All posts by Mr Gray

Macmillan Coffee Morning Cheque Presentation

On Friday 9th December, Yvonne Gall (Macmillan Volunteer), visited Kells to deliver a presentation to the P1-7 pupils at assembly on the important work that the charity does and what the money will go towards. After Yvonne’s presentation the Primary 7 pupils presented the cheque for £1179.93.

Thank you once again to everyone who helped us raise this tremendous total.

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Sportshall Athletics 2016

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This year the team consisted of Jessica, Izzy, Preston and William from Dalry and Danny and Ruby H from Kells.

The Stewartry Sportshall Athletics event took place at Castle Douglas High School on Thursday 8th December.

The results were as follows –

1st      Kirkcudbright Primary                     372 points

2nd     Gelston Primary                            302 points

3rd     Gatehouse Primary                          282 points

 

Well done to the Glenkens team who tried their very best in all the events and finished with a respectable 200 points.

 

Book Week Scotland 2016

Mrs Banner, Glenkens Cluster School Librarian, presented the Book Bug Bags for the P1 children at Kells last Friday to celebrate Book Week Scotland. Earlier in the week the P7 pupils read the three stories to the P1 pupils and then they voted for their favourite. Mrs Banner will now send all the votes from the Cluster to Book Week Scotland so that a national winner can be announced in January.

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The P2 and P3 pupils also received Read Write Count Bags this year.

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I am sure they will all enjoy reading the books and playing the number games with members of their family.

November Newsletter

Macmillan Coffee Morning

The current total raised for Macmillan is £1,169.93! Thank you once again to everyone who supported the Coffee Morning at The Cross Keys Hotel and contributed to the collecting tins, raising a fantastic amount for this very worthwhile charity.

Harvest Thanksgiving Assembly

A big thank you to everyone who donated items for the Harvest table and also to those who helped with the delivery of the thirty eight Harvest gifts to the elderly in New Galloway.

Parking at the Gate

Just a polite reminder that cars should not be parked in front of the gate unless permission has been granted by the Head Teacher.

Donations for Christmas Hamper

We would be very grateful for any donations for our Christmas Hamper. As usual raffle tickets will be sold at the Catstrand Christmas Fayre on Saturday, 26th November, at the school Christmas Show on Thursday, 15th December at 1.45 p.m., and 6.30 p.m., and also at the Kells Musical Café which will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday 20th December. The draw for the Christmas Hamper will be made during the Musical Café event.

After School Clubs

I am continuing the Badminton Club this term on a Monday at Kells, from 3-4pm.

Pupils from Kells have the opportunity to attend the ‘Active & Achieving’ Club on a Wednesday after school at Dalry School Hall. P1-3 is from 3.30 – 4.30pm and P4-7 is from 4.30 – 5.30pm. Andy Marvelley, Active Schools Coach, will take the sessions each week. Each week the pupils participate in a different sport / activity.

Mark Turner, Active Schools Co-ordinator for the Glenkens, will continue to run the Multi-Sports after school club on a Thursday at Kells.

Letters have already gone home for these clubs via pupil post. Please contact the school office if you would like another letter.

Dalry

P5-7 pupils from Kells have also been invited to attend the Dalry Primary Football after school club. It will be taken by David Steward, Dalry Janitor, on a Wednesday from 3.30 – 4.30pm.

Paul Goodwin, Cluster Technician, is running a Technology Club on a Monday at Dalry School, 3.30 – 4.30pm for P5-7 pupils from the Cluster. Parents are also able to attend with their child.

Please let Mr Gray know if you are interested in either of the two clubs hosted at Dalry School.

P7 / S1 Transition

The P7 transition programme starts this Thursday. Either Mrs Smith or I will transport the P7 pupils to and from Dalry in our cars. To begin with the pupils will be doing Geography, French and English.

Flu Immunisation for Primary School Children

This will take place for specific pupils on Friday 25th November. Only pupils who have returned the permission form will be immunised.

Replacement Water Bottles and Caps

Replacement water bottles and caps can be purchased at the school office. The prices are £1 for a new bottle and only 20p for a new cap.

Whist

Our monthly Whist Drive which is organised by Heather McIntosh raised a terrific £450.40 for school funds last session. Thank you very much to all the parents who made sandwiches, baked cakes and donated raffle prizes. It is very much appreciated.  Please contact the school office if you would like to be included in the sandwich / baking rota.  Please note that even if you are not a baker, but feel you would be able to provide some biscuits, that would be much appreciated.

Rag Bag Collection

Last session our Rag Bag collections raised £430 for school funds. Please remember the Rag Bag Bin is available at all times for any wearable clothes, paired shoes, handbags and belts. Our next collection will be on 15th December and bags will be sent home via pupil post in advance of that. Thank you.

Dates for Diary

Tues. 22nd November                    P6 Fire Safety Talk on at 1.30pm

Wed 23rd November                      James and The Giant Peach – film at Catstrand

Sat. 26th November                          Catstrand Christmas Fayre 10.30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Tues 6th December                          M & M Productions – ‘Cinderella’

1.45pm at Dalry School

Wed 14th December                        Christmas lunch

Thurs 15th December                      Christmas Show, 1.45pm and 6.30pm

Fri 16th December                            P1-7 Christmas Party

Tues. 20th December                       Kells Musical Café, 1.30 – 3pm

Wed. 21st December                        Glenkens Cluster Christmas Service at Dalry Church, 10am.

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning

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Primary 7 pupils hosted the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning at the Cross Keys Hotel last week. The pupils have raised an amazing £901.01 so far with some money still to come in. The pupils would like to thank the New Galloway community for supporting the event. A big thank you, as always,  to Miss O’Hare for allowing the pupils to use the Cross Keys Hotel for the coffee morning.  Thank you also to parents and family members who attended, worked at, donated baking and raffle prizes to the Macmillan Coffee Morning.

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Author Visit

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As part of the annual Wigtown Book Festival is was a great pleasure to welcome another children’s author to the Glenkens. This year, Mark A. Smith came to talk to the P5/6/7 children in the cluster at Dalry. It was great to see our fellow pupils from Dalry and Carsphairn primaries.

Mark entertained the girls and boys by describing, with the help of some photographs, how he was inspired to write his newly published, Kelpie Book Award winning, debut novel ‘Slugboy’! Mark told us that his love as a child and even now of reading Superhero comic books helped him come up with a character. He went on to read the first chapter of his book and explain why he wanted to create a superhero, with a Scottish background and set the adventures he had in different Scottish towns.

Both the chapters, read from the book and the Slugboy song that we were all encouraged to sing, helped to show how funny the book was and many children agreed that they hoped to get a copy, when it is available to buy in the shops and online, later this month.

For those of you cannot wait though, you will be pleased to hear that a special signed copy of the book is available to borrow from the Primary Library!

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