We tend to say that in autumn or winter – not in May! What a week of weather yet the children had great fun in the hailstones and watching the paths the rain made on the paths. Always positive at Smithton and finding the good in all that life throws at us!
A number of people have been asking about the virtual cooking group that we have on a Monday night. This is run by some of our Family PEF Team so if anyone wants to join in on Monday night, see the recipe below and join the Google Classroom at 4pm:
I always say that once you have Smithton blood in you you remain part of the Smithton family even when you leave. Mr Speakman retired at Easter and I have to let you know of some more changes. Mrs Aitken, Mrs MacMillan and Mr West are retiring in the summer. I won’t tell you how old they are but I can tell you there is more than sixty years service to Smithton between them. I’m delighted for them as they thoroughly deserve a rest but I’m desperately sad to be losing them as colleagues. We all feel the same as a staff. Mrs Mack (McCormack), we know, is just a grown up child with her mud pits, scootering, sand and marshmallows. However she also leaves us in the summer to go back to university to study art. None of these people can be replaced as they are unique, but we’re hopeful that most if not all positions will be filled before the summer.
We have one more person leaving us but this is different. Highland Council has decided that childcare managers in nurseries will no longer be attached to schools so Mrs Stuart will be leaving us in June, too. She will be deployed to take on another post in the Council. Her role and hours will not be replaced so I will be directly managing the nursery as well as the school. Staff have been told and we will work tirelessly to try and make sure the effects have no impact on parents, carers and young people but reducing the management capacity will mean changes not just for nursery but for the whole school. Mrs Stuart is a significant part of the school team and will be missed greatly.
Thanks to Mrs Aitken and P5 LM for planting seeds ready for our Four Seasons Garden. Look out for some photos as well as the Star Award winners. Here’s hoping for warmth in the sunshine this weekend.
Aileen Mackay, HT
Smithton Primary School 