March 2015

Dear Parents and Children,

Here we are at the end of March and I can’t quite work out whether it “came in like a lamb and is going out like a lion” as the old saying goes or if it is the other way round as I seem to recall it being a bit chilly at the start of the month too. Hopefully the sunny days are just around the corner, although it is beautiful today, and we will all finally be able to shake off the persistent coughs and snuffles which have worn everyone down over the past few months.

It has been another busy term and we really enjoyed celebrating the children’s learning with you at the open afternoon yesterday and through our annual reports. On reading the reports I felt enormously proud of the children as their motivation and enthusiasm for learning came shining through each and every one. Of course we see this on a daily basis as the children come into school smiling and keen to get going and it is so rewarding to hear them speak about their time in school with us as positively as they do. I am sure you all enjoyed reading the reports too as they were particularly awesome! On behalf of you all I would like to thank the staff team for the hard work, commitment and care they devote to the children and to the life and work of the school. Inveravon is a purposeful and happy place and even as I write this newsletter I hear laughter ringing down the hall.

Our open afternoon went well and the children yet again rose to the occasion and gave us a very enthusiastic and comprehensive overview of their learning. Like many in the room I was quite astounded by how quickly they have learned and then performed a song which they sang in mandarin. What also struck me was the confidence with which the children all stood in front of us and talked about what they know. They have the ability to engage with their audience with ease and the whole afternoon had a natural flow and sense of harmony. Thank you to everyone who came along and took part.

We have enjoyed many visits and visitors to the school this term which the children have really appreciated and learned so much from. I won’t list them all as the best people to ask about who has been in are the children themselves but highlights have been Polly Burns from the Spey Fisheries board talking about pearls in peril, Brian Robinson explaining about electricity, Mr Finlay discussing oil production, Derek Bird informing us about the War grave commemoration, Julia helping to extend our German vocabulary and most recently Bella who has been introducing the children to Mandarin. Grateful thanks go to all who have supported the children’s learning and shared their knowledge and expertise with them. All of our visitors have commented on the variety of very good questions our children ask, their good behaviour and the very positive vibe in the school. Well done Inveravon.

In the last newsletter I mentioned that we are installing a new interactive Smartboard which we have decided to put into what is currently the active playroom. We will have quite a bit of moving of resources to do which is is not altogether a bad thing as we do need to have a good clear out, however it is a tad daunting so we will do it gradually over the next term and through the summer holidays so that everything is ready for the start of the new session in August. If the budget allows then we will have a look at how we can spruce up the classroom as well.

I also mentioned that we will be taking the children swimming on Fridays on a weekly basis for as long as we can next term but we will have to wait for Speyside High School to draw up their new timetable before we can say for certain how many sessions we can provide. The children are really looking forward to this and we are delighted to be able to make it happen. Time will be a bit tight so if everyone can practise drying and dressing themselves as quickly as they can over the holidays then they will be well prepared and we will get back to school in time for lunch.

Hopefully the warm days are just around the corner and we will manage to cast off the winter gloom and benefit from the spring air and sunshine. The playground is looking a bit forlorn at the moment but we hope to get out to start sprucing it up and bringing it back to life next term. We desperately need help with maintaining the garden area as the weeds seems to grow twice as quickly as everything else so if you feel you could help us out then please come along and do what you can. Mrs Lawson and the children struggle valiantly every year to get the planters filled with flowers and to keep on top of the weeds whilst trying to get vegetables to grow and she would really appreciate another pair of hands on a Tuesday afternoon. There will still be plenty to get stuck into on our Groundforce day so please keep that date free and come along to give us even just an hour of your time. I will issue a list of things we have identified that we need your help with after the holidays and no doubt we will soon have the problem of cheeky rabbits to contend with too………………any ideas?

Whilst it was great to see so many of you yesterday afternoon I appreciate that not all of you could manage along so I will take this opportunity on behalf of all the staff at Inveravon to wish you a Happy Easter and hope that you have an enjoyable holiday time together. I plan to spend some time with my two little grand daughters as I have not been able to see much of them recently.

Kindest Regards

Head Teacher

February 2015

Dear Parents and Children,

How brilliant is this weather! The lighter mornings followed by sunshine and longer days certainly cheers us all up and brings a smile to our faces. We all have much to be thankful for as we look around and appreciate the beautiful countryside we live in and our community which it nurtures. Bring on Spring!

Baby News

My newest granddaughter Isabelle Islay Cooper was born two weeks ago today so I am a grandma all over again. She is totally adorable and I am smitten! Hopefully she will make it up to Inveravon in the not too distant future to meet everyone here.

Life and Work of the School

We are going to be installing a new interactive whiteboard during the Easter holidays in order to ensure we keep abreast with the latest technology. Our dilemma is that we are not sure which is the best classroom as that would be the room we would install it in, so we asked the children to help us decide. They have used the Tug of War thinking routine (ask them about it!) to try to help them work out the pros and cons and come to a conclusion……..they are still debating it. Have you any opinions? Please let us know!

Starting after Easter we have organised for the children in P4-7 to have a block of swimming lessons at Speyside High School. Colin will drive them down and depending on the day we are allocated they will be accompanied by either Mrs Reid, Mrs Laing or Mrs Duncan. More information will follow but this is an exciting addition to our curriculum.

Our Unicef come as you please day raised about £15 which is great. The children were very thoughtful as they became aware of all the different reasons why so many children across the world don’t have access to education and their reactions and empathy were commendable. Well done everyone.

As part of our study on Sustainability we are in the process of organising a visit to Tesco to find out where our food comes from using their resource called Farm to Plate. More information will be provided when we have finalised all the arrangements.

Getting Out There

Earlier this month Inveravon Primary was yet again the venue for an Outdoor Learning training day which was attended by over 20 teachers from different schools across the authority and indeed some teachers from Highland were present. The content of the day was good and the delegates were able to make good use of our amazing local environment to plan what Outdoor Learning would look like back at their own schools. All were greatly envious of the wonderful opportunities we have right on our doorstep here where I think it’s fair to say that outdoor learning is embedded. The excellent behaviour of the children was commented on along with the bright and colourful wall displays and overall happy ambience within the school. Big tick for Inveravon!

Progress and Achievement

On Tuesday March 3^rd we are looking forward to seeing you all in school with the children to talk to Miss Smith about progress and next steps in learning. This will take the usual format of approximately ten minutes for each child. Can I ask that you all try to take heed of the time allocation in order to avoid the evening running late. (I know how tricky it can be!)   I am sure everyone will have lots to say as there is so much evidence on the walls, in the pukka pads, weekly reflection logs and home/school diaries about the fantastic learning which is taking place in the school and I can’t wait to read the reports. Mrs Bassett will send out appointment times with this newsletter.

Sharing our Learning

Finally there will be an opportunity for you to come along to school on Thursday March 26^th as the children want to share with you all that they have found out about Sustainability. I have loved seeing how this study has evolved and how interested and motivated the children are by it. It will be good to get together just before the end of term.

With only five weeks until the Easter holidays I am left wondering where on earth the time is going. In the meantime I have attached a dates for the Diary for you to keep and refer to. I hope life is treating you well and that you are happy and content. I look forward to seeing you all over the next few weeks.

Kind Regards

Dear Parents and Children I hope this newsletter finds you all well and surviving the gloom of November and the darker nights. I can’t believe that we are already more than half way through the month and got a shock yesterday when someone mentioned that we only have four weeks of term left after this one. That is a bit scary but we are launching the Christmas show today (aaaagh!) which is exciting for us all. I can guarantee that we will all be busy, busy, busy! Disco Regretfully I have taken the decision to cancel the disco which had been due to take place tomorrow night at Inveravon. There was little interest from other schools which made it unviable both financially and from a social interaction point of view. Maybe we can try again in the Spring term. Obstacle-athon Well what a great afternoon we had and the children were very wearied but happy by the end of it. It was great to see so many parents in school supporting the children and generally making the event the enormous success that it was. Thank you so much…all of you! If there is any sponsor money outstanding please try to get it back to us as soon as possible. So far we have collected just over £300 which is awesome. Winter Weather We recently issued all the Winter Weather information about school closures due to adverse weather etc and I do urge you to keep it all near to hand as the horrendous snowfall in America could well be coming our way in the next few weeks. It is the season for it so we must be prepared. As always I speak to Colin about road conditions before I make a decision in the morning and if either of us are in any doubt then I don’t open the school as the health and safety of the children is my utmost concern. However quite often we open when other schools don’t so on these occasions if you feel strongly that you don’t want your child travelling in snowy conditions the final decision about that will rest with you. Can you also make sure that if the conditions are wet and or snowy, that the children wear suitable clothes and footwear as we do encourage them to be outside if it is fair and dry above. Sledges can be brought to school on really snowy days as long as they are named. If children are sledging they must have waterproofs on as well. Parents Evening I think this should be renamed family night which was what one of the children described it as. It was certainly lovely to see everyone chatting together and sharing experiences over coffee and the lovely cakes. I am sure that you were all just as proud of the children as we were, as they took you through their learning over the last few months. It was impressive to see them conversing so easily in German and I have been particularly inspired by some of the comments and observations the children made about their “Community” study. Thank you all for coming and making it such a special evening. Festive Arrangements From now on we will be constantly rehearsing the Christmas Show aptly called “ Not Such a Silent Night” I think you can guess some of the main characters but once again there is a slightly different slant. Last year it was all about a profit driven donkey seller finally getting the message and this year sees Larry Lamb (nil points for originality there then) causing a bit of chaos by getting lost on his way to Bethlehem. The children are up for it and so are we. Happy days ahead I think! The show will be performed in the school on Tuesday December 16th starting at 7pm with the usual Festive Fayre afterwards. All are welcome and please bring along family and friends as it is always such a great night with everyone together. Panto Thursday Dec 11th Our trip to the Panto usually heralds the start of the silly season and this year will be no different I am sure. Aladdin will be up to his usual tricks at Eden Court in Inverness and I know the children will love it……..they always do. They will all be home later than usual that night and will be collected by parents from school…..usually the back of five but it varies depending on weather etc. We will issue an information flyer in the next few weeks along with a permission slip. The children will need a packed lunch on the day which they eat on the bus just before they go in to Eden Court. This year we are requesting £3 from each child to help with the cost of the bus which is being paid for by the parent Council along with the entry charge. Christmas Lunch This has been arranged for Friday December 12th Church Service We will continue with our tradition of joining with the staff, children and parents from Glenlivet Primary School at the End of Term Service in Inveravon Church on Thursday Dec 18th at 10am. You are all warmly invited to join us as we celebrate Christmas together followed by a “fly cup” back up at the school. Children’s Party Party frocks and glad rags are the order of the day for the afternoon of Thursday 18th as the children and staff let their hair down together at our annual Christmas Party. Parents are invited to join us later in the afternoon along with another special and very seasonal visitor at approx. 2.30pm but more information will follow nearer the time. All children will go home that day at 3.15pm. I think that just about rounds up the next few weeks and of course in between all that we are still expecting the children to work hard and be the best they can. We look forward to reading your comments in the blue home –school folders as they tell great stories about what the children are learning and of their successes and achievements. I have attached a brief version of all the dates for the diary for you to use as a reminder of what is happening. As ever I really look forward to seeing you all over the coming weeks as we share in the “magic” that is Inveravon Primary

 Kindest regards

Mrs Smith Head Teacher

September 2014

Dear Parents and Children,

What a lovely start to Autumn we are having and the countryside is beginning to adorn itself with its spectacular colours which I always look forward to. The children are enjoying the mild days so they can get outside to play and have fun together.

Our little school community is settling in well and we have welcomed three new pupils to our midst. Jade, Flora and Iona have brought their own special talents and wonderful personalities to the class and we are enjoying having them all with us.

The other week our Parent Council held its annual AGM where Tim Rogers was re-elected as chairperson, Stuart Cockram bravely volunteered to become secretary and Chris Roberts courageously took over as treasurer. Many thanks to these gents for volunteering their time and effort. Thanks also to our outgoing office bearers Brian Robinson and Emma Maguire who served us well in previous years!  It was good to see some new faces at the meeting and I can recommend the parent Council meetings to all of you. They are informal, friendly and informative. More importantly they work for the benefit of all the children in the school.

At the meeting it was agreed to purchase two i.pads for the children to use in school and I think this is already underway. Eventually these will be linked to the Moray Council Intranet but for the moment they will be used as standalone devices.

It was decided to hold a Beetle Drive as a fundraiser and also as a night where the school community can get together. The date was set for Friday October 3^rd and it would be really great to see all the children there with their parents. Beetle drives are a laugh! Please come along as now more than ever we need to ensure we raise funds.

Next week Miss Smith and myself are going to the Scottish Learning Festival in Glasgow where we have been asked to represent the authority and present our approach to Interdisciplinary Learning. This has been a major focus for our curriculum development for the past two years and we are still working hard to develop it. We have created a display which maps out our approach using the Big Ideas (Creativity, Community, Communication etc) and will present this to colleagues from across Scotland. It’s good to know that Inveravon is still recognised as being a centre of very good practice in Moray and that they have confidence in what we do here in our wee school. Mrs Bremner will teach on Tuesday followed by Mr Watson on Wednesday and Thursday. Mrs McCann will finish off the week by covering the class on Friday.

I know the children will enjoy themselves and will have positive experiences from these different practitioners.  Hopefully Miss Smith and myself will come back with good and invigorating ideas which we have heard about from other people too.

The school estate review is now drawing to a close and the proposals which have been drawn up will be announced next week.

School Fundraising Events

We have decided to hold another sponsored obstacle- athon on Wednesday  November 5^th  from 1.15 -3pm.

This will ensure that we as a school have sufficient funds to enable us to cover expenses throughout the festive season. The children will be issued with sponsor forms next week giving them plenty of time to get them filled up over the next few weeks. PLEASE don’t just put in your own names and then forget about them. Spread the load and involve extended family, neighbours and people who work with you.             The school fund balance is currently at zero!

We will have another Smartie Tube Challenge running over the next few months as well so check your change for 20p coins and pop them into the empty smartie box. When it’s full bring it to school. I thank you for your support in this matter, always remembering of course that it’s your children who benefit.

I have added a dates for the Diary Section at the end of this newsletter for your information.

I hope you are all well and I look forward to seeing you all soon

June 2014

Dear Parents and Children,

 With only three weeks to go the count down has really started. Cupboards are being cleared (again) and we are starting to look at what we are going to need for next session. Paints, paper, crayons pencils etc will all be ordered soon in readiness for when we come back in August.

Our P7s are all set for their visits to Speyside High and are looking forward to

them. They will have a chance to make new friends, meet new teachers and experience some of the activities they will enjoy when they start after the summer.

 Our school roll is set to stay much the same and we will have a few new faces in class next year. It’s all very exciting and we are looking forward to the new challenges.

 Fundraising

Our sponsored walk raised a total of £234.50. If anyone has money which is still outstanding we would appreciate it if you could hand it in to the school as soon as possible.

Bags 2 School only managed to raise £25 which was a bit disappointing this time. However there is only so much we can throw out so we might reduce this collection to once a year and consider different ways for fundraising.

 The school fund is extremely low and we will need to do something drastic next session other wise we will have to limit our excursions and opportunities we provide for the children. If you have any good ideas please let me know.

 Sports Day Start time 1.15pm 

I look forward to seeing you on Friday afternoon for our annual sports day with Glenlivet Primary. It’s always good fun and the children appreciate hearing you cheering them on.

 Summer Trip

The school trip this year sees us heading to Aberdeen on the train  (Colin will take us there in the morning instead of going to school) and we will leave Keith at 10.09am. That in itself will be great fun but then we are boarding the number 15 bus which will take us to Satrosphere Science Centre where we will have a chance to explore all sorts of fascinating things and take part in some workshops. Our return journey by train gets us in to Keith station at 16.37pm where Colin will be ready to collect us and take us all home. Tired but I should think very happy.  This will be paid for by the proceeds of the sponsored walk.

Parent Council Barbecue and Treasure Hunt Friday June 20^th 6.30pm 

Please put this date in your diary and come along to support the children and the school. We are putting together a treasure hunt for you all to take part in which will be followed by the usual barbecue and soft drinks. There will even be a prize for the winning team!

Leavers Assembly   Thursday July 3^rd at 11am

We will be serving teas and coffees from 10.30 onwards for those of you who can join us for our final event of the session. The P7s have prepared their own unique way of saying goodbye and we will sing a song together before we all head off on our different paths. Thankfully this year we are not saying farewell to any members of staff which must be the first time for quite a few years. It’s good to have a more settled feeling and we can all look forward to more years together as the community of Inveravon Primary.

Kind Regards

Mary Smith

Head Teacher

 March 2014

 Dear Parents and Children,

 We continue to be blessed by brilliant weather which has definitely shortened the winter for us all. I have only had to grit the playground and car park once this year so we have a significant surplus of salt and grit. That will be a wee saving on the budget next year as we won’t have to order any…..every little helps!

 It is hard to believe that we are nearly at the end of yet another term and that the Easter holidays are once again upon us. I hope you are all planning some fun things to do. I am looking forward to spending time with Arianna who at the grand age of two is highly entertaining. On her visit to my brother’s farm this weekend she was heard to say to the new lambs “Allo Lambie….whats your name?” Aw bless…….She is also very active and always on the go so I have to work hard to keep up with her. Can’t wait though!

 Open Afternoon

We are really looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow for our open afternoon. We hope to start at 1.30 promptly with the premier of the i movie which has captured the learning for this term. Then the children will lead you through some activities and presentations which will give you a flavour of what the learning experiences look like and feel like for the children. The afternoon will be rounded off in the classroom with teas, coffees and home bakes while you browse the children’s work and you will be sent home with a copy of your child’s report. They are awesome again this year and tell such great stories about the amazing learning that has been happening in Inveravon Primary.

Development of School Grounds

This can now become a reality thanks to the very generous donation of £1300 from Glenfiddich Distillery.  This was gifted to the Parent Council following a request to the distillery via Brian Robinson and on behalf of everyone in the school community I would like to extend our thanks to the “Local Employee Forum” of Glenfiddich Distillery.   

 It is a tremendous boost and means we can hire in a digger to scoop out the ground up the back of the school to create a designated wetland area and can now afford to have a wooden platform made to provide a safe and dry route over it. We have plans to create a signed walkway which could be used as an educational experience for visitors to the area. The children will of course be involved at every stage during their weekly eco sessions with Mrs Lawson and the staff.

 If you would like to help us out we would be very grateful of an extra pair of hands or any expertise you may have. This has been a long time in the planning and I am really excited to think that it is coming to fruition at last.

 Science and Engineering Week

Last week saw science and engineering activities taking prominence in our curriculum On Tuesday morning the children rose to the challenge of making the Tallest Tower using a specific amount of Knex pieces. This was organised by Ann Larkham the Knex Generation Ambassador in Scotland. The winners were Kole and Olivia whose tower was a stupendous 133cm high! Everyone is to be congratulated for effort and perseverance and it was good to see such great team working and cooperation.

The children in P6 and P7 joined their peers from Knockando on Thursday to attend the  Science Festival in Elgin. While they are away Mrs Macdonald kindly volunteered her services again to carry out some experiments with the children in

 P1 – 5.

 The week was due to culminate with a visit from the Eco Schools Green Flag assessor to see what the children have been doing since we were awarded our last green flag. However that had to be postponed at the very last minute and will now take place this Wednesday.  Busy Busy!

 Environmental Awareness

Our salmon eggs have all hatched and are doing well in their wee fridge at the back of the classroom. We monitor the temperature daily and make sure the water is clean by removing those which have not survived. Currently they are still feeding off their yolk sacks but are due to be released on Wednesday March 26^th. If you would like to join the ceremonial march down the road to the burn then please join us. We will advise you of the time on Tuesday.

 School Education  Review and Staffing Update

 The debate about the education review rumbles on and another meeting has been called for Parent Councils to attend in April. Please try to find the time to complete the Moray Council survey and the Inveravon Parent Council Survey as your opinions are important.

 The good news this week is that the position of Principal Teacher, which has been vacant since Mrs Ducrocq left us at the end of her maternity leave, is now going to be advertised. This has been filled by Miss Smith on a temporary basis for this session.

It would be my hope that the post is filled before the end of the summer term which will remove at least one uncertainty.

 School closes at usual times on Friday March 29^th for two weeks and reopens on Monday April 14^th and then we are off again on Good Friday April 18^th.

 Kind Regards

 Head Teacher

February 2014

Dear Parents and Children,

How brilliant is this weather! The lighter mornings followed by sunshine and longer days certainly cheers us all up and brings a smile to our faces. We all have much to be thankful for as we look around and appreciate the beautiful countryside we live in and our community which it nurtures. Even after all these years I never cease to be delighted by the views as I drive to work, particularly as I come up and over the hill at Glenfarclas where the valley opens out before me. Truly awesome! (Even on rainy days)

Looking to the Future

No doubt you will have read the headlines in the Northern Scot as the findings of the Sustainable Education review are shared with you all. Interesting times lie ahead and I urge you all to have your say and respond to the surveys etc. (See link below) We must always remember that these children in our wee school and in our community are the future!

www.moray.gov.uk/futureschools  

Life and Work of the School

Life Cycles and how we can help

There was a lot of excitement last week with the arrival of our salmon eggs and the children are really buzzing about the project. We are working with the Spey Fisheries Board to rear salmon eggs which will eventually be released into the burn below Mrs Lawson’s house from where they will make their way to the Spey. I recall doing this many years ago and keeping them cool was a major issue at the time so the tank of eggs ended up in the boiler house as it was the coolest area in the school. It was not too handy for checking them though and we lost quite a lot. These days however they come with their own mini fridge and all the mod cons so they are very comfortable sitting at the back of the classroom where we can keep an eye on them. It will be so exciting seeing them hatching out!

Thinking of others

Our Unicef come as you please day raised about £25 which is great. The children were very thoughtful as they became aware of all the different reasons why so many children across the world don’t have access to education and their reactions and empathy were commendable. Well done everyone.

Getting Out There

Earlier this month Inveravon Primary was the venue for an Outdoor Learning training day which was attended by over 20 teachers from different schools across the authority. The content of the day was good and the delegates were able to make good use of our amazing local environment to plan what Outdoor Learning would look like back at their own schools. All were greatly envious of the wonderful opportunities we have right on our doorstep here where I think it’s fair to say that outdoor learning is embedded. The excellent behaviour of the children was commented on along with the bright and colourful wall displays and overall happy ambience within the school. Big tick for Inveravon!

Progress and Achievement

This week we are looking forward to seeing you all in school with the children to talk to Miss Smith about progress and next steps in learning. This will take the usual format of approximately ten minutes for each child. Can I ask that you all try to take heed of the time allocation in order to avoid the evening running late. (I know how tricky it can be!)   I am sure everyone will have lots to say as there is so much evidence on the walls, in the pukka pads, weekly reflection logs and home/school diaries about the fantastic learning which is taking place in the school and I can’t wait to read the reports.

Spreading the Word

We have had a lot of interest from other schools about how we are developing our topic work, weekly reflection logs and the use of thinking routines.  This means that there are quite a few visitors appearing in the classroom to see what is going on and to speak to the children who take it in their stride and are keen to share what they are doing and how it helps to support their learning.  Happy days!

Our annual Science and Engineering Week starts on Monday March 17^th.  I am calling on all the engineers and scientists out there amongst you to come along and talk to the children or carry out some activities which will help them to develop their understanding of some of the basic principles of these two vital areas of the curriculum.

At the moment we have booked a workshop delivered by a representative from K’nex Generation who will investigate tall structures with the whole school. Later in the week on Thursday 20^th the children in P6/7 will attend the Science Festival in Elgin.

Mrs MacDonald has kindly agreed to come in to school to work with the rest of the class that morning. As you can see there are plenty of available slots for you to join us.

Rounding off the week on Friday the 21^st we will present our Eco activities to Anne Black from Eco Scotland in support of our green Flag application.

Sharing our Learning

Finally there will be an opportunity for you to come along to school on Tuesday March 25^th as the children want to share with you all that they have found out about Communicating as 21^st Century Global Citizens. I have been fascinated by the work they are doing and find it intriguing how they are linking our Pictish Stones to communication in the present day. Come along and see for yourselves how it’s done as I know you will be amazed!

As I write this newsletter it is a glorious day outside and there is a feeling that spring is in the air. Hopefully we will get out and about even more with the children. With only five weeks until the Easter holidays I am left wondering where on earth the time is going.

I hope life is treating you well and that you are happy and content.  I look forward to seeing you tomorrow and over the next few weeks.

Kind Regards

Mary Smith

Head Teacher

Inveravon Primary

January 2014

Dear Parents and Children

Happy New Year to you all and I sincerely hope that 2014 treats you well.!

It’s great to be back at school after the festive season which is generally not such a restful time. I really like being back into the routine of getting up early and getting on with my day and of course being back with the children is such a joy.

Many thanks to everyone who came along to the magnificent performance of The Donkey Seller which provided an extremely entertaining and enjoyable night for us all. It was great to see so many of you there and for us to have time together as a school community. I know that for many of you the Christmas show is the highlight of the year and in lots of ways I have to agree with that as there is always such a special feeling in the school on the night of the show. It was so rewarding for us to see the children performing on stage and enjoying every minute of it.

As the final chorus said……”Amazing things have happened round here!”

Weather wise it’s a case of so far so good and we hope it continues but with just enough snow on the higher ground in a few weeks time for our intrepid skiers who will be away week commencing January 20^th. Mrs Laing has once again volunteered to accompany them along with the Knockando children and we are all very grateful for her enthusiasm and commitment as it is really a case of being on duty 24/7 on a residential trip. I hope everyone has a great week.

Should snow arrive over the next few weeks please make sure you have the appropriate numbers for the Adverse Weather Phone line handy (Mrs Bassett sent out the information last term) and there is also a dedicated page on the Moray Council Website. As ever I will always try to have the information available to you by 7.15am at the latest.

We are looking forward to hosting our Creativity Open on Monday  afternoon where the children will present their learning from last term. They explored the concept of creativity and now realise that everyone can be creative in all sorts of different ways…….but I wont say any more as the children  will be able to tell you all about it far more effectively than I will.. I look forward to seeing you all on Monday afternoon. What a great way to start a new term!

As ever the new year is starting to look quite busy and the weeks and months will fly past. We hope to start the redevelopment of the area behind the school building in earnest this year to create a wildlife and nature trail which will be open to the wider community to use so if you have any ideas or any spare time and would like to get involved we would love to have you with us. Let me know if you are interested and I will contact you when our plans are a bit firmer.

I am also planning to ask PC Mark Potter our Police Liaison officer to come and talk to the children about internet safety quite soon. Providing a safe environment for our children is a basic right and a responsibility we all share, not only in the physical world but increasingly within the online world where many of our children play and communicate with each other. Online technologies bring a different set of responsibilities and issues for safeguarding our children that are often hard to understand, track and manage and we really do need to know what our children are doing when they use the internet. Once the date has been arranged I will let you know and you will be more than welcome to come along to hear what PC Potter is saying to the children and to ask him any questions you may have.

I have attached a dates for the dairy on the next page for you to keep handy.

In the meantime stay warm and stay safe.

Kind Regards

Head Teacher