Alvaston Street, Alvaston. Derby DE24 0PA

The Diocese of Nottingham

ST JOHNFISHERCATHOLICVOLUNTARYACADEMY

Alvaston Street, Alvaston. Derby DE24 0PA

Telephone: (01332) 572154

LeadershipTeam: Dr E Field, J.Grattidge, C.Endsor, P. Harlow

9th May 2016

Dear Parents/Guardians and Pupils,

Thank you for your support

Huge thank you to our parents for their support re uniform and attendance. The children all look smart in their correct uniform and are attending school.

KS1 Parents – Mathmagician Assembly Last term we ran this club for KS2 and received very positive feedback form parents and pupils who said how much more confidence it gave them with their Mathematics. We are hoping to run the club for KS1 this term. It is £37 for six weekly sessions which is very good value for what they are offering.

There will be an assembly to give a flavour of this Maths Club onThursday12th May at 2:30pm. We encourage all KS1 parents to attend this. We need a minimum of six pupils for this club to go ahead. Do please come along and find out how this club helps your child to develop their maths skills in a fun way.

After School Clubs:

There are places available on the following clubs. At £3.00 these clubs are excellent value. (As with all our clubs and visits, the school does not make any profit on these):

Mon - Football Yrs 3 -6

Tues Football Yr R, 1 & 2, Wed -Cross Country Yrs 1 - 6,

Thurs - Musical Theatre Yrs R-6

Please let the office know if you would like to

reserve a place for your child.

Saint Benedict Visits

7th June – Year 6 St Benedict’s talk 1.15 pm

7th June - Year 5 St Benedict’s Assembly 2 pm

7th June - St Benedict’s headteacher, Mr Gritton, talk to Year 5 parents (and any other parents who wish to attend) 2.45 pm.

Boxes wanted! All the children love making things out of junk materials and it really does help them to enjoy play and lunchtimes. Please could you send boxes in – they will be shared out. Rolls of sellotape, if anyone can spare some, would also be most welcome. Thank you.

Be Sun Safe!

Slip on a T-shirt, Slop on the Suncream, Slap on a hat.

Please ensure your children wear sunhats, put on suncream, and bring a bottle of plain water to drink throughout the day. Children may be asked to top up their suncream during the day so it is very important that if your child cannot, for any reason, you let the office know please. Thank you.

Flowers wanted please: We need as many flowers as possible please, to be sent in on the morning of 18th May. May is a time of special devotion to Mary. On 18th May we are hoping that some parishioners will come and help the children with flower arranging in preparation for our Mass on 19th May at 09:15am, followed by a short May Procession. Parents and Parishioners are warmly invited to join us.

Safety Online/Phones

Please, please, please talk to your children about safety online/texts and reinforce our message that falling out via text or online is not acceptable.

Ensure that you have access to your children’s email/text messages.

We still have cases of children:

·  Falling out via text/email - This is very hurtful all round. The children find it hard to understand that, unlike when they fall out face to face, as they inevitably will from time to time, when they say unkind things in a text or email they cannot pull that back, anything they put into cyberspace will remain there and go around to others. They also need to understand that they should never say anything in a text or email that they would not say face to face.

·  Going on sites that they are actually too young to be on. We hear from children as young as YR that they watch videos/play computer games that are completely unsuitable for their age. There is mounting research that this can do irreparable harm to a child’s emotional development and understanding of right and wrong.

According the American Psychological Association, violent video games can increase children's aggression…violent video games don't teach kids moral consequences. "If you shoot somebody in one of these games, you don't go to jail, you don't get penalized in some way — you get extra points!" This doesn't mean that your child will go out into the world and shoot someone. "But they do use more aggressive language, they do use more aggressive images, they have less ability to control their anger and they externalize things in these violent ways. It's absolutely not good," playing violent games correlates to children being less caring and helpful toward their peers. And these effects happen just as much for non-aggressive children as they do for children who already have aggressive tendencies. Psychologists have found that when parents limit the amount of time as well as the types of games their children play, children are less likely to show aggressive behaviors. Dr. Phil suggests alternative activities that allow you to have more interaction with your child, such as playing a board game together or going for a walk and exploring together.

Summer Uniform

Girls (summer)

·  summer dress – red/white check

·  grey skirt, knee length shorts, trousers or pinafore

·  embroidered or plain - white polo shirt

·  embroidered maroon cardigan or jumper

·  short or knee length white socks

·  black sensible school shoes

·  black or brown sandals

Boys (summer)

·  grey shorts or long grey trousers

·  embroidered or plain - white polo shirt

·  embroidered maroon jumper

·  grey socks

·  black sensible shoes

·  black or brown sandals

Free School Meals: It is really important that parents who qualify for FSM apply, even if your child is in KS1, to enable the school to receive additional funding and to sustain the staffing and resources to meet your children’s needs. Also, parents who qualify for FSM will be given a £5 reduction on school trips.

First Holy Communion

Please keep the following children who are preparing to receive their First Holy Communion on Sunday 19th June in your prayers:

Fiona Merin Aju, Sophia Aliaj, Thomas Astle, Macie Barrett, Zayne Barros, Zachary Bonser, Kitty Ellis, Nikola Golab, Ryszard Hebda, Grace Hibbert-Worthington, Julia Jaguszewska, Lian Mason, Alfred Matemera,Jaylen Millward, Summer Millward, Mafara Muhwati, Nadine Njagu, Lewis Ollerenshaw, Tyler Springett, Reuben Tumelty, Jacob Willerton

Super Students

Congratulations to the following pupils who have attained super student status: Val Caga-Anan, Yasmin Chua, Megan Claxton, Bella Cumpston, Ava Lobb, Hannah McGauran and Ruby Merrison.

PTFA : It is that time of year again ! We will be having 2 non uniform days in readiness for the summer fayre.The PTFA ask for donations on these days.

10th June - Bottle

17th June – Chocolate

Diary Dates

17th May – P.T.F.A. Meeting @ 6:30pm

18th May – Parishioners Flower arranging @ 1:15pm in school with the children

19th May – Whole School Mass @ 09:15am

27th May – Break up for Half Term

6th June – Back to School

7th June – Yr4 Class Trip Yorkshire Sculpture Park

7th June – Year 6 St Benedict’s talk 1.15 pm

7th June Year -5 St Benedict’s Assembly 2 pm

7th June -St Benedict’s headteacher, Mr Gritton, talk to Year 5 parents (and any other parents who which to attend 2.45 pm.

8th June – Yr1 @ Whitepost Farm

9th June – Class and Team Photo’s

10th June– Awe & Wonder House Mass@2:10pm

16th June– Parent/Parish Social @2:00pm

19th June – Sunday First Holy Communion Mass @ English Martyrs @ 10:30am

20th June – Mass for First Holy Communicants & Families @ 9:30 in School

22nd June– Yr3 Trip to Carsington

27th June – Mission Day (Houses)

28th June – Mission Day (Houses)

29th June – St Peter & Paul Mass@ 9:30am

30th June – Confirmation @ 7:00pm

1st July – P.T.F.A. – Summer Fayre @3:30pm

7th July – Yr6 Netball/Football @ St Benedict’s @4:00pm

11th July – Leavers Yr 6 Play @09:30am & 6:00pm

13th July – 15th July –Yr 6 @ Briars

14th July – Yr 2 @ Twycross Zoo

15th July – Reports to Parents

20th July – Leavers Mass & BBQ for Yr6 and their families@ 6:00pm – 8:00pm

21st July – Achievement Assembly KS2@9:15am, KS1@10:45am

21st July – PTFA Disco KS1 - 5:15pm – 6:30pm KS2 - 6:45pm – 8:00 pm

22nd July – Closing Liturgy @ 2:30pm

22nd July – Sports Day – Pupils Break up for Summer

25th July – INSET DAY

26th July – INSET DAY

23rd September 2016 Bishop’s Mass

Best Wishes

C.Endsor, E.Field,

J.Grattidge,P.Harlow