Month: Oct 2022

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On Friday, 21 October we formally said goodbye to the Class of 2022 during our annual 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗬.

We wish the matrics all the best as they approach the end of their schooling journey!

𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘪𝘨, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦.

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𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 to junior music students, 𝗞𝗶𝗿𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 (Grade 5), 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲 (Grade 5) and 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘂 (Grade 7) who successfully passed their recent Rockschool Graded Music Exams with aplomb!

Kira passed her Debut Contemporary Exam with Distinction (90%), Curen also passed his Debut Contemporary Exam with Distinction (91%) and Liso passed his Grade 1 Contemporary Exam with Distinction (91%).

𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴!

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The school badge is the graphical symbol that represents an educational institution and the values it aims to inculcate in its learners. 𝗜𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀.

It expresses something true and inherent to the tangibles that the school offers and with time it becomes a shorthand for the quality of school and its associated education.

How do school badges arise? Most of the time they’re a product of history and legacy.

The design of Union High School’s badge, known as the A.E. Puttick badge, dated 1927, was at the time guided by the schools’ origins, bearing in mind the school’s imagined future, while conforming to the societal conventions of the time.

While the badge in itself consist of a collection of graphics and colours, each a unique response from the people setting up the school – their answer to the question of what does a school represent – The Union Flag featured in the badge, in particular, is representational of the Union of South Africa being part of the British Commonwealth of Nations at that time.

But, no matter how much time, effort and thought is put into it, 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘣𝘢𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦. They all evolve with time, changing societal conditions, and most importantly, how learners take home their memories of what their school badge means to them.

Today, based on the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-lingual composition of the learners at the school, Union is a microcosm of the community around it.

Very few schools can actually claim this and it is this very fact that charges Union with being an agent for social cohesion within the community, by promoting a greater understanding of cultural diversity among its learners.

And, as Union doesn’t operate in a vacuum, it is influenced by the happenings in the community and in-turn the school has an impact on the town it inhabits.

Union therefore has an important role to play in nurturing the community to be socially inclusive. We are in a position to build bridges between different cultural perspectives. This can be done in an atmosphere of shared learning, within the safety of the school grounds in the first instance, but also through reaching out to the wider community, and through making small – but impactful – changes, such as a change to the design of the school’s badge.

While there’s a 100 years of legacy locked up in Union’s badge, we can’t ignore that it doesn’t serve to truly represent the entire school community in this day and age.

The South African national flag represents a converging of paths, the merging of both past and present. It represent a synopsis of the country’s vexillological history and current political realities. It represents a compromise, the binding together of all sections of the people in one common sentiment.

𝗜𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Including it in our school badge, will make a monumental difference to the badge’s ability to unify the learners and school community it represents in that it will truly serve to be an accurate reflection of our school community going forward.

We hope that with a bit of time it comes to be an image that learners, parents and staff invest their pride in, a badge that represents and connects the incredible little community of the Union Schools.

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Launched in 2012 in Graaff-Reinet, the non-profit organisation 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 has been creating awareness, uniting communities and raising money for those afflicted with cancer for the past 10 years!

In honour of their 10th anniversary as well as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet has wrapped the trunks of about 40 trees lining the school’s sidewalk with a pop of pink material to show our support of this worthy cause.

We 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 and neighbouring schools to share our message of support and help raise funds for those affected by Cancer by wrapping their trees in pink for the month of October!

Locals can 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 by purchasing Pink Trees for Pauline merchandise at Hello You in Somerset Street, Graaff-Reinet.

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After a three-year hiatus, Union Preparatory School, Graaff-Reinet’s wildly popular 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 “The Wild Karoo Auction” is back and will this year be held on Friday evening, 4 November.

This year’s offering will include many exciting auction lots – there will be something for everyone!

𝘼𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚 (but is not limited to): accommodation packages which vary from luxury retreats to self-catered getaways; top-class trophy safari packages; biltong hunting packages; livestock and live game; original artworks; professional photo-shoots; dining experiences; collectors wine and a variety of awesome products and services.

𝘓𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿’𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀.

Those who have never participated in this auction are encouraged to give it a try – it’s an exciting way to support a good cause and enjoy a bidding war against friends.

𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭’𝘴 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 – 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴.

“The Wild Karoo” is a unique fundraising event for Union Preparatory School and the school would like to extend special thanks to all the contributors and sponsors for their support and generosity – without which this event could not be a success.

𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 for the gala event are available from each of the Union Schools’ front offices and from Tyremart Fitment Centre in College Road.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘯@𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘰.𝘤𝘰.𝘻𝘢 

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This Saturday evening, 15 October, will see Union High School’s most glamorous night of the year being held – 𝙩𝙝𝙚 2022 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡.

The school extends an invitation to all those interested, to attend the official 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖 𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 being held on the school’s Puttick Field prior to the event.

Come and watch as the youngsters make an appearance, emerging in their red carpet worthy outfits from rumbling hot rods, Italian exotics, supercars and the classics, to the dazzle of camera flashes, cheering and ululating crowds.

• 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘙30 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘔𝘳𝘴 𝘌𝘭𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

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𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺

As of Tuesday, 11 October, Union High School boasts probably the most modern science classroom in the Eastern Cape.

The recently refurbished classroom was unveiled to learners and staff at the start of the 4th term and, going forward, will help create many a “wow moment” in education for Union’s learners.

As the school’s Physical Sciences classroom and laboratory was decades old, 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧, 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚.

“Our dream was to convey the study of chemistry and science with as much enthusiasm as possible. It is so much easier with the right tools, technology and infrastructure,” said Mr Langmead, Union’s Governing Body vice-chair. “What we now have is a visually stimulating high-tech space, where we can place special emphasis on experimental learning, enriched by media and electronic support.”

𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙣. It is light, embracing, crisp, and colourful. The space celebrates the spirit of science and chemistry, the cobalt blue, the flame of the Bunsen burner, the array of the periodic table, and the endless chains of chemical compounds.

It is geared perfectly for practical demonstration. This is further complimented by an interactive digital teaching screen with excellent audio features. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣’𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚.

The feedback from learners and staff has been extremely positive and all are tremendously excited about this new addition to the school’s campus.