We, the parents, community members, and supporters of Helenvale Primary School, hereby express our serious concern and dissatisfaction with the treatment of Ms. D. Windvogel. Since 2010 she has worked at the school with dedication and sacrifice, and from 2011 she has officially served as a Grade R teacher. For 16 years she has worked full school days, supported extracurricular activities, and represented the school with pride.

Despite her many years of service and experience, she is now unfairly excluded from the official position, and her contributions are not recognized. We believe that Ms. Windvogel’s work and sacrifice deserve to be protected and respected. This petition is a call for fairness and recognition of her service.

 

Career Start

- 2010: Began at Helenvale Primary School as a volunteer.  

- 2011: Appointed to the Grade R post.  

 

Experience and Service

- 16 years in the same Grade R position.  

- Worked full school days like other teachers.  

- Involved in extracurricular activities and represented the school at various events.  

 

Salary and Compensation

- Initially received only R1000 per month.  

- Some months had to manage with R800.  

- Salary increased very slowly over the years.  

- 2020 (Covid): Severe financial and emotional strain, had to accept minimal income.  

- Receiving R4500 per month.  

- No UIF deductions were ever made for her in 16 years of service.  

 

Contributions and Development

- Attended all Department of Education workshops.  

- 2022: Represented Helenvale at SBA.  

- Received a laptop from the Department of Education.  

 

Situation Around the Post

- When the Department of Education advertised the Grade R post, another person’s name was submitted for Helenvale Primary.  

- Reason given: She does not have a Level 6 qualification.  

- Circuit Manager explained bursaries are only for teachers studying BEd.  

- Her 16 years of experience and service are not recognized.  

- The posts were not properly advertised, and principals were instructed to submit names and qualifications of their Grade R teachers. However, the previous principal, Ms. Armstrong, submitted someone else’s details.  

- Ms. Windvogel had to personally submit her qualification and CV in December 2025.  

- She now asks: Why were the names of long-serving Grade R teachers not included on the Department’s list?  

 

Interaction with Management

- Acting Principal asked the SGB not to inform her about the new teacher appointment.  

- 16 March 2026: Circuit Manager came to school and said the post would go to the new teacher.  

- He said there was nothing she could do.  

- He also said even if the SGB made a recommendation or parents signed a petition, it would not work.  

- If the SGB refused the new teacher, he would place her at another school and withdraw the post.  

 

Feelings and Treatment

- She felt intimidated by the Circuit Manager.  

- Experienced being treated “like a doormat.”  

- Acting Principal wants her to leave despite her hard work and sacrifice.  

- She feels that for 16 years she was good enough to teach, but now not recognized.  

 

Additional Concerns

- When she requested funding to complete her Level 6 qualification, the Circuit Manager said bursaries are only for BEd students.  

- The Acting Principal added that the age criteria for funding is 18–35.  

- This left her shocked, as the Department of Education is a government institution, and education should not have an age limit. 

 

Our Call

We, the undersigned parents, community members, and supporters, demand:  

1. Recognition of Ms. Windvogel’s 16 years of service and sacrifice.  

2. Fair treatment and transparency in the appointment process.  

3. Immediate investigation into why her name and qualifications were not submitted by the previous principal.  

4. Removal of unfair age restrictions for funding opportunities.  

5. Assurance that long-serving Grade R teachers are not excluded or discarded after years of loyal service. 

 

🇿🇦 Afrikaans Version

 

Petisie vir Regverdige Erkenning van Juffrou D. Windvogel se Diens by Helenvale Primêre Skool

 

Ons, die ouers, gemeenskapslede en ondersteuners van Helenvale Primêre Skool, wil hiermee ons ernstige kommer en ontevredenheid uitspreek oor die behandeling van Juffrou D. Windvogel. Sy het sedert 2010 met toewyding en opoffering by die skool gewerk, en vanaf 2011 amptelik as Graad R-onderwyser gedien. Vir 16 jaar het sy ’n volle skooldag gewerk, buitemuurse aktiwiteite ondersteun, en die skool met trots verteenwoordig. 

Ten spyte van haar jare lange diens en ervaring, word sy nou onregverdig uitgesluit van die amptelike posisie, en haar bydraes word nie erken nie. Ons glo dat Juffrou Windvogel se werk en opoffering verdien om beskerm en gerespekteer te word. Hierdie petisie is ’n oproep tot regverdigheid en erkenning van haar diens.

 

Begin van Loopbaan

- 2010: Begin by Helenvale Primêre Skool as vrywilliger.  

- 2011: Aangestel in die Graad R-pos.  

 

Ervaring en Diensjare

- 16 jaar lank in dieselfde Graad R-posisie.  

- Vol skooldag gewerk, net soos ander onderwysers.  

- Betrokke by buitemuurse aktiwiteite en verteenwoordig die skool by verskeie geleenthede.  

 

Salaris en Vergoeding

- Aanvanklik slegs R1000 per maand ontvang.  

- Sommige maande moes met R800 huis toe gaan.  

- Salaris het baie stadig verhoog oor die jare.  

- 2020 (Covid): Groot finansiële en emosionele druk, moes tevrede wees met minimale inkomste.  

- R4500 per maand ontvang.  

- Geen UIF-aftrekkings is ooit vir haar gedoen in 16 jaar van diens nie.  

 

Bydraes en Ontwikkeling

- Alle Department of Education werksessies bygewoon.  

- 2022: Helenvale verteenwoordig by SBA.  

- Laptop ontvang van die Department of Education.  

 

Situasie rondom die Pos

- Toe die Department of Education die Graad R-pos geadverteer het, is ’n ander persoon se naam ingesit vir Helenvale Primêr.  

- Rede: Sy het nie ’n Level 6-kwalifikasie nie.  

- Circuit Manager verduidelik dat beurse net beskikbaar is vir onderwysers wat BEd studeer.  

- Haar 16 jaar ondervinding en diens word nie erken nie.  

- Die poste is nie behoorlik geadverteer nie, en hoofde moes hul Graad R-onderwysers se name en kwalifikasies instuur. Die vorige hoof, Juf Armstrong, het egter iemand anders se besonderhede ingestuur.  

- Juffrou Windvogel moes self haar kwalifikasie en CV in Desember 2025 gaan indien.  

- Sy vra nou: Hoekom was die name van lankdienende Graad R-onderwysers nie op die Departement se lys nie?

 

Interaksie met Bestuur

- Acting Principal het die SGB gevra om nie vir haar te sê dat ’n nuwe juffrou aangestel gaan word nie.  

- 16 Maart 2026: Circuit Manage kom skool toe en sê die pos gaan aan die nuwe juffrou.  

- Hy het gesê daar is niks wat sy kan doen nie.  

- Hy het ook gesê selfs al doen die SGB ’n aanbeveling of ouers ’n petisie, dit sal nie werk nie.  

- Indien die SGB die nuwe juffrou nie aanvaar nie, sal hy haar by ’n ander skool plaas en die pos terugvat. 

 

Gevoel en Behandeling

- Sy voel geïntimideer deur die Circuit Manager.  

- Sy ervaar dat sy soos ’n “vloerlap” behandel word.  

- Acting Principal wil hê sy moet gaan, ten spyte van haar harde werk en opoffering.  

- Sy voel dat sy vir 16 jaar goed genoeg was om te onderwys, maar nou nie meer erken word nie.

 

Bykomende Kwessies

- Toe sy befondsing vra om haar Level 6-kwalifikasie te voltooi, het die Circuit Manager gesê beurse is net vir BEd-studente.  

- Die Acting Principal het bygevoeg dat die ouderdomskriteria vir befondsing 18–35 is.  

- Dit het haar geskok gelaat, want die Department of Education is ’n staatsinstansie, en onderwys behoort geen ouderdomsbeperking te hê nie.