I want to use this opportunity to welcome back all staff, learners and parents. I want to wish you well for 2016 and may all your dreams and aspirations come true this year.
2016 is a very important year for us. We are celebrating our 150th Birthday and I hope you all know by now that our slogan and theme for this year is “Honour the Tradition and Explore the Future”. We need to hang on to the good traditions of the past but we also need to look ahead.
I again spoke to the boys, staff and parents this week and once more appealed to them to help me take DHS to the next level by getting involved in as many areas within the school as possible. We started the term with a full assembly and we also had our Pledge Ceremony on Wednesday. This is where the new Grade 8 boys ring the bell to signify their entry into DHS. I was very impressed by the new Grade 8 boys. They looked immaculate and behaved impeccably this week. I was extremely proud of them in their new uniforms and I want to welcome them, and the other new boys, and their parents, to the DHS family.
We have a great deal planned this year and we are going to be very busy. A good school is a busy school!
The Matric Class of 2015 must be congratulated on their fine set of results. What is most pleasing is the 85% Bachelor pass rate they achieved. These boys all qualified to study at a University. It is a major improvement from last year. Nine of our boys achieved 7 distinctions, seven achieved 6 distinctions and six achieved 5 distinctions. Thirty boys achieved an A aggregate. We are naturally disappointed with the boys who failed and I want to appeal to parents to take to heart the school’s recommendations with regards to subject changes and choices.
We are extremely proud of Nikyle Bisseru, who came 6th overall in the province and 1st in the Umlazi District, and Aravind Arunakirinather who came 1st in KZN in Mathematics and 3rd in the same subject in SA. These are extraordinary achievements. I must add that I did not see one boy from our traditional rival schools at the Awards’ Ceremony last week. Thank you to the academic staff for their hard work and dedication to the Matrics of 2015.
We welcomed three new members of staff this week. Two educators in Seema Rabilall and Kerry-Lynne Sprunt, as well as our new Estate Manager, Mike Maree. I have no doubt that they will be valuable to the school in all aspects.
Let us all contribute in making 2016 the most memorable year in all of the 150 years of our existence!
Leon Erasmus
14th Head Master
