St Andrew's Senior School
Weekly Newsletter - 22nd Nov 2023
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Parents Baraza Feedback - VISO 2
Thank you for attending the Parents Baraza. Please click below to read the feedback.
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ADMISSION TOURS - NIGERIA |
Click on the images below for the booking link. |
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Dear Parents,
It was wonderful to see and speak with so many of you over the VISO 2 weekend. As I mentioned on Sunday, clearly prayers aplenty were offered in advance to ensure Sunday remained dry for the House Athletics.; I fear the Y10 Adventure weekend may not be so lucky! However, in keeping with Mr Price-Thomas's sermon on Sunday (I am sure I am not alone in thinking it was a wonderful message), the challenge is something that should be embraced and learnt from.
To those parents in Y11, who attended the College presentation on Saturday, thank you for the conversations that were had over the weekend. We are committed to ensuring the best for your child as they move into the Sixth Form and whilst we would hope that is at St Andrew’s, we are available to give advice about alternatives and would encourage you to ensure any decision to move is based on a firm understanding of what the pros and cons are.
Thank you also to those parents who attended the Baraza on Saturday morning and the Turi VISO golf competition on Saturday afternoon. Although different in tone, both were incredibly useful in understanding parental concerns, what we are doing well and what we can improve. As always, please do not feel you have to wait until VISO to raise a query or suggestion.
On the Friday before, and Monday after, VISO, we hosted over 40 students for the scholarship assessment into Y9 and Y12 September 2024. We also met internally to discuss students currently in Y11 who may be rewarded scholarships into the College. Students already in possession of a scholarship will continue to receive their award into College (unless previously informed) and may receive an increase in award, similarly, new internal awards will be offered. Information about both will be communicated by the start of next week.
This Friday sees a large team heading down to Kasarani for the annual athletics competition, I will be in attendance and look forward to a successful day and seeing as many of you who may well be there as well to cheer on “Team Turi”.
With my continued prayers and best wishes
Mr Ben Pennington
Headmaster
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Looking to the Future
During the VISO weekend many of you joined us for a presentation from Mr Auld (Head of Sixth Form College) and Mr Pennington, as they explained to many of our Main School students and parents the processes around joining the Sixth Form College to study for their A Levels. In January we will have the official launch for students in Year 9 and 11 as they consider what options they might choose to study for their GCSEs and A Levels respectively; and often at this time of year – and perhaps aided by explorations and discussions whilst at home over the Christmas holidays – students will consider options for their futures.
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Indeed, many of our Year 13 students have been submitting applications to universities as they make their own choices about their futures. These are discussions which we as a School would wholeheartedly recommend; not every student will be clear on what they want to pursue, but spending time considering their strengths and passions, whether they pursue them as a course of study or not, is undoubtedly time well spent.
Mr Jonathan Williams
Deputy Head Academic
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VISO Sunday was an exciting co-curricular themed day. We started with an inspirational sermon from Mr Price-Thomas, our whole school Head of Adventure, in which he pointed out the importance of challenge for character building and faith development. With everyone highly motivated, we then moved straight to the annual sports day on top pitch. The rain held off for some excellent performances, with victory ultimately going to Athi House.
Mr Nicholas Martyn
Director, Co-curricular
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Students gave 100% for their house |
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Athi were overall winners of Sports Day |
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In the KAISSO U19 Girls Basketball Erykah Mondo was awarded the most valuable player trophy. |
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It is wonderful to see students grow as they follow their passions during clubs. One of the most popular is Cookery Club, where any student can learn basic catering skills. |
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Looking ahead, there are some major adventure activities happening.
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On Saturday 25th all of Year 10 will travel to their adventure weekend and will need to be well equipped for the rain and cold.
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Students have been told to sign up for the Mt Kenya expedition taking place on the first weekend of next term, 12-16th Jan.
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Looking further ahead, students have been told to sign up for the challenging Ruwenzori expedition running 5-16th July
It is now less than 3 weeks to closing so please book transport for your son or daughter as per the email sent to parents. The booking link can be accessed here.
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Please click on the link below to access the events coming up over the next couple of weeks |
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The week kicked off with a Devotion from Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love” where we were reminded to serve one another in love.
The students went out to continue serving the community during the week and it was such a fulfilling moment seeing them giving their all in service.
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On Wednesday at Soul Chapel, Mr. Martin Shikuku encouraged us on Overflowing Hope as he focused on the book of Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Mr. Shikuku encouraged us that like seasons, we may find ourselves in valleys or a time of despair, sometimes we may rebound quickly but sometime we may slip into a moment of hopelessness. He challenged us to keep our hope in God and to welcome the Holy Spirit in our hearts, for He enables us to overflow with hope.
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Later in the evening at Bible Study, we finalized on the series Everything, Everywhere while looking at the topic “When everything is everywhere, joy is always a choice” from Acts 16:25. Our main aim was to point students toward the power they have to choose joy, even in their stress.
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At the Outdoor Chapel on Friday, Ms. Daisy shared on Humility from James 3:16 where she cautioned us that pride brings about envy and it sets us up against a Holy God for God values a posture of humility. She further exalted that Humility is a prerequisite for every single thing in our walk, to enable us embody a life in Christ. Being a VISO weekend, we did not have Faith Factor.
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On Saturday, staff and parents gathered to pray for our school during our VISO morning devotion where we called on God on the following:
- Wisdom and blessing for the school leadership
- Wisdom and discernment amongst the students – to be able to make right choices
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Self-control
- Good health and joy
- Spiritual growth of the students
- The new Deputy Head Academic
The week was wrapped up by Mr. Peter Price-Thomas who spoke on Be Courageous and strong from Joshua 1:6-7. Mr. Price-Thomas revealed that we all have mountains that we face in our lives but we should not despair, for God is with us and will not allow our feet to slip. He acknowledged that challenges, especially the ones we have not chosen might be difficult but when we call on God, He reaches out to us for He is closer to us and He never slumbers.
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Mr. Peter Price-Thomas speaking at VISO Chapel |
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Emmanuel Mugaine making a prayer at VISO Chapel |
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It was a great joy worshipping with you and we bless the Lord for the journey mercies back home.
Shalom!
Rev. Patricia Okiring
Senior School Chaplain
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The Head Girl wanted to share some of the things the prefects have been doing in school, so that you can get a good picture of what the role is and what they are passionate about:
This term, the 2023/2024 Prefect body have been working adamantly to improve our relationship with the student body, ensuring that students not only benefit from their time outside of the classroom, but that they enjoy it as well. The recent change in the senior school prefect system has proven beneficial in addressing the various aspects of boarding life here at Turi, through dividing the prefects into pairs that specialize in specific areas of life here at school.
At the start of the term, sports prefects Jonathan Otafiire and Sarah Kerich, introduced ‘Sportswoman of the Week’ which is awarded to a girl from any year group, playing any sport, to recognize their effort within said sport. This initiative has aided in raising awareness for girls’ teams, which in the past have gone unnoticed. The award is not necessarily granted to the best player, but any girl who shows exceptional teamwork and sportswomanship.
Njukia Kihara and Talya Harel, the committee prefects, worked persistently in the first half of term to leading in the establishment of different committees within the school, conducting scrupulous interviews to determine the best candidates to lead these committees. Furthermore, to increase fluidity between the committees, they arranged and chaired weekly meetings with committee heads, cooperating to make sensible changes that will benefit the whole school community.
The work of the entertainment and events prefects, Karauni Munya and Stacy Bett, was enjoyed by students during the first of our Prefects’ Events. The night entailed an enjoyable, but physically draining game of ‘Hunter Hunted’ that engaged both the mind, through tricky riddles and trivia, and the body, through having to run away and escape from other competitors. The night ended with smores, music, and a bonfire, making for an evening to remember.
Tendo Mugisha and Kidiavai Luvai, our incredibly talented Arts Prefects, worked diligently behind the scenes in orchestrating the 2nd inter boarding-house competition of the year, the annual Interhouse Song. The event saw a multitude of genres of music, from Mariah Carrey Christmas songs to the Sauti Sol hits, and it was a remarkable success, despite the few cases of lip-syncing from a notorious house. It left Tsavo West the champions of the ensemble category, and Baringo the champions of the whole house song category.
As for Jamie Jean-Louis and myself, as heads of the school, we overlook many of the activities mentioned, but our primary focus is the wellbeing of students, specifically whilst in an environment that is so disconnected from how the real-world works. At the start of the term, we established the ‘Anti-Drug Initiative,’ a program that encourages open conversations about drug usage between younger and older students, an effort to educate our younger counterparts of the true dangers of different forms of drugs that teenagers are prone to interact with. We are working to address issues affecting both staff and students, with one of our main focuses being improving the general attitude of members of the school community towards one another.
In the coming terms, we plan to introduce new activities to the school calendar led by the Prefect body. During the 1st VISO of the Easter Term, we will host an open Baraza session to communicate with parents on the work we have been doing within the school and to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the well-being of students. This will also work as an opportunity for parents to meet and learn more about the people who are leading the student body at the school, and I encourage all who will be visiting over the weekend to attend this session. We want to not only be the face that you greet when you come on site for consultations, but also be part of the stories your child tells you when describing the best parts of their life here at St Andrew’s.
Kendra Keter
Head Girl
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Please do contact me if you wish to discuss any matter relating to pastoral life at St Andrew’s School on the following email address:
Mr Mark Buckler
Deputy Head, Pastoral
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