New name and logo, acting principal for school

Ivypark Primay School has added three new members, Natasha Nolte, Elwin Mussmann and Chaney Holtzhausen to their existing teaching personnel.
Nolte, formerly with Tzaneen Primary School, will be in charge of English Home Language in grades 6 and 7, Mussmann will be responsible for Mathematics and Social Sciences in grade 5 and 7 while Holtzhausen will offer lessons in Computer Literature in all the grades.
Last Thursday the school announced the appointment of Douw Grobler as acting Head Senior Phase, Ilse Strydom, acting Head Foundation Phase and Willem Opperman as acting Principal.
Opperman who joined the school in 2006 from Chris Hofmeyer Primary School said he was looking forward to the new challenge.
He will act as principal until former incumbent of the position Jaap van der Westhuizen, who retired last year, is replaced. “I am happy with my new position and I am looking forward to an exciting venture.”
He also mentioned that they will introduce African languages at the school in Grade 1 starting with Sepedi. “We have already advertised an adhoc post for a Sepedi educator. We want to start with Sepedi because the majority of the learners at our school are Sepedi speaking and we are looking forward to make these changes,” Opperman said.
He also clarified that the school will no longer be referred to as Laerskool Ivypark but Ivypark Primary School stressing that the new name was part of the changes. “It was a collective decision and everybody was involved in the process including the school governing body. We did this because English is offered as Home Language at the school.”

Story and photo: Herbert Rachuene
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