Any school is a huge ‘machine’ with many interlocking cogs and mechanisms which keep it running smoothly. With the Union brand consisting of three schools under one banner – namely Union Pre-School, Union Prep School and Union High School – this amounts to a phenomenal number of people who work both at the coal face and behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. With each school having its own staff and governing bodies and other entities including the Old Unionite’s Association and the Development Trust, it is easy for each committee to lose sight of the roles, ideals, challenges and achievements of the other.
It was with this in mind that it was decided to hold a joint meeting of all these entities during which a spokesperson from each had the opportunity to discuss the following: how each body operates; their vision; their marketing strategies; their interdependency and co-operation with other sectors; their biggest challenges and recent achievements. It was enlightening and heartening to hear what each sector had to say, and just how passionate, professional, dedicated and committed this group of people are to the Union brand.
Four hours flew by as ideas were tossed around, concerns were voiced, decisions were made and opinions expressed – but the overriding feeling about the gathering was the positive energy that is palpable at Union and how, with communication, co-operation and unity, this wonderful school can continue to grow from strength to strength in its bid to become one of the best schools in the country.
Photo: Front row left to right: John Crankshaw (OUA), Wilmari Spence (High school SGB), Jacqui Marais (Pre and Prep School SGB), Derek Light (Trust), Jenna McNaughton (Union High SGB), Doug Stern (Trust), Lionel de la Harpe (Trust), Kevin Watermeyer (High School SGB, Trust, OUA), (Middle rows) Floris Steenkamp (Prep School SGB), Joanne McNaughton (High School SGB), Bronwen Langmead (High School SGB), Lyn Rose-Innes (High School SGB), Leona Rich (Prep School SGB), Amy Louise Swart (High School SGB), Dianne Murray (Pre School SGB), Yvette Cloete (High School SGB), Abigail Gedult (High School SGB), David Langmead (High School SGB), William Pringle (High School SGB)
(Back row) Arland Stanley (Trust), Bronwen Kingwill (Prep School SGB), Jennifer Hope (Prep School SGB, Trust), Dolan Cochrane (Prep School SGB), Mark Hudson (Prep School SGB), George Hope (Prep School SGB), Karin Marais (Trust), Stephen Bezuidenhout (Prep, High School SGB), Anje Vorster (Pre School SGB), Bruce Maree (OUA), Sue Olivier (Pre School SGB), David Stern (OUA), Peter Watermeyer (High School SGB), Donald Kingwill (High School SGB).
