Thank you to all those who could attend the Family Braai on Saturday. It was wonderful to make contact again and to get to know some of our new parents a little better. There is no doubt that the ‘ice breaker’ effect of the Karaoke for the grade 8s and other newboys in the House was successful. In comparison to previous years the performances on the whole were a lot better and more entertaining with the exception of Warren and myself!

I am desperately looking to regenerate our House Parent Committee as we need volunteers from the grade 8, 9, 10 and 12 dorms. As it stands at the moment we only have Kate Nebe (11) on the Committee. I would like to hold a committee meeting next Tuesday at 6pm for all those who would like to make themselves available. Please, please contact Kathy on 0724637085 or kdimbleby@bishops.org.za if you would like to make yourself available for the committee.

The House Committee is responsible for House and charity fundraising, parent social functions, House aesthetics and general House affairs from a parent perspective. We meet on average twice a term, once at the start and again at the end.

The boys have been practicing and training hard for the inter-house athletics on most evenings and the sudden demands on their fitness has taken its toll on some of the boys who are physically exhausted, but luckily for them this year the relay and sports day are a lot earlier (two weeks) than in the past. Relay Sports is this Thursday starting at 4pm and Sportsday the following Saturday. Traditionally we have always had a lunch after Sportsday and I will give you more details about this early next week. We are looking at changing the format slightly of the lunch. This year, as I have mentioned previously, we are looking to win the Triple Crown ( relay, sportsday and heats week) for the third consecutive time. I cannot remember a boarding house in the past achieving this feat so it is really something the boys are going flat out to accomplish. We certainly have the ‘gees’ and spirit to do so, but will need luck to also go our way on the day.

Yesterday the boys played their first cricket house matches and both sides won. The stars were for the juniors; Daniel Lombard(9) who made 61 in 25 balls and Siya Qamgwana (8) who took four wickets. The seniors beat School House, always a delight, and the stars were mainly the bowling pair of Matthew McGregor (10) and Michael Foxcroft (12) who took 5 wickets each. Brandon Wheeler and Kris Otto (both 12s) saw off the bowling with some definitve batting. We won both games comfortably so well done to all the lads.

Breaking News is that Warren will be breaking into the 50s on Thursday so in advance, I wish him a fantastic birthday!

Can I also remind you of our policy for boys going out with other boys over the weekends.

• Every Thursday lunchtime the boys’ weekend exeat arrangements are recorded on a spreadsheet by Mrs DImbleby. The relevant information is: day out; day back; destination; contact number (if necessary).
• Every Thursday evening this spreadsheet is emailed to parents, so that they can check that they agree with the information that was given by their sons. Any problems or changes need to be addressed by the parents with either Warren or myself depending who is on duty.
• If any arrangements change after the exeats have been published, parents should notify the housemaster via email, phone or sms, so that the spreadsheet can be updated for the information of the weekend duty master.
• Every Friday the weekend exeat spreadsheet is printed and is then used as the roll call list by the weekend duty master.
• If a boy is due to be taken out by someone other than his parent(s), we record the host’s name and contact number in the “destination” and “contact number” columns on the spread sheet.
• When a boy is invited to visit a friend for the weekend, he should inform his parents and get their consent. They should confirm with the hosting parents and inform me that all is in order via email or sms. ONLY once I have this information will your son be allowed to go out for the weekend. If not, he will have to stay in. He must confirm with me at lunch of Friday that he has consent from you.
• “Bunking in” (when a boy returns to the house over the weekend without informing the housemaster) is strictly disallowed and a school disciplinary offence.
• If arrangements change during the course of the weekend, parents can simply inform the master on duty via sms.
• Boys returning on a Sunday must do so before roll call time at 21:00 or inform the housemaster that they will be coming in later, if unavoidable.
• Boys returning on Monday morning must be back in time for breakfast at 07:15.