Quinton Woods
Chairman
"I am indeed privileged to have been invited to make a contribution to Sagewood School’s 25th year celebration magazine. Having been on the board since 2000 I have experienced first hand the exceptional challenges that face education, and more especially, independent education in South Africa.
In these uncertain times it is imperative to honour the partnerships forged throughout the education system. The Department of Education, the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (of which Sagewood is a member) and all schools – independent and former Model C schools – must continue to communicate, share resources and build on best practices. Everyone has much to offer and we must all contribute In order to establish a better education system for the future.
Sagewood has undergone a massive re-building exercise over the last 4 years. The board structure has been changed to be aligned with the best corporate guidelines available. Under the expert hand of our director, Johreen Patel, every operating structure has been scrutinized, overturned and improved upon.
A lot of time and energy has been spent on developing our infrastructure across the board to ensure that the broader Sagewood community has access to more and better facilities. Over the next few years this trend is set to continue and we are very excited at the prospect of starting the school hall during 2011. Thank you to all parents who have diligently contributed to the development levy - this ‘private equity’ will enable the school to finance the balance of the project.
As a board we have every confidence in Johreen and her team’s ability and commitment to continue to grow Sagewood in every aspect. In particular, we would like the ‘best’ Sagewood experience to be extended to our learners, staff, parents and other stakeholders at all times.
Heritage and tradition are very important aspects of schools life and Sagewood’s 1st 25 years are steeped in these. However, the future looms large and I am looking forward with much anticipation to the next passage of the Sagewood journey."
