Newsletter 5.3.21

Dear Chagford Families,
 
I hope you have enjoyed a screen free day, and are reading this on Saturday!
We are very much looking forward to the children retuning on Monday. Please arrive from 8.50am and drop off your older children first. Please refer to the email I sent earlier this week regarding arrangements and measures in place.
We are aware that many children will need some time to readjust to being back at school. We are also mindful that those who have been in school will also need some time to acclimatise to being in a larger group again, we also have new children in each class.  We will be treating next week as a gentle reintroduction to school life: playing lots of cooperation games; establishing routines and reminding children of rules and expectations, much like we do in September at the start of term.  We will have plenty of positive mental health sessions too.

Kindness
This term, our school value is kindness. We are encouraging children to perform random acts of kindness. Please look out for these and when you notice them please acknowledge them so the children get lots of positive feedback! Many of our children are kind all the time, but we can all do with looking out for those times we can go the extra mile, and to notice and thank others for their kindness too.
Walnut Tree
And on that very topic, last Friday I revived a lovely surprise! We have been gifted a walnut tree to mark the return of the children after the lockdown and to help with the battle against Global Warming. We shall have a planting ceremony once we have decided on the right location (gardening committee – advice please!) Thank you very much to our generous and mysterious friend! What an unexpected and greatly appreciated act of kindness!
Word Book Week
Next week we are going to have a whole week of book themed activities with a dress up day on Friday.
On Monday, I will give out the £1 book vouchers. These can be used to purchase one of the specifically published £1 books for World Book Day, or they can be used towards payment of another book. They are only accepted by shops participating in the scheme.
 
I highly recommend that families support our new local book shop Astor’s.  Although closed for browsing, parents can ring with their book token number and which book they would like and then they can arrange a time to collect from the door of the shop. A click and collect scenario.
The tokens can be used towards the cost of a book of choice, or to buy a book specially written for World Book Day.
Astor’s Bookshop will stocking the following books for £1
There’s a Wolf in Your Book by Tom Fletcher
Protect the Planet by Jess French
Skysteppers by Katherine Rundell
Gigantosaurus Dino-Spot by Jonny Duddle
 
Fellowship Passports
We have launched an initiative across the schools in the Dartmoor Trust to keep our pupils engaged and motivated, particularly as they return to full school.
Each pupil is aiming to achieve 100 points by May half term. Points can be earned for participation and enthusiasm in learning, taking on additional class or school responsibilities and demonstrating our school values.
We are planning rewards to celebrate their successes. These will hopefully be trips out at the end of the summer term, this will of course be depending upon covid restrictions.
 
Do check your email for this week’s Praise Assembly certificates.
 
With very best wishes,
 
Tara Penny
Head of School
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