Prayer
As we gathered today we thought more deeply about Jesus’ commandment and realised that Jesus isn’t just asking us to be loving but to go that extra mile and be selfless in our own actions. He wants us to have no barriers to who we love, He just wants us to value each other and show that value through our actions. On the surface this seems so easy but Jesus’ Word always makes us think, reflect and bring about change. Throughout this term we have all been trying to make our actions reflect the work Jesus is calling us to do and our two virtues of Eloquence and Truth have been supporting us. Next half term we will be exploring our next two virtues of being attentive and discerning:
St Ignatius tells us that we need to be attentive to the big and the small things, to the responses of other people, to the stirrings in our hearts, and to the preoccupations that thread their way through our lives. Being attentive takes practise; it is much easier to rush from one thing to the next, taking little time to notice anything. Once we develop the habit of being attentive, we can begin to discern what is good for us and what is not; and what God calls us to be, and to do.
This will definitely be a challenge for us all as we go about our busy lives!
So much to celebrate…
Today as we end this half term, I would like to thank you for your continued support in helping to make Our Lady Star of the Sea a special place in which children can learn. Watching our Reception children over this last week as they have travelled through their continuous provision has been a pure delight; I can't believe just how they have grown over the year, they are learning with such curiosity and confidence. Children, you should be so very proud of all your achievements and there's still six weeks to go!
This week our Year 6 children have been enjoying their time on Lake Coniston and I have to say all reports have delighted us with anecdotes about wonderful children who really have been real ambassadors of Our Lady's. The staff up there have said that so many of the children have overcome challenges and surpassed all their own expectations throughout the week. Mrs Gregan and I enjoyed a lovely day with the children on Wednesday and Mrs Hotchkiss switched places with Mrs Harrison, stepping right into the high climb! The smiles and laughter really summed up just what a marvellous time they are all having. I have to say I could have quite happily stayed. I am sure there will be many stories to hear on their return! If you would like a little taste of their experience do visit the Year 6 area and look at the photographs and read those nightly blogs. Thank you, Year 6 for making us all so proud; we have missed you all just as I know your parents have!
Farewell
Today we have said goodbye to Miss Woodrow who has worked alongside us all for 15 years. She has secured a new role at Mayfield school and is looking forward to a new challenge. We will all miss her but wish her well and hope she will take a little piece of us with her as she continues to grow.
Office News
Next half-term, our final half term of the school year, is a 33 day half-term and so full dinner money for this will be £77.55. As you know, we have the Great Big Jubilee Picnic coming up in our first week back and you’ve been asked to fill in a form on the website if your child doesn’t normally have a school dinner. If you’ve booked that day (it is Wednesday 8th June) as an extra, KS2 children will need to have £2.35 to be paid onto ParentPay under dinners. There is no special heading for it!
Separately on dinners, we are bringing this week’s registers up to date on Monday (the Office are in at certain times during half-term but only available, intermittently through email) and will send out reminders for any unpaid dinners for this half-term.
With only just over 6 weeks of the school year to go when we return after the holiday, we really are anxious that you catch up with all dates as mentioned elsewhere because it will be a very busy time. The sports days are spread out during the second week of the half-term so please ensure that they are in your calendar. We don’t want anyone to miss as we know how much these days mean to you all and of course to the children!
During the first week back, the office will be sending out to every family in school and Nursery, an invitation to a leaving Mass for Miss Hornby which will be held on Monday 18th June 2022 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church at 6:30pm. We hope that many of you can make it, we are thinking of various celebrations we would like to have within school but it will be the Mass which is dearest to Miss Hornby’s heart and she would love to see as many as possible of us there. We have been asked by many people about collections, we know how Miss Hornby feels, so will not be making any - what we can say, from our experience here, is that if you would like to send her a letter or card, just telling her what you feel about her, the school or just good wishes, that would mean everything to her. We are going to collect in such cards or letters in the office and have already received one or two and they will go straight to Miss Hornby at the end of term. For her, the headship of this school is and always has been, about service, to the school, the children, the staff and the wider parish and local community and we here in school have felt this so keenly as Miss Hornby has been available and at any time to each one of us.
Attendance
These are our half-term percentages and we are hoping very much that our final half-term figures will be even higher. Everyone is trying so hard and we greatly appreciate all your efforts to encourage good time-keeping and good attendance. As always, we feel greatly supported by you all and it is no accident or coincidence that schools with high attendance are generally schools in which the children achieve well according to the benchmarks set for them by government. Our reason for wishing to have regular attendance is that children are always more settled and comfortable in their learning if there are no gaps but we always understand when illness or unavoidable circumstances prevent them being in school.
This has been another successful half term and watching the children take such strides forward as they immerse themselves in exciting learning continues to be inspiring to us all. It is hard to believe that we only have just over six weeks left when we return to school; but I'm sure they will be weeks full of great opportunities and fun.
Please take a good look at the calendar over the holidays as there are events coming up, including sports afternoons which we would hate you to miss.
I hope you all enjoy a lovely two weeks with your families. Let's hope that the good weather will continue and that you will all have a much needed rest and relax with your loved ones. Do enjoy celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee if you get the opportunity - none of us are likely ever again to get the chance to celebrate such an event. Of course we shall be having our own celebrations and tributes to Her Majesty during the first week back and Nursery have enjoyed a lovely tea party this afternoon!
We look forward to welcoming you all back on Monday 6th June.
God bless,
Miss Hornby
