Newsletter

Newsletters are emailed out to parents and carers every week on a Friday. If you do not already receive you can read it here or have it emailed by contacting the office on: office@hollypark.barnetmail.net

To see the full colour version of this week’s newsletter including photographs please scroll further down this page. You will also find there a full list of previous newsletters.

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Here is this week’s newsletter:

Homeless Advent Calendar

We have made a Holly Park advent calendar for the homeless. The box for donations is in the foyer and we would like to ask for your support to help us collect the following: toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face cloth, sponges, deodorants) adult socks, scarves, woolly hats and gloves. There will be a box for donations in the foyer over this period. Once everything has been collected, Cindy (one of our parents) will take the items back to the Selby Centre and Cindy and a team of volunteers will distribute the toiletries in a gift bag on Christmas Day. Your help and support is very much appreciated. This is a great opportunity to teach children about the fact that Christmas is about giving as well as receiving and to show them how they can help in a small way with those less fortunate than themselves. If every child at the school donated one or two items to our homeless advent calendar we would have over 1,000 items to give – that would be wonderful! This will help our children actively engage with our value of the month for December which is Generosity. By giving to this appeal you will be teaching your child about generosity. There has been a lot of generosity to this project already and the box has been refilled several times. Thank you to those who have already donated.

Value of the Month – Generosity

The Value for December is ‘Generosity.’ This links really well with the news item above. At Holly Park I think we demonstrate generosity to our children in many ways. The Holly Park families have shown lots of generosity donating to Harvest assembly, PTA fair donations (both time and gifts) and our national charity – Young Minds. We are very lucky that the PTA reps and committee give very generously of their time for the benefit of the children. Holly Park governors also give very generously of their time in a voluntary role for the benefit of the children. Not only do they attend meetings, but they make many visits into school and support the strategic vision of the school. Holly Park staff also go above and beyond their job descriptions as teachers by running clubs, attending sporting events and music events, staying for evening concerts, doing sleepovers and school residential trips etc. It is very important that the adults in the school community model what generosity is.

Christmas Jumper Day

It was Christmas Jumper Day today. There were some lovely jumpers. Thank you for your support by bringing in gifts for the toy tombola.

PTA Winter Fair – Saturday 12pm -4pm

Please come along to the school winter fair tomorrow between 12pm and 4pm to enjoy the festive fun – Santa, tombola, cakes, carol singing, mulled wine and lots of other fun and games. Please come and support the school and also our PTA committee who have worked very hard to pull this event together. Come and support our Y5 and Y6 apprentice stalls – who are trying hard to make a stall and to raise the most money at their stall. Your support will be very much appreciated – so come along and enjoy the fun! Thank you in advance to everyone who has volunteered in some way.

Candlelight Concert

Our traditional candlelight concert was a magical event. A beautiful evening of songs that got us into the Christmas spirit. Both the infant and the Chamber Choir looked very smart and sang with energy and enthusiasm. There were traditional Christmas songs and beautiful songs about starlight with magical melodies. Songs sung in parts and songs with solos and small groups. The children sang modern and traditional songs – as well as songs in different languages. There were songs with intricate harmonies and songs requiring the children to sing expressively. The parents in the audience joined in with some of the familiar songs for this time of year. The Dads’ choir added depth and texture to one of the songs. Well done to Mr Hogan and everyone involved.

Our News Discussion Point Of The Week – Should animals be used for our entertainment?

The popular TV show ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’ will no longer feature challenges including eating live bugs in the Bushtucker Trials for the first time in the show’s history, following campaigns against animal cruelty. Explaining their decision, the producers have said, “No live critters will be eaten in the Bushtucker Trials this year.” Although live critters and animals will not be part of the eating tasks, viewers can still expect to see the contestants being covered in them as part of other trials. It comes as wildlife presenter, Chris Packham, has been campaigning for the series to end the use of animals. He’s explained that he sends a letter of complaint to the programme every year.

Vocabulary of the Week:

Contestants – people who take part in a contest or competition.
Cruelty – a behaviour that deliberately causes pain or distress to people or animals.
Entertainment – consists of performances of plays, films or other activities that give people pleasure.
Protected – preserve something from harm.
Regularly – something that happens often.

Parents and parking

Linking in with generosity and generosity of spirit towards others, please can I remind parents to park considerately and legally outside the school at pick up and drop off times. Can I also remind parents not to be rude or offensive or use swear words to other parents. There was an incident that was brought to our attention last week which involved both of these things and another this week. Whilst parking outside the school grounds is not in our remit, we hope that parents will act responsibly.

Music News

Instrumental Tuition Instrumental lessons are complete for the term except for the following: Tuesday 10th December – woodwind.

Next term’s Instrumental Tuition lessons and Ensembles sessions begin on the first week back, apart from Monday’s violinists, who will begin their lessons on Monday 13th January. Choirs Spring term’s choir dates will be in next week’s newsletter.

Christmas Decorations

Every child in the school made a Christmas decoration out of lollypop sticks. The children were very inventive and came up with lovely ideas. Our dining room now looks very festive.

Christmas Post Box

The Christmas post box is out and ready for children to put their Christmas cards in. Please ensure that all cards have full names and classes on the envelope. The last day to post cards will be Wednesday 18th December.

Parent Information Forms

We are required to ask you for your contact details etc every year under GDPR regulations. At the parent consultation meetings you were given a sheet of your details to either confirm they were correct or to amend the details. If you did not hand this back to the class teacher please can you send it back to school as soon as possible. It is essential we have up to date information in case we need to contact you in an emergency. Thank you for your co-operation.

Holly Park Online Community Noticeboard

We now have a Community Noticeboard on our school website under the ‘Contact’ heading. This is for parents and friends of the school to advertise their businesses/events. For example if you make birthday cakes, do nails, are a decorator etc. The following rules will apply: Items will be listed alphabetically to avoid any favouritism eg C for cake making, P for Piano lessons. There is a disclaimer at the top of the page saying that inclusion on the page does not mean the service is endorsed by the school in any way. The cost to advertise will be £10 per term paid to Mrs Hassan. We no longer distribute leaflets for companies advertising holiday clubs, tennis lessons etc as this is not very eco friendly. However the company can email the school office a leaflet and for £10 can advertise on this page.

This week’s newsletter: Newsletter 6.12.19