Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Headteacher: Mr Paul Lavis Deputy Head teachers: Mrs Sam Harris & Mrs Lauren Houlston
July 2012 Volume: 4 Issue No. 23 Contents:
Dear Parents
What’s On
p2
Hello All!
Primary Times
p3
Family Information Service
p3
I can’t believe it! It’s the end of the year already and we’re saying goodbye to some lovely children and lovely members of staff…
Dates
p4
Parent Governors
p4
Celebration Assembly Dates
20th July - Leavers Assembly (2.00pm)
It’s always a mixture of excitement and sadness that we say goodbye to our year 6 children. Personally, this is a group that I’ve seen through from starting school until now. I’m immensely proud of them as individuals and for what they have achieved at our school. We are sending them all on as successful learners and I know that they will be a huge success at whatever they do. It’s so wonderful to know that they are moving on ‘Being the Best That They Can Be…’ Saying goodbye to members of staff isn’t any easier. Anya Earnshaw has been fantastic for us—working all over the school supporting us when we’ve needed and especially in Year 3 more recently. Marnhull have gained a lovely teacher and all round lovely person! Mark Willson is an example to anyone of what can be achieved when you put your mind to it. Just over a year ago, Mark was an engineer, out in the ‘real world’ using his expertise to solve issues with pumps, pipes and people… within 12 (hardworking) months he has become the teacher he was inspired to become and takes up his first full-time teaching post at Milldown Primary in September after training here. What a story! We wish him every success (except in the football matches against Milldown where we intend to thrash them at every opportunity!). Katie Pearce is about to embark on a similar adventure at QE School in Wimborne where she will become an excellent drama teacher
without question. Katie and her personality have been such a valuable part of the early years experience for so many of our children and she moves on having shown the way to our children, staff and parents of what can be achieved if you put your mind to it. Good luck Miss Pearce. Lauren Houlston has been an amazing addition to our school over the past 18 months and I’m positive that we won’t appreciate what we had until she’s gone. This year’s year 6 have benefited particularly from her outstanding teaching, as have the teaching staff around her who have gained from her guidance, ideas and support whilst she’s been here. It has certainly been a very difficult thing for me to do in releasing her back to her original school to continue her role there. Headship beckons for Lauren sooner rather than later and I can pay her no higher compliment than to say: I wouldn’t hesitate to send my children to a school of hers. Good luck Mrs Houlston. We’ve also had to say good bye to some of our pupils from other years who have moved out of Blandford and in some cases: the country! We’ll be doing the same on Friday. It’s never an easy thing to do but we have to remember every goodbye makes the next hello closer. New challenges are exciting and to be embraced. There, a positive slant on some sadness…
Have a great summer—keep your eyes on the website for updates. The calendar has all the dates you need so please look there. Thank you all for your support and I’ll see you all in September.
Page 2
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Volume: 4
Issue No. 23
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Volume: 4
Issue No. 23
What’s On Over The Holidays? Please make sure you have a look in the Primary Times and at the other leaflets we have sent out...
Page 3
Blandford St Mary Primary School Newsletter Blandford St Mary Primary School Birch Avenue Blandford St Mary, Dorset DT11 9QD
Phone: 01258-453331 Fax: 01258-455865
School Diary Dates: Friday 20th July Monday 23rd July ~ Tuesday 24th July - Monday 3rd September ~ Tuesday 4th September ~ Wednesday 5th September ~ Thursday 6th September ~ Wednesday 12th September — Monday 29th October - Friday 2nd November ~ Friday 21st December ~
~ Children break up for summer holidays Staff training day Summer Holidays Staff training day Staff training day Children return to school Meet the Teacher Evening & Reading Workshop Half term Children break up for Christmas holiday
Parent Governor Opportunities Due to two of our Parent Governors leaving post—we are looking to recruit!! Please follow the links on our website to the governor pages and see if this is something that would interest you. If you find that this is a challenge you would like to take on then please let us know in the school office so we can put your name forward.
The closing date for expressing an interest is Friday 7th September 2012.