Academic, Bulletin

Matric Results – 2019

The results are in!

There was a wonderful atmosphere on our beautiful Union High School campus earlier today (Wednesday, 8 January) as the Class of 2019 gathered in reunion and celebration.

The 70-strong Class of 2019 was Union’s biggest Grade 12 class since 2015!

Of these 70 learners who wrote the recent NSC examination, 64 passed. (This is also the highest numbers of matriculants for Union since 2015.)

Our top performers for 2019 each achieved 3 distinctions in their respective subjects:

They are: (in alphabetical order)
• Megan Doyle (Accounting, Life Sciences and Life Orientation)
• Sanja Du Plessis (Accounting, Afrikaans FAL and Life Orientation)
• Micela Loock (Afrikaans FAL, Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation)
• Jenna McNaughton (Afrikaans FAL, Life Orientation and Music)
• Peter Watermeyer (Accounting, Afrikaans FAL and Life Orientation)

The following learners each achieved 2 distinctions:
• Ethan Gedult (Afrikaans FAL and Life Orientation)
• Christine Harris (Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation)
• Zintle Maki (Afrikaans FAL and Life Orientation)
• Rashieda Mali (Life Orientation and Tourism)
• Liano Naidoo (Afrikaans FAL and Life Orientation)
• Chevonne Prinsloo (Life Orientation and Tourism)
• Lunga Zantsi (Life Orientation and Tourism)

In total, our Class of 2019 produced 48 A-symbols collectively, with 66% of the learners qualifying for entry to study towards a bachelor’s degree.

Union High School would like to express its sincere gratitude to all the members of staff who played such an integral part in the education of the Class of 2019 over the past 12 years.

They have, as always, provided a superb platform for the learners to achieve to the very best of their abilities. A special word of thanks is also extended to the families of every single one of our learners for their steadfast support throughout the learners’ years of study.

Although we are disappointed that our pass rate for the NSC examination has dropped from 96% in 2018 to 91,4% in 2019, we remain, as always, very proud of our learners and wish them all of the very best as they embark upon an exciting future.

Bulletin

Welcome Daisy!

Union High School is delighted to welcome exchange student Daisy Sears to our campus this term as part of the school’s annual Salisbury Exchange Programme.

Upon her arrival in South Africa, Daisy was warmly welcomed by her host family, Jacques, Bronwyn, Tara and Aidan Ferreira.

Daisy will spend the next couple of days getting to know her host family, before starting her term at Union on Wednesday, 15 January.

Union extends a very warm welcome to Daisy! We trust that her time at our school and in our country will be a truly memorable one.

Cricket, Sport Results

Annual Senior Cricket Festival

Union High School hosted another successful edition of their annual Senior Cricket Festival from Thursday, 9 January to Saturday, 11 January.

Ten teams, including Edgemead High School, Queen’s College Boys’ High School, Milnerton High School, Nico Malan, Framesby, Stirling High School, Brandwag, Muir College and Daniël Pienaar, participated.

Over the course of three days there were a number of high team scores, some big hitting from the batsmen, quite a few big wicket hauls from the spinners and plenty of smart cricket from the captains.

• Union’s 1st XI faced Edgemead High School on the first day of the festival in a 50-over game.

Union batted first and scored 184. Jaden Brotherton (58) and Brett Amsterdam (51) were Union’s top scorers.

Edgemead then went in to bat and was bowled out for 91.

Bowlers Jaden Brotherton took 5 for 18 and Brett Amsterdam 5 for 31.

Union won the match by 93 runs.

• On Friday, Union faced Queen’s College in a 50-over game. The visiting team batted first and scored 231.
Union’s top batsman was Jaden Brotherton, who took 2 for 30.

Union then went in to bat and unfortunately only managed to put 73 runs on the board. Queen’s College won by 158 runs.

• In their last match of the festival, Union faced Milnerton High School in in action-packed T20 on Saturday, 11 January.

Union went in to bat first and scored 98. Top scorers were James Pienaar (19) and Brett Amsterdam (35).

Milnerton then went in to bat and scored 99 for 6.
Jarrod Naudé took 2 for 14. Union lost by 4 wickets.

Bulletin

A Stalwart Retires

At a special staff function held at Union High School earlier today (Thursday, 28 November), special tribute was paid to Mr Rory Sullivan who will be retiring at the end of this year.
Not many people in life truly shape who we are. But, over a career spanning several decades, Mr Sullivan was one of those exceptional individuals who managed to shape, nurture and impact the lives of thousands of young learners in the most remarkable ways.
Mr Sullivan embarked on his career in teaching after matriculating from Union High School in the famous year of 1969.  Prior to accepting a post at his alma mater, he taught at Grey Junior and Victoria West High School.  It was in 1980 that Mr Sullivan’s long association with Union – not as a learner or as a talented sportsman – but as an enthusiastic educator, commenced.  Shortly after being appointed at the school, Mr Sullivan also took up the position of Superintendent of Barnard House.
In 1989, Mr Sullivan decided to take a break from teaching.  Fortunately for Union, the little word “however” crept in and he decided to yield to the pull of education and returned to teaching in 1996.
In 2003 he took a leap of faith and accepted a post in Abu Dhabi. He also had the privilege of coaching rugby in the USA during 2004.  After his sojourn overseas, he, once again, returned to Union where he has been at the front of the classroom, teaching ever since.
For those who know Mr Sullivan, a very important word in his vast vocabulary is, of course, rugby!  Although he is regarded as an exceptional coach of multiple sporting codes, rugby is where he shines the brightest. His passion for the game is almost tangible.
You would be hard pressed to find someone better able to recall all the amazing memories made on the rugby fields at Union – the scores, the moves, the tries, the lows, the highs, the best and the worst. They say memory fades as the years go by but Mr Sullivan continues to astound his colleagues when he takes a trip down Rugby’s memory lane.
Now, as he heads into retirement and begins a new chapter in his life, we wish Mr Sullivan a wonderful retired life ahead!  In reality we know that this goodbye is not really goodbye – we’ll be saying hello often as he continues his association with the school as Herby Arnott House’s Superintendent.
Bulletin

Clothing Shop Hours

Please take note:

The Union Schools’ Clothing Shop will be open from 08:00 to 13:00 up until Tuesday, 3 December.

On Wednesday, 4 December, it will only be open from 08:00 to 10:00.

(From Monday, 2 December, as a result of the marking centre at UHS, all visitors to the Clothing Shop must please enter the school grounds through reception at the main building.)

• At the start of the 2020 school year, the Clothing Shop will be open on Monday and Tuesday, 13 and 14 January, from 09:00 to 16:00, after which regular times will resume.

Bulletin, Student Life

Last Matric To Finish

Union’s 2019 Headgirl Jenna Mcnaughton, who wrote Music P1 and Music P2 on Wednesday, 27 November, is officially the last Union matric to finish this year’s Grade 12 NSC examination.

Not to be outdone, Jenna also kicked off her shoes at the Bruce Maree Gates, adding to the heap of shoes already donated by the rest of her matriculating classmates yesterday.

Read more here: http://www.unionschools.co.za/2019/11/27/matrics-donate-shoes/

Bulletin, Hockey

Nedstar Ambassadors

Congratulations to Micela Loock and Jenna Mcnaughton on being selected as Nedstar Hockey’s newest brand ambassadors.

These two exceptional girls (who will be matriculating this year) have each appeared in 134 matches for Union’s 1st hockey team, with Jenna serving as the team’s captain this year, assisted by Micela as vice-captain.

In addition to representing the EP u/18A side at an interprovincial hockey tournament this year, they have inspired many young hockey players to follow in their footsteps and prove that passion, combined with hard work and determination make great accomplishments possible.

We can’t think of two girls more worthy of this accolade.

Union extends its thanks to their coach Mr Alvin Denzil August for guiding them this year. We also extend our deepest appreciation to Mrs Ina Conradie Botha of the Karoo Hockey School for her commitment to developing their talent and for introducing them to the Nedstar brand.

Bulletin, Student Life

Matrics Donate Shoes

Matrics step up to donate shoes

Deeply rooted in Union High School’s history, is a culture of caring and a sense of social responsibility.

It is therefore only fitting that the end of a Union High learner’s journey is marked by a final act of service.

Continuing a tradition that has been practised for several years now, many learners of the Class of 2019, after having completed their final exam today, left their school shoes behind to be donated to those less fortunate.

Bulletin

PnP Trolley Dash

At the end of the third term, Union High School launched a Trolley Dash fundraiser in partnership with the local Pick n Pay.

Hundreds of raffle tickets were sold over the following months and on Friday afternoon, November 15, the three lucky winners were announced.

This afternoon (Sunday, 17 November) at 17:00, the three winners, Zaré Grobler (3-minute dash), Phillida Kingwill (2-minute dash) and James Rose-Innes (1-minute dash) gathered at Pick n Pay to take part in the trolley dash.

The winners were joined by Mrs Lou-Anne Gerber’s very excited Grade 6G class and their parents. The Grade 6G class sold the most raffle tickets and were therefore invited to join in the fun!

With the encouragement of the Grade 6 class, winners were running through the aisles of Pick n Pay, filling their trolleys with whatever their heart desired.

After checkout, the winners made off with an array of goodies including giant boxes of Lindt chocolates, specialty coffees and meat.

Cheryl Waddelow from Pick n Pay then also allowed Mrs Gerber, class teacher of the Grade 6Gs, with the very excited encouragement of her class, to have a 30-second dash for an end-of-year class party.

Eats and drinks were also offered to all who attended.

Union High School wishes to thank Pick n Pay for their generosity in sponsoring this fundraiser.

It was great fun for all involved!

Bulletin

Boreholes For UHS

As Graaff-Reinet finds itself facing a crippling water crisis, Union High School is another step closer to achieving water security for the school and its boarding houses.

The regular water interruptions that the town has been subjected to lately, meant that the school often found itself without water.

With hundreds of learners in its care, the situation proved to be unacceptable.

With the support of the Union High School Development Trust, plans were made to develop and secure alternative water sources to augment the supply to the school and its boarding houses.

After a viable groundwater source was confirmed at the back of Herby Arnott House, a borehole was commissioned, and after R&D Drilling successfully sank a borehole, water was struck on Monday afternoon, 11 November, at 60m which is delivering a good blow yield of 15 000l/hour.

The yield from this borehole should be sufficient to supply the school and its boarding houses with water, putting a stop to water shortages at the school.

Union is also in the process of cleaning and fitting PVC sleeves to the existing borehole at Arthur Kingwill House.

Union is very pleased to be in a position which will soon see us break the school’s dependency on the municipal water supply.

An added benefit of the borehole, is that the water usage of the school and its boarding houses will now be much more cost-effective, making it more affordable for the school, and in the end, the school’s parents.

Union extends its thanks to the Union High School Development Trust, with Mr Derek Light at the helm, as well as to Danie Verwey of R&D Drilling.

Our sincere gratitude is also extended to Mr Kallie Venter and Mr Mark Hudson for their support, assistance and enormous efforts in this regard.

https://www.facebook.com/unionhighschool/videos/447090689279714/