FLIPPING BOOK CHRONICLE 2024

He was wearing fur, on his hood and his cape, And his shoes they were gleaming, and his tie was dead straight;

Rounding up the pubescent adolescent jerks; Soon the miscreants were nestled all snug in their beds, With threats of disciplinary hearings stuck in their heads. Then laying his finger aside of his nose, With a farewell nod, to the Rectory he goes; But I heard him exclaim, as he returned whence he’d come, Just remember, “Illegitimi non carborundum.” *With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore. **This report is inspired by, rather than based on, real-life events.

He wasn’t with his Deputies, he was all by himself, but I smiled when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but I knew of course, If it happened again, I’d be meeting with human resources.

A split second later he went straight to work,

ECONOMICS

Head of Department: Ms Riette White Staff: Mrs Win de Wet (A Block) , Mr Michael Sevenoaks (A-D Block) , Mr Lwando Saunders (A, C and D Block) , Mr Jason Syce (B-E Block) , Mr Brendan Gittins (E Block) , Mr Ryan Strudwick (D Block) Interns: Mr Bruere Venter (E Block) , Mr Lwandiswa Zuma (E Block) , Mr James Kiln (D Block) , Mr Mvelase Mbambisa, Mr Hayden Hankinson (September to December) intern. Lwando taught two A Block classes in his first year at Michaelhouse with aplomb. His extensive knowledge, having an honours degree in economics, as well as his impressive command of the new technology we are using, namely incorporating OneNote, learning journeys and interactive discussions on our Teams platform, have assisted the entire department in elevating how we approach teaching in the digital age. Mr Jason Syce also joined our department in 2024. Hailing from Port Elizabeth, with his teaching experience garnered at Woodridge College, Jason’s drive for excellence, his enthusiasm in dealing with teenagers, and his flair for content creation have added to our innovative dynamic. The year started on a positive note with the release of our matric results for 2023. We achieved a distinction rate of over 40%. Oliver Walters and Thomas Lahaye tied as our top achievers, both obtaining an incredible 95%. Other noteworthy performances were Ben Keep and David du Toit, achieving 91%, and Michael Thornton with 90%. The Michaelhouse Economics average improved to 14% above the IEB national average, showcasing our continued commitment to excellence as well as our focus on ensuring our less academically orientated students are well supported. We thank Mrs de Wet, Mr Sevenoaks, Mr Rindfleisch and Ms White for preparing our matric boys so thoroughly for their final examination. A t the beginning of 2024 we welcomed Mr Lwando Saunders into the Economics Department as a full time teacher after his previous involvement as an

106 boys decided to embark on becoming young economists. This has gained us recognition as the largest IEB economics department in the country. The enthusiasm for our subject seems to stem from its direct link to current world events. Alongside this, we aim to expose our boys to opportunities for extension, by making available to them guest speakers, outings and elite competitions, which help them in developing their thinking and understanding of the subject and the world. We are grateful to the Michaelhouse alumni for their support and willingness to engage with our boys in this regard. Our E Blockers attended an outing to the Homewood handcrafted furniture manufacturing plant in Lidgetton. The boys were taken through the process from forest to finished product, along with being shown the business’s marketing techniques and the environmentally sustainable practices used in their production process. They finished their morning at Piggly Wiggly, seeing where the Homewood furniture is displayed for sale. We thank Mr Bruere Venter for his organising the E Block outings, and Mr Wes Harrison for his assistance in accommodating the Michaelhouse boys at the Homewood facilities. A significant portion of our Michaelhouse-curated D Block curriculum focuses on understanding and pursuing investing. To this end, the D Blockers register on the Investopedia trading platform, which allows them to simulate the New York Stock Exchange, whilst learning how to buy, sell and analyse shares. In 2024, we aimed to register all our D Block boys on the Easy Equities trading platform, in conjunction with Mr Justin Pearse of the Purple Group, under which Easy Equities resides. Registering on this app allows the boys to simulate the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, as well as invest real money on the JSE, whilst ensuring that parental approval is incorporated. To assist us in the registration and education process on the platform, Mr Pearse addressed all our D and C Block boys on the fundamental principles of investment. He also provided Michaelhouse with a specific help line for parents who were struggling to complete their son’s registration. Mr Pearse’s message of starting young and to capitalise on compounding spoke directly to the Economics Department’s vision of having our boys equipped to engage in real-world investing from their

In 2024 we had a record number of boys choosing Economics as a subject. In A Block 100, in B Block 98 and in C Block

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