Hilhead Pages

Schools & Education

Hillhead Primary School - Newsletter

EASTER 2005

Dear Parent,

I thought I would put out another newsletter before the holidays and will probably follow this up with a short one early next term.

BADMINTON WINNERS
The Primary 7 after school badminton club recently held their annual competition.. The matches were strongly contested with the runner up spots being taken by Kyle Macleod and Chloe McKiddie. The overall winners were Alan McGee in the boys’ competition and Laura Hughes in the girls’ competition. Many thanks to Mrs Frame and Miss Mowat for running this after-school club.

CHESS CLUB
The Chess Club has now completed their Chess competition. The final placings were: 1st Rory Bamfield (P.7), 2nd equal Andrew Plowman P.7) and Alan Ferrier (P.4) 3rd Cassandra Henderson (P.5), 4th equal David Cormack, Laura Hughes (both P.7) and Reece Boyce (P.5). Many thanks to Mr Henderson and Mrs W. Mackay for their help in organising this club.

SWIMMING GALA
Well done to all of the pupils who participated in the inter school swimming gala at Wick Swimming Pool on Friday 11th March. Hillhead achieved second place only a few points behind the winners Pulteneytown Academy. Thanks to all of the pupils and parents who helped us in connection with this event.

CLASS TRIPS
A number of class trips have recently taken place. Primary 2 visited the fire station on the morning of March 16th . The pupils had a super time and even received a run back to school in the fire engine. On March 15th Primary 5 and 7 both visited the hands on Science exhibition, which took place in the High School. A number of pupils won Science festival tee shirts so well done to Jamie Bacon and Declan Mackay in Primary 5. Runner up prizes also went to Robyn Hughes and Zoe Sutherland. In Primary 7 Lewis Manson, Jodie Wilson, Chloe McKiddie and in Primary 7. Primary 6 pupils also visited an interesting problem solving workshop in Pulteneytown Academy, which was also part of the Science festival week. Primary 6 pupils also visited the Wick Heritage Centre on the afternoon of March 21st in connection with their project on Victorians.
A number of visitors have recently been in school. Ricky Coghill from Caithness Amateur Rugby Club took the Primary 4 pupils for an introduction to touch rugby on the morning of Monday 7th March. Suchen Christine Lim, a writer from Singapore spoke to the pupils in primary 5 and 6 about life in Singapore. Mrs Elsie Cormack and her husband, who now both reside in Thurso, also spoke to the pupils in Primary 6 of their wartime memories. Mr and Mrs Cormack are involved in the memorial garden.

RUGBY CLASSES
We are fortunate that once again Mr Frame (Mrs Frame’s husband) will be taking after-school rugby classesnext term. A starting date depends on how much the weather dries out the pitch but details will be given out early next term.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES
A number of classes are now engaged in exchanges with schools abroad. Mrs Sinclair’s Primary 6 class are currently in correspondence with a school in.Soissons in Northern France. Miss Donaldson’s Primary 1 class have exchanged cards and photographs with the same French school. They have recently produced a daily diary using pictures and writing to let their French pen pals know what a day at school in Scotland is like. Mrs Frame’s Primary 4 pupils have written to pupils in Toronto and an e mail received at school yesterday said that replies have now been posted.

ENROLMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION
A total of 22 pupils have enrolled for Primary 1 next session. A total of 25 pupils have been enrolled for nursery classes next session.. The school roll has held up well in Hillhead. Next session we anticipate the roll to be 214 (189 in the school, 25 in the nursery). This will probably make us the largest primary school in Wick.
 

Mr Green served some cakes, scones and produced a beautiful fruit display for pupils on Wednesday 23rd March.

THE EASTER BUNNY
In recent years the Easter bunny has always visited Hillhead prior to the Easter holidays. A few unconfirmed sightings of the bunny suggests that the bunny will again be visiting us this year. However in keeping with the idea of a health promoting school, the bunny will be a much leaner, faster moving creature – more inclined to hop than flop. The bunny has been freed from the weight of all these crème eggs. The Easter bunny will have small, lighter more active gifts for the pupils. I am sure the pupils will get just as much enjoyement from these small “spring” gifts. An exception is the nursery who will receive an egg inside a knitted chick, especially made by my mother! As part of an idea by the pupil council, every pupil will receive a free piece of fruit after the end of term service on the last day of term.

STUDENT PLACEMENTS
Miss Angus and Miss Coghill are now approaching the end of their placements at Hillhead. Their time at Hillhead has been a successful one for all concerned. We wish them every success in their teaching career which they will begin in August.
A new student teacher Mrs Fiona Ferrier will be placed with Primary 2 for the first four weeks of next term. Mrs Ferrier will take responsibility for the class for a two week period.

EDUARDO
Eduardo, the Peruvian mime artist and contortionist played to all pupils on the afternoon of Wednesday 9th March. The show was enjoyed greatly by all of the pupils.
 

STAFF TRAINING
On Friday March 17th Miss Donaldson and Miss Mowat both attended a course in Lybster. on ideas to deal with class management. Mr Budge attended a course in Nairn on new legislation relating to pupils with additional support needs.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUIZ
The usual general knowledge quiz will be given out to pupils in Primary 4, 5,  and Primary 6,  7 this week. I would encourage you to assist your child in particpating in this fun quiz. This particular quiz which covers a wide range of general knowledge has a seasonal theme which leads me on to the next topic which is the forthcoming Spring Fayre in the school.

FORTHCOMING SPRING FAYRE
A Spring Fayre would be held in the school on the morning of Saturday 16th April between 10.00am and 12 noon. A number of exhibits and activities will take place for parents and pupils. These include an exhibit of the pupil bulbs, face-painting and fridge magnets, ballooon sculpture and an opportunity to have something written in Chinese script. In addition there are two competitions which I would like to remind you of. These are:
A Spring Photo competition with an adult and pupil section in this photographic competition.. Photos or digital images of any size are acceptable. and welcomed at the school.
A construction competition, which asks pupils to produce a model from an egg box – it can be a chocolate egg box or a traditional egg box. It can be a model of anything as long as it uses an egg box in some way.

A stall similar in operation to a bottle stall will also operate, although instead of bottles, prizes will be put inside a glass jar or plastic containers. Any donations of prizes in a jam jar or Easter egg insert will be most welcome. A number of raffle prizes will also be required. Any donations of items for raffle prizes will be gratefully received at the school.

A PTA meeting to discuss this event will take place in the school on the evening of Wednesday 13th April at 7.00pm. All parents are invited to attend.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
The school will close for the Easter holidays on Thursday 24th March at 3.10pm and opens for pupil again on Tuesday 11th April. The school will also be closed for May Day on Monday May 2nd.

The last day of the summer term will be Friday July 1st 2005, when the school will close for the summer holidays. It re-opens to pupils on Tuesday 16th August 2005.
I hope you and your family all have an enjoyable Easter break.

Yours faithfully,

A Budge
Headteacher