HeronBridge College is proud to be opening its Founder’s House for weekly boarders for boys in Grade 8 to 10 from January 2023.
Our intention is to create a home-from-home environment for our boarders. We aim to start small and for our boarding culture to mirror our day-pupil ethos, where staff are committed to the intentional care of each, individual student.
Weekly boarding offers learners an opportunity to thrive within a structured environment that caters to the academic, sporty, cultural or social child. Our boarding facilities are situated in what is currently the Retreat, and allow us to comfortably accommodate our weekly boarders in a safe and comfortable homely environment on campus.
The interiors of the boarding houses have been extensively modified in order to ensure we provide modern and well-designed accommodation to provide all necessary comforts and facilities for our boarders.
All meals during the week will be provided for by the Retreat catering team and our hope is to provide a nurturing environment where our boarders are happy, engaged and fully immersed in life at our school.
Regular, weekly meetings with the Deputy Head and the Houseparents, will ensure consistency and support in line with ensuring that boarding remains an integral component of HeronBridge College.
Resident On-Site Staff Supervision
Meet the Team
As a priority, we endeavour in our boarding environment to create a home away from home at HeronBridge College.
Resident on-site staff supervision and care is very much in place with three staff allocated to the residence of sixteen pupils.
Our Houseparents and Tutors provide for the best onsite ‘parenting’ that we can offer. They are responsible for the encouragement, well-being and pastoral care of each of our learners.
The majority of our Houseparents and Tutors are HeronBridge staff and are experienced in dealing with the joys and challenges that adolescents face and will intentionally guide and disciple each of the boarding students.
Early morning gym time or devotions are part of the boarding programme to build a sense of the importance of good physical and spiritual health, while building a community and boarding ‘family.’
House Parents
Tracey and TC Carstens
We are extremely excited about the opportunity of being Houseparents to HBC boarders. This is a unique adventure that we are confident that God has been preparing us for and we are looking forward to this new chapter.
TC and I have been married for nearly 24 years and have three children, the ages of 31, (stepson to Trace), 20 (son, Keagan) and 16 (daughter, Gabi). We have had the honour of being a part of HeronBridge College since 2010, when I started teaching in the pre-prep and both our younger children joined the school. I am currently teaching in Grade 00 and am the head of department for this grade.
Before we got married, TC was a youth leader at a church in Cape Town, after which he attended three years of Bible school at Rhema Bible Training Centre. We both completed a year’s counselling course at Rhema, and I have counseled young people battling with various difficulties and disorders for a number of years.
We have always had a passion for being used by God to guide and encourage young people. Our desire is to see this generation of learners develop a relationship with God and build their identity in who He has created them to be.
We are a close-knit family and spend a lot of time together, supporting our children in whatever venture they set out to do, and having lots of fun together in the process. We are excited to open our family to HBC boarding and look forward to building relationships with the boarders and their parents.
Tutor
Faith Chumbu
I have been part of the HeronBridge family for ten years and love what I do every day.
I currently run the high school media centre known as The Hub and believe that it is the coolest place in the college. I personally refer to it as ‘a safe haven’ because students know that this is where they can kick off their shoes, and really be themselves.
Over the years, I have been blessed to be part of some amazing portfolios including learner support and bursary facilitator. It is through these portfolios that I have had the opportunity to get to know students better and to better understand them, and it is this aspect of what I do that drives me to be the best support I can be for each student I encounter.
I am passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion and sit on the EDI committee in the college. I am also very passionate about influencing and changing lives. There is no greater sense of accomplishment, than when I have the chance to speak to a student and can see when our conversation is over that there is a light of hope and joy that has been ignited.
I am a Christian and continually strive to live through the fruits of the spirit; love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness (Galatians 5:22-23).
I am so looking forward to meeting and making life-long relationships with all the boarding students. I pray that I will be a blessing to them.
Facilities
HeronBridge College weekly boarding facilities are housed in the Retreat, near the high school and overlooking the Jukskei river.
Each room in the boarding residence is homely and a place of comfort, security and privacy, while still maintaining the necessary balance of community within our boarding programme.
Most rooms are single occupancy with a maximum of two boarders in select double rooms.
Rooms include an extra-length 3/4 bed, study cubicle, bookshelf and side table, and boarders are encouraged to decorate their rooms themselves.
Bathrooms are set at a generous ratio to ensure privacy and hygiene.
Our boarding residence has a well-equipped lounge area with television, DSTV, Xbox console, beanbags and is geared as an ideal “time out” space for the boarders. All boarders have access to free and controlled wireless internet.
Fantastic facilities available to boarders include a high-performance gym and heated swimming pool as well as bonfire boma for evening events.
HeronBridge College boarding staff are trained in first aid and the nearest private hospital, Fourways Life, is 7km away.
Example day programme (Tuesday/Thursday)
Fees and Structure
Boarding Fees – 2024
| Grades 8, 9, 10 | Standard Annual Fee | 12 Monthly Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Boarding | R92,880.00 | R7,740.00 |
Grades 8, 9, 10 – Weekly Boarding
Fees are inclusive of:
Four nights’ accommodation: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights
Meals as follows:
All cooked meals will be served in the Retreat dining hall or out at the boma.
Boarders are expected to keep their rooms neat and tidy. Basic cleaning is provided to all weekly boarding facilities on a daily basis, inclusive of bedrooms and bathrooms.
Access to school facilities is available to boarding residents. This includes the school facilities such as the swimming pool, high-performance centre, college hub, and sports grounds. Access and timing thereof to be managed between boarders and Houseparents, and/or during allocated time slots governed by the school.
HeronBridge College boarding staff are trained in first aid and a basic first aid box will be available to boarders.
Fees exclude services such as:
