Hello Parents/Carers/Families,

We are delighted to announce #OurOnthank has been awarded grant funding from Education Scotland to support food health, hygiene and education across our curriculum with the welcomed addition of our very own Chicken Coop and vegetable patches! Yes you read correctly!

We are incredibly excited, and having already met with last year’s Pupil Council, will launch our slogans next week:

“Don’t waste it – taste it!” & “Taste! Don’t Waste”

Over the next month we will explore and develop various initiatives surrounding the ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ campaign, encouraging our young people (and you our families!) to positively tackle food waste both in school and at home, focusing on the positive impact healthy eating can have on our lives/education.

https://lovefoodhatewaste.com/

I am looking for a Parent Focus Group who would be interested in working alongside myself and our young people to take this message throughout our whole school community and really make a difference.  This would include an initial meeting to share information and gather ideas/suggestions and creating simple, manageable responsibilities (eg taking part in our activities at home, dropping off our posters to local shops, sharing information with other families etc) If you are interested, or would like more information, please complete the form below.

Many thanks in advance #OurOnthank Families for considering joining our group – an exciting month awaits!

Safe wishes,

Steven Swan

WE MADE IT TO BELGIUM AND BACK!! 

What a way to end our Walking to School Week celebrations!

Not only did our young people and staff look fantastic in their daily walking challenges, but #OurOnthank Community has also logged 1485.89 miles – BOOM!

Thank you to all our staff and families for registering your miles, please continue to do so – let’s see just how many miles we have achieved. Final total announced on Monday.

Parent Council – you challenged us, we accepted that challenge and totally smashed it in 5 days. What an achievement. Thanks for your encouragement along the way.

For now, enjoy a restful weekend, and thank you all once again.

#BustleToBelgium #SMASHEDIT #Proud

Parent Council Walk to School Week Challenge – ‘Bustle to Belgium’

Monday 17^th May – Friday 21^st May 2021

Well families, it’s that time of year again where we promote our ‘Walk to School Week’.

We encourage as many of our families as possible to participate, either together as you drop off/collect your child or allow your child to walk to and from school independently.

As part of our events scheduled throughout the week, we are excited to announce our Parent Council:

“Bustle to Belgium: 1416 miles” challenge!

With Kilmarnock being twinned with Herstal in Belgium, our PC challenges our full Onthank Primary School Community to walk the 708 miles there (and back!) as part of our walk to school week fundraising fun!

So, what are our guidelines?

1. Plan out your week as a family – why not set a target?
2. Log your walk/jog/run daily using a device or APP including: Fitbits/IPhone/’Strava APP’/Other.
3. Complete this Blog Form at the end of each day, inserting how many miles you/your family has achieved.
4. Complete and return the fundraising form to the school on Monday 24^th May 2021. Funds can be made in cash or via ParentPay.
5. Why not take a family selfie during a walk and send to eaonthank.ps@eastayrshire.org.uk
6. Mystery prizes for the family and individual pupils across our 7 stages that complete the most miles!

So, what’s our school doing?

1. Our Senior Leadership Team has made a commitment to walk 60 miles contributing to our total.
2. Our Parent Council has made a commitment to walk 75 miles contributing to our total.
3. Staff and pupils will participate in The Daily Mile throughout the week, with staff logging class totals.

 Fundraising

1. Our Parent Council have supported our young people and staff in 2020/21 with funds towards outdoor learning resources, 2 new sound system speakers, P7 Leavers Mugs and more. We fundraise to further support their contribution to 2021/22 trips, events and pupil identified learning resources.

Don’t Forget!

1. Our PC remind you this is ‘just for fun’ and our families can join in if they wish, but participation is not compulsory.
2. For those participating – thank you – do what you can – ‘every mile counts’!

Thank you from our Parent Council for your support, community spirit and ‘many miles’ as we embark on our ‘Belgium Bustle’.

Dear Families,

What better way to celebrate our full school return next week than with our Red Nose Day Extravaganza on Friday 19th March!

Please see our activities below and the ways in which we plan to raise money for Comic Relief:

1. WHOLE SCHOOL DRESS UP DAY:

Young people, staff & families are invited to dress up as their favourite SUPERHERO, create their own Superhero costume, showcase their Red Nose Day T-shirts or wear anything red!

FUNDS: £1 donation to Comic Relief paid via ParentPay or Gate Donation Buckets to dress up!

2. DANCE-A-THON:

All classes will participate in a dance/fitness session outdoors with Mr Swan (weather permitting)!

3. HEATHER’S COMIC CAKES!:

Heather will be baking up a ‘COVID Friendly’ storm offering her famous Shortbread and Empire Biscuits which will be individually wrapped following guidance and given to your child to take home.

6 pieces Shortbread: £3

4 Empire Biscuits: £2.50

FUNDS: Visit Parent Pay to book and pay for your baking treats!

4. SUPERHERO FAMILY QUIZ NIGHT:

Keep your eyes peeled for our Parent Council Superhero Family Quiz poster coming soon…!

FUNDS: £2 minimal donation via ParentPay for Comic Relief

5. #OurOnthankOnline Challenge

“Funny is Power” is the Comic Relief Slogan this year. As part of our whole school community challenge, we would like you and your family to video record you favourite jokes, rhymes and share them to make us LAUGH!

Please submit you jokes videos to eaonthank.ps@eastayrshire.org.uk by THURSDAY 18TH MARCH 7PM

Staff have additional exciting activities planned for the day!

YOUR DONATIONS: Donations can be made via ParentPay or on Friday 19th in the buckets! Thank you in advance for your donations, all of which are going towards Comic Relief.

RRS ARTICLE 15: Your right to meet friends (@ School & Virtually)!

Any questions, please email Mr Swan on steven.swan@eastayrshire.org.uk

#OurOnthank #ComicRelief #RedNoseDay #ThankYou

ONTHANK PRIMARY ANNUAL ‘VIRTUAL’ SCOTTISH POETRY COMPETITION 

Dear Families,

We are excited our young people will not miss out on this annual Onthank experience!

Poems have been posted on your child’s Blog or Teams page and staff have allocated specific online learning time to allow our young people to work on them. Staff have also shared with our young people how our 2021 competition will work.

To confirm for all families, please see information below:

1, Young people have access to their poem via Blog/Teams – if your child cannot access their poem, please contact their teacher and this can be sent directly

2, Young people should continue to be encouraged to learn and rehearse their poem, adding any acting gestures and facial expressions

3, If your child wishes to compete in our Virtual Poetry Competition we request you submit their video recording to their class teacher via email (ea firstname . surname@glow.sch.uk) by Monday 25th January 1pm.  This will give young people additional time over the weekend to work on their poem if they wish.

4, Class teachers will select their class winner from the videos submitted. All class winners will then be judged by a panel including Callum our Janitor, Heather our Catering Manager and Pupil Council/Rights Respecting Schools Chair.  Overall stage winners will be selected.

5, Overall stage winners will be invited to join our Parent Council Big Burns Virtual Quiz Friday 29th Jan to perform their poem for an audience. An anonymous vote will then take place as our families/community select our overall Onthank Primary Poetry Winner.

6, All winners will receive a special certificate in the post to celebrate this achievement and be given the opportunity to have their video included in our next Virtual Assembly.

If you have any additional questions regarding the competition please email Mr Swan on easteven.swan@glow.sch.uk and he will happily help.

#OurOnthank #PoetryComp #VirtualOpportunities #GoodLuck