St Bartholomews

This is the beginning of the last full week of school and can’t quite believe where the time has gone! However, it is also a very busy time of year with many tasks still to do for both pupils and teachers. Patience can be tested and with that in mind, I though I’d include an extract from ‘ Holiness foe Everyone’ by Elizabeth Ruth Obbard;

‘The more patient we are the more perfectly we are self possessed and calm, not allowing ourselves to be shaken by troubles and contradictions,whether they come to us from good people or bad.In fact, it is harder to bear the criticisms of the good and a greater test of our forebearance.

The true servant of God bears up no matter from what quarter criticism comes.Be ready to accept everything that God sends without picking and choosing.

Learn to be patient when suffering comes your way, especially illness or inconveniences of one kind or another, no matter what may be their source.

Quit complaining! It does no good to you or anyone else! Learn to turn your gaze to Christ Crucified and see his own patience under suffering.Then you will get a better sense of proportion about your own troubles.”

This is indeed food for thought.

On a completely different note…A wee reminder that Cheerleading after school club is on today, and as always, please remember appropriate kits and water bottles etc. Our pupils have loved taking part in this fantastic activity and I am sure that the new skills and fun they have had over a number of weeks will remain with them for a wee while yet.

Mrs Bolland 😀

cheerleading

Primary 1 – C-Jay

Primary 2 –  Gabrielle

Primary 2/3 – Lewis

Primary 3 – Sophie

Primary 4 – Jay

Primary 5 – Callum

Primary 6 – Neve

Primary 6/7 – Lauren

Cool Class Cup: Primary 1

The Knights of St Columba very kindly thought of St Bartholomew’s boys and girls when they dropped off a fabulous replica trophy of the 1967 European Cup that Celtic football club won in the championships. Two of our senior pupils surprised all the boys and girls yesterday afternoon when they visited classrooms to give them the opportunity to experience this significant piece of history. Celtic were the first British football club to win this trophy up until 1967 – what an achievement for a club less than 10 miles from the school!

Our local community Police officers will be paying St Bartholomew’s a visit at assembly time today. They will be giving the children some advice and information about the important of sociable behaviour within our communities. The consequences of unsociable behaviour will be explained to the children and they will have the opportunity to ask relevant questions and voice any concerns that they may have. A big thank you to Police Scotland for volunteering their services and keeping in touch with the younger members of the community.We are looking forward to it!

The nursery are hosting their annual summer fun day. There will lots of things for the boys and girls and their families to do and see. What a great opportunity for our families to experience some of the activities that go on in the nursery, with the addition of a wide variety of fun and entertaining activities. A big thank you to all of our nursery staff for organising this event.

Mrs Bolland 😀

Sports day was a great success…we had a huge turnout from parents and carers and all of our boys and girls participated with great sportsmanship.All of the events, without exception, ran like clockwork. The children had a ball and were delighted with their achievements –  some children looked liked they needed a wheelbarrow to take all of their medals home! Well done boys and girls, we are all very proud of you. Again, a big thank you to Mrs McLean for organising this event.

We have the football after school club on today and could we ask that kits  and water bottles are packed in school bags. I am sure that the boys and girls have learned a few new skills during their participation in this club and will put them to good use. Thank you to Vikki from NLC Active schools for helping us out with this.

Mrs Bolland 😀

Mrs McLean has been working very hard to coordinate sports day for some time now, with organising the grass being cut, running track lines etched,medals,banners,bibs and bands ….the list goes on.However,no matter how much planning and organising goes in to this special event, we are still at the mercy of the wonderful Scottish weather! As always, if the weather is unsuitable, we will cancel Sports Day and let all of our parents and carers know through our text system. Fingers crossed that the grass is not too wet, as we do not want the children to sustain injuries through slipping. Hopefully the rain will stay away and we can enjoy a wonderful fun filled day.We will keep you posted.

We have three after school clubs on today! Art with Mrs Carlin, Ballet with Mrs MacLean and Cooking with Ms Allington. Our pupils are so lucky to have such a wonderful choice and variety of fabulous activities. Thank you to all of the teachers for providing these opportunities for our pupils – it is greatly appreciated.

Mrs Bolland 😀

Two young ladies from our JRSO pupil voice group are kitted out with high visibility vests so that children can readily identify them in the playground if they need any help.This is especially for our younger children to feel safe and secure and it also allows our senior pupils to be responsible and mature. Well done girls!

The young man in our other photograph popped in to my offfice yesterday morning to show me his medal and trophy. This was the result of recent rugby matches and his team won every match.Certainly a team to keep an eye on for the future. Rugby is a great team sport and well worth sticking with.

Our Primary 7 pupils have been invited to St Ambrose High school this morning to take part in the audience for a dress rehearsal of the annual summer show. I know that the boys and girls will do us proud and represent St Bartholomew’s with great behaviour and good manners.It’s also another opportunity to visit the school and be familiar with, what will soon be, familiar surroundings.

We have two after school clubs on this afternoon,Tae Kwon Do and Jewellery making . I know that the children are feeling very proud about learning these new and very useful skills. A big thank you to Mrs MacFarlane for organising the parent and child Jewellery making club, I know that the children, mums and grans have loved it.

Mrs Bolland 😀

I had not one, but two talented young ladies in my office today…we seem to be very blessed in St Bartholomew’s with pupils who are very gifted in dance and gymnastics. These are wonderful activities to channel an interest, not least because they keep you fit and healthy. Well done girls!

In actual fact, we have our Cheerleading after school club on this afternoon and I am pretty sure that some of our pupils will be appearing at my door with medals and trophies from this activity. I look forward to it.

As you know, Sports Day is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. However, this is very much dependent on the weather as we do not want any of our boys and girls to slip on wet grass or to have their fun ruined with miserable wet weather. As always, we will text parents if there any changes. Thank you for your patience and continued support with this matter.

Primary 2 – Kalina

Primary 2/3 – Monique

Primary 3 – Jim

Primary 4 – Kelsey

Primary 5 – Robert

Primary 6 – Adam

Primary 6/7 – Nicole

Cool Class Cup: Primary 6/7

Our Primary 1 pupils are on a trip to the zoo today! They are all visiting Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder as part of class topic work and also just for fun… there is a wide variety of rescued animals, some large and some small. I believe that the weather is not scheduled to be great but I’m sure the boys and girls will have a wonderful time regardless. Please remember to dress the children appropriately for the outdoors.Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this matter.

Our pupil voice groups are meeting today with the P4 – P7 children’s group starting at 10.30am and the P1 – P3’s starting at 12pm. I known that the children look forward to voicing their opinions and helping to improve the school. I wonder who our pupils of the week will be this week? Tea with Mrs B was great fun last week and Mrs McLean even popped her head in the office to see where the party was – our boys and girls were laughing so much!

We will keep you posted as to the lucky ‘Pupils of the week’, winning house and  ‘Cool class cup’ later on today…

Mrs Bolland 😀

A reminder to all of our parents and carers that the school is closed to pupils on Thursday 8th of June as St Bartholomew’s is used as a polling station for the General Election.All of our staff will be in that day, working on a variety of initiatives and developing their professional skills. I hope that the boys and girls have a nice day off and come back full of energy for the last few weeks of terms!

Primary 1 are visiting the Five Sisters zoo on Friday, which links very nicely with their class topic. This is both an educational and fun trip. Although the weather forecast is not great, I am sure that it won’t dampen the children’s fun. There is so much to see and do that I am sure it won’t impact on everyone’s enjoyment. Again, a big thank you to our parent helpers for supporting us on this trip.It is much appreciated.  Talking of parental engagement…There has been incredible feedback from Mrs Carlin’s ‘Stay and Read’ initiative on Friday mornings. The children are encouraged to learn when they have the opportunity to ‘show off’ their fabulous reading skills to their parents and it allows mums and dads to see just how far the children have come.Well done boys and girls!

Mrs Bolland 😀