Sinterklaas
The festivities for Sinterklaas have been nice and memorable. The helpers called Pieten were walking on the roof and our own helpers called hulppieten enjoyed it a lot. Sinterklaas arrived at our school in a quite nicely with cute horses and a horse-drawn carriage. The children had their festivities in the groups with presents, typical Sinterklaas snacks and in the higher groups also with poems.
Christmas Tuesday 9th December, a number of children of the choir, children playing the flute or the violin will visit elderly people at Thabor. Like every year, they participate in their Christmas party. By now, Sinterklaas left our country, that is why we now start working on the festivities around Christmas. The groups will all be decorated in Christmas spirit.
Thursday 18th December, in the afternoon, we like to have a “market” in Christmas spirit. The children will be off at noon, but they need to get back to school around 1.30pm since the Christmas festivities will start. (Children of groups 1-4 need to have a guide) The afternoon will start with listening to Christmas carols provided for by our school choir, accompanied by children playing flutes, violins or double bass at our school yard.
At 2pm the activities in the groups will start. The children will be able to create several Christmas crafts. (registration for the workshops will be in the groups) We like to make it a pleasant afternoon with hot chocolate for the children and a small snack on the side. We like to end this day around 3.30pm. The Christmas festivities continue on Friday 19th December with breakfast for the children in the groups with a celebration in their own groups. At noon, the holiday will start for all the groups.
Holiday club: Vakantiepas Club
The creators of the ZomervakantiePas will have several activities during Christmas holiday as well. Club members will be able to make nice art works at the Kinderatelier located in The Hague, dive into Tikibad, visit a theatre for a performance or eat a typically Dutch snack called oliebol at Oliebollenkraam located at Spui.
The pass is meant for children attending elementary schools, who can to become VP Club member through the website www.kindervakantiepas.nl. (free of charge)
About two weeks before every school holiday, children receive an e-mail with several discount coupons and the link to their website for additional information. Should your child not be member yet, visit their website: www.kindervakantiepas.nl
Extended school day from January until April 2015
The new Skills for Kids brochure will be distributed in the course of this week. Several activities for all the groups can be found. About 15 children per activity will be able to join. Activities of Skills for Kids will all take place at school. Examples of activities are: Streetdance, creating music and many more. Please register through the website mentioned in the brochure. After registration you will receive a confirmation e-mail. Registration is possible until Friday 19th December next. If you do not have access to a computer at home it is possible to use a school computer for registration. Activities will continue with a minimum amount of 10 participants. Make sure you register for activities!
“Ukkepukkies”
After amzing festivities for Sinterklaas we like to prepare for Christmas now. Time flies when you are having fun. Next week, on Thursday, we will celebrate Christmas already! The celebrations for Christmas have been scheduled as follows:
Thursday, 18th December 2014
Blue 8.30 – 9.30 am
yellow 9.30 – 10.30 am
Red 10.30 – 11.30 am
In the morning like to celebrate Christmas in the groups. In the above mentioned schedule you will be able to find the time your child will be expected at school. We like to invite you with your child at the playgroups. In the afternoon children will be off. Between 4.15 and 4.30pm we like to receive all the children for their traditional Christmas dinner, which will be until 5.30pm. We would like to end the afternoon with a walk through the school surroundings with a lantern. The Christmas holiday will start afterwards, since Friday, children attending Ukkepukkies will be off.
Trips
Thursday, 11th December group 5 will attend the lesson called Burgerschap at Museon. The children will not be back at school before noon, therefore, we suggest that all the children spend their lunch hour at school. Could you please give your child €5,00 for this visit to the museum? If it would be possible for you to walk along with the children, please contact their teacher Mr Dirk-Jan.
Holidays schoolyear 2014-2015 and days off:
Christmas holiday 19th December at noon for all the groups and we like to start again on Monday 5th January 2015. Tuesday 7th April (including Easter weekend) a study day for the team, for which the children will be off.
Lice check:
Hooray, at this moment we are free of lice and nits… The next check will be on Wednesday 10th December, so if everyone could keep on checking the children’s heads it would be so good!!!
Lunch hour
Children can only stay during lunch hour when a card for lunch has been bought with Ms Hannie in the kitchen upstairs. Ms Hannie is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Could you also please fill in the form at our school website? This way we get to make an overview for the teacher what the children’s regular days will be for spending the lunch hour at school. Without the card for lunch hour children cannot spend their lunch hour at school. We like to thank you in advance.
Coming to school too late:
Many children still enter the school after the second bell, which is too late. We would like to stress that coming to school on time is a necessity. It is not good for anyone if children enter the classroom late. When children of groups 3-8 are late: it is no longer necessary to get a “red” card, since sometimes that could mean loss of time (and at times even disturbing the group twice). The teacher makes note of children that enter the group late. The first bell is at 8.25am, if everyone could make sure to be in the group at that time, the lessons could actually start at 8.30am. (second bell) When children come late to school too often we have the obligation to notify the Hague department for leerplicht, which is when children are late 9 times or more.
Calling sick
Could you please contact our school when your child is ill before school starts (which is at 8.30am) using phone number 070-3540457. This is new policy which we are obligated to do on account of leerplicht. We need to get a phone call every day from home as long as your child is ill(or not feeling well), preferably before the lessons start. This is another obligation of the department of leerplicht. The administration makes a round along the groups and in case the teacher had not yet received a message from you then you can expect a phone call from school. If we still do not get contact with you we are obliged to report that your child is illegitimately absence and when a child is absence more than 2 days we need to inform the department for leerplicht. That is the reason why we like to stress that you please let us know on daily basis that your child is absence, for which we like to thank you in advance. In case of an appointment for doctor(GP), dentist or any other appointment, please hand your child’s teacher a note to inform the teacher the appointment it concerns.
Social worker related to school
In a first conversation she usually likes to discuss with you what steps need to be taken when solving a problem or issue. Sometimes it is important to seek other type of help. She will be able to inform you about the possibilities and might even help you out by contacting other organizations. Our social worker is free of charge and works confidentially. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate, just contact her.
Annemieke Bakker, by phone: 06-43167421 or by e-mail: annemieke.bakker@welzijnscheveningen.nlannemieke.bakker@welzijnscheveningen.nl
Have a nice week!