FLIPPING BOOK CHRONICLE 2024

SCIENCE

Head of Department: Mr Clint Sliedrecht Staff: Mr Matthew Higginson, Mr Edward Jeffrey, Mr Nkanyiso Ngcobo, Mr Grant von Mayer Intern Staff: Mr Dominic Leslie, Mr Sinethemba Mabaleka, Mr Brandon Peel Lab Assistance: Mr Raymond Duma his year has been characterized by significant energy and dedication from both the boys and staff in the Physical Sciences Department. On the staffing front, we welcomed Mr Dominic Leslie (Founders, 2018) to the department as an intern. Mr Leslie has returned to Michaelhouse to train as a teacher after completing a BSc in mathematics and chemistry at Stellenbosch University. We also said goodbye to Mr Sinethemba Mabaleka, who spent two years with us. We thanked him for his efforts during this time and wish him well as he takes up a full-time teaching post in Cape Town. We are also delighted that Mr Brandon Peel has been appointed as a teacher in the Physical and Life Sciences departments in 2025 and look forward to further significant contributions from him. In 2024 we made significant strides in integrating technology into our teaching practices. One of the most exciting developments has been the implementation of datalogging equipment in our physics practical work. This cutting-edge technology has transformed our approach to experiments, allowing boys to collect and analyse data with greater precision and efficiency. Additionally, we have invested heavily in upgrading and replacing our chemistry and physics apparatuses. This investment ensures that from next year every practical investigation will be conducted with boys working in pairs, enhancing their hands on learning experiences. This has been a crucial priority for our department, and we are delighted to see it come to fruition. In terms of our boys’ achievements this year, we were delighted with the four candidates for the IEB Further Studies Physics examination. All four boys achieved a D symbol or higher. We look forward to future cohorts of our top physicists doing us proud. Also doing us proud were many of our participants in the Science Olympiad. We decided to enter the Multimole Science Olympiad this year. The number of prominent schools entering in 2023 contributed to our decision to participate. The Olympiad was well run and the boys enjoyed both the team and individual aspects of the competition. We had 16 B Block boys and four C Block boys enter. A number of commendable results were achieved and our four C Block boys (Thomas Wayne, Brent Tayengwa, Khashane Maenetje and Timothy Bokaba) achieved seventh place in the national team competition. We congratulate them on this fantastic achievement. We look forward to the next T

edition of the Multimole Olympiad as well as the SAASTA Olympiad that we will take part in during 2025.

The final results achieved by the 2023 matrics were a pleasing improvement on the 2022 results. We are hopeful that the class of 2024 will do us proud with their results, which will be released in January 2025, and I thank their teachers for their extraordinary efforts to help them fulfil their potential. We have again had a concerted extra science support programme running on Mondays and Wednesdays (the senior off-sport days) throughout the year. We were delighted that the number of boys taking Physical Science in C Block in 2025 again exceeded 80, with the total being 85. One of the highlights of the year was the Science Winter School held at Michaelhouse during the second week of the July holidays. This event brought together pupils from various schools for an immersive week designed to prepare matric pupils for the looming trial examinations. The enthusiasm and curiosity displayed by the participants were truly inspiring. We look forward to another successful edition of the Winter School in 2025, building on the success of this year’s programme. Our teachers continue to develop as lifelong learners, and an important part of this is the ongoing pursuit of better pedagogical practices in the classroom. I reported in last year’s Chronicle that we, as a department, had been excited to attend the first in person IEB conference in a number of years owing to the Covid pandemic having restricted conferences to the online arena. This year, a large contingent of our staff attended the conference in February and it didn’t disappoint, being a fantastic chance to network and exchange ideas with other science teachers from around the country. There were many interesting and inspiring presentations. Staff development remains an important aspect of the department. The majority of our staff continue to be involved in the Grade 12 IEB marking process. As we move into 2025 our major focus will be to elevate our practical investigations and demonstrations to new heights. We are committed to providing our boys with the best possible learning experiences, and we believe that hands-on, practical work is essential for deepening their understanding of scientific concepts. With our upgraded resources and advanced technology, we are well equipped to achieve this goal. In conclusion, 2024 has been a year of growth, innovation and achievement for the Physical Sciences Department. The dedication and hard work of our staff and boys have made this year a resounding success. We look forward to continuing this momentum into 2025 and beyond, fostering a love for science and a commitment to excellence in all our endeavours.

Superb. Well done House, for putting the well-being of the boys as a top priority. (On Michaelhouse's receiving the STEER International School of the Year award) - Philen Naidu, via Facebook

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