Category Archives: News

News

June Newsletter

Dear Parent/Carer

We are fast approaching the end of yet another very busy and exciting session, this last term has simply disappeared and soon we will break for Summer vacation. A final newsletter therefore to keep you informed of the many and varied activities that have happened over the last few months.

Link Corridor

The building work in creating the link corridor will continue throughout the summer months and will continue until early November. Primary 4 and Primary 5 children will move in to the adjacent building on the first day in August. The building will be fully “kitted out” with furniture etc and internally there will be new carpets, blinds and painting will also take place during the holiday period. P4 and P5 pupils should assemble in the ‘ junior school ’ playground on the first day back in August. The children will be dismissed at the end of the day at 3.10pm as usual; however, any children who have younger brothers or sisters or who go home by school bus will be escorted down to the main playground at 3.05pm to meet them or to catch their buses. Further information will follow separately.

First Communion

We celebrated First Communion in our local parishes during the month of May. Congratulations and thanks to all of our families and parish communities. The celebrations were very moving and extremely prayerful. Thanks to the PSA for funding the certificates and the celebration cakes for the Primary 4 children and the choir who sang beautifully at the Masses. Thanks also to Mrs Baird and Mrs Collins who led May devotions during lunchtimes.

Confirmation

Again congratulations to the children in P7 who were confirmed during the month of April in St Vincent’s, Holy Name and St Mirin’s Cathedral. The children prepared well and celebrated the sacrament with sponsors and family members, a significant milestone in the children’s continuing faith formation. I have no doubt this will continue and deepen as they progress through St Ninian’s High School. The Primary 7 pupils are now more than ready to progress to high school and they have certainly enjoyed a very full programme of activities during this final term and indeed year in primary school. We wish them well for the future.

Bikeability

Mrs Wright coordinated the cycling proficiency training for P6 pupils once again and coordinated a large staff team to train the pupils. For the first time this year the training took place both in the school playground and out on the local roads. The children should be more aware of how to conduct themselves while cycling in the local area and will undergo their assessment on Monday 23rd June. Many thanks to everyone in undertaking what is actually a mammoth operation.

Health Week

Thanks to all of the parent volunteers who visited the school during our recent Health Week and shared their skills, talents and professional expertise with the children. Thanks also to Mrs Cochrane PT who organised our Health Week.

The Parent Council intend through a sub-committee to continue to promote healthy choices with regard to food and nutrition, healthy snacks and tuck in the new session, in tandem with the Pupil Health Committee and staff as part of the Health and Wellbeing agenda on our School Improvement Plan. With this in mind we have uploaded a government information leaflet regarding healthy snack and packed lunches onto the school website for your information.

Summer Fete and Matthew Carney Memorial Trophy

Sincere thanks to everyone who played their part in ensuring that our annual Summer Fete, which took place last Saturday, was a great success despite the adverse weather. Our Parent Staff Association prepared well in advance in organising stalls, activities and helpers. A very big thanks to Joe Shaw the Chairperson and his team of volunteers not only for the Summer Fete but for all of the events that they have organised during yet another very busy year for the PSA. Many thousands of pounds raised have been used to fund a wide range of ventures for which the staff of the school are extremely grateful.

New members of the PSA are always welcome. Please come along to the AGM on Tuesday 2nd September to volunteer your services and get more involved.

The Matthew Carney Memorial football tournament also took place last Saturday thanks to Paul MacConnell for coordinating the event which saw 13 teams competing from our own and a range of local schools. St Fillan’s Primary won the tournament and Sally Smart was awarded the Matthew Carney Trophy for outstanding talent and contribution to our own P7 team.

  Continue reading June Newsletter →

News

Leavers’ Mass – Leavers’ Ceilidh

Leavers’ Mass – St Joseph’s Church –  Tuesday 17th  June – 7pm

  • Children should wear shirt and tie
  • Children should be seated by 6.50pm
  • The children will sit in the first 10 rows on the right hand side of the church. Parents and families are welcome to sit anywhere else.
  • At the end of Mass the children will be presented with a gift from the PSA

Leaver’s Ceilidh – Monday 23rd June  – 7pm – 9pm

  • Children should come at 6.45pm to be piped into the hall.
  • Parents should stay in Mensa and form a Guard of Honour.
  • Parents should return at 9pm when the children will sing their songs of farewell.
  • The Year Book and a DVD of their adventures at Ardentinny will be on sale after the ceilidh at a cost of £5 in the Mensa.

Cashless CafeteriaAll leavers should please remember to spend all reaming monies on their cashless catering card. If they have a balance of £5 or over they can move the money to an account belonging to their brother/sister. They should tell their teacher if they wish to do this

News

Visit from Bishop John Keenan

On Thursday 12th June, we welcomed Bishop John Keenan to Our Lady of the Missions. He visited Primary 7 and shared an uplifting assembly with them. He then visited children in Primary 4 who have recently received the Sacrament of the Eucharist and talked about their special day. We look forward to working closely with Bishop John as we journey together in faith.

News

Sports Day – Thursday 19th June

Primaries   1  –  4
P1& P2 – 9.30
P3 & P4 – 11.00
Primaries  5  –  7 – 1pm 
We look forward to seeing you on Thursday 19th
Children should come to school dressed in P.E. kit, ready for Sports Day.  No football tops please 
We would encourage children to wear house colours
If it rains heavily on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, Sports Day will be moved indoors and unfortunately there will be no room for spectators
Please check the school website/twitter from 8.30am onwards
http://www.ea.e-renfrew.sch.uk/ourladymissions
There will be no tuck shop at the sports field however the PSA will provide ice-cream in school after the races
Children should bring their water bottle into school
Adults – Please bring a folding seat if you require to sit

News

Used blazer and uniform sale

USED BLAZER AND UNIFORM SALE

19 June 2014 – 6pm – 7.30pm – in the Mensa

How does it work?

You donate, we sell! With blazers, you can keep the proceeds or donate them for school funds.  Proceeds from all other uniform items go to the school. A great bargain for buyers either way!  Larger blazers are particularly helpful.

How do I donate?

Blazers / uniform should be

  • handed into the school office by lunchtime on the 18th June
  • in good condition.

 

Blazers: please put a note with your donation to confirm approximate size (as this is difficult to tell from labelling). If you want to keep the sale proceeds, you must also fill in our form – the school office has copies  or you can print off the attachment to this email (it’s also on the school web site). IF YOU HAND IN A BLAZER WITHOUT A FORM WE WILL ASSUME IT HAS BEEN DONATED FOR SCHOOL FUNDS.

What will things cost?

Most blazers sold for £10-£20 last year depending on condition. Clothing depended on quality and condition but still a fraction of the usual cost. Items in less good condition may be given away on the night. Leftover items will be kept for the next sale (if in v good condition) or donated for charity recycling. Thanks for your support!

 Contact olm-parentcouncil@hotmail.com  or 07810 541250 with queries. Our Lady of the Missions Parent Council

Please follow link below to print off form only if you wish to keep the price of your blazer rather than donating to school funds

blazer form for sales 2014

News

Summer Fete

Many thanks to our Parent Staff Association for organising and running a very successful Fete on Saturday and thank you to everyone who turned out to support the school, despite the weather!

We will inform you when the total amount raised has been confirmed.

News

Glasgow Art Club Primary Exhibition 2014

Twelve of our Primary 7 pupils have been invited to submit a piece of artwork for the forthcoming Glasgow Art Club Primary Exhibition 2014 . The exhibition will take place at Glasgow Art Club, 185 Bath St from 14th-21st June.  See www.glasgowartclub.co.uk for opening times.

Our Lady of the Missions Primary are delighted to support this event and the exhibition will be well worth a look!
See below for link to flyer

Primary_works_2_invite_EMAILER (3)

News

Rainforest Rescue

Mirin in P2 has raised an amazing £417.50 by doing a sponsored cycle. Here is the information from her ‘ Just Giving’ page. Outstanding, Mirin, Well done!

I am nearly 7 years old and have been doing a topic at school about the rainforest. I learned that the rainforest has a forest floor, understory, canopy and emergent layers and is really important for keeping the worlds air clean.

I was sad because people are cutting all the trees down to make money because they want to be rich.

I asked my dad how I could stop people cutting down the rainforest and we decided on a sponsored bike ride because I love cycling. I will be training hard before my big cycle on Sunday 25th May.

Please give any donation you can and I will give all the money to the World Wildlife Foundation to help protect the rainforest.

Thank you very much

News

School Fete Saturday 7th June 1pm – 3.30pm

Nearly there for our Fete this Saturday but we still need help with donations of items for the stalls and offers of help on the day.

DONATIONS

Teddies/Soft Toys – Washed and in good condition!!

Toys – in good condition and any boxed games well sealed;

Children’s books (no adult books this year);

Tombola gifts and gift bags of any shape and size or celebration theme. Gifts can include new toys, jewellery, toiletries, etc

Bottles – Wine, beer, juice, tomato ketchup or conditioner – any bottle much appreciated

Home baking – always a popular stall so let’s see lots of cup cakes, gingerbreads, shortbreads, scones, traybakes and other goodies

Donations can be handed in to the school any time from now onwards, with home baking on Friday, 6th June (when the school will be open until 8pm) or from 11am on Saturday, June 7th

VOLUNTEERS
The fete is a great opportunity to come and join in for as much or as little time as possible. We will need helpers from 3pm on the Friday afternoon to set up and then from noon on the Saturday.
So, if you can spare a few hours please call or text on the numbers below – all help is needed and appreciated.
Joe Shaw – 07813 015742,
Joanne Miller – 07865 078517 or
Cath Gallagher – 07960 905306

News

Parent Council Meeting- March 2014 minutes

 

Our lady of the Missions Primary School Parent Council

Minutes for the OLM Parent Council Meeting – 13th March 2014

 Present

Gillian Boyle, Anne Forsyth, Michelle Hynes, Charlie Jamieson, Gerry Devenney, Marie-Claire Darroch, Mary O’Reilly, Callum Houston, Karen Kelly, Clare Bowes, Cllr Waters, Cllr Robertson, Cllr McCaskill, J. Taggart, C. James, J. Heraghty, A. Friel, R. Spooner, M, McAlpine
Apologies

Cllr Wallace, N. Salim, M. Moore, Cllr Fletcher, G. Bhatti, L. Garety, J. McLachlan

It was noted that P. Rogers had tendered her resignation from the Parent Council

  Approval of the Minutes for the January PC Meeting

Proposed- C. Bowes

Seconded- J. Heraghty

 Update on Transition

C. Jamieson explained that D. Leask had informed him that the tenders for the building work were in and were being scrutinised. He said that he did not yet know who the contractor would be and did not yet have a start date but that he had been advised that the start of the work would be imminent and that a perimeter fence for security was already being erected in the Robslee campus. He added that there  would be two ways to access routes from OLM to Glenwood without having to cut through Robslee.

Cllr Waters said that a winning bid had been chosen and that the details were being finalised.

C. Jamieson said that he had brought up with D. Leask the issue of the masonry bees at Robslee. He added that he hoped to visit the Robslee building again after Easter, when he would know what money was still available.

A. Forsyth drew attention to the reduced time for the building work to be completed.

C. Houston asked whether the school had been consulted about awarding the contract. Cllr Waters replied that procurement laws prevented that and that three officers judged the contracts. C. Houston went on to note that the school , had not therefore seen what was in the contract since it was a Design and Build contract that went out to tender. Cllr Waters said that although it was a Design and Build contract, it had a very detailed specification.

K. Kelly asked whether the contract had been awarded to the lowest bidder. Cllr Waters replied that there was a price/ quality balance. Cllr Robertson added that each bid would be marked on certain criteria which would have been included in the specification.

C. Houston emphasised the need for good quality and said that the building material would be important. Cllr Waters said that samples of the proposed building materials were often included with the tender. The contractor is picked from a council list. He expected that the tenders would be less than the budget.

K. Kelly noted the two different aesthetics of the OLM and Robslee buildings and queried how a building material would be chosen to blend the two together. Cllr Waters replied that that was the role of D. Leask, who has responsibility for all of the school buildings.

Cllr Robertson said that the bids would be checked to ensure that they meet the specifications. C. Houston noted that contractors could find a way round this in the way they write their tenders. C. Jamieson said that the drawings of the architect had been available and so the tender should be in line with what was asked for.

Cllr Waters explained that he had not seen the winning contract or the full specification but he envisaged that the clerking of the work would have to be a daily or weekly exercise. He also stated that agency staff could be used to prevent slippage.

R. Spooner asked about the clerking of the work. Cllr Waters replied that the clerk would check in with C. Jamieson. R. Spooner also asked whether the text of the winning bid would be available to view. He was told that it would not.

G. Devenney asked whether, in the system of the preferred list, a contractor could be removed if they failed to provide work of a suitable standard. Cllr Waters replied that they could.

A. Friel asked whether the new building would be given a new name. C. Jamieson replied that it would not be given a separate  name as such but that it would need to be identified  in some way so that the 2 areas of the campus could be distinguished from one another.

A. Forsyth asked about how the project would be delivered on time. C. Houston asked if there was a contingency plan if the work was not finished in time for August. He noted that there were still building procedures that would have to completed before work can begin. Cllr Waters replied that the time scale would be finalised after the award of the contract has been completed but that there might still be snagging work that will need to be completed after August. G. Boyle asked for more specific detail about what the snagging period might entail. Cllr Waters said that he anticipated only small jobs needing to be completed and that the  school would need to function round this work being finished. He added that if there is a delay and the tender is under budget, then there might be the finance available to get the project back on track.

C. Houston asked whether paying for acceleration would come out of the budget and whether that would be to the detriment of paying for other things. Cllr Waters explained that the way the capital budget works, any money not spent on the link corridor will go back into the pot and does not automatically refer to the school. However, a further decision at a political level could be made to allocate further funds if this was felt necessary / appropriate.

K. Kelly asked whether the contractor would be obliged to reinstate the landscaping as it is. Cllr Waters replied that some landscaping would probably be included. Cllr Robertson stated that if it was not included, the council would be able to do some landscaping work. He added that by the time of the last Parent Council meeting of the session in June,  there would be a better idea of whether the project was on track.

  Continue reading Parent Council Meeting- March 2014 minutes →

News

Primary 5 Open Afternoons: Culture and Sport

Primary 5 will be showcasing the work that they have undertaken this term through a ‘Commonwealth’ theme. Dates are as follows:

Tuesday 17th June 13:45-14:45 for P5a and P5d 
Wednesday 18th June 13:45-14:45 for P5b and P5c 

Both events will take place in the P5 classrooms and children will share the skills and knowledge that they have developed in several areas of the curriculum this term.

News

Bannockburn P5

 P5a/b          Tuesday 10th June 2014
P5c/d            Wednesday 11th June 2014
As part of the Primary 5 Environmental Studies programme on the Scottish Wars of Independence, we have arranged a visit to Bannockburn. The children will take part in a workshop at Bannockburn Heritage Centre .
The classes will leave from school at 9.00am, accompanied by members of staff and return at 3.00pm.
There is a shop in the centre and we would recommend a maximum of £2, should you wish your child to purchase a souvenir.
The cost for the trip is £6, to include bus and workshop. The PSA will subsidise the remainder of the cost.
Please return the tear off slip with the payment.
.School uniform should be worn, including outdoor clothing suitable for weather conditions
.Packed lunch required
.£6 cost