RADIO CRACKER

This morning the children from P6 and P7 went to the Fairhill Centre to sing on the Radio Cracker Christmas Radio Station. They sang three songs from their ‘Superstar’ Christmas Musical.

Thanks to the parents who came along to hear us singing.

Christmas Concert

Our Christmas Concert was held on 14th December in Rasharkin Presbyterian Church Hall. A special thanks to the Committee for allowing us to use the hall for practising, and also for the concert. We were delighted to see so many parents and friends joining us for this very special occasion for our children. We had a piano solo from Mark P6 and a violin solo from Jane P6.

P1 -P3 children performed ‘The Tale of the Christmas Tree’.

P4 - P7 Children performed ‘Superstar’

I think you will all agree they were really brilliant.

Christmas Resources and Support

See below some options for support for families and young people in need over the Christmas period shared by Health and Wellbeing Officer - Causeway.

The Christmas Edition of the Children & Young People’s Resource Pack is available now, by clicking here.

Packed full of Christmas resources on disability, mental health, bereavement and more, plus lots of activity ideas to help keep the kids entertained over the holiday period including colouring and activity sheets and play, craft and snack ideas.

Causeway Coast and Glens Council

 

See website for links to support including

  • Advice Centres

  • Foodbanks

  • Fuel Support

  • Social Supermarkets

  • Wellbeing Support

  • Regional Support

 www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/advice

A Bite Above Ballymoney Free Christmas Dinners (for people alone and in need)

 FREE Christmas Dinners to anyone on their own this Christmas

We will be doing this again this year please pm the Facebook page or call 276 63331 and we will put your name down for collection on Christmas Eve before 4pm

Would like take this opportunity to thank all our customers for their support the past 12 YEARS!!!!!

We really do appreciate it and this is just small token to give something back to the community

 

P4/5 Shared Education Christmas cards

The children in P4/5 decided to make Christmas cards for the children in St.Patrick’s P5 class. They have recently completed their shared education project together and developed some lovely friendships during that time. It is great to see the children keen to keep in touch with each other.

Online Safety

Many children and young people will receive new devices and computer games for Christmas, PSNI have produced this letter with advice for helping to keep them safe.

Football Team

With thanks to Coaching for Christ for their support, we have been able to enter a school team in a local football tournament. The team below played against five other schools, and we were delighted when they were second overall. Well done!

They are all looking very well in their new kit. Harry (P7) had previously won an art competition and spent his ‘school prize money’ on new kit. Many thanks.

Low Cost Play Ideas

With the cost of living crisis impacting families across Northern Ireland, PlayBoard has developed a new resource highlighting a range of low-cost play ideas.

 

Play is central to children’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. All children have a natural urge to play and that need will remain, even during times of economic hardship. Play activity does not need to be expensive or involve costly toys and gadgets - there are many ‘free and found’ play opportunities that already exist within our schools and other settings.

 

Play in times of hardship has practical play ideas and activities which can be enjoyed at little or no cost. https://bit.ly/playintimesofhardship

 

Assembly Awards for November

We were pleased to recognise children’s efforts to be ‘Kind and Caring’ and ‘Remembering to Choose a Healthy Breaktime snack’ in our November awards. As lots of our children do make efforts in both these areas this was a very hard choice for teachers to make. Well done to those children who got awards.

At this assembly, Lynda McAuley, CEF, shared a Christmas assembly with children and very kindly gave each child a calendar.

Community Carols

With the help of expert musician, Anne McCambridge, and in conjunction with the Rasharkin Village Association, P6/7 have been busy preparing for community carol singing in Rasharkin village. Anne has worked with the children to sing in parts and rounds. It seems like we will be in a for real treat on Friday 16th December.

Anti Bullying Week Assembly

We were very pleased to have Eve and Katie (Scripture Union staff) with us during anti-bullying week. They shared the story of the Good Samaritan and helped children to see the importance of helping others. Some pupils were our fantastic performers in assembly.

Anti Bullying Week KS2 Work

The theme for Anti Bullying week this year was “Reach out”. Key stage 2 children looked at ways they can reach out, not only if they were being bullied but also to help someone else. They discovered the different roles involved in bullying and discussed how they could help in different scenarios.

Support for Parents

EA have produced two new resources to help parents support their children at home. Click here for information on supporting creative writing, or click here for the latest edition of ‘High 5’.

Winter Gardening

P6/7 enjoyed the chance to help keep our school looking good and be outside whilst,  planting some bulbs violas and ornamental cabbages in the front bed.

P6/7 Shared Education

P6/7 have enjoyed starting work on their Shared Education project.  With support from ‘IntoFilm’, they will be working with children from St. Patrick's PS to create film reviews.  They started their project with a trip to see ‘Asterix’.

Cash for Clobber

We are delighted to be able to continue with this scheme that raised money for our school. Filled bags can be left outside the front door or in the disabled toilet area.

'Poppy Shop'

Many thanks to our P6/7 ‘poppy shop staff’. The ‘Poppy Shop’ has been busy and we were delighted to raise £81 for this good cause.

SHARED EDUCATION - PEOPLE'S PARK

Last week P4 and P5 together with the P5 children from St Patrick’s Primary school enjoyed their trip to the People’s Park in Ballymena. Our children had their break at the park. Afterwards they had time to play with the friends they have made from St Patrick’s, through the Shared Education project.

They then went by bus to Ballymena library. Here are a few things they learned at the library:-

  • How books are organised and how to find them.

  • They were shown the different sections of the library.

  • Given the opportubity to borrow or browse.

  • They were shown how to join the library.

Road Safety Week

Road Safety Week is 14-18th November and this is a good time to have a chat with your child about simple things they can do to help keep themselves safe.

Promotion & Outreach Branch, Safe & Sustainable Travel Division, Department for Infrastructure (DfI) have a variety of road safety leaflets that parents can refer to. Here is a sample of some of them:

Parents’ Leaflet (0-7 and 8-11 years)

This has advice for parents on safe forms of transport and how to teach their children about road safety.

Bus Safety (Primary)

Road safety education leaflet on-bus safety.

Be Safe, Be Seen

Advice to make sure you are seen both day and night.

These can be viewed and down-loaded here.

Poppy Appeal

Our ‘Poppy Shop’ will be available in school each day this week Tues - Fri at lunchtime. Click here for prices and details of what is available. Paper poppies are also available (suggested donation 50p).