Dear Parents

This month’s newsletter is jam-packed with information that I hope you will find useful and interesting. Please check out the main school website and the class blogs for lots of pictures and information about the learning and teaching that has been happening in and around school

Scottish Education Minister visits Dunbar Primary School

Yesterday was very special at Dunbar Primary School as we welcomed Dr. Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Languages to John Muir Campus. He was visiting to find out what it is about our school, parents, pupils and community that meant we won the award ‘Parents as partners in learning’. He joined the throng of pupils, volunteers, parents and staff in the hall who were enjoying tea and scones and spent an enjoyable hour finding out about our unique school and the fantastic work we all do together to benefit the children.

Depute Headteacher

I am delighted to inform you that Miss Jaclyn Eeles has been appointed as the new DHT based at Lochend Campus following interviews last week with a panel which included members of the Parent Council and a local Councillor.

Flu Nasal Spray

A reminder that the pilot flu nasal spray will be given to all pupils whose forms have been returned and who are assessed by the nurses to be fit on the day. P1-P3 at John Muir are on Monday 7th October and P4-P7 at Lochend Campus on Tuesday 8th October.

Grandparents’ Day

We look forward to welcoming Grandparents to John Muir Campus on Tuesday 8th October and LochendCampus on Wednesday 9th October from 9.00till 9.45am – class teachers are planning lots of active learning that we hope you will enjoy. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be served in the dining room after each session. We are also looking for volunteers to read to our children in the nursery and pupils in Lochend. We also would like some volunteers to come and play numeracy games in classes. P5 pupils will be demonstrating their mapping skills outside (weather permitting) so please come prepared.

Halloween – Wednesday 30th October

The Halloween disco with games, apple dooking, doughnut nibbling and scary stories is on for P1-P2 from 5.30pm – 6.30pm and for P3-P4 from 6.45pm – 7.45pm. The cost is £1.50. Please pay on the evening.

Sex Education Talk

Dunbar Primary School has a structured programme throughout the school for teaching Sexual Health, Relationships and Personal Safety in line with A Curriculum for Excellence. If you would like to find out more you are welcome to come to a presentation in the school hall at Lochend Campus on Tuesday 8thOctober from 6.00pm to 7.30pm. This is a good opportunity for you to see how these subjects will be taught to your children and discuss them with staff.

6-00 – 7.00pmLiving and Growing – Sexual Health and Relationships (for parents/carers of pupils in P3, P4, P5, P6, P7.)

7.00 – 7.30pmKeeping Myself Safe – Personal Safety in vulnerable situations

(For parents/carers of pupils in P5, P6 and P7 only.)

Primary 5 York Information Meeting

An evening to inform parents about the residential trips to York will take place on Wednesday 23rd October at Lochend Campus at 6.30pm. Travel arrangements and dates of visits will be confirmed at this meeting.

Walk to School Week

Our walk to school week is from Monday 7th October to Friday 11th October. We look forward to seeing as many pupils as possible on bikes, scooters and feet. Even getting dropped off by car at Hallhill and walking into school counts in our figures!

Ladies Night Plus Ones - Friday 8th November

Always one of the best nights of the year - This year's “Ladies Night Plus Ones”is on Friday 8th November from 7pm until 11pm in the John Muir Campus Hall.Tickets will be available after half term at a cost of £8 which includes a curry and entry into a prize draw to win a mixed case of wine.All welcome (ladies and gents!) for a great night of shopping at our fantastic selection of stalls, the opportunity to grab a bargain in the auction and silent auction and to enjoy a curry and some beer or wine with friends.

There is still plenty of organising to do both beforehand and on the night so if you can spare a few hours please contact Mo Sangster (07540158556) or Tracy Gillespie (07969435833).

Nursery Toy Sale

If you have any toys you would like to donate to the Nursery Toy Sale being held at John Muir Campus Hall on 29th November from 9.00am to 12.30pm please hand into John Muir Campus from Monday 18th November. All monies raised will benefit the nursery classes.

P1 Lines

You will be aware that we have over 390+ pupils in Primary 1– Primary 3 and our arrangements to enable the pupils to come in safely require lots of organisation, especially the P1 lines walking into school in the morning. Please can I ask that parents of P2 and P3 do not walk through the lines of P1 pupils as, on occasion, children have become separated from their line causing distress – please keep to the left by the grass when leaving.

Gardening Club Success!

Congratulations to the GARDEN CLUBfor winning the ‘George Andersons’ Potato Growing Competition. George Andersons (Fruit and Veg Suppliers) supplied the seed potatoes to all primary schools in East Lothian. Dunbar won the competition for growing the heaviest weight of potatoes – 21Kg! Well done to all of the Garden Club members who have won a trip away - venue to be confirmed at a later date.

RHS Campaign - Get Your Grown-Ups Growing 2013

Lochend Campus is looking for volunteers to help with the school garden plots. This year we would like each stage to link an aspect of the curriculum to the vegetable/flower plots and to have a parent group to look after each stage plot.

We plan to start growing plants in early spring 2014 in our greenhouses to locate later into our garden plots. Volunteers would sign up to a stage plot and tend to the area at a time which suits you. This would be a very relaxed affair, making sure that weeds are kept at bay and that the plants are watered when necessary. In order to prepare the beds Ms Edwards, Class Teacher P4/5, would like to meet with you as a group in October 2013 so that we can dig over the plots and lay fleece on them. If you can commit to this please can you call into the school and fill in the form in the office and if you have any questions please contact Ms Edwards on 01368 860997.

RHS Campaign - Go Wild About Gardens

The Garden Club at Lochend Campus are planning on creating a bug motel for our school grounds to help wildlife.

We would love some donations, please see below:

Hollow stems e.g. bramble, bamboo, etc., bark, dead wood, wooden pallets, straw or hay, wooden box (for our hedgehog house),

Tiles, corrugated cardboard, old terracotta flower pots, house bricks, logs, and pipe drains.

Lighthouses and Garden at John Muir Campus

Before winter sets in we are hoping to have a garden tidy and painting session. If you would like to help with a bit of painting or help tidy the garden please let the office staff know. It will be on Friday 8th November at John Muir Campus from 12.30 till 2.30pm. Refreshments will be provided.

Parents’ Evenings

John Muir Campus 11th and 12th November 4pm - 7pm, Lochend Campus 13th and 14th November 4pm – 7pm

Letters detailing the Parents’ Night arrangements for Novemberwill be sent out on Monday 7th October. Please can you return the reply slip by Friday 11thOctober. We will send out the appointment times after the October holiday so that you can make any necessary arrangements.

Shoe Box Appeal

Leaflets will be handed out next week for the Shoe Box Appeal for Nursery to P3 pupils and for pupils who request a leaflet at Lochend Campus. Could you please return the shoeboxes to either campus by 1st November 2013. Last year we sent120shoeboxes and, knowing the generosity of the Dunbar community, I know you will want to contribute again to this worthwhile charity.

Newsletter by E-Mail

Could you please contact the school office if you have requested the Newsletter by e-mail but have not received it as some e-mail addresses are being returned as incorrect.

School Closure Information

If theschool has to close before the start of the school day the procedure is:

  • An announcement will be made by Forth Radio and a group call message will be sent.
  • Pupils who come to school with a parent/carer without realising it has had to close can return home.
  • Unaccompanied pupils will be admitted into school and only released after contact with parent/carer or emergency contact.
  • It is essential that you ensure the school has up-to-date contact numbers.

If school has to close during the school day the procedure is:

  • An announcement will be made by Forth Radio and a group call message will be sent.
  • Please phone the school to give authorisation for your child to walk home or to be collected by another parent/carer.
  • If parents/carers are collecting children please go to the school hall to sign out your child

Together We Count

You will be receiving an information letter regarding ‘Together We Count’ and how you, as parents, can get involved and support your child/children with numeracy. We have planned a Mathsevening for parentson Monday 18th November at 7.00pm atLochend Campus – more details to follow.

Together We Count - just for fun!

Here are two numeracy questions that you and your child/children can do together at home - I will put the answers on the school website next week.

  • Countdown challenge – using any of the numbers below can you make the target of 157? What are the fewest numbers you can use? 75, 50, 10, 6, 5, 2
  • How many exclamationmarks (!) are there in this month’s newsletter?

Finally a reminder that the school is closed from Monday 14thto Friday 18th October for the October holiday.

There is an In-Service for staff on Monday 21stOctober, therefore we look forward to seeing the pupils on Tuesday 22nd October at 8.45am.

Best wishes

Mrs Helen Gillanders