Our Board of Governors

Board of Governors 2024

1.  Mrs Marlinda Lange  (Principal)

2. Mrs Karin Soal  (High School Deputy Principal)

3. Mrs Kirstin Daly (Primary School Deputy Principal)

4. Mr Bongani Thomo  (Chairperson of the Board)

5. Dr Tebogo Matoane  (Vice Chairperson)

6. Mrs Colleen Deiner  (Head of Religion at St Thomas Aquinas School)

7. Mr Trevor Barnes  (Financial advisor to the Board; co-opted)

8. Mr Manuel Longueira  (Bishop’s appointment)

9. Dr Tembeka Buleni  (Parent Representative)

11. Mrs Lerato Bam  (Parent representative)

12. Mrs Tanja Davel  (Legal Advisor)

13. Dr Nerissa Boshoff  (Parent Representative)

14.  Mr Peter Ross  (Christian Brothers’ Association) overseeing the school on behalf of the KWTD Sisters

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS SCHOOL

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

Date: 23 February 2023

Time: 18h00

Venue: St Thomas Aquinas School Hall

 

  1. Welcome and Opening
  • Mr Mungaroo welcomed all parents, staff, and BOG members.
  • Mr Mungaroo gave a special welcoming to Brother Mike who is from the CBC and Dr Boshoff a new BOG member. Mr Mungaroo also introduced Bongani Thomo as the new Chairperson of the BOG for 2023, and Dr Matoane as the Vice Chairperson. 
  1. Prayer
  • Mrs Deiner opened with a reading and prayer.
  1. Approval of previous minutes
  • The minutes of the previous meeting was approved.
  1. Chairperson’s Address (S Mungaroo)
  • The role as BOG members is to assist the SMT of the school with the governance of the school. The Executive BOG members meet monthly and the BOG meet once a Term.
  • The school is managed as a Catholic Christian school with a Catholic Ethos maintaining good discipline and good education for all learners.
  • This year the school has introduced conversational Zulu as a subject for Grade 4 learners.
  • We aim to grow numbers in the school, introduce more technology and work on effective marketing of the school.
  • Cameras have been installed to improve security at the school, and we aim to work towards purchasing a generator as load shedding is a reality.
  • Thanks to all the BOG members for the support they have provided. Thanks to Mrs K Kgobotlo for her dedication in dealing with parents and collection of school fees.
  • Thanks to Mrs Deiner for ensuring that the school ethos is maintained.
  • Thanks to Mrs Lange and her team for the hard work and dedication.
  1. Principal’s Address:
  • Thanks to Mr Mungaroo for the years of service on the BOG. He will remain on the BOG as a non-parent member.
  • The school has once again been given an UMALUSI accreditation. OISESA will visit the school later on in the year and conduct and assessment and give us feedback, once the process is completed.
  • Thanks to the Grade 12 parents who encouraged their children to study. In 2023 we have more Grade 12 learners than 2022.
  • We have an OT, Educational Psychologist and very dedicated staff who will be assisting our learners regarding learner support. Extra lessons are conducted in the Primary School and High School to support our learners.
  • The Foundation Phase and St Gabriel’s have started with a new reading programme which is called Time2Read. They have also introduced ‘’Reading Club’’ for learners to attend in the library.
  • The Primary School (Gr 3, 6 and 7) take part in the IEB Match and IBT benchmark tests.
  • The High School have made a change to their extra mural programme, so that extra subject lessons are not directly after school. Learners can take part in sports activities and cultural activities earlier. Learners are experiencing emotional problems and side effects of COVID. The well-being of learners is of great importance.
  • The High School staff and M Lange are liaising with outside companies to see if they can host workshops and assistance especially with regards to Maths.
  • A survey in 2020 was conducted regarding the introduction of IsiZulu. IsiZulu has been introduced as a 2nd Additional language, mainly conversational Zulu. In 2021 the Grade 1 learners started with Zulu, 2022 Grade 1 and 2 and in 2023 Grade 1 – 4. Next year IsiZulu will be offered as a 1st Additional language. The choice being Afrikaans or IsiZulu.

There is currently a High School learner who has taken IsiZulu as a subject (online).

  • Bursaries – parents can apply for financial assistance in 2024. Parents will be able to apply in October 2023. The BOG will discuss the terms and conditions and this will be budgeted for.
  • All Grade 7 learners in Witbank can apply for scholarship.
  • Next year St Thomas Aquinas School turns 100. The staff are excited. Parents are welcome to give input. We are planning events such as a Mass, a musical play, a reunion, and many other activities.
  • Our Technology team members visited Brescia House to get an idea of how they run their technology department. The team members will meet once again on 6 March to discuss the way forward.

Robotics and coding have been introduced this year to Gr R-4 learners.

  1. Finances
  • Mrs K Kgobotlo presented the 2021 audited financial year.
  • Thanks to our parents. We appreciate the payments made and are grateful to the parents honouring their contract and ensuring that fees are paid.
  • Operating costs amounted to R30 449 785
  • Thanks to parents for swiping their ‘My School Cards’. We appreciate the benefits.
  • The ‘’Road Map’’ to technology has begun. We have purchased many smartboards and visualisers for the classrooms.
  • The 2021 audit is still in the process of being completed.
  • Parents have been billed interest for late school fees payments.
  • The financial highlights are:
  • The school hall has been upgraded
  • The Primary School roof has been repaired
  • The alarm system has been rewired
  • The wi-fi and firewall have been upgraded
  • The Capital Budget highlights for 2022 were:
  • Smartboards, screens, and projectors in the classrooms
  • 10 Visualisers were purchased
  • More cameras were installed for security
  • Desktops computers were purchased
  • The Capital Budget for 2023 includes:
  • Laptops for staff
  • More smartboards
  • Whiteboards
  • The building of the Pavilion
  • Upgrades will be made to the swimming pool area. The plans have been submitted for approval. A new Tuck Shop area will be included in this project. Thanks to TC Barnes for assisting in making good investments in order for the school to upgrade the swimming pool and technology development.
  1. Brother Mike from CBC’s address:
  • The Dominican Sisters have aged and they approached the brothers to assist with the guardianship of St Thomas Aquinas School and a few other Dominican schools. The school will remain a Catholic School. The Brothers will build on the foundations that are already in place, set by the Dominican Sisters of King Williams Town. The Brother’s believe education is the most powerful tool (remembering what Nelson Mandela said regarding education). Brother Mike gave thanks for the opportunity to speak at the AGM.
  1. PTA
  • Dr Buleni welcomed all the parents.
  • Parents are invited to fill in the PTA register forms at the back of the hall. Parents are encouraged to become involved with the staff for the benefit of the learners and the school community.
  • The first event is the Mom’s Makeup course on 11 March.
  • Dr Buleni to plan meetings for the PTA. 
  1. General (Parent Questions and replies/action plan)
  • Thanks to the staff and for the information regarding the matric results. The matric results reflect that Maths and Science marks have lowered. What is the school’s response on this matter?

The results will be recorded on a graph with past results achieved. M Lange and K Soal have been tracking the matrics results over the last few years. The staff are liaising with outside companies to assist learners in the afternoon. M Lange has liaised with Mr de Villiers from Master Maths; he has handed in a proposal.

  • Is there a possibility that learners can have the choice to write an IEB or a National Certificate? When did St Thomas Aquinasstart writing IEB exams? M Lange to discuss with staff and give feedback accordingly.
  • S Mungaroo gave feedback, mentioning that St Thomas learners who attend St Thomas Aquinas School have a good foundation and learners who matriculate at the school are well prepared to cope at University.Yes,the matric results could have been better but one needs to also take into consideration that these learners hadtough times due to COVID.
  • Our matric results are a selling point. Has the school conducted surveys to follow up on why learners leave especially from Primary school to High School (Grade 7 – 8 learners or Grade 9 – 10). This may be due to subject choices and sport activities offered at other schools. The top 2 learners this year at another school in Witbank were ex St Thomas learners. They received a very good foundation at St Thomas Aquinas school. We continue to provide great education for our learners.
  • Can reports be sent via email? As the school is moving forward with technology it is possibly more beneficial to mail reports and also save paper as well (eco-friendly).
  • Request regarding matric results – the school should be more transparent with sharing the results and give information regarding distinctions. The stats should be sent through other platforms not only at the AGM.
  • What is the school gaining from Ganis’ Sports world? We receive a contribution for ‘My School’ cards, why does Gani’s not assist? The quality of the clothing is also not of a good quality. M Lange and SMT to address this.
  1. Closing Prayer: Colleen Deiner
  • Colleen Deiner expressed thanks to all, and invited parents to join Mass every Thursday from 7h00 – 7h30 in the chapel.
  • We have also joined the Edmund Rice Society which will open many doors for our school and learners.