Hi Everyone
Just thought I would give you all a quick catch up on Hlumelo and how he is coping. He is well and happy and is on lockdown in his home in Joe Slovo Park, Milnerton, with his mom and sister. His brother Lusanda remained in America for lockdown where he has been working. Melo is, of course, missing his rugby terribly but he has kept fit with exercises and of course, can at least go for a run now in the mornings now that we are on level 4. We have talked through his deep disappointment about the school rugby season that went up in flames with lockdown but he is philosophical about it and tends to look at all the positives instead (at least SACS managed to have their matric dance – other schools have had to cancel!)
Melo has been keeping up with all his schoolwork provided by SACS but felt he needed some help with Maths so I organised online lessons with Heather Race, the Maths teacher I had arranged to take the place of Gill Gull who retired last year. Heather lives a stone’s throw from SACS and was due to start lessons with Melo on Tuesday 17 March. But unfortunately, the SACS hostel was closed rather suddenly on 16 March due to Covid-19 and everyone sent home so the lesson did not take place. We did, however, manage to have a meeting the week before so that Heather and Melo could meet each other.
Melo is enjoying the lessons and says they are a great help and have provided good understanding with problem areas. He is keeping up with his Life Science which improved hugely in the first term (by 20%!) thanks to his Life Science teacher at SACS. Some of his teachers feel he needs to make more effort in some subjects (see attached reports) but on the whole, I am fairly pleased with his Term 1 report, especially Life Science. As you all know the plan at the moment is for matrics to return to school on Monday 1 June but mid-year exams have been scrapped so he has ample time to work hard for his next exams, hopefully in September.
Thus far his family have had enough resources for food and basic necessities but I have asked him to let me know if they have problems and need help in any way.
So all is well with our SACS 1969 Trust scholar and I think we can be proud of the way he has handled all the challenges in a very strange matric year. He is looking forward to returning to school and I will keep you updated with all that happens.
Warm regards as always,
Tess