New principal at Crawford Lonehill hopes to create leaders

Crawford International Lonehill is excited to welcome its new school principal.

Reinhard de Klerk was previously the headmaster of the Ruimsig campus and hopes to get to know the community and the school’s learners.

De Klerk, who started his journey of education as an IT teacher, has shown a great amount of passion for being an educator and what working with children can do.

“I love growing young individuals because I believe, as educators, we have a very important role to play in creating the leaders that will change the face of this country,” he explained.

“I like to call it the hidden curriculum, in which it is important that we do create adults who understand the world they are in and the role they play.”

Since starting at the school, De Klerk said he has been enjoying walking around and getting to know the staff and learners, and even joining in different classes where different matters in the world are discussed.

The principal, who described himself as an introvert, spoke about what he enjoyed about being in the position with regards to meeting new people and helping them grow, learner or staff member. “Working as a teacher gave me a chance to work with the children. That aspect is still the same. But working with the teachers and adults is also a highlight.

“I get to think about how I can get them to be successful leaders. Seeing how they are, and getting to see how we can make them better than what they are.”

When discussing goals for the school he has, De Klerk chuckled at the goal of making Crawford International ‘one of the best Crawford Colleges’.

“Aside from that is to really engage with the executive councillor body of the school, and maybe have a tea with them as well. I’ve found that you always get a good feel for the school from the learners.”

He concluded, “I want to attract learners to come to the college. I also want to have a great relationship with the parents as well, with stability and trust.”