Drumahoe Primary School – Parent Memo: October 2015
www.drumahoeps.org
Half Term: School will be closed for Half-Term from Monday – Friday inclusive (26th– 30th October). We will re-open on Monday 2nd November 2015 with Breakfast Club open from 8.00 a.m.
Annual Parents’ Meeting: Article 41 of the Education (N.I.) Order 2006 repeals the requirement on Boards of Governors to hold the Annual General Meeting. The Annual Report which was addressed at this meeting will continue to be published and parents can access a copy of this on the school website later in the term.
Dinners/Money Pouches: If your child decides to change from packed lunch to dinners, it would be helpful to know in advance so as we can issue yourself with a set of Dinner Money Pouches. Dinner money should be sent on a Monday morning if possible- cheques should be made payable to EA (WR).
Car Park: Please show respect for the yellow lines and the NO ENTRY signage that exists in the Car Park. I would impress on everyone to display good road manners and continue to be courteous to one another when using either of the two parking areas ie. Main & Lisneal Car Parks. I have instructed the teaching staff that no child is to cross the Car Park unaccompanied and that parents must collect their child from the class line. Please do not park in the Staff Car Park or the entrance to it which is clearly marked.
House System: Following on from the tremendous success of previous House Competitions, we have again split all the pupils in school into four houses which have an associated House colour: Chestnut (Red); Oak (Blue); Sycamore (Yellow) & Spruce (Green). Pupils remain in the same House they were in last year.
Siblings will always be in the same House and any new pupils have been divided as equally as possible to ensure both an age and gender balance in each House.
The House Masters and Captains for each house in 2015-2016 are as follows:
Chestnut – Mrs Semple, Captains – Bethany Wasson & Jai Gillespie;
Oak – Miss Marshall, Captains – Lucy Pidcock & Daniel Hetherington;
Spruce – Mrs Bryson, Captains – Ellie Russell & Jamie McColgan;
Sycamore – Mrs Hegarty, Captains – Tamzin Caldwell & T-Jay Brolly.
House points will be awarded throughout the year for various categories/events and indeed points have already been awarded for Pupil of the Week. The House with the most points at the end of the year will be awarded the “Tree” (House Trophy). Other events that will contribute towards House Points will include Sports Day, House Quiz, Inter-House Games eg. Football, Netball etc.
Tabloids House Competition: To get this year’s House Competition off to a flying start, we are organising the House Tabloid Sports event over three Friday afternoons – 6th, 20th & 27th November 2015.
· Friday 6th November – Foundation Stage P1 & P2 – will stay until 3.00 p.m.
· Friday 20th November – Key Stage 1 P3 & P4 – P3’s will stay until 3.00 p.m.
· Friday 27th November – Key Stage 2 (P5, P6 & P7)
This will involve House Team events within the different Key Stages and Mr Scott has arranged three fun packed afternoons for everyone. All we ask is that the children come into school on the relevant Friday wearing a coloured top (t-shirt, sweatshirt, jumper etc) to signify their House colour. Please do not rush out and buy a new top if you are struggling to find one in the correct colour as we have a supply of coloured bibs in school that we use for P.E.
Kids’ Forum: Each school year, the pupils from P4 to P7 elect a boy and a girl from their class to act as representatives on the “Kids’ Forum.” This is a democratically elected group of pupils who represent their peers and enable pupils to become partners in their own education, making a positive contribution to the school environment and ethos. The following pupils were elected for the 2015/2016 school year:
P4M: Amy Dunn & Brian Russell
P4B: Zara Reid & Zach Penny;
P5M: Emily-Kate Cadden & Kyle Walker;
P5S: Jodi Pollock & Jay Curry;
P6C: Aoife Campbell & Nathaniel Reid;
P7H: Ellie Russell & Bradley Nicholl;
P7P: Grace Hall & Sam Kincaid.
The Forum meets with Mrs Hegarty regularly each term after discussing various issues in their respective “Class Forum” groups. Suggestions and ideas are then put to Mr McMaster and his Senior Management Team on how active and constructive pupil input can contribute to the daily life of the school community.
Key Stage 1 & 2 Interviews: The Teacher/Parent interviews for P3-P7 will take place during the week commencing Tuesday 17th November 2015 – details of times etc. will be issued in due course. Interviews for P1 & P2 (Foundation Stage) will take place early in the New Year.
Water Bottles: In the interests of health & safety, if your child brings a water bottle to school, could you ensure that it is periodically cleaned so as to avoid any potential health risk.
P.E. Uniform: Please ensure that all pupils adhere to the regulations for proper footwear and clothing for P.E. lessons. I would ask that you make sure your child has a white shirt, black shorts, plain black jogging pants/tracksuit bottoms and a change of gym slippers on their designated P.E. day. Pupils may wear training shoes to school on P.E. days but these must be predominantly black or white in colour. Multi coloured trainers / boots are not considered to be in keeping with this aim. Earrings are not permitted, except for children with pierced ears, who may wear studs on those days when they do not have swimming or P.E.
Confirmed Expansion of Special Needs provision within the Waterside Area:
The Minister has approved the proposed change for the relocation of the Learning Support Class at Lisnagelvin PS to provide a Foundation Key Stage 1 Autistic Disorder Class followed by a Key Stage 2 Learning Support Class at Drumahoe PS. The proposal will increase the provision within the Waterside to a maximum of 20 pupils over the two classes ie. FS/KS1 – 8 pupils & Key Stage 2 - 12 pupils. The Education Authority will work closely with the parents, pupils, teacher and the classroom assistants to provide for their needs. Mrs Judith Douglas who previously worked in the school for 12 years has been appointed by the Board of Governors as the specialist teacher for the first ASD Learning Support Class (FS/KS1).
Flu Vaccines:
Parents who consented to this vaccine will have it administered to their children in school on Monday 19th October 2015. The vaccine will help protect your child against the flu and it will be given by spraying it up the nose (intranasal) so your child will not need an injection.
Breakfast Club:
The Breakfast Club continues to operate from 8.00 a.m. – 8.45 a.m. each morning. This averages around 40 plus pupils every morning. Children can come and purchase a “Breakfast Special” – choice of cereal, toast and tea/juice for £1.20. As well as a hearty breakfast the children are also provided with a wide selection of educational activities. The cost of taking breakfast for the week still remains at a very reasonable price of £6.00. N.B. The kitchen, due to the increased numbers attending Breakfast Club must stop serving breakfast at 8.30 a.m. to allow time to get cleared up before commencing morning assemblies.
Diary Dates:
Hallowe’en Fancy Dress Disco – Wednesday 21st October 2015
P3-P7 (KS1 &KS2) Parental Interviews – W/C Tuesday 17th November 2015
P1 Open Evening for new families – Wednesday 2nd December 2015
Festive Evening (Santa’s Visit) – Thursday 3rd December 2015
Carol Service – Wednesday 16th December 2015 @ 7.00 p.m.
Additional Holiday List Confirmation:
The following Holiday List have been confirmed with immediate effect for this term:
· School will be closed on Friday 13th & Monday 16th November 2015 due to Staff Training;
· School closes for Christmas on Friday 18thDecember and re-opens on Mon 4th January 2016
“2 to 3 Klub”:
The Kadet Klub has successfully commenced operating a “2-3 Klub” which provides a carefully planned programme of activities for P1-P3 children, after the end of their school day. It provides high quality play opportunities in a safe and stimulating environment from the end of the school day (i.e. 2.00/2.15 p.m.) until the senior school ends at 3.00 p.m.
Essentially we are accommodating the parents of those children who have older siblings in school and who currently have two pick-up times at school. The Kadet Klub which operates from 2.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. will continue as normal but this is just another attempt to facilitate parents who might only require their child/children looked after from 2 to 3 p.m. The cost of this facility will be £3.00 for P1 & P2 pupils (2.00-3.00 p.m.) and £2.50 for P3 pupils (2.15-3.00 p.m.). A fruit snack is provided for all those who attend.