ST SAMPSON’S HIGH SCHOOLPARENTS’ NEWSLETTER

December 2019

A Message from our Head teacherDoors are being decorated ready for this afternoon’s best Decorated Door completion run by Ms Jones, our PTA has made reception very festive and staff have had a surfeit of mince pies already. Christmas is coming!

Sadly, I miss this year’s Carol Service, due to illness, but I am told it was spectacular, another best ever-very well done to Ms Tennant and her team.

Our Year 8 Footballers won their Championship this year and were awarded the Kinder Cup. They made us very proud, thank you to staff and parents who have helped to get them through such a successful season- we couldn’t do it without your support.

The Business Challenge is again up and running and is already creating a real buzz around school, there are many innovative ideas and products being prepared to be sold around town and I look forward to seeing how they develop over the next few weeks/months.

Thank you all for your support and good humour so far this year and I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Mrs A Bolt.

House News

House points as of 9th December 2019 are as follows:

Brecqhou 5200 Lihou 3650 Jethou 2800

However, this does not include the ½ termly totals for Merits, Attendance, Accelerated Reader Words and the Christmas Competition. Listen out for term totals on Facebook and from House Managers & Form Tutors in January. Here is some news from the House events that have happened this term.

Swimarathon

The school won two trophies for their efforts in October, which were presented to us at the presentation evening at Beau Sejour. House Captains represented the school very well and looked immaculate collecting the awards. Brecqhou House won the Hambros/Milvus Cup for the most laps completed in an ‘At Large’ pool. They swam 103 laps which is just over 5 kilometres! The school won the RG Falla Cup for the most funds raised by any participating team out of a total of 236 teams that took part across the island. The school raised a total of £3132.28. This is a phenomenal achievement considering we beat all the other school teams and adult teams from swimming clubs and corporate firms. This year, the money raised was donated to the Cardiac Action Group who raise awareness of heart disease and will be delivering CPR training to Years 9+10 in 2020.

Above: Lihou Swimmers looking exhausted after their session.

Above: Dylan Truffitt makes a stylish entrance to the pool.

Above: Jethou swimmers looking pleased with their efforts.

Above: House Reps (L-R) Summer Woodhead, Millie Sutton, Lucy Hockey, Lorcan Lihou and Elise Le Lacheur accepting the RG Falla Cup.

Shoebox Appeal

Pupils were very generous this year and in early November, they managed to fill a total of 47 shoeboxes with gifts for children in Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Romania. Brecqhou filled the most with 17, with Lihou and Jethou filling 15 each. This will really make a difference to children who would otherwise have nothing for Christmas.

Here are Brecqhou Charity Reps Ella Duckworth and Sam Davidson Year 11 ready to send off the

completed boxes.

Children in Need

On Friday 15th November, we raised a total of £1343.64 for Children in Need. Pupils paid £1 to wear non-uniform and took part in a wide variety of charity events in the hall at lunchtime. From Cake Stalls and Guess the number of sweets in a jar, to Nerf Gun Wars and a Fifa competition room, there was something for everyone. Here are some picture highlights:

Above: Biscuits beautifully decorated by pupils in 10CHN.

Above: Isaac Robilliard (Pudsey) enjoying shooting Mr Newman with a Nerf Gun!

Above: Kaden, AJ and Mathilde from 7GFY selling their hand-crafted Christmas cards, tags and crackers.

Above: Jodie and Jason from 11MJS at their chocolate tombola stall.

Christmas competition

Throughout the month of December, tutor groups are busy decorating the door of their tutor room with a Christmas theme. We ran this competition last year too and had some spectacular entries! We’re looking forward to seeing how creative tutor groups are this year.

Thank you to all pupils, parents and teachers for support and sponsorship. I would like to particularly thank the House Managers Miss Howe, Mr Jones, Mr Rutherford, Mr Newman & Mrs Foale and all of the fantastic House Representatives.

Merry Christmas!

Miss Jones

Catering

The Guernsey Rotary Chef competition attracted 14 chefs from ten schools across Guernsey and Alderney; the biggest number of entrants ever. The semi-finals reduced these to 8 finalists who were appointed a professional chef as mentors to help them prepare for the final. Students were trained by their mentors in school and in professional kitchens with a focus on improving their culinary and presentation skills. The final was judged by professionals from the industry and a grand presentation was held at The Old Government house to announce the winners. The task was to produce  three

course healthy meal using local produce for two people costing less than £20. First place was awarded to our very own student Joelle Lowe who was mentored by the Executive chef from The Duke of Richmond Hotel, in second place was Emma Galsworthy from Le Murier School who was mentored by Paul Scambler owner/Head chef of the Jerbourg Hotel and in third was Keira Bain from Blanchelande College who was mentored by Rachel Chapman, Chef de Partie at The Rockmount Restaurant.

Joelle will continue her training with her mentor in preparation for representing Guernsey in the next round of the competition in the UK in February.

Music/Drama

Our students have worked hard throughout the term to present several musical performances.

In October, Head girl Jodie Mechem organised a Charity Concert raising money for Dementia Friendly Guernsey. The programme comprised of SSHS Choir, St Sampson’s Community Stage Sound, The States of Harmony Choir, soloists Ben Tasker (cornet), Erin Vaudin (voice) and former students Hannah Bourgaize (piano) and Cara Fitzpatrick (saxophone). It was a really enjoyable evening of musical entertainment and an amazing total of £1400 was raised for the charity. Well done to Jodie for all her organisation, inspiration and hard work!

In November, the Chamber Choir visited Les Bourg’s Hospice to entertain the residents with a selection of Christmas songs and poetry. This has become an annual event that we really look forward to and we are planning a visit in the summer term too.

54 of the Choir chose to visit care and nursing homes to spread some Christmas cheer through their singing. This year we visited Browhill, The Cheshire Home and Chateau du Village. All of their performances were well received and the students certainly enjoyed the Christmas snacks the care

homes provided for them – a well-deserved treat for their commitment and enthusiasm throughout the term!

Our main Christmas event was held at St Pauls Church, Vale on the 11 th December. Our Christmas Carol Concert featured all the extra -curricular groups in a festive evening of instrumental music and singing combined with readings from Year 11 GCSE Drama students and members of the Student leadership team.

Despite all the seasonal coughs and colds we still managed to fill the stage with over a 100 performers and there were festive favourites performed by members of the Choir, Chamber Choir, and Orchestra, Boys Vocal group, Community Stage Sound, Guitar/Ukulele group and Saxophonix. We even had a flash mob style appearance of staff in Stop the Cavalry!

The final piece ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ brought together all the performers and audience and there was some hearty singing throughout the evening from everyone.

If you haven’t yet been to support your child in a performance this year, please make it your New Year’s resolution to do so! Every year parents/carers say to us that they are amazed at the standards our students achieve and for many of them the performances are some of the highlights of their school life. Please take the opportunity to share and be part of your child’s memories.

…And it’s not too late to get involved as coming up after Christmas there is:

February – Battle of the School Bands (hosted by Thirst Music School at Beau Sejour) is on 8 th February. One band will be chosen to represent SSHS and compete against the other secondary schools.

18th March –Drama Club perform the play version of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. This will be an evening performance at SSHS. Tickets will be available in the New Year.

March – Eisteddfod. This year the Orchestra, Choir, Chamber choir and Saxophonix are taking part in the music section. We will also be entering the Schools category in the Art section. Further details when the programme has been published in the New Year

June – MAD night. Date to be confirmed. This is our annual Creative Arts Showcase featuring all the extra- curricular music and Drama groups and the end of year Art Exhibition.

Candy Canes

Hi All,

Another successful candy cane year. The year 11s (very small group of them see pictures attached) have sold and distributed over 70 candy canes this week. Thanks to those staff who let the students out to distribute and to those who had lessons disrupted during delivery.

Thanks

Miss Howe