Liewe Kabouterland ouers,
Soos ons 2023 vaarwel roep, kyk ons met dankbaarheid terug op ‘n jaar vol uitdagings, oorwinnings en baie goeie herinneringe. Ons wil van die geleentheid gebruik maak om vir die Liewe Here baie dankie te sê vir Sy Beskermende Hand wat gewaak het oor ons deur die loop van die jaar. ‘n Reusagtige dankie aan al ons ouers vir julle liefde, omgee en ondersteuning. Baie dankie dat julle ons kies om jul kabouters se tweede huis te wees. Om na die kinders te kyk is vir ons ‘n groot voorreg. Dankie vir julle getroue samewerking met die reël van funksies en vir alle bydraes gemaak deur julle.
‘n Besonderse dankie aan die personeel wat met soveel liefde, geduld en deernis elke dag na die kinders omsien. Julle is almal baie spesiale mense!
Ons het op Maandag, 11 Desember, ‘n dankdiens vir die kinders gehou. Baie dankie aan Lizna Kriel van Hillsong se jeugkerk wat vir ons ‘n pragtige boodskap gebring het. Ons waardeer dit opreg.
Die jaar was vol hoogtepunte vir die kinders, met die Kermis, atletiekdag, kunsuitstalling en konserte om maar ‘n paar te noem. Die kabouters het ook ‘n internasionale dag gehad waar hulle kon aantrek soos en kos proe van verskillende lande. Ons het die kwartaal afgesluit met niemand anders nie as die groot man in rooi wat vir elke kabouter ‘n geskenkie gebring het. Nie almal is altyd so gelukkig wanneer Kersvader die skool besoek nie, maar hulle het die geskenke terdeë geniet en die opgewondenheid was aansteeklik. Onthou asseblief om elke kind se “bucket hat” duidelik te merk.
Ons wil ook baie dankie sê aan almal wie ons partytjies ondersteun. Dit is vir ons heerlik om elke partytjie mooi te maak vir die spesiale maatjie en dan die groot opgewondenheid op hulle gesiggies te sien. Indien julle nog nie vertroud is met Kabouterland partytjies nie, gaan loer gerus op ons webwerf www.kabouterland.co.za en kliek op die verjaarsdag partytjie “tab”. Onthou julle kan ook geskenke vir verjaarsdae, sowel as die skryfbehoeftes vir 2024 by ons aanlynwinkel koop. Ons het die skryfbehoeftelyste ‘n bietjie aangepas vir volgende jaar. Elke klas het sekere goedjies wat hulle bring en alles word dan na die skryfbehoefte stoor geneem vanwaar dit deur die loop van die jaar gebruik word vir kuns en allerhande lekker aktiwiteite deur die al die kinders. Die skool vul dan die stoortjie se voorraad aan sodra dit opgebruik word. Baie dankie aan almal vir al julle bydrae.
Op onderskeidelik 24 November en 4 Desember het ons ‘n “gradeplegtigheid” gehou vir die Muise en Ladybirds wat “groot skool” toe gaan. Hier het elke maatjie ‘n sertifikaat, medalje en Bybel ontvang. Wanneer dit tyd raak vir ons om kinders te groet, is dit altyd met so ‘n bittersoet gevoel in ons harte. Ons mis die kinders baie wanneer hulle aanbeweeg, maar wens vir almal voorspoed toe vir die nuwe paadjie wat hulle volgende jaar begin stap. Ons weet julle gaan Kabouterland trots maak en die avontuur van jul lewe hê! Baie dankie aan tannie Vivian en Shannon wat alles ingesit het om hulle gereed te kry vir groot skool. Gelukkig sluit ‘n paar Muise en Ladybirds darem aan by ons Nasorg, so ons sal hulle gesiggies nog sien. Aan al die ander kabouters wat klaarmaak by ons, wil ons alle voorspoed en liefde toewens. Julle kan verseker wees dat ons julle altyd in ons harte sal saamdra. Dit is vir ons baie lekker om ons kinders te sien grootword en te hoor dat hulle sukses behaal waar hulle ook al mag gaan.
Kabouterland het ‘n besonderse span mense wat na u kinders omsien. Ons wil net dankie sê aan elkeen wie elke dag die kinders ontvang, liefhet, versorg en leer. Julle deursettingsvermoë, geduld en motivering maak ons baie trots. Die wete dat julle altyd ons kabouters se belange eerste stel, gee ons die gerusstelling wat ons weet elke ouer nodig het om bedags met ‘n geruste hart te kan gaan werk. Baie dankie aan die span in die kantoor wat sorg dat alles by Kabouterland elke dag glad verloop. Dankie aan tannie Christa vir elke dag se lekker kos, asook vir haar ondersteuning en insiatief wanneer dit by skoolfunksies kom. Haar groentesop bly ‘n groot wenner by die kinders in die skool. Dankie ook aan Reon en Gherswin wie ons werf netjies hou en al die herstelwerk behartig. Ek is ongelooflik trots op en dankbaar vir my personeel. Ek dink nie hulle hoor altyd hoe oulik hulle eintlik is en hoe baie ons hulle waardeer nie. Om kinders te versorg is nie ‘n werk nie, dit is ‘n passie.
Ons klaslyste is nou gefinaliseer. Elke personeellid word spesifiek gekies vir die ouderdomsgroep waarin hulle gaan werk. Daar is volgende jaar ‘n paar veranderinge by die klasonderwyseresse. Daar gaan weer twee Muiseklasse (Muise A & B) wees. Tannie Bernine neem die lysels in Muise A oor en tannie Alta by Muise B. Tannie Vivian word die Ladybirds se nuwe juffrou. Julle het reeds uitgevind in watter klas jul kind volgende jaar gaan wees. Ons doen regtig baie moeite om u kinders in die regte groepie te plaas. Ons neem alle faktore in ag voordat ons finaal besluit watter klas die beste vir hom / haar sal wees. Ons vra dat u asseblief ons besluite sal respekteer en vertrou dat ons elke kind in die klas plaas waar hulle na die beste van hulle vermoë sal ontwikkel. Ons eerste prioriteit is om u kabouters se emosionele behoeftes aan te spreek en dit weeg die swaarste wanneer ons die klasindelings doen. Kom gesels gerus met ons in die kantoor indien daar iets is waaroor julle onseker voel. Ons gaan volgende jaar definitief voort met ons 2 buitemuurse aktiwiteite, naamlik Playball en Monkeynastix, teen ‘n spesiale tarief van R310 per aktiwiteit per kwartaal. Daar is in die eerste kwartaal ook ‘n administrasie- / inskrywingsfooi betaalbaar vir elke aktiwiteit. Meer inligting rakende die buitemuurse aktiwiteite word aan die begin van volgende jaar aan julle deurgegee. Ons bied ook weer die Xhosalessies, Musiek en Beweging en SlimKabouter gratis van die skool se kant af aan.
Die klasse se aktiwiteite is as volg ingedeel:
Bytjies, Hasies, Muise en Ladybirds – doen alle aktiwiteite
Pikkewyne – doen alles behalwe SlimKabouter
Eendjies – doen Playball en Monkeynastix
Karate, Rugby en Dance / Ballerina Mouse sal aangebied word op aanvraag teen volprys. Dankie aan Kim wie al die reëlings rondom die buitemuurse aktiwiteite behartig.
Vir ons Kersprojek het ons op Maandag, 11 Desember, saam met Me Wilma Adams gaan toebroodjies uitdeel in Jamestown vir die maats wat nie so gelukkig is om elke dag ‘n bord gesonde kos op hulle tafel te hê nie. Te danke aan julle kon ons ook ‘n klomp smere, koekies en souse bymekaar maak wat Me Adams deur die loop van die vakansie kan gebruik. Baie dankie vir julle bydraes, dit word opreg waardeer!
Jacolien sal Desember se state en Januarie fakture uitstuur voor ons sluit. Onthou asseblief om uitstaande skoolgeld te vereffen voor u met verlof vertrek. Baie dankie aan almal wat getrou en betyds die skoolgeld vereffen. Dit help ons om al ons verantwoordelikhede na te kom. Indien daar enige probleme is met betaling, kontak asseblief vir Jacolien by accounts@kabouterland.co.za
Let asseblief net weer op dat skoolgeld vooruitbetaalbaar is op die eerste dag van die maand. Onthou ook asseblief om u rekeningnommer as verwysing te gebruik met betalings. Dit is gewoonlik die eerste drie letters van u van met ‘n nommer by (die rekeningnommer is op die faktuur), bv: COE001.
Ons is baie trots op ons Nasorg en wil graag ‘n ekstra besonderse dankie sê aan die Nasorg span wat elke dag sorg dat die kinders by Kabouterland kom, dan weer aktiwiteite toe geneem word en ook help met huiswerk. Baie dankie dat julle so mooi na ons groot Kabouters omsien. Dankie ook dat julle die Nasorg so lekker maak tydens vakansies (Tannie Lameez kom met allerhande opwindende planne vorendag). Ons beoog om volgende jaar oud-Kabouterlanders en boeties / sussies, van kinders wat ingeskryf is by Kabouterland, te akkommodeer by ons Nasorg tydens skoolvakansies. Daar sal egter net ‘n beperkte hoeveelheid plekkies beskikbaar wees en sal dus op ‘n “first come, first serve” basis werk. Meer inligting hieroor is by die kantoor beskikbaar indien enige iemand belangstel.
Dan wil ek graag afsluit met iets waaroor ek regtig passievol is. Gordel asseblief u kinders vas wanneer u bestuur en onthou dat kinders onder 12 nie voor mag sit in ‘n voertuig met lugsakke nie. Volgens navorsing gedoen by die Rooikruis kinderhospitaal, is bevind dat indien ‘n kind uit ‘n voertuig geslinger word, die kans dat die kind sal sterf so hoog as 75% is. Meer kinders sterf a.g.v. trauma as enige ander siekte en die meeste is die gevolg van ‘n motorongeluk.’n Mens moet in gedagte hou dat indien ‘n kind los sit in ‘n voertuig tydens ‘n botsing, die kind soos ‘n projektiel aanhou beweeg teen die spoed waarteen die voertuig gery het voor die impak. Daar is ook bevind dat kinders wat op ‘n skoot van ‘n ouer vasgehou word, geensins veiliger is nie, nog minder indien die kind voor in die voertuig sit. Ek dink ons almal stem saam dat dit nie onderhandelbaar is nie, kinders moet ten alle tye vasgegordel word. Ek weet dat dit soms ‘n groot geveg is, maar byt vas asseblief; hulle raak dit wel gewoond op die ou end.
Ons sluit Woensdag, 20 Desember 2023 om 13:00 en open weer die 9de Januarie 2024 om 07:00.
Dit is my gebed dat elke huisgesin geseën sal word gedurende hierdie feestyd en dat almal weer met nuwe moed en krag 2024 sal aanpak.
Veilig ry!
Kersgroete,
Reana
Dear Kabouterland parents,
As we bid farewell to 2023, we look back with gratitude on a year full of challenges, victories and many fond memories. We want to take this opportunity to thank the Lord for His Protective Hand that has watched over us throughout the year. A huge thank you to all our parents for your love, care and support. Thank you so much for choosing us to be your children’s second home. It is a great privilege for us to take care of your little ones. Thank you for all your cooperation in arranging functions and for all the contributions made by you.
A special thank you to the staff who take care of the children every day with such love, patience and compassion. You are all very special people!
We held a thanksgiving service for the children on Monday, December 11th. A big thank you to Lizna Kriel of Hillsong’s youth church for bringing us a beautiful message. We really appreciate it.
The year was full of highlights for the kids, with the Bazaar, athletics day, art exhibition and concerts to name a few. The children also had an international day where they could dress up as and taste food from different countries. We ended the quarter with none other than the big man in red bringing a little gift to each child. Not everyone is always so happy when Santa visits the school, but they thoroughly enjoyed the gifts and the excitement was contagious. Please remember to clearly mark each child’s bucket hat.
We also want to say a big thank you to everyone who supports our parties. We love making each party beautiful for the special birthday friend and seeing the excitement on their faces. If you are not yet familiar with Kabouterland’s parties, peek at our website www.kabouterland.co.za and click on the birthday party tab. Remember you can also buy gifts for birthdays, as well as the stationery for 2024, from our online store. We’ve adjusted the stationery lists a bit for next year. Each class has certain things that they bring and everything is then taken to the stationary cupboard from where it is used throughout the year, for art and all kinds of fun activities, by all the children. The school then replaces the stock as soon as it is used up. Thank you to everyone for all your contributions.
On November 24th and December 4th, respectively, we held a “graduation ceremony” for the Muise and Ladybirds going to “big school.” Here, each friend received a certificate, medal and Bible. When the time comes to greet children, it is always with a bittersweet feeling in our hearts. We miss the children a lot when they move on, but wish everyone well for the new path they are starting to walk next year. We know you are going to make Kabouterland proud and have the adventure of your life! Many thanks to teacher Vivian and Shannon for working so hard to get them ready for big school. Luckily, a few Muise and Ladybirds are joining our Aftercare, so we’ll still see their faces. To all the other Kabouters leaving us, we wish you all prosperity and love. You can be assured that we will always carry you with us in our hearts. It is very nice for us to see our children grow up and hear that they are succeeding wherever they may go.
Kabouterland has an exceptional team of people who take care of your children. We just want to say thank you to the staff who receive, loves, cares for and teaches the children every day. Your perseverance, patience and motivation make us very proud. Knowing that you always put our children’s interests first gives us the reassurance that we know every parent needs to be able to go to work with a calm heart during the day. Thank you to the team in the office who ensure that everything at Kabouterland runs smoothly every day. Thank you to Aunty Christa for every day’s delicious food, as well as for her support and initiative when it comes to school functions. Her vegetable soup remains a big winner with the kids in school. Thanks also to Reon and Gherswin for keeping the schoolgrounds tidy and taking care of all the repair work. I am incredibly proud of and grateful for my staff. I don’t think they always hear how appreciated they are. Taking care of children is not a job, it is a passion.
Our class lists have now been finalized. Each staff member is selected specifically for the age group in which they will work. There are some changes with the class teachers next year. There are going to be two Muise classes (Muise A & B) again. Bernine takes over in Muise A and Alta is the Muise B teacher. Vivian becomes the Ladybirds’ new teacher. You have already found out in which class your child will be next year. We really go to great lengths to put your kids in the right group. We take all factors into account before finally deciding which class will be best for him/her. We ask that you please respect our decisions and trust that we place each child in the classroom where they will develop to the best of their ability. Our priority is to address your kabouter’s emotional needs and it weighs the most when we do the class divisions. Feel free to come and talk to us in the office if there is anything you feel uncertain about. Next year we are continuing with our 2 extracurricular activities, namely Playball and Monkeynastix, at a special rate of R310 per activity per quarter. There is also an administration/entry fee payable for each activity in the first quarter. More information regarding the extracurricular activities will be communicated to you at the beginning of next year. We also offer the isiXhosa lessons, Music and Movement and SlimKabouter free of charge from the school’s side.
The activities of the classes are as follow:
Bytjies, Muise and Ladybirds – do all activities
Pikkewyne – do everything but SlimKabouter
Eendjies – do Playball and Monkeynastix
Karate, Rugby and Dance/Ballerina Mouse will be offered at full price if there are interest. Thanks to Kim for handling all the arrangements surrounding the extracurricular activities.
For our Christmas project, we went with Ms. Wilma Adams to hand out sandwiches in Jamestown on Monday, December 11th, for the children who aren’t so lucky to have a plate of healthy food on their table every day. Thanks to you, we were also able to gather a bunch of spreads, cookies and sauces that Ms. Adams can use over the course of the holidays. Thank you so much for your contributions, it is greatly appreciated!
Jacolien will send out December’s statements and January invoices before we close. Please remember to settle outstanding school fees before you go on leave. Thank you to everyone who faithfully and on time settled the school fees. It helps us fulfill all our responsibilities. Should there be any problems with payment, please contact Jacolien at accounts@kabouterland.co.za
Please note again that school fees are payable in advance on the first day of the month. Also, please remember to use your account number as a reference with payments. It is usually the first three letters of your last name with a number at the end (the account number is on the invoice), ex: COE001.
We are very proud of our Aftercare and would like to say an extra special thank you to the Aftercare team who make sure that the children come to Kabouterland every day, then are taken back to activities and also help with homework. Thank you so much for taking such good care of our big Kabouters and also for making the Aftercare fun during holidays (Aunty Lameez comes up with all sorts of exciting plans). Next year we aim to accommodate ex-Kabouterland friends and brothers/sisters, of children who are enrolled at Kabouterland, at our Aftercare during school holidays. However, there will only be a limited number of spaces available and will therefore work on a “first come, first serve” basis. More information about this is available at the office if anyone is interested.
Then I’d like to end with something I’m passionate about. Please buckle up your children when driving and remember that children under 12 are not allowed to sit in the front of a vehicle with airbags. According to research done at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, it was found that if a child is ejected from a vehicle, the probability of the child dying is as high as 75%. More children die due to trauma than any other illness and most are the result of a car accident. We must bear in mind that if a child sits loose in a vehicle during a collision, the child continues to move like a projectile at the speed at which the vehicle was travelling before impact. It has also been found that children held on a parent’s lap are by no means safer, much less if the child is sitting in the front of the vehicle. I think we all agree that this is not negotiable, children should always be buckled in. I know it’s a big fight sometimes, but please persevere; they do get used to it in the end.
We close on Wednesday, 20 December 2023 at 13:00 and open again the 9th of January 2024 at 07:00.
It is my prayer that every household will be blessed during this festive season and that everyone will once again embark on 2024 with renewed courage and strength.
Safe travels!
Christmas greetings,
Reana