Please share your thoughts and stories on how you are dealing with the country wide lockdown with the OD Union at [email protected]

29 May

Dear Jeremy

Given the disruption that has been caused to economies and education systems globally during Covid19 lockdowns, we thought it would be of interest to you to know how Bishops plans to return to school, following guidelines announced by the Department of Education last week.

In a letter from Principal Guy Pearson addressed to the pupil’s parents, he has said that from Monday 1 June the school will be reopening on a phased basis. This means that the Matric class, grades 3 and 7 at the prep, and Grades N, R, 1 and 2 at the pre-prep, will be returning to class. The remaining grades will return after the school holidays on 30 June.

The College has stated that it fully understands those families who choose to not send their children back to school due to the risks associated with the interaction. Online learning will therefore still be going ahead, ensuring no student is at a disadvantage, should he decide not to attend class on the grounds.

While each section of The College, Prep and pre-prep will have different processes of the return, the safety of every student will remain the same. Sanitising and screening protocols will be in place. The College has set up a Covid-19 committee, which has completed a thorough risk assessment and established comprehensive protocols.

From 11 to 29 June, The College will be taking a mid-year school holiday, with the 3rd term commencing on 30 June. This allows the College to take a break later in term 3 once the Minister has released the State school calendar for the year.

This weekend would under normal circumstances have been the weekend of Term 2’s ‘BishBosch’ derbies, with boys from all grades competing over a variety of sports and activities. There is an understandable sense of disappointment – especially for the Matric boys – that this cannot go ahead, but there were some words of encouragement from Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok Francois Louw (2003W) and broadcaster Matt Pearce (1987G), who took part in an interactive panel discussion with pupils and parents as part of the school’s Wednesday evening ‘Culture Unlocked’ series which took place on Microsoft Teams. Francois had a very special message for the boys…

“The reason I enjoyed the game was for the purity of it back then. That’s what makes a good rugby player. Someone who enjoys life so much and is not looking to be the ultimate professional. I am not saying don’t be professional, you must be as professional as you can be and make sure you don’t miss an opportunity if it ever comes your way. Be fit enough, be ready and be on top of it. But enjoy life for what it is and enjoy the game for what it is.

Enjoy the camaraderie. We enjoyed everything that happens around the game and I think that’s what makes rugby the coolest game in the world. It doesn’t matter how good you are. It is about the team. I think that is something that always stuck with me, how awesome rugby is at Bishops. Not because we are all Bishops boys, there is a little bit of bias, but rather how you can go to Bishops on a Saturday morning on campground road, you can watch the U19 E’s kicking it off, playing the best rugby of their life, enjoying that moment. Then the D teams play, the C teams play and the U14s play…everyone is just enjoying the Rugby on the day.

Our culture [Springbok team] must be about winning, it’s a professional game, we must win. There is a great culture off the field in terms of friendship that goes on. It is a winning culture, but how we got that is through good people and character. That is the best thing. If you can champion that and encourage that then if you are good enough, you will get to the top.

Two of my best years were at Stellenbosch. Just enjoying life. Getting a degree, making friends, experiencing university and playing Rugby, because I absolutely loved it."

Francois also sat down with the OD Union this past week to discuss his very successful career and how he aims to give back to a sport which has to given him so much. Watch the full interview below.

Kind regards,

The OD Office.

OD Updates

In conversation with Francois Louw (2003W) - Springbok Stalwart

From playing on the Piley Rees, representing his boyhood club, moving abroad and settling into Bath, to ultimately lifting the biggest trophy in World Rugby, Francois Louw has had a stellar career. The flanker has amassed 76 caps over a decade long career and represented the Springboks at 3 World Cups, cementing his status as a true stalwart of South African Rugby. The OD Union sat down with Francois virtually, to briefly discuss these key moments.

Watch Interview

Jordan Van Tonder (2015M) - Breaking societal expectations

2015 head boy Jordan Van Tonder spoke with 20LifeLearners this morning about being gay in the 21st century and while it seems globally accepted, Jordan will evaluate why we still face hurdles in the acknowledgement of LGBTQ+ acceptance. Follow the link below to hear about his journey to discovery of self-love and breaking through societal expectations.

Watch Presentation

Watch this space as we will sit down with Jordan to discuss his experience of being gay in an all boys school and how it can affect you later in life.

Double Header On School Sports Live this weekend

SSL Vintage: Rondebosch 1st XV vs Bishops 1st XV, 26/08/1995 - Saturday 30th May 12:30pm

Join us for our first game in the Vintage Series on School Sport LIVE where we celebrate school matches and fixtures from the past. This weeks featured game played back in August of 1995 between Rondebosch & Bishops was an extremely close affair. It is a reminder of what would have been another derby between these two schools this upcoming weekend.

Vintage Match

Watch: Ryan Julius (2013K), Dayaan (2017W) and Mustapha Cassiem (2020W) chat with School Sports Live

All three ODs have representred South African men's hockey at outdoor and indoor levels. Ryan is the current 1st XI Hockey coach at the College. Mustapha has represented South Africa while still finishing his BIshops career and Dayaan has been plying his trade in Germany for the past 2 years. Click on the link below to watch the live interviews at 7PM tonight.

Watch Interview

Applications for the Rhodes Scholarship

Applications open on 1 June 2020 and close at 23h59 on 15 August 2020. Follow the link below for more info.

Applications

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES: CALL FOR HELP

WAITING FOR INFORMATION

The ODU is looking for ways of connecting OD’s which will be both convenient and beneficial to you.

Interest groups, clubs or societies, have worked well for other alumni organisations and would achieve that.

What we have in mind is enable OD’s to run groups/societies/clubs which interests them.

If you are interested in forming a group/society/club we are able to help with:

• The database

• The OD website (OD Connect, click here)

• An OD Connect Group management page

The idea is that each group would run its own show whilst generally observing general ODU principles.

Initial research shows interest in various sport (rugby, hockey, running) and culture (particularly music) but the options are open-ended and we will help create and manage group communications and events for any group/club/society which you establish and run. A few examples of the societies and clubs can be found below;

Societies

History, Horticultural, Wine, Drama, Art, Law, Investments, Medical, Literary

Oxymoron ( for those who didn’t like school), Educational Business, Small Business, Private Equity Agricultural, Marketing, Advertising, Engineering science and Technology, Political Economic IT / Digital Gaming, Piscatorial Wildlife, Ornithological Wildlife, Travel Insurance, Sailing Logistics, Exploration, Geographic Mountaineering, Skiing, Horse racing, Motor racing, Psychology, Astrology, Maths, Theology, Architecture, Music, Philosophy, Chess, Bridge, Anthropology, Retailers, Hospitality, DIY and Property development .

Sports

Golf, Rowing, Waterpolo, Rugby, Cycling, Road running, Athletics, Cricket, Soccer, Hockey, Tennis, Squash, Croquet and Bowls

Should you wish to discuss anything further or initiate a group, feel free to contact any of the ‘Societies & Clubs Sub Committee’ members:

• Simon Koch - [email protected]

• Len Worthington Smith - [email protected]

• Dave Macgregor - [email protected]

• Brendan Jenman - [email protected]

Please remember to register on OD Connect here.

Milestone birthdays this month

We would like to congratulate John Hueten (1947G) on turning 90 on the 27th of June. Another congratulations to the following for turning 80 years old in June; Richard Bonnard (1957F) on the 4th, Robert Satchel (1957G) on the 5th and Diarmid Douglas-Hamilton (1955S) on the 17th.