Happy New Year and a warm welcome back to school to everyone
and especially to parents of children who are new to our school for 2009
CELEBRATION ASSEMBLIES
Celebration Assemblies are on Fridays at 2.30pm. Parents are invited to watch their own child’s class and we would ask that you take your seats by 2.25pm. We endeavour to bring the children in as quietly as possible and we would appreciate the parents joining us in this. The rota is as follows:
16 January NS 23 January GM/DG 30 January GH 6 February CH 13 February EM 20 February Half-Term 27 February JC 6 March LC 13 March CA 20 March PL/DD 27 March RV
CLUB STARTING DATES
Guitar - Wednesday 7 January
Orchestra - Wednesday 7 January
Recorders - Thursday 8 January
Chess - Thursday 8 January
Keyboard - Thursday 8 and Friday 9 January
Knitting Club - Monday 12 January
Wind and Brass - Tuesday 13 January
Rugby - Tuesday 13 January
Lunchtime Football - Wednesday 14 January
Hitcham’s Holy Horrors - Wednesday 14 January
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Tuesday 13 January - ‘The Nutcracker’ performance (am)
Thursday 15 January - Y2 Sports Festival at Thomas Mills High School
Friday 23 January - Themed Day – Friends Together
Friday 30 January - Friend’s Children’s Bingo Night – 6-8pm
Friday 6 February - Basketball Tournament (am)
Thursday 12 February - Classes DB,GM,GH,RV production at Framlingham College
Monday 16 – Friday 20 February - Half-term
Friday 27 February - Mid-Year Reports – Year 1 to Year 6
These reports are confidential and are addressed to yourselves as parents and we would ask that you advise your children not to open the reports before they get home.
Saturday 7 March - Barn Dance 6.30-10pm (to be held in the Thomas Mills Canteen)
Monday 9 – Wednesday 11 March - Book Fair
Wednesday 11 March - Share our Work 3.15-4.00pm (an invitation to parents to
visit their children’s class to see their work)
Thursday 19 March - KS1 Mothering Sunday Service at St Michael’s Church
1.30-2.30pm – Mums invited
Friday 20 March - Nursery and Reception Mothering Sunday Service
at St Michael’s Church 9.30-10.30am – Mums invited
Monday 30 March - Year 6 trip to the Royal Opera House, London
Tuesday 31 March - ‘Travelling by Tuba’ production (am)
Thursday 2 April - Easter Service 9.30am -10.30am (for the CHILDREN ONLY)
Friday 3 April - Last day of term
Monday 11-15 May - SATs week
Monday 6 – Friday 10 July - Year 6 Camp
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
A separate letter is enclosed giving details about the activities that go on during the spring term, please note that Maypole does not start until after half term. Mrs Pascoe will be sending a letter home nearer the time.
SECURITY
As many of you may have noticed we now have security door locks on the 3 main entrances to the school – by the office, by the hall, into the downstairs corridor to Reception / KS2. These doors will go into automatic ‘LOCK-DOWN’ at 9am opening only for break / lunch time and end of school. If you are in school at any other time, you will need to press the ‘green button’ to exit. To come into school when the doors are locked you must press the buzzer beside the door to the hall or office, so that office staff can let you in.
CHEQUES
Please can we ask that you write the NAME and CLASS of your child(ren) on the BACK of any cheques given in at school (eg dinner money, uniform orders, school trips etc)
THE TIMES – BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS
The Times newspaper is running a campaign in 2009 offering free books to schools. Each day they will print tokens which parents can collect and bring to school. We will collate all the tokens and order free books for the library and classrooms.
ACTIVEMARK
We are pleased to announce that the school has been awarded an Activemark Award; these are given to schools to reward delivery of the national PE, School Sport and Club links strategy. It recognises that 90% or more of pupils are achieving at least 2 hours high quality PE and sport a week.
E-MAIL
Many parents now receive their whole school letters by email. If you would like to register please do email us saying so (admin@hitchams.suffolk.sch.uk). We are endeavouring not to produce a ‘hard’ copy to those households that receive letters by email, so please ensure your child is aware they do not need to receive a paper copy. Those who are already registered do not need to re-register.
BAD WEATHER ARRANGEMENTS
We make every possible effort to ensure that the school remains open in the event of bad weather conditions, please listen to the following radio stations for information with regard to whether the school has to be closed or not:
Radio Suffolk 95.5, 95.9, 103.9 and 104.6FM (have updates at 10 minutes past and 20 minutes to each hour)
Broadland Norfolk 102.4FM SGR FM 97.1-96.4FM Beach Radio 103.4 and 97.4FM
CHARITY DONATIONS
Our Key Stage 2 Carol Service raised £177.85. Thank you for your generous support.
ROAD CROSSING PATROL
Unfortunately Mrs Bone, our crossing patrol officer has broken her wrist. Although we do have some cover we need an additional ‘supply’ crossing patrol. If any parent would be interested in being trained for this role please contact the school office on 723354 (Rate of Pay on application).
NORO (WINTER VOMITTING) VIRUS
Guidelines from County and the Health Service state that “Pupils or staff ill with diarrhoea and vomiting should remain absent from school until 48 hours following their last symptom”. If there is an outbreak of this virus in school, please can parents stick to these guidelines to help ensure it does not spread. Thank you.
