Category Archives: Uncategorized

Goodbye Blog … Hello Website

This is the final entry on What’s Up @ Moniaive 🙁  but don’t worry, the blogging will continue on our new website www.moniaiveprimary.org.uk 🙂

The new website serves all three of our partnership schools – Moniaive, Dunscore and Duncow Primaries – and you will be able to find out not only what’s going on in Moniaive but also see what’s happening in the other two schools.  We’re sure it will be a great opportunity to share good practise and new ideas.  It should also be easier and quicker to find what you’re looking for, and we are planning to make even more content available to you.

This blog will remain live, so you will still be able to access old posts and various documents and links.  However, please be aware that there will be no new posts and you should use the website to get the most recent information.  Why not add it to your favourites?

Thank you to everyone who has visited in the past, and we look forward to welcoming you on our website soon.

Staff Changes After Christmas

As you know our partnership with Dunscore and Duncow formally starts next term.  As the partnership head teacher, leading and managing the three schools, I will no longer have a formal teaching committment (although I plan to keep my hand in!).   This means that Mrs Johnson will be joining us to take over my days in P1/2 and P6/7.  Mrs Johnson has worked in the cluster for many years at Duncow Primary and will be visiting us tomorrow to meet the children.

Mrs Gordon, who is joining us to teach the newly formed P3-5 class has also been visiting us this week to meet the children and prepare for her new class.

The staffing and class organisation after the holidays will be as follows:

P1-2    Mrs Clanachan (Tue/Wed/Fri) and Mrs Johnson (Mon/Thu)

P3-5   Mrs Gordon

P6-7   Mrs McVey (Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu) and Mrs Johnson (Fri)

Under the new partnership arrangements, a Principal Teacher post has been created in each school to be the first point of contact when I am not in school.  Here in Moniaive, Mrs McVey has agreed to take on the role of Acting Principal Teacher until the post is formally appointed later in the session.  As Mrs McVey is not in school on a Friday, I shall be in Moniaive then.

It is my intention to be based in Dunscore on a Monday, Duncow on a Tuesday and, as I say, in Moniaive on a Friday.  Wendnesday and Thursday will be flexible days when I may be in any or all schools depending on need.  Our school secretaries will always know where I am at any given time, and I will always be contactable.

For your information the telephone number for Dunscore Primary is 01387 820242 and for Duncow Primary 01387 710305.

Working as a partnership is new territory for all of us and there will be changes and challenges ahead as we adapt to a new way of working.  However, I am committed maximising the opportunities partnership brings to give our children the best learning experiences  we can.

Nativity Success

Thank you to all the parents who joined us today for our Christmas Nativity.   In keeping with the P1-4’s Dinosaur topic, our nativity this year was The Dinosaur Nativity which told the story of poor Bertie the Dinosaur (played by P2 pupil Benjamin), who despite his best efforts causes complete chaos in his school nativity.  Until, that is, his teacher Miss Rose (played by P4 pupil Carys) finally finds him the perfect role, making Bertie a star in more ways than one.

The children did a wonderful job and we hope it made everyone feel suitably Christmassy (we defy anyone not to have had a warm, festive feeling when the adorable angels came on stage).   Well done to Mrs Clanachan and the rest of the staff and volunteers for putting it all together.  And of course thank you to all the mums and dads who put together the costumes – the children looked fantastic.

Our cute lambs made everyone smile
Our beautiful angels
Everyone on stage for the finale
A wonderful performance

Peter Pan Flies In

Our pupils thoroughly enjoyed a production of Peter Pan when actors from Pendell Productions visited us last week.  The cast of two certainly worked hard playing all the well know characters from the story.

The start of the performance was delayed, as the performers got held up by accidents on the road caused by the terrible storm that day.  However, no one was in any rush to leave when the bell went as by that time Mr Smee had brought out a water blaster.  The entire audience were very keen to join in the fun and nobody seemed to mind in the least getting wet!  Apologies to parents for returning your children to you a little late and slightly damp.

Water gun at the ready

No one seemed to mind getting wet

P6 on Ice

Our P6 pupils recently enjoyed trying their hand at curling when they visited Dumfries Ice Bowl as part of the Curling’s Cool Programme.  During their visit they received coaching and enjoyed playing games designed to develop their skills.  Then they enjoyed a friendly match with pupils from other schools.

For many this was their first time on the ice, and they all enjoyed it.

Sing in the new year!

We have some very talented and enthusiastic singers in school, so we are very happy to be able to share the following information with you:

DUMFRIES MUSIC CLUB

COME AND SING IN THE NEW YEAR!
Can’t sing? Can sing? Want to improve your singing?
Come and join us and sing in the New Year
at
St. Ninian’s Church, Moniaive 3.00pm to 5.30pm
on
Sunday 12 January 2014.
This will be a fun introduction to singing, designed for all ages and abilities, young and old, experienced singers and those who have never sung a note. Above all, it is aimed at proving that EVERYONE CAN SING and helping you to discover, or rediscover, the happiness, health, harmony and pleasure to be gained from singing.
The afternoon will be led by Rodney Gibson, opera singer and teacher and will include lots of singing related activities as well as group singing.
Tickets are £6 adult, £2 child or £12 family ticket (2 adults plus children) and include refreshments.
To book tickets, please contact Elizabeth Hall, preferably by e mail:gebbiehall@aol.com or by telephone: 01848 200256
NB. Wear comfortable clothes and flat shoes!
All proceeds to Dumfries Music Club,
Registered Charity No SC012367

Essential repairs begin Monday

Essential repairs to our water supply are scheduled to start on Monday affecting the front entrance. The work is expected to continue until Thursday during which time we would ask everyone to use the side playground entrance.

The work is necessary to repair a significant leak which is costing an estimated £40 per day.  Although it will take three or four days to install a new supply pipe there should be very little disruption to our water supply.  We therefore expect to be open as normal next week.

Infant Enrolment

Enrolment for pupils due to start P1 in August of 2014 will be on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th January 2014 – between 10am-11.30am.

When enrolling their child, parents should bring with them their son/daughter’s birth certificate and proof of residence in the catchment area, eg, a utility bill or bank statement showing their name and address.  Photocopies of these will be kept on file and originals returned.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the office.

Portrait photos

Most of our pupils will have now brought home their photo which our P6 pupils have recently taken.  Our apologies for the slight delay in our P1s and some of our P2s receiving theirs, but they should also be with you tomorrow or Friday.

We decided to do our own photos this session following the rather negative feedback we got about the Tempest photos and the positive feedback we got about our own pictures at the end of last session.  As we say, the pictures were taken by our P6 pupils as part of the Flash! enterprise project and we hope you agree they did not a bad job!  The picture pack costs just £7 which we think represents excellent value considering a similar pack from a professional company would retail for over £20 – and every penny of the proceeds goes towards the school fund.  Of course there is no obligation to purchase – if you don’t want them please simply return the complete pack to the school.

Children in Need

As you will be aware we supported Children in Need last month by selling wristbands, Pudsey keyrings and having a dress-as-you-please day when we all came in our pyjamas.  We are delighted to let everyone know that we raised £116.01 (not sure where the penny came from … but, as they say, every penny counts!).

Thank you to everyone who supported this very worthwhile charity.