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Hillhead Primary School - Newsletter

At Hillhead we aim to make our children successful learners. Our pupils will value themselves as individuals and strive to achieve their full potential. We will provide them with a variety of stimulating learning experiences in a caring environment.

MAY 2006

Dear Parent,

Already two weeks have passed of this final term of session 2005 – 2006 and as ever it will be a very busy term for the school. This term not only involves our school reports to you but also parent meetings, sports days, school trips and the production of the school development plan for next session. Some of the important dates of the term are shown below.

DATES for THIS TERM

Week beginning June 5th Music Festival Week.

Week beginning June 12th Report cards are given out

Monday 12th June: School entertains ladies of the Salvation Army

Tuesday 13th June 1.30pm Senior Sports Primary 4 to 7. (on Wednesday 14th if weather is poor on Tuesday)

Thursday 15th June 1.30pm: Infant Sports Primary 1 to 3 (on Friday 16th if weather is poor on Thursday)

Wednesday 21st June: Parents night 6.00pm – 9.00pm.

Thursday 22nd June Parents night 3.30 – 6.00pm

Friday 30th June: School will close just after midday.

PTA MEETING
There will be a PTA meeting held in the school at 7.00pm on Tuesday May 8th to discuss a PTA event for this term. All parents are welcome and are encouraged to attend. .

A CURRICULUM for EXCELLENCE
Some of you may be aware that there are soon to be some significant developments in Scottish education. These changes have been considered since the national consultation which the Scottish Executive had about Scottish education in 2002. The changes will have a profound effect on the curriculum within all Scottish schools. The major aims of the new curriculum are: reducing overcrowding in the curriculum, make learning enjoyable, equipping young people with skills they need now and in the future and making better links between different curriculum areas. There has been a special emphasis on the outcomes of education and four features have been identified as being of particular importance for pupils who come through the Scottish education system. These are successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.. At Hillhead the report cards this session will now identify areas of strength and possible areas of development which every pupil has with regard to these four capacities. Please do fill in the questionnaire about the school and the Curriculum for Excellence which accompanies this newsletter.

I think that Hillhead is well placed to accept the challenges of these developments. I am sure that over the next few years you will hear much of these developments and I will certainly keep you informed of changes in school which result from them. .

MATHS DAY
One of the features of last years development plan was to hold a Maths day – a day in which pupils would be involved in Maths activities. This has now been set for Monday 22nd May

PRIMARY 7 TRIP TO YORK
The Primary 7 pupils will be taking their annual trip to York in the week beginning May 15th. They return on Friday May 19th. The week's activities will involve visits to attractions in York, The Deep Aquarium in Hull and Flamingoland Theme Park.

E.T. PHONE HOME BOARD
This term the school will trial a new “ET Phone home” board. The board will be displayed in the library. On this board, each class from nursery to Primary 7 will identify a pupil whose efforts in the classroom deserve to be recognised. The pupil may have been very hard working, had some learning success or helped the class in some way. This pupil will receive a note or phone call home to pass on the good news to his parent/s and also have his name displayed on the ET Phone Home board for the next fortnight. The board has just started up but already we have a few names on it. The infant classes have nominated the following pupils: Primary 1- Declan Gunn (good listening), Primary 2 Robbie Davis (lovely painting) Primary 3 Lianna Fraser (hard worker and polite) Primary 4 Emma Duncan (bringing in items for class topics) Primary 5 Rachel Graham (good concentration on her work) and Primary 6 Tanya Howden (general application to her work). The next newsletter will contain names from pupils of each class who have had word home about their success in school.

TANGRAM CHALLENGE
Many pupils entered the Tangram challenge which was set over the Easter holidays. Table 1 shows the return from each class with Primary 7 easily topping the list.

Class

% of entries returned

Class

% of entries returned

Nursery

25%

Primary 4

48%

Primary 1

56%

Primary 5

38%

Primary 2

48%

Primary 6

29%

Primary 3

38%

Primary 7

87%

Mrs Joan Cormack (Learning Support Auxiliary in school) very kindly negotiated with the Easter bunny and took 4 large eggs and a soft toy to school for the pupils. The four eggs have been shared by the four classes with the highest returns for the tangram competition Each class has a winner. They are:

Class

Winner

Picture

Nursery

Alannah Hay

Mermaid

Primary 1

Calum Paterson

Diplidocus

Primary 2

Greg Morgan

Windmill

Primary 3

Morgan Robertson

Rocket

Primary 4

Katie Cunningham

Robin Hood

Primary 5

Tommy Burns

Chicken

Primary 6

Heather Mackay

Robot

Primary 7

Paul Cameron

Running Dog

RAG RUGS
You will recall that last term the pupils in Primary 4 to 7 were all involved in the traditional craft of rag rug making with the artist Sally Orr. The children produced small squares and Ms Orr has now sewn together a number of the squares to create a wall hanging. In line with the school aim of contributing to the community in a positive way, these wall hangings will be gifted to some public buildings in the town. In the past artwork from pupils at Hillhead has been donated to the local Health Centre, Caithness General Hospital, Wick library, old folk’s homes plus a number of offices and shops in the town. If you are aware of any public premises in Wick which might benefit from a rag rug hanging, then please get in touch with the school.

AMERICAN AUTHOR VISITS
On Monday 24th April, the American author Berwyn Butler visited school to speak to the pupils in Primary 6 and 7 about her latest book. “Dinky Doorknob” is a story set in a house in Thurso road, Wick. The pupils enjoyed her visits and two copies of her novel were left with the school. Copies are also available to purchase in D.R. Simpson’s newsagents.

PARENT TIP SHEET
The May Parent Tip sheets accompany this newsletter. I hope you will find the ideas useful to have some educational fun with your child.

NURSERY POST
At interview last Monday, Mrs Wilma MacGregor was the successful candidate for the post of Early Years Worker in the nursery. Her official start date is May 18th when she will work Thursday and Fridays in the nursery. She will replace Mrs Banks who will now be working from Monday to Wednesday. Mrs MacGregor will be visiting a day each week over the next two weeks to familiarise herself with the nursery routine. Miss Fry who was a very late placement in the nursery from Aberdeen University has now finished her four week placement in the nursery. Miss Lynsey Falconer is currently on placement in Primary 2 from the North Highland College from Monday to Thursdays each week.

BIRTHS BIRTHS BIRTHS
HAGAN, JAMIE. A little brother for Max from the nursery. Young Jamie was born on April 15th and weighed in at a very healthy 9lbs 12oz. Big brother Max says “ He cries a bit and looks a bit like me.”

Ryan Gow in Primary 3 has a new baby sister called Mari. Mari was delivered on April 15th and weighed in at 7lbs 12oz. Big brother Ryan says that his new sister is “nice and quiet.”

Yours faithfully

A Budge
Headteacher