Newsletter 6 24th March 2015

Monymusk School
Monymusk
Inverurie
Aberdeenshire
AB51 7HJ
Telephone: 01467 651254
Fax: 01467 651254
monymusk.sch@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Newsletter 6 2014-15
24th March 2015
Dear Parents and Carers,
Lighter nights and mornings have arrived, the solar eclipse has come and gone, the daffodils are out
and my garden is needing weeding, so Spring is well and truly here!
As we come to the end of another term it is time to share our learning with you. Please sign up to one
of the sessions on Tuesday, 31st March. These events are planned so that you can learn more about
your child’s learning. The Pupil – Parent – Teacher meetings will take place as usual in term 4 but will
be extended to 15 minutes. Letters will be coming home at the beginning of next term.
Over the next two weeks there are a lot of extra activities and events. Please read this carefully so
you don’t miss anything, in particular, changes to Envirogroup.
The P7s have begun their transition to Alford Academy. This process includes weekly sessions with
staff from the academy and various events with pupils from other local schools who will also be
moving to Alford after the summer holidays. The next event is a visit to Burn O’ Vat with P6 & P7
pupils from Craigievar and Tough in the first week of next term as part of the preparation for our trip to
Cullen. A letter will be coming home soon.
If P7 are getting ready to leave that means we have new P1s getting ready to join us! Their transition
is also about to begin. We look forward to meeting and getting to know them and their families over
the next few months.
A ‘Grand Opening’ of the playground equipment is planned for the end of April. We will share the date
soon. The pupils are getting full benefit of the equipment now and are looking forward to the games
being painted as soon as we get a few dry days.
Could I please remind adults picking up children at the end of the day to please park and come into
the playground? This is so staff can see who the child is going home with and to prevent the
possibility of a child straying off the pavement as they make their way to the car. Children should not
leave the playground until the adult is there.
Over the past few weeks P1,2,3 pupils have had Claire Smith, a 4th Year MEd student, as their
teacher. Claire will be back for a while in term four as well. It has been a pleasure having her as a
member of the team.
Laura Journé will be returning to school next term. She will be teaching alongside Darren Lowson, in
the P4-7 class. Steve Coyle is moving on to new adventures. We thank him for his contribution to the
school over the past few months.
Enjoy the holidays when they arrive and please remember that there is no school on Friday, 3rd April!
Kind Regards
Gillian Watt
Sharing Our Learning: Mathematics & Science
Tuesday 31st March 2015
2:00 – 3:30pm and 6:30-8:00pm
This is one of the opportunities that parents have to learn about their children’s progress and
achievements through the year. These ‘hands on’ events replace the traditional written report and allow
children to share their learning directly with you, their parents. The ‘Learning Hunts’ will guide you through
the areas of learning experienced by the children. There is still time to sign up for this event.
Pupils from P4,5,6,7 have created, edited and sent a film to our twinned school, Kolol School, in Kenya. It
is called ‘A Day in the Life of Monymusk School 2015’. The pupils have done an excellent job producing
this film and it will be on show during the open day.
In addition, your child will be able to share their learning in French and Spanish, through displays of their
work in the porta-cabin.
Pupil – Parent – Teacher meetings: These meetings will be extended to 15 minute appointments and will
take place mid- May.
Community film
P5 and P6 pupils have finished editing the film they created with a group of Monymusk Senior Citizens
and the first showing was on Saturday before the showing of ‘Rio 2’ at the Monymusk Village Hall. We
will have an official preview on Monday 30th March. There will hopefully be another opportunity later in the
year for it to be shown at the ‘Monymusk Cinema’.
Generation Science Workshops- Wednesday 25th March 2015
Both classes will be taking part in Generation Science Workshops, with P1-3 studying “Marvellous
Magnets” and P4-7 learning about “Power from the People”.
RRSA Level 2
We are in the final stages of applying for the Rights Respecting Schools Award - Level 2. 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. We have also been building on our friendship with children and communities in other
parts of the world through our link with Kolol School and building on our relationships within our own
community. One of the ways we have been doing this is through the film created with the senior citizens.
Talent Contest
The Talent Contest was a great success thanks to the hard work of the Pupil Council who organised it.
There was a wide variety of acts and £48-19 was raised for Cancer Research.
World Book Day, Thursday, 5th March
The “Dress as your Favourite Character” day was very well supported, with £48-80 raised for BookAid
International.
The Big Pedal, 2nd – 20th March 2015
This year’s Big Pedal competition ended last week with Monymusk School in 14th
place out of 115 schools in Scotland and 120th out of 1041 in the UK. Well done to
everyone who took part.
Parent Council – Smartboards and projectors are in place. Thanks again to the
Parent Council for their ongoing support.
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 parents will be
moving on, as their children will be going to Alford Academy after the summer holidays. Parent Council
needs YOU! 
Internet Safety Workshops – Tuesday 21st April 2015
A letter has been issued inviting you to join your children for an Online Safety Workshop and some of you
have already indicated that you will be coming along. If you have not yet replied but would like to join us,
please send in the slip before the end of this term. This event is very much for parents and their children
learning together.
Extra-curricular activities
Running training will start again next term and will be every Thursday after school for interested Primary
3-7 pupils. The Muddy Monymusketeers, along with our P1 and P2 runners all did their very best in Run
Garioch last Sunday. Well done to all of them! Enjoy the next two weeks’ break.
Save the date: Sunday, 24th May (A.M.). Monymusk School Parent Council are planning a children’s fun
run on this date to raise funds for the school. They will be asking for volunteers to marshal, first aid and
serve the teas, cakes and soup! More details will follow after the Easter holidays.
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
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 this week or next week.
Netball/Football: We are still hoping that someone/a few people will come forward to help coaching
netball and/or football. Pupils are very keen to get started again but we do not have the adults in place.
Sharing the responsibility works well so if a few people come forward together that would be ideal.
Dates for your Diary Session 2014 – 2015
Wednesday 25th March 2015
Tuesday 31st March 2015
Thursday 2nd April 2015
Thursday 2nd April 2015
Monday, 20th April 2015
Tuesday 21st April 2014
Wednesday 22nd April 2015
Thursday 23rd April 2015
Monday, 4th May 2015
Monday 11th May 2015
Tuesday 19th May 2015
Wednesday 20th May 2015
Friday 29th May –
Sunday 31st May 2015
Monday, 1st June 2015
Thursday 4th June 2015
Thursday 18th June 2015
Friday 19th June 2015
Friday, 3rd July, 2015
Generation Science Workshops for both classes
Numeracy & Science Open Events, 2:00-3:30pm & 6:30-8:00pm
1:30pm End-of-term Service, St Mary’s Kirk. All welcome.
School closes
School opens
Online Safety Workshops for pupils and parents, 2:30-3:30pm
9:30 – 10:15am Induction Meeting 1
P7 transition event - visit to Burn O’ Vat
4:00pm Alford Rotary Quiz
Holiday
P7 Transition event – Instrumental Tutor Day
6:15–7:30pm Induction Meeting 2 – Literacy & Numeracy Walk
9:00am Bag2School Collection
Cullen residential Trip P6,7
Holiday
7:15pm Parent Council Meeting. All parents welcome.
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