What's the Latest on Holy Cross School

Another school year has just finished with a wonderful concert offered by the children to the monks and staff of the monastery on the last day of school. They regaled us with many songs and Christmas carols coming forth from good strong voices. Ntombekaya Myeki, their teacher, conducted them under her commanding gaze.

As you can see from our website galleries, the construction of the new school building is progressing quite nicely. The roof is now on the building, the ceiling is almost completed and much of the tiling and painting is finished. As the building is taking shape, our excitement about the children's new place of learning builds too. At the concert, Br. Timothy asked one of the children, "Where will school be next year?" And the child blurted out with great glee, "In the new building!" That says it all.

A new member of the school's staff, Pumi Magwa-Bobotyani, has joined us as our Child Care Worker. She will also be working with the children sponsored by the Scholarship Fund and their families. Pumi has had much experience working with disadvantaged families, particularly in the Alice area, and has had social work training. She will be going to the homes of the children, assessing the home situation and helping us with particular and extraordinary needs of some of the children and their families. She is also aware of resources in the area and will make referrals when necessary. She is going to be a great help to us in ways that we can only imagine.

The other wonderful news about the school is that it has finally been registered with the Eastern Cape Department of Education. It was a long wait, but the Department seems supportive of the school. As we were told by the person in charge of the Independent Schools section of the Department, we would be the only free independent school for disadvantaged children in the Eastern Cape.

The Trustees of Holy Cross School have had their first meeting and the excitement generated by the school is obvious in the energy and enthusiasm exhibited by the Trustee members. At that meeting, officers were elected, appointments of the principal, teachers, other staff, attorneys and financial institutions were approved and an update was given by Br. Robert James, the principal, on the school. This report sparked a flow of many other creative ideas and possibilities. We are so pleased to be working with this group of dedicated people.

A meeting took place at the monastery on the 4th of December 2011 for parents of new children joining the school in 2012. We will invite all the parents to meet both Pumi and the new Grade R teacher, Joyce Teyise, on the 15th of January 2012.

Thank you to all who have helped us financially, morally, with advice and with your prayers. With all of this support, we keep seeing more and more things fall into place. We believe we are doing something that God wants for the children and families of this rural area of Grahamstown and for our monastic community.

   

back to the News page