Gortin Primary School
9 Plumbridge Road, Gortin, BT79 8QB
Tel. no: 028 8164 8268 Fax no: 028 8164 7032
Email: Principal: Mrs I Wallace
Website: gortinps.com
11 October 2016
Dear Parent
Students Council
Our student’s council have been elected once again from our Y4-Y7 classes. Chair and vice chair persons are Sarah McConnell and Matthew Armstrong, Secretary Sophie McMullin, Treasurer and Vice Treasurer, Adam Donnell and Gareth Monaghan and committee Emma Orr, Jessica McCrea and Sam Hempton. Playground buddies were elected, a book club planned and playground helpers to help supervise the play equipment being put away properly after break times. There were plans made for a Halloween party and games afternoon and a mid-term movie treat. The children also requested a Clothes, Toy and Book sale in school possibly on the night of either the Bingo Night or Christmas Santa Night as a way of recycling unwanted or finished with clothes, books and toys and raising some funds for the council, so please keep this in mind if you’re thinking of a clear out in time for Christmas.
They would also like lots of fun children’s activities at the Santa night. It was agreed that money raised could go into resources for book club and playground equipment e.g. football, scooters and dolls clothes.
After Schools Art Activity
Mrs Alison Hempton has very kindly agreed to facilitate a Halloween Art Club from 3.15 – 4.15 pm for Y4/5 on Thursday 13 October and for the Y6/7 on Monday 24 October. Mrs Gillian McMullin has agreed to do two Christmas art workshops on Tuesday 6 December for Y4/5 and on Tuesday 13 December for Y6/7.
We thank them most sincerely for this generous voluntary contribution to our after school activities. Please make note of these days and dates fill out the reply slip so we can gauge numbers and encourage your children to avail of these two fun creative club afternoons.
Parents Night/Home link Letters
A big thank you to all the parents who attended our PTA/Parents night. We were very pleased with twenty parents in attendance. We hope you found this useful. Thank you to those who have become office bearers or are on our fundraising committee and are busy organising up and coming fund raisers.
All parents should have received their home link letters from their class teachers detailing the teaching and learning covered in their child’s class for September/October. These were given out on the night of the class workshops or sent home with children whose parents were unable to attend. We would really appreciate if parents could give us some feedback on our reply slip as to whether they find these useful as they are a good bit of additional work for the teachers and we want to make sure they are meeting the needs of parents.
PTA Meeting
At the recent PTA meeting it was agreed to hold a family Bingo night on Wednesday 26 October at 7pm. They are hoping you all have your legs 11 ready to head down to school that night! Please spread the word as they would love to see as many people/families as possible in school on that night. There will be line prizes and house prizes to be won. All the families are asked to provide 1dozen scones or tray bakes on the day of the Bingo and a small gift for the draw e.g. box of biscuits, sweets, child’s game. Looking forward to seeing you there for a great family fun night. Next meeting to finalise arrangements for these events Monday 24 October at 7pm..
Keep also keep free Thursday 1 December when the PTA are also organising a Christmas Craft Fair /Santa Night. If you can help in any way please contact Heather Campbell, Kerry Crawford, Nicola Hempton or Claire Rickford.
Badoney Development Association
The above association have asked me to inform you that they are delighted with the great response for the Community Friendship Programme and thank all who have responded to date. More details are being prepared with plans to launch after Halloween.
Harvest Service – Friday 14 October
All family and friends are invited to join with us in a service of Harvest thanksgiving in our main hall this Friday at 1.15 pm when all the children will be giving thanks to God for our harvest through song, poem and prayer. We would ask everyone to bring the usual contributions i.e. fruit, flowers, bakes, foods, home produce etc. for our Harvest table which will be sold immediately afterwards by our Y7 pupils. The proceeds this year will go to a well deserving charity at home, namely, Action Cancer, as agreed at the PTA/Students Council meeting. Action cancer very kindly provided free workshops for the children back in the summer term on the five key messages from their health Action Group (See photos on notice board outside our main hall). Children may go home with parents immediately afterwards or as usual on the bus.
Blythswood Shoebox Appeal
The children have received information leaflets for their boxes and someone will talk to the children in assembly on Friday 21 October about the appeal this year. These boxes will go to families who are living in desperate poverty in countries like Albania, Bulgaria Serbia and Ukraine in time for Christmas and will be the only gift they receive this year. Shoe boxes are to be in school for pick up on Friday 11November, there are plenty more leaflets if anyone needs extra. It would be lovely if we could give one from each child or at least one from every family.
Waste Recycling Talk Y1-Y7
Anthea Owens from Omagh District Council will be coming in to school to talk to the children on how important it is for our environment to recycle their waste on Wednesday 12 October.
Water Bus
The N. Ireland water bus will visit school on Tuesday 18 October to do workshops with Y3-5 and Y6/7 on how and where our water supply comes from/enters our homes, how it is treated before it comes to our homes and most importantly how we can save our water.
Pantomime – Cinderella – Y1-7
We have secured seats at the Millennium Forum for the above performance on Friday 16 December. Seats are £8.75 and transport will be subsidised by PTA funds. Cost to parents is £11.00 per child. Please return reply slip by Monday 24 October 2015.
Reminders/Forward Planning
Monday 17 October………………………...Y1/2& Y6/7 Parent interviews commence
Wednesday 26 October …………………….Magician 1.15 - 2.05 (PTA Funded)
Friday 28 Oct-Tuesday 1 Nov… …………..Halloween closure
Monday 14 November……………………..Y3/4/5 Parent interviews commence
Friday 25 November……………………….Open Day in school 2 – 4 pm (Tell others)
Yours sincerely
Iris Wallace
Principal
Reply Slips
Panto Cinderella Y1 – Y7
I would like to reserve ( ) seat/s for my
child/children…………………………………………………………
to attend the Millennium Forum on Friday 16 December 2016.
I enclose £11.00 per child/ £5 deposit per child (delete as appropriate)
Signed:……………………………Parent
After School Art Club Y4 – Y7
My child/ren inY4/5 (Thursday 13 October)…………………………………… and/or my child/ren
in Y6/7 (24 October) 3.15 – 4.15…………………….. …………….. would be interested in participating in the Halloween/Christmas Art Club.
Signed:…………………………………Parent
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Home Link Curriculum Information
Did you attend the Parent/Curriculum Workshop?……………………….Yes / No
If so, did you find this useful?...... Yes / No
Please comment:…………………………………………………………………………………...
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I have received my child/ren’s home link letter for September/October. Yes / No (please circle)
I find these notes helpful ………………………………………………….Yes / No
I think they have enough detail….. Yes / No Need more detail………Yes / No
Please add any further comments which could help us to improve communication between school and home
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Signed (Print)……………………………. Signature …………………………………………