If the body and mind are a castle, remote work can be a siege, an army advancing on us from all angles. Confined indoors and tethered to an isolated workspace, we face a full-on assault on our wellbeing. Without adequate defenses in place, the city will be sacked. We must protect our body and mind at all costs. 

Thankfully, with the right plan, it is possible not only to withstand the siege, but to thrive.

 

No reason your home office can’t be even healthier than your work office.

In an earlier post on working remotely, we focused primarily on productivity and how to avoid some common pitfalls in the transition to work-from-home. By now, many of us have been working remotely for two or more weeks and have begun to face new challenges, as dreams of healthy cooking and home workouts are replaced by pizza for breakfast and Netflix for dinner. In this post, we will focus on the practical steps you can take to ensure that your remote work lifestyle is healthy and sustainable.

Physical Activity

It starts with movement. For all of us, regardless of fitness level, the biggest risk with remote work is inactivity throughout the day. Even if you spend an hour in the morning doing a high-intensity workout, if you spend the rest of the day sitting down hunched over a laptop, you will not be healthy. A general rule is to get up and move at least once an hour. Schedule periodic breaks to stand up, stretch your legs, and get a glass of water. (Tools like this one can help.) Where possible, take calls standing up.

Your home is your gym, your body your equipment. Your body is all the equipment you need. Start with a few sets of push-ups, squats, crunches, dips, burpees, lunges, and other bodyweight exercises. If you want to spice things up, there are tons of free resources out there, especially on YouTube. Try these videos for yoga, dance, high-energy fitness fun, all of the above, or this full-body 7-minute workout. And remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Start small and go from there.

Have yourself an “exercise snack”. Research shows that very small bouts of exercise, as short as 1-2 minutes, sprinkled throughout the day can actually be better for your health than prolonged, intense workouts. Throw in a set of squats or jumping jacks between meetings or while waiting for the kettle to boil. (Imagine the looks you’d get if you did this at the office — score one for remote work.)

Let me be your motivation. Well not me, specifically, just a person or group who can provide inspiration and accountability. At Nova Pioneer we’ve set up a very active (literally) WhatsApp group called ‘Witness the Fitness’, where we share daily fitness updates and challenges. All Novaneers are welcome to join!

 

Food & Nutrition

Eat proper (and tasty) meals. You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to eat well during the shutdown. The internet is filled with quarantine-friendly recipes that rely on pantry staples. See here, here, here, and here. Consider prepping your meals the night before if you’re worried you won’t have time during the day. Eating proper, whole-food meals can suppress your appetite for snacks throughout the day.

Opt for healthy snacks. If you must snack, go with high-protein snacks like nuts or nut butter, yoghurt, hummus, biltong, or cheese (in moderation) will keep you fuller longer. If you’re craving something sweet, opt for an apple, banana, a cup of raisins, or dark chocolate. You can’t go wrong with anything from this list of healthy snacks.

Monitor your caffeine intake. If you sit for too long, you will feel tired. You may think you need another cup of coffee, but sometimes you just need a short break to stand up and get the blood flowing. Skip the caffeine, which can also exacerbate anxiety.

Drink plenty of water. This is important for hydration and general health and is a good reason to get up from your chair.

 

Sleep

Just do it. Getting sufficient high-quality sleep is the number-one thing you can do to improve overall wellness. For those that find this challenging (new parents, for instance), it’s even more important that you do what is in your control to maximise sleep. Everyone is different, but most healthy adults should aim for 7-9 hours.

Use an evening routine to wind down. In a recent post we recommended a “fake commute” to help you transition into a work mindset at the start of the day. It’s just as important to do the reverse at the end of the day. Give yourself time and space to take your mind off of work and prepare for a restful night’s sleep. Here is way too much information on nighttime routines.

Put your phone and laptop away at least an hour before bed. The blue light emitted by our devices tells our bodies and brains that it’s still daytime, which can disrupt our sleep cycle. If you must use your device(s) before bed, turn on the “night shift” setting, which reduces the blue light they emit.

 

 

Mental Wellness

Follow the above tips. We close this post with mental wellness not because it is less important — quite the contrary — but because it is impacted by everything we’ve already discussed. If you are physically inactive or sleeping or eating poorly, your mental health could very well suffer. On the flip side, if you take care of your physical health, your mental health will likely reap the benefits.

Take a slow morning. When working from home, it’s far too easy to roll out of bed and straight into your work-desk, half asleep and already responding to emails. Try to avoid the temptation to immediately pull out your phone or laptop. Instead, take time to exercise, cook a healthy breakfast, prepare your family for the day, read, meditate — whatever you need to do to get in a healthy headspace.

Get your Vitamin D. Sunlight gives us Vitamin D, and Vitamin D deficiency contributes to depression. Movement restrictions due to COVID-19 may pose a challenge here, but when and where it is safe, get outside for direct sun exposure and/or fill your home with natural light.

Take this free course on ‘The Science of Wellbeing’.

Practice gratitude. What are the things, big or small, that you are grateful for? Try each day to write these down in a journal or share with friends, family, or teammates. Now, this isn’t a cure-all. These are difficult times, and you may have moments or days when you feel anything but grateful. But the practice of gratitude is meant to prepare you to remain positive even in those most difficult moments.

Look for help. If you are suffering from anxiety and/or struggling with your mental health, know that this is totally natural. Have a look at this helpful website created specifically to address coronavirus anxiety. You may also find helpful the resources our psychosocial support team has previously shared. If these feelings do not pass, it is important that you seek help.

Remember that your body and mind are a castle, and defending it takes work. Some days or weeks will be better than others, and that’s okay. But with patience and practice, more than just withstand the siege, you can use remote work as an opportunity to improve your health. Because when will you have another chance to do jumping jacks at the tea kettle?

We are all dealing with new ways of working these days and as we embark on engaging more frequently in the digital arena, virtual meetings have now become a norm — even for sectors and teams where that is not ordinarily the case. As such, we want to ensure that you and your team feel prepared, and that meetings can continue to be joyful and effective.

Here are some simple ideas to support you and your team.

 

First of all – do all the things that make ANY meetings effective

 

Schedule in advance

Check your team’s calendar and schedule meetings in ahead of time. Pick a time that is mutually convenient for everyone who is meant to attend.

 

Assess how much time you actually need

The default setting for most of our calendars is 1 hour, but first assess: do you really need an hour? Or, you need more than an hour? Make sure the amount of time you’re scheduling matches the agenda..

 

Speaking of agendas, have one

We are all busy and have lots on our plates – so make sure that you know what you’re covering in each meeting, and either put that agenda directly in the meeting invitation or go over it at the beginning of the meeting so everyone is clear on what’s being covered.

 

Be clear about next steps: Make sure to end the meeting with deliverables and next steps, when those things are due, and who is responsible.

 

 

5 Tips Especially for Remote Meetings

 

It’s not just what you say… it’s how you say it

Be conscientious of your tone (especially if offscreen) and body language (if video is on). Research says that 55% of communication is body language, while another 38% is tone of voice – we read a lot from what is “unsaid”!

 

Be present!

Everyone can tell when you’re multi-tasking. Yes, when dialing in from the biggest distracting tools (phones and computers), it can be tempting to check email quickly or respond to that whatsapp message. But treat this like any other face-to-face meeting, and stay focused.

 

Start with a checkin and end with a burst

These connectivity rituals can be even more important during a time where we’re working remotely. While this may not be necessary for a shorter, more tactical meeting, err on the side of taking the time to continue to strengthen culture.

 

Pass the baton

If you’re doing a go-around where everyone should answer – ask the person speaking to pick the next person so that sharing happens efficiently.

 

“Oh sorry, I was on mute”

If you’re taking the call from somewhere quiet, no need to keep your mute button on, as people often forget or take time to “unmute” themselves. However, if there’s a lot of background noise where you are, please stay muted unless you’re speaking.

 

Extra Bonus section… some special tips for using Zoom

 

Seen and heard!

Use headphones to prevent interference, and use video (not just audio) if possible, at least at the start of the meeting. If you want to see everyone at once, you can switch to gallery view in upper right corner.

 

Share your screen

Depending on what you’re covering, you may find it useful to share your screen. However, don’t forget to close out when you’re done sharing!

 

Break-out of the norm

Did you know that you can create break-out rooms (how to use breakout rooms) on Zoom? If you need to do a turn-and-talk, or separate a larger group into smaller ones, this feature can be particularly useful

 

And… don’t get caught playing “conference call Bingo”! 

Following the recent announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa in response to COVID-19, all of our Nova Pioneer schools will be temporarily closed from Wednesday, 18 March. We acknowledge the additional pressure this school closure may have on many of our Nova Pioneer families.

Even though schools are closed, learning can and will continue. Our academic team has worked on a learning continuity plan, so that as far as possible student learning can continue remotely during this period of school closure.

 

What does the school closure mean for Nova Pioneer families – students and parents?

Although no one could have anticipated the closures to come into effect so soon, Nova Pioneer’s School Leaders had already begun planning for this eventuality.  Our School Leaders, Learning Design team, and teachers have worked together to prepare remote learning structures and materials for all our students.

Provision has been made for both Primary and Secondary schools for continued learning for our students and depending on their grade level, students will either receive learning packs to be be facilitated by parents or will participate in an e-learning programme facilitated by Nova Pioneer teachers. 

 

Will there be access to Nova Pioneer schools during this time?

The school will remain closed until further notice with the reopening date communicated at a later stage.

We understand that this is an uncertain and worrying time. We are committed to doing everything necessary to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our students, staff and the broader community thus, access to the school grounds will not be permitted from Wednesday 18 March until further notice. 

Nova Pioneer families will receive further communication with more information to guide on critical details pertaining to the school closure. We continue to take guidance from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and Department of Health. We remain committed to ensuring continued communication of the necessary facts with those in our Nova Pioneer community. 

 

Still have more questions?

Should you have any more questions, during the school closure period, please see below contact details for all campuses:

Nova Pioneer Ormonde – Secondary School:  0827154171

Nova Pioneer Ormonde – Primary School: 0825385691

Nova Pioneer Midrand – Primary School: 0717858331

Nova Pioneer Paulshof – Primary School: 0763197589

Nova Pioneer North Riding – Primary School: 0720865527

Nova Pioneer Boksburg – Baby Centre, Tiny Tots, Pre-school and Primary School: 0725222082

Nova Pioneer Ruimsig: 0713089356

Joy of Learning is a culture principle that Nova Pioneer takes quite seriously. Our schools are intentional about creating a joyful atmosphere where children can feel safe to explore beyond the classroom walls.

All work and not play doesn’t make school a happy place to be honest. Thus, more recently, our schools hosted events that allowed students to express themselves through play and fun times. 

 

 

Boksburg: Celebrating the month of love

Our Boksburg Campus recently celebrated Valentine’s Day with a Civies Day. All the students dressed up in Red and White to celebrate the month of love and also painted a love tree using their palm and hand prints. Teachers read out aloud to the students and gave out treats. The students also returned the favour and made their teachers some arts and crafts.

 

 

North Riding: Pyjama Party

With school recently closing for Mid-term break, the North Riding campus decided to let the students have fun and celebrate all the hard work that they have put into the first weeks of schools with a movie and popcorn day. Students came to school dressed up in their pyjamas and watched a movie. There were big smiles all around as the students loved seeing their friends and their teachers dressed up in pyjamas. They enjoyed the cinematic experience of watching the movie in the studio space, sitting on their blankets having popcorn and juice with friends. We call these kinds of moments, priceless.

 

 

 

Paulshof and Ruimsig: Family Picnic 

Outdoor summer fun and kids just naturally go together. No one knows that better than our Paulshof and Ruimsig campuses. Both schools recently hosted their Family Picnics. There is no doubt that technology can cause some kids to spend less time doing things outdoors, therefore picnics are  a fun and healthy way to spend quality time with family members and other children. The events were meant to encourage students to socialise on non-school day and also for parents to get to know one another.

 

 

 

Midrand: Aesthetics to add an element of fun

At Nova Pioneer, we know that learning can occur both indoors and out. An outdoor environment should be a place to run, play, and learn. Outside spaces are very important at our campuses, the operations teams take pride in not only beautifying the spaces but also making them safe for children to explore and play. in. Recently, our Midrand Campus operations team introduced a fish pond at the end of the sensory garden path. The kids were so excited that they even did a countdown as the 4 goldfish were let out free into the fish pond. Pure Joy.

 

 

Nova Pioneer North Riding recently hosted a Parent Instructional Evening where parents got a glimpse of how learning occurs in the classroom. Our parents embraced the school’s learning experience and got a taste of what it feels like to be back in the classroom.

 

 

 

An Engaged Parent = An Engaged Student

Research shows that children of engaged parents perform better in school. We believe that now, more than ever before, parents need to understand the learning process and their roles as partners in their children’s education. We also acknowledge that allowing parents to take initiative on learning-related matters is vital in forging productive partnerships.

 

This session took parent through the physical, social and academic developmental stages of children from ages 0-5. Our grades 000 to R focused on Play Based Learning and parents had the opportunity to play together at some of the fun centers that were set up so that they could better understand how children learn through play.

While our foundation phase grades 1 and 2 focused on coding, where parents were taken through what coding is, why we have it as part of our curriculum and what the benefits of coding are. Parents had fun trying to code some robots.

 

 

Learning can get serious

Admittedly, things got a bit more serious as we saw our grade 3 to 5 lessons focus on the Cambridge Curriculum. At Northriding, our very first grade 4 and 5 classes started this year so it has been a major change from Grade 3. This session was a great opportunity to for parents to learn more about the Cambridge Curriculum, how it works and how they can play a part in their children’s learning. The session was followed by a Q&A sessions so that parents could ask clarifying questions.

 

At Nova Pioneer, we certainly believe that nights such as this one are good opportunities to establish a shared vision for learning and let parents experience learning firsthand. Our presenters for the day included Kobus from our Learning design team; our Ormonde Secondary School Lead Mr T. Opperman; and our Gr R and preprimary coaches Susan and Chantelle, .

UPDATE: “After a lot of debating and gathering of information, our Ormonde Secondary School team has made the difficult decision to postpone theGLXTCH20 event. In the light of the uncertainty around the growing threat of the COVID-19 virus, we felt that, as a school, it would have been irresponsible to continue with the event at this stage. Our team are now looking at a new date later in the year and this will be communicated as soon as we have confirmed with all the artists. Tickets that have already been sold will be valid for the new date.”

 

Nova Pioneer Ormonde Secondary School, in partnership with U-Party, a youth centred organisation that helps schools raise funds, will host its first ever student-run social event. A new date to be confirmed soon.

Well known hip hop artist, A-Reece will headline the event. The social, named GLXTCH20, was organised by Grade 11 students who wanted to create a safe space, free of drugs and alcohol, for them and their peers to congregate and have a good time.

 

 

Do it for the kids

Nova Pioneer Ormonde’s Dean of Students, Ms Ntando Mlilo, says the event will also offer students a platform to show off their talents to their friends and classmates. Opening up for A-Reece will be Costa Titch, Vesh Trippy, Vvsyoucantell, THXBI, MAJORSTEEZ and a surprise MAPIANO artist. 

“Socials in the South of Johannesburg are notorious for being unsafe.  GLXTCH20 will give students, from Nova Pioneer and the surrounding communities, an opportunity to experience a party-like scene in a safe environment,” said Ms Mlilo.

The funds raised through the event will go towards supporting other student-centred activities such as student camps, the school choir tour and others.

 

 

Young entrepreneurs

Through the planning and promoting of the event, U-Party supported students by facilitating the learning of practical entrepreneurial skills such as event production, management and marketing. 

U-Party is on a mission to help schools explore fundraising formulae beyond the traditional kind, while striving to create a safe space where youth can enjoy themselves and develop their social skills.

The event will be held at the Nova Pioneer Ormonde campus and is open to students between the ages 13 to 18 years old.

“The invitation is open to students and children from the community. Our children want to change the narrative on what it means for teens to have a good time. They want a clean party and we as a school have taken many precautions to ensure that their event is safe and a success,” said Ms Mlilo.

 

 

Security concerns covered

SAPS and Metro Police will help on the road and with traffic. While the U-Party team has organised around 20 security personnel to be present on site, the school has arranged additional school security guards to ensure that students are safe.

“We have also organised for a teacher and parent committee to help patrol at the event. All attendees will be searched at all controlled entry points as we want to ensure that all rules are adhered to,” Ms Mlilo confirmed.

Tickets can be purchased at www.glxtch20.co.za. 

My name is Inge Wulff and I work in the Brand and Admissions team at Nova Pioneer. I was also recently chosen to be a Culture Captain for the organisation. This isn’t the role that I first applied for when I joined the Nova Pioneer team but it is the passion project that has helped me find my purpose.

 

The beginning of my Nova Pioneer Journey

I first heard about Nova Pioneer from a former colleague who told me to “apply for a job, I don’t know which job you’re keen on, but culture-wise you are definitely a fit”. She then proceeded to send me a video of teammates dancing to a Beyonce song. 

 

 

I had never seen so much joy in one place, I could not put in an application fast enough. The interview process also gave me a good feeling, as it was much more a conversation than a panel discussion about my employment history.

My friend was right, this was the place for me and much more than before I really wanted Nova Pioneer to hire me. They did and I have now been with the company for two and a half years. 

 

 

After the happily after, you find more joy

What I can confirm, the joy feels as real inside the organisation as it did on YouTube. At first, I couldn’t figure it out, what was the magic sauce of this place?

Was it because they hire people who are passionate about changing lives, maybe it is because there is incredible commitment to providing education that is innovative and collaborative or perhaps because the students display leadership from an early age?

I had no idea, but all I kept telling people was (is) “everyday I am happy at work, maybe not all day and often for different reasons, but I never have Sunday blues anymore” and I began to realize how rare that was.

 

 

 

Demystifying Culture at Work

What is organisational culture? To me, it is every single interaction you have with a company. It is more than culture principles, it is internal communication, rituals, events, everything from hiring to resigning and all that’s in between. Ultimately it is how the organisation treats teammates and how teammates treat each other.

Nova Pioneer is building schools across the continent. Education is a tough business, even if you remove the element of rapid growth. And yet, no stress is visible. Rather, no matter what campus you walk into you feel joy, laughter and positivity. For a while now I didn’t know how, but I absolutely wanted to get involved in building this magic sauce. 

 

 

Becoming a Culture Captain

I did some investigating, some meetings and even some convincing presentations to woo leadership into giving me a shot. Now part of my job involves working with the Global Culture Manager, TC Nkosi, to build organisational culture for the South African team.

Building culture is like creating music, there are so many elements and you need to make sure that the beat, lyrics, percussion and sound are all in harmony. It is also hard to measure success, but you know when the tune (culture) is off. This makes it exciting, challenging and addictive. 

My first task was putting together a dance video (three years after the original one that sold me the company) of our now much bigger organisation. I was terrified, but Bruno Mars and five incredible part-time choreographers (teachers and central team mates) came to the rescue to create some of our own magic/ To me, the energy is palpable and really sums up the ‘gees’ it takes to tackle a task as challenging as educating future leaders. 

 

 

I have no idea if I will be any good at this culture thing, but I am grateful for the opportunity to try out some things that hopefully can also make my teammates happy every day at work. 

 

Every year, swarms of white butterflies descend on Johannesburg during their annual migration from South Africa’s west coast towards Mozambique. Our Nova Pioneer students were recently treated to the wonderful sight of white butterflies flying across the sky and the teachers decided to use it as a learning opportunity.  

 

 

Under the butterfly effect

All throughout the day children were excited and squealing with delight at the sight of the butterflies moving across the Johannesburg sky. They were also quite intrigued as to why there were so many. The different colours amazed the students. They enjoyed trying to catch them some were succcessful, and others not so much. 

Xâtine du Plessis Silk was excited to have caught herself a butterfly. She said, “I thought that it was so beautiful and amazing. It was such an experience I will never forget.”

 

 

 

Learning can happen anywhere

Teachers saw this as a great opportunity for students to take part in learning about the Butterfly Migration and the lesson was taken outside of the classroom. The teachers explained that the event was an annual one and it is commonly known as the brown-veined white butterflies. The butterflies start hatching along the entire coast from Cape Town towards Namibia, then migrate inland in a north-easterly direction, headed toward Mozambique before crossing the sea to Madagascar.

The timing of the migration is dependent on weather conditions, but usually run from late November to mid-February. The brown veined white butterflies are often joined by other butterflies of the same Pieridae family, which had shades of yellow or orange in their colouration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beginning of the year always holds such excitement and promise. It’s been a delight to see our schools abuzz once again with new and returning students. 

We strive to create in our school an inviting environment, in which values are balanced against academic rigour, and where learners are encouraged to realise their potential and to respect their own unique worth as well as that of others. 

 

A time for reflection

As we start this new year – the first of the decade – I am reminded of an extract from a poem I hold fondly close to my heart and it reads:

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the fridge door, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favourite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned that we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, “Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

Extracts from Memo from Your Child ~Author Unknown~

 

These words serve as a powerful reminder, for us as adults, about how we unconsciously role model values and beliefs for our children. Many of the lines of this poem could be easily replaced with teacher-child scenarios…

…..Teacher, when you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give half of your sandwich to Jessica who had forgotten her lunch at home and I learned that I should share more.

Teacher, when you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give Jakes as many chances as he needed to get the answer right and I learned that we should never be afraid of making mistakes….

 

 

Nova Pioneer is about more than just academics

I believe that parents and teachers play a critical role in inculcating these values and beliefs – the cornerstones of building character.

Building character is just one of the ways in which we develop Novaneers who will grow up to shape the world and not just work in it. 

The character of a Novaneer is defined by six mindsets/behaviours that we call our Culture Principles. They challenge us to set high expectations, grow from every challenge, and seek to serve. 

Too many schools are places where year after year, students learn that they “can’t”. I’m not an artist, I’m not a singer, I can’t do science. Or that I dare not risk trying.  

Nova Pioneer however, is the place that year after year, week after week, day after day, students have the opportunity to learn and discover that they ‘can’. That they are fundamentally capable to learn and grow; and to take on the world as optimistic and self-assured innovators and leaders.

We are delighted to have Novaneers back in the classrooms – it was very quiet without them during school holidays!

1. Introduction  

1.1  regulations set out by the Protection of Personal Information Act of 2013  in South Africa and the Data Protection Act of 2019 in Kenya which  r unlawful collection, retention, dissemination and use of personal  information. The purpose of this policy is to assist Nova Pioneer to meet  its statutory obligations. 

1.2 Nova Pioneer will adhere to the requirements and regulations laid out  in this policy across all regions in which it operates (at the time of  publication of this version, this includes South Africa and Kenya) in  accordance with the abovementioned acts. 

1.3 This Policy seeks to protect the personal information of its stakeholders  Pioneer Employees, Students and Parents/Guardians. 

1.4 Nova Pioneer will work to comply with all regulations stipulated by the  Protection of Personal Information Act in South Africa by the prescribed  deadline of 1 July 2021. 

 

2. Application  

2.1 This Policy applies to and is for the attention of all Nova Pioneer across  all regions in which Nova Pioneer operates – Employees,  Parents/Guardians, Students and Third Parties acting as operators who  process personal information within Nova Pioneer. 

2.2 Nova Pioneer will implement educational programmes and training to  ensure all stakeholders comply with this Policy. 

 

3. Definitions:  

Unless inconsistent with the context, the expressions set out in this policy will  have the meanings assigned to them in the glossary of terms applicable to all  policies, procedures, standards and guidelines adopted and published by the  Nova Pioneer Policy Committee (NPPC). The Glossary of terms shall be  available from the NPPC on request.  

The following terms should be understood when reading this policy:

3.1 information relating to an identifiable, living,  natural person, and where applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic  person. Types of personal information collected is listed per data  subject in the policy that follows. 

3.2 a public or private body who determines the  purpose, and means, of processing personal information in their  possession. 

3.3 the person to whom the personal information relates,  meaning a living person or juristic entity such as a company or  institution. 

3.4 refers to any act that can be performed  when handling personal information. POPI defines processing to  include collecting, recording, organising, updating, storing,  distributing, destroying or deleting personal information. 

3.5 an employee of Nova Pioneer that had been  appointed by the CEO to ensure that personal information is processed  in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act. 

3.6 special personal information refers to  information concerning children or the information about a Data  , health, religion, religious or philosophical beliefs, ethnic  origin, trade union membership, sexual life, criminal behaviour or  biometric information. POPI does not permit the processing of special  personal information unless the Data Subject has consented. 

3.7 means any voluntary, specific and informed expression to  grant permission for the processing of personal information by a Data  Subject. 

 

4. Personal Information  

4.1 All data subjects of Nova Pioneer have the right to be notified if personal  data is being collected; request access to their personal information;  object, on reasonable grounds, to the processing of her or his personal  information and to submit a complaint to the Information Regulator  regarding any violation to their rights to have their personal information  protected. 

4.2 Nova Pioneer collects and processes personal information for the  following stakeholders – Employees, Students and Parents/Guardians:

 

4.2.1 Employee Information  

4.2.1.1 Collection: 

Personal information is collected from employees in the  form of information and documentation and includes: 

4.1.1.1.1 Personal details such as name and contact  details 

4.1.1.1.2 Name and contact details of next-of-kin in case  of emergency, 

4.1.1.1.3 Identity information such as race, date of birth,  gender, identity number and proof of  identification, 

4.1.1.1.4 in the case of non-citizens, passport and work  permit details, 

4.1.1.1.5 original records of application and work record  (qualifications, compliance certificates, classes  taught, subjects, etc.), 

4.1.1.1.6 details of any prior criminal records. Nova  Pioneer captures biometric data in the form of  fingerprints for submission of a police clearance, 

4.1.1.1.7 bank account details, 

4.1.1.1.8 information related to employee performance  during their tenure with Nova Pioneer including  promotions, performance management plans,  disciplinary actions, etc, 

4.1.1.1.9 survey feedback solicited from employees about  school culture, operations, facilities, academic  experience, etc. 

4.2.1.2 Use/Purpose: Employee records are kept for the purposes of: 

4.2.1.2.1 the management and administration of school  business, 

4.2.1.2.2 to facilitate the payment of employees, and  calculate other benefits, 

4.2.1.2.3 general human resources management, 

4.2.1.2.4 recording promotions made and changes in  responsibilities, etc., 

4.2.1.2.5 to enable the school to comply with its  obligations as an employer, including the  preservation of a safe, efficient working and  teaching environment, to enable Nova Pioneer  to comply with requirements set down by the  Department/Ministry of Education and other  regulatory bodies, 

4.2.1.2.6 for compliance with legislation relevant to Nova  Pioneer.  

4.2.1.2.7 improving the Nova Pioneer offering through  use of survey results. 

4.2.1.3 Location and storage: 

All employee data is stored within the HR Management  System. Each employee is provided with login access to  the system allowing them to view and update their  personal details as needed. 

 

4.2.2 Student Information  

4.2.2.1 Collection: 

Personal information collected from students is in the  form of information and documentation. It is sought and  recorded during the application and enrolment process  and may be collated and compiled during the course of  the student’s time at Nova Pioneer. 

These records may include: 

4.2.2.1.1 Name, address and contact details 

4.2.2.1.2 Personal identification details – gender, date  and place of birth, ID number and proof of  identification. 

4.2.2.1.3 Names and addresses of parents/guardians and  their contact details (including any special  arrangements with regard to guardianship,  custody or access, etc.), 

4.2.2.1.4 In the case of non-citizens, passport and student  permit details. 

4.2.2.1.5 Information such as religious belief, racial or  ethnic origin, language preferences. 

4.2.2.1.6 Medical/health information such as allergies,  dietary restrictions, sight or hearing conditions,  etc. 

4.2.2.1.7 Any relevant special conditions (e.g. special  educational needs, health issues, physical  disabilities, etc.) 

4.2.2.1.8 Information on previous academic record  (including reports, references, assessments and  other records from any previous school(s)  attended by the student 

4.2.2.1.9 Psychological, psychiatric and/or medical  assessments/forms 

4.2.2.1.10 Permission slips/consent forms, 

4.2.2.1.11 Attendance records, 

4.2.2.1.12 Photographs and recorded images of students  (including at school events and noting  achievements) are managed in accordance  with the Nova Pioneer Student Enrollment  Contract. 

4.2.2.1.13 Academic record – subjects studied, class  assignments, examination results as recorded  on official school reports, 

4.2.2.1.14 Records of significant achievements, 

4.2.2.1.15 Records of disciplinary issues/investigations  and/or sanctions imposed,

4.2.2.1.16 Records of any serious injuries/accidents, etc., 

4.2.2.1.17 Survey feedback about school culture,  operations, facilities, academic experience, etc. 

4.2.2.2 Use/Purpose: 

Student personal information is kept for the following  purposes: 

4.2.2.2.1 to record student progress over their lifetime at  Nova Pioneer such that each student is able to  develop to his/her full potential 

4.2.2.2.2 to comply with legislative or administrative  requirements e.g. LURITS in South Africa, NEMIS  in Kenya, 

4.2.2.2.3 to enable parents/guardians to be contacted in  the case of emergency or to inform parents of  their child’s educational progress or to inform  parents of school events, etc., 

4.2.2.2.4 to support the educational, social, physical and  emotional requirements of each student, 

4.2.2.2.5 to record the achievements, e.g. compile  yearbooks, establish a school website, record  school events, and to keep a record of the  history of the school. Such records are taken and  used in accordance with the Nova Pioneer  Student Enrollment Contract. 

4.2.2.2.6 to ensure that the student meets the school’s  admission criteria including minimum  academic and age requirements, 

4.2.2.2.7 to furnish documentation/information about  the student to the Department/Ministry of  Education, 

4.2.2.2.8 to furnish, when requested by the student (or  their parents/guardians in the case of a student  under 18 years) documentation/information references to tertiary-level educational  institutions, 

4.2.2.2.9 improving the Nova Pioneer offering through  use of survey results. 

4.2.2.3 Location and storage: 

All student data is stored within the School Information  System. Parents/guardians of students have access to  the SIS through a Parent Portal which allows them to  view and update their details as needed. 

 

4.2.3 Parent/Guardian Information  

4.2.3.1 Collection: 

In addition to the abovementioned personal data  collected for students. personal information is collected  from parents/guardians and includes: 

4.2.3.1.1 Name, address, relation to student and contact  details, 

4.2.3.1.2 Personal identification details – ID number and  proof of identification, 

4.2.3.1.3 in the case of non-citizens, passport and work  permit details as necessary, 

4.2.3.1.4 financial information such as proof of income  and proof of residence documentation, 

4.2.3.1.5 employment information such as profession,  company and relevant contact details. 

4.2.3.2 Use/Purpose: 

Parent/guardian records are kept for the purposes of: 

4.2.3.2.1 Conducting affordability and credit checks to  ensure ability to pay school fees. 

4.2.3.2.2 Billing of tuition fees 

4.2.3.2.3 Contacting parents/guardians in cases of emergency 

4.2.3.2.4 Keeping parents/guardians updated of  student academic progress 

4.2.3.2.5 Communicating with parents/guardians  regarding student behaviour. 

4.2.3.3 Location and storage: 

All student data is stored within the School Information  System (SIS). Parents/guardians of students have access  to the SIS through a Parent Portal which allows them to  view and update their details as needed. 

 

4.2.4 Creditors  

4.2.4.1 Collection: 

Nova Pioneer may hold some or all of the following  information about creditors: Name, Address, Contact  details, Tax details, Bank details and Amounts paid 

4.2.4.2 Use/Purpose: 

Creditor information is kept for purposes of routine  financial affairs, including the payment of invoices. the  compiling of annual financial accounts and complying  with audits and investigations by the Revenue  Commissioners. 

4.2.4.3 Location and storage: 

All financial information related to creditors is managed  

 

5. The Information Officer  

5.1 The Information Officer is a Nova Pioneer employee and is appointed  by the CEO. 

5.2 The Information Officer of Nova Pioneer will:only undertake their duties  after Nova Pioneer is registered with the Information Regulator;

5.2.1 monitor and implement Codes of Conduct issued by the  Information Regulator; and 

5.2.2 encourage Nova Pioneer and its stakeholders to comply with the  requirements of processing personal information in terms of the  provisions of the POPI Act.

 

6. Data Security & Protection  

To ensure the safety and security of all data, Nova Pioneer shall: 

6.1 ensure that all systems services and equipment used for processing  and/or storing data adhere to acceptable standards of security and data  safeguarding, and is regularly updated to continue to comply with such  standards; 

6.2 issue appropriate, clear, regular rules and directives, whether for the  organisation as a whole or a particular part of it, department, person or  including password protocols, data access protocols, sign-on  procedures, password safeguarding protocols, the description of  accessories, applications and equipment, etc. 

6.3 evaluate any third-party services Nova Pioneer is considering or may  acquire to process or store data, e.g. cloud computing services. 

6.4 The only person(s) entitled to access data covered by this policy, will be  those who need to access it for the execution of their direct work  services or required outputs. 

6.5 Under no circumstances will data or personal information be shared  outside the scope of required work outputs, or informally. 

6.6 In the event of any doubt, an employee shall be entitled to access  confidential information only after obtaining authorisation from their  line manager or a senior manager, where any work output requiring  access is unusual or out of the ordinary 

6.7 Employees will receive induction and on-the-job training in relation to  and work outputs involving personal information of data subjects. 

6.8 Employees shall keep all data secure by taking sensible practical  precautions and complying with all rules, practices and protocols. In particular, strong passwords shall be used at all times and passwords  shall not be shared. In the exceptional circumstance that a password  may require to be shared, it shall only take place after explicit, provable  authorisation has been procured from a senior manager or line  manager before sharing it, and then only for the stated purpose. All  necessary steps shall be taken after a password has been shared in such  exceptional circumstances, to reset it to a strong, unique password to  avoid future data compromise or breach. 

6.9 Personal data will not be shared informally, and in particular it will never  be sent by email or without protection with appropriate passwords,  where required to be sent by email; 

6.10 Data shall be encrypted before being transferred electronically. The IT  manager will develop and maintain protocols for data transfer to ensure  it is sent in protected form to authorised parties; 

6.11 Personal data shall never be transferred or sent to any entity not  authorised directly to receive it; 

6.12 Employees are prohibited from saving copies of personal data to their  own computers; 

 

7. Unauthorized access/breach to security of personal information  

In the event that the security of personal information is breached in anyway,  Nova Pioneer will 

7.1 Notify the Regulator (through the Information Officer) and data subject,  if possible, if it reasonably believes that the personal information of a  data subject has been accessed or acquired by any unauthorised party.  The data subject must be informed via a notice that is in writing and is  address; sent by e- address; 

7.2 The notification must provide sufficient information to allow the data  subject to take protective measures against the potential  consequences of the compromise. The notice must include a  description of the possible consequences of the security compromise;  a description of the measures that the responsible party intends to take  or has taken to address the security compromise; a recommendation  with regard to the measures to be taken by the data subject to mitigate  the possible adverse effects of the security compromise; and if known to the responsible party, the identity of the unauthorised person who  may have accessed or acquired the personal information. 

7.3 The notification must take place as soon as reasonably possible after  the parties have become aware of the compromise. Nova Pioneer must  consider the legitimate needs of law enforcement or any measures  reasonably necessary to determine the scope of the compromise and  when deciding on the length of time in which to report the compromise  to the Regulator and the data subject. Should Nova Pioneer become  aware of the fact that disclosing the compromise to the data subject  will impede a criminal investigation it may delay disclosing the  compromise to the data subject. 

 

8. Data storage:  

8.1 Storage of data in hard copy/paper form will follow the following  protocols: 

8.1.1 Where data is stored on paper, it will always be kept in a secure  place where an unauthorised person cannot access or see it. This  also applies to data stored electronically which has been printed  out for any reason. 

8.1.2 When not required for use such papers should be kept in a  locked drawer, safe or cabinet. 

8.1.3 Employees should ensure that paper and print-outs are not left  in places where unauthorised persons can see them, e.g. on a  printer, and all unwanted paper must be shredded. 

8.2 Storage of data in electronic form will follow the following protocols: 

8.2.1 Where data is stored electronically, it must be protected from  unauthorised access, accidental deletion or any risk of exposure  to malicious hacking attempts: 

8.2.2 Data should be protected by strong passwords that are changed  regularly and never shared between employees; 

8.2.3 Where data is stored on removable media such as a CD or a DVD  these must at all times be locked away securely when not in  immediate use;

8.2.4 All data will only be stored on designated drives and servers and  shall only be uploaded to approved cloud computing services; 

8.2.5 All servers containing personal data will be located in secure  protected locations away from general office space; 

8.2.6 Data will be backed up frequently in accordance with backup  protocols. Such backups will be tested regularly in line with the  under the direction of the IT Manager, 

8.2.7 Data will never be saved directly to laptops or other mobile or  removable devices such as tablets or smartphones or or data  sticks; 

8.2.8 All servers and computers containing data will be protected by  approved security software, and one or more firewalls under the  direction of the IT Manager. 

 

9. Consent to processing and storing personal information  

9.1 Nova Pioneer shall not collect, process or store personal information  without the consent of the data subject. If the data subject is a student,  wh parent/guardian must consent. 

9.2 Consent may be given verbally or in writing and a record of the consent  obtained from a data subject will be kept. 

9.3 Nova Pioneer shall allow a data subject, who adequately identifies  him/herself to the Information Officer, to access his/her personal  information. The data subject may request that corrections be made to  his/her personal information if it has changed. The data subject may  also request that the Information officer delete information that was  unlawfully obtained, is excessive, out of date, irrelevant, misleading or  incomplete. In cases where access is granted through self service  channels, the data subject may access and update the data directly e.g.  the School Information System Parent Portal (parents/guardians) and  the HR Management System (employees) 

9.4 The school may process information without the data subject and/or  parent/guardians’ consent if it is necessary for the conclusion or  performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party; and/or  the processing complies with an obligation contained in legislation; and/or it protects the legitimate interest of the data subject; and/or it is  necessary for the proper performance of a public law duty that has been  imposed on the school; and/or it is necessary for pursuing the  legitimate interests of Nova Pioneer or a third party to whom the  information is supplied. The Information Officer shall determine what  shall constitute a legitimate interest and if necessary shall seek legal  advice. 

9.5 Nova Pioneer will inform a data subject if their information is being  collected for advertising or marketing purposes. Data subjects may  object to the use of their data for marketing purposes. 

9.6 A Data Subject may withdraw the consent they gave Nova Pioneer to  process their personal information. 

9.7 Nova Pioneer is allowed further processing of information after an initial  consent to collect personal information was garnered but such  processing must be compatible with the purpose for which the  personal information was initially collected. 

 

10. Personal Information and Third Parties  

10.1 The terms laid out in this Policy apply to all Third Party Vendors or  Service Providers with which Nova Pioneer has agreements. Third  Party Service Providers are subject to the same regulations as Nova  Pioneer in terms of protection of personal information. 

10.2 Nova Pioneer may disclose Personal Information of data subjects to our  providers whose services or products stakeholders elect to use. The  relevant agreements in place will ensure confidentiality and privacy  conditions. 

10.3 Nova Pioneer may also disclose personal information of data subjects  where we have a duty or a right to disclose in terms of applicable  legislation, the law or where it may be necessary to protect the rights of  Nova Pioneer. 

 

11. Review Cycle:  

This Policy will be reviewed periodically at the Policy Committee meeting and  changes to the policy will then be discussed and documented before being  approved and implemented.