Newsletter 7 29 April 2015

Monymusk School
Monymusk
Inverurie
Aberdeenshire
AB51 7HJ
Telephone: 01467 651254
Fax: 01467 651254
[email protected]
Newsletter 7 2014-15
28th April 2015
Dear Parents and Carers,
Just when we thought Spring was well and truly underway the snow arrived! “Ne’er cast a cloot till May
is oot!” as my Nana used to say!
By this time of the year, you would usually have had your child’s written report and parent/pupil/
teacher meetings would be taking place this week. Throughout this session we have been sharing the
pupils’ learning in a variety of ways. We held open events for Health and Wellbeing in term one,
Literacy in term two and Maths & Science in term three. This term the focus will be ‘Next Steps’. With
that in mind, the parent/pupil/teacher meetings will take place during the week beginning Monday 8th
June and will be 15 minutes long for each pupil. A letter will be sent home, so that a day and time can
be allocated to each pupil. A ‘Sharing My Learning’ document will come home with each pupil on
Wednesday 3rd June.
In addition, in order to share the learning and teaching at school more frequently with parents, the staff
have created a school blog. The blog will have an overview of the learning and teaching of each class
posted every week. This will help to prompt ‘learning conversations’ at home. If you wish to have
access to the blog please complete the form at the end of this newsletter.
On Thursday, 7th May at 2pm, we hope you will join us for the ‘Grand Opening’ of the school
playground. Myles Edwards, 1500m indoor Scottish champion, will be our special guest. He will also
tell us about his charity, the Gathimba Edwards Foundation. Monymusk and Kolol Schools (one of the
schools linked to GEF) are fast becoming friends. The P4 – 7 pupils have shared videos, letters and
photos and the P1 - 3 pupils plan to draw pictures and write letters this term. Myles will share some of
what GEF has done so far to support children in Kenya.
Our school roll is rising and when I meet new families I am often asked if we have a Before/After
School club. It is something I think is worth considering as I do believe there is a need. Cluny School
is also currently considering this option. Forming a joint After School Club for Monymusk and Cluny
pupils would benefit both communities. Please contact me directly if you would be interested in using a
Before/After School Club and/or if you would be interested in setting one up.
A new addition to our staff is Woodwind instructor, Christine Cheyne, who is giving weekly flute tuition
to two of our pupils. With many of the older pupils already learning guitar, piano and recorder we will
have lots to listen to at our Christmas concert this year! We also welcome Jo Riley, who is our Art
specialist this term.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the various events planned for the term ahead.
Gillian Watt
Unicef have announced a “Bring-a-Pound-Day for Nepal” appeal in aid of the earthquake
victims. We would like to contribute to this appeal and would be grateful if your child could
bring a pound to school on Friday, 1st May.
Generation Science Workshops – Wednesday 25th March 2015
P1,2,3 learned about “Marvellous Magnets”…..
.... and P4,5,6,7 studied “Power from the People”
Internet Safety Workshops – Tuesday 21st April 2015
These workshops offered by UNICEF (because we are a Rights Respecting School) were well attended
and helpful for everyone. The internet is a fascinating place but it is so important that we make sure we
all know how to be safe. We have passed your evaluations to the volunteers who spent the afternoon with
us.
P6 & 7 pupils from Monymusk, Craigievar and Tough Schools visited Burn O’Vat last week.
Bikeability
P6 & 7 pupils will be receiving Bikeability training on Thursday afternoons for the next few weeks. If you
can help for an afternoon, please let us know. A weekly commitment is not necessary.
Muddy Monymusk Run: Sunday, 24th May (A.M.) All the pupils are encouraged to either run or come
and support this event. Thank you to Monymusk School Parent Council for planning this children’s fun
run to raise funds for the school. Volunteers to marshal, provide first aid and serve the teas, cakes and
soup are required!
As a practice for the Monymusk Run, children and parents could run in the Dunecht Dash on Sunday, 10th
May. Race entry and information available from: www.dunechtdash.co.uk
Sports Day
Sports Day will be on Wednesday, 27th May at 1:30pm. We look forward to seeing you there. Fingers
crossed for a dry day!
RRSA Level 2
We are in the final stages of applying for the Rights Respecting Schools Award - Level 2 and will be
assessed later this term.
For families new to the school, “the Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) recognises achievement in
putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school’s planning,
policies, practice and ethos. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models
rights and respect in all its relationships: between pupils and adults, between adults and between pupils. Our
focus for this award has been to continue to learn about the rights of children and the responsibilities that
go along with those rights.”
Our focus for Level 2 was to form meaningful links with children and communities in other parts of the
world, through our link with Kolol School, as well as building on relationships within our own community.
Parent Council
Next meeting: Thursday, 4th June 2015. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting. The
school very much appreciates the support given by the Parent Council but are aware that some parents
will be moving on, as their children will be going to Alford Academy after the summer holidays. Monymusk
School Parent Council needs YOU! 
Sharing Our Learning: Next Steps
Week beginning Monday, 8th June
4:00 – 8:00pm
Parents & pupils will be allocated 15-minute slots to meet with the class teacher to discuss progress made
by the pupil this session. A ‘Sharing My Learning’ document, sharing your child’s levels, will be sent
home before the meeting. In addition, Learning Logs and Profile Folders will be used as a focus during
the discussion.
School sweatshirts
As most of you will be aware, school sweatshirts have in the past been ordered once a year and issued
before the Summer holidays. This year, as the result of a lot of hard work by the Parent Council, we have
changed our sweatshirt provider and you can now buy them direct from David’s Fashion Sports in
Inverurie. They are already available in the store and prices will be £9.50 up to age 12 and £13.50 for
larger sizes.
School Transport
Premier should be informed directly if there are any changes to daily arrangements.
Extra-curricular activities
Running training has started again and will be every Thursday after school for interested Primary 3-7
pupils.
Enviro Group is to be linked more to the whole school, as part of our affiliation to Eco Schools. In term 4
we plan to work as a whole school outdoors during school time on a Wednesday afternoon. Please note
that there will be no Envirogroup after school this term.
Netball/Football: We are still hoping that someone/a few people will come forward to help coaching
netball and/or football. Pupils are playing netball in PE this term and are very keen to get started again
but we do not have the adults in place to support the practices. Sharing the responsibility works well so if
a few people come forward together that would be ideal.
Tennis coaching sessions: Millbank Tennis Club are offering coaching sessions for Beginners (7 – 10
years) and Improvers (over 10 years with some experience) beginning Tuesday, 5th May. For more
information contact Simon Allerton on 01224 303748 (daytime) or 01330 833706 (evenings).
Dates for your Diary Session 2014 – 2015
Friday 1st May 2015
Monday, 4th May 2015
Thursday 7th May 2015
Monday 11th May 2015
Tuesday 12th May 2015
Monday 18th May 2015
Tuesday 19th May 2015
Wednesday 20th May 2015
Sunday 24th May 2015
Wednesday 27th May 2015
Thursday 28th May 2015
Friday 29th May –
Sunday 31st May 2015
Monday, 1st June 2015
Thursday 4th June 2015
Thursday 4th June 2015
Monday 8th June,
Tuesday 9th June &
Wednesday 10th June
Monday 15th June –
Friday 19th June 2015
Thursday 18th June 2015
Friday 19th June 2015
Friday, 3rd July, 2015
Bring-a-Pound-Day for Nepal
Holiday
2pm ‘Grand Opening’ of Playground & Gathimba Edwards Foundation
presentation
P7 Transition event – Instrumental Tutor Day
P7 Link Day at Alford Academy
P7 Transition event – Forest Schools Day, Dunecht
6:15–7:30pm Induction Meeting 2 – Literacy & Numeracy Walk
9:00am Bag2School Collection
Monymusk Muddy Run - 10am Registration at School
(am) School Photographer – details to follow
1:30pm Sports Day - 1st attempt, weather permitting
P4-7 Drugs Action (Session 1 of 2)
Cullen residential Trip P6,7
Holiday
P4-7 Drugs Action (Session 2 of 2)
7:15pm Parent Council Meeting. All parents welcome.
Parent/Pupil/Teacher meetings – details to follow
P7 Link Week, Alford Academy
1:40 – 2:30pm Induction Meeting 3 (Parents with Head Teacher, new P1s in class)
9:15 – 11:30am New P1s in class
11:40am Trial School Lunch for new P1s and parents
School closes
Useful Telephone Numbers
Alford Academy
019755 62251
Alford Community Ed (Gymnastics) 01467 628283
Monymusk School Kitchen
01467 651574
Child Protection Line
0800 0223222
Grampian Police (Non-Emergencies) 08456 005 700
Premier Coaches
01467 642409
Useful Websites:
Monymusk School Website ...................................................................www.monymusk.aberdeenshire.sch.uk
Glow ................................................................................... https://secure.glowscotland.org.uk/login/login.asp?/
Eco Schools Scotland .............................................http://www.ecoschoolsscotland.org/home/index.asp?linkID=224
GridClub–Safe Online Educational Fun for 7–11 year olds ..www.gridclub.com (user name: mon011p, password: ab517hj)
Nature Detectives ....................................www.naturedetectives.org.uk/club (user name:monypris;password: pupil)
School Meals Service web page ...................................................www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/schools/school_meals
Curriculum for Excellence ….............................. http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/index.asp
Up-to-date information on early years education.....................................................www.LTScotland.com/earlyyears
Internet Safety (e-mail, Chat, File-sharing) .......................................................................... www.BeSafeOnline.org
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOPS)..................................................... www.ceop.gov.uk
Parentzone .............................................................................................................www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk
‘Books -what’s in them for me and my child?...…..................................................................www.readtogether.co.uk
Parents and Carers Website Section ........................................www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/parentscarers/index.asp
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) ...........................................www.there4me.com
Aberdeenshire Council Book Review website ................http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/libraries/review_form.asp
Culture and Heritage of North East Scotland ........................................................................................ www.nefa.net
Parenting Across Scotland …………………………..............…………………..……www.parentingacrossscotland.org
Return completed forms to Monymusk School
Please grant me access to the Monymusk School Blog
Name………………………………………………….
e-mail address……………………………………….
Signed……………………………
Name of child/ren……………………………
Date………………………..