NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER  

The topics for November will be ‘Autumn’ and ‘People who help us’.  We will be looking closely at signs of autumn in the environment and observing seasonal changes in weather and colours, and growth outdoors.

We have an autumn table filled with items such as leaves, conkers, pine cones- please feel free to bring in anything you find in your gardens or whilst out walking.

1. 1. Please encourage children not to bring any toys into school.  Some ‘conflicts’ have already arisen over ‘favourite’ toys from home.  Now that the children are well settled, they should no longer require a comfort toy from home.
       
   2. Eco Schools News

This month we will be introducing our ‘EcoSchools’ classroom practice to the children. We will be encouraging re-cycling, awareness of litter/tidy environments and nominate an ‘Eco helper’ each day to take charge of the eco tasks.

We will be planting indoors and outdoors.  We will be taking time to turn off lights.  The children will be meeting our ‘Eco bear’

Ravenscroft has a compost bin and all our fruit peelings are now being recycled and will hopefully turn into compost.

1. 1. Time to Talk                                                 

The children will be beginning our ‘Time to Talk’ language programme. The children will enjoy meeting ‘Ginger Bear’ during the small group sessions and the programme will nurture social aspects of language development. We will keep you updated via the classroom notice boards.

Mrs McGowan will be running a Time to Talk Parents Workshop on Thursday 7^th November at 9.15am. It will last approximately 40 minutes.                   

1. 1. Getting Ready to Learn

Your child will have the opportunity to take home a Getting Ready to learn pack. A letter will be placed in your child’s cubby hole with some further details.

We really need volunteers to help us with the back packs and would ask if you have any available time that you could help. The commitment would be once a fortnight,  sorting the backpacks for distribution. If we get enough volunteers this would be done on a rota system. Without volunteers we wont be able to run this programme . Thank you as always for your continued support.

1. Friday Music Mash

Each Friday after dinners, the Green Ronnie room and the Blue Ronnie room will join together in the hall to enjoy music and songs. If there are any talented musicians out there you are very welcome to come along and join in on Friday afternoons, from about 1pm.

Let us know in advance if you plan to do so. Thanks

1. FUNDRAISING THIS TERM

SMARTIES CHALLENGE

1. Each child will receive a tube of smarties to take home to share with their family . We would love if you could return the tube to us after mid term filled with 20ps. Each tube will be labelled with your childs name, and will be entered into a prize draw for a little prize.

The money raised will be put towards an activity for the children- details to follow.

1. We will be fundraising  by selling our lovely Ravenscroft Nursery School Candles priced at £5.00 each, OR 2 FOR £8. They would make a lovely Christmas gift for family and friends. Samples are available to view, please ask a staff member.
2. Your child has made a personalised Christmas Card, and packs of 12 cards can be purchased at a price of £5.00 per pack. Order forms have been sent home. Final date for ordering and payment is Tuesday 5^th November
3. Thank you for supporting our nursery J
4.  
5. Dates for your diary.

• Mon 28^th Oct- Mon 4^th Nov (inclusive)- Mid term holidays
• Tues 5^th Nov- Return to nursery. Children now stay until 1.30pm
• Wed 6^th Nov- Connective Learning Day at Harding Memorial Primary School
• Thurs 7^th Nov- Time to Talk workshop
• Mon 11^th Nov- Mr Hullaballoo visits the nursery
• Tues 12^th Nov- Oral health Talk
• Thurs 14^th Nov East Belfast Walk and visit to library- Blue Ronnie Class
• Fri 15^th Nov East Belfast Walk and visit to library- Green Ronnie Class
• Tues 19^th Nov- Gathering Drum visit the nursery
• Tues 26^th Nov- School Photographer here for individual photographs (family photographs can also be taken- speak with your class teacher)

Some Important Future Dates for your Diary

Wed 18^th December- Children’s Christmas Concert at 11.00. School finishes at 11.30pm (no  dinners)

   Thurs 19^th December- Christmas Party/Santa

School finishes at 11.30pm for the holidays (no dinners). We return on Monday 6^th January.

Please spread the word J - Could all parents and carers let family and friends know that we are inviting Parents/Carers to our ‘Open Evening’ on Thursday 9^th January 7-8pm, to visit our wonderful community nursery school.

Application forms for enrolment will be available on the Education Authority Website 7^th January.

Don’t forget to check your children’s hair weekly for Head Lice.         

Why not make this part of your week-end routine?