3 2 On 17 January 2023, Bishop Linda Mandindi, Bishop of the Natal Coastal District of the Methodist Church, presided over the induction service for Kearsney’s 8th headmaster, Mr Patrick Lees. Mr Lees matriculated from Michaelhouse and has worked in independent schools for the past twentyseven years. He served as Headmaster of St John’s Preparatory for ten years and Executive Headmaster of Pridwin Preparatory for three years. Our new headmaster has held many prestigious positions, including executive positions in the Independent Schools Association of South Africa (ISASA) and the Southern African Heads of Independent Schools’ Association (SAHISA). Patrick is passionate about the broader Transformation and Diversity imperatives in our academic framework and their relevance to the South African context. This is nowhere more evident than in his founding of the Realema Teacher Intern programme, now comprising 50 interns and 30 graduates, and the St John’s Preparatory Academy, a communityfocused programme for promising pupils from inner-city schools in Johannesburg. Patrick possesses a BA, a PGCE (cum laude), a BEd (Hons) and a MEd from the University of Witwatersrand. He has also completed the Leadership Development Programme at Wits Business School. An excellent sportsman, Patrick has played cricket for the then Natal Nuffield and Colts teams and for Eastern Province, and rugby for the then Natal U21s. Patrick is married to Sarah and they have four adult children, Jessica, James, Charlotte and Jack, and a granddaughter, Elizabeth. Patrick was proud to assume the headmaster position and excited by the possibilities that lie ahead: ‘’I am a passionate educator...I am passionate about leading a school that is relevant to the South African context and at the cutting edge of global education. Sarah and I are so excited and honoured to have been given this opportunity to lead Kearsney. To lead a school like Kearsney is the pinnacle of achievement for any aspiring headmaster’’. A warm welcome to Kearsney’s 8th Headmaster Headmaster’s Induction Headmaster’s Speech Speech Night September 2023 Good evening Parents, Members of the Board and Trust, Honoured Guests, our Guest of Honour, Dr Cardo, but most of all, good evening gentlemen of the College. Firstly, I would like to congratulate all of you gentlemen. Not just those who will be receiving prizes tonight, but every single one of you boys who has contributed to making this year and this school such a special place – well done! You are all winners tonight and I, we all, salute you. A few years back, when I was at a fellow Methodist School’s (St Stithians College) Founders’ Day, the Rector was a wise old gentleman called David Wylde—a legendary educational guru. When he got up to address the audience at his last Founders’ Day, we all waited with bated breath to hear his parting words of wisdom. His speech consisted of three words: he said, “It’s been real!” … and then sat down. He received a standing ovation! I thought about doing something like that this year, and I am sure you all would enjoy it—short and sweet. However, with this being my first, not last, Speech Night and Prize Giving, I do not think I have that luxury. As I stand here after nine months as the 8th headmaster of Kearsney College, I am reminded that life is an endless canvas of possibilities waiting to be painted with the vibrant hues of our dreams and ambitions, inspired by the people that we meet along our journey each day. Each day offers a chance to embrace new opportunities, to learn and grow, and to shape a future that holds infinite promise. I have absolutely loved being inspired every day by you gentlemen and all of you people. You, the bright young minds of today, represent the epitome of potential. Each one of you carries within you a reservoir of capabilities waiting to be tapped. Remember, it’s not just the accolades we celebrate today, but the boundless possibilities that lie within you that maybe haven’t been seen yet or recognised or unleashed by yourselves. Possibilities are the seeds of progress. They challenge us to think beyond the ordinary, to innovate, to imagine, and to explore the uncharted territories of our potential. When we believe in the power of possibility, we empower ourselves to transcend barriers, to shatter glass ceilings, and to achieve what once seemed insurmountable. There is an old proverb that says, “If there be righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in each nation, there will be peace in the world.” Now the big question is: How do we inculcate the righteousness in the heart to kick start all the other things in that above quote and start the chain reaction? In my opinion, it starts at two sources both interlinked and dependent on each other and cannot be separated in the task – at home and at school. So, whilst admittedly we cannot truly control what happens in the home, what I can promise all sitting here today is that from Kearsney’s side, we endeavour to do our utmost by you gentlemen of the College and to fulfil our obligations to help you all find yourselves, the best of yourselves, provide as many options and opportunities as you desire, in order to ignite your mind with thoughts and grow wings to fly and soar to new heights. Teaching is the most optimistic of occupations. We have no way of looking, as Banquo says to Macbeth, “into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not.” But, we put the world before our students and challenge them to make it theirs. A teacher’s obligation
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