RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AT SP

Since its formative years, SP has seen many developments in terms of its physical structure as the number of students has increased and the needs of the school have changed.

In 2001 four new classrooms were completed above the admin block and in 2005 our long desired hall was opened. It has already hosted a number of school dances, class reunions, music concerts, prize-givings, Valentine’s Day and other programmes and , of course, assemblies.

                                                                                  The hall soon after its completion

In 2007 the first phase of a 4-part building project was completed - two new rooms, a drama room and a second music room, were built above the ‘minor hall’. The two original classrooms were converted into a dance studio.

                    As it was before.                                              The first floor completed.                                            The Drama room.

The second phase saw the demolition of the prefabs on Kendal Road to be replaced by a brick structure, with three extra classrooms on the first floor. This was completed in mid-2008, after which the next phase began, the demolition of the prefabs on the Klaproos Road side.

                    Phase 2 begins.                                                          Almost done!                                                The next phase begins.

On the sports front there have also been exciting developments. Towards the end of 2006 the SP Tennis Centre in Elfindale was opened on the site of the defunct Heathfield Tennis Club. The players of this increasingly popular code finally have a court to call their own.

Our cricketers, too, have reason to be happy. In March our newly laid turf wicket was ready to be used. To mark the opening of the Cliffie Ravens Oval on the AG de Villiers Sportsfield a cricket match was played between the school U/19 team and a team consisting (mainly) of ex-students on Saturday 17 March. The match was preceded by the official opening - a welcome by Mr Isaacs and a well received speech by Mr Ravens, former deputy principal of the school and himself a former provincial player, as well as administrator.

                                                                                   The first (unofficial) ball!

No doubt as SP continues to expand, further developments will take place. In fact, the plans for a swimming pool are with the council. We are hoping this new facility will be ready soon.

SP’s new bus: On Monday 2 March 2009 the school took delivery of its own, brand new minibus. This comes courtesy of the WCED  and is the result of an initiative involving Arts & Culture Focus schools, of which SP is one. The WCED recognised the fact that the costs  for schools to transport students to Drama productions or Music workshops, for instance, had become prohibitive, and thus, thanks mainly to the efforts of the WCED’s Mr Eldrid Petersen, Arts & Culture Focus schools were given a sum of money with which to purchase a vehicle. SP was given a good deal by Ottery Toyota on a Quantum and a trailer. Ex-student Mr Marico Samuels was instrumental in this deal.