Aristea Primary School

Mr. Werner Ebersohn – Principal

Mr. Werner Ebersohn became school principal at Aristea Primary on the 1st of January 2020. Mr. Ebersohn is a man who is very passionate about people, sport and reading. He is a versatile leader and began fulfilling leadership roles early in his life. “I was the captain of almost all the sport teams I have played for”, he says. “In 1997 I was promoted to Head of Department at Laerskool Staatspresident Swart in Kimberley. In 2004 I was appointed as Head of Department at Totius Primary and in 2009 I was appointed as deputy principal of Wolraad Woltemade Primary.” In 2018 he was appointed as the deputy principal at Aristea Primary. He completed a 3-year teaching diploma at the Teacher’s College in Paarl, his BA degree at the University of the Free State and in 2014 he completed an Advanced Certificate in Education: Leadership and Management at the University of Cape Town.

Mr. Ebersohn maintains a respectful behavior towards people. He believes in giving everyone a fair chance. He is friendly, hardworking and loyal to Aristea Primary School and the community. "I always give my best, even if it is sometimes at the expense of myself." He excels in various areas at school. "So I was, as the English say, an 'all-rounder'." He played the lead role in a drama, sang in the choir and also belonged to the History Club. He played rugby, athletics, hockey and cricket. "On the cricket field, I excelled from primary school days and played in the 0/19A team from Grade 8." Mr. Ebersohn played first division club cricket after school, first for OKP in the Boland league and then for West End Cricket Club in Kimberley. He won trophies and prizes every year.

Mr. Ebersohn is married to Elmarie Ebersohn. “God unfortunately did not bless us with children, but we were blessed with many dog-children. Zoë and Milla, our two Jack Russel Terriers are a part of our family and bed.” Through the years Elmarie’s parents and his own father also became a part of their household and it was an honour for him to look after them. He enjoys playing golf and has won several competitions. “Golf keeps me humble and I enjoy the time I can spend in nature.” Mr. Ebersohn also sees himself as a world traveller and wants to explore the world. He and his wife fell in love with Phuket. “The simplicity in which people live makes you thankful for what you have and their friendliness is contagious.”

Mr. Ebersohn's message to parents is that they should support each other and respect the teachers, as well as accept each other's uniqueness. "I would like parents to be loyal and support the school at all times." He mentions that parents must always remember that what they do and say will have an influence on the child's thinking. "Young children are easily influenced and one must therefore learn the right values while they are still young." His message to learners is that they should always be prepared to follow the rules and will only give their best academically. "Know that at Aristea we have your best interests at heart." He reminds learners to always think before they act, as the choices they make today will determine their future.

Mr. Ebersohn believes that God has placed him at Aristea Primary School. “Aristea is a school full of diversity and my dream is that we will be an educational institute that is an example of tolerance, team work and nation building.” His vision for Aristea is to be a school that moves with time, especially technologically, so we can send well-equipped learners into the evolving world. “I want a school where learners and teachers are happy and feel at home.” He has a clear vision that Aristea Primary will be able to compete with the best schools in the world.