August Newsletter September 22, 2008
Posted by Aline Denholm in : Newsletters , add a commentWelcome back to the start of a new term and I hope you all had a good summer. We have had the hall stripped and varnished and it looks beautiful! Our new nursery unit – Haven and Woodland Rooms have also opened for this session, it also looks fantastic and the nursery children have been really enjoying exploring their new learning environment.
Our new P1 pupils have settled in well and from Monday 1st September they will be in school all day! On Tuesday 2nd September the photographer from the Courier will be in to take their class photograph.
A big ‘thank you’ to all the parents who managed to come to the coffee morning last week. A reminder that there is another coffee morning organised for Thursday 28th August for P1-P3 parents, 9.00-9.45am.
I look forward to meeting any of you who are able to attend.
An information evening for P7 Cluster Camp is being held on Wednesday 10th September at 7pm in the main hall.
‘Meet the Teacher’ evenings have been planned for Wednesday 17th September for P1-P3 pupils and Thursday 18th September for P4-P7 pupils. We look forward to seeing you all then when you will be given an overview of what you can expect from the school throughout the year.
I will also be giving a presentation on my own vision for Dunbar Primary School.
I recently had a plea from the Eco committee about finding ways for the school to save paper. One of the ways you can help is if you opt to have your school letters sent by e-mail. I have attached a form for you to complete if you would like this option.
I was very impressed with the way the pupils looked in their uniform this week. The pupils are very proud of their school and they agreed that everyone wearing the same uniform and colours made a difference. The staff and I also feel strongly that having pride in your appearance and wearing the correctly colour of tights, or not wearing jogging bottoms is important and sends out an important message about our expectations and the way we do things in Dunbar Primary School. We will be asking for your co-operation in ensuring that your child comes to school in the correct uniform.
A few reminders….
o Please telephone the school as early as possible to advice if your child will NOT be attending or if they are going to be late for any reason. Please remember to send in a letter confirming any absence once your child returns to school.
o School starting time is 8.45a.m. – this is when pupils should be lining up!
o Please send your child to school with a waterproof jacket – the Scottish weather is very unpredictable and we like to use the school grounds for learning. If the weather is exceptionally wet we will use the hall at break times and lunchtimes. However, I am sure you will agree that children need the opportunity to let of steam and having a waterproof jacket will allow them to enjoy the fresh air whilst keeping them from getting wet.
o The pupils and I are currently investigating a way to ensure everyone is able to leave school safely at the end of the day, as the gate entrance is very congested. We will come back to you with our findings and suggestions.
o If you are a P1 or P2 parent please can we ask that you wait behind the basketball line so teachers have room to line up classes and dismiss their pupils.
o School lunches are £1.50 and should be paid for on the day or in advance ( a cheque to the office is ideal)
With best wishes
Helen Gillanders
Name ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
e-mail address
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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)
