Prestonpans Infant March 2012 Newsletter

Prestonpans Infant School Newsletter March 2012

Over the last few weeks, a group of 11 morning nursery children have been learning about nature by exploring the woodland in our own grounds. Working with Aline and Ros, Outdoor Learning experts and supported by Miss Millar from the Nursery, the children have been climbing, making knots and exploring and using the woods in their imaginative play. It’s been a wonderful experience for our children and the experts have been really impressed by the way our children have played so well and so naturally in our woods. This Friday, a group of teachers and other professionals from Mid and East Lothian will come to Prestonpans Infant School to be trained in using woodland and the outdoors to support young children’s learning in their own nurseries and settings. Miss Dunleavey, Mrs Miller and Ms Callaghan will train and then lead Nature Nurture for other children from Prestonpans Infants, using our own woods, next session.

All Nursery children have been very lucky to have been involved in performance drama with LicketySpit Theatre Company’s production of LicketyLeap. Each group of children will share their LicketyLeap performance with their families in the next few weeks. Each child, no matter how lively or quiet they may be, has become very involved in the production, which has been a joy to see. Thank you LicketySpit Theatre Company for giving our 3 and 4 year olds this fantastic opportunity.

We currently have a lot of new school uniform in school to sell. If you need polo shirts, sweatshirts, tee shirts, hats, fleeces or waterproof jackets, you can buy these directly from the office.

Thank you to Kevin Davanna and all the adults and local companies who helped make the amazing total of £1600 profit for our Playground Improvement Fund on 3 March 2012 at Prestonpans Labour Club. As well as a great fun evening’s entertainment, the event took the total we have raised to £27, 000. You’ve managed to fill the Rag Bag again so we’re expecting more this week. Amazing!

Two brave Prestonpans Infant mums have committed themselves to running the Edinburgh Half Marathon and Steve Aitchison is going to run the whole Marathon for the Playground Improvement Fund. Would you please consider sponsoring Debbie, Claire and Steve? There is a separate letter attached, which you can return to school if you are willing to sponsor these dedicated parents.

We are also forming a Race Crew Team, either working at a Hydration Station or the Relay Change Station. We will be paid a fee for this, which will go to the Playground Improvement Fund. To join a Race Crew, you have to be willing to work from around 9am—4pm on Sunday 27.5.12. We think you will not be able to have children with you. The fee of around £15—£17 (as I recall) will be paid directly to the Playground Improvement Fund. There is a separate letter attached, which you can return to school if you are willing to join the Race Crew. It’s a good laugh and a fun way to raise funds.... if it’s not raining! If you join the Race Crew you must turn up on the day.

Are you liking our pink and blue tubs in the playground? Then come on Saturday 24 March from 12—3pm and help us paint the tubs and fences in the grounds. Aileen Callaghan, our new Playground Supervisor, will run some children’s activities, freeing up the adults to get on with the painting.

120 of you came along on Friday 16 March and enjoyed a cup of tea and a wee hand massage from your child. It was a lovely event and so many of you said you enjoyed it. Thank you to Mrs McBirnie and to Christine Knox for giving families such a lovely experience.

On Friday 20 April, we welcome P1 parents and carers back to our Daffodil Tea from 11am.

We can all remember how hard it is to be a parent of young children and it can be a really hard time when you are a young parent. So to support young parents (21 yrs and under) and their babies and toddlers under 3 years old, we are starting a new drop in Stay and Play session on Friday afternoons in our Nursery from 1-3pm.

Susan Savage from our Nursery Team will lead these sessions. We have been successful in getting funding to buy toys and play resources for children from birth to 2 years old. Sadly we won’t be able to have older children along but we will take young parents with 3 year olds who are not at nursery yet. If you know young parents who would like to come along, you can get a leaflet to give them from our office.

In 2 Stars and A Wish, some of you said that you would like the children to go on more trips. We are remembering that for next year. However, for this year, we are making sure every class goes on one main trip. We are subsidising each trip so it will cost £3.50 per pupil. P1 and P2 families can start saving up for that by giving money to the School Office anytime they like. Just put it in an envelope and mark it clearly. In June, P1s will be going to the Museum of Flight by train and bus and P2s will be going to The Butterfly Farm and Vogrie Park by coach.

The P3s trip is this term and is to the Royal Scottish Museum to study about the Egyptians. P3/10 went last week and I have had so many super reports about their excellent behaviour and about how much they had already learnt about Egyptians. I’m sure P3/12 will be enjoy the trip as much this week.

P1s are having an extra wee trip to Domino’s Pizza in Musselburgh, where the manager, our good friend and former pupil Robin Reid has shown them how pizzas are made and has given each child a wee pizza to take home. Thank you Robin.

P1 also opened their Dinosaur Museum today and I hope you can come along to see the impressive displays of their learning about dinosaurs. The P1 museum was opened today by Sarah from the Council’s Museum Service.

School holidays start on Monday 2 April and continue till Monday 16 April. We all start back on Tuesday 17 April 2012.

The great excitement in school just now, however, is from the P3s who are going on their first residential trip to Innerwick Centre with school staff next week. Each child will go for a 24 hour stay, leaving at 9am one day and returning at the same time the next day. I would like to thank Mrs Susan Graham for the huge commitment and organisation she puts into taking the P3s to Innerwick. She gives so much to the children through this unique residential experience for P3s. Thank you too to the other staff who give up their own time and skills to allow P3s to go to camp.

Thank you families for being brave enough to let your wee ones go. It’s going to be great.

You might not have heard that there was a proposed strike by teachers on Wednesday 28 March 2012. However, I can assure you all that there will be NO STRIKE on that day. School will be open as normal.

Mrs Debbie Finnigan has joined us as Dining Room Supervisor. Ms Aileen Callaghan has become a Playground Supervisor with responsibility for leading play and games with the children. We have also appointed Mr Callum Douglas as another Additional Support Needs Auxiliary. Mr Douglas starts on Tuesday 17 April 2012. Until then Mrs Susan Garden is with us on supply. Jordan Briscoe is a young Sports student with us for the whole year. These people are making a great addition to our school and we are glad to welcome them to the staff team.

We all want our children to grow up happy, confident, secure and able to cope with life’s challenges. Some children seem to manage this better than others. Would you like to find out some of the reasons for this?

Mrs Kettell and Ms Laing are going to run a 6 week course for parents and carers on Thursday afternoons next term.

It will run from 12.45—2.45pm in Prestonpans Infant School. If there is enough demand we may run an extra course in the evening for those of our parents and carers who work. Each group has places for 8—12 people. If you are interested, come along to an Introductory Session on Thursday 26th April from 1.15—2.45pm. A letter will come out about this early next term before HEALTH WEEKS 23 April—4 May.

A Council Health & Safety Officer was in the playground recently and asked us to make sure parents and carers were clear on 2 issues.

Dogs — MUST NOT be brought into the playground or tied up near the gate. If you bring a dog in, we will ask you to take it out.

Many children are frightened of dogs or allergic to them. We also really do not want dogs’ poo in the playground.

Bikes and Scooters—Please do not allow your child to ride their bike or scooter in the playground. Children can be very fast on these and this is a safety hazard. In the future, we do hope to encourage children to cycle to school and to provide bike/scooter stands. For that, we need some parents or carers who are willing to become bike trainers for children. Let Ms Laing know if you are interested in this.

Ms Laing, Mrs McBirnie and Mrs Kettell will be taking turns to come into the playground Mon—Thurs mornings before the bell.

This is a good chance for you to catch us to pass on messages to teachers or to share any concerns you have.

I would like to sponsor Debbie, Claire and Steve the parents from Prestonpans Infant School, who are running in the Marathon to raise money for the playground.

I include £ as a contribution to their effort.

OR I will send £ in to school once they have completed the Marathon.

Adult’s Name

Child’s Name/Class

I am willing to become a member of the Prestonpans Infant Race Crew from 9am—4pm on Sunday 27 May 2012. I agree to donating the fee I earn to the Playground Improvement Fund.

Adult’s Name Child’s Class Child’s Name Phone Number Return to school for the attention of Ms Laing.