Parents
Minutes of Meeting 25th May 2009

Auldearn Parent Council

Chair –  David Brownless
Secretary – Alison Footitt
Treasurer – Lee MacLennan

Minutes of Committee Meeting
Monday 25th May 2009


1. Apologies for Absence: Jan Ashton, Sharon McAllister, Julie Hoath, Linda Rawlinson.


2. Approval of Minutes of 27th April meeting: Lee MacLennan, David Brownless.


3. Matters Arising
3.1 Head Teacher Appointment
Angela Cryans has been appointed and has spent one day with Mrs Nesbitt at school. She will next be in school on 5th and 23rd June.

3.2  Youth Club Funds
The bank account signatories are still being sorted. The Community Council has asked whether funds could be drawn for youth provision in the village. It was agreed that a 50/50 split of funds (half to Parent Council and half to Community Council) would work.
There is a meeting about youth provision in the village at 7.oopm in the GP room next Tuesday, 2nd June. Parents welcome, please come along and give your views.

3.3 Janitor’s Role
This will be advertised in the Inverness Courier and Press and Journal. The role will be based at Auldearn with travel to other schools when needed. Mr McMordie is unable to stay on after 2nd July.

 3.4 School Lunches
A School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG) will be formed, to consist of pupils, catering staff and parents. This has worked well in other schools.  Action: Mrs Nesbitt to arrange a meeting.
P1 parents will be invited in for lunch on class swap day.

3.5 Community Field
Action: David to talk to Iain about an Awards for All application for the traversing wall and play equipment for older children. David will make a report for the meeting on 2nd June.
CCTV is working well and will support any new equipment being put onto the field.

3.6 Film Night
Ticket sales were very disappointing but we should still make a small profit. Questionnaires about the event have been returned to school and will be analysed.


4. School Report
• Staffing: Mrs Ranscombe returns to school on 19th June as principal teacher. Mrs Gallie steps down at this point to become class teacher. Mrs Sunde and Mrs Eccleshall will return on a temporary basis after the summer. Mr Campbell and Miss Flannigan sadly will finish their contracts this summer.
• Cycling Proficiency: This starts for P5 children on Wednesday.
• School roll: This stands at 147 for August 2009.
• Interschool Sports: The school will send teams to the Interschool Sports on Saturday 30th May and to a North of Scotland Competition on Thursday 4th June.
• Health Promoting School: The school has been re-accredited as a Health Promoting School.
• Interactive Whiteboard: Mrs Nesbitt will order a Whiteboard with some available funds.
• School Trips: The school is struggling to pay for school buses for trips e.g. £90 for Interschool Sports and £640 for the P7 trip. The Parent Council agreed to pay for buses for the two forthcoming sports competitions. P7s are currently fundraising on two training bikes.
• School Field: The Outdoor Classroom; this will be a circular structure without walls. It will be set-up soon on the school field. Willow planting will go ahead in October.
• School Play: The Railway Children will be shown at the school in August.
• Lost Property: Suggestion that we should run a second hand school clothes stall at Sports Day (agreed).

5. Financial report
The balance stands at £1981.99. Costs to be deducted include Drum Fun, photocopying, agreed bus costs and the Community Centre film night fees. This will leave around £1000.
Action: Alison to contact Rotary to see if we could obtain funding for a new Whiteboard.

6. Sports Day
15th June. There will be a family picnic from 12 noon. Action: Lee to purchase fruit, diluting juice and cups for 189 children.


7. Open Afternoon refreshments, 19th June, 2.00pm – 3.00pm.
Action: Nicola to check supplies and will ask Alison B to make Tray Bakes (Many thanks). Coffees and Teas to be provided by Virginia, Vicki, Lee and Freda Masson. Thank you for your help.

8. Potted Sports/Ceilidh 
Vicki has booked a marquee for this event and has flooring. The Marquee will cost £110 and the music £80. The marquee needs to be put up the night before and flooring laid (help needed). Suggested entrance costs £2.00 adults and £1.50 children (children’s rates include food), or we could increase this entrance cost and include food for adults too. Action: David to check whether another marquee is also available. Vicki to check costs for BBQ from Lynn Forbes, although it was agreed it may be best to provide this ourselves.   Alison to complete a let form.
There will be a meeting to discuss this event at 6.15pm – 7.00pm next Tuesday, 2nd June. All welcome.

9. Any Other Business
9.1 School Car Park: Parents are reminded that this is not an area for open parking and the car park gates are locked at 9.15 each morning. A fence around the trees is needed in this area to stop children using the car park for access.

 

10. Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday 2nd June , 6.15pm.

 
Useful Information
 
Newsletter February 2009

FUNDRAISING NEWS

  • The recent Quiz Night was a great success and raised £200! Many thanks to the organisers, Paul and Sally Weller, to The Covenanters, the Post Office and Boath House (who all donated prizes for the raffle) and to everyone who came along and supported the event. 
  • We had planned to run a jumble sale and film night in the next couple of weeks. These have both been postponed. Sadly we have been unable to obtain the film rights to The Sound of Music, which was the planned sing-a-long show for 6th March. We hope to re-book the community centre for a film night later in the year.
Read more...
 
Parent Council Constitution
1. This is the Constitution for Auldearn School Parent Council
2. The objectives of the Parent Council are:
To promote partnership between the school, parents and its pupils
To develop and engage in activities which support the education and welfare of its children
To identify and represent the views of parents on the education provided by the school and other matters affecting the education and welfare of the pupils.
Read more...
 
Parent Council Newsletter May 2009

Wednesday 1st July – End of Term Potted Sports and Family Ceilidh


We will be holding the annual Potted Sports event on Wednesday July 1st from 6-8pm. All children are invited and parents too as we need plenty of helpers at all the activity posts. Children move round in their classes to try a variety of fun sports, such as golf, cricket, parachute silk games, and an obstacle course. More details to follow.
 
NEW!!!! Following the Potted Sports there will be a Family Ceilidh on the playing field from 8pm-10pm. Further details nearer the time, but please put the date in your diaries.

Staff retirement

The end of term also marks the retirement of two special members of staff. Mrs Nesbitt and Mr McMordie will both be retiring this summer after many years service at the school; they will both be greatly missed. If you would like to make a contribution towards a leaving gift for either or both, please send this into school in separate marked envelopes. Thank you.

New Head Teacher

Following interviews, we are delighted to announce that a new Head has been appointed at Auldearn. Angela Cryans is joining us from her current role as Depute Head at Inshes School in Inverness. She will start in Auldearn before the end of term to enable a handover with Mrs Nesbitt. 

 
Helping your child
This page has links to help you support your child's learning at home.

Language

Highland Literacy Project - A Guide for Parents

Reading

These lists were created from a survey run on Lovereading4schools.co.uk where teachers and parents were asked to recommend books that they found helpful in encouraging reluctant readers.

Book Reviews

Spelling

 

Maths

Homework

Out of school learning

Sharing information

Healthy Choices

School holidays

 

 
Committee Meeting February 2009

Auldearn Parent Council Chair – David Brownless

Secretary – Alison Footitt

Treasurer – Lee MacLennan

Minutes of Committee Meeting Monday 23rd February 2009

1. Apologies for Absence: Stacey Kinser, Sandy Park, Vicki Mackinnon, Jan Ashton, Sharon McAllister, Kate Jack.

2. Approval of Minutes of 12th January meeting: David Brownless, Maggie Campbell.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Quiz Night. Thanks to Paul and Sally Weller for organising a great night which raised almost £200. Action: Alison to write to Jill, Boath House and The Covenanters to say thank you.

3.2 Road Traffic. David wrote to Inspector Bushell and has received a reply to say that traffic patrols outside the school will be more regular. We will monitor this issue.

3.3 Youth Club funds No action on this, it will be carried forward to the next meeting.

4. School Report

4.1 Staffing: Miss Flannigan has been appointed to the P2 teaching post until the summer. Miss Urquhart’s maternity cover role has a closing date for applications of this Friday.

4.2 Funding: The school wish list includes a school session with Drum Fun (£345) – this was agreed and a new colour printer (£250) - also agreed. The school would also like an interactive whiteboard and new reading area cushions for some classrooms.

4.3 School Day Times: Still under discussion.

4.4 Janitor’s Role: Mr McMordie is still waiting to hear if he can stay on after his 65th birthday in May.

4.5 Mrs Nesbitt’s role: This has still not been advertised. Action: David to write to Hugh Fraser/Hector Robertson.

5. Fundraising

5.1 Film Night: We have not received confirmation about the rights to The Sound of Music and have therefore decided to postpone this event until later in the year. Action: David to contact Sam at the Community Centre.

5.2 Jumble Sale/Bag2School: The jumble sale will also be postponed as Bag2School have moved our collection date (now 25th March).

5.3 Spring Fair, 21st March: All ideas for stalls and offers of help to Paul. The P7s want two stalls which will raise money for their summer camp trip. Suggested Fair times 11am-1pm. There will be a meeting next Tuesday (3rd March) at 2pm in the GP room for anyone who can help, or has ideas. Action: Alison to write a Newsletter to inform about, and advertise, fundraising events.

6. Any Other Business

6.1 School Lunches: There is some concern that the portions are not large enough for the older children, and that the toast can be of variable quality. Can parents be invited in to eat lunch with their children (which might also be a fundraiser?). Action: Mrs Nesbitt to raise these with the cook.

6.2 Community Field: The first project has been given the go-ahead, an outdoor wooden structure involving wood-turning and hazel planting. The field needs proper drainage – Will Downie will present some options, before any further landscaping can take place. An Awards for All grant might be possible to fund the climbing wall. Action Mrs Nesbitt to ask Elizabeth McDonald.

7. Date of Next Meeting: Monday 27th April, 6.30pm.

 
Starting School

Parents are important partners in their child’s education. They can greatly help their child settle into a new routine of attending school for the first time or when a child is moving to a new school.

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