A healthy, balanced lunch box gives children ‘bounce’ for the playground and brainpower for the classroom. Healthy lunches and snacks are important for children, so it’s worth putting in a little thought about what you send them off to school with. A healthy lunchbox will:

• Give them sustained energy to concentrate and learn at school
• Help set healthy eating habits for them in the future
• Mean they have healthy food while they’re at school – where they spend a third of their day

It’s also important to remember that the quality of food you give your child is more important than the quantity. Children need foods that are rich in nutrients such as protein, healthy sources of fat, fibre and vitamin and minerals while drinking plenty of water. These nutrients will help to give children sustained energy. When these nutrients are removed (which is common in many processed foods and sugary drinks) the food is broken down quickly and causes a quick and short release of sugar and energy in the body, leading to a crash in energy.  This crash will leave children feeling tired and unmotivated to learn at school.

A healthy lunchbox should consist of at least one item from the five food groups — bread and cereals, vegetables, fruit, dairy and meat (or meat alternatives). This will give your child a variety of nutritious foods to keep them satisfied and energised.

Here are some suggestions for packing school lunch boxes with nutritious food that your kids will love. Stay healthy Novaneers!

 

Monday

 

 

• Jigsaw sandwich — egg mashed with mayo, cucumber, lettuce, wholemeal bread (crusts removed)
• Cheese cubes (about 6-8) with cherry tomatoes (with fun kids’ toothpicks)
• Small banana * 3 frozen pineapple rings
• A handful of mini pretzels (25g)
• High-fiber muesli bar

 

Tuesday

 

 

• Falafel (or meatball) pita pocket — wholemeal pita pocket (halved), 3 store-bought falafels (halved), cucumber, tomato, lettuce, hummus
• Trail mix — 30g mixed dried fruit, 1 cup plain popcorn, 2 teaspoons chocolate chips
• Rainbow fruit skewers — blueberries, watermelon, grapes, pineapple
• Mini round of cheese with 10 wholegrain rice crackers

 

Wednesday

 

 

• Ham or chicken, cheese and salad wrap — 1 wholegrain wrap, 40-50g shaved ham or chicken, grated cheese, grated carrot, mixed lettuce
• Orange — quartered, skin on
• High-fibre muesli bar (store-bought), cut into 4-5 bite-sized pieces
• Hard-boiled egg ‘chicks’ — egg halved, eyes and nose made with carrots and raisins
• Frozen yoghurt tub

 

Thursday

 

• Tuna and crackers — 4 wholegrain crackers, 95g can flavoured tuna, mini fork
• Trio of veggies and dip — about 1 cup sugar snap peas, carrot sticks, red capsicum sticks, a small tub of hummus (about 2-3 tablespoons)
• Mandarin / Nectarine 
• Small tub of flavoured yoghurt

 

Friday

 

 

• Chicken burritos — grilled chicken, grated cheese, salsa, salad leaves, 2 mini tortillas
• Heart-shaped pikelets — 4 mini pikelets with cream cheese and fresh strawberries sandwiched together
• A mix of diced fresh fruit  (around 1 cup total)
• Sliced cheese and Marmite on 4 wholegrain crackers
• Frozen two fruits tub

 

Source: Healthyfood.com 

Looking for a school for your child is never easy and can easily be one of the most stressful things that a parent can go through. There is always so much to consider in the process. In his novel, The Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell points out that parents should focus on what type of opportunities they afforded their children as a predictor of future success. The right school that is aligned with your child’s needs is a step in the right direction towards giving them opportunities that will allow them to thrive. Start your search for the best school by thinking about what you want a school to do for your child. 

 

“We do owe something to parentage and patronage. The people who stand before kings may look like they did it all by themselves. But in fact, they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot.” (Gladwell 19).

 

When looking for the best learning environment for your child, you might want to ask yourself the following questions as key guidelines:

 

• What do I want my child to learn? This will include the specific subject matter, curriculum, level of academic difficulty, teaching and assessment methods, etc.
• How does my child learn best? Will the school cater to my child’s particular learning style? Will it cater to their challenges? Will my child be stretched to reach their full academic potential? Does the school incorporate technology and will it equip my child with the skills to survive and thrive in a constantly changing environment?
• Will the school consider my child’s social needs? How much contact will they have with peers, what does the school bullying policy say? Does the school pay close attention to the social and emotional wellbeing of students? What is the class size and will it allow my child to get more one-on-one attention from the teacher?
• Will the school be practical for my child and our family? This includes things like the school hours, affordability,  distance and location, scheduling, extracurricular activities, etc
• How will the school set up my child for University and beyond and equip them with the skills to cope in the real world?
• Am I, as a parent, prepared to play my role in ensuring that I support the school’s efforts to equip my child in their development? Am I prepared to communicate proactively and positively with the teacher and, where necessary, the school leadership team to resolve challenges? Do I have a realistic view of the needs of my child and am I open to discussing these with the benefit of my child in mind? 

 

While a lot might depend on the parent and their values, it is important to look at your child’s personality and strengths. Parents might want a school that offers a balance between sports and academics while others might want a school that has a strong focus on either sports or academics. Different children will thrive better in environments that are suited to their personality and individual needs. A lot goes into establishing a school’s approach and model and selecting its curriculum and so, while a good school will communicate with you openly about your needs, it will be more difficult to shift aspects of their model than it is to find the right fit, to begin with. That is why it is important to look for something that complements and supplements who your child is. If you know that your child is a soft-spoken and reserved person, it does not mean that you must put them in a situation where they will never be put on the spot, but rather, you should put them in a situation where they can learn to be OK with being put on the spot. 

 

The school’s behaviour policy is also something parents consider highly. Some parents might value the whole structured discipline approach while others want a school that encourages and values the student voice interactive structure and follows the preventive, supportive and corrective approaches. Children today will thrive in an environment that gives them a student’s voice but teaches them how to effectively apply it. They need to be able to say, “This is the outcome I want, these are the tools at my disposal, how can I get to my desired outcome?” A child that does not see that there is an option, a child who is told that they cannot make a mistake and that it is not acceptable to make mistakes, a child who struggles to negotiate their circumstances will battle to cope in this generation. This is also why some parents are against schools that encourage rote learning but instead choose schools that allow their children to question things, children who take interest in the process instead of just the end product. These schools that teach students critical thinking and allow students to identify problems and come up with solutions will excel in the future. 

 

In a nutshell, there is no ‘perfect’ or ‘right’ way of choosing your child’s school. Always think about what will work best for your child’s personality, strengths, needs and interests. Also, consider how different schools’ cultures and values fit with your family values and family life. Making the right choice now will allow you to focus on supporting your child and their school in doing the best they can to equip them for their future.

 

 

Considering the rapid rise and developments in technology and the introduction of the 4th industrial revolution, it is safe to say, the world will surely be a different place in the future. We will see a lot more automation of some systems, advancements in machine learning and integration of robotics in our daily lives. Which opens the question, what are we doing today as an educational institution to prepare our kids for that future? 

 

Robotics is the intersection of science, engineering and technology that produces machines (7STEM), called robots, that are either a substitute (or replication) for human actions. This could be anything from industrial robots, domestic or household machines or even robots/machines designed for social interactions such as automated food ordering machines, etc.

 

At Nova Pioneer we pride ourselves to be one of the few 21st-century schools that are incorporating Robotics in our day-to-day learning experience. As part of developing students who are future leaders and innovators, it is important that we move with the times and be future-focused by developing a learning experience that will allow our students to be solutions-driven.

 

Coding and robotics go hand-in-hand, and they’re becoming a more integral part of classrooms across the country  Aside from the excitement students muster when they see a robotics kit or a tiny programmable vehicle, coding and robotics offer a little bit more than a fun classroom experience.

 

When our students participate in coding and robotics activities, they’re learning fundamental skills such as teamwork and collaboration, problem-solving, the ability to fail forward, persistence and more. The world has evolved and if you don’t move with the times you may end up being redundant, irrelevant and insignificant in society.

 

As an educator, I know that there are a few pivotal moments that students have to face as they navigate their way through High School. I believe that the IGCSE subject selection for Cambridge students may actually be the most defining moment. The subject choice usually takes place in the 9th Grade and it’s an intense scene that plays out at schools across the country every year. 

 

Not always an easy choice

While we, as educators, may see subject selection as a practical and quite technical process, parents usually feel an enormous amount of anxiety at this point in their child’s school career. Because, while some students may have a clearer sense of self and career path at 15 and have done their research around what decisions they need to take at this point, it is important to note that it’s also normal for most 15-year olds to get caught off guard.

 

Keeping the dream alive vs facing the reality

At Nova Pioneer, there is a selection of teachers who act as advisors assigned to help students with their choice. Getting the students to fill out the selection form is the easy part. The hard part is ensuring they help students make a choice that will best benefit them. 

During this time, advisors have to walk a tightrope as they are faced with having to negotiate an often fraught space that exists between what the child may want versus what their parents want for them versus what the reality of the situation may be. Many-a-times we also find that there may be a conflict in the dreams and desires of the students and what their parents see as a practical way forward for them. 

 

Take these things into consideration

Students approach me to discuss their subject selection quite often and sometimes during these times, I experience what feels like a wrestling match between my head and my heart. Imagine a scenario where a student reveals they want to study medicine post-secondary school however, their performance (historical and current) doesn’t or may not meet the requirements needed to enter this field? 

 

There is so much to take into consideration entering these conversations. My intention is to always ensure students don’t leave demotivated and discouraged. Thus, I always try and keep two thoughts in the back of my mind:

1. Basil, tread carefully for dreams are precious to the dreamer; and  
2. Try your best to encourage students to have more than one because dreams can be so fragile. 

 

Guidance sometimes looks like redirection

There may come a time when you have to encourage a student to look at another career path especially when they are sold on another? As an advisor and educator, you have to consider the subject choice package a student may choose and the kind of results they would have to enter their desired field. You also have to consider where their strengths and weaknesses may lie.

For example, while a student may want to study medicine, as their teacher you may know that their strengths lie in creative writing, content production and they embrace the free thought of the arts or humanities. You have to think about how you can subtly probe the depth of their passion for medicine and try to understand why they have chosen that particular field. It is your responsibility, however, to help redirect students without killing their passions so that they feel empowered to win and set up for success.

 

Help students understand their options

Even when we know a student may do better in another field, with another subject package, we cannot deny them their choice. We also understand that every child deserves to go after their dreams, no matter how ambitious they may seem to us. In the instance a student is determined to take a particular route, despite their performance, we then have the responsibility to advise them on (1) what it would take to win;  (2) what obstacles lie ahead and (3) what safety nets exist should things not work out. The beauty of the Cambridge system is that it has safety nets built into its curriculum – these nets can be triggered by the student, parents or the teacher should the need arise.

 

On your mark, ready, go!

Following the subject selection process, it is our responsibility to watch the student embark on their journey to a matric exemption. Every step of the way is monitored and interrogated, judgement calls made, advice asked for and given, detours and bridges built, and communications sent to the parents. There are occasions where we have had to burn the original map and start the journey anew. There’s no denying that the latter can be a challenge for both the teacher and the student. What a privilege it is to be involved in such a voyage. 

 

How does Cambridge enrich this experience?

In the 10th Grade, students partake in the IGCSE examinations set up by Cambridge. When the IGCSE results come out, we are so incredibly fortunate that most of our students clear this hurdle and can progress to the final stage of their schooling. 

For a few, we have to again embark on tough conversations to strategise and replot the path, and yes, sometimes we have to burn the original map and start all over again. This step, when required, is a vital demonstration of the growth mindset. Burning the map is not a failure. It is the discovery of a new pathway for growth; one where the student often comes to the realisation that their passions and talents lie in a direction completely different to the one they once believed was the only path for them.

 

Parents can help (or hinder) the process

The subject selection process does come with some tension, especially when the chosen path is the desired path of the parent and not the student? This can be a delicate space to navigate when parents and students sit with us and we have to advise on a path that may not be the most favourable to the parents. In those moments, all we can do is (1) lay out our concerns as their educator and advisor, (2) suggest alternatives, (3) try and provide a safe space for the child (normally in a hesitant, fearful whisper) to reveal her dreams and (4) hope that it plants the seed in the mind of the parents as well. These conversations can go either way and whatever the final decision, our role is to construct the timetable and give our students the assurances of academic, and social and emotional support from our team of caring teachers and counsellors.

 

Advising students to keep their options open

There are really hard moments that lie behind the completion of that subject-choice form. However, my advice is to encourage students to keep an open mind and to have more than one dream. This is my key piece of advice to students at subject-choice time is:

“Be nimble, stay aware, and yes… it is okay to change your mind. Don’t ever allow yourself to be trapped like a mouse in a maze. Pursue one dream at a time, but never stop interrogating it, and never stop reflecting on your own progress. Look at the data that you yourself produce every time you write a test or an exam. Look at the data when you peruse AP scores or tertiary course entry requirements. Again, look at the data when you chat with your teacher or a mentor about your progress. Maintain a sharpness in your peripheral vision so that you can pivot, sooner rather than later, if you know deep down that the light of one dream is fading, and the light of another starts to grow with unexpected brilliance.”

Nova Pioneer continues to live up to its promise by introducing additional grades throughout our campuses. As a group, we made a promise to our parents and students that each year, we will grow our schools with an additional grade, to grow with our Novaneers as they progress to their next academic level. This year, we have continued to deliver on that promise. Nova Pioneer Education Group is a Pan-African independent school network, that builds and operates world-class, affordable education, offering students grades from preschool through to secondary. 

 

Here is a list of new grade offerings at our campuses:

 

Midrand – Currently accepting enrollments from Grade 000 to Grade 7 for in-year and now introducing our first Secondary Grade 8 class for the year 2022. 

North Riding – Currently accepting enrollments for Grade 000 to Grade 6 for in-year and we have now introduced Grade 7 enrollments for the year 2022. 

Paulshof – Currently accepting enrollments for Tots to Grade 6 for in-year and we have now introduced Grade 7 enrollments for the year 2022. 

 

Ruimsig – Currently accepting enrollments for Grade 000 to Grade 3 for in-year and we have now introduced Grade 4 for the year 2022. 

Boksburg – Currently accepting enrollments for Babies (3 months) to Grade 5 for in-year and we have now introduced Grade 6 for the year 2022.  

 

As an education brand, we take pride in being a leader in innovation that disrupts the education landscape positively. We offer the internationally recognized Cambridge curriculum from pre-primary to secondary school through our Reggio Emilia Enquiry based Learning Model. Our offering includes a blended learning method that combines academic education, physical education, play learning, SEL (Social and Emotional Learning), coding and robotics to provide our students with a holistic education to prepare them for the future. Nova Pioneer is currently operational in both South Africa and Kenya.

I’ve been mentally journalling these thoughts for months since I started at Nova Pioneer on the 5th of September 2019. Coming here with a vast IT background, I have to admit that having worked as an IT Technician at a prestigious school in Parktown, I strongly believed I had an advantage in the IT/school environment.

 

I Was Wrong

 

I was wrong in thinking Nova Pioneer was like any other school. Yes, they have classes, teachers, sporting facilities – all that the Department of Education would require for a schooling environment – but what I’ve never experienced is the heart Nova Pioneer possesses.

My personal experience of schooling is a conflation of good and bad. Straight A student succumbing to mental issues, the principal office visits, ranging from worrying because of dropping my academic standard due to the aforementioned issues and pride in sporting victories. My schooling was a mixture of memorable lessons and ‘wish to be forgotten’ corridor incidents.

Nova Pioneer taught me, that all involved, have a passion beyond their job description. They are not looking to conveyor belt a thousand Einsteins but holistically wholesome innovators. They are not looking to funnel future Bill Gates but persons that connect with and for the world.

I’ve had the pleasure of being IT Coordinator for two campuses, North Riding and Ruimsig, and in both, there’s a noticeable difference but mammoth similarities.

 

Joy of Learning is two-ways

 

The kids are orderly, not military wise, but instruction is rather imparted than enforced. The gentleness is abundant but not spoilt or coddled. The teachings are adequate as they are challenging. The respect is palpable as it fills corridors and bounces off the visuals carefully and neatly plastered on the glass doors. The joy of learning is two-ways, teachers love to impart knowledge on eager minds and the students are attentive and visibly engaged. The trust is seamless, although earned over time, it is a marvel to watch.

Interacting with the students is proof of what the teachers and the whole Nova Pioneer institution are instilling in these young minds. Respect first, listen always, learn of self and others, freedom to be self, responsibility and accountability are imperative and have fun.

I am forever shell-shocked at how these children’s faces light up when they walk in through the entry gate, how, when they are sad they won’t shy away, but effectively communicate their feelings with no fear of possible repercussions for being honest, how they manage to get me smiling when they tell me about a new dog they have; it’s the humanity Nova Pioneer sprinkles on each child as they wear the blue and stride proudly into the premises.

I am always in awe of the teachers and staff of Nova Pioneer from the perspective of someone who adores children (and they adore me back, even calling me Uncle Siphiwe). Being someone who wishes for a child someday, it’s invigorating knowing that Nova Pioneer has the capabilities, the structure and enough kindness to be a core foundation for any child to not only dream big but also understand and learn to be a compassionate, empathic human because that’s what the world needs.

I was wrong about Nova Pioneer being just another school. Nova Pioneer is an institution, whose emphasis on learning is to be different, respectful, courteous, smart, innovative and most importantly, being human.

 

 

In celebration of ‘Make A Difference Day’ earlier this year, Nova Pioneer Midrand students successfully embarked on a book collection drive with the hope of donating their books to a school based in the Alexandra township, North of Johannesburg this December.  

The learning model of the Nova Pioneer schools fosters a great love of reading through daily read-aloud’s, guided reading and writers’ workshops. Our students donated pre-loved books to children who do not have easy access to books. “It was so heartwarming to see the enthusiasm from our Novaneers to share their books. They understand the magic of stories that lie between the covers of a book. Even the youngest students enjoy engaging with non-fiction text as they learn about the world around them,” says Jeanine Kerr, School Leader at Nova Pioneer Midrand.

Teachers know that the fastest and most effective way of improving academic results in children is to get them reading. Exposure to the written word builds vocabulary, comprehension, ability to predict and infer and improves writing skills. Other academic subjects also benefit indirectly from reading more. 

“As a school that is firmly entrenched in our culture principle, we believed that donating these books was an opportunity to give a gift of learning to other children,” says Kerr. 

Nova Pioneer Midrand offers private education and is currently enrolling from Grade 000 to Grade 7 in 2021.  For more information and application queries contact us via email on  admissions.midrand@novapioneer.com or call us on 064 946 6724.

At Nova Pioneer, we focus on providing a holistic education for our students that extends beyond the classroom. We strive to teach our students the values that will make them more socially responsible and to live out our Culture Principle of Servant Leadership.

“This term, Nova Pioneer Ruimsig embarked on a charity initiative for children who are less fortunate. We decided on the Santa Shoe Box charity drive,” says Carla Hercules, School Lead at Nova Pioneer Ruimsig. 

“We partnered with Eleanor from the Lighthouse Baby Shelter who gave us a list of items required and the age group of the children at her shelter. Our Ruimsig students and parents were very excited to participate in this worthy initiative. We were able to fill over 40 shoeboxes with stationery, toys, sweets and clothing. Our students wrapped and labelled each shoebox with pride while dressed in superhero civvies,” says Hercules. 

Nova Pioneer is extremely proud and thankful to our parents and students for supporting this initiative in a time when many are experiencing financial constraints.

“It was a very special morning as our students handed over the shoeboxes to a very emotional and grateful Eleanor from the Lighthouse Baby Shelter,” says Hercules. 

The Lighthouse Baby Shelter, founded in 2008 by Eleanor Dustan, is an orphanage situated at 48 Drysdale Road, Sundowner in Randburg that looks after children from birth to the age of six. 

Our Ruimsig campus is enrolling from 000 to Grade 3 for 2021. Complete an application on our website and an Admissions Associate will be in contact.

Nova Pioneer recently celebrated its valedictory ceremony for its Grade 12 students at Ormonde Secondary. The ceremony, which took place at the campus, saw students and staff maintaining all social distance protocols as well as live streaming for those students, speakers and family members who were unable to attend in person. 

“Nova Pioneer is proud of how quickly our students and teachers were able to adapt to learning during the pandemic this year. Because we follow the Cambridge curriculum, three groups of pupils sat exit exams over this time: Grade 11 (IGCSE), Grade 12 (AS) and Grade 13 (A-levels). All of these students had to pivot between ‘normal’ school, fully online and hybrid delivery systems while preparing for these high-stakes exams. We are incredibly proud of the perseverance and can-do approach that they displayed at all times”, says Theun Opperman, Head of School at Nova Pioneer Ormonde Secondary. 

2020 presented unprecedented challenges, with schools mandated to close in March. As a result, Nova Pioneer shifted immediately to virtual learning to support the continued learning of students. The anxiety associated with this sudden change was felt by all students and parents, but none more so than those in their final year of school. 

Ntando Makwela, the author of “The Dynamic Kid” and a student at Nova Pioneer Ormonde, started his address at the Grade 12 valedictory ceremony by saying that his class needed to celebrate the fact that one skill they have acquired through this year is ‘resilience’. 

“The class of 2020 have developed the skill of being able to learn on their own, with teacher support that looked and felt very different, through online platforms that have become their school experience in March. They were always very aware that they would be writing international exams and as such had no choice but to leverage technology and each other throughout this period”, says Ntando Mlilo, Dean of Students at Ormonde Secondary. 

“One of the biggest achievements of the class of 2020 was to maintain the connection in the school throughout this remote climate. This was achieved through having school-wide conversations around topical issues, such as ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘Gender-based violence’.  Planned and moderated by students, these termly conversations ensured a sense of unity within the student body. What one can learn from the class of 2020 is that resilience is built when young people are given the opportunity and platform to independently persevere through challenging times”, says Mlilo. 

Nova Pioneer is a proudly African independent school network that builds and operates world-class facilities offering affordable education. As a testament to its commitment and perseverance to excellence, Nova Pioneer is celebrating some fantastic achievements from its second class of Grade 12’s since opening in 2015.  

The Nova Pioneer concept is the brainchild of Chinezi Chijioke whose vision is to produce world-class African leaders and thinkers who will power the continent forward. The Harvard and Stanford graduate has a life-long passion for education and always dreamed of being a part of a team that would develop schools across Africa to unleash the incredible potential of the continent’s youth.

Part of Chijioke’s vision was to offer a holistic education to his students. This meant not only attending to their scholastic needs but also building character.  “Our vision of a Novaneer is centered on three ‘C’s: character, capabilities, and connection.  The three together equip our students to solve problems, take on challenges and shape the world for the better.  Among the three Cs, the first is Character, because it is the foundation upon which distinctive capabilities, or the connections of a strong community, are built,” says Chinezi.