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.
Congratulations to the pupils in P4 - P7 who received certificates for Accelerated Reading for this half term.
We all had great fun at the Harvest Hoolie yesterday. Everyone got the chance to make a scarecrow, do line dancing, duck for apples, make a chocolate apple and do games. Thanks to all the teachers and classroom assistants for organising the Harvest Hoolie.
The annual report has been published for 2017/18, on our website. This can be found by clicking ‘For Parents’, ‘Links’ and scrolling down to ‘Other’. This report contains information of the work of the board throughout the 2017/18 school year. We sincerely thank all of our governors for their dedicated service to our school.
At our Harvest Assembly, Mrs Howe reported that we had received £1500 from Tullaghans Solar Farm. Finvoy Young Farmers’ Club was tasked with distributing the funding from the Solar Farm, and Alix Campbell from Finvoy Y.F.C. presented the cheque to our school. The P1 and P2 children are looking forward to using the large outdoor building blocks which will be purchased with some of the funding.
Our Harvest Assembly was held on Wednesday 24th October. We were delighted that so many parents and friends came to join us for this special occasion. Thanks to the P1 - P3 children who sang ‘One, Two, Three Little Acorns’ and the P4 - P7 children who sang ‘Everything I am’. Michelle McDaid from N.I. Air Ambulance spoke to us about the new Air Ambulance. It takes two million pounds per year to keep the Air Ambulance in service. One of our parents, Dr David Green, who is also one of the doctors who goes on the air ambulance, reminded us about keeping safe, especially on farms. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this really worthy charity at our Harvest Service. Rev Blue reminded us to be thankful for everything that we have. Afterwards, tea and coffee was served by members of the Parents’ Association.
Congratulations to Emma in P4 who was the winner of the Accelerated Reading Cup for this half term.
On Thursday we had a visit from Ken the school photographer. Everyone was looking very neat and tidy. We are looking forward to having the photographs in the next few weeks.
This half term in P.D.M.U (Personal Development and Mutual Understanding),the P6 and P7 children have been looking at who makes our laws and who makes decisions that will help to make Northern Ireland a better place to live. They are also focusing on what children can do to help make this happen.
James, from N.I. Assembly Education came to do a workshop with P6/7. He told them how the Assembly works, and how laws are made. They also learned how our voting system works and they got the opportunity to do a pretend election. The Technology Party got the most votes. Maybe the promise of a free mobile phone to everyone, helped sway the vote in their favour
P2 have been learning how to write lists. During Outdoor Play, they collected five items and put them into bags. They then made a list of all the items they had collected. P1 children collected five items and they took turns to describe some of the items in their bags.
Thanks to all our children who eagerly helped to plant bulbs and flowers at the front of school. We are looking forward to watching them grow.
Each year our children get the opportunity to support this charity by buying, badges, teddy bears and ducks. Thanks to everyone who supported the appeal and to the P7 children who gave up some of their lunchtime to sell the badges.
