2017 to 2022 Management for the Future

• January 2017 Inductions of Mrs Gill Jeffrey as Senior School head and Mrs Bev van Niekerk as Junior School head
• May 2017 Mrs Ivanka Acquisto appointed as the newly-defined executive head
• January 2018 Induction of Mrs Ivanka Acquisto as executive head
• 2018 School structure organised into four schools
• 2018 St Andrew’s formalises its affiliation with the Anglican Board of Education
• 2019 The school is admitted as a candidate school of the Round Square organisation
• 2020 Mr Siphiwe Vilakazi appointed as head of uBambiswano
• 2020 uBambiswano celebrates its 30^th anniversary
• 2020 25^th anniversary of the introduction of rowing as a sport
• 2021 St Andrew’s marks 100 years at Bedford Farm premises
• September 2021 Ms Sheillah Muchauraya appointed as head of transformation and diversity
• October 2021 Dinaledi Science Centre officially opened
• 2022 St Andrew’s celebrates its 120^th anniversary
• August 2022 House names changed

Overview

In her 120^th anniversary Founders’ Day address in 2022, Lay Canon Thandi Chaane presented a beautiful metaphor of the St Andrew’s community as a tree. She described the school’s founding headmistresses Miss Jean Fletcher and Miss Jessie Johnston as the roots, the foundation which we don’t see but from which the rest of the structure emerges. The teachers and parents are the trunk and branches of the tree that nourish and hold the leaves, which represent the girls. It is these leaves, in varied shades, that bring beauty and movement to the tree, until their season changes and they are released to be scattered to different places where they enrich the environment.

This image is a wonderful representation of the most recent period in St Andrew’s history. It has been a profound, challenging and transformative period for the school, and every part of the tree has had a role to play in strengthening the institution so that it can continue flourishing well into the future.

After Ms Marina Burger’s departure in 2015, Mrs Karen Symons was appointed acting executive head. In May 2017, Mrs Ivanka Acquisto took up her appointment in the new position of executive head of the school. The school’s management structure has evolved so that each of the four schools of uBambiswano, the Preschool, the Junior School and the Senior School has its own head and is a distinct entity within the broader body of St Andrew’s.

Following Mrs Acquisto’s appointment, the management team and the staff began implementing her vision, which included integrating the ‘BIG CAT’ values (balance, integrity, grace, compassion, accountability, trust) into all aspects of school life and strengthening the school’s ties with the Anglican Church.

However, just three years into Mrs Acquisto’s tenure, the world was rocked by the arrival of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Overnight the school had to shift online, and the next two years were spent managing hybrid schooling, supporting staff and learners through the mental and physical health challenges that the pandemic brought, and finding ways to continue serving the children of uBambiswano.

Then, in mid-2020, following the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, there was a global awakening about the need to address systemic racism and begin righting the unjust treatment of black people in a multitude of social and institutional contexts. In South Africa, many schools and universities became hubs for discourse around these issues as young people brought their voices to the conversation.

St Andrew’s also began taking this important journey. At the prompting of a group of the school’s alumni, everyone from across the community came together to start the process of addressing systemic racism at the school. Under the guidance of interim transformation and diversity head, Mr Siphiwe Vilakazi (the head of uBambiswano), the school began the process of acknowledging and addressing racial injustice, decolonising the curriculum and other aspects of school life, including the names of the four school houses, to transform St Andrew’s into a more inclusive environment.

This period also saw some significant capital projects completed, including the brand new Dinaledi Science Centre, a new block of studio units for staff housing, revamping of the Matric common rooms beneath Bedford Court, the Junior and Senior School staffrooms, the renovation of the Foundation Centre, Junior and Senior School libraries, and an extension to the dramatic arts facility. Over the years there were a number of upgrades to accommodation and facilities in the Preschool too. A new perimeter wall and fencing project was completed in the 120^th anniversary year.

In 2020 the school celebrated the 30^th anniversary of uBambiswano and 25 years since rowing was introduced as a sport.

In 2021, the school marked 100 years since it moved to the Bedford Farm premises.

In 2022 the school celebrated its 120^th anniversary. What does it take for a school to endure for such a long time? What the St Andrew’s story shows is that it’s a balance between tradition and adaptability, pioneering to forge new paths and, most importantly, building community.

A vision for the future of St Andrew’s

Mrs Noëlle McCann, who has acted as personal assistant to five different heads at St Andrew’s, says that in witnessing several leadership changes at the school, she has seen that the most effective leadership style is firm but fair and consistent. “The most important thing is consistency and that everyone gets treated equally,” she says.

In 2016, Mrs Acquisto, who was head of St Stithians Girls’ College at the time, was approached and asked if she would consider the position of executive head as part of St Andrew’s new management structure. As executive head she wouldn’t be responsible for day-to-day operational decisions at the school but would provide vision, leadership and development oversight for the entire school, ensuring the best interests of all four schools would be looked after. After 21 years at St Stithians Girls’ College, Mrs Acquisto accepted the offer and in May 2017 she took up the position of executive head at St Andrew’s.

During her interview process, Mrs Acquisto presented a vision for the school that she felt would allow it to successfully hold the tension of balancing growth, adaptability and relevance with tradition, sustainability and a solidified identity. “Schools are not static places,” she explains, adding that they need to respond to their current social, economic and educational context while acknowledging where they have come from. Her vision for the school when she joined St Andrew’s was for it to be a place where “students can retain curiosity where they can develop beautiful ways of being in love with, and full of, wonder.”

She also felt strongly that uBambiswano should be formally recognised as the fourth school at St Andrew’s and that it should have a head who was part of the same management structures and platforms as the Preschool, Junior School and Senior School heads.

A new era for uBambiswano

In 2019, after 10 years of heading uBambiswano, Ms Annette dos Santos felt that it was time to take up a new opportunity in Portugal. Mr Vilakazi, who had immense experience as a teacher and in leading community development initiatives at schools, including at Redhill, St Stithians, St John’s and The Ridge, was appointed to lead uBambiswano in 2020.

In one of his first acts as the new head, Mr Vilakazi gave the keynote address at the 2020 Founder’s Day celebration in honour of uBambiswano’s 30th anniversary. He says it was an opportunity to share just how much of a collective effort uBambiswano is.

“I’m mindful that I can’t do this alone. I need the stakeholders to come to the table. It is a team effort and the school is bigger, uBambiswano is bigger than me the individual. So I need my colleagues, children, parents and the St Andrew’s staff to come on board.” Siphiwe Vilakazi, head of uBambiswano, 2020 – present

Part of the reason Mrs Acquisto was intent on increasing the status of uBambiswano at St Andrew’s and formalising its position as the fourth school is that the benefits of the work done at uBambiswano are experienced by both the uBambiswano students and the wider St Andrew’s community as they partner together. As Mr Vilakazi explains, “strengthening society is a collective responsibility”.

“Once we see it as a mutually beneficial relationship, it changes everything. Even with our interactions with schools in Daveyton and Etwatwa – when we interact with the teachers and the heads, it’s not always about us taking knowledge to those schools; it’s where we as colleagues share best practice. The teachers in those schools are doing amazing things with limited resources and have so much to share,” he adds.

As a self-funded entity, reaching the milestone of uBambiswano’s 30^th anniversary was something well worth celebrating. Mr Vilakazi commends Ms dos Santos for handing over a “fully functional school” for him to build upon and take into the next decade of its story and notes that the school owes its success to the many people who have played a role in establishing and growing it.

Mr Vilakazi spent the first part of his tenure spending time with the uBambiswano community to inform his vision for the school.

“It was so interesting; when I first met the kids, and they said, ‘Oh, it’s a ‘he’. It’s the perception that only women could do this, and men don’t have compassion… so I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to educate our community that we box people according to genders and it’s so important to allow yourself to experience someone before you make conclusions about them,” he says.

He also wanted to increase the children’s sense of ownership within uBambiswano. He wanted to help them see that they aren’t visitors at uBambiswano and that it’s their school to be proud of. “The more you give ownership to the children, the more they handle it with responsibility,” he says. For the first two months in his role, Mr Vilakazi worked on “the psychology of the importance of belonging” with the students.

“What I hope for every child that I’ve taught is that they can be themselves and know that they are accepted and loved. You need to operate from your authentic self, and I think you can’t say you’ve fully lived if you haven’t done that. Helping our pupils experience that was definitely on my to-do list when I took up this role.” Siphiwe Vilakazi, head of uBambiswano, 2020 – present

Teacher development through uBambiswano

When Mr Frank Simmonds first started uBambiswano in 1990, much of its focus centred on teacher development in less-resourced schools. Mr Vilakazi’s vision for uBambiswano includes revitalising this crucial aspect of the school’s work.

uBambiswano is a self-sufficient financial entity within St Andrew’s, and it recently received a specific donation to begin re-developing this arm of its work. “The number of pupils that can attend the uBambiswano Saturday school is limited, but by investing in teachers in Daveyton and Etwatwa and supporting their personal development journeys, many more children can be reached through uBambiswano’s work,” says Mr Vilakazi.

As part of this, uBambiswano has a relationship with the Wits School of Education and is able to access its professional services in its work to support teachers in Daveyton and Etwatwa. Mr Vilakazi also hopes to tap into the skills within the St Andrew’s community and broker expertise from the parent body to facilitate workshops and training that will contribute to the staff development work at uBambiswano.

BIG CAT values

St Andrew’s had already identified balance, integrity, grace, community, accountability and trust as its core values in a process beginning in 2012 and solidified by 2014. Mrs Acquisto saw an opportunity to bring these values to the fore in all aspects of school life. She and the management team developed the ‘BIG CAT’ acronym to help the school community remember and apply these values. The values were incorporated into a tree form, drawing inspiration from the stained-glass window in the Allister Rogan Auditorium concourse, donated by the Evans family in 2000.

Right from the Preschool level through to the Matrics and for all uBambiswano learners, these values are reinforced in everything – from the way conflict is addressed, to helping students to be accountable in their academic, sporting and cultural commitments.

Building strong foundations

A need for a St Andrew’s Preschool was identified in 2003 to provide for the young children of the staff. From its formal opening in 2005, it has become a core part of the St Andrew’s offering and the foundation for the Skilled for Life philosophy.

“Our holistic learning is all skills based. All the children experience what it means to be part of a big school. We collaborate with the rest of the school and participate in all the whole-school activities,” says Mrs Lee Milner, head of the Preschool. “The Preschool helps with the transition into the Junior School. Many students have formed friendship bonds in our Preschool that have remained throughout their schooling career.”

She adds that the most critical development takes place in a child’s brain during their preschool years. “This enables them to learn much faster than at any other time in their life.

At our Preschool we maximise this critical phase by encouraging a love of learning with our unique teaching and learning programme; paying attention to emotional and social needs by being inclusive and using every experience as a learning opportunity; allowing the children to explore a variety of opportunities with our holistic learning programme, and we treat young children’s education with respect.”

The Preschool’s curriculum continues to evolve to include music led by the head of the music department, Mr Rob Stewardson, IT lessons using a bank of iPads, and the teaching of African languages led by the school’s teaching assistants. Swimming and ballet also continue to be important activities.

The St Andrew’s Preschool aims to offer exceptional education to children from three months to five years old. “My hope is that everyone here will experience magic, adventure, laughter and love each day,” says Mrs Milner. “My vision is that we will prepare each little child to actively serve the world with their unique talents and gifts.”

St Andrew’s and the Anglican Church

In 2018 St Andrew’s formalised its affiliation with the Anglican Board of Education of Southern Africa. Although the school had always had a strong association with the Anglican Church, the school’s management and board felt that it was important to make it official. Mrs Acquisto explains that it allowed the school to “own who we are”.

Rather than excluding families and staff members of other faiths, this affiliation has allowed them to choose the school knowing clearly what the spiritual ethos is. “Spirituality is an important part of the girls’ reality and having a stronger spiritual element helps guide that, rather than becoming a prescriptive tool,” says Mrs Acquisto.

Dinaledi Science Centre

As an all-girls educational environment, the school is committed to providing the best possible foundation for its learners. As Mrs Acquisto explains “I love all-girl educational environments because I genuinely believe they are good for girls.” Empowering girls to achieve in all spheres is an important legacy at St Andrew’s, but the board, management and staff began to realise that some of the school’s existing facilities needed to be significantly upgraded to continue helping girls succeed in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art and maths.

The result was the new Dinaledi Science Centre development, which was officially opened by Mrs Pauline Jackson in October 2021. The 1520m² centre is situated behind Bedford Court and adjacent to the Frank Simmonds Resource Centre, where staff accommodation, some originally built in 1946, was located previously. However, Mr Morris, who was chairman of the board during this infrastructure project, says that the old buildings no longer provided an acceptable standard of accommodation. It was decided that the project would include the demolition of the old staff building and the development of a new staff housing block near Cheetham House. “It’s really important to have proper living conditions for the staff,” says Mr Morris. The apartments are self-contained modern studio units and there is room for expansion.

The building project was also undertaken with a view to being as sustainable as possible. The old science laboratories were decommissioned and refurbished as multipurpose classrooms. The old wooden laboratory benches were made into furniture and fittings for the renovated Matric common rooms. A vegetable garden was planted on the rooftop of the Dinaledi Science Centre, solar panels were installed, and the building was designed to make use of as much natural light and ventilation as possible.

One of the most innovative aspects of the building’s interior is the ‘moveable’ internal walls. This allows the space to be adapted as needed in future. As Mr Morris explains, “We needed to have a holistic spatial development plan for how to use the whole space best.”

The Dinaledi Science Centre and associated construction cost around R30 million and was completed in time and on budget thanks, according to Mr Morris, to good management and tremendous support from the board. “I think we’ve got a very, very good quality building,” he adds.

COVID-19

No community around the world was untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic, including St Andrew’s. Overnight, schools couldn’t meet physically and existing approaches to learning and interacting had to be adapted.

Thanks to a policy change five years earlier, which required that every Grade 8 have their own iPad to use for different aspects of their schoolwork, by 2020 all the girls in the Senior School already had access to devices to use at home. This meant that within two days of South Africa’s initial strict lockdown being announced in March 2020, the entire Senior School was operating online.

Mrs Jeffrey explains that although the issue of access was fortuitously resolved for the older girls, there was still an enormous amount of work that went into managing the timetable transition from in-person to online.

She adds that even while academic rigour was maintained, the community faced significant additional stress that needed to be acknowledged. “We found we had to spend a lot of time facilitating human connection and relationships… we definitely felt the social and emotional strain as a community and realised that we need to keep pastoral timetable periods, the sports department developed programmes and exercises that could be taught online, tutor periods were kept, and the wellness team reached out regularly with tips and encouragement for managing mental health during this incredibly tough time.”

In the Junior School, because the girls didn’t have the same iPad system in place, a more creative approach was required to continue school in an online environment. Staff worked tirelessly to develop lesson plans and find ways to connect with their students that suited their different age groups.

“The two COVID-19 years stand out as lowlights and possibly highlights at the same time because if ever a school’s resolve and grit were tested, it was in those years. And I know it sounds very clichéd, but I can honestly sit here as the head of the Junior School and say how incredibly proud I was of the way the community was able to rally and deal with those two years. Every single person played their part.

Community is one of our school values, and I don’t think there was ever a time that it could have been role-modelled more overtly than in those two years. Between the parents, the girls and the staff, who were just phenomenal, everyone had to step up – and they did.” Bev van Niekerk, Junior School head, 2017 – present

Even when everyone was allowed to come back to the school premises, strict COVID-19 safety protocols had to be implemented.

Mr Chris Boshoff, the functions manager, became the school’s COVID-19 compliance officer and helped facilitate the transition. “We were able to work together so closely, and work with so many amazing teams in the school, which made the abnormality a little bit more acceptable,” he says.

Ms Caron Garner, head of Grade 0, agrees. She says that when COVID-19 struck, she was extremely concerned about the little ones attending classes online. “For me, it was just incredible to watch 5- and 6-year-olds online, attending ‘Teams Meetings’, taking turns, muting and unmuting themselves, and dialling into their teachers when they needed assistance. It really highlighted for me that we must never, ever underestimate a child and what they are capable of,” she says.

In the wake of COVID-19, technology has been permanently integrated into how the school functions, aiming to keep the best aspects of digitisation without losing the important physical elements.

The arrival of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown restrictions presented a huge challenge for the Preschool, where teachers and children particularly missed their personal contact. The Preschool team worked hard to maintain connections with the children, and once they were able to return to in-person classes, went to great lengths to support the students. Mrs Milner says, “The children are resilient and with the commitment of our excellent teaching staff, we were able to work on the areas our children lost during the pandemic.”

“Leading the school during the height of COVID-19 was definitely challenging and I must admit I times I felt defeated and targeted. I often asked myself “Why me?” “Why us?” “Why our year?” The fear of the unknown was one that frightened us all. The year that lay ahead was daunting. However, with the help of my two Deputies, Sarah Kromhout and Ugochi Umah, the amazing council of 2020 and my phenomenal grade, the year was a successful and memorable one. Matric is a difficult and stressful year academically and COVID-19 was definitely not something we had hoped to add to our list of pressures. However, our teachers worked tirelessly to ensure that we were equipped to achieve the best possible results at the end of our schooling career. I am eternally grateful for each and every one of them.” Nicole Chetty, head girl 2020

For St Andrew’s uBambiswano pupils, access to digital devices and internet connections was limited, but this didn’t stop Mr Vilakazi and his team from finding ways to support the students while schools were closed.

Explaining the pivot for uBambiswano, Mr Vilakazi says, “I think for any leader to demonstrate their leadership qualities you almost do need a crisis because that will tell you whether you’re a fit for this role, or not. And because our programme has limited resources and our kids don’t have iPads and Wi-Fi, we needed to be creative in finding ways to continue to support our children. And that’s where teamwork kicked in.”

The uBambiswano team put together work packs that were delivered to Daveyton and Etwatwa and, thanks to a sponsor, were able to purchase food vouchers for some of the uBambiswano families.

Mr Vilakazi also saw that there was a need for psychological support for the children and their families. With the St Andrew’s wellness team and with help from a social worker who partners with uBambiswano, voice notes were created to be shared on WhatsApp with information for families and tips on how to navigate this incredibly difficult time.

As the new head of uBambiswano, Mr Vilakazi felt that it was important for him to remain connected with the children, so he created short videos and voice notes containing encouragements for the community. “Those were so well received and appreciated by our community, and I think that’s when I really connected with the community that I’m currently serving because in a crisis we get to know our real friends,” he adds.

Mr Vilakazi started penning his thoughts on the uBambiswano website, aiming not only to share progress at uBambiswano, but also to unite the community and inspire hope.

Transformation and Diversity

Amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, another global sea change was taking place. It was in 2013 that the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter first came to the fore, but the movement gained momentum in 2020 across schools and universities in South Africa.

Within the St Andrew’s community, the management team received a submission that documented past students’ painful experiences of racism in the school environment.

“We didn’t realise what a difficult time many girls and staff had had in this environment… Some of our black students let us know that when they came to St. Andrew’s, they had to leave their culture, their real identity, at the gate,” says Mrs Acquisto.

It was a sobering moment for the school and one that demanded an authentic, vulnerable and deep response. So, the management team, staff and board began a journey of understanding, acknowledging and addressing their shortcomings. “Once you know, you can’t unknow, but you can unlearn. You can unlearn and relearn,” says Mrs Acquisto.

The board asked the recently appointed head of uBambiswano, Mr Vilakazi, to help the school on its journey towards creating a more inclusive environment. He acted as the interim transformation and diversity head until Ms Sheillah Muchauraya was appointed to the permanent position in September 2021.

“As a black teacher in a private school system, I’ve experienced so many things,” says Mr Vilakazi. “I’ve experienced racism, experienced children and other staff members who are racist to children, microaggressions, but I’ve always been vocal about addressing it. In a kind, but very clear, way… but it did break my heart when it came to the kids because they would often come to me as a black staff member as they could relate to me.”

Mr Vilakazi says leading the school through this time was a valuable experience. “I don’t regret that I was here because, from that experience, I’ve grown to be a better person… I really feel that the school made the right move and is committed to making St Andrew’s a more inclusive environment… We’ve become much more transparent as a community than we were before because I think there’s more mindfulness.”

Mrs Acquisto and her team also received valuable encouragement from Mr Morris and the board, who understood the need for and supported the work that had to be done.

Slowly, change began to take place. The nature of these journeys is that there is a significant amount of discomfort in the process, and it takes time to rebuild trust and find common ground.

Mrs Neerasha Maistry, head of the foundation phase, says that the most exciting changes that have taken place at the school since she has been there have been regarding transformation and diversity. “The changes started off slowly and were overwhelming. But being part of the changes from the start has been phenomenal,” she says. “The inclusion and belonging that is felt around the school is heart-warming. Embracing the need for change and ensuring the importance of every stakeholder was and still is an empowering journey. I am proud of St Andrew’s for making the important changes that make our country, our world and our lives better each day.”

Mr Vilakazi’s empathy and ability to understand multiple perspectives, along with the commitment from all involved, proved immensely helpful in bringing the community together to move forward on this journey.

“Our vision is to establish a school of hope and dignity where everyone, no matter what their role, is treated with respect – a school guided by love, not fear – a school of belonging, inclusion and thriving for everyone – a school where we listen well.” Ivanka Acquisto, executive head, 2017 ­– present

New house names

As part of the broader transformation and diversity journey at St Andrew’s, the school underwent a process of reconsidering its house names.

Ms Muchauraya explains that to understand the importance of this change, it was first important to understand why the names were problematic. While many assumed that the names were the surnames of the school’s founders, they were not. Selborne, Milner, Athlone were surnames of administrators who served in the colonial government and army and Farrar was a randlord.

“The four men at that time were seen as pioneers who represented strength, leadership, and achievement in military and civic endeavours,” explains Ms Muchauraya. “However, they supported the white supremacist notion of segregation and discrimination based on race. As leaders, they were rewarded for their roles in the financial gains in the mining sector that saw the widespread abuse of black and Chinese labour. It was also important to understand the context of the times and how women were maligned and seen as housekeepers, childminders or ladies of leisure. It was evident that the names were not aligned to the school’s values and ethos and it was therefore important that new names be considered that reflected these.

Great care was taken to include the whole school community in the re-evaluation of the house names, including people at the school in 2022 and those who had previously been involved with St Andrew’s. Several different engagement sessions were held, starting with the reasons for reconsidering the names.

Potential themes for the new names were identified and then narrowed down to two options. The student heads of houses were tasked with proposing four names per theme, providing motivations and potential symbols for consideration. The names were then put to the community to vote.

“All students from Grades 4 to 12 were expected to vote at a specified time and the importance of casting one’s vote provided a critical lesson on the value of taking ownership of decisions in one’s space,” says Ms Muchauraya. “Voting was also open to all school staff, alumni, board members, trust members and parents.”

The final names were announced in August 2022 at a special ceremony that was also livestreamed. The new theme selected for the house name was trees, with each house taking the name of a species of tree. Selborne house became Marula, Milner became Baobab, Athlone became Acacia and Farrar became Karee.

There are many trees on the school property, latterly all those planted have been indigenous species. Trees have also been featured in artworks around the school including the Junior School mosaic co-ordinated by artist Bronwen Fleming at the front of the school hall. The mural inside the hall was designed by Hannelie Coetzee using timber from the stinkwood trees that were cut down to make way for the hall extension.

Reflecting Lay Canon Chaane’s metaphor of the St Andrew’s community as a tree, the students explained the significance of the new names and how the theme of trees ties into so many aspects of life at St Andrew’s.

“Trees are found in an infinite number of locations and have adapted to survive different conditions within South Africa. However, as diverse as they are in appearance and adaptations, every tree is rooted in earth’s ground and needs air, water, nutrients and sunlight to survive. Similarly, the students at St Andrew’s are unique and represent the diversity of South Africa. However, they are all brought together and rooted by St Andrew’s. They are nourished by the knowledge and relationships shared by their teachers and peers, as well as the physical buildings of the school.

Trees bear fruit that people benefit from, they produce oxygen and provide shade. Trees serve as a central point for sacred areas for special gatherings. Trees play an essential role in life, just as the students are arguably the most essential element of St Andrew’s. They keep the school breathing. The leaves that develop here will provide shade for others in the future; the buds that form here will become fruit that could positively impact the whole country, perhaps the whole continent or even the world, St Andrew’s teaches core values yet gives students the space to sprout into beautiful forms that all desire. Every year, a tree grows a new layer of bark which is symbolic of the acknowledgement of the history of the schoolhouses as new layers of history are created.” Student heads of houses, 2022

Community at the core

Community is at the heart of the St Andrew’s story and has been cited by teachers, students, parents, staff and other members of the St Andrew’s family – past and present – as one of the reasons for its longevity.

“My own remarkable journey was in 2019 fighting cancer. The support, love, and care from my colleagues and friends at St Andrew’s was incredible. Although I was unable to come to work for most of the year, I was still made to feel part of the team and felt that my colleagues and friends had my back in any way that I needed,” says Ms Garner.

Mrs Anna Feist, one of the school’s educational psychologists, says she has witnessed many incredible journeys through her work in the St Andrew’s wellness department. “I have seen children in the foundation phase struggling academically, [whose parents] questioned if they should attend a remedial school, but who have worked hard, persevered, and with the amazing support of their teachers and therapists have gone on to high school and thrived,” she says. “St Andrew’s turns out girls who are resilient, who persevere, and who discover their potential. The school takes the wellness and support of the girls seriously and strives to help them overcome any barriers they may experience.”

Tayla Stephen, who attended St Andrew’s from 2002 and matriculated in 2014, says that one of her favourite memories is from her Junior School years. “When I was in Grade 0, my drawing was selected to be buried in a time capsule that marked the school’s 100^th birthday. Masechaba Bookholane, the head girl of 2002, held my hand as I spoke softly into the microphone in front of all the school and its guests. Despite being only five, it was a day I remember vividly,” she says. “Masechaba and I reconnected when I matriculated in 2014 and we have remained in contact ever since.”

Andzani Mthenjane, Matric 2021, says, “I enjoyed and was deeply grateful for the privileges provided at St Andrew’s, from the sports facilities to the elevated curriculum and more. I knew that by attending this school I was being set up for success in the future. I loved being part of a community whose physical beauty is manifested through the vitality of the staff members.”

As St Andrew’s embarks on its next decade, all the elements of the community that make up the tree in Lay Canon Chaane’s metaphor have an important role to play in ensuring that it continues to grow in strength, vitality and beauty.