At this very busy time of year, I would like to thank parents and carers for supporting the school. We have had a number of events including the Christmas Fayre, Christmas parties, Christmas lunch and Christmas clothing day. Parents have been incredibly generous and supportive of all of these events. We are able to send a large donation to the East Kilbride Food Bank for those who need it. Next week we will perform the Christmas show, hold more parties and enjoy the joint carol service with St Louise PS
PTC Christmas Shop
The PTC Christmas shop was open last week. Thank you to parents who helped purchase, wrap and sell the gifts. Pupils looked very pleased with their purchases. It raised £221 profit which will be used to support pupil experiences.
Volunteer Reading Initiative
Heathery Knowe Primary School and Nursery Class are continuing to promote reading and story telling as a key aspect of a child’s overall development. In the new year, we are planning a volunteer reading initiative. This will involve adult volunteers reading to individual / small groups of children for 15-20 minutes to promote reading for enjoyment.
This is an opportunity for inter-generational learning and promoting a shared culture of reading. If you, or someone you know, would be able to be a volunteer reader then please let the office know. All volunteers need to apply to have a PVG (Protection of Vulnerable Groups) check and a disclosure provided to school before they can start to volunteer.
Promoting Positive Relationships
The teaching staff team met on Thursday to discuss progress made in promoting the rules of ‘be safe, ready and kind’. The children have made excellent progress in the routines of ‘hands up for silence’ and ‘wonderful walking’ throughout the school.
The next targets within the school building and playground are ‘first attention to best conduct’ and ‘choose respectful language’. Children will be informed of the new targets when everyone is together on Monday morning.
- First attention to best conduct ensures that the children who are recognised and spoken to first are those showing the behaviours of being ‘safe, kind and ready to learn’. When adults enter classrooms, their first comment will always be to recognise the children who are upholding school rules and values. This may be individually or in a group. Staff will speak with children to ensure that they understand that unacceptable behaviour is not being ignored and will be addressed but that the first attention is always to those who are settled and ready to learn.
- Choose respectful language is part of the rule of being kind. The immediate focus will be incidents of swearing within the school or playground. Swearing is a choice and we are promoting a culture where children choose to be respectful to one another and to staff. If a child swears in the school or playground, a letter will be issued to parents to inform them and request a signature to acknowledge their child has engaged in an unacceptable use of language in school. This letter needs to be returned with the parent signature and will be recorded. This will apply across all areas of school including football in the MUGA pitch.
Practical Arrangements – Evening Performance
Children should be signed in at the dining hall for the evening performance and will go to class from there.
Adults who are staying for the performance should then make their way around to the front door to wait for the hall to open. As there will be children in school and moving around the corridors there will be no option to go through the dining hall and into the hall for the performance.
After the performance, children will return to classes and can be collected from there. Please collect your oldest child first and make your way down to the youngest. Rooms 6-10 are upstairs and 1-5 are downstairs.
If you are not attending the evening performance, please access the school through the front door at the end of the show and collect your child from class.
Children will not be allowed to walk home alone. If a friend / neighbour is collecting your child, please let the office know in advance.
Practical Arrangements – Pantomine
The pantomime at East Kilbride Village Theatre is 2 hours long and we expect it to finish at 3pm.
Children cannot be collected directly from the bus or theatre. Pupil safety is the first priority and classes will re-enter the school through the gym hall doors and to class in order to be dismissed through the normal exit doors. We expect this to be around 3.15pm and will ring a bell immediately before dismissal. Unfortunately it is difficult to predict the traffic and how long it will take children to leave the theatre therefore would appreciate if you could plan for children leaving school between 3.15-3.30pm. If you are unable to collect your child at this time, please ensure they know to come to the office to wait for an adult.
What’s on next week?
Monday – Show dress rehearsal – please ensure children have costumes
Monday – Whole school visit to pantomime at EK Village Theatre
Monday PM – Nursery Nativity
Tuesday AM – Nursery Nativity
Tuesday – 1.30pm and 6.30pm performances of ‘Bethlehem The Musical’
Wednesday – 1.30pm performance of ‘Bethlehem the Musical’
Thursday – Choir performing in local community
Thursday PM – P1 party and P7 treat
Friday – Joint carol concert with St Louise PS
Friday – Primary 4 party (P4 early lunch)
Friday – 2.30pm close for holidays
Thank you for your continued support
Kind regards
Kirsty Duff
