Minutes of Parents’ Meeting - Tottenham, May 14th 2012
Present: Jon, Emily, Elly, Meeta, Helene, Anna, and Yvonne.
Read through minutes of previous meeting
TOPICS: Dates for various events, Anna’s departure, Food, Swimming, Fundraising, Veranda, Clean up and Primary Class Issues.
Following dates were arranged with those present at the meeting
All School Sports Day & Nursery Fun Run in Bruce Castle Park
25th June 2012
Cultural Show
Nursery: Tuesday 10th July 2012 starting at 4.30pm
Primary: Wednesday 18th July 2012 at 4.
Cleaning up evening
Friday 25th May 2012 from 4.00pm till 6.00pm
Please come and help clear out the garden and the side shed amongst other tasks.
Swimming
Meeta is still searching for a qualified teacher for the primary swimming sessions. At the moment, the children are practising in the Edmonton Green teaching pool and enjoying the challenge of visiting the deeper pool.
Anna’s departure
Anna is moving on to South America in the autumn to participate in a children’s project using her talents for art and drama. She will be missed.
Before she goes, she will work on the drama presentation for July. Monique, who is currently teaching art on Friday afternoon, will increase her hours in the school and carry on teaching the ukulele.
Anna intends to forge a link between our school and the children she will be working with in South America.
Food
Some items of tinned food such as baked beans and tomato are being phased out. We will try to keep the food GM free, particularly the tofu and other soya product.
Verona is now cooking 3 days a week and will bring back more diversity to our menu.
Primary Class Issues
Too many toys have become an issue and are not properly cared for. So we will have a toy day on Friday only. This will include electronic toys.
We request parents to send a piece of fruit for the morning break when milk is also on offer.
Veranda
Dotan will coordinate the extension of the veranda. We will ask him to do this in phases and we will ask for your help to assist him.
Fundraising
This term, we will continue to raise funds for the minibus by running the sponsored Fun Run for the Nursery Class on sports day (Monday 25th June). The Primary Class will do a sponsored walk along the canal to the Olympic Park. The date is to be arranged during school time.
There was a suggestion for next term to come up with activities to raise funds amongst football fans at the Tottenham matches, such as face painting…
Percussion Items
If you have any wooden items such as coconut shells, pipes, wind chimes, we are currently building a percussion installation in the garden for the Nursery children, and will be grateful for your contribution.
SUNRISE SCHOOL
NEWSLETTER – SUMMER 2012
Dear parents,
Welcome back. We hope you enjoyed a nice Easter break and are feeling rested and refreshed. A warm welcome to all new families.
When you can’t get an answer on the landline (0208 885 3354), please call 07966218783; which will be answered by the staff on duty in the Garden Room (Nursery) who will forward any message to the primary class.
FEES
Sadly, we’ve had to increase our fees. The new fees are £127 per week for a five day week, £116 for 4 days, £105.50 for 3 days, £85 for 2 days and £55 for one day.
Parents Meeting is on Monday 14th May at 4.30
You are welcome to raise any matter important to you.
Teacher training is on Friday 1st June so the school and nursery will be closed that day.
PLEASE REMEMBER
If you shop online through Amazon, John Lewis, Natures Best, Halfords, HMV, Dabs.com or LoveFilm, please remember to go through our website so the school gets a small contribution from these sponsors. Go to sunrise.org.uk and click on any online shop you fancy.
Parentcraft: If you are interested in an article on bed sharing and sleep problems among children up to the age of 10, please see the link:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/115/Supplement_1/233.full
FUNDRAISING
Vegetarian Lunch raised £814 which was a very pleasant surprise.
The Healing Day raised £310
So far we have raised £4000 including the value of the previous minibus. We’ve applied to the Vegetarian Society to match this.
The Apple Tree CD with songs and stories for children recorded by Meeta , Jyosna and the children is available from the school to help raise funds for a new minibus for £10.
We are actively looking for a minibus so if you hear of one, built from 2007 onwards, please let us know.
STOKE NEWINGTON SPECIALS
Please remember that you can get low cost advice and remedies for your child at our Saturday morning Homeopathic clinic at Sunrise Nursery Stoke Newington. To make an appointment please ring Food for All on 020 8806 4138.
WOMEN’S YOGA Thursday evening at 6.30pm
CHILDREN’S YOGA Saturday 4.30.
Contact Karmeshana on 020 85091534 or 07594827344
HEAD LICE
We have just had a case of head lice in the school so we need vigilance on your part. If you notice your child scratching, or if you notice lice please treat immediately and inform the school to prevent an infestation.
OUTDOORS PLAY
It is an Early Years Foundation Stage requirement that children play outdoors. Please make sure children have adequate clothing to go outside in all kinds of weather. Please do not ask to keep a child indoors when they have a cold. If they are too unwell to go outside they should not be in school at all.
MEALS
Vegetarian meals are served here at lunchtime. The school serves a sentient yogic diet with no meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onion or mushroom.
Here is a selection of what can be offered, this will always be served with raw carrots, cucumber and tomato:
Brown rice with mixed vegetables and tofu, roast potatoes with beans and cheese, Pasta with tomato sauce and soya mince, Rice with lentils or split peas and mixed vegetables, or vegetarian shepherd’s pie. Verona also treats us to some wonderful lasagna and very occasionally makes pizza.
GARDEN ROOM and YVONNE’S CLASS:
1. Please provide 2 pieces of fruit for morning and afternoon snack times and a water bottle. We will provide the afternoon snack to eat with fruit so no need to provide a snack. We will refill the bottle with filtered water.
This school is supported by the Vegetarian Society so all snacks provided should be vegetarian.
We are trying to teach the children to feed themselves healthily so if you want to provide supplementary snacks please no sweets or unnatural juices and keep crisps a very rare treat.
2. Please provide your child with a complete change of clothes and a wetsuit to allow him/her to play in the wet weather. As the weather will probably be warmer this term, please provide adequate clothing, sandals, a sun hat…. Please bring your child’s clothing in a cloth bag to avoid accidents but please leave inside a small plastic bag to put dirty clothing in. If you require us to spread sun cream on your child’s skin when it gets hot please provide some along with clear instructions.
NURSERY TIMES ARE 9AM TO 4PM (unless by prior arrangement).
Please ensure children are settled by 9.30am to enjoy morning circle time. Circle time is fun with songs and yoga. Spiritual singing (kiirtan) and meditation strengthen relationships with each other and give an understanding of the universal family, it also gives meaning to our spiritual development.
Collection time is 12 pm (for morning children) or 4pm unless your child is in the after school club. If you would like your child to remain in the nursery after 4pm please inform Meeta (extra charge for staying beyond this time). Picking up a child after 12pm, 4.10 or 6pm will incur a £7 fine as the teacher in charge will need to be paid extra.
PRIMARY CLASS
UNIFORMS:
We ask that children wear red tops (shirts, T-shirts, blouses…) and black bottoms (shorts, trousers, skirts, tracksuits…)
These colours give good concentration and grounding, enhance the vibrant energy of children and give them a sense of belonging. Where possible we would like every child to wear these colours.
SCHOOL TERM DATES
Summer term 2012 started on Tuesday 17th April and will end on Thursday 19th July. Half term will be from Monday 4th to Friday 8th June.
The School year 2012-2013 will start on Wednesday September 5th, so staff can become familiar with the new EYFS Standards and end on Thursday 18th July 2013. The first half term will be from Monday 29th October to Friday 2nd November
Teacher training is on Friday 1st June so the school and nursery are closed that day.
CURRICULUM
PRIMARY TIMETABLE:
Monday: French with Elly
Tuesday: Ukulele with Anna
Thursday: Swimming at Edmonton Green pool. Please bring Swimming suit, hat and towel; children without this will not be taken to the pool.
Thursday: Music with Hildegard: singing with nursery and reception, recorder with Meeta’s class, please remember to bring your recorder to each class and for children taking piano lessons please bring your piano books.
Friday: Art with Monique and Sports’ Hall, please bring trainers and make sure you arrive at 9am sharp as we have to leave then for our session at Northumberland Park School.
PRIMARY CURRICULUM
Older Children :
Science: Finishing Keeping warm, Circuits and Conductors
Geography: Weather Watching, Scandinavia, Oceans and Coal.
History: Anglosaxons, Vikings and Normans
English: Story writing, producing a book, comprehension, grammar (knowing all parts of speech), punctuation. Writing and Appreciating Poetry. Guided Reading: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Maths: Self directed at appropriate ability and age level in all areas using Montessori materials. Focus topics: fractions, times tables, geometry, Area, telling the time, collecting data and Graphs
Younger Children
Science: Grouping and changing materials, plants and animals in local environments
Geography: Weather Watching, Scandinavia and Coal.
English: Nouns and verbs, story writing. Guided reading: We will finish Julian Stories by Ann Cameron and we’ll start Mister Magnolia by Quentin Blake.
History: Anglosaxons, Vikings and Normans
Maths: Self directed at appropriate ability and age level in all areas using Montessori materials
GARDEN ROOM CURRICULUM
There is a curriculum map outside the garden room class in the corridor.
The theme for this term:
April: Earth
May: Plants and Insects
June: Fish and reptiles
July: Birds and Mammals
Parents please feel free to make any suggestions you may have regarding particular aspects of the themes you want your children to learn about.
PARENT INTERVIEWS
NurseryParents We are working towards incorporating interviews to coincide with the period when your child is the ‘focus child’. Please ask Elly or Yvonne to arrange this.
Primary Parents We are conducting interviews this term. Please ask Meeta or Anna to arrange this.
This Term’s Story
One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.
Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.
It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.
That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.
On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. ‘Really?’ she heard whispered. ‘I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!’ and, ‘I didn’t know others liked me so much,’ were most of the comments.
No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn’t matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.
Several years later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student.
She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.
The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.
As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. ‘Were you Mark’s math teacher?’ he asked. She nodded: ‘yes.’ Then he said: ‘Mark talked about you a lot.’
After the funeral, most of Mark’s former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark’s mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.
‘We want to show you something,’ his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket ‘They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.’
Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark’s classmates had said about him.
‘Thank you so much for doing that,’ Mark’s mother said. ‘As you can see, Mark treasured it.’
All of Mark’s former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, ‘I still have my list. It’s in the top drawer of my desk at home.’
Chuck’s wife said, ‘Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.’
‘I have mine too,’ Marilyn said. ‘It’s in my diary’
Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. ‘I carry this with me at all times,’ Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: ‘I think we all saved our lists’
That’s when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.
The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don’t know when that one day will be.
So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.
Remember, What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.
SUNRISE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2012
Dear parents,
Happy New Year to all Sunrise families. A warm welcome to all new families. We hope that you enjoyed the winter break and that you are rested and happy.
When you can’t get an answer on the landline (0208 885 3354), please call 07966218783; which will be answered by the staff on duty in the Garden Room (Nursery) who will forward any message to the primary class.
Parents Meeting is on Thursday 2nd February at 4.30
You are welcome to raise any matter important to you.
Teacher training is on Friday 10th February so the school will be closed that day.
Reminder:
If you shop online through Amazon, John Lewis, Natures Best, Halfords, HMV, Dabs.com or LoveFilm, please remember to go through our website so the school gets a small contribution from these sponsors. Go to sunrise.org.uk and click on any online shop you fancy.
FUNDRAISING
Carol singing raised £1030 which was a very pleasant surprise.
STAFF
We welcome Monique as the new Art teacher for the primary class. She will be coming on Friday afternoons.
HEAD LICE
We do not seem to have any head lice at the moment but to keep it this way we need vigilance on your part. If you notice your child scratching, or if you notice lice please treat immediately and inform the school to prevent an infestation.
OUTDOORS PLAY
It is an EYFS requirement that children play outdoors. Please make sure children have adequate clothing to go outside in all kinds of weather. Please do not ask to keep a child indoors when they have a cold. If they are too unwell to go outside they should not be in school at all.
MEALS
Vegetarian meals are served here at lunchtime. The school serves a sentient yogic diet with no meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onion or mushroom.
Here is a selection of what can be offered, this will always be served with raw carrots, cucumber and tomato:
Brown rice with mixed vegetables and tofu, roast potatoes with beans and cheese, Pasta with tomato sauce and soya mince, Rice with lentils or with chickpeas and mixed vegetables, or vegetarian shepherd’s pie. Verona also treats us to some wonderful lasagna and very occasionally makes pizza.
FOR THE GARDEN ROOM CLASS:
1. Please provide 2 pieces of fruit for the breaks and a water bottle. We will provide the afternoon snack to eat with fruit so no need to provide a snack. We will refill the bottle with filtered water.
This school is supported by the vegetarian society so all snacks provided should be vegetarian.
We are trying to teach the children to feed themselves healthily so if you want to provide supplementary snacks please no sweets or unnatural juices and keep crisps a very rare treat.
2. Please provide your child with a complete change of clothes and a wetsuit to allow him/her to play in the wet weather. As the weather could still be HOT this term, please provide adequate clothing. Please bring your child’s clothing in a cloth bag to avoid accidents but please leave inside a small plastic bag to put dirty clothing in.
NURSERY TIMES ARE 9AM TO 4PM.
Please ensure children are settled by 9.30am to enjoy morning circle time. Circle time is fun with songs and yoga. Spiritual singing (kiirtan) and meditation strengthen relationships with each other and give an understanding of the universal family, it also gives meaning to our spiritual development.
Collection time is 4pm unless your child is in the after school club. If you would like your child to remain in the nursery after 4pm please inform Meeta (extra charge for staying beyond this time). Picking up a child after 4.10 or 6pm will incur a £6 fine as the teacher in charge will need to be paid extra.
PRIMARY CLASS
UNIFORMS:
We ask that children wear red tops (shirts, T-shirts, blouses…) and black bottoms (shorts, trousers, skirts, tracksuits…)
These colours give good concentration and grounding, enhance the vibrant energy of children and give them a sense of belonging. Where possible we would like every child to wear these colours.
SCHOOL TERM DATES
The last day of the Spring Term will be Thursday 29th March. Half term will be from Monday 13th to Friday 17th February with a teacher training day on the Friday 10th February.
The Nursery will be open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the half term and on the second week of the Easter holiday, after Easter Monday if at least five children require this service. Please let us know ASAP if you need childcare then.
Summer term 2012 will start on Tuesday 17th April and end on Thursday 19th July. Half term will be from Monday 4th to Friday 8th June.
Teacher training is on Friday 10th February so the school is closed that day.
CURRICULUM
PRIMARY TIMETABLE:
Monday: French with Elly
Tuesday: Ukulele with Anna
Thursday: Swimming at Northumberland Park pool. Please bring Swimming suit, hat and towel; children without this will not be taken to the pool.
Thursday: Music with Hildegard: singing with nursery and reception, recorder with Meeta’s class, please remember to bring your recorder to each class and for children taking piano lessons please bring your piano books.
Friday: Art with Monique and Sports’ Day, please bring trainers.
PRIMARY CURRICULUM
Older Children :
Science: Moving and growing, keeping warm
Geography: Mountains and volcanoes in Europe, earthquakes
History: Romans and Celts
English: Story writing, producing a book, comprehension, grammar (knowing all parts of speech). Guided Reading: FOG HOUNDS and other stories by Joan Aiken. ISBN 0-340-68131-4
Maths: Self directed at appropriate ability and age level in all areas using Montessori materials. Focus topics: fractions, times tables, geometry, telling the time.
Younger Children
Science: Grouping and changing materials and using electricity
Geography: Mountains and volcanoes in Europe, earthquakes
English: Nouns and verbs, story writing. Guided reading: Julian Stories by Ann Cameron. ISBN 978-0-552-54824-3
History: Romans and Celts
Maths: Self directed at appropriate ability and age level in all areas using Montessori materials
GARDEN ROOM CURRICULUM
There is a curriculum map outside the garden room class in the corridor.
The theme for January:
January : Space
February: Light and Air
March: Water
Parents please feel free to make any suggestions you may have regarding particular aspects of the themes you want your children to learn about.
PARENT INTERVIEWS
NurseryParents We are working towards incorporating interviews to coincide with the period when your child is the ‘focus child’. Please ask Elly or Yvonne to arrange this.
Primary Parents We will begin interviews in the second half of this term.
PARAMA PURUSA (Universal Consciousness) WITHIN EVERYONE
For each and every piece of work you should know what is what and which is which; why you are doing this, why you are not doing that. So many times in the past I said that our human society is a singular entity. It is integral, it cannot be divided into fragments and parts, because rudimentally humanity is one.
Does a child know that it belongs to a particular country? Does a child know that it is white or it is black or it is yellow? Does it know-a child, a little one? It does not. We senior people inject so many isms into their minds. We say, “You belong to the upper class”, we say, “you belong to the lower caste”. We say, “you are a Jew”, “you are a Muslim”, and so many things. We, the senior people, are responsible for all these differences in human society. But human society is one. And who are the people at fault? The senior persons, the respectable persons. Is it not a fact?
Our society is one. And I am preaching this from my very childhood – that human society is one.
Say, creed. We say there are so many creeds. “We are serving the human society irrespective of creed.” We say like this. But can there be more than one creed? What is the human creed? To move towards the Supreme Entity, move towards the Supreme Source, the perennial source of bliss. It is the only creed. Knowingly or unknowingly moving towards what? We want – what? We are all seekers of – what? We want bliss. We want peace. So for the entire human society the creed is – what? How many? One. We are all knowingly moving towards infinite bliss; so human society cannot have more than one creed.
The second thing, you see, people may say there are so many religions. No, there is only one religion. That is, what is religion? The goal is … to enjoy the supreme bliss. That is the goal.
So can there be more than one religion? No. Those who say there are more than one are not religious people. They are agents of religious ism. There is only one human religion, and that religion teaches us to move towards the Supreme.
Class. Is it a creation of the Supreme Entity? All classes, say in the sense of economic classes – are they god-given or man-made? What are they?
Man-made. These things are creations of our defective social order. And who is the creator of this defective social order? Human beings.
And, caste, when all are ….progeny of the Supreme Entity, children of the same Father, can they belong to more than one caste? If the father is a Brahman, his children will certainly be Brahmans. Children inherit the caste of the father. When the Supreme Father for the world is one, can there be more than one caste in human society? You say – I just ask you. No, there cannot be more than one caste. When they have got the same father, the same progenitor, then they must belong to the same caste. So my decision is final and supreme. Human society is a singular entity; human society is a singular entity; human society is one and indivisible.
P.R.Sarkar Founder of Neo-humanism
9th August 1979, Bangkok
SUNRISE SCHOOL
NEWSLETTER – AUTUMN 2011
Dear parents,
A warm welcome to all new families and welcome back all returning families. We hope that you enjoyed the long break and that you are rested and happy.
When you can’t get an answer on the landline (0208 885 3354), please call 07966218783; which will be answered by the staff on duty in the Garden Room (Nursery) who will forward any message to the primary class.
Parents Meeting next Thursday 6th October at 4.30
You are welcome to raise any matter important to you.
Teacher training is on Friday 21th October so the school will be closed that day.
FUNDRAISING
The FUN RUN raised: £303 and we’d like to use it to improve the decking in the garden. Thank you everyone who participated.
The Photographs raised: £634. Thank you Franck for the wonderful pictures, for making us all pose in an expressive way and for making your work such a huge success. Thanks to everyone who bought the pictures. We would like to discuss what to do with this money at the parents’ meeting.
STAFF
We said goodbye to Kavita. Jake is working in the Nursery on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and in the primary class on Thursdays
HEAD LICE
We do not seem to have any head lice at the moment but to keep it this way we need vigilance on your part. If you notice your child scratching, or if you notice lice please treat immediately and inform the school to prevent an infestation.
REMINDERS
MEALS
Vegetarian meals are served here at lunchtime. The school serves a sentient yogic diet with no meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onion or mushroom.
Here is a selection of what can be offered, this will always be served with raw carrots, cucumber and tomato:
Brown rice with mixed vegetables and tofu, roast potatoes with beans and cheese, Pasta with tomato sauce and soya mince, Rice with lentils or with chickpeas and mixed vegetables, or vegetarian shepherd’s pie. Verona also treats us to some wonderful lasagna and very occasionally makes pizza.
FOR THE GARDEN ROOM CLASS:
1. Please provide 2 pieces of fruit for the breaks and a water bottle. We will provide the afternoon snack to eat with fruit so no need to provide a snack. We will refill the bottle with filtered water.
This school is supported by the vegetarian society so all snacks provided should be vegetarian.
We are trying to teach the children to feed themselves healthily so if you want to provide supplementary snacks please no sweets or unnatural juices and keep crisps a very rare treat.