Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
On Thursday (8th Feb) four children from each class will be representing their house in the times tables challenge. The winning house will receive a trophy with house colours and each individual winner a miniature trophy. We'll all be in the hall cheering the competitors on so good luck to all our entrants.
This week our theme is aspiration and, as our region has a close link with Nissan, assemblies have a Japanese theme. Apparently, on Saturday 3rd February it's the Bean Throwing festival signalling the onset of Spring. Learning about different cultures and traditions is always a joy.
Basketball Update
Year 5 went to their first basketball competition this week in the Hoops for Health challenge. The team destroyed their opposition until the quarter finals where they faced a very physical team and lost in the last few seconds of the match. They returned to school with mixed emotions-proud yet a little disappointed. I would like to congratulate them on their superb attitude in defeat-an excellent lesson for life.
In the Autumn term, 65% of our children were awarded green boxes on their reports for outstanding behaviour. This is amazing and shows the world that at Seaburn Dene we are friendly, ready to learn and polite. A vast majority of the other children also have good behaviour for most of the time with yellow or a combination of yellow and green boxes. A letter of congratulations for all children with two green boxes is on its way to parents who have to take the praise for this remarkable achievement. And don't forget-6 green boxes for behaviour is one of our criteria for a special trip out in the Summer.
Refuse the Straw Update
The School Council have written a very persuasive letter to Muller Milk to request that they change the plastic straws that come with the milk into the Foundation Stage to paper straws. Good news last week is that Costa will no longer be using plastic straws so the School Council are very keen to change this in all Sunderland schools too.
Yesterday Patisserie Valerie announced that they would offer anyone who reuses their disposable cups a 50p discount for each cup of coffee. That's good news for everyone.
Football Tournament
Last week our Year 5 and 6 footballers took part in a tournament. They had superb wins, moving into the quarter finals where they met last year's winners Hill View Junior School. Unfortunately, they lost 2-1 but are going from strength to strength under the management of Mr Traves.
Our school has a mission to reduce the use of plastic straws in our community. Led by the School Council, they are about to take action!
Children at Seaburn Dene are particularly fascinated by wildlife and the environment and are shocked by films and photographs of the way in which our lifestyles damage the earth and creatures within it. We have looked at one little step we can take to reduce the waste we produce and it's to Refuse the Straw.
The Issue
Plastic straws are used only once for a few minutes. They don't make a drink taste any better yet it takes them 500 years to decompose. Wetherspoons have already changed to biodegradable paper straws which will stop 70 million (isn't that an unbelievable figure?) plastic straws entering landfill or ending up in the ocean.
In school..
Our milk is delivered to the nursery and reception class in small cartons with plastic straws attached. We have worked out that, in our school alone, each year we are using over 7,000 plastic straws which end up in the waste bin. Imagining that every primary school in Sunderland uses around the same number, we are talking about 562,000 straws each year.
Action...
The School Council is taking action. Mrs Halliday has already contacted out milk suppliers who buy their milk from Muller so feel they are unable to help. In response the School Council are writing a letter to Muller presenting their views and setting up a petition for children and parents to sign which will be sent with their letter. Our mission is to make the world a better place for citizens of the future.
What you can do to help...
When out for a meal or a drink please politely refuse plastic straws at the time of ordering your drink.
Thank you.
BBC2's 500 WORDS
This amazing annual story writing competition was launched at 8.00am this morning by Chris Evans. Last year entries broke the world record for a children's story writing competition and, with such exclusive and wonderful prizes, wouldn't it be fantastic for one of our own imaginative children to get through to the final?
The last date for submission is Thursday 22nd February ( 7 pm) but, as we are promoting it in school from today, the earlier children begin to think about it, the more exciting their story will be. Here is the link you need for advice, workshops to inspire children and submission information.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4h26FXFQ4KfMV7VVSbJxY3g/500-words-2018
As the sun glints across the roof of the school and a solitary rose stands alone in the school garden, children and teachers feel joy at being back to school with its routine once gain. And the months ahead reach out to us with all of those annual events we often enjoy (World Book Day, Easter Afternoon Tea /Sports Day) and sometimes tolerate (SATS) yet life in school is rarely predictable.
This week is Sex and Relationship and Design Technology week-a rather unusual combination yet it works for us. Tomorrow Year 3 are introduced to hockey, with Mr. Wilson leading the training, whilst the Year 4 Hockey squad are prepared for their next competition.
With only 5 weeks before the next holiday, we will have to put our foot on the pedal and squeeze all our learning into a very short half term. Have a very happy 2018 everyone!