We are well into the festive period and such, please find a few reminders and information below;
Upcoming Events
This week we have been busy filming our Christmas concert and also enjoyed our Christmas dinners. A huge thanks our canteen staff for a lovely Christmas lunch which was enjoyed by pupils and staff alike. Christmas parties will start next week and pupils are invited to come to school in their party clothes on the day of their party. We are very grateful for the Parent Council have supported our Christmas activities financially and also to the local coop who are providing juice and crisps for our Christmas parties!
We anticipate that our virtual Christmas concert will be available on Google Classrooms on Thursday evening . Thursday at 7pm would have been our Christmas Concert event at the High School but instead we hope you will be able to watch and enjoy the event as a family. Grab some Christmas goodies and enjoy the festive entertainment. The concert will be shared with the residents of Home Farm and Budhmor later in the week as well as those who attend Taigh Na Drocaid. Our pupils have been very busy writing letters and creating Christmas cards which are being delivered to the local Care Homes and also to Alzheimer Scotland. We are also involved in decorating hampers which will be distributed to members of our community by a group of locals over the coming weeks.
With thanks to the Parent Council and the Fat Panda, we have been able to send vouchers packages for a number of families in our school community who have been nominated to receive these. Many thanks for your nominations and to the Fat Panda and the Parent Council, together with local members who have so generously provided these.
All classes will view the online panto, Cinderella on Monday 21st December with Christmas treats provided by the canteen and on Tuesday 22nd December which is our last day of term, we will watch an online Christmas message from one of our chaplains, Gary Wilson and will also have a walk around the village to wish the community a Merry Christmas. Pupils are invited to wear Santa hats or other festive accessories to help spread some Christmas Cheer. School resumes for pupils and staff on Wednesday 6th January.
Christmas Cards and Gifts
A reminder that if pupils wish to write Christmas cards or their classmates, the last day for these to be sent in will be Friday 18th December which will allow them to be quarantined and handed out before the holidays. Please remind pupils that they should not be handing these out themselves but instead using the systems set up in classrooms.
Some parents have been in touch to enquire as to whether they are able to send in Christmas gifts for teachers. Given the current restrictions, any parcels being brought into school need to be quarantined appropriately for 72 hours. While staff are prepared to manage this if preferred, we would encourage you to consider not sending in staff gifts but instead, making donations to local charities if you wish.
School Photographer
We have had some enquiries about school photos, however, due to not having visitors allowed in schools, we have not been able to offer school photographs this year. School photographers have only been permitted in schools, such as the high schools, where there is a legal requirement for schools to hold current photos or such things as Young Scot candidate cards. This is something that can be revisited if and when restrictions allow for this.
Parental Engagement
We hope to be able to provide further information or arrangements to discuss pupils progress with parents early in the new year and appreciate your patience while we have awaited Council guidance on this.
Regards,
Sara
portreeprimaryschool.com 