Dear Parents,

A belated Happy New Year to you all.  Although we barely seem to have the term underway after Christmas, we already have half term bearing down upon us.  The length of this term is dictated by the date of Easter, which this year falls on March 27^th – possibly the earliest it can be.  The fallout from this is that each half term is only five weeks long.  School re-opens after half term on Valentines Day – February 14^th – and closes for Easter on Friday March 18^th.  One unfortunate side effect of such short half terms is that many children think that the demand for commitment to their school work is lessened.  Can I ask your help in persuading them that this is not the case?

During half term Lent begins and, as part of our preparation for Easter there will be collections and fundraising events which will gather funds for Catholic Care.  Many youngsters will go without their lunch on March 4th to support Cafod.  We will also be encouraging pupils to focus on prayer during Lent with special assemblies and The Stations of the Cross during lunchtime each week.

Before and after Christmas, as you will see later in this newsletter, our children raised nearly £4000, divided almost equally between St Gemma’s Hospice and Cafod’s response to the victims of the Tsunami.  I know that many of you have sent money in with your children and for this I am grateful.

Leeds Civic Trust Blue Plaque

On Wednesday 26^th January the Leeds Civic Trust installed the 92^nd of their historic site plaques at Mount St Mary’s.

The plaque was unveiled by Mrs Helen Kennally, the author of the definitive book on the schools on the Mount.

We are very grateful to Mrs Kennally for finding the time to assist us in this way and to Dr Kevin Grady, Director of Leeds Civic Trust; Mr Peter Baker, President and to Valerie Ives and Bob Tyrrell.

Fund Raising

A huge ‘well done’ to all our pupils for their work in raising funds for Charity.  Just before Christmas, pupils collecting in the town centre raised nearly £2,000 for St Gemma’s.  Following the terrible Tsunami disaster, all pupils were asked for a single donation: our generous pupils again raised almost £2,000.

St Michael’s Catholic College

Work continues on the acquisition of St Michael’s by Mount St Mary’s.  Only current Year 7 pupils at St Michael’s will actually move to Mount St Mary’s at Ellerby Road and additional accommodation is being planned, as well as improved and extended car parking facilities. From September 2005 a special school bus will operate from West Leeds to Ellerby Road.  We hope this bus will be used by existing pupils resident in West Leeds, as well as our new pupils.  More details will be issued.  Between September 2005 and July 2008 Mount St Mary’s will operate as a split site school: the ‘East’ Site (Ellerby Road) and the ‘West’ Site (St John’s Road, Burley).

Sam Learning

Attached is a flyer about this internet based learning tool.  We have committed a considerable amount of money to subscribing to this facility, in support of our pupils’ learning (usual cost for home use is £49.99).

The website has revision and exam style material and addresses KS3 and KS4 learning.  Their claim is that 10 hours on a single subject can make as much as a grade’s difference to pupils learning.  Indeed past pupils that used this website consistently and conscientiously did experience considerable improvements in achievement.

I would urge you to encourage your son/daughter to utilise the materials both in school and from home.  The school centre ID is LS9MS and all pupils are aware of their User ID and Password.  Should they experience any difficulties they should be referred directly to Mr Cooper.

Uniform

Coats must be proper outdoor coats and must be plain black or navy.  Shoes should also be black and boots are not allowed.  Our uniform requirements specify one pair of small earrings; one ring;  no necklaces, but a cross and chain may be worn.  Some students arrive in school with various items of gold jewellery which has no place in a school environment.  Staff then have to confiscate such items and place them in safe keeping.  This wastes valuable educational time – I would be very grateful if parents would support the school by ensuring that pupils do not leave for school wearing inappropriate jewellery.  Should pupils bring such jewellery onto school premises we cannot take responsibility for them.

Mobile Phones

The school policy on mobile phones has always been very clear: they are not allowed, as they can be very disruptive to the education of others.  In addition, they are very expensive items that are easy targets for theft, both in the city centre and at school.  For thefts that take place outside school we always do our best to actively engage the support of the police.  We take theft very seriously and will always do all we reasonably can to find the person responsible.  However, mobile phones should not be brought into school in the first place, and the school cannot take responsibility for such items.  Please do not allow your child to bring a mobile to school.  If you do so, please be aware that the school will not take any responsibility for such property on school premises and, if it is seen, it will be confiscated.

Free School Meals

Please note that pupils of families in receipt of Income Support, Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Child Tax Credit with an income of less than £13480 and not claiming Working Tax Credit or Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are entitled to free school meals.  Do not miss out – if you would like to claim please contact Education Leeds benefits section on 0113 2348080.

This term’s newsletter may seem a little more sparse than usual.  This is because we are working towards a full colour version for next time – watch this space!