I am extremely honoured and grateful for the opportunity presented to me to lead Grace College as Headmaster from 2023. Being part of the management in the capacity of Deputy Head for the past six years has given me the opportunity to build the necessary structures and systems to confidently manage and expand on all the gains the school has made.
To me, there is nothing more important than staying abreast of the latest developments in education throughout the world and working to ensure that our young adults have access to the high-school education they’ll need to thrive in both the contemporary and future economies. These attitudes permeate every facet of campus life, from pastoral care, and extracurricular activities to academics. My hope is that Grace College as well as its learners, will keep improving and flourishing in these respects, and in so, doing it ‘The Grace Way’.
Education in general is now researched on the basis of a pre-Covid-19 era, Covid-19 era and post-Covid19 era. Not too long ago the catchphrase in education was that we were preparing our learners for careers that do not exist. I believe that time has now arrived in a fourth industrial revolution era that heralded a flurry of occupations and careers we could have never imagined in the past. Educators are challenged to look beyond their normal realm of the classroom and provide the necessary instructional skills to prepare learners for the challenges that they will face as global citizens. Whilst a big focus was on system changes, challenges in syllabus coverage and keeping schooling as normal as possible there was a big change in the need for well-being.
Grace College provides a space for learners to be guided and challenged on the academic front to be able to excel in the demands required in life after secondary schooling. A thriving cultural leg of the school provides learners with the opportunity to express and promote the arts that form such a vital part of society. The sporting pillar of the school has picked up tremendous momentum in the past year with more provincial representatives being chosen to compete in National tournaments. It is a privilege to have a pastoral program that caters for learners from a mentoring capacity and also provides the opportunity for counselling to assist learners that are in need.
The most important aspect of Grace College, and one that I feel is critical to growing our pupils in all aspects of their lives, is that we pride ourselves on our Christian faith and the guidance we seek through biblical principles. With ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ as our motto we continually strive to uphold these principles.
As we head into the near future, there will be many challenges to overcome, but I do believe that when a community comes together, works together and aligns to a greater cause, then there can only be great things that will come from this unity.
I would like to thank my wife, Cecile, and my children, Henry, Janie-Mae, and Pieter, for their support in my appointment as Headmaster. Thank you to the Board of Governors under the leadership of Mr Deon van Wyk in entrusting me with this position, and finally, thank you to the staff, learners and parents of Grace College for supporting me in my appointment.
