New Headteacher May 28, 2008
Posted by Aline Denholm in : Uncategorized , 1 comment so farOur Ref: DJL/MJH/dunbarprimary
Tel: 01620-827596
e-mail: dledingham at eastlothian.gov.uk
27 May 2008
Dear Parents
Appointment of Head Teacher – Dunbar Primary School
Shortleet interviews took place on Monday 26 May for the position of Head Teacher at Dunbar Primary School. The interview panel consisted of 2 parents from the Dunbar Primary School Parent Council; Don Ledingham, Acting Director of Education and Children’s Services; Paul McLennan, Dunbar elected member. The panel was chaired by Peter Mackenzie, Convenor of the Education and Children’s Services Committee.
Following a very extensive advertising process and a preliminary longleet interview, the shortleet candidates were required to complete a comprehensive in-tray exercise which involved them completing a number of tasks which a head teacher would have to complete in a time limited manner.
These exercises were then reviewed by the interview panel prior to interview.
Following the interview, it was unanimously agreed to offer the position to Mrs Helen Gillanders, currently Acting Head Teacher at Stenton Primary School. Mrs Gillanders has an outstanding record as a teacher and Depute Head Teacher, having previously worked for ten years at Longniddry Primary School.
An interesting dimension to Mrs Gillanders background is that for eight years she was the manager of Halls of Residence at Edinburgh University which involved her managing a £1 million budget and a large number of staff.
Mrs Gillanders is a graduate of the Scottish Qualification for Headship course and a very strong classroom practitioner in her own right. This unique combination of business management skills, allied to her commitment and passion for education, made her an outstanding choice for the future of Dunbar Primary School.
Mrs Gillanders has made it clear that her commitment is to develop a long-term collective vision for the school involving all stakeholders including parents, teachers, pupils and members of the community.
We are confident that her management and leadership skills will enable the school to fulfil her ambition to create ‘one of the most outstanding schools in the UK’. Undoubtedly she will be convening an early parents’ information evening to meet with you and to share her vision for the future.
I am sure you will join with me and her colleagues at the school in giving her our full support to take the school forward over this important period in the history of Dunbar Primary School.
Yours sincerely
Don Ledingham
Acting Director of Education and Children’s Services
Updated Year Plan May 28, 2008
Posted by Aline Denholm in : Uncategorized , add a commentYEAR CALENDER 2007-2008
Updated: 24 April 2008
Date Time Event
14.04.08 4 day P5C York trip
22.04.08 4 day P5A York trip
22.04.08 9.15 to 3.00 P4A Museum of Flight
24.04.08 P7 Transition
24.04.08 9.15 to 3.00 P4B Museum of Flight
28.04.08 4 day P5B York trip
28.04.08 Morning P7 Class Photographs
28.04.08 9.15 to 3.00 P4C & P4D Museum of Flight
29.04.08 10.45 to 12.30 P6C to Methodist Church
29.04.08 9.30 Day or Night Science (P4 & P3)
01.05.08 11.00 Primary Cross Country at Hallhill
01.05.08 10.45 to 12.30 P6A to Methodist Church
02.05.08 12.00 In-service RNSO for P6 teachers
05.05.08 Holiday
06.05.08 In Service Day
07.05.08 Pupils Return
07.05.08 10.00 P5B East Beach with Ranger
07.05.08 PM P7 to Corn Exchange
07.05.08 7.00 to 8.30 Keeping Myself Safe presentation by H Stewart – P6 Parents/Carers
09.05.08 P7 Transition Day
12.05.08 1.00 to 2.30 Scottish Opera Workshop (P5’s)
12-16 Week (May) Walk to school week
13.05.08 7.30 Parent Council Meeting at Hallhill
16.05.08 JRSO Competition – Dressing up of bikes, scooters, walkers
20.05.08 P3C to visit Dunbar Castle
20.05.08 All Day Dentist to visit P1 and P7 in school
20.05.08 All Day Dentist to visit P1 and P7 in school
21.05.08 10.00 P5C East Beach Visit
22.05.08 9.00-1.00 P7 trip to Ingliston - Choices for Life
22.05.08 P3A to visit Dunbar Castle
26.05.08 2.30 Scottish Opera P5 Performance – P5 Parents
27.05.08 All Day Zoolab visit to P2 classes
28.05.07 Meadowbank – East Lothian Athletics Competition
28.05.08 P3B to visit Dunbar Castle
29.05.08 P3D to visit Dunbar Castle
30.05.08 9.00-12.00 Infant Sports P1 to P3 Parents welcome
02.06.08 9.00 P2A & P2B to Butterfly World
02.06.08 1.30 to 3.00 P7B and P3A to Lauderdale Park
04.06.08 Morning August P1 Enrolment – P1 teachers to visit
04.06.08 7.30 Parent Council Meeting
09.06.08 9.00 3A/3B to Alnwick Castle
09.06.08 9.00 P2C & P2D to Butterfly World
10.06.08 9.00 3C/3D to Alnwick Castle
12.06.08 9.00 & 11.00 P1 (August Enrolment) visit to classes.
12.06.08 2.30 P1 Enterprise Plant Sale – P1 Parents/Carers Invited
13.06.08 9.00-12.15 Upper Sports P4 to P7 Parents welcome
14.06.08 School Fete
14.06.08 1.45 Crowning of Gala Queen
17.06.08 P1D/P1E Botanic Gardens Trip
18.06.08 All Day P1A/P1B/P1C Botanic Gardens Trip
18.06.08 7.00 Summer Concert – Parents Welcome
19.06.08 All day P7 BBQ at John Muir Park
25.06.08 2.00 P7 Musical for parents
25.06.08 6.30 – 9.00 P7 Leavers Dance
27.06.08 11.00 End of year assembly – End of Term 3.
YEAR CALENDER 2008 – 2009
14.08.08 In Service Staff Resume
15.08.08 In Service Staff
18.08.08 Start Term 1 Pupils Resume
29.09.08 P7 School Camp
April Newsletter May 21, 2008
Posted by Aline Denholm in : Newsletters , add a commentWHAT’S HAPPENING AT DPS
Dear All
Spring has returned and with it a new quiet area. We have got rid of the muddy area and it has been flagged instead, so that it can be used all year round for children who prefer to sit and do something quiet. The buddy bus stop has been resurrected and the Parent Council have received £500 for a buddy bench which will be arriving soon. This is in line with the new document from Audit Scotland “Improving the Schools Estate.”
I am delighted to inform you that Elaine Albano has been appointed Acting DHT for the whole of this term.
The first class P5C are in York, with P5A setting off on 22 April and P5B on 28 April. Many thanks to the Rotary Club for some much needed extra funding.
HEALTHY SNACK
We are still looking for helpers to prepare and serve the healthy snacks so that the Parent Helpers can do it on a rota basis. Please get in touch with me if you are interested. Preparation and serving and clearing up takes from about 10.00am to 11.00am.
NURSERY UNIT
The new Nursery Unit is coming on well and is most impressive inside. We are still hoping for a finish date of 10 May.
GALA COURT
The crowning of Gala Queen: Sophie Kaszuba will be held on 14 June. Her Attendants are:
Roxanne Bisset and Natasha McClintick.
Flower Girls: Leann Cowe and Sophie Maxton.
Heralds: Matthew McKay and Gregor Morgan
BOOKS & RAG BAGS
Thank you for your donations of books for South Africa and rag bags. The books are now on their way to Port Elizabeth. Sheila Bell was most impressed with the ‘quality, variety and content’ of the books we collected. We will let you know how much the rag bag collection made as soon as we have the cheque.
P7 AND P1 TRANSITION
P7 transition is now under way with visits to DGS as usual.
P1 transition is well underway. Nursery families have visited school for lunch. Parent/Carers have had their initial transition talk and welcome by Mrs Imrie. Nursery and P1 staff are all working together to make the change as happy as ever. Please note the transition dates on the yearly calender.
SUMMER FAIR
We are most grateful to the parents and Parent Council for all the hard work which goes into this. If you have any ideas or would like to help please either see me or your class rep.
RAINBOWS 1ST
Rainbows 1st Dunbar and 1st Belhaven will be celebrating their 21st Anniversary of their inception on 7 May and will be wearing their uniform into school for the day.
OUTSTANDING LUNCH MONEY
If you receive a slip home regarding your child owing lunch money could you please ensure you bring it to the school office asap.
This will avoid an invoice being raised by East Lothian Council. Thanks.
FUN DAY
On Thursday the 20th March 2008 the most exciting day finally arrived. It was our fun day. We did this to help raise more money for Nygasambu School in Rwanda. In the hall there were stalls which were super cool. The stalls did face painting, games and many more. Mr Croft came in to talk to us and showed ornaments from Rwanda and really good slides of animals and children at the school. We raised money by selling raffle tickets, it was 20p or £1 a strip. We also got dressed down for a £1. I think it was good to have a fun day because we had good fun and raised a lot of money. Mrs Gray had arranged the Fun Day. We had to make games and bring in some stuff that you did not want anymore. I think the fun day was excellent and wish instead of a red nose day next year, I wish there was another fun day and have a lot of fun.
By: Caitlin P4B
OUR FUN DAY
On Thursday 20th March 2008 we had a dress down day and we had to wear a top with a country on it. I wore a Portugal top. We are raising money for the school in Rwanda. Mr Croft showed us some slides and photos at assembly. We did different stalls and I thought it was great. Some people did hair spraying stalls, treasure maps and guess the teddy’s birthday. Most of the class got to do the raffle tickets. I got to do it every time. I likes it a lot, it was so much fun. It was 20p for 1 ticket or £1 for a strip. Mrs Gray gave us a primary to go to and sell the raffle tickets and we went to sell them. We also make posters and signs. The posters were to up around the school and the signs were to put on the tables for the stalls. It was fun.
By: Amy P4B
OUR FUN DAY
On Thursday 20 March we had a fund day to raise money for a school in Rwanda. Mr Foggit came to assembly to talk about when he went to the school. It was a good assembly. Mr Croft did an assembly about when he went to the school in Rwanda and showed us some slides of people making the school. We made posters to advertise the fun day. After we made them we went round the school sticking them on. Some of the teachers donated some prizes for the raffle. I liked going round the
school selling raffle tickets. We had to organize stalls, we had guess the teddy’s birthday, face painting, how many pegs in the jar. On the day of the fun day we all got to dress up in clothes from around the world. When it was time we went to set up the stalls. I was on the guess the pegs in the jar. We got a lot of customers. I went round and bought some sweets and guessed in a few games. Then at the end of the day we did the raffle. Olivia in my class won something in the raffle. Shannon’s brother won a football. After we did the raffle we got some pencils from Mrs Rounce.
By: Greg P4B
FUN THURSDAY
On Thursday 20 March 2008 Dunbar Primary school organised a fun day. There was a raffle and lots of fun activities and stalls. The good thing was that our teacher was in charge of the whole fun day so we had to do the raffle because the P7’s were too busy. So me and Kieran went round all the P4’s and gave them raffle tickets, it was 20p for 1 or £1 a strip. We are raising money for Rwanda so they can get educated. Mr Croft went to Rwanda, he talked to us about Rwanda so they can get educated. Mr Croft went to Rwanda and he talked to us about Rwanda and brought things to show like carved giraffes and beaded boxes. When the day came their were hundreds of people and lots of stalls. I went on a lucky dip and I won a sweet. It was great. I went on a game which had a target and they gave you a plastic pistol with foam darts. I shot every one and won a few sweets. Another stall I went on was the cake stall and I had 2 crispy cakes. After everyone had gone I took the money to the office.
By: Michael P4B
FUN DAY
We had a fun day on 20 March 2008. We were raising money for Rwanda instead of comic relief. I thought it was a good idea. We had a raffle and it was 20 pence for one ticket and £1 a strip. It was fun going round the school and everyone in the class got to get a stall. My stall was called pick a card. You could get to go to other stalls for 10 minutes. It was really fun doing the stalls and I had fun.
By: Jordan P4B
The Fun Day raised £1597.26. Rev Foggitt will be coming to assembly on 30 April to collect the cheque. Grateful thanks goes to Mrs Gray for all her hard work.
WORLD BOOK DAY
We enjoyed World Book Day with the Nursery dressing up as book characters and visiting all the classes. It was great to see them all in school although they regularly visit the Library, the Gym Hall for PE, the Garden and Assembly.
SPORTS DAY
Infant Sports Day: (P1 to P3) will be held on
30 May from 9.00 to 12.00.
Upper Sports Day: (P4 to P7) will be held on
6 June from 9.00 to 12.15.
Parents/Carers are invited.
ECO CLUB VISIT TO POWER POD AT DGS
The power pod is an all in one reusable energy pod, the pod had a wind turbine and solar panels, that was transported in a trailer. The pod even had solar panels to charge cars, fans…….. The Eco club thought that the pod was amazing, it was built by the University of Edinburgh and was present at Dunbar Grammar School and John Muir House during the pods visit to Dunbar. We think that the power pod will come back to Dunbar again.
By: Callum
WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK
Walk to School week is being held on 12 to 16 May. The Junior Road Safety Officers will be holding a competition for pupils to dress up bikes/scooters/walkers for Walk to School week on Friday 16 May.
PENNY ROUNCE
HEADTEACHER (ACTING)
Light May 14, 2008
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We designed our own stamps with John Muir on them May 14, 2008
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Scottish water colour painting by David in P6C May 14, 2008
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French Poster designed by P6 May 14, 2008
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Poems by P7 May 14, 2008
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Kente cloth from Ghana May 14, 2008
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Walk to school week May 14, 2008
Posted by Aline Denholm in : Events, Events , add a commentThe children are being encouraged to either walk, cycle, skateboard or scoot to school this week. On Friday there is a competition to see who can decorate their bike or scooter in the most imaginative way. If your child isn’t able to do this they can decorate a hat instead.
