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.
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.
SCHOOL TIMES ARE 9AM TO 4PM.
Please ensure children are settled by 9.30am to enjoy morning circle time. Circle time with Kirtan 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.
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
Autumn term begun Tuesday 6th September and ends Thursday 15th December 2011.
Half Term: Monday 24th October to Friday 28th October 2011 with school closed on Friday 21st October for teacher training purposes.
Spring term 2012 will start on Wednesday 4th January and end Thursday 29th March. Half term will be from Monday 13th to Friday 17th February with a teacher training day to be confirmed.
The Nursery will be open on the second week of the Easter holiday, after Easter Monday.
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.
Please let us know ASAP if you need childcare Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the half term.
Teacher training is on Friday 21st October so the school is closed that day.
CURRICULUM
This term the themes are: Me myself and I, people in the community and Universal Love.
PRIMARY TIMETABLE:
Monday: French with Elly
Friday: Art with Annika.
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: Ukulele with Anna.
PRIMARY CURRICULUM
Older Children :
Science: Friction, moving and growing.
Geography: Africa, desert, weather
History: Egyptians and Greeks
English: Story writing, comprehension, grammar (knowing all parts of speech). Guided Reading: Iron Man by Ted Hughes. Can you please get a copy. ISBN 978.0.571.22612.2
Maths: Self directed at appropriate ability and age level in all areas using Montessori materials.
Younger Children
Science: Health and growth, forces and movement
Geography: Africa, desert, weather
English: Nouns and verbs, story writing.
History: Egyptians and Greeks
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 September: Animals
The theme for October: Myself and my family
The theme for November: People in the community
The theme for December: Universal celebration
STORY TIME
BUTTERFLY
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.
So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
I asked for Strength………
And I got Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom………
And I got Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity………
And I got Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage………
And I got Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love………
And I got Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favours………
And I got Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted ……..
I received everything I needed!
Unknown origin.