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, 26^th November, at the school Christmas Show on Thursday, 15^th 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 25^th 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 15^th 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 23^rd November                      James and The Giant Peach – film at Catstrand

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

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

1.45pm at Dalry School

Wed 14^th December                        Christmas lunch

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

Fri 16^th December                            P1-7 Christmas Party

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

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

Welcome Back!

I hope you have all had a relaxing holiday and are set for another busy session at Kells Primary.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new pupils and their families to Kells. I am sure the pupils, staff, parents and friends of the school will make you feel most welcome.

Staffing

There have been a few changes to the staffing this session. We are delighted that Mrs Meredith returns to share the P5-7 class with Miss Lamont and Ms Tranter, Learning Assistant, has moved across to Kells from Dalry.

Here is an updated staff list.

Acting Head Teacher:                     Mrs Smith (based at Dalry School)

Depute Head:                                   Mr Gray

P1-3 class teacher:                          Mrs Muir

P5-7 class teachers:                        Mrs Meredith (Monday & Tuesday)

Miss Lamont (Wednesday, Thursday & Friday)

SfL Teacher:                                     Mrs Hermon (Thursday a.m.)

Learning Assistants:                       Ms Harper (All week)

Ms Tranter (All week)

Mrs Brydson (Wed. & Thurs. 10am – 1.15pm)

Clerical Assistant:                            Mrs Best

(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and every second Thursday)

Catering Manager:                           Mrs Pringle

Janitor / Cleaner:                             Mrs Daly

Cleaner:                                             Mrs Povall

I will continue to be Acting Depute at Dalry Primary until further notice. However, I will be at Kells on a Monday afternoon, all day Tuesday, Thursday morning and Friday afternoon.

On some occasions when you telephone the school you may be forwarded to the Dalry Office as a result of the school only having 23 clerical assistant hours per week.

Dates for Diary

Tue 30^th August                            Childline Presentation/Workshop for P1-3 & P5-7

Sat 3^rd September                         FODS Festival at Dalry School  3 – 9 p.m.

Tue 6^th September pm                  P7 meeting Dalry secondary staff with Mr. Gray

Wed 7^th September                       Open Afternoon from 3 – 5p.m.

Tue 13^th September                      Roald Dahl Day (more details to follow)

Mon. 26th Sept – Fri. 30th Sept     Autumn Walk to School Week

Thursday, 6th October                    Macmillan Coffee Morning @ Cross Keys Hotel

(10.00 a.m. until 12 noon)

Thurs. 13th October                         Harvest Thanksgiving Assembly

(time to be confirmed)

Fri. 14^th October                  Last day of term 1

Fri. 14^th October am                         Delivery of Harvest parcels by P5-7

Mon. 31^st October pm                      Hallowe’en Party in the Hall

Fri. 18^th November                           Children in Need fundraiser

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

Parent Board / PTA

The AGM is on Thursday, 1^st September.  It would be good to have as many parents as possible in attendance, with our new parents particularly welcome!

School Uniform

Last session a number of visitors to the school commented on how smartly dressed the pupils were. Please continue to encourage your child / children to wear the school uniform. The school keeps a small supply of polo shirts, sweatshirts and cardigans for purchase during the session. Please speak to Mrs Best if you require a free school meals / clothing grant form for this session.

P.E. Kit

All the pupils have now settled in to the new school session and are getting used to their class timetable. Please could the pupils bring in their P.E. kit on a Monday and take it home on a Friday so that it can be washed at the weekend if necessary. This means the pupils always have their kit available to them and will not miss out on their regular P.E. with Mr Carmichael or with their class teacher.

After School Clubs

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.

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

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. Please let Mr Gray know if you are interested in attending.

P7 / S1 Transition

There has been a change to the P7 transition programme. P7 pupils will only go to Dalry School on a Thursday morning in terms two and three.

Flu Immunisation for all Primay School Children

The flu vaccine is offered to every primary school child in Scotland. Consent forms were issued at the start of the session. Only pupils who have handed back these forms will be immunised in the coming months.

School Lunches and Tuck Shop

Just a reminder that a school meal costs £1.75. It would be appreciated if all dinner money could be paid on a Monday morning.

The tuck shop continues to be a great success at break time each morning. Prices are as follows –

Toast 21p, yoghurt 42p, milk 20p apple juice 42p, fruit 42p, biscuit 47p and aqua juice cuplets 32p. Pupils place their order before 9.30am on the day.

FODS Fest 2016

Friends of Dalry School (FODS) are hosting a music and arts festival on Saturday 3^rd September, from 3 – 9pm at Dalry School. This event is to celebrate the secondary being 50 years old and the primary being 85 years old. Tickets can be purchased at Dalry School Office. £8 for adults and £3 for children. You can also turn up and pay on the day.

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.

Reading Books Amnesty

Please could you have a look at home for any school reading books that have not been returned to the appropriate class teacher. Thank you.

Kells Book Club

Any orders for the above should be received no later than Wednesday, 31^st August, please.

Autumn Walk to School Week

Walk to School Week is taking place from Monday 26th September – Friday 30^th September.  We would always encourage the children to walk to school if they can, but appreciate that this is not always possible.

Update Forms

Update Forms were sent home recently asking that you check the information that is held by us for your child/ren and make any necessary changes. We have received a number of these back, but not all. It would be appreciated if these forms could be returned to school as soon as possible, please.

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 15^th December. Thank you.

As you are probably aware, there have been a few staffing changes recently. Here is an updated staff list.

Acting Head Teacher:                     Mrs Smith (based at Dalry School)

Depute Head:                                   Mr Gray

P1-5 class teacher:                          Mrs Muir

P5-7 class teachers:                        Mrs Deshayes & Miss Lamont (temporary)

SfL Teacher:                                     Mrs Hermon (Monday a.m.)

SfL Assistants:                                 Mrs Jones (all week)

Ms Harper (Thursday & Friday)

Mrs Brydson (Wednesday am & Thursday am)

Mrs Rothwell (Tuesday am)

Clerical Assistant:                            Mrs Best

(Mon, Wed all day and Fri am)

Catering Manager:                           Mrs Pringle

Janitor / Cleaner:                             Mrs Daly

Cleaner:                                             Mrs Povall

Staffing

Miss Tracy Lamont will be covering the P5-7 class on a full-time basis until further notice as a result of Mrs Deshayes’ recent surgery. There will be a chance for parents to meet Miss Lamont at the start of next term. More details to follow.

I will continue to be Acting Depute at Dalry Primary for this session. However, I will be at Kells every day.

On some occasions when you call the school you may be forwarded to the Dalry Office as Mrs Best is only part-time at Kells.

Dates for Diary

Mon 28th Sept – Fri 2nd Oct         Autumn Walk to School Week

Mon 5th October                              Harvest Thanksgiving Assembly (1.45pm in Hall)

Wed 7^th October                               Macmillan Coffee Morning @ Cross Keys Hotel

(10.00 a.m. until 12 noon)

Friday 9^th October                           Last day of term 1

Looking Ahead

Fri 30^th October                                             P1-7 Hallowe’en Party @ 1.30pm

Thurs 12^th November                                  Guest Speaker – Glen Chilton @ 11am

‘Adventures with Creatures that were thought to be Extinct.’

Mon 30^th November                                     St Andrew’s Day Holiday

Tues 1^st December                                      Interim reports issued to parents

Wed 2^nd December                                      Parental consultations

Tues 8^th December                                      Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime           @ 1.45pm

Thursday 10^th December                         Rag Bag collection

Fri 11^th December                                        11am – 12 pm Pupil Flu Jags

Tues 22^nd December                                   Glenkens Cluster Church Service @ 10 am in Dalry Church

P7 / S1 Transition

P7 pupils have been going to Dalry School every Thursday morning this term. The pupils have been studying French, English and Science / Health & Wellbeing.

Parent Council / PTA

Please could you let the school office know if you are interested in being part of the Parent Council and / or PTA. Thank you.

School Lunches and Tuck Shop

Just a reminder that a school meal costs £1.75. It would be appreciated if all dinner money could be paid on a Monday morning.

The tuck shop continues to be a great success at break time each morning. Prices are as follows –

Toast 21p, yoghurt 42p, milk 20p apple juice 42p, fruit 42p, biscuit 47p and aqua juice cuplets 32p. Pupils place their order before 9.30am on the day.

P.E. Kit

All the pupils have now settled in to the new school session and are getting used to their class timetable.  Please could the pupils bring in their P.E. kit on a Monday and take it home on a Friday so that it can be washed at the weekend if necessary. This means the pupils always have their kit available to them and will not miss out on their regular P.E. with Mr Carmichael or with their class teacher.

School Uniform

Last session several visitors to the school commented on how smartly dressed the pupils were. Please continue to encourage your child / children to wear the school uniform. The school keeps a small supply of polo shirts, sweatshirts and cardigans for purchase during the session.

Reading Books Amnesty

Please could you have a look at home for any school reading books that have not been returned to the appropriate class teacher. Thank you.

Autumn Walk to School Week

Walk to School Week is taking place this week, from Monday 28th September – Friday 2^nd October.  We would always encourage the children to walk to school if they can, but appreciate that this is not always possible.

Rag Bag Collection

Last session our Rag Bag collections raised £442.00 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 10th December. Thank you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require more information on any of the above items in the newsletter.

Mr Z. Gray

Depute Head Teacher

Staffing Update

Mr. David Steward, Head Janitor from Dalry School, will continue to provide some cover for Mrs. Daly until she returns in June.

Mrs. Jackie Povall is currently working with us as our temporary cleaner.

P7 / S1 Transition

P7 pupils will continue to visit Dalry School every Thursday morning. This term the pupils will be doing French, PE, Geography and Information Technology. Transport arrangements will be as before.

P5-7 ‘Tri-Golf’

Mark Turner, our Active Schools co-ordinator, has organised four Tri-Golf sessions for the upper primary pupils in association with New Galloway Golf Course.  The sessions will take place on a Friday morning, starting on the 1^st May.

P1-4 Multi Sports After School Club

This will continue this term with a block of four sessions. The dates are Thursday 30^th April, 7^th, 14th and 21^st May. P1-4 pupils should have brought home a letter. Please contact the school office if you need any other information.

Pupil Absence

In light of the tragic case in West Lothian in 2005 we have been advised to put procedures in place to ensure the safety of all the children in our care. In order that our procedures work efficiently and effectively we require your co-operation in the following matters:

Parents are asked to ensure that:

1. The school is informed if the family is running late.
2. Any legitimate absence is notified to the school by telephone before 9am on the first day of the absence without fail, and that further calls, before 9am, are made on every subsequent day of the absence.
3. Contact telephone numbers, whether for home, for parents at work or for other emergency contacts, are kept up to date and are genuinely numbers where a response will be received. This is particularly important with mobile phone numbers.
4. The school is kept informed of the absence and the likely return date.
5. Any planned absences are officially notified to the school, in writing, in advance.
6. Latecomers report to the school office on arrival at school.

Staff will ensure that absences are checked every day and follow up the whereabouts of any child for whom we have no explanation. Due to the amount of extra work involved and necessity of having the correct information, I would ask you to make a note of the above requirements and ensure that you follow through the procedures to ensure the safety of all our children.

Whist

The next monthly Whist Drive will take place on the evening of Thursday 7^thMay.  This provides a regular income for the school and we are very grateful to those of you who help out with catering and raffle prizes.

Netball

Mrs. Maxwell has decided to give up the Monday after school netball sessions at Kells as a result of other netball and cricket coaching commitments. We are very grateful for the contribution that Mrs. Maxwell has made over the years at Kells and we wish her well in her new coaching roles.

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.

Rag Bag Collection

Our Rag Bag collections continue to raise money for school funds. Last term we banked another £112 as we had collected 280kg. The total money banked so far this session from the Rag Bag Bin is £258. Please remember the Rag Bag Bin is available at all times for any unwanted textiles. Our next scheduled collection is on the 25^th June.  Thank you.

Book Club

All orders to be received by 13^th May, please.

PTA Communication to Parents

The PTA are keen for the parent body to be kept up-to-date with decisions made at their meetings. Please could you pass on your e-mail address to Mrs. Best if you would like an electronic copy of the Minutes. A paper copy of the Minutes can also be found on the Parent Noticeboard at the main entrance. Thank you.

P5-7 Carbon Busters

The Crichton Carbon Centre will be delivering six workshops on the following topics to the upper primary class:

Introduction to climate change

Energy, transport and climate change

Food and climate change

Waste and climate change

Biodiversity and climate change

Forests and practical session

The sessions started on the 22^nd April and continue weekly until the 27^th May.

P1-4 Marie Curie ‘Mini Pots of Care’ Appeal

Many thanks to those families who supported our daffodil mini pots of care appeal.  We have donated £88.17 to Marie Curie to help those living with cancer. Well done P1-4!

Sunny New Galloway!

Hopefully the recent good weather will continue for the rest of the term. With that in mind, it is a good idea for the children to have a hat or cap in their school bag which can help protect them from the sun at break times or when they are outside for PE. Pupils would need to apply their own sun cream. Thank you.

Dates for the Diary

Mon. 4^th May                         School Holiday (May Day)

Thurs. 14^th May                    Tempest Class Photographs @ 1.30pm

Fri. 29^th May                          Pupil Holiday / Staff In-service day

Tues 2^nd June                       P6 Glenkens pupils at Operation Safety in Stranraer

Mon. 8^th June                      Pupil Reports issued to parents

Wed. 10^th June                     Parent Consultations

Wed. 17^th June                   Sports Day

Tue. 23^rd June –                  P7/S1 Transition

Fri.  26^th June                     (Tue & Wed – in Dalry school/Thu & Fri – Stronord)

Welcome Back!

I hope you all had a relaxing holiday and are set for another busy session at Kells Primary.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new pupils and their families to Kells. I am sure the pupils, parents and friends of the school will make you feel most welcome.

I am delighted to inform you that there have been no changes to the staff in the school from last session. For the benefit of the new families here is a staff list –

Acting Head Teacher:                      Mrs Smith (based at Dalry School)

Depute Head:                                    Mr Gray

P1-4 class teacher:                           Mrs Muir

P5-7 class teachers:             Mrs Deshayes & Miss Scott

SfL Teacher:                                      Mrs Hermon

Classroom Assistants:                     Mrs McIntosh & Mrs Brydson

SfL Assistants:                                  Mrs Jones & Mrs McClelland

Playground Supervisor:                    Mrs McIntosh

Clerical Assistant:                             Mrs Best

(Mon, Wed all day and Fri until lunchtime)

Catering Manager:                            Ms Russell *

Janitor / Cleaner:                               Mrs Daly

Cleaner:                                             Ms Rennie

*Mrs Pringle has recently been appointed as Catering Manager and she will be starting at Kells on 27^th October.

Dates for Diary

Thurs 4th September                        Start of P7 Transition mornings at Dalry

Fri 12^th September                          P6 Active Games

5 pupils from Kells playing in joint team with Dalry

Fri 19^th September                           Day of the Region

Friday 26^th September                     P1 Galloway News Photograph @ 1.30pm

Mon 29th Sept – Fri 3rd Oct          Autumn Walk to School Week

Wed 8^th October                               Macmillan Coffee Morning @ Cross Keys Hotel

Fri 10th October                            Harvest Thanksgiving Assembly (9.30am in Hall)

Last day of term 1

Looking Ahead

Mon 27th October                                         Start of term 2

Wed 13^th November                               Pupil / Family photos (Tempest) @ 1.15pm

Mon 24^th& Tues 25^th November                  P5 Carlingwark Residential

Thurs 27^th & Fri 28^th November                   Pupil Mid-Term Holidays

P7 / S1 Transition

P7 pupils will be going to Dalry School every Thursday morning, starting on 4th September. Over the course of the session the pupils will study French, Social Subjects, Science, Technical, IT and Sports / Health & Wellbeing. PE kit will be required every week. P7 pupils who travel to Kells on Amanda’s bus will stay on it on a Thursday morning. The rest of the P7 pupils from New Galloway will be picked up by Amanda at 8.35am.  All the pupils will return to Kells on the GCAT minibus at 12.30pm.

Primary Football

Kells P4-7 pupils have been invited once again to attend the regular coaching sessions from Mrs McCall at Dalry. This takes place on Tuesdays from 3.30 – 4.30pm. Parents would need to transport their children to and from Dalry.

Parent Board / PTA

Please could you let the school office know if you are interested in being part of the Parent Board and / or PTA. Thanks.

Galloway Young musicians

Mrs Kate Picken, Primary Music Development Officer, contacted the school to highlight a free music opportunity for primary pupils. The Galloway Young Musicians start on Monday 8th September, 3.45 – 5.15pm at Penninghame Primary School in Newton Stewart. Please contact the school if you would like more information.

Gardening Club

There will be a Gardening Club at Kells this term. All interested pupils are welcome to attend on a Monday night 3.00 – 4.15pm.

Bikeability Training

June Hay and Mrs Laye, our volunteer cycle trainers for the Glenkens Schools, are offering Level 1 cycle training on Tuesday afternoons between 3.15 – 4.15pm for P3 – 7 pupils.

Level 1 Bikeability training consists of games and activities that improve cycling skills in the playground. Children will need bikes that are in working order and appropriate clothes for the weather on the day. Only ten pupils can receive the training in this block. The training starts on Tuesday 2nd September and is on every week until the last session on 7^th October.

School Lunches and Tuck Shop

Just a reminder that a school meal costs £1.75. It would be very helpful if all dinner money could be paid on a Monday morning. Thanks.

The tuck shop continues to be a great success at break time each morning. Prices are as follows –

Toast 21p, yoghurt 42p, milk 20p apple juice 42p, fruit 42p, biscuit 47p and aqua juice cuplets 32p. Pupils place their order before 9.30am on the day.

P.E. Kit

All the pupils have now settled in to the new school session and are getting used to their class timetable.  Please could the pupils bring in their P.E. kit on a Monday and take it home on a Friday so that it can be washed at the weekend if necessary. This means the pupils always have their kit available to them and will not miss out on their regular P.E. with Mr Carmichael or with their class teacher.

School Uniform

Last session several visitors to the school commented on how smartly dressed the pupils were. Please continue to encourage your child / children to wear the school uniform. The school keeps a small supply of polo shirts, sweatshirts and cardigans for purchase during the session. Thanks. .

Reading Books Amnesty

Please could you have a look at home for any school reading books that have not been returned to the appropriate class teacher. Thanks.

Autumn Walk to School Week

Walk to School Week is taking place from Monday 29th September – Friday 3^rd October.  We would always encourage the children to walk to school if they can, but appreciate that this is not always possible.

Update Forms

Update Forms were sent home recently asking that you check the information that is held by us for your child/ren and make any necessary changes.  We have received a number of these back, but not all. It would be appreciated if these forms could be returned to school as soon as possible, please.

Book Club

All orders to be received by Wednesday 10^th September, please.

August Newsletter

I hope you all had a relaxing holiday and are set for another busy session at Kells Primary.

 I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new pupils and their families to Kells. I am sure the pupils, parents and friends of the school will make you feel most welcome.

 I am delighted to inform you that there have been no changes to the staff in the school from last session. For the benefit of the new families here is a staff list –

Head Teacher:                        Mr Simpson (based at Dalry School)

Depute Head:                          Mr Gray

P1-4 class teacher:                Mrs Muir *

P5-7 class teachers:              Mrs Deshayes & Mr Gray

SfL Teacher:                           Mrs Barratt

Classroom Assistants:           Mrs McIntosh & Mrs Brydson

SfL Assistants:                        Miss Wilson & Mrs McClelland

Playground Supervisor:          Mrs McIntosh

Clerical Assistants:                 Mrs Best (Mon & Thurs all day and Fri until lunchtime)

                                                Mrs Dawson (Tues & Wed)

Catering Manager:                  Mrs McSkimming

Janitor / Cleaner:                     Mrs Daly

* Please note that Mrs Muir will be absent for the first five weeks of the new session. Miss Duka will be covering the class until Mrs Muir returns.  

Dates for Diary

Mon 26^th August                                  P1 pupils start full days

Thurs 29^th August                               Start of P7 Transition mornings at Dalry

Thurs 12^th/Fri 13^th Sept                      P5 Residential at Carlingwark in Castle Douglas

Mon 30^th Sept – Fri 4^th Oct                 Autumn Walk to School Week

Fri 11^th October                                  Harvest Thanksgiving (9.30am in Hall)

Last day of term 1

Mon 28^th October                                Start of term 2

P7 / S1 Transition

P7 pupils will be going to Dalry School every Thursday morning, starting on 29^th August. Over the course of the session the pupils will study French, Social Subjects, Science, Technical, IT and Sports / Health & Wellbeing. Pupils will be able to travel to Dalry on the regular school bus from the Old Bank in New Galloway or be dropped off at Dalry School by parents. All the pupils will return to Kells after lunch in the service bus around 12.30pm.  The pupils will be met off the bus by a member of Kells staff and escorted back to school.

School Lunches and Tuck Shop

Just a reminder that a school meal costs £1.75. It would be very helpful if all dinner money could be paid on a Monday morning. Thank you.

The tuck shop continues to be a great success at break time each morning.

Prices are as follows –

Toast 21p, yoghurt 42p, milk 17p, apple juice 42p, fruit 42p, biscuit 47p and aqua juice cuplets 32p. Pupils place their order before 9.30am on the day.

P.E. Kit

All the pupils have now settled in to the new school session and are getting used to their class timetable. However, a number of pupils are regularly forgetting to bring their P.E. kit to school. Please could the pupils bring in their P.E. kit on a Monday and take it home on a Friday so that it can be washed at the weekend if necessary. This means the pupils always have their kit available to them and will not miss out on their regular P.E. with Mrs Johnstone or with their class teacher.

School Uniform

Last term several visitors to the school commented on how smartly dressed the pupils were. Please continue to encourage your child / children to wear the school uniform. The school keeps a small supply of polo shirts, sweatshirts and cardigans for purchase during the session. Thank you.  

Reading Books

We are missing a few books from the Literacy World scheme which we use in the P5/6/7 class. Please could you have a look at home for any school reading books that have not been returned to the class teacher.

Autumn Walk to School Week

Walk to School Week is taking place from Monday 30^th September – Friday, 4^th October.  We would always encourage the children to walk to school if they can, but appreciate that this is not always possible.

Update Forms

Update Forms were sent home at the end of last term asking that you check the information that is held by us for your child/ren and make any changes that were required.  We have received a number of these back, but not all.  Mrs. Best is sending out another copy where necessary and it would be appreciated if these could be returned to school as soon as possible, please.

Book Club

All orders to be received by next Thursday, 29^th August, please. 

Rag Bag Collection

Last session our Rag Bag collection raised £189 for school funds. Please remember the Rag Bag Bin is available at all times for any unwanted textiles. Our next collection will be sometime in December.  Date to follow. Thank you.

Head lice

As I am sure you are aware head lice are a continual problem for all schools and by working together we can try to eliminate them from Kells Primary. It is good practice for girls with long hair to have it tied up at school. It is also important that you check your child’s hair on a regular basis. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you want additional help and support from the school nurse.

School Contact Details

Telephone 01644 420340

Email: koffice931@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

Happy New Year to all the parents and pupils at Kells Primary! We hope that 2013 will be a great year for you all.

 P7 Pupils at Dalry School

This will continue every Thursday morning from the 10^th of January. Transport arrangements are the same as they were in term 2. We will send a text to inform parents of any important changes. 

 Infant Enrolments for August 2013

The enrolment dates for infant beginners have been fixed for Tuesday 15^th and Wednesday 16^th of January, between 2.00 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. I would be obliged if you would let anyone know who might have children ready to start school.  Details will also be published in the local press.

 Milk Money

It costs £9.35 for your child to receive milk each day of this term. Please could the money be brought in for Mrs McSkimming by the 18^th of January.

 Burns Supper

The annual Kells Burns Supper will be held on Friday 1^st February, 6.15 pm for 6.30 pm.   A letter will be sent out in the near future with more details.

 PTA

The next meeting of the PTA will be on Tuesday 15^th January at 3.10pm in the school hall. New members will be made most welcome.

Galloway Music Festival 11^th – 16^th March 2013

 The school will be entering the following competitions in this year’s festival –

P1-4 entering Recorder Groups – 2 or more parts

Primary School Choir (1-3 teacher schools)

Scots verse – We will hold a competition within the school to decide who enters for each stage. Three pupils will be submitted from P1-3 and three pupils from every other stage.

Vocal Solos – Mrs Pears will be encouraging certain pupils from the choir to consider entering this competition.

Parents are reminded that they are able to enter their child for any of the solo competitions on the week of the Festival. More information can be found at www.gallowaymusicfestival.org.uk 

Rag Bag Collection

At the end of last term we collected 221 kg of clothes / textiles and therefore received a cheque for £110.50 from Rag Bag. Thank you to everyone who supported the school by using the textile recycling bin.

 Please remember the Rag Bag Bin is available at all times for any unwanted textiles. Thank you.

Head Lice

As I am sure you are aware, head lice are a continual problem for all schools and by working together we can try to eliminate them from Kells Primary. It is good practice for girls with long hair to have it tied up at school. It is also important that you check your child’s hair on a regular basis. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you want additional help and support from the school nurse.

Nut Allergy

We have two pupils in the school with quite severe allergies to nuts, peas and lentils.

It is very important that all pupils, parents and staff work together to ensure the continued good health of these pupils. Please could you reinforce the message at home that if your child does bring food which contains nuts to school that they keep away from the two pupils until they have washed their hands. Thank you.

Other Dates for the Diary

Mon. 11^th February                              Mid-Term Holiday (school closed)

 Tues. 12^th February                              In-service day for teachers (non pupil day)

 Mon.18^th – Fri. 22^nd February              Annual D & G Hands Up Survey on Safer Routes to School

 Thurs. 28^th March @ 2.15pm               Easter Assembly with Dr Bartholomew

                                                                     Parents welcome to attend

                                                                     Last day of Term 3

Fri. 29^th March – Mon. 15^th April         Easter Holiday

Kells Christmas Fayre

 I am delighted that the PTA has once again decided to organise a Christmas Fayre to raise money for school funds. This takes place on Saturday 8^th December from 10.30am until 1pm. The PTA would be very grateful for any donations for the Christmas Hamper and the chocolate tombola. Please contact Mrs. Jones if you are able to help out in any way.

 Harvest Festival

Thank you to everyone who donated items for the Harvest table and also helped deliver the Harvest gifts to the elderly in New Galloway. With your help we were able to deliver a greater number of gifts than last year for which we thank you.

 Telephone Problems

Since we have returned after the October holidays we have been experiencing problems with the telephone line at the school. Parents have informed the school that there have been occasions when the line appears to be engaged constantly. Our main issue has been that it simply does not ring. BT have been informed and they are in the process of trying to fix the fault. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 Macmillan Coffee Morning Update

 The final total raised for Macmillan is £1,116.47! Thank you once again to everyone who supported the Coffee Morning and contributed to the collecting tins, raising a fantastic amount for this very worthwhile charity.

 Children in Need 2012

The Pupil Council has decided to raise money for Children in Need by having a ‘Wear What You Want Day’ on Friday 16^th November. Pupils can dress as they please by donating £1 to help children less fortunate than themselves.

Scholastic & Puffin Book Club Orders

 The deadline for pupil orders for the Scholastic & Puffin Book Club is Wednesday 21^st November.

 St Andrew’s Day Holiday

The school will be closed on Friday 30^th November for St Andrew’s Day. The school will re-open as normal on Monday 3^rd December. Please note there are no in-service days attached to the St Andrew’s Day holiday as there has been in previous years.

 Rag Bag Collection

The next collection date is 3^rd December.  Please let us have any unwanted textiles, paired shoes, bags, hats, belts, towels, soft toys, curtains and bed linen (company do not accept duvets or pillows).

Nut Allergy

We have two pupils in the school with quite severe allergies to nuts, peas and lentils. It is very important that all pupils, parents and staff work together to ensure the continued good health of these pupils. Please could you reinforce the message at home that if your child does bring food which contains nuts to school that they keep away from the two pupils until they have washed their hands. Thank you.

 Dates for your Diary

12^th November             RSNO musicians returning for their second visit to P5-7

16^th November             Children in Need – ‘Wear What You Want Day’

24^th November             Christmas Fayre at Catstrand

            (Glenkens Cluster has a table and our choir will be singing too)

26^th November             Bike Helmet Safety Talk to P1-4 & P5-7 by Karen Pickering, Child & Family Outreach Worker for Headway

3^rd December               Pupil Interim Reports issued

4^th December               Parent Consultations

8^th December               Kells Christmas Fayre 10.30am -1pm

14^th December             Christmas Lunch at School       

19^th December             Christmas Show – ‘The Angry Hotel Man’

            (afternoon & evening performance)

20^th December            Christmas Party P1-7 in the afternoon

21^st December              Church Service at Dalry Church for Glenkens Cluster schools

Head lice

As I am sure you are aware, head lice are a continual problem for all schools and by working together we can try to eliminate them from Kells Primary. It is good practice for girls with long hair to have it tied up at school. It is also important that you check your child’s hair on a regular basis. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you want additional help and support from the school nurse.