23rd November 2009 Edition 1

Dear PTA Members

Each and every parent is a member of the PTA the day their child starts school, how you choose to use that membership is up to you”

The first term of the new school year is already finished – where did that go! And Christmas is around the corner with all its hustle and bustle. So before things get too hectic I wanted to send out a few thank you’s and updates.

First a big thank you to all those who attended the meetings on the 22nd September and the 19th October the next meeting will be on Wednesday 11 November at 7.30 pm at the Florence Arms in Southsea. I also aim to introduce a daytime meeting for those who cannot make evenings and this will be on Friday 13 November at 9.30 venue TBC. Also a very big thank you to all of you who cannot make the meetings but keep in touch online, in the playground and via notes with ideas and thoughts and offers of help its great and it really works.
During our meeting this week I was voted in as Chair (not that I was beating off competition) and the following actions took place:

Joint Secretary’s were voted in Claire Jones Caitlin’s mum 1CA, Maria Smith Aine’s mum 1CA, Louisa Lochrane retained her position as Treasurer and this forms the new committee. I think we will make a good PTA team and the bonding has begun

Nicola Ellis Finlay’s mum 1CA has taken on the very honourable and challenging task of getting our PTA into position to become a registered charity, no mean feat. This will involve forming a new constitution and reshaping the committee again in the near future. The benefits of this are significant financially we are talking about thousands of pounds not a few pence and a statutory requirement if we raise more than £5k per annum, which we do or will.

Helen Hughes has agreed to work with the school to identify schemes that can bring extra funding such as the NCPTA Gold Star Award a £1K payment for the winning bid towards their projects. The potential for these sorts of schemes to bring in funds for the school is significant if approached in a targeted and coherent manner, so we will be looking to see if we can exploit them further.

I am hoping to host a “Meet the PTA” event at the school aimed at raising the profile of the PTA in the school and increasing our contact list. I am aiming for Friday 20 November but this date is yet to be confirmed. If you would like to help me with this, man stalls; talk to people about the PTA then let me know. I have also asked Caroline Gaskin our NCPTA regional adviser if she will come along, she is very knowledgeable and very energetic, and I think her enthusiasm could bring rewards.

This week Nicola and I went along to a workshop held by the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations an organisation which we are members of and which all of you are entitled to use. So if you would like to have a look and see what PTA’s can achieve/do then check it out on www.ncpta.org.uk
When you have logged onto the site go to the first user tab middle right hand side of the page, click on register and go through those details, our membership number is 36961 and then you can use the site.

A number of us have been using it extensively and it has become a bit of a holy grail – it covers every thing and if you find something you think may be of interest let me know and we can have a look.

Plans for the school disco are just about finalised and Sam Woodland is acting as official keeper of the details so she has the master copy of all the things we have/have not got organised for our current events. So if you feel that you would like to help at any of the events on the website www.stswithunspta.co.uk then drop Sam a line at [email protected]

We are also getting very well prepared for the Christmas Fair, Clare Jones is in charge of the bar and between her and Maria Smyth they are hoping to get us a good deal on the alcohol. Kersten Nuess and Daniel Thomas both Reception parents are going to hold a traditional German Gluhweine and Stollen tent – a mulled wine and fruitcake combo which sounds great.

We also have confirmed external traders who will be Phoenix Cards, Usborne Books and Eva martin with her lovely kids shoes. Maria Thorne mum of Ava 1CA and Logan Reception is also looking at a number of other potential candidates aimed at trying to get a mix of fun, activity and gift stalls for the fair.

Finally I would like you all to think about what’s going on in your PTA, the new challenges we have coming and the exciting events we are hoping to bring and think about how you would like to contribute, its up to you it can be as big – a member of the new constitution or as small – 1 hour per year at an event but every bit you put in is valuable and brings benefit.

I look forward to hearing from you either in the playground or via the internal mail we have a pigeon hole so you can always leave a note at reception or online

Bye for now

Joann Robertson
PTA Chair

By stswithuns_adm in Newsletters on November 23, 2009