Rector’s eNews – 02 November 2022
/ Rector's eNewsIn early January 2023, there will be a seminar for A Block (Grade 12) pupils studying Mathematics and Physical Science as matric subjects who wish to attend. This will be held under the auspices of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and ISASA at St John’s College in Johannesburg, and is aimed at developing advanced Mathematics and Science competencies.
Workshop topics under the banner of The Robot Next Door are:
• Design-Thinking
• Problem-Solving
• Robotics
• The role of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
• Insights into studying at MIT
• Cutting-edge scientific developments
There are only 99 places available for this incredible enrichment opportunity and the only other criterion is that students must be doing Mathematics and Physical Sciences as subjects, as well as the rapidity with which an applicant completes the on-line registration. Preference will be given to those pupils who are doing Advanced Programme/Further Studies Mathematics.
ISASA has confirmed that the course has been carefully curated and will be presented by a range of dynamic undergraduate and postgraduate MIT students.
• Dates: Tuesday 3 January 2023 – Friday 6 January 2023
• Times: Tuesday 3 January 2023, 10h30 – 18h00. Wednesday 4 January 2023 to Friday 6 January 2023 09h00 – 17h00
• Venue: St John’s College, Houghton, Johannesburg
• Cost: R4 100 for the entire week for day attendees. R6 150 per student requiring accommodation and meals at St John’s College.
The closing date for registration is Friday 25 November 2022, and your son’s latest B Block Report will be required when registering.
On Sunday and Monday evenings, we were fortunate to have Rex Hunt from the Organisation Against Drugs and Child Abuse (ADCA) talk to the E and D Block and then the C and B Block respectively. He is a counsellor who deals with a number of teenagers in the North Coast area and spoke in an animated way against the culture of drugs, vaping in general and against any form of dependency. He indicated that many schools are seeing an increase in drug use and, in particular, vaping and spoke convincingly against this phenomenon. We have had four speakers talk to our boys in connection with addiction and intoxicating substances over the past six months.
With regard to our testing for substances at Michaelhouse, we have increased the number of “panels” which will show up the substance use to encompass a much wider range of harmful substances. As was previously the case, boys who are suspected of drug use or the use of intoxicating substances including vaping, will be taken for such tests at our San.