|
Chalfont St. Giles Junior School |
October Newsletters 2007
Dear Parent,
We are now two full weeks into term and the buzz and atmosphere around the school is very positive as classes and routines are up and running and out of class activities are beginning to start up. The new children, and staff, have all settled well into the school and we are now looking forward to a very productive and busy Autumn term. I hope last week’s parents meetings were useful and that the information sent out to those who were unable to attend has given you a clearer picture of your child’s new year group. Parent Reps are beginning to send out letters for each class so keep an eye out for your letter(s) to see what’s happening in your child’s class.
SNACKS AND WATER
The issue of break-time snacks came up at several of the meetings so I thought
it would be a good idea to clarify what should be happening. Children may bring
in fruit or veg (not cereal bars or fruit winders etc) to eat at morning break
if they want to. Snacks should be placed in their bag separate to their lunchbox,
as this will make them immediately accessible at the start of break and will
prevent your child having to go to the Dining Room where they deposit their
lunchboxes first thing in the morning before school starts. Whilst we will endeavour
to remind children to eat any snacks they have brought in we cannot provide
additional time or force them to eat their snacks if they choose not to. Children
should also have a water bottle (with a sports cap) to be able to re-hydrate
themselves in the classroom. This should be in addition to their drink for lunchtime.
CLUBS
After-school clubs start next week and your child should by now have been informed
whether or not they have been successful in their application to join an after-school
club. In some cases restrictions on numbers may have to have been imposed and
therefore unsuccessful applicant’s names will be recorded to allow them
priority if the same club runs again next term. Parents are reminded that all
after school clubs finish at 4.45pm when the children should be collected from
the main entrance of the school. Unless your child is absent, or you have informed
us in writing that they are unable to attend the club then we will expect them
to be present and accounted for at the club. Significant problems have been
caused for office and teaching staff in the past by children not arriving at
clubs when they are expected, either due them taking themselves off-site at
the end of the day or parents not informing the school of changes of plan. Children’s
safety should and must be everyone’s priority and we rely heavily upon
your support to ensure all after-school club attendees are safe.
PERFORMING ARTS WEEK
The teachers are currently planning the first of our themed weeks of the year
which will now start on Monday 29th October. During the week the children will
be working in house team groups (mixed Year 3-6) and will be focusing upon developing
speaking and listening skills through a variety of performing arts culminating
in performing to each other on Friday 2nd November. These weeks are always popular
and serve as a way of enriching the children’s experience of the curriculum
whilst developing key skills that will translate to all aspects of school life.
If you have any particular skills or talents in the field of performing arts
and would be willing and able to contribute toward the week could you please
contact Mrs Whiteley who is co-ordinating the week.
PARENTS FORUM AND MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING
Next Friday (28th) sees the first of our Parent Forum meetings at 9.15am in
the Dining Room. If you haven’t been along before they are an opportunity
for parents to discuss with me any topics or areas of concerns they might have
with a view to improving the school as a whole. The agenda is set by the parents
through the slips attached to letters that went home last week. If you missed
the letter or have subsequently thought of something you would like to ask or
raise then don’t worry as there is an AOB slot at the end. Hopefully we’ll
see plenty of you there.
At 10.30, immediately after the Forum, we will be hosting our annual MacMillan
Coffee Morning fundraiser where refreshments will be served in exchange for
a donation to the charity. It is usually well attended so come along, or stay
after the Forum, for a chance to stay and have a chat with friends and fellow
parents.
We are also requesting that children bring in a donation of 50p on Friday toward
the fund and in turn teachers will be serving them squash and a biscuit to enable
them to take part in the event.
POLITE REQUESTS
In the last two weeks there have been several problems regarding parking in
Parsonage Road at the beginning and end of the day. Please be understanding
of local residents by not obstructing their driveways and also make every effort
to keep pavements used by children clear so as not to force them out onto the
road where they would clearly be at risk. Could all drivers also take care not
to drive at speeds in excess of 10-20 mph as has been witnessed by staff and
parents alike. The safety of all children should always be paramount in all
our minds when driving in and around our school.
Please also note that parents are not permitted to park in the staff car park
unless a prior agreement has been made with the individual concerned.
There have also been issues regarding younger siblings on site at the end of
the day who have been responsible for damage to trees and general disruption
around the classrooms whilst the children are still engaged in lessons. If younger
children are brought onto site please act responsibly and ensure they are supervised
at all times.
Finally, could I remind all parents not to walk into classrooms unannounced at the beginning or end of the day when teachers, and children, are often busy with other important matters. If you wish to speak with your child’s teacher please communicate through the home-school book or make an appointment through the school office at a mutually convenient time for both parties which will enable you to have a more effective, undisturbed and unhurried conversation.
LOST PROPERTY
The lost property box has been largely, and promisingly, empty so far this term
but those items that have appeared already have all been unnamed. Please make
sure all sweatshirts (in particular), coats, lunchboxes (especially the clear
plastic boxes) and all other items of uniform and equipment are clearly marked
with your child’s name so that we can get the items back as soon as possible
to their rightful owners.
CHEQUES
Could parents please note requests made in recent letters for cheques sent into
school to have their purpose and child’s full name and class written clearly
on the reverse side (ie FRANCE, MUSIC TUITION etc) as this really helps the
office staff process the many different funds that come into school. Equally
could all envelopes with either cash or cheque payments be clearly labelled
as to their contents to speed up the process of collecting in monies for various
events etc. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated. Could all parents please
note that cheques should be made payable to ‘Chalfont St Giles Junior
School’ and not Middle School.
NEW PHONE SYSTEM
Many of you may have already noted our new phone system when calling the school.
This includes the facility to leave messages for different reasons and requires
you to listen to a brief message from Mrs Brown before proceeding with one of
the options (which include speaking directly to the office). Could I please
ask you to be patient and listen to the message and choose the option that meets
the purpose of your call and not to hang up immediately believing there to be
no-one to take your call (although this will sometimes be the case if the office
is unmanned). The intention was to improve the system for office staff and parents
alike and we hope you will bear with us whilst everyone gets used to the new
way of doing things.
E-MAILING LETTERS
Many thanks to everyone who has already responded to the letter regarding the
office e-mailing letters home. We are still waiting for some slips to be returned.
Please do so by Monday if you haven’t already as we need to know your
choice, do not assume that if we don’t hear from you we will make the
decision for you. We are beginning to process those that have so we hope to
have the system up and running by half term at the latest. The responses so
far look very favourable, with around two-thirds of parents taking up the option
to date. I will keep you informed as to the progress towards the launch of this
new service.
SPORTS
Our U11 boys had an early kick-off to the season in the ESFA 7-a-sides at Farnham
Common on Tuesday. Facing 4 games in succession they won 1 and lost 3 games
(2 by last minute goals after dominating the game and chasing a victory themselves)
and therefore they did not make the areas finals on Saturday. However there
was much to take encouragement from and the goals from Paul, Robbie and Daniel
were all well taken efforts. Squad trials for the U11 (Year 6), U10 (Year 5)
and Girls teams begin next week, during lunchtimes, when children will be able
to demonstrate their credentials for making the squad. Separate training for
squad and non-squad members in Years 5 and 6 will then begin during lunchtimes
the following week.
With football, netball and rugby fixtures on the horizon there will be plenty more to report on the coming weeks’ newsletters.
DATES
The newsletter will not carry all dates for the school year on every letter
but I will notify parents of amendments and additions each fortnight as changes
are made. Dates in full for the remainder of the year will appear in the first
newsletter of each half term. The noticeboard at the front entrance will also
display the most current newsletter and dates, as should the school website.
2nd Newsletter:
We’ve reached the end of a busy first half term and I’m sure the children are looking forward to the break as much as the staff are! Obviously there’s a great deal of excitement about tomorrow’s World Cup Final (nowhere more so than in the Tagg household) which will help bring back memories of that wonderful (if somewhat wet) day in July when the trophy spent the morning at our school. Fingers crossed for a great game and the right result, which for all but a handful of our South African pupils and parents means an England victory.
PERFORMING ARTS WEEK
Most of you will already be aware that the week after half term is ‘Performing
Arts Week’, the first of this year’s themed weeks. The children
will be in house groups all week and will have no doubt already told you about
our first workshop involving African Drums on Monday of this week. Further workshops
and creative activities will take place throughout the week and we welcome the
requested voluntary contribution of £5.00 per child towards meeting the
costs of the workshops, performers and additional resources that will help make
the week a stimulating and exciting week for the children.
PARENT CONSULTATIONS
Your appointments with teachers should have come home with your child yesterday
for either the Monday or Thursday meetings. Please bear with us in the difficulties
of giving all parents their preferred slots, we do our best but many parents
opt for the later slots and it’s impossible to squeeze everyone in and
to take account of the need to avoid clashes when there is more than one child
in a family. If the appointment you have been given is absolutely impossible
for you to keep please contact the classteacher to see if a mutually convenient
solution can be found.
Please also remember that it is a 10 minute slot and that late arrivals can
cause significant disruption so where appropriate appointments may be shuffled
to avoid unnecessary delays.
ANTI-BULLYING WEEK
The week beginning 19th November is National Anti-Bullying Week during which
we will be focusing some of our lessons and assemblies upon the issue of bullying
and how the children can help us all to stamp it out. Special badges have been
ordered which can be purchased in school during the week and Friday 23rd is
Blue Clothing Day when the children can wear blue clothing to symbolise our
support for the continued goal of eradicating bullying from all our schools.
Mrs Whiteley will be organising some of the activities and events and will be
informing parents of what we will be doing as a school through a letter after
half-term.
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS
There have been several instances recently of children not being collected from
clubs until after 5.00pm and later. With the evenings now drawing in and darkness
falling by 4.45pm it is really important children are collected promptly at
4.45pm. Please remember that the staff give very generously of their time to
ensure these clubs are run for the benefit of the children and should not be
expected to continue to supervise and look after children beyond the agreed
finish time of the club. If for any reason circumstances lead to you being held
up in traffic etc, delaying your arrival at school please make every effort
to contact the school so that we can at least reassure your child you are on
your way and plan for your eventual arrival. Your co-operation over this matter
will be greatly appreciated.
PARENTS ASSOCIATION AGM
It was disappointing to see so few people turn out to support the PA who are
in desperate need of new recruits for the new year with several long standing
members hanging up their collective boots after many years faithful and productive
service. My thanks to Caroline Morgan-Hobbs and all the other committee members
standing down for their greatly valued efforts in raising funds for the school
that have enabled us to purchase such wonderful resources such as the lighting
and sound system and the soon to be installed indoor traversing climbing wall.
Parent support and volunteers are vital to this hardworking group and if you
can lend your ideas and time to help support the new committee then please do
not hesitate to contact the school so that we can pass your details onto them.
With a Quiz Night and the Christmas Fayre on the horizon there’s never
been a better time to get up and get involved in our PA.
HEADLICE
Parents need to be aware there have been a number of instances of headlice in
school, in more than one year group, over the past week. Please be vigilant
in keeping an eye on your child’s hair and in treating any signs immediately
to help try to prevent the issue becoming any more widespread within the school.
CHRISTMAS BOXES
The children were recently told about this charity in assembly and it appeared
many were interested in participating in this worthy cause. It involves collecting
new/unused items (small toys/school stationery/toiletries etc) and packing them
into a small box as a Christmas gift for a child in another country. The boxes
and exact details will be sent out after half term but children may like to
start collecting items over half term if they wish to participate. Mrs Quainton
would like to thank all those wishing to become involved in anticipation of
your involvement.
Enjoy your half-term and enjoy the rugby.
Back
to current newsletter