{"id":142216,"date":"2017-01-15T07:01:00","date_gmt":"2017-01-15T05:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/142216\/bell-rings-on-new-year\/"},"modified":"2017-01-15T15:04:27","modified_gmt":"2017-01-15T13:04:27","slug":"bell-rings-on-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2017\/01\/15\/bell-rings-on-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Bell rings on new year"},"content":{"rendered":"

The city was abuzz with excitement as children across Germiston started the new academic year, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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

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For the new Grade Ones and Grade Eights beginning new chapters in their school careers, there were tears of joy and a few of sorrow.<\/p>\n

For the most part, it was smooth sailing as schools were well prepared – with any problems that arose, being handled quickly.<\/p>

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The GCN chatted to some of the city\u2019s principals and visited a number of schools, to see how the first day of school went.<\/p>\n

Primrose Primary School<\/a> was full of the sound of children\u2019s chatter, with the school\u2019s grade ones extremely excited to start their first year of ‘big school’.<\/p>\n

There were a few tears, but for the most part the children were happy and ready to tackle the year; and although the day was busy, the school got off to a good start.<\/p>\n

Acting principal of Wychwood Primary School<\/a> Linda van Schalkwyk said: \u201cWe\u2019re happy with how things are going; the day has gone smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grade ones at Laerskool Die President <\/a>were thrilled to be at big school, where principal Sybrand van Dyk could hardly contain his excitement, as he welcomed old and new students to the school for another year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish all the students and teachers all of the best for the year ahead,\u201d van Dyk said.<\/p>\n

Laerskool Delville<\/a>\u2019s principal was very pleased with the running of the first day.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is running smoothly; it’s fantastic,\u201d said Adriaan Fourie.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to do your planning properly and prepare for the day – and everything will run smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have around 170 Grade One learners this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Germiston South Primary School<\/a> principal Lanette Fouch\u00e8, told the GCN that although the first day was busy, they managed to pull through and have a successful first day.<\/p>\n

\u201cParents were also present and wanted to know if their children were okay, which is fine – as they have their children\u2019s best interests at heart,\u201d said Fouch\u00e8.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to accommodate, answer and assist them, as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the Grade Ones got lost this morning, because they didn\u2019t come to yesterday\u2019s orientation day and didn\u2019t have their name tags \u2013 so I also had to go and place them in the right classes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dinwiddie Primary School got off to a good start, principal Gail du Preez said: \u201cAll went well; the grade ones have settled and the school is functioning and teaching is already on track.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Roux, principal of Alston Primary School said: \u201cOur first day was good. We’ve enrolled 300 new Grade Ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been no problems and our school has shown massive growth, with a total of 1750 students.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe look forward to a positive year.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was excitement, laughter and a few tears, as Laerskool Oosterkruin<\/a> welcomed their new grade ones.<\/p>\n

The school\u2019s principal Chris Kruger and all of his staff were in high spirits, welcoming children and parents to the school.<\/p>\n

Colin Mann School\u2019s principal Marina le Roux said, \u201cThe first day back ran very smoothly with very few tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately the lack of capacity at Germiston schools continues to be a problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany unhappy parents approached the school requesting space for their children.<\/p>\n

\u201cGermiston urgently needs an new English medium school to alleviate this problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Titien Kyamba, deputy principal of Institute Status Acres Secondary School, said that the school was still dealing with an influx of grade ones, but had everything in hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we are busy with our new grade ones, the older children are in class learning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new academic year is in full swing and we are looking forward to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ithembelihle LSEN School\u2019s principal, Leonor Ngozi, said that everything was going smoothly and the school year had started well.<\/p>\n

Classes were in full swing and the school was ready to tackle the new year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still waiting for a few pupils to come back, but otherwise there have been no problems.<\/p>\n

Afrikaanse Ho\u00ebrskool Germiston\u2019s principal, Retha du Toit, said: \u201cWe had a huge number of grade eight learners here on the first day – 204 to be exact\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a positive change, as most learners normally only to come to school in the second week.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re grateful that our year started so well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moeketsie Kolokoto, principal of Dawnview High School, said that the school\u2019s academic year had got off to a perfect start.<\/p>\n

\u201cThough we had a few issues with late registration of some grade eight students, the day has started wonderfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cChildren are in class learning, or on the school\u2019s sports field trying out for athletics,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Principal of Ho\u00ebrskool Goudrif, Marius Mills, was ready to tackle the challenges of the new year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first day back at school is going very well, with no major hiccups,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe children are settled into their classes and we are looking forward to a positive year.\u201d<\/p>\n

School of Achievement principal, Tinus du Preez, was pleased to announce the school\u2019s first day was running smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re all settled and ready to go.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of the children are in their classes and teachers are already teaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re looking forward to the year ahead and hope to improve on our impressive 96 per cent matric pass rate, which earned us a special award.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mandla Cele, principal of Sizwe Secondary School, told the GCN that he was very happy with how the first day back at school was going.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re having a perfectly normal first day of school, with everything going to plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the help of a Department of Education official who’s at the school, we were able to handle any first day niggles before they became a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vryburger High School\u2019s new principal, Ian Olivier, said: \u201cOur first day back at school is going well.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is in place and we are looking forward to a wonderful new year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Primrose High School had a very busy first day, welcoming a new group of grade eights to the school.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve had a very busy but good day,\u201d said HOD Emile Gouws.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe principal and staff are in high spirits – and look forward to a positive year ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was all systems go at Germiston High School: \u201cWe had a smooth first day and a positive start to the 2017 school year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe welcomed a large number of new grade eights (250), while the rest of the grades started classes as per the timetable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is all systems go and we’re looking forward to another great year, especially as this is also our centenary year,\u201d said principal Andr\u00e9 Beukes.<\/p>\n

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