CALDERWOOD NEWSLETTER

In This Issue

Polar Explorer visits

Calderwood

Pre-Stem Science Suc-

cess

Rookie Rockstars

Christmas Calendar

Achievements

Planting our orchard of pear, plum and apple trees.

We need you! Please Vote!

Please vote for Calderwood Community

Outdoor Classroom

We are delighted to have been short listed for the Aviva Community Fund and have a chance to win £25,000. Please can everyone vote for our Outdoor Learning Project? It only takes five minutes. This is what you need to do -

Please register then AVIVA will send you a confirmation link to your email. When you click on this, it will take you to a generic page for all vot-ing. Search for Calderwood Primary School. You can cast up to 10 votes per email account.

Now that our path network has been established, we are ready to fire ahead with the next step in our project. Things to look forward to– a mud kitchen, garden art, new planters up in the newly tarmacked area and lots more!

https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/16-

2809

Edition 2016/2017

Dyslexia Awareness Week

Last week you may have noticed some of

the children wearing small blue ribbons.

This was to raise awareness of Scottish

Dyslexia Week 2016.

It is very important that all children have an

understanding of what it means to have

Dyslexia. At assembly Mrs. Kirkland gave a

special presentation to all the children.

While dyslexic learners may find reading and

writing challenging, the children learned that

people with dyslexia can be very successful

in their lives and in the future.

We have been working hard to help the

children to live our school values in all we

say and do in school. Inclusion and Equality

were a key focus for this assembly. Please

ask the children about equality!

Stonelaw Sports Leaders We have a very positive relationship with the Physical Education Department at

Stonelaw and once again we are delighted to play an important role in the Sports

Leader Development Programme for S4 Pupils.

Every week for a block of four sessions, the children in P2/3 have visited Stonelaw

for their PE sessions. The children are supervised by a member of staff from

Calderwood however the S4 Pupils are involved in coaching the children in a vari-

ety of sporting activities. The children really enjoy the opportunity to work and

learn from the older pupils and also use their gigantic gym hall! The S4 pupils

practice their coaching skills and learning how to manage little people!

This has been a successful partner project with Stonelaw High School through

which many classes have benefitted.

Book Banding We would like to say a huge thank you to our Parent Council and to the wider Parent Forum

for helping to fund £7000 of our wonderful new books. Book Banding is extremely expensive

and we could not have achieved this without your support.

Book Banding is being implemented in P1-3 this session and we hope to roll this out next

year into the upper school. Mrs. Laing has produced an information letter and we hope you

will find this useful. We will have many of the books available for all parents to view during

Parents’ Night. We would welcome your comments on how the children are enjoying the

new readers at home.

It is extremely important that children have the opportunity to read a wide range of texts and

this is a crucial aspect of learning to read and of Curriculum for Excellence . I am sure par-

ents will also be delighted with a little change from Kipper, Biff and Chip!

As the books are so expensive, we really want to take care of them! Please ensure that your

child looks after their book at home and always remember to return it to the school each day.

Last session, we lost a number of reading books which were not returned from home.

Polar Explorer Comes to Calderwood We are very excited about a very spe-

cial visitor coming to Calderwood later

this month. Craig Mathieson from the

Polar Academy is the Explorer in Resi-

dence from the Royal Scottish Geo-

graphical Society. He has had many

adventures and will be speaking to all

the classes about his expeditions! This

project is being funded by Clyde Gate-

way as part of their Intervention

Prorgramme to provide a Polar Explo-

ration Workshop for all pupils.

Craig has led the 1st Scottish Expedi-

tion to the South and North Poles.

Craig Mathieson

Photo Caption

Pupil Council Visit Glasgow

City Chambers

Early in the term, our Pupil

Council representatives from

Primary 5,6 and 7 visited

Glasgow City Chambers.

The children worked with

other schools from across

Glasgow to discuss the im-

portance of Pupil Voice. We

are really pleased to be part

of the Glasgow Growing

Good Citizenships Project

and we are excited about

how the Pupil Council will

take this forward at Calder-

wood.

Uzair, Spencer, Sophie, Alex, Olivia and May

P7 Pre-Stem Science Project Over the last few months, Primary 7 have been very busy working on the Science

Technology Engineering and Mathematics Projects.

The children were split into teams to work together and consider how they could go

about making Calderwood a more healthy school. In their groups, they had to come up

with innovative and creative ideas and present this in the form of a presentation to a

panel of judges. This was a super event and all Primary Schools in the Stonelaw

Learning Community were involved. Stonelaw High School hosted this event for the

feeder Primary Schools.

We were delighted to come

Rookie Rockstar Christmas

Concert We are super excited about this year’s Christmas Show. All children in the school perform in this

show from Primary 1 through to Primary 7. In previous years we have always had a whole school

show, however we have so many children now that it has been necessary to look at a different

approach. We have invited Rookie Rockstars to visit Calderwood and they will be supporting us in

performing. Further details will be issued very soon along with information about tickets. The

school will be split into two groups; an A and a B Group. There will be an A and a B group from

each class. Siblings will be in the same group. There will be four evening performances this ses-

sion and the children will perform on two evenings out of the four. You will shortly be informed of

the evenings your children will perform.

Team A will perform Monday and Wednesday

Team B will perform on Tuesday and Thursday

Using this model, we will be able to offer two tickets per family for your choice of evening perfor-

mance. There may also be opportunities to purchase additional tickets too. This year there will be

no matinee performances.

In previous years, each class has performed a song at the concert, however all the children will

perform all the songs with a few surprises thrown in!

If this is a model which works for us, we may attempt to do this ourselves in future years!

The children will all dress up as Rock Stars so plenty of time to think about a costume; it would

great to see a mixture of styles from through the decades; glasses, punky hair, leg warmers will all

be welcome! Please do not go out and buy costumes as anything goes! Be as creative as you like!

We invite parents to also dress up on the night and join in the fun!

DATES— Monday 12th December, Tuesday 13th December, Wednesday 14th December and

Thursday 15th December.

Teachers Learn too!

Calderwood Teachers have always

been extremely committed to their con-

tinuous professional learning.

At the moment, we have a number of

staff who are participating in French

and also in Spanish training. After the

school day, they head off to Hamilton

to participate in their weekly lessons!

Teachers always continue to learn too!

Photo Caption

Christmas Fair

We are very much looking

forward to Calderwood’s

Christmas Fair. This has

become one of the most well

attended Fairs in Rutherglen

because of the huge variety

of stalls, home baking etc.

Don’t forget to put the date in

the diary!

Saturday 26th

November 10am-2pm

Good Luck Lego Mindstorm Team

At the beginning of December our Lego Mindstorm Team will be participating in the

First Lego League Competition in Glasgow. Calderwood were previous Scottish

Champions in 2014/2015 and West of Scotland Team Award Winners 2015/2016.

Once again our team will be led by Mrs. Mossman who has been working tirelessly to

prepare the children for the presentation element and the lego challenge after school

and during lunch breaks.

This project is extremely difficult and involves computer programming the robot (also

built by the children) to complete a number of challenges in the given time. The chil-

dren will be showcasing their skills on Parent s’ Evening in the hall. Please come in

and wish the children luck! During the competition, the children are questioned about

their robot design and about programming. Please ask the children questions and put

them through their paces in preparation for the competition! It would be great experi-

ence for them. Thank you Mrs. Mossman for all your hard work preparing the children

for the competition.

David Goutcher Visit We are delighted to be hosting a visit from author David Goutcher who created the Spy

Quest Interactive Game. Rutherglen Library have kindly organised this visit for Calder-

wood. Primary 4 to Primary 7 will have the opportunity to ask David about Spy Quest ,

his books and about life as an author!

Something to really look forward to!

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Us

On

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@CalderwoodSLC

Achievements Esther Vickers has been successful in gaining a scholarship for The Glasgow School of Art children's development course studying various styles of art and sculpture! Well done Esther!

Hana Semple got through to the semi finals of the Mini Red Ball Under 8’s Championships at Rutherglen Tennis Club.

Kallum Fraser achieved his red stripe at Taekwondo. Well done Kallum!

Leah Quinn won 3 medals at the Irish dancing competition. She came 4th, 5th and 7th! What a star!

Edith Williamson Edith won the Mini Ninja’s class trophy! Well done Edith!

Gabrielle Allan completed the Skyride Circuit twice and cycled all the way home...10miles! Super fit girl!

Isla McLeod came 3rd place at the Dundee Open Competition in figure skating. She was also 3rd in the Ayrshire Open too. Well done Isla!

Ross Anderson received a Blue Peter Sports Badge. He inspired his friend Adam to try to play golf. Badges are given to children who inspire and encourage others.

Lucy and Adam Symon have both completed their Level 7 Skiing lessons and can ski alone without an instructor! Adam Symon was a ring bearer at his Uncle Gary and Auntie Kimberley’s wedding. He carried out his ring bearer’s role excellently! Lucy was also a flower girl at the wedding and was a super help looking after the younger children.

Kate McAlpine has achieved her Rookie Life Guard Gold level 1. Super job Kate!

Riley Grant received a trophy from Hampden Football Academy on completion of the Fun Fours Season. Well done Riley!

Mila McLellan learned to ride her bike without any stabilisers! Fantastic!

South Lanarkshire Swimming Championships A big well done to Theo Monteith and Rachel Borland who represented Calderwood at the South Lanarkshire Schools Swimming

Championship. Both children were superb competitors in the 11 Years and Under Classes. Well done children...we are very

proud of you!

First Aid Club We are very lucky to have a skilled First Aider at Calderwood! Mrs Ferguson, one of our Support Assistants, has been

teaching a group of Primary 5 pupils vital First Aid Skills at the after school First Aid Class. Mrs Ferguson takes the

children in her own time and we are very grateful for her commitment to teaching the children this life skill.

Dates for the Diary

15th November—Viki Rice DHT Stonelaw Visiting Primary 7 Pupils

17th November– Parents’ Night 3.30-5.30pm and 6.30-8.30pm & School Book Fair

17th November– P1-3 National Schools Film Week Movie at the GFT Iron Giant

18th November—P4-7 National Schools Film Week Movie Ice Age

21st November—Children should not attend school - Staff Training/In-service Day

26th November—Christmas Fair 10am-2pm

29th November– Egyptian Sharing Learning Room 9

30th November– Room 6 to Tesco Visit Farm to Fork Visit

1st December—Parent Council Meeting

2nd December—Bridgeton Burns Competition at St Mungo’s High School (Evening)

7th December—P7 Christmas Party 1.30-3pm

7th December—P7 Parent Meeting at Stonelaw High School

8th December—Children recording Rookie Rockstars CD (am)

8th December—P6 Christmas Party 1.30-3pm

9th December—Christmas Funky Fitness

9th December—Choir Singing in Rutherglen Arcade for Ronald MacDonald House –10am-10.45am

9th December—P1 and P2 Child Smile—Fluoride Varnish

12th December—Rookie Rockstars Christmas Show (Group A) Evening

12th December—P5 Christmas Party (1.30-3pm)

13th December—Rookie Rockstars Christmas Show (Group B) Evening

13th December—P4 Christmas Party (1.30-3pm)

14th December—Rookie Rockstars Christmas Show (Group A) Evening

14th December—School Christmas Lunch

14th December—P3 Christmas Party (1.30-3pm)

15th December—Rookie Rockstars Christmas Show (Group B) Evening

15th December—P2 Christmas Party (1.30-3pm)

16th December—P1 Christmas Party (1pm-3pm)

17th December—Lego Mindstorm Competition

19th December—Bubble Gum and Fluff for Primary 6 pupils

20th December—P1 Nativity Play 11am (P1 Parents and family invited)

21st December—Hopscotch Pantomime in school Aladdin 9.30am

22nd December—End of Term Service 9.30am Stonelaw Church, School Closes 2.30pm