growth ahead at the Ubuntu School! Stay tuned to hear more news and stories about the boys who are set to take South Africa by storm.
