Newsletter No 7 / 18th December 2008

School Meals
The price of a school meal remains at £1.95. As always, it is most helpful if orders for school meals are sent into the school office on the Monday morning of each week, in an envelope clearly marked with your requirements. We return to school on “Week 2” of the Autumn/Winter menu.

Swimming at Berinsfield
Swimming will begin for Class 2 pupils on Monday 12th January. They will have 5 sessions up to the February Holiday. As always, we are very grateful to receive a “voluntary contribution” of £1 per pupil, per session towards the transport costs.

Maths Evenings
We have now arranged for Jane Liddle, an LEA Maths Consultant, to lead two parents’ evenings on Maths. The first is on Tuesday 20th January and will focus on addition and subtraction – an overview of school methods and ideas to help support pupils at home. The second is on Tuesday 17th March and will focus on multiplication and division. Both meetings will be held in school from 6.30-8pm.

PTA News
Thank you to everyone who has purchased recipe books. The profits made so far amount to £319.92 and more copies are available from Sarah Madry. The wreath-making evening, plus other orders, raised £360 so thank you also to everyone who came or bought decorations separately.

Kleenex Tissues
“Caught a cold? Feeling low? Use a tissue when you cough, sneeze or blow”. Every child has been given a packet
of tissues, courtesy of Kleenex as part of their “Sneezesafe” campaign which is in line with NHS health hygiene guidelines. The message is a timely seasonal reminder that good hygiene and tissue use can help prevent cold germs from spreading. Further information can be found on www.sneezesafe.co.uk

Little Bears News
This week Little Bears have been busy creating Christmas pictures and making angels. We say goodbye and good luck to Greg Madry, Emily Drake, Jamie Lavene, Rosalind Mannering, Hannah Bradford, Betsy Elliott and Cora White as they leave us to go to “big school”. Thank you to school for inviting us to the Nativity Service which we all enjoyed. We finished this term with a lovely Christmas party. Happy Christmas to everyone from all at Little Bears!


Parent Governor Vacancy
The governing body consists of parent governors, staff governors, community governors, and LA appointed governors. Our school has two parent governors and now has a vacancy for a new parent governor with effect from January 2009. Parent governors have the same powers and duties as other governors. The Governing Body meets once a term, (i.e.6 times a year) usually on a Monday evening. We also invite governors to come into school occasionally and encourage each member of the Governing Body to get involved in a particular area, such as finance, premises, staffing or the curriculum. Governors are elected for a term of four years.

To be eligible to stand for election as a parent governor you must have parental responsibility for a pupil at the school. Having "parental responsibility" is not limited to biological parents, but also applies if you are a step-parent, foster parent, grandparent bringing up the child, or permanent partner of the child's biological parent. A few people cannot be school governors; those who have been made bankrupt or who have been in prison for certain offences may not serve for at least three years afterwards. If you have any doubts as to your eligibility on any of these grounds, please contact the school office. The child must be on the school roll at the time the election is held. However, parent governors do not have to resign if their children leave the school before their term of office has expired.

Although you don't need any educational experience or expertise, you should attend the free training course provided by Governor Services for newly appointed governors so that you are fully aware of your role.

All nominations should be sent in to the school office by Friday 9th January 2009. You can nominate yourself. Every nomination must be signed by the candidate stating that they are willing to stand. We also need a few words from each candidate outlining why he/she would like to be a governor and this will be distributed with ballot papers if there is more than one nomination. Candidates cannot withdraw from the election once ballot papers have been issued.

Please think about taking on this role, or consider suggesting someone else who you think would do it well. We need and appreciate committed parent governors.

DIARY DATES:

Friday 19th December End of Year Assembly at 9.05pm.
School finishes at 1.30pm
Monday 5th January 2009 INSET TRAINING FOR TEACHERS. School closed for pupils.
Tuesday 6th January Pupils return to school
Thursday 8th January After school football begins for participating pupils
Monday 12th January Swimming begins for Class 2 pupils.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a fulfilling New Year.