SGB Feedback - SGB Election results

SGB Elections
May I start by thanking the parents who attended the SGB elections earlier this month. Rustenburg was one of the few high schools to achieve a quorum of 15% at its elections. When a quorum is not achieved, the election is postponed and a quorum is not required for the next meeting. This often means that the SGB is elected by a small percentage of the parent body and lacks the endorsement so necessary to be effective. On behalf of my fellow governors I thank you for the faith you have placed in us and hope that we will be able to meet your expectations. The SGB has elected the following office bearers and portfolio holders:

Ms Bekker, Mrs Schnetler and myself are part of all the sub-committees but these sub committees also need the support of the wider parent body. If you feel that you can contribute in any of the above areas then please contact the relevant chairperson or email sgb@rghs.org.za

Vision 2010 and Beyond
We have continued to address the following levers that the Vision 2010 workshop identified as critically important to achieving our vision.

Internal and External Communication
We will begin interviewing for the post of Communications Officer in the 3rd term and we believe that this will make a big difference to the communication processes at the school. The website is now up and running and we have received many favourable comments on it. Many thanks to Graeme Broster and his team for the work they have done on this. We encourage parents, staff, learners and Old Girls to make use of this site. Visit www.rghs.org.za .

Use of Technology
The SGB voted a further R100,000 from parents’ development contributions to purchase new computers and electronic whiteboards for the school. This is over and above the amount designated in the budget and is part of the commitment of the SGB to work with the critical levers identified by the participants in the Vision 2010 and beyond workshop. In addition Graeme Broster is continuing his work to research and then roll out the implementation of best practice in all areas of technology at the school.

Building Projects

• The painting of the Kemp Hall has been completed and in the June holidays the floor will be upgraded. The sloping area at the back of the hall will be replaced by a “stepped” area which will allow us to place desks in this area during exams whilst still allowing for the elevation that the area currently provides. The rest of the floor will also be repaired, sanded and sealed.
• The school shop project has experienced some delays but we expect work to begin shortly. Just to remind you, the school shop will be relocated to the area presently housing the workshop under the drama room. The refuse bins will be relocated to Charlie’s Hope and the shed will be demolished. The courtyard between the shop and the music block will also be upgraded.
• A new working compound has been created in the area next to the lower hockey field and the workshop will relocate there in the next few weeks to make room for the school shop.
• The swimming pool has been converted to a 25 meter pool and has also been resurfaced. It is a vastly improved facility of which the girls can be rightly proud. We will start heating the pool at the beginning of September to prepare the girls for the next aquatic season.
• A number of classrooms will be refurbished during the June holidays as we continue with our programme to systematically upgrade all the classrooms over a 6 year period.

Finances
As I mentioned in my last letter, we have a tight budget this year. We started the year with fees of R605,000 still owing for the period 2006-2008. I am happy to report that this figure was reduced to R202,200 by the end of May. Having said this, there are worrying signs at this stage of the year that our fee exemptions and bad debts will be considerably up on last year and significantly over budget. Whilst it is clear that the economic recession is affecting many, it is crucial that we prioritise our daughters’ education and make every effort to meet our obligations to pay school fees in full and on time. The consequence of parents not paying school fees is that fees will need to increase in order to provide subsidy to cover non paying parents. This is profoundly unfair! The state provides no compensation to the school for any fee exemption that is given and the full cost of this has to be borne by the school. Those parents who have not yet paid any school fees and who are under financial pressure are encouraged to contact the bursar, complete the necessary forms for assistance and to offer to pay as much as they can afford. Parents who do not complete the necessary forms and who fail to pay the required fees will be handed over to our debt collection agency and, if necessary, to our lawyers.

If we want quality education for our daughters we need to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve this. We appreciate the efforts of parents who, despite their difficult circumstances make such sacrifices. We appreciate the commitment of our educators whohave contributed amounts from their modest salaries to provide bursaries to the value of R22,000 for 2 of our learners. We value the generosity of a number of our parents who have already donated R103,000 in voluntary contributions to the school. It is this spirit that has made Rustenburg one of the top schools in the country and it is our hope that every parent will make the effort to keep this tradition alive.

Remember the Vision

Let me remind you of what we are trying to achieve at Rustenburg. Our vision states: Rustenburg – a school of excellence where girls are leading fearlessly, exploring their unique potential confidently and serving the world compassionately. Let us all play our parts to make this vision a reality.

David Newby
Chairperson of the School Governing Body
sgb@rghs.org.za