Mount Pleasant Index

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23 FEBRUARY 2007

TERM 3 - DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Wednesday, 28 February            PSA Meeting

Thursday, 1 March 6.30 - Open Meeting for all parents - HMIe report

Thursday, 1 March Red Noses go on sale today

Saturday, 10 March P7 Edinburgh Trip Bag packing session – CO OP

Monday, 12 March 2.00 - SRTS Meeting – All parents/carers welcome

Friday, 16 March Dress in Red Day and Big, Red Nose Drive

Tuesday, 20 March         Glassforever Roadshow in school for senior pupils

Thursday, 22 March        Hosting Caithness Science Fair

Friday, 23 March            Hosting Caithness Science Fair

Wednesday, 28 March     PSA – Easter Bunny Drive /Deal or No Deal Evening

Friday, 30 March            Schools close at the usual time for Easter Break

Tuesday, 24 April    7.00 – Parents information evening in Wick High

MUSIC FESTIVAL
Please accept my apologies for my error in the information issued with children who have expressed an interest in taking part in the verse speaking part of the Music Festival.  The note should have read £2.50 for the first item and £2.00 for each item thereafter.  My apologies for any inconvenience caused.

PUPIL COUNCIL JANUARY SALE
The Pupil Council’s January Sale raised £148. 93.  Following their last meeting the Pupil Council decided to split this money and share it three ways:

            £50.00          to buy Art resources for the school

            £70.00          to help Gordon Smith get to the Paralympics

            £28.93          to keep in Pupil Council Funds for the time being.

HANDBOOKS
The school handbook and both Nursery handbooks have been up dated for 2007.  If any parents would like an up dated version for reference please contact the school office and one will be sent home by school bag mail.

HMIe REPORT – OPEN EVENING
I am pleased to say we have received a positive report following our inspection in November.  I will issue the school’s report from the HMIe to all parents on Monday, 26 February.  The report is to be published for the general public on Tuesday, 27 February.  See The Full Report Here
During this last week I have shared the report in confidence with all staff, the School Board and the Pupil Council.  On Thursday, 1 March there will be an Open Evening for parents from 6.30 – 7.30 to discuss the report with me or ask any questions you may have regarding the report.  I hope to see many of you at this meeting.

P7 EDINBURGH TRIP FUNDRAISING
The sponsored walk and Valentine’s Cake Day were both a great success.  Thank you to all the parents who helped supervise the children on the day.  All money from the sponsored walk should be in school by Friday, 23 February.  The cake day raised £52.39 and I would like to thank Mrs Leonard for all her hard work in baking for us.

We still have several blank spaces in the bag packing rota for the fundraising for the P7 Edinburgh trip.  If anyone is able to help out at all on Saturday, 10 March we would be delighted to hear from you.

INTER SCHOOLS QUIZ
Four P7 pupils represented the school in the Inter Schools Quiz held in Miller Academy on Tuesday night.  Overall the team came second after holding first place for four of the ten rounds.  Congratulations to Callum McClelland, Charlotte Gordon, Mark Smith and Callum Ferguson who did so well.  Thank you to the parents who came along to show their support.

HEAD LICE
In the last week or so I have had several calls from parents informing their child has head lice.  As you know we no longer send out class letters when this happens.  I would however encourage all parents to be vigilant in checking their child(ren)’s heads thoroughly on a regular basis.  The school nurse recommends fine combing as one of the best methods of combating this problem

NURSERY ENROLMENT
Nursery enrolment for both Nurseries will take place during the week beginning Monday, 19 March.  Adverts will be appearing in the local press soon informing parents of the enrolment arrangements.  Please watch out for these and pass the information to anyone you know with children of the appropriate age for Nursery 3 & 4.

SCHOOL CLOSED TO PUPILS FOR ELECTIONS

Please note the school will be closed to pupils on Thursday, 3 May as the school building is to be used as a polling station for the forthcoming elections.

NURSERY PANCAKE DAY
The Nursery would like to say a big thank you to everyone who bought pancakes on Tuesday.  This helped them raise £75 towards buying a new computer for the Nursery.

TERM 3 CHARITY
The Charity the school will be supporting this term will be ’Comic Relief/Red Nose Day’ which is to be held on Friday, 16 March.  Red Noses will go on sale to P1-7 pupils at interval each day from Thursday, 1 March.  Nursery pupils will be able to buy their noses from the office from that date at the beginning or end of each Nursery session.  We have a limited stock of noses so they will be sold on a first come first served basis.

On Friday, 16 March all children and staff are invited to take part in a ‘Dress in Red Day’ in return for a small donation towards the charity.  There is no set amount, this is up to parents to decide what is appropriate.  During the day P1-7 pupils will have the opportunity to take part in a ‘Big Nose Drive’ with one or two prizes just for fun!

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT/PARENT COUNCILS
I am aware that only one or two parents were able to attend the recent information evening held in Thurso High School.  This meeting is now being repeated in Wick High School on Tuesday, 24 April at 7.00pm and Mr Traill has very kindly agreed to host any Thurso parents who now wish to attend.

PSA NEWS
The next PSA meeting will be held on Wednesday, 28 February at 6.30pm.  We will be organising the next fundraising event and starting to plan the changes outlined in the new Parental Involvement Act.  Copies of PSA minutes are available on the school website and also on the notice board outside the school office.

The recent bag packing fundraiser raised £819.06.  This was a fantastic amount and I would like to thank everyone who contributed either by donating money or their time to help out.

The next fundraising event is the Easter Bunny Drive/Deal or No Deal evening, on Wednesday 28 March.  The PSA will issue further details shortly.

SCHOOL BOARD
Copies of School Board minutes are available on the school website and also on the notice board outside the office.  The next meeting will be held on Monday, 14 May 2007 at

7.00 pm.  Congratulations to the winner of the January School Board Prize Draw who was Kerry Sutherland (Hannah, P1).

COLLECTION ITEMS
Children should take all collection items to the school office or collection area first thing each morning to avoid disrupting classes.  We continue to collect:

·               Empty ink cartridges.

·               Stamps

·               Persil Coaching Tokens

·               Nestle Tokens

·               Old wellie boots

HOLIDAY/IN-SERVICE DATES

School Closes                                  School Opens (9.00 am on)
(at the end of the school day on)

Friday, 30 March 2007                        Tuesday, 17 April 2007

Friday, 4 May 2007                            Tuesday, 8 May 2007

Thursday, 28 June 2007                      Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Friday, 5 October 2007                        Monday, 22 October 2007

Friday, 16 November 2007                   Wednesday 21 November 2007

Thursday, 20 December 2007               Monday, 7 January 2008

Wednesday, 6 February 2008               Tuesday, 12 February 2008

Thursday, 20 March 2008                     Monday, 7 April 2008

Friday, 27 June 2008                           Tuesday, 19 August 2008

ALL DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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