2 Oct 2006 - October Newsletter
Dear Families and Friends
Glad to say that almost all our children are now settling well into school life and getting used to their new routines. Thanks to you all for helping to get your child to their line on time. It makes such a difference to the start of their day. Teaching starts at 8.50a.m. promptly in each class and any children arriving late will miss the plan for the day and also the start of the first lesson. Late comers can be disruptive for the class.
As always school life is very busy and exciting for our children. We urge parents to ensure good attendance. If your child is to be absent, please will you contact the office between 8.30 and 9.30a.m. This will ensure that between us we know where your child is. If we have not heard, East Lothian Policy demands that we contact you. This will happen between 9.30 and 10.00a.m.
Please help us by making sure that your contact numbers are available, especially mobile phone numbers. Mrs Harris is currently updating pupil records. Details of your information will be coming out for you to check. If a mobile phone number is given as an emergency contact then it must be up to date and switched on and able to receive calls. That would be greatly appreciated.
Value of the Month is ?Compassion?. We are thinking about being kind to one another and sharing understanding of each other?s feelings.
Nursery Section
Garden Party
The nursery staff would like to thank all parents who commented on our summer Garden Party. Your opinions were appreciated.
Library Visits
Despite the library extension work, we continue our close links with the local library. Our appreciation and thanks go to Erica Thomson for her continued support. This year all the pupils will have their own library tickets so you will be able to make visits as a family and borrow books for your children.
Tuck Shop and Snack
Our Healthy Tuck Shop is proving to be very successful on a Monday and Friday, when no fruit is available. We have three Tuck Shop Helpers, who ably assist Mrs Middlehurst. Costs are either 10p or 20p and all profits go back into the system. Water bottles can also be bought for 30p. No snack is required
on the other days. Fruit is varied and enjoyed in class by all the children, even those who may have previously hesitated.
Thursday Fruit Club
This ran last year with the help of pupils and volunteer parents. This is greatly enjoyed by all involved and of great benefit to
our families. If you could offer a little help with this, please contact school as we are short of parent volunteers.
School Photographs
The school photographer will be in school on the morning of Monday 2nd October, taking individual and family groups. It should mean we will have the photographs in plenty of time for Christmas.
Games Mornings
We have again planned dates for these very enjoyable and beneficial sessions. The children so look forward to sharing their classrooms and activities with their families. The sessions run from 11.00-11.45a.m. Letters will come out well in advance of the date with an explanation of what happens and a reply slip for you to complete. The first date is Friday 29th September.
P1 News
P1 children have now been in school full time for several weeks and are quickly becoming part of school life. Each P1 child is shortly to receive a free book pack which is being sponsored by a publishing company and an educational charity book trust. This is a terrific project for all our children. The draw string bag will contain an illustrated book and guidance booklet for parents and carers.
As well as this, each child is also to receive a free copy of the cookery book that was developed by some of our parents last year. It is full of super, easy to follow recipes, tried and tested by our parents.
At least one of our P1 classes is to be involved in a pilot of a ?Being Cool? programme which is eventually being rolled out to all the schools in East Lothian. It is a programme offering strategies to cope with managing relationships and friendships. A separate letter will be coming out to the classes involved to invite parents to a brief information sharing meeting.
Our Harvest Assembly
This is a little earlier this year, Friday 6th October. It will be held in our school hall at 9.00a.m. led by Reverend Simpson and the children. We look forward to sharing our simple assembly with you. Harvest contributions can be brought into school at any time. These will be distributed to our local elderly residents ? so valued by our children.
Website
Thanks to Mrs Gardyne, some interested staff and parents and pupils we are very soon to have our own website on line! We are really excited to have this link almost ready. There will be sections for all aspects of school and community life which will be updated regularly. Watch for news of it?s launch.
We are looking to set up a Cyber Café in the parents room. This will be a place where adults can come in and use our computers to surf the internet and to brush up on their skills. It will also be available for parents to use with their children. Please see Mrs Gardyne if you are interested.
Parent Consultations
These two evenings are on Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th October. Letters will be out shortly and we would ask that you return tear off slips as soon possible to avoid disappointment if a specific time is required. We look forward to seeing you there.
Parent Workshops
Thanks to those who returned the questionnaire letter. We have tried to meet all needs in the workshops we have planned. Attached is a list of topics and dates. We have set the time at 9.00a.m. in our Parents Room. The kettle will be on and we plan to make our workshops more interactive, with video footage and pupils involved. If you kindly offered help with planning these workshops, please contact school as the forms had no names on them! We'd welcome your involvement both in preparation and in attendance at the workshops.
Golden Time for Parents!
Our pupils have Golden Time on a Friday at 11.00a.m. and now there is an opportunity for families to have their own Golden Time! One of our parents, Mrs Knox, has kindly offered to put on pamper sessions in the Parents Room between 11.00 - 12.00p.m. At these you can sample facials, hand massages, make-up tips and a cuppa at no cost. What an opportunity to relax briefly before launching in to the weekend! Dates are as follows:
6th October
3rd November Please come along and enjoy
17th November your Golden Time!
1st December
15th December
Walk to School Week
Once again we have a focus on Walking to School between 2nd and 6th October. If we do really well, there are rewards for our school. So lets get on our walking shoes and really try and tread the pavements. Our Infant Road Safety Officers will be organising competitions in school. We are planning to have "Walk to School Fridays" after the October break - look out for details!
School Banking
Every Tuesday a member of staff from the Royal Bank of Scotland in Prestonpans comes to school. If your child has a bank account and would like to put money into it or, if not, maybe open a bank account, then they should go along and see the "Bank Lady".
Tesco Vouchers
We are again collecting Tesco vouchers which provide us with free sports equipment. The collection box is in the Entrance Hall. Last year we were able to enhance several types of small P.E. equipment, which is terrific.
Playground Developments
Mosaic ? this art piece has sadly been badly damaged by frost. We are now planning to have it moved and restored by some of the pupils (now in the Primary School), who were involved originally, and the Arts Service staff.
Painted Boards ? our class designed boards are now up on the fencing and looking terrific, thanks to the support of Laura and Joanne, from the Arts Service. We are having an opening on Monday 2nd October at 1.15p.m. with Provost Pat O?Brien performing the ceremony. We would welcome all families who could manage at this time.
Garden Behind the Gym ? as you may have noticed this has been cleared to help with maintenance. Bark is to be laid and planters put in place which will be much easier for us all to manage. This has been achieved with the help of Kevan Neill, a community worker, with his youth team. We have greatly appreciated their support both in this and with all the painting around the playground.
Poetry Day
Thursday the 6th Ocotber is National Poetry Day and the theme this year is identity. We will be thinking about our Scottish Identity and will be learning a few poems in Scottish. The poet David Douglas Campbell will be joining us in school to work with the children. Please let us know if you ar a budding poet as we?d love you to be involved.
All parents are invited to come along on the last Wednesday of each month to the Parents Room at 7.00p.m. where we have a chat about fundraising ideas and organise childrens discos and things like our Christmas Bazaar.
Reading Bags
Can I please urge you to purchase one of our purple reading bags, if you do not already have one. These bags protect the books and give value to our reading and only cost £2 from our office.
Uniform
Our children look so smart! Thank you. It gives us all a great pride in Prestonpans Infant and Nursery School. Can I just remind you to label everything to help avoid loss of any of the smart outfits. Coats are now required every day ? as we?ve experienced recently, our weather has a nasty habit of changing very suddenly.
Healthy School
We?ve made great strides and our Health Accreditation is on its way! Thanks for all the support. We have a meeting planned for Tuesday 3rd October at 2.15p.m. Please come along and share ideas with our pupils.
Library Help
Please contact school if you can help out with our Library. We have library monitors this year who will be working on it too. Many hands make light work ? and it can be fun.
Families for Lunch
Each class will again be inviting you for lunch during the year. This proved to be so enjoyed by everyone and at a cost of £2.60 for an adult dinner, it is such good value. The children look forward to it and we welcome your company in the Dining Hall.
Breakfast Club and After School Club
Both run for the benefit of your children. For these to flourish, we need you to use these facilities. The number to call 01875 815325 and ask for Kirsty or Jan.
Reminders
· No children?s bikes in school and any adult bikes should be walked through our playground.
· Smoking is not allowed anywhere in school grounds.
· Dogs must be left outside school grounds.
· Parking ? all cars should be parked away from the gates for the safety of all our families.
Thanks for your support with these reminders. It makes life safer and easier for everyone.
Childrens Roles in School
Pupil Council ? already very active and getting us all involved in new ideas.
Infant Road Safety Officers ? helping to keep us right about dangers on our roads.
P3 Wed Day Monitors ? helping in our P1s and P2s classrooms on wet days.
Helping Hands ? helping to support your children in the playground and organise games.
Super Bugs ? who tell us about our playground.
Eco Defenders ? helping us to look after our environment.
As well as this we have Tuck Shop Helpers and Library Monitors. If your child has been chosen by the class to be one of these, please chat to them about it and share their pride in their contribution to school life. We are very proud of them.
Pool Opening
Six of our pupils attended the opening of the Mercat Gait Centre last week. We were so proud of their contribution and behaviour that morning.
Patchwork
Patchwork EH32 is a very informal drop-in clinic run by local parents, health visitors and community workers for local parents with children 0 to 5 years.
The group will meet in the Mercat Gait Centre, Preston Road, Prestonpans on Tuesdays between 10.30 and 12.30p.m. starting on Tuesday 26th September.
At the launch event on 26th September, there will be story-telling sessions, information stalls, mini-facials and snacks and refreshments.
Thank you for taking the time to read all our news.
Jean Gardner
Head Teacher
October Dates for Diary
October
Mon 2nd ? 6th Walk to School Week
Mon 2nd The opening of our Painted Boards at 1.15p.m. in our Playground.
Tues 3rd Health Meeting 2.15p.m. in our Parents Room
Thurs 5th National Poetry Day#
Fri 6th Harvest Assembly 9.00a.m. in Hall
Fri 6th Golden Time Pamper Sessions for Parents 11.00a.m. in Parents Room.
Wed 11th Parent Consultations 6 ? 8.30 p.m.
Wed 11th P1/2 Families coming to lunch.
Thurs 12th Parent Consultation 4 ? 6.00p.m.
Sat 14th ? Tuesday 24th OCTOBER HOLIDAY
Tues 24th Pupils restart at school.
Wed 25th Maths Workshop 9.00a.m. in Parents Room
Fri 27th Games Morning 11.00a.m.
Glad to say that almost all our children are now settling well into school life and getting used to their new routines. Thanks to you all for helping to get your child to their line on time. It makes such a difference to the start of their day. Teaching starts at 8.50a.m. promptly in each class and any children arriving late will miss the plan for the day and also the start of the first lesson. Late comers can be disruptive for the class.
As always school life is very busy and exciting for our children. We urge parents to ensure good attendance. If your child is to be absent, please will you contact the office between 8.30 and 9.30a.m. This will ensure that between us we know where your child is. If we have not heard, East Lothian Policy demands that we contact you. This will happen between 9.30 and 10.00a.m.
Please help us by making sure that your contact numbers are available, especially mobile phone numbers. Mrs Harris is currently updating pupil records. Details of your information will be coming out for you to check. If a mobile phone number is given as an emergency contact then it must be up to date and switched on and able to receive calls. That would be greatly appreciated.
Value of the Month is ?Compassion?. We are thinking about being kind to one another and sharing understanding of each other?s feelings.
Nursery Section
Garden Party
The nursery staff would like to thank all parents who commented on our summer Garden Party. Your opinions were appreciated.
Library Visits
Despite the library extension work, we continue our close links with the local library. Our appreciation and thanks go to Erica Thomson for her continued support. This year all the pupils will have their own library tickets so you will be able to make visits as a family and borrow books for your children.
Tuck Shop and Snack
Our Healthy Tuck Shop is proving to be very successful on a Monday and Friday, when no fruit is available. We have three Tuck Shop Helpers, who ably assist Mrs Middlehurst. Costs are either 10p or 20p and all profits go back into the system. Water bottles can also be bought for 30p. No snack is required
on the other days. Fruit is varied and enjoyed in class by all the children, even those who may have previously hesitated.
Thursday Fruit Club
This ran last year with the help of pupils and volunteer parents. This is greatly enjoyed by all involved and of great benefit to
our families. If you could offer a little help with this, please contact school as we are short of parent volunteers.
School Photographs
The school photographer will be in school on the morning of Monday 2nd October, taking individual and family groups. It should mean we will have the photographs in plenty of time for Christmas.
Games Mornings
We have again planned dates for these very enjoyable and beneficial sessions. The children so look forward to sharing their classrooms and activities with their families. The sessions run from 11.00-11.45a.m. Letters will come out well in advance of the date with an explanation of what happens and a reply slip for you to complete. The first date is Friday 29th September.
P1 News
P1 children have now been in school full time for several weeks and are quickly becoming part of school life. Each P1 child is shortly to receive a free book pack which is being sponsored by a publishing company and an educational charity book trust. This is a terrific project for all our children. The draw string bag will contain an illustrated book and guidance booklet for parents and carers.
As well as this, each child is also to receive a free copy of the cookery book that was developed by some of our parents last year. It is full of super, easy to follow recipes, tried and tested by our parents.
At least one of our P1 classes is to be involved in a pilot of a ?Being Cool? programme which is eventually being rolled out to all the schools in East Lothian. It is a programme offering strategies to cope with managing relationships and friendships. A separate letter will be coming out to the classes involved to invite parents to a brief information sharing meeting.
Our Harvest Assembly
This is a little earlier this year, Friday 6th October. It will be held in our school hall at 9.00a.m. led by Reverend Simpson and the children. We look forward to sharing our simple assembly with you. Harvest contributions can be brought into school at any time. These will be distributed to our local elderly residents ? so valued by our children.
Website
Thanks to Mrs Gardyne, some interested staff and parents and pupils we are very soon to have our own website on line! We are really excited to have this link almost ready. There will be sections for all aspects of school and community life which will be updated regularly. Watch for news of it?s launch.
We are looking to set up a Cyber Café in the parents room. This will be a place where adults can come in and use our computers to surf the internet and to brush up on their skills. It will also be available for parents to use with their children. Please see Mrs Gardyne if you are interested.
Parent Consultations
These two evenings are on Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th October. Letters will be out shortly and we would ask that you return tear off slips as soon possible to avoid disappointment if a specific time is required. We look forward to seeing you there.
Parent Workshops
Thanks to those who returned the questionnaire letter. We have tried to meet all needs in the workshops we have planned. Attached is a list of topics and dates. We have set the time at 9.00a.m. in our Parents Room. The kettle will be on and we plan to make our workshops more interactive, with video footage and pupils involved. If you kindly offered help with planning these workshops, please contact school as the forms had no names on them! We'd welcome your involvement both in preparation and in attendance at the workshops.
Golden Time for Parents!
Our pupils have Golden Time on a Friday at 11.00a.m. and now there is an opportunity for families to have their own Golden Time! One of our parents, Mrs Knox, has kindly offered to put on pamper sessions in the Parents Room between 11.00 - 12.00p.m. At these you can sample facials, hand massages, make-up tips and a cuppa at no cost. What an opportunity to relax briefly before launching in to the weekend! Dates are as follows:
6th October
3rd November Please come along and enjoy
17th November your Golden Time!
1st December
15th December
Walk to School Week
Once again we have a focus on Walking to School between 2nd and 6th October. If we do really well, there are rewards for our school. So lets get on our walking shoes and really try and tread the pavements. Our Infant Road Safety Officers will be organising competitions in school. We are planning to have "Walk to School Fridays" after the October break - look out for details!
School Banking
Every Tuesday a member of staff from the Royal Bank of Scotland in Prestonpans comes to school. If your child has a bank account and would like to put money into it or, if not, maybe open a bank account, then they should go along and see the "Bank Lady".
Tesco Vouchers
We are again collecting Tesco vouchers which provide us with free sports equipment. The collection box is in the Entrance Hall. Last year we were able to enhance several types of small P.E. equipment, which is terrific.
Playground Developments
Mosaic ? this art piece has sadly been badly damaged by frost. We are now planning to have it moved and restored by some of the pupils (now in the Primary School), who were involved originally, and the Arts Service staff.
Painted Boards ? our class designed boards are now up on the fencing and looking terrific, thanks to the support of Laura and Joanne, from the Arts Service. We are having an opening on Monday 2nd October at 1.15p.m. with Provost Pat O?Brien performing the ceremony. We would welcome all families who could manage at this time.
Garden Behind the Gym ? as you may have noticed this has been cleared to help with maintenance. Bark is to be laid and planters put in place which will be much easier for us all to manage. This has been achieved with the help of Kevan Neill, a community worker, with his youth team. We have greatly appreciated their support both in this and with all the painting around the playground.
Poetry Day
Thursday the 6th Ocotber is National Poetry Day and the theme this year is identity. We will be thinking about our Scottish Identity and will be learning a few poems in Scottish. The poet David Douglas Campbell will be joining us in school to work with the children. Please let us know if you ar a budding poet as we?d love you to be involved.
All parents are invited to come along on the last Wednesday of each month to the Parents Room at 7.00p.m. where we have a chat about fundraising ideas and organise childrens discos and things like our Christmas Bazaar.
Reading Bags
Can I please urge you to purchase one of our purple reading bags, if you do not already have one. These bags protect the books and give value to our reading and only cost £2 from our office.
Uniform
Our children look so smart! Thank you. It gives us all a great pride in Prestonpans Infant and Nursery School. Can I just remind you to label everything to help avoid loss of any of the smart outfits. Coats are now required every day ? as we?ve experienced recently, our weather has a nasty habit of changing very suddenly.
Healthy School
We?ve made great strides and our Health Accreditation is on its way! Thanks for all the support. We have a meeting planned for Tuesday 3rd October at 2.15p.m. Please come along and share ideas with our pupils.
Library Help
Please contact school if you can help out with our Library. We have library monitors this year who will be working on it too. Many hands make light work ? and it can be fun.
Families for Lunch
Each class will again be inviting you for lunch during the year. This proved to be so enjoyed by everyone and at a cost of £2.60 for an adult dinner, it is such good value. The children look forward to it and we welcome your company in the Dining Hall.
Breakfast Club and After School Club
Both run for the benefit of your children. For these to flourish, we need you to use these facilities. The number to call 01875 815325 and ask for Kirsty or Jan.
Reminders
· No children?s bikes in school and any adult bikes should be walked through our playground.
· Smoking is not allowed anywhere in school grounds.
· Dogs must be left outside school grounds.
· Parking ? all cars should be parked away from the gates for the safety of all our families.
Thanks for your support with these reminders. It makes life safer and easier for everyone.
Childrens Roles in School
Pupil Council ? already very active and getting us all involved in new ideas.
Infant Road Safety Officers ? helping to keep us right about dangers on our roads.
P3 Wed Day Monitors ? helping in our P1s and P2s classrooms on wet days.
Helping Hands ? helping to support your children in the playground and organise games.
Super Bugs ? who tell us about our playground.
Eco Defenders ? helping us to look after our environment.
As well as this we have Tuck Shop Helpers and Library Monitors. If your child has been chosen by the class to be one of these, please chat to them about it and share their pride in their contribution to school life. We are very proud of them.
Pool Opening
Six of our pupils attended the opening of the Mercat Gait Centre last week. We were so proud of their contribution and behaviour that morning.
Patchwork
Patchwork EH32 is a very informal drop-in clinic run by local parents, health visitors and community workers for local parents with children 0 to 5 years.
The group will meet in the Mercat Gait Centre, Preston Road, Prestonpans on Tuesdays between 10.30 and 12.30p.m. starting on Tuesday 26th September.
At the launch event on 26th September, there will be story-telling sessions, information stalls, mini-facials and snacks and refreshments.
Thank you for taking the time to read all our news.
Jean Gardner
Head Teacher
October Dates for Diary
October
Mon 2nd ? 6th Walk to School Week
Mon 2nd The opening of our Painted Boards at 1.15p.m. in our Playground.
Tues 3rd Health Meeting 2.15p.m. in our Parents Room
Thurs 5th National Poetry Day#
Fri 6th Harvest Assembly 9.00a.m. in Hall
Fri 6th Golden Time Pamper Sessions for Parents 11.00a.m. in Parents Room.
Wed 11th Parent Consultations 6 ? 8.30 p.m.
Wed 11th P1/2 Families coming to lunch.
Thurs 12th Parent Consultation 4 ? 6.00p.m.
Sat 14th ? Tuesday 24th OCTOBER HOLIDAY
Tues 24th Pupils restart at school.
Wed 25th Maths Workshop 9.00a.m. in Parents Room
Fri 27th Games Morning 11.00a.m.