Today, we all travelled to Green Pastures for their production of ‘Mary Poppins’. Everyone really enjoyed the show which was full of singing, dancing and great acting.
On 6th December some of our children went to sing on Radio Cracker in Montgomery’s Restaurant in Ballymena. They sang ‘Come and Join the Celebration’, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ and ‘It’s Christmas Time’. The children sang brilliantly. We were delighted to see so many parents, grandparents, relations and friends enjoying a cup of coffee as they listened to us. Thanks also to Montgomery’s for providing a snack for everyone.
In Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU), P6 and P7 have been looking at Children’s Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Children. They took part in a Webinar with the N.I. Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Koulla Yiasouma where they had an opportunity to ask questions. Two questions asked by the children were answered.
What do you think is the most important right?
What is being done to help children living in poverty in Northern Ireland?
After discussing the different rights, the children made a quilt illustrating the ones they thought were most important.
Congratulations to Harley, Archie, Tyler, Kelsey, Anna and Jane who received Lunchtime Awards for this half term.
Congratulations to all the children who received Headteacher’s certificates for November. The certificates awarded were, ‘Quick Recall of Table Facts’, ‘Excellent Listening’, ‘Great Writing’ and also the ‘Kind and Caring Award Certificate’.
On Tuesday 4th December P1 and P2 children, along with children from St Patrick’s Primary, participated in the first of three Shared Education, Forest School Sessions. They visited Portglenone Forest and Liz who is a Forest Education Officer, talked to the children about red and grey squirrels. They then followed a squirrel trail where they learnt lots of interesting facts about red squirrels - what they eat, where they live and how they move. They also tried to balance like a squirrel and jump like a squirrel.
For school use only
Alex visited P6/7 to remind them of the dangers of electricity. They learnt that electricity can ‘jump’, therefore it is very important to stay away from high voltage electrical pylons, sub stations, etc. Children also looked at a kite that had come in contact with power lines, a ball and jumper from a child who tried to rescue it from a substation. The message they heard was to always contact NIE to have items safely retrieved, never try to get something yourself.
Andrew, Harvey, Grace and Hannah who heard Alex’s NIE Safety talk.
P6 and P7 have been studying ‘Energy’ as their topic for World Around Us. They have been looking at renewable energy, and they got the opportunity to visit Long Mountain Windfarm on Monday 3rd December. Thanks to Richard and Brian from the Energia Renewables Firm, for taking time to tell all the children about the development and the maintenance of the windfarm. Everyone was given lots of information about wind turbines and Brian showed the children inside one of the wind turbines.
Today we were delighted to be able to sing at the opening of the Christmas Tree Festival at Rasharkin Presbyterian Church. P1- P3 sang ‘Away in a Manger’, P4 - P7 sang ‘Come and Join the Celebration’ and then P4 - P7 and the choir from St Patrick’s Primary School sang ‘ O little town of Bethlehem’.
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Our Christmas tree for Rasharkin Presbyterian Church Christmas Tree Festival, has now been decorated with the craft items made by all of our children. We will be singing at the opening of the festival on Friday morning at 11am. Everyone is invited to come along to this. Details of the opening times for the festival and also for the Community Carol Service on Sunday night 2nd December are on the leaflet.
Congratulations to Annie and Lucy from P5 who were winners in the Road Safe NI, poster competition. Schools within the Mid & East Antrim area were invited to submit entries and with 357 posters submitted, we were delighted that two of our children were chosen as winners. The presentation of a framed copy of the winning poster along with a £10 voucher from Fairhill Shopping Centre was at 5.30pm on Friday 23rd November. With thanks to Miss Young for helping the children enter this competition.
Last week was ‘Anti-Bullying Week’ and through various activities our children were encouraged to respect others. As a reminder that we are all different on the outside, but have the same feelings inside, we had an Odd Sock Day on Wednesday 21st November. P5 children decorated socks to show all the things that make them different. Our P1 and P2 children drew pictures of how they could be kind to each other and make someone smile. Evie, Lily, Beth and Robin told everyone how they would make someone smile.
We were delighted that Michelle McDaid from N. I. Air Ambulance came back to our school this week, to collect a cheque for £300 for the Air Ambulance. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this amount at our Harvest Assembly and through the sale of pens and wristbands.
The theme for Anti-Bullying Week 2018 is: ‘Choose Respect’ and Anti-Bullying Week runs from 12th - 16th November. In assembly this week the children were reminded about respecting other children and adults. They were reminded that even if people look different on the outside, inside we are all the same and have similar feelings and emotions. P3 and P4 had an ‘Odd Sock Day’ on Thursday to emphasise this point. Following on from this, we plan to have a whole school ‘Odd Sock Day’ on Wednesday 21st November.
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This half term, P3 and P4 are looking at the topic ’Water’ in World Around Us. They have been writing and drawing about things they already know about water, and are now beginning to investigate things they would like to find out about water. They have been drawing reflection pictures, looking at places where water can be found, making a Titanic model and looking at sinking and floating.
Every day our children are encouraged to have excellent behaviour at lunchtime, both in the dinner hall and in the playground. The supervisors give out certificates throughout the term. The children’s names are placed in a container and then two names from each classroom are randomly chosen to receive a special award each half term. The winners this half term were Ruby P2 ‘I stood in line with my feet forward and hands by my side’: Jane P2 ‘ Thank you for being a good example today’: Anna P3 ‘I played well with others today’: Emily P7 ‘I showed great sportsmanship’: Grace P7 ‘I was really kind to someone today’: Archie P4 ‘I showed great sportsmanship’: and Ryan P5 ‘Lovely Manners’
At out Harvest Assembly we received a cheque from Tullaghans Solar Farm. We have now purchased outdoor building blocks with some of this money. Yesterday the P1 and P2 children had a super ‘Outdoor Play’ session. The new building blocks were a real hit and the children created some wonderful structures with them. They also planted bulbs and tidied up around the garden.
Congratulations to all the children who received a Head Teacher’s Certificate for October 2018. Certificates were awarded for ‘Kind and Caring’, ‘Great Reading’, Always Remembering to Choose a Healthy Break’ and ‘Excellent Artwork’. Missing from the picture is Hannah P6 for Excellent Artwork.
Mrs Howe was delighted to get this wonderful message from the transport officer, commending our children’s behaviour on the school buses. Well done!
“I just wanted to let you know that I have been very impressed with the behaviour of all the children on all of the buses. I think it’s too easy for good behaviour to go unnoticed but credit where credit is due! All children were very polite, a few shy ones and a few not so shy. I can see they all have a good rapport with their respective drivers.”
Many thanks also to our bus drivers for all their hard work and patience with our children, it is very much appreciated.