Stephanie Groenewald, the newly-appointed executive head at Curro Castle Uitzicht in Durbanville which will be opening its doors in January next year, has a simple vision for the school – to ensure that the children are seen, loved and cherished.
The school is set to accommodate around 320 pre-school pupils, providing them with quality independent education that will kick-start their school career, helping them learn, grow, and ultimately become well-rounded youth.
Ms Groenewald believes that children who receive constant positive interaction from those who care for them have a good chance at lifelong happiness and success. Fostering this atmosphere at the new Curro Castle is a priority for her.
Ms Groenewald has been a member of the Curro family for the past seven years.
Before her current posting, she also held the position of executive head at Johannesburg’s Curro Helderwyk, and was Curro’s first female appointed executive head.
Prior to running Curro Helderwyk, she helped build and grow two schools from the ground up: Ashton Junior College and Siloam Academy, both in Gauteng.
Ms Groenewald has a Bachelor of Education diploma from Goudstad Onderwys Kollege, a Further Diploma in Education from Unisa, and a Labour Law certification from the Confederation of Employers in South Africa, among others.
Choosing to go down the path of education has been a fulfilling one for Ms Groenewald. She believes that working with children, and especially pre-schoolers, renews one’s faith in the infiniteness of possibility – thus constantly re-igniting a wholehearted passion for her work.
Early childhood development lies very close to her heart as she has grown to understand the fundamental importance of investing in young children so as to maximise their future well-being.
As Curro Castle Uitzicht is gaining shape by the day, Ms Groenewald is getting ready to tackle not only the new adventure that awaits, but also the Cape Town weather. But despite the “four seasons in one day” weather system, Ms Groenewald happily reports that the Cape locals are the friendliest and most welcoming of people – making the sideways rain a bit more bearable.
Leaving her roots behind in Johannesburg, she leaves with one parting tip for Gautengers: “Please learn the difference between a merlot and a pinotage.”