Hilhead Pages

Schools & Education

Hillhead Primary School - Newsletter

Dear Parent,

PUPIL COUNCIL BUSINESS
A meeting of the pupil council was held on the afternoon of the 31st January. A number of important issues were decided. These were:
It was decided that a piece of fruit would be given to each pupil in the school on three occasions this term.

Pupils had already discussed in class about what Hillhead could do for the Highland Council Day of fundraising for the Tsunami appeal. After much discussion it was decided that Wednesday 10th February – Big Heart day - should be marked at Hillhead with a pyjama day. Pupils would pay a minimum of 50p each to wear their pyjamas all day. Mr Budge would also investigate the possibility of a quiz where people had to identify members of staff through child pictures. Primary 7 pupils are also to offer pupils the chance to put a message across the screen in the main hall, which would appear throughout the day for 50p

It was also decided that the pupil council could help set up a scheme which would encourage pupils to read more books.

TSUNAMI SQUARES APPEAL
A massive wall map of the area affected by the Tsunami now hangs in the school-dining hall. It has been broken down in to small squares – more than 1000 of them and pupils, staff and visitors to the school have been paying 20p to write their name or the name of something else in each square. Nicknames, football teams and pet names have also proved popular. Although trade in the squares has been brisk, there are plenty to go around. If your child has still to sponsor one, they can do so at any school tuck time.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUIZ
The Christmas Quiz once again threw up a number of all correct entries. The eventual winners who was picked from this group were Jordan Oag in the Primary 4/5 quiz and Rachel Munro in the 6/7 quiz. All correct entries were received from:
Primary 4/5, Jasmin Camus, Hannah Deverson, Kara Plowman, Matthew Sinclair and Tanya Howden

Primary 6/7 Matthew Thain, Chloe Graham, Lauren Sinclair, Alexander Macleod, Gemma Smith and Laura Hughes.
Well done to all who entered.

SCHOOL SECRETARY
Following interviews last week, Mrs Elder was appointed as the new school secretary. She has been covering in the office on a temporary basis since Mrs Bruce’s retirement.

FLOWER BULBS
Last November all pupils received a flower bulb in a container. Hopefully they have all made it this far and will be ready to show well for spring. It is intended to have them in to school the first week back after the Easter holidays – week beginning April 11th.

PTA MEETING
There will be a PTA meeting at 7pm on the evening of Thursday 17th February to discuss the possibility of an event connected to the spring flower display. The meeting will be held in the school staff room. All parents are invited to attend.

PRIMARY 5 SCOTS SONGS
For the last four weeks Primary 5 pupils have had the experience of a weekly one-hour lesson on Scots songs by Lillian Ross. The lessons culminated in a performance to the school on January 31st when the pupils from Primary 1 to Primary 4 were treated to a variety of traditional Scots songs with actions

NURSERY BOOK BAGS

The school was fortunate in recently obtaining almost £700 of funding to purchase books for the nursery to support parents reading to their child at home. This scheme entitled “Home from Hillhead” will see parents receive a total of 9 books, one per week, over the next nine weeks to read to their child. Ratings for each book will be taken and a top-ten chart will be drawn up. It is also intended to publish a newsletter every two to three weeks informing the nursery parents about the books and attitudes to them so far. Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils were given the opportunity to design a logo, which would appear on this newsletter. The two winning entries were received from Rona Plowman and Lauren Sinclair. They are both displayed below. Rona’s to the left and Lauren’s to the right as you look at them. The logos, which they designed, will now appear in the banner heading of the Home from Hillhead newsletters. Anyone who wishes a copy of this newsletter can obtain one through the school office. I will also post it on the local web site www.caithness.org .

SCHOOL BOOK FAIR
The school will be holding its annual book fair Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th February. This has been chosen to coincide with World Book Day on Thursday March 3rd, which every pupil receives a £1 book token for. These tokens can be used against purchases at the fair.

WWW. CAITHNESS.ORG WEBSITE
The school newsletter is now also available on the local community web site www.caithness.org . All of the monthly newsletters from January 2005 will be available on the Hillhead page on the web site. The site is a very well organised one, which is of great interest to many people in the community. It is also intended to use the site more to provide details and pictures of some of the events, which are going on in school.

BRING and BUY SALE
Once again there were many happy customers at the Primary 7 Bring and Buy Sale, which was held in the school on Wednesday 26th January. There were so many that I have put a selection of satisfied customers on an accompanying sheet.

CHINESE NEW YEAR
The celebration of the Chinese New year takes place within the period 15 days from February 9th. The New Year will be the year of the rooster. It is intended to mark this with a Chinese meal for the pupils served in the dining hall at lunchtime on Thursday 24th February. The hall will be decorated with wall displays and Mr and Mrs Lai (Primary 7 pupil Kimmy’s Mum and Dad) have kindly offered to support the school in this venture. Mr Lai will be visiting the nursery to demonstrate to pupils how to cook a Chinese dish in a wok. Mrs Lai will also be visiting the nursery to show the pupils some Chinese calligraphy skills. The Chinese New Year Meal event will be a fun one for your child to attend and they can participate by paying for a school lunch that day at the participate by paying for a school lunch that day at the price of £1.45 All children including nursery children may attend and special nursery times for that day will be notified in advance. A Chinese menu for the day will be sent home shortly.

KEEP FIT SESSIONS
Following the departure of Ms Diane Ross for maternity reasons, Mrs Fiona Harper will be employed by the school to take keep fit sessions. This term, nursery pupils, Primary 4 and Primary 5 pupils will take part in the lessons on a Thursday morning. Nursery afternoon pupils will also enjoy a slot on Thursday afternoons starting Thursday 17th February at 2.30pm. It is useful if your child wears training shoes for these lessons.

SCHOOL DINNERS
The kitchen has now produced a new compact school lunch menu. All the choices can now be seen on one sheet and next week is to be WEEK 1 on the menu.

FREE MAGAZINES
Each pupil in the school will be given a free copy of a news magazine entitled “Whatever”. It covers an interesting range of news stories which will interest young minds. Although we have been given one free for each child it probably is of most relevance in the upper primary school. Do encourage your child to read it.

BIRTHS BIRTHS BIRTHS

IN SERVICE DAY
On Thursday 10th February the school is closed to all pupils for an in-service day. The school is closed for the long weekend on Friday 11th February and Monday 14th February.

Yours faithfully

A. Budge
Headteacher