Carrongrange School

www.carrongrange.falkirk.sch.uk 01.09.10 No. 1

Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to our first newsletter of the term – I hope you enjoy reading it and find it helpful.

Although we have been back such a short time, we have been very busy and I am delighted at how well our new pupils have settled in. They all seem to be very happy to be here and enjoying the challenges of secondary school.

All of our pupils are looking very smart – thank you for your support on this: school uniform helps to give pupils a sense of identity, and we are often complimented on their personal presentation when they are out of school.

Please find attached Calendar of Events – some of the dates are provisional at the moment, and will be confirmed nearer the time. I hope you find it useful.

We are having our ‘Parents’ Information Evening’ on Tuesday, 28th September – this includes opportunities for you to:

Find out more about the curriculum at Carrongrange

Meet your children’s teachers

See round the school if you haven’t already done so

Hear from various agencies about post school support and provision if your child is in S4 – S6

We look forward to seeing you there.

We are also planning a ‘10th Birthday Celebration’ Assembly on the same day. The school was opened on the 25th September, 2000, and we hope you will be able to join us for this celebration.

School lunches and snacks – first of all, thank you for your patience with this, it has been a big change for all of us and is taking a bit of time to get used to! We now have more information about free school meal entitlement, and this is helping us to make better arrangements in school. All pupils have now been registered, and, whether or not they are entitled to a free meal, they have to use the finger print recognition machine in the dining hall in order that we can tally the total number of meals served. At the moment, there are a number of pupils who need to bring in more money to cover the lunches/snacks they have had: a letter will be sent out at the end of the week to those concerned. For pupils who pay, £1.55 will pay for a 2-course ‘meal deal’ – if pupils buy more or less than this, they will be charged accordingly – a menu and pricelist will follow once it is available. Packed lunches will also be to the value of £1.55. To reduce the amount of time it takes to pay money into the machines, it would be easier if pupils could bring their lunch money for the week on a Monday (£7.75). Classes have a time to use the machine on a Monday morning, and it is easier for us to arrange supervision if most pupils are paying then. Unfortunately, the machine does not give change, and the lowest coin it accepts is a 10p. Cheques to pay for lunches should be made payable to Falkirk Council, and pupils should bring them to the school office. Please remember that snack money is also paid into the machine – the kitchen is now cashless! Many thanks to Mrs Chirray and the dining staff who have all worked so hard to help us all get used to this new system. Please find attached our School Policies on Home/School Partnership and our School Aims. If you have any comments/suggestions to make about these, please do so on the tear off slip. Please feel free to use this for any other comments/suggestions you may have about the school. I hope you enjoy reading the rest of this newsletter – thanks to Mrs Knight in the office who does such a great job with all of our newsletters. I look forward to seeing you soon – hopefully at our first Whole School Assembly on Tuesday next week.

Best Wishes

Gillian B Robertson

Headteacher

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June 2010 - Special Award Winners

Jade

Gemma McLachlan Jade Taylor Gary Logan Kenny Buckley

June 2010 - Special Award Winners

House Pupil of the Year

Bruce House Scott House Wallace House

Assembly Dates

Tuesday 7th September at 9.15am Tuesday 28th September - 10th Anniversary Assembly at 10.00am Monday 25th October at 9.15am

You are welcome to join us for a cuppa after each assembly.

National Parent Forum for Scotland

Information Leaflet on the first National Conference for Parents is attached to this Newsletter.

Holiday Dates

A copy of the school term dates for session 2010-2011 accompanies this Newsletter.

Coffee Morning

S3 PALS group will be holding a Coffee Morning in the Chill Out in aid of MacMillan Cancer on Thursday 23rd September from 10.00am - 12 noon - Cost £2.50.

Dates for your Diary

Monday 13th September - Bank Holiday

Monday 11th October - Friday 15th October - Half Term Week

Summer School Our existing first year pupils and new pupils attended Summer School on 4th, 5th and 6th August. A wide range of activities were on offer these included Games, Swimming, Music and using the Wii, Arts and Crafts, ICT and Home Economics. Marie from Asda Warehouse, Grangemouth came in to do a Pizza demonstration and the pupils made pizzas to take home. We are very grateful to Asda Warehouse, Grangemouth for providing all the ingredients for the pizza making and for providing snacks for the summer school. The pupils also made sponge cakes to take home. On the last day we had a Cinema day where the pupils watched a DVD ‘ Aliens in the Attic’ which was enjoyed by everyone. Each pupil who attended also received a ‘Certificate of Participation’ on the last day.

September Birthdays 1R - Ross Neil 4W - Alistair Lind 1W - Darren Anderson 5/6A - Louise Brockie 2E - Elizabeth Ann Sellstrom 5B - Kenneth Forbes 2G - Assad Hussain 5N - Kelly Marshall, Karina Notarangelo, 2J - Darryl Davidson Kenneth Steen 3S - Melissa McIntyre 6L - Alan Farquhar

Sleep Scotland

Sleep Scotland is a charity which supports the parents and carers of children with additional support needs who have sleep problems. For details and further information please you can contact them either by e-mail: enquiries@sleepscotland.org or www.sleepscotland,org.

Pupil Achievements

If your child achieves medals, certificates etc. out of school, please inform the school office so that these can be included in the monthly newsletter.

If you would like to receive this newsletter by e-mail rather than hard copy. Please contact Mrs Knight in the school office or e-mail at the following address. carole.knight@falkirk.gov.uk

Carrongrange School Page 3

Absence Procedures

Parents/Carers are asked -

A) to notify the school in writing if absences are known in advance (e.g. holidays, appointments etc.)

B) to notify the school if a pupils is absent on the first day of absence.

C) if we do not know the reason for a pupil’s absence, we will send a Groupcall message to your mobile/home number. Please do respond to this so that we know that your child is safe.

It is therefore important that you inform the school of any changes to telephone numbers for yourself or any emergency contacts.

Food Items

Pupils should not bring any food items to school which contain nuts. We have pupils who are allergic to nuts and nut products. Your co-operation would be appreciated in this matter.

Dress Code

Many of our pupils are involved in various activities, through Seniors’ Choices and Enterprising Fridays. Some of these activities require wearing protective or com-fortable clothing. We have purchased overalls for pupils involved in these activities. For activities such the walking group/leisure activities on Friday mornings, pupils are asked to wear school uniform and to bring a change of clothes. Pupils who are away for a full day’s outdoor education may come to school wearing appropriate clothing. Your support in this is much appreciated as it helps us to ensure that pupils understand the need to wear school uniform and to change into appropriate clothing when required. Many thanks.

Valuables and Mobile Phones

Can I please remind you that the school can take no responsibility for loss or damage to any electronic games brought into school - pupils have to look after them very carefully. It has come to my attention that some new games can also take photographs. Could you please remind your children that this is not permitted in school. I would also be very grateful if you would ensure any games that your children bring into school are suitable and age-appropriate. Similarly would you please remind your chil-dren that, if they have to bring a mobile phone into school, it must be handed in to their Core Teacher and it will be returned at the end of the day.

Tesco Computer for

Schools and Clubs 2010

The school collected 10,251 Vouchers. Thank you to everyone who contributed. With your help we have bought keyboards, craft, technology and PE equipment.

Carrongrange School

Pupil’s Name: …………………………………………………………………..... Class: ……………...……………….

I have received and read the Newsletter dated 01.09.10.

Please make any comments or suggestions you may have below.

Signed:…………………………………………………………………………….…….. Dated:………………………..

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