ST. JOHN'S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL - AUTUMN 2004 AUTUMN 2004 - NEWSLETTER 1

Dates for your diaries:...

Thursday 30th September Harvest Festival - St. John's Church, 2.30pm - All welcome Monday 4th October Pathway Assembly Wednesday 6th October Coffee morning - 9.00am - D&T lab - all welcome Monday 11th October Visit by Bishop of Edmonton Friday 22nd October Young Shakespeare Company - Workshops - in school Friday 22nd October Break up for Half term Monday 1st November INSET DAY Tuesday 2nd November Young Shakespeare Company workshops - in school Monday 8th November Visit to Young Shakespeare Company - Arts Depot - Y3,Y4,Y5,Y6 - 1.30pm Saturday 20th November Christmas Fayre - 11.30-4pm Tuesday 21st December Globe Theatre visit "A Christmas Carol" - Whole School Wednesday 22nd December Last Day of Term - 2.30pm

Dear Parents,

 I would like to begin by thanking you on behalf of the staff and myself for the many presents, cards and kind words that we received at the end of last year. It means such a lot to us to know that you appreciate our hard work and that you express such gratitude for your children's happiness and success.

HARVEST FESTIVAL

As you know we will be celebrating Harvest with Father Kevin at St. John's Church on Thursday 30th September at 2.30pm. We welcome you all to join us. If you do attend the service, please collect your child from school at the normal time and place to avoid confusion and to ensure that we can keep the children safe. Thank you in anticipation for providing the children with harvest gifts which we will distribute during next week. For the parents of children who are not yet in full time school, if you would like to bring your child to the service please allow them to sit with you towards the back of the church behind the rest of the school.

 STAFFING

Miss Donna Latimer has a new role at school this year. She has been fortunate to have won a fully funded place on the Graduate Teacher Training Programme run by Middlesex University. This means that she will be working with us for the whole year in Y6 under the close guidance of Miss Philip. This scheme has tremendous benefits to both graduate and school. For us it means that we have acquired, albeit temporarily, an extra dedicated adult to work at the top of the school with our oldest pupils. This will enable us to provide more directed and focused work in smaller groups for these children at this crucial time in the schooling. Miss Latimer, as a graduate of French, will also be working with other classes in the school to provide our first introduction to the children of a foreign language as part of the curriculum.

We will be welcoming students into our school as usual this year. For this term we will be joined by Colin Blakely in Foundation 1 and by Alice Parker in Year 1. Both of these students are from the LDBS, with which we have a very close working parternship and we look forward to the benefits of having extra adults in the classroom. Both of these students will work directly from the plans already made for the children and will work under the supervision of members of the Senior Management Team. We hope to be joined by more students from Hertfordshire University throughout the course of this year.

E MAIL

Please note that from now on ALL correspondence will arrive with you via our e mail system. If we do not have your e mail address please send it to us as soon as possible so that we can keep on track with our aim to save both our planet and our money!

UNIFORM

For those of you who would like to purchase PE shirts directly from the school, they are now available for slightly less than those on offer from John Lewis.

JUNIOR PE     

As you know junior outdoor games lessons happen on Tuesday afternoons. The children may wear normal PE kit with white socks or if you wish they may wear the school football kit available from John Lewis. They need trainers as plimsols are too slippery for the tarmac and football boots would be useful when the ground is muddy.  When the weather gets cold they may wear the school navy tracksuit.

COFFEE MORNING

The first PTA coffee morning will be on Wednesday 6th October in the DT room. Please feel free to drop in and have a cup of coffee and a chat. Both second hand and new uniform will be on sale.

LDBS MAINTENANCE FUND

This is now due and can be paid in a lump sum for the year of £36.00 or in three termly payments of £12. Thank you to those of you who consistently pay this contribution promptly. As you know any shortfalls have to be made up from the school's budget. As this has a direct effect on the money available to purchase resources for the children we urge you most strongly to support us by settling your account as soon as you are able.

GREEK NIGHT

This was a fantastic success due to the hard work from many of tour PTA and other volunteer parents too and £1,284 was raised for the children. I would like to give a very special mention to Mirella Christoforou who worked tirelessly to make the evening just perfect. She persuaded many people (including myself and my husband!) to give generously of their products, their time or their talents and as a result a good time was had by all!

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS

Please note that the school photographs must be returned to Mrs Defoe by Thursday 7th October. After this date they must be returned directly to the photographers, the address of which is on the top of the envelope.

JANE MARTIN

29.09.04