New Websites and Blog
We now have a new website for the partnership schools and separate websites and blogs for each school. Our previous website had a costly subscription whereas these websites are free.
It is our aim to update our blogs weekly so that we can share our weekly news with you. We will have a group of pupils known as the ‘Gelston Bloggers’ to help gather information for our blog.
Our weekly newsletter and minutes of Parent Council meetings will also be included on blogs attached to the website. (We will also be sending letters home via email so if you haven’t already signed up then please note your email address below and send the slip back into school. All email addresses will be ‘BCC’ meaning that you will not be able to see other parents’ email addresses and vice versa.)
Check out the three websites:
Crossmichael and Gelston Partnership Primary Schools: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/dg/candg/
Crossmichael Primary School: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/dg/crossmichael/
Gelston Primary School: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/dg/gelston/
Please let us know what you think and feel free to leave comments under posts. (All comments will be checked before being made public.) We are keen to provide you with more information about your child’s learning and hope that the websites will evolve with your help. We are aware of children whose names and photos will not appear online but please contact the school if you have any questions.
Paper Free Communication
We would like to encourage parents to receive communication electronically. This should help to reduce our carbon footprint whilst also saving money on printing costs. Please provide your email address by returning the attached sheet to school so we can set up electronic correspondence. All email addresses will be ‘BCC’ meaning that you will not be able to see other parents’ email addresses and vice versa.
ALDI Fundraising Campaign
ALDI have launched a fundraising campaign where parents receive a sticker for every £30 they spend in store. We are collecting the stickers at Gelston and Crossmichael schools. When we have a poster full of stickers we can enter a prize draw to win £20K for each school. Please start saving your stickers for us!
‘Scottish Football Association’ After School Club
The SFA continue to run two after school clubs on a Friday at Crossmichael Primary School from 3-4pm and from 4-5pm. These are open to pupils from both Crossmichael and Gelston schools. For further details and to book sessions, please contact Castle Douglas Swimming Pool on 01556 502745.
(Newsletter continues overleaf)
ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE
Please return to school:
Name of child:______________________________ Name of parent/ guardian:_______________________________
Email address(es) you wish school to use to communicate electronically:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent Council
Our Parent Council have been asked to brainstorm ideas about how to find solutions to providing high quality education for our children in the face of the 10-15% cut to the Education budget by 2021. If our parents wish to provide feedback then we can hold a meeting to draft a letter to D&G Council to support them in ensuring that our children continue to receive the education they deserve.
Two consultation days are happening at the Bridge in Dumfries. One is today and the other is on Friday 11th October. Parental representatives are invited to attend if they wish. Please get in touch with Jim Campbell (Chair of the Parent Council) if you wish to find out more information or alternatively contact the school.
Our Parent Council AGM will take place on Monday 7th October at 7pm
Parental Volunteers
We are looking for parents to volunteer to help out in class. You could help to prepare resources, photocopy, sit with groups of pupils to help them concentrate on their learning, read to pupils, etc. We would welcome more parental involvement in class. In terms of Child Protection, you will always be in class with the teacher present and I will explain D&G procedures to you to ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed. If you are interested then please contact the school.
Best wishes,
Mary E Lidstone-Scott
Partnership Headteacher
Diary Dates:
| Friday 4th Oct at 2pm | Achievement Assembly
All parents and families are invited to the village hall so that pupils can share their achievements in learning within and out with school. |
| Tuesday 8th Oct at 12pm | Lunch and Our Sponsored Autumn Walk
Parents and families are invited to join us for lunch in the dining hall followed by a sponsored Autumn Walk to raise funds for the school. P1-3 and parents will meet in the dinner hall at 12pm and P4-7 pupils will meet parents in the dinner hall at 12.30pm. |
| Monday
14th Oct – Friday 25th Oct |
October Holidays |
| Wednesday 13th Nov from 3.15pm-5.15pm | Parents Evening (EARLY)
Appointments will be given nearer the time. |
| Thursday 21st Nov from 5.30-7.30pm | Parents Evening (LATE)
Appointments will be given nearer the time. |
| Friday 13th Dec at 2pmam | Achievement Assembly
All parents and families are invited to the village hall so that pupils can share their achievements in learning within and out with school. |
| Friday 20th Dec at 2pm | Christmas Service
Parents and families are invited to join us for our Christmas Service in Gelston Village Hall. |
