ACSI National Principal Conference 2024
ACSI National Principal Conference 2024
Neil Malherbe | ACSI Director
After many months of preparation, it was with great anticipation that the ACSI team welcomed principals from across South – and Southern – Africa to the beautiful Glenburn Lodge and Spa at the end of May. Although the nights and early mornings were chilly, this was more than made up by the warmth of fellowship that pervaded the conference. Throughout the three days, principals could be seen having a chat over a coffee, while enjoying the natural beauty of the surroundings.
Each day’s proceedings started with a deeply meaningful time of worship, led by the talented team from New Covenant Church Bryanston. With worship pastor, Paul Edy, up front they really added enormously to the conference, as they focused our attention on the Lord we serve and in whom we delight.
Each day we were also fortunate to have a short, inspiring message from a local pastor. We were grateful to John Crumpton, Paballo Thekiso and Craig Rowe, who used the conference’s theme of Encouraging Faith to do just that.
The speakers at the conference were varied in their topics and yet a golden thread ran throughout, which was a real inspiration to all delegates. It was not unusual to see principals clustering around the speakers after their talks, either to engage with the topic or to be prayed for. These gentle, vulnerable moments were a hallmark of the conference and were a reminder of the love which God has for each of our principals and how he walks alongside them through their challenges, both personal and professional.
Kim Ballantine kicked off the conference with a personal and touching insight into her incredible story. She reminded the principals that although the lion of the world, Satan, might roar at us with difficulties and challenges, we serve the Lion of Judah, who has overcome Satan and the world. Kim’s talk was a powerful way to start the conference, and set the tone of excellence which was to run throughout the three days.
The next morning, Gavin Brettenny, ACSI Global Chief Strategy Officer, who had travelled from America to join us, spoke on transformational leadership and the insights which he had gleaned from his doctoral studies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He left delegates with practical steps of how transformational leadership behaviours (TLBs) may be implemented for school improvement.
After tea, a panel comprising Gavin, Trevor Hartley (who is working on his own doctoral thesis focused on transformational leadership in South Africa), and Neil Malherbe took part in a Q&A panel discussion, in which questions were invited from the audience on the topic of transformational leadership.
The Friday afternoon session started with Trevor’s excellent workshop on Essentialism, which prompted delegates to examine how the ‘disciplined pursuit of less’ is what leads to success. In the frenetic lives of our principals, his practical steps of how better to direct their energies was welcome indeed.
After yet another delicious teatime, we enjoyed an inspiring talk from John Mathuhle, who played a crucial role in diffusing racial tension in Senekal. He reminded us that despite the challenges in our country there is still hope, and that each of us has a crucial role to play in reflecting that hope in our schools and in our personal lives.
The final speaker of the conference, on a crisp Saturday morning, was Confidence Dikgole, CEO of the Independent Examinations Board (IEB). She spoke with great fondness of the people who had inspired her along her path, and she used the story of Esther to remind principals that they have been “called for such a time as this”.
A number of ACSI service providers attended the conference on the Friday to show off their wares and to engage with the principals. We were grateful to all of these service providers for making the time to join us, but in particular we thank those who sponsored principals to be able to attend the conference. We hope that our schools will continue to support our service providers, who are listed on the ACSI website, as they do much to assist our schools in many different ways.
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Undoubtedly the star of the show for the whole duration of the conference was the magnificent venue. The mountains surrounding the lodge, along with the rivers and dams, provided an ideal location for principals to forget the stresses of their schools for a few days, and to enjoy immersing themselves in God’s creation. Some went for walks and runs among the prolific wildlife on the estate, while others enjoyed sitting back and watching the hot air balloons which drifted quietly by each morning. The meals and teatime treats were delicious and more than ample, the rooms were cozy, while the warm welcome which we received from the lodge staff made the whole experience all that more special.
I have no doubt that all who attended left with their tanks filled, with deeper relationships forged, and with their love for the Lord strengthened. Plans are already underway for next year’s event, which will in all likelihood be hosted at another beautiful venue somewhere else in South Africa – so we hope to see you there! Details will be circulated in the coming months.
No event of this magnitude happens without plenty of hard work behind the scenes. As such, I extend my sincere thanks to the whole ACSI team, who worked for many months to ensure that even the smallest details were looked after, and that delegates could have a memorable experience. They were ably led by Nicole Thomas, whose attention to the minutiae of such an event resulted in a truly memorable conference. Their efforts cannot be understated, and I am most grateful for their many hours of dedication, to serve the principals who attended.
See you at the ACSI National Principal Conference 2025!
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