{"id":110850,"date":"2016-01-18T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-18T07:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/110850\/school-bell-rings-on-new-academic-year\/"},"modified":"2016-01-18T10:46:40","modified_gmt":"2016-01-18T08:46:40","slug":"school-bell-rings-on-new-academic-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2016\/01\/18\/school-bell-rings-on-new-academic-year\/","title":{"rendered":"School bell rings on new academic year"},"content":{"rendered":"

The city was abuzz as children across Germiston took their seats behind their desks and kick-started the new academic year, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Children were eager to start learning and staff ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.<\/p>

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Tears of joy and a few of sorrow were also shed as new Grade Ones started their school careers.<\/p>\n

For the most part it was smooth sailing as schools were well prepared.<\/p>

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The GCN chatted to some of the city\u2019s principals to see how the first day of school went.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first day was very busy, but very good,\u201d said Afrikaanse Ho\u00ebrskool Germiston\u2019s principal Retha du Toit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe welcomed 189 Grade Eights to the school, the most we have ever had, and are still expecting more.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are ready to get the year started.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hosted our orientation a week before school started so we were able to start classes straight away on our first official day of school,\u201d said Neville Workman, principal of Assumption Convent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThough we did have the normal first day stresses, we were able to handle any problems that presented themselves easily and without hassle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deputy principal of Dawnview High School, Tommy Stoltz said the first day back went very well, with the students all in class and working.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are ready for the new academic year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first day back went very well,\u201d said Renee Goosen, deputy principal of Germiston High School.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe day started with a visit from a pastor who offered the students encouragement for the year ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Grade Eights also wrote their first sets of assessments on their first day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very happy with how the year has started.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jannie Jordaan, principal of Ho\u00ebrskool Vryburger High School, said that the school\u2019s first day ran smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had the students sorted and in their classes and started handing out text books all on the first day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are ready for the new year and look forward to getting classes underway,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Rondebult Secondary School\u2019s secretary, Ina Templeman, said the first day back went very well, with no hassles and nothing they couldn\u2019t handle.<\/p>\n

Sizwe Secondary School\u2019s acting principal, Aaron Nkambule, said: \u201cEverything went well except that we are faced with a challenge due to the fact that three of our teachers handed in their resignations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Germiston South Primary School also got off to a good start.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe held our orientation day, the day before and all the rules and activities of the school were explained to parents and new pupils,\u201d said Lanette Fouch\u00e9, principal of the school.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur parents are very enthusiastic, which is very good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laerskool Delville kick-started their year well.<\/p>\n

Adriaan Fourie, the principal of the school, said: \u201cIt was wonderful.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone was settled in quickly as we had done our preparation thoroughly beforehand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eric Roux, principal of Alston Primary School, echoed these sentiments and said that their Grade Ones had already started on Monday and Tuesday, so that by the time the official first day came they were settled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe took in a record number of Grade Ones this year, a total of 320,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Galway Primary School\u2019s principal, Ri\u00ebtte van den Berg, also said their school had experienced no problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was one of the best starts to the school year we have ever had,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Ithembelihle Lsen School also had a good start.<\/p>\n

Principal Leonor Ngozi said that everything was going well and classes were on track.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur day is running smoothly, our teachers and students are ready for the year ahead,\u201d said Sunnyridge Primary School principal Marianna Odendaal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a lot of students but are able to cope with the numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The only problem the school had to deal with was the unexpected arrival of children from different schools.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a mix-up with their transport and they were mistakenly dropped off at our school but we made arrangements to take them to their own schools,\u201d Odendaal explained.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a new year, filled with new challenges for Laerskool Oosterkruin.<\/p>\n

The school welcomed a host of new pupils including its first English Grade One class.<\/p>\n

Laerskool Elsburg\u2019s principal, Marius van Rensburg, said: \u201cEverything went very well and ran smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe orientation held the day before helped Grade One pupils to familiarise themselves with the facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eunice Stockton, deputy principal of Colin Mann School, told the GCN that everything went well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a funny incident where the door of Sandrisha Govender\u2019s class would not open.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was also her first day with us, so the children had to go play while the door was opened.\u201d<\/p>\n

The schools are all looking forward to a great academic year.<\/p>\n