Dear Families and Friends of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

We are delighted to be welcoming back our P1-3 pupils on Monday 22^nd February.  There is excitement in the air and we hope that it won’t be too long until our P4-7 pupils return too.  The First Minister is making a statement in two weeks and we hope that our older pupils can return from 15^th March but this will depend on the prevalence of the virus.

I know that many of you may have mixed feelings about sending your children back to school.  Please rest assured that we have stringent risk assessments in place to ensure the safety of our pupils and staff.

Here is a letter from Professor Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director who explains the reasons for the partial re-opening of schools.

JL letter – 18 February

Additional Information for Pupils Returning on Monday

Crossmichael Primary School

On arrival, P1/2 pupils should play at the front of the school (from the main entrance to the library end) and then line up at the library entrance when the bell goes.

P2 and P3 pupils from the P2-4 class should play at the back of the school and line up at the Portakabin when the bell goes.

Pupils attending the Hub should play at the side of the school beside the PE hall and round to the main entrance.  They should line up at the main entrance when the bell goes.

Gelston Primary School

P1-3 can play anywhere in the playground and line up as normal when the bell goes.

School Meals

The school meals menu can be found here:

https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/media/23822/Primary-School-meals-menu-January-to-March-2021/pdf/0201-20-School-meals-January-2021.pdf?m=637431237068170000

For the first week, there may be slight changes to the meals offered but there will be a hot option and sandwich options available.

P1-3 pupils receive free school meals and P4-7 pupils pay £1.90 unless receiving free school meals.  Pupils may bring a packed lunch if they wish.

Gelston pupils will eat school dinners together in the dining hall.  At Crossmichael, P1/2 and P2-3 will have school dinners in the hall at different times.  Pupils who attend the Crossmichael Hub will eat meals in the classroom.

Water Bottles

Please ensure you send your child to school with a water bottle as we are unable to provide pupils with cups.  Pupils may re-fill their bottles in school.

Uniform

We are relaxing the dress code so whilst pupils are welcome to wear school uniform, it is not a necessity.  Please ensure your child brings several layers with them as we will have windows open for ventilation. Pupils should also bring a change of shoes so that they have an indoor and an outdoor pair.

Social Distancing

Pupils do not need to socially distance from each other although we will be operating a class ‘bubble’ system where there is more than one registration class in school.  Pupils should maintain a 2m distance from adults and adults should maintain a 2m distance from each other.  Please remember to wear a face covering when bringing your child to school or collecting them from school.  We ask that no adults enter the playground unless they have made an appointment.

Child Protection Scotland Campaign

Please remember that it is now against the law to use any form of physical punishment towards a child.  The pandemic has put increasing pressure on us all and this has led to an increase in reported cases of domestic abuse and substance misuse.

If you have concerns about the welfare of a child then please call Social Services on 030 33 33 3001.  Call the Police on 999 if it is an emergency or on 101 for advice.

If you see something, say something!

Retirement of Castle Douglas Headteacher – Mr David Tyson

Mr David Tyson used to be Headteacher at Gelston Primary School and we know that his well known and well respected by many people.  He is retiring at Easter and to mark the occasion, we will be asking for your help!  Please look out for an email containing details.

If you have any questions then please get in touch with us.  I will be based at Crossmichael Primary School and Mrs Glover (Principal Teacher from Crossmichael) will be based at Gelston Primary School (Mon-Thurs) and Mrs Maxwell on Fridays.

Best wishes,

Mary Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Friends and Family of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

I hope that you are well.  The sun is shining today and the days are getting longer.   I hope that we can all be optimistic and look forward to getting back to some normality over the next few months.

Return to School Information

We look forward to the return of P1-3 pupils from 22nd February and hope that this is possible.  This will be confirmed by the First Minister on 16th February.  In the meantime, we have been making preparations for the return of our P1-3 pupils whilst also continuing to provide emergency childcare for pupils in P4-7.

All risk assessments and hygiene practices will continue to be in place to keep us all safe.

Arrangements at Gelston Primary School from 22nd February

In Gelston, our P1-3 pupils will return and be taught by Miss Drummond.  Miss McNeill will continue to support pupils in her role as Learning Assistant.  Mrs Bielinski will teach the class on a Tuesday morning so that Miss Drummond can complete her reduction in class contact time (RICCT) time.

Mrs Glover (Principal Teacher from Crossmichael) will be on site from  Monday – Wednesday.  Mrs Maxwell will be on site each Friday.  Miss Reid will be working from home and can be contacted Monday to Thursday as normal.

Miss Reid, Mrs Maxwell and Mrs Bielinski will provide remote learning for P4-7 pupils as they do currently.

School meals will be available as normal.

Arrangements at Crossmichael Primary School from 22nd February

In Crossmichael, P1/2 will return as normal with Mrs Marscheider.  Mrs Stitt will continue to support pupils in her role as Learning Assistant.

P2 and P3 pupils from the P2-4 class will return to their classroom in the Portakabin with Mrs Burton (Mon-Thurs) and Miss Todd (Fri).  Miss Todd will provide the remote learning for the P4 children who are at home.   On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Mrs Jennings will support pupils in P2 and P3 in her role as Learning Assistant.

Miss Todd will also cover Mrs Burton and Mrs Marscheider so that they can complete their RICCT time.

I will be on site every day.

Each class will operate within a bubble so that they will play in zoned areas of the playground and will have staggered lunch breaks.

School meals will be available as normal.

Arrangements for Emergency Childcare for P4-7 Pupils

The emergency childcare hub will be collapsed into one site at Crossmichael Primary School from 22nd February so that we can staff it appropriately.

The hub will be staffed by our Learning Assistants, Mrs Cowan and Mrs Clifton.  This means that Mrs Clifton will not be available to continue with her targeted interventions – Closing the Literacy Gap/ Literacy Ladders.

This means that all P4-7 Gelston pupils will now join the hub at Crossmichael Primary School.  We have 13 pupils on the list for emergency childcare but there tends to be around 8 pupils attending each day.  Pupils who attend the hub will operate within a bubble so will have separate break and lunch times to pupils in the other classes.

Covid-19 Testing Arrangements In Our Schools

More detailed information will be available on the Dumfries and Galloway Council website soon.  All adults working in our schools will be tested twice weekly.

How to contact us

You will be able to contact the Headteacher at Crossmichael Primary School on 01556 670282 or 07741 686730.

For general enquiries contact the school office via email:

gw08officegelston@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

gw08officecrossmicha@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

If your enquiry relates to learning then please contact your child’s teacher via email.

Please stay safe and do get in touch if you wish further clarification.

Best wishes,

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

I hope that you are well.  It has been lovely to see pupils online at TEAMS meetings and to see how well everyone is engaging with remote learning.  Thank you very much for your efforts.  I have been delighted to send home some Headteacher’s Award postcards this week.

Message from the Director of Skills, Education and Learning

You will be aware of the First Minister’s announcement this week and what this means for our children.  I would like to share a message from the Director of Skills, Education and Learning, Dr Gillian Brydson, who provides more detail:

“A couple of days ago (2 February) the First Minister made a statement in the Scottish Parliament in relation to coronavirus in Scotland and the steps that are being taken to tackle the virus.

Within her statement, the First Minister extended the lockdown until the end of February.  She also stated that nurseries and Primaries 1 to 3 will return to schools full-time on 22 February and for a part-time return, albeit on a limited basis, for senior phase pupils to allow in-school practical work that is necessary for the completion of national qualification courses.  These arrangements are subject to final confirmation two weeks from now, that sufficient progress in tackling the virus has been achieved.

We are waiting for the full details from the Scottish Government following the First Minister’s statement.  Once we have finalised our arrangements with Headteachers and partners, we will be writing to all parents to let them know what this means for all of our pupils.  We will do this by as soon as possible, by Thursday 11 February at the latest, recognising the midterm break for pupils is between Monday 15 – Friday 19 February.

We have just received guidance from the Scottish Government on the Asymptomatic Testing Programme, which is being put in place as part of the package of COVID-19 risk reduction mitigations in schools. The Schools/Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) asymptomatic testing programme will be available to all primary, secondary and special school staff (including school-based ELC and childcare staff), and all senior phase pupils in Scotland.  Self Testing kits are expected to be delivered to our schools from next week and the operational arrangements are being worked through with Headteachers.  We will provide further information in our letter to parents (mentioned above).

In the meantime, I’d like to thank all parents for their continued support in assisting with remote learning for our children and young people.  Many of our parents are juggling working from home whilst supporting their children.  The safest place for everyone at this time is to stay at home so we appreciate everyone’s effort to keep our communities safe.

We will be in touch soon to provide you with an update on the arrangements for our schools as we take this important step forward.”

Mid-Term Holiday

Please note that schools are closed for all pupils from Monday 15^th February until Friday 19^th February.

Emergency Childcare School Hub Places

P4-7 children who already have places at the emergency childcare hubs in school will continue to have a place from 22^nd February if required.  (P1-3 will hopefully be back at school anyway.)  There will be no childcare provided during the holiday week (15^th-19^th February).

Good News

Dumfries and Galloway Council is reporting a decreasing number of Covid-19 cases so thank you so much for everything that you are doing to help.  The restrictions are tough but with your ongoing support I am delighted that we may be able to re-open schools gradually from 22^nd February.  THANK YOU!

Best wishes,

Mary Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

I hope that this newsletter finds you well.  Thank you for all that you are doing at home to support your children with remote learning.

Update on Return to Schools

Recently, Scotland’s First Minister explained that schools will not reopen to pupils on February 1  and will remain closed to most pupils until the middle of February.    This will be reviewed on 2 February.

Emergency Childcare Hubs

Our schools continue to be used as emergency childcare hubs and we have 15 pupils registered at Crossmichael and 8 pupils at Gelston.  Non-teaching staff supervise children in the hubs and teachers provide remote learning from home.  Mrs Glover and I attend each school on a daily basis.

Pupils’ Health and Wellbeing Questionnaires

At the beginning of each week, we send home a link to the Pupil HWB Questionnaire via parental email.  This should be completed by pupils on Friday of each week.

P4-7 pupils receive the link via email and can complete the questionnaire themselves.  We would appreciate it if you would help your child to complete the questionnaire if they are in P1-3.

We ask that you do this so that we can check on pupils’ health and wellbeing and also so that we can support families and set realistic expectations of the quality and quantity of remote learning.

Thank you so much for your responses from last week.  Mrs Glover and I read through your responses and contacted families where appropriate.

P7- S1 Transition Arrangements

All P7 parents have now completed the Pupil Placement Request form detailing which secondary school they wish their child to attend.

On Friday, P7 teachers met with Mrs Cathro (Principal Teacher of Support at Castle Douglas High School)  to discuss detailed transition information for P7 pupils.  At this meeting key information was shared including curricular levels, health and wellbeing information and additional support needs.

So far this has been a timeline of what has taken place:

August/ Sept – Cluster Headteacher’s meeting to discuss those pupils who may require enhanced transition arrangements.  Transition information sent to CDHS from each Primary School.  CDHS staff invited to attend any relevant meetings for pupils with additional support needs.

September– P7s engaged in virtual visits to CDHS by Mrs Cathro and S1 pupils.  (Unfortunately Gelston pupil were unable to complete this due to staff absence.)

November – The virtual P7 Parents’ Open Evening was recorded and posted on the P7 TEAMS group for all P7s across CDHS Cluster.  This informed parents about transition work, how CDHS gather information about pupils, provided a tour of the school and gave a description of S1 courses.  (Still available if your child logs into their P7 TEAMS group.)

Reporting Pupil Progress to Parents

In Term 1 and Term 2 teachers emailed a short summary of your child(ren)’s strengths and next steps in learning.  This was a brief overview of their learning.  We understand that many parents would prefer to have a more detailed picture of their child(ren)’s progress.  We are considering the best way of getting this information to you and more detail will follow soon.  In the meantime, if you wish to find out more information then please contact your child’s teacher.

The Scottish curriculum is called Curriculum for Excellence 3-18.  It is divided up into levels.  The national expectation is that:

• Early Level will be achieved by most pupils at the end of Primary 1
• First Level will be achieved by most pupils by the end of Primary 4
• Second Level will be achieved by most pupils by the end of Primary 7
• Third Level will be achieved by most pupils by the end of S3

ICT Update and Appeal for More Devices

Dumfries and Galloway Council is improving the infrastructure around ICT in schools.  Soon, Windows 10 will be available in all schools.  (At the moment we are working with Windows 7.)  It will also be possible for staff and pupils to bring in their own devices and connect to the school WiFi.

It is our aim to apply for funding to purchase new devices that are compatible with Windows 10.   In the interim, we are in desperate need of devices at Crossmichael Primary School.  We are looking for donations of tablets or laptops that are less than eight years old.  It is our intention to wipe the data and use these devices in school or loan them to pupils for remote learning during lockdown.  Please contact the school office if you are able to help us.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mr Tommy Cannon and Mrs Caroline Cannon for kindly donating five tablets to us at the weekend.  These will be put to good use during lockdown and when pupils return to school.

Best wishes,

Mary Lidstone-Scott
Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

I hope that you are well.  It has been lovely to see the children via Microsoft TEAMS meetings this week.  Our intention is for each class to have at least one weekly meeting and other live interactions will be provided as and when required.  (E.g. recorded lessons, links to online video clips or live lessons.)

I have a few updates to share with you in this newsletter.

Weekly Pupil Health and Wellbeing Questionnaire

At the beginning of each week, we will email all parents and P4-7 pupils a link to a short questionnaire.  Please help your child(ren) to complete this questionnaire by Friday of each week.

We ask that you do this so that we can check on pupils’ health and wellbeing and also so that we can support families and set realistic expectations of the quality and quantity of remote learning.

Microsoft TEAMS – Support

Microsoft TEAMS can enable pupils to see up to nine others on screen at a time.  This only works when accessing TEAMS from the app.  The app can be downloaded onto any device.  If your child is using the app then their GLOW username is followed by @glow.sch.uk (instead of @dumgal.sch.uk).  They use their GLOW password as normal.

When your child is in the app, they can click on ‘calendar’ then find the meeting and click on ‘JOIN’.

When your child accesses TEAMS, it would be useful to show them how to mute/unmute themselves by clicking on the image of a microphone.  This helps to avoid feedback when another is speaking.

There is also a ‘hands up’ function where they can click on the hand if they wish to speak and click on it again once they have finished speaking.

There is a chat facility too.  Please ensure that your child only uses this to type in responses to the discussion rather than to distract others.

If you require any support in using TEAMS then please contact Miss Emma McDonald via email at gw17mcdonaldemma@ea.dumgal.sch.uk .  Miss McDonald is our Covid-19 Recovery Teacher and works between the Castle Douglas Cluster schools.

It is worth noting that we are all using different devices and some do not have access to microphones or cameras so it can be difficult to participate fully at times.  It may be worth explaining to your child that there are times when there is a delay or an overlap meaning that their teacher or classmates may not respond immediately.  Your child should not take this personally.

Expectations of Remote Learning

Teachers provide weekly learning grids via email, Facebook and TEAMS.  Pupils can access all materials online and some activities can be completed away from devices.  Some parents have asked for paper copies of materials.  Whilst we are happy to provide support, I am aware that whole classes of pupils are requesting this.  This results in some teachers having to come into school to prepare the packs.  We are desperately trying to reduce the number of staff and pupils accessing schools so please consider whether this is a necessity.  We need to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Some parents have requested additional work for their children.  There are many additional activities available online and several activities that you can complete without being on a device.  Some parents have requested additional work for their children.  There are many additional activities available online and several activities that you can complete without being on a device.  Miss McDonald has prepared a list of generic activities that you can access to support your child. Activities are divided into curricular levels: Early = P1, First = P2-4 and Second = P5-7.   Also, look at the links below:

Lifelong Learning, Dumfries and Galloway Council: https://www.facebook.com/LifelongLearningDGC/

The Parentzone Scotland website:

https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/

I would like to thank you for your support.  This is a challenging time for pupils, parents and staff but we are getting there!  Together we are spending a great deal of time learning how to use a variety of online apps and platforms to support our child(ren).  This is particularly challenging for teachers who are having to learn new and innovative ways of planning, teaching and assessing children remotely.  Most of us are working from home and juggling our families too.  Well done and thank you for your understanding.

Best wishes

Mary Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Friends and Family of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

I hope that you are well and that you are managing to keep safe as Covid-19 numbers increase in Dumfries and Galloway.

Remote Learning

Today pupils begin online learning.  Teachers have shared a learning grid with you via email and on class Facebook pages.  These grids have also been put into pupils’ TEAMS folders in GLOW (their online learning platform).  A new learning grid will be uploaded each week.  The grids contain activities for different curricular areas and provide links to online video clips or resources where appropriate.

If you have any difficulties in accessing the learning grids then please contact your child’s class teacher for support.

We understand how daunting this can be so please try not to put to much pressure on yourselves to cover everything.  We understand that families often need to share laptops/ iPads and that some families have difficulties with Internet access.  Not all learning has to be completed online.

Please contact your child’s teacher if you would prefer paper copies of the work and we will make up packs for you to collect from school.

Class Group Meetings on Microsoft TEAMS

It is our intention to meet with classes/ groups once per week using Microsoft TEAMS.

Scottish school children (P1-7) have a GLOW account which is a secure intranet system which comes with the Microsoft Office 365 software and can be downloaded free of charge on to home IT equipment. This includes Microsoft Teams which is the only platform we are allowed to use for virtual meetings.

We used TEAMS for meetings last time but could not use the video function.  Scottish Government has since agreed to enable pupils and staff to see each other so it will be great to catch up with you all!  We understand that it may be challenging to get pupils online at the same time but we will try our best and discuss how to make improvements as we go along.

Here is a help guide providing instructions on how to access GLOW and TEAMS:

Glow-Teams-Guide-for-Learners-Parents

Our P1-3  pupils will need help to log in as they will not have used GLOW in school.  Teachers have provided each child with their GLOW username and password.

Internet Safety and Safeguarding
Within Teams there is an option to record meetings but for data protection and safeguarding reasons the Council policy is that TEAMS meetings should not be recorded at home.

Stationery Resources

At this time of year we have limited supplies of stationery in school and as Lockdown happened quickly, we were unable to place and receive an order.  Castle Douglas Rotary Club has kindly offered to help out by offering to purchase some additional resources.

If you would like a pack then please complete this form:

Keeping in Touch and Keeping Safe

Pupils and families should know that although schools are closed, we are still available if you need us.

You can contact the school office with general enquiries:

gw08officecrossmicha@ea.dumgal.sch.uk or gw08officegelston@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

You can contact class teachers via email:

Miss Drummond (P1-3 at Gelston)  –  gw16drummondnicole@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

Miss Reid and Mrs Maxwell (P4-7 at Gelston)  –

gw08reidnicola@ea.dumgal.sch.uk        gw08maxwellnorma@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

Mrs Marscheider (P1/2 at Crossmichael)  –  gw17marscheiderayesh@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

Mrs Burton and Miss Todd (P2-4 at Crossmichael)  –

gw13burtonaileen01@ea.dumgal.sch.uk         gw20todddominick@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

Mrs Glover (P4/5 at Crossmichael)  –  gw08gloverkim@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

Mrs Stevens (P6/7 at Crossmichael)  –  gw08stevensrosslynn@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

You may contact the Headteacher via email: gw08scottmary01@ea.dumgal.sch.uk or via mobile phone: 07741 686730.

If you feel worried or unsafe, here are some people you can speak to 

Childline – 0800 1111 online chat to ChildLine options

Police 101 or in an emergency 999

Social Work 030 33 33 3000

Best wishes,

Mary Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

I am going to start off by wishing you a Happy New Year although I know that this is not the start to the year that any of us anticipated.  I have been thinking of you all over the holidays and I know that our fantastic school community can get through this!

Start of Term 3 Details

You will be aware that Scottish Government have extended the school holidays for pupils until Friday 8th January.  Pupils will begin remote learning on Monday 11th January until the end of January when the situation will be reviewed nationally.

This week, teachers are preparing online learning in anticipation for next week and non-teaching staff are providing emergency childcare for vulnerable children and the children of key workers in their own schools.

Communication About Learning Tasks

Teachers will be in touch via the class Facebook pages, parental emails and will contact older pupils via Microsoft TEAMS to share information and to set learning tasks.  (Older pupils are able to log into GLOW using their usernames and passwords to access this.)  Teachers will monitor their emails from 9am-3pm so please get in touch and they will try to respond as soon as possible.

Once again,  I would ask that you do not place yourself under too much pressure.  The feedback received from most families from last year was that 1-2 hours of online learning each day was manageable.  Just do what you can.  Remember that teaching pupils resilience, problem solving, cooperation, self-regulation skills and other life skills is also valuable.  You are teaching them how to cope in a global pandemic and that is no mean feat!

ICT and Access to Devices/ Stationery

We have a limited supply of laptops available if you require a device.  If you would like some stationery then please contact your child’s teacher and we will try to accommodate.

Free School Meals and Clothing Grants

If you have found that your family circumstances have changed and you wish to apply for Free School Meals or clothing grants then you will find the links here:

https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/schoolmeals

Clothing grants application form

Ongoing Communication

I will provide regular updates via the blog, emails and Group Call texts.  Our clerical staff are able to pick up emails if you have any general enquiries:

gw08officecrossmicha@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

or

gw08officegelston@ea.dumgal.sch.uk

If you wish to contact me directly then please email gw08scottmary01@ea.dumgal.sch.uk or telephone Gelston Primary School on 01556 502415 as I will be based there.  My mobile number is: 07741 686730.

Please take care of yourselves and keep safe.

Best wishes,

Mary Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

On Saturday, the First Minister made an announcement that will have an impact on the return to school after the Christmas holidays. 

Director for Education, Gillian Brydson, is sending an email to all families sharing what is planned for Dumfries and Galloway Schools and Nurseries. Please click on the links below for further information.

Link to G Brydson letter to parents.

Link to FAQ about January return

Summary of Key Points

1. a) Holiday for children has been extended to 10^th

However from 6th – 8th January and 11^th – 15^th January schools will provide emergency childcare for children of key workers and our most vulnerable children during normal school hours.

Families will need to apply to attend. The online form can be completed using this link.

The forms should be completed by 10am on Wednesday 30^th December.

1. b) Remote learning for all other children will start on 11^thJanuaryand staff will be in touch via class Facebook pages with further information.

2. c) It is planned for Schools and Nurseries to fully reopen on 18^thWe hope that the Tier 4 restrictions will provide the required break in Covid-19 transmission, both locally and nationally, and we can welcome all our learners back on the 18^th.

Please look after yourselves and I hope you have a good Christmas.  I will be in touch again soon.  Thinking of you all.

Best wishes,

Mary

Mary Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Here is a link to our 2020 Nativity.

Thank you to children and staff for making this possible without pupils having to cross class ‘bubbles’.

Our P4-7 pupils are performing some sketches for their VIP Baby production.  This will be published on the closed class Facebook pages later this week!

You can access the Nativity here:

https://youtu.be/2bEXrOvcAcg/2bEXrOvcAcg

Merry Christmas!