Junior Newsletter 21st October 2011

Issue 7

Lunch Menu

Meals from Monday 31^st October will be posted on the school website. The Lunch Rota for this week will be 12 - Year 2, 12.10 - Year 3, 12.15 - Year 4, 12.20 - Year 6, 12.25 - Year 5

Operation Christmas Child is underway!!

On Monday, the children heard all about Operation Christmas Child and we hope that many children have already started to put together their special Christmas shoe boxes. Operation Christmas Child is the largest children's Christmas project in the world, run by the Christian charity Samaritan's Purse. They have been sending gift-filled shoeboxes to disadvantaged children around the world since 1990, bringing joy into the lives of over 80 million children.

Last year, over 500,000 people from across the UK and Ireland got involved - including many churches, schools and workplaces. Children and adults alike wrapped and packed around 1.12 million shoeboxes full of gifts and goodies, which were then sent to disadvantaged children across Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Giving a shoebox gift is really quite simple. You wrap and pack it, we check and send it, and our in-country partners deliver it. It starts in your hands and ends up in theirs.

School Uniform from October 31st

Please remember that when children return to school after the half term holidays, then they should be wearing the correct winter school uniform.

Congratulations

To the following children who will be celebrating birthdays over the coming weeks: Carl Hipwell, Elyssa Stoker and Hassan Ali.

Reception Visit to Stadium of Light

Last week the Reception class visited SAFC. The children were met by Alan who runs the ‘Little Dribblers' club for us. Alan showed us the players' changing rooms, the press room and then took us on a tour of the executive seats. The children also had the opportunity to run out of the players' tunnel as well as sitting on the players' seats (which made many of them feel like ‘astronauts'). We also visited the special classrooms where the children designed their own shirts. The visit concluded with a visit to the club shop where it was commented how well behaved our children were. We did not meet any famous footballers on the day but the children had a terrific time none the less. Thank you to Mrs Jewitt for organising this memorable visit.

Lego People Wanted!

Do you have any Lego people that are no longer wanted? If so, then Mrs Jewitt would be grateful to receive these as they are proving to be invaluable in helping the children to role play.

Dates for you Diary

Monday, 31^st October - Children return to School

Wednesday, 2^nd November - St. John's Church Assembly from 8.50am

Thursday, 3^rd November - Year 4 visit to Beamish Wild, 9am until 3pm

Monday 7^th November - Parents' Evening, 3.45pm

Parents' Evening

You are invited to attend a parent/teacher meeting where you will have the opportunity to discuss your child's start to the new academic year with the class teacher. The Parents' Evening will take place on Monday 7^th November in your child's classroom.

We anticipate that parents of Reception to Year 6 classes will be able to speak to their children's class teacher during the course of one evening. Discussions should last between 5 and 10 minutes.  If you wish to have a longer meeting then we will be happy to arrange an alternative date and time. As the evening will begin as early as 3.50pm there will be no after school clubs held on this day except for those delivered by visiting staff.

Reception Class Teacher

We are delighted to announce that we appointed Ms N. Costas to the position of Reception Class Teacher for the period 21^st November 2011 until 23^rd March 2012.

Ms Costas has nine years experience as a classroom teacher where she has worked in Nursery, Reception and Year 1 settings. Ms Costas has many other skills and interests that will be of great advantage to the Reception children. Her vision, energy and enthusiasm impressed us all at interview.

Ms Costas has also kindly agreed to support Mrs Jewitt prior to her official start in November. This will enable Ms Costas to familiarise herself the children and their way of working a lot sooner and will ensure a smooth transition.

PTA Events

A reminder that this year's annual Dinner Dance takes place at the Marriott Hotel in Seaburn on Saturday, 19^th November. This is always a very popular event and tickets are now on sale at either school office. Forms are also available if parents wish to put together their own table of friends. As well as a splendid meal, there will be a tombola and the ever popular casino. Please look out for PTA members at any of the parents' evenings in the run up to the dinner dance.

Whilst on the subject of PTA events, we are all looking forward once again to the Christmas Fair. This will take place on Friday, 2^nd December from around 3.15pm. The PTA would welcome any contributions of bottles, perfumes, toiletries, unused gifts etc that could be used to help raise funds. We aim to have a non uniform day for children in return - date to be arranged!

Thank You!

To Emily Bell for donating books to the school library.