27 26 The Chronicle 2021 Centenary Edition Centenary Edition COVID CASES This year we recorded 68 COVID positive cases in boys and 15 positive cases among staff members at the College. This also resulted in 219 of our boys being identified as close contacts. As the variants’ symptoms changed, so we were forced to change our methods of screening. Whilst the Delta variant affected our boys far more than the initial wave, at the peak of the third wave, there were 170 boys out of school at one time, either having tested positive or having been in close contact with someone who was positive. The COVID management team on campus held weekly meetings to monitor the processes and assess risks. An additional person was employed to manage and monitor COVID on a day-to-day basis within the school. By the end of August 2021, over 90% of Kearsney employees and 94% of outsourced employees had been vaccinated. Following the announcement by the Minister of Health during October that 12 to 17-year-olds were eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations, the College hosted a two-day clinic on campus for our pupils, in partnership with Thrive Pharmacy. The congratulatory “handshake” during COVID times became the elbow bump and in less formal settings, the fist pump. A wonderful job was done by our COVID Committee, with Mrs Sandy Dunnett, COVID-19 Compliance Manager, and Mr Thabo Jaffe hired to act as COVID coorrdinator. At the end of 2021 we held a small gathering to thank those who had worked hard to ensure the best advice and compliance with COVID regulations. 2022 Headboy, Jason Brien, thanked Board member, Dr Mike Marshall. GRIEF AND LOSS We are mindful that many of our Kearsney families are dealing with grief and the loss of loved ones due to COVID-19. Nineteen Kearsney boys have lost a parent since the start of the pandemic. As that grief affects every area of our lives, we have put in place several grief counselling, pastoral care and support structures to assist those boys and their families who may be struggling with grief. Within the College are safe spaces where boys can engage with trusted staff members. This is not as much counselling as ‘holding space’ for the boys on difficult days. Using our Life Orientation curriculum and a grief support group, boys and staff are encouraged to look out for ways they can show care and kindness to each other. We thank our parents for the support and loyalty we have received through these difficult times and their trust in us by sending their boys back to school. The year began with only TWO boys at school! In an unprecedented event in the history of the College, the start of Term 1 in 2021 had to be delayed by two weeks on the instruction of the Department of Basic Education. This was amid fears of another wave of the coronavirus. As the announcement was so close to the start of term, two of our boys from outside our borders had already returned to South Africa - Travis Frans (Grade 12 from Malawi) and Jonathan Killick (Grade 9 from Zimbabwe). They were welcomed back to school, where our teachers were teaching online in empty classrooms! The boys joined their usual lessons in person while the teacher also engaged with their classmates online. Much to the delight of the Grade 12 boys, we managed to hold the Matric Dance in October, when medical advice suggested there was a window of opportunity as COVID numbers were plummeting. Under strict protocols, the boys and their partners enjoyed their highlyanticipated celebration. Grade 11 waiter at the Matric Dance having to wear the mandatory face mask
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