I’d like to start by wishing you all a happy new year. I hope that you had a restful Christmas holiday and are feeling fully refreshed. Our students have come back fully charged and ready to take on 2023. The new year provides us all with an opportunity to re-evaluate our lives. In my welcome back assembly this week I talked about the importance of knowing what your purpose is. Simon Sinek (American author) refers to it as your ‘why’. I first came across this during an exercise class when the instructor shouted out “what’s your why?” as part of the motivational chants. At first I thought she’d said “what’s your wine?” and made a note to self to re book for the following week! Your ‘why’ is your passion, your motivation and what drives you. It is useful for us all to be reflective at the start of a new year so that we can have clarity of purpose.
Some of you may have used the holiday period to catch up on some reading. I have spoken with lots of students this week about what they are currently reading and there is a full range of genre and author interest amongst them. It is interesting to see which books stand the test of time; Roald Dahl, for example is still really popular. One student is reading an anatomy book and links his exercise regime to it as well, which I was very impressed by. Miss Jardine has sent out information regarding reading ages this week and the importance of improving and extending our vocabulary. If you are finding it hard to motivate your child to read, and they are experiencing difficulties in accessing work, please get in touch with us so that we can help you with strategies to support your child. Please contact Mrs Carney Cox on: l.carney-cox@alsagerschool.org.
As you would expect, the spring term promises to be an exciting and busy one. Thank you to all parents/carers of Y9 pupils who attended parents’ evening yesterday. We have had some really positive feedback already, which is always welcomed. Mr Rubin has sent out a parent survey. We would be very grateful if you can spend some time completing it. Completed surveys that include contact details will be entered into a prize draw with the chance to win a £10 Costa Coffee voucher. Plans for the school show, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ are well under way. Ticket details will be shared in the next few weeks. We will have a curriculum evening for Y8 to discuss subject choices this half term. Information on all subjects can be accessed on our website. Please check out our updated website.
We have been celebrating full attendance this week and pupils with 100% attendance for the autumn term have all received an attendance star. A reminder that we also celebrate attendance on a monthly basis with a certificate and send out emails halfway through each month as a way to encourage full attendance. Attendance plays a key part in a child’s success at school.
We set high standards and expectations at Alsager School and that includes in our canteen at break and lunchtime. We have been really impressed on their return at how many of our students have been putting litter in the bin and showing care for their surroundings. We are lucky to have such a wonderful facility. A gentle reminder to top up the finger.
Cheshire East has expressed concern about the increasing number of school children who are vaping. As you know, this is something that we do not tolerate at school and tackle it by implementing strict sanctions. We will be working alongside Cheshire East to tackle this issue. We aim to take part in a survey which will help to understand this behaviour and help to target appropriate enforcement activity in relation to the businesses who are breaking the law and selling these goods to children under the legal age (18). By working in partnership with Public Health and Education colleagues the information obtained will help the Council shape it’s priorities and resources whilst also feeding into the larger data set collected nationally.
Please continue to share your child’s achievements outside of school with me.
Good luck to everyone who has set a new year’s resolution. To those of you who have embarked on Dry January, the question you are asking may not be “what’s your why?”, but simply “why?”!
As always, thank you for your continued support and here’s to a successful 2023.
Whatever your plans, have a lovely weekend.
“Life’s not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it’s about doing, being and becoming.”
(Mike Dooley)
