Dear Parents and Carers.
Whilst, the news that we will be out of school until the start of the new term was not what we wanted to hear, I hope that clarity on this, along with the helpful communication from City of Edinburgh Council shared yesterday has at least removed some uncertainty and given you a greater understanding of the reason for the current situation and what will be done to rectify it.
Please let me reassure you that the children are very settled and are doing really well, I have been proud of how they have adapted to the changes. We also really appreciate your support and understanding during what is a challenging time for our whole school community.
As mentioned in the communication from City of Edinburgh Council yesterday, they are currently digesting the contents of a structural report on our building and will be in a position by the end of next week to advise if there are any parts of the building that can be returned to school use whilst work is done on the two story block.
Calendar of Events for this Term
Once that information is conveyed to us, we will be able to make decisions on our calendar of key events for this term. Until that time, we can’t make any further decisions on school events this term. I hope you will see the logic of this.
Please see some further information below:
Parent Council Meeting
Please note that as mentioned in the minutes of the last Parent Council meeting shared with you all in February, that our next Parent Council meeting will take place on Friday, 1st May at 11am. Our Nursery colleagues have kindly allowed us to use their Temporary Unit office space for this event. Please be advised that capacity is limited within this building, therefore if you are not an office bearer and wish to attend, you will need to notify us by Wednesday lunchtime via our admin mailbox. If demand exceeds capacity, places at the meeting will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. It is really important that you understand that the purpose of this meeting is to discuss regular Parent Council business, even if that is within the context of the current situation. Whilst I will be in attendance at the meeting and am happy to listen to the views of all, I will not be able to make any further comment on the building other than what has been and will continue to be shared via email and on the website.
Morning Departures
Now that we are out of the early phase of our relocation, we are aiming to speed up our morning departures. From today, the aim will be to have all coaches depart by 9.05am. From Monday, we will ring the bell at 8.55am and it is expected that all pupils be lined up by this time to facilitate a quick and efficient departure.
Homework This Term
Staff will meet shortly to agree a consistent approach to homework this term. We will share more information re this next week.
Primary 7 Confirmation – Friday May 8th at 7pm in St Cuthbert’s Church
Confirmation candidates submitted their saint’s name and the name of their sponsor today to Mr Crowley and this was passed on to Fr Francis. They will be required to complete Home Activity 7 & 8 in their booklets and return to school by Friday 31st April. There will be a practise during school time for the candidates at St Cuthbert’s Church on 7th May so that pupils are aware of seating arrangements and how they will receive the Sacrament. Please note that school uniform, including tie should be worn on this occasion. Please contact Mr Crowley if you have any further questions.
Primary 5 – 7 Lunches at St Augustine’s High School
The kitchen staff at SAHS have been very welcoming and accommodating to our learners and staff. We are aware there are some queries regards the menu choices and variety of options for those with allergies / dietary requirements, we appreciate your understanding and patience with this. Unfortunately, due to numbers/available resources, it is not always possible for SAHS to provide the same lunch choices as would be the case were we back in our own school. The kitchen at St Augustine’s is however keen to give pupils a choice in what they eat. Learners, who ordered a lunch for next week, were given the choices yesterday for next week which were submitted to SAHS kitchen staff. Mr Crowley met with the staff today to discuss the menu options moving forward and how best to align as close as possible with the what the children have ordered through parent pay. If your child is unhappy with the lunch choices moving forward and you have prepaid for the term, you can contact the office for a refund. Please be aware this will require some time to process. Mr Crowley discussed allergies / dietary requirements with the SAHS kitchen manager. Mr Crowley will contact parents directly to discuss alternatives now hopefully available.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend
Mr Brack
St Cuthbert's RC Primary School 