Two schools, one family, bigger dreams
Highlights from our 18 September Parents Meeting: the merger with Miles of Smiles, the building roadmap, a cricket tour to Zambia, and everything on the calendar until closing day.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Parents Meeting on 18 September 2026. Your engagement and dedication play a vital role in shaping a vibrant, supportive place for our children to learn.
This newsletter summarises the key updates, decisions and opportunities we discussed, with the dates you'll need for the rest of the year.
School Management & Staff
Seven topics covered, from infrastructure to the grocery list
Miles of Smiles and Khaya are coming together
The integration of Miles of Smiles Montessori with our sister school, Khaya Montessori, is well underway. Pooling our resources lets us offer an even richer Montessori experience to every child.
Miles of SmilesMontessori NurseryShared teachers, shared resources, one campus at 47 Lawley Road.
Khaya MontessoriHome GrownOur building roadmap
The roof is freshly painted and the classrooms upgraded. Next, the borehole. Here is where each project stands.
Completed · new roof
borehole- ✓Completed
Roof painting and classroom upgrades
The school building roof has been painted, and classrooms and their surroundings have been upgraded.
- ●Underway
Borehole drilling
Drilling is in progress to give the school a reliable water supply.
- SShort-term
Finish the borehole and beautify the grounds
Complete the borehole, then landscape the school grounds.
- MMedium-term
Staff cottage and a school bus
Build a staff cottage and buy a school bus.
- LLong-term
New classrooms
Add classrooms using prefabricated structures.
Development Levy from 2027
A $50 levy per child has been introduced for 2027 to fund these capital projects. Thank you for helping us build a better school for our learners.
Bulawayo to Lusaka: cricket in Zambia this December
Organised by the Alpha Cricket Academy Zambia. Selected players will have the chance to represent the Old Mutual Academy in future international fixtures.
What's included
- Round-trip transport, Bulawayo–Lusaka–Bulawayo
- 8 nights' accommodation with all meals
- 6 days of competitive cricket and all tournament fees
- Hotel laundry
Free participant gift: a full branded kit from India
Cost
All-inclusive
Special Christmas Family Package
Easy instalment payment plans are available.
Presented at the meeting by guest speaker Mr Joseph Rego.
Dates for your diary
The major events from now until closing day. Full details for each are shared on the school WhatsApp group.
October 2 events
Mid-Term Break
Fri 16 to Tue 20 October
End of Year Exams
Mon 26 October to Mon 2 November
November 4 events
Day Trip to Dakeni Farm
Learners' day out
Charity Day
Giving back together
Theatre Night
Bulawayo Theatre
Speech, Prize & Nobel Nite
Bulawayo ZITF
December 3 events
Christmas Party & Closing Day
Last day of the school year
Consultation Day
Meet your child's teacher
Cricket Tour to Zambia
Selected players
Masvingo, 10–12 March 2027
A three-day educational trip to start the new year. Parent places are limited, so interested parents are encouraged to pay early.
Per learner
Student cost for the trip
Per parent · only 5 places
First come, first served. Pay early to secure your place.
Where the trip budget goes
Total budget $7,500
- Accommodation & food, learners$4,26057%
- Bus hire$1,30017%
- Accommodation & food, 10 staff$1,50020%
- Contingency$2003%
Good food, a smooth-running kitchen
More heritage food on every plate
We are adding more nutritious, traditional meals to the school menu to support physical health and balanced eating. Parents warmly welcomed the idea at the meeting.
Please stick to the termly list
Parents are kindly reminded to follow the termly grocery list. Additional brand options will be provided so you have more flexibility.
Any item on the grocery list that is not brought in will be billed to the learner's account.
Thank you for helping our kitchen run smoothly.
You asked, we listened
Three updates in response to questions and feedback from parents.
Homework reminders
The WhatsApp homework messages are reminders. The worksheets themselves are physical copies placed in your child's bag.
Learning Genie is back
We are reactivating the Learning Genie platform to streamline classroom communication and daily updates.
See more of school life
Our Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp status pages will be updated 5 times a week with school events and activities.
Active participation, not just attendance, is what transforms a child's learning journey.
Our ongoing projects are a chance to give, whether through donations, support, or simply sparing time for school activities. Every hour you share builds the community our children thrive in.
Thank you once again for your continued partnership.
Warm regards,
School Management & Staff
Khaya Montessori & Miles of Smiles Montessori
Past issues
Catch up on earlier newsletters from Khaya Montessori.
Two schools, one family
Merger, building roadmap, cricket tour to Zambia, term calendar.
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Welcome back to Term 2
Junior Cricket, indigenous foods, the new website and Exhibition Day.
Read the Term 2 issue →