THERFIELD SCHOOL
NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS
February 1980

WELCOME to Mrs. M. Smith, B.A. (Hons ), who joined us in January. She teaches Latin.

SCHOOL DlNNERS
The County School Meals Service inform me that the charge for school dinners will be as follows:
Summer Term 1980 - 40p
Autumn Term 1980 - 45p

OCCASIONAL HOLIDAYS
The Governors have approved the the occasional holidays for Thursday and Friday 3/4 July 1980. These will follow the end-of-year examinations for pupils in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th forms which are scheduled to commence on or near Wednesday, 25th June.

FRANCE 1980
Mr. Martin's visit to Fécamp during July is now fully subscribed and confirmed.

NEW BUILDINGS
There have been irksome delays on the completion of the final details of the new gymnasium. We patiently await the handover date which could be within the next two weeks. After we have taken possession there will be an invitation to parents who are interested in looking over this new sports hall and also the advanced science centre which is now in full use.

RHINELAND, GERMANY
This proposed visit will be confirmed if there are a few more applicants.
Depart: Thursday, 24th July. Return: 30th July
Cost: £107
Please contact Mr. James as soon as possible.

FUND RAISING
Ii has been agreed that our next priority for a major fund-raising exercise will be the provision of up-to-date reprographic machine for for the rapid and efficient production of educational material.

CYCLING TO SCHOOL
Many parents and, members of the public have expressed their concern about the dangers of careless cycling to and from school. This tends to be most prevalent along Barnett Wood Lane and at the junction of the Dilston and Kingston Roads. In reported cases of reckless cycling, we shall withdraw permission for cycles to be brought to school. We urgently request your co-operation in cultivating a greater sense of road safety amongst our pupil cyclists. New arrangements for cycle storage will be in operation shortly.

LUNCHTIME AND AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
The Governors would wish me to remind you that the act of requesting a lunch pass for a pupil implies accepting the responsibility for his conduct and safety over the lunch period; hence a pass should only be applied for if he is coming home to your direct care.

There are over sixty meetings of school clubs and societies each week throughout lunch-break and after school. They are well supported but there are still some pupils who might be encouraged to make more constructive use of spare time, particularly during the lunch-break.

SAILING HOLIDAY
The plans for the sailing holiday at the Isle of Wight during the Easter vacation are now well advanced. This year there will be 40 pupils participating. The party will be making good use of the school minibus, All places are now taken.

GEOLOGY EXPEDITION
Thn advanced leveI class of sixth form geologists had a hard-working but enjoyable visit to South Devon during the recent half-term break

J.D. WOODING
Headmaster

SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS - A Report from the Expressive Arts Group
During the next two months there will be three productions here at school as part of Therfield's Expressive Arts programme.

On Friday, 21st March, at 7.30 p.m., we have our 'Cabaret' evening, which will include the presentation of musical and dancing items performed by pupils of the school. There will also be an opportunity for you to dance to the Therfield Big Band. All tickets for this evening will cost £1 which will include a buffet supper. Wine and soft drinks will also be available, at a modest charge.

Following the success of last year's recital we anticipate that tickets will be in great demand and therefore invite you to apply early to avoid disappointment. The tables will be arranged to seat six and should you wish to make a block booking please indicate on the attached booking form.

On Thursday, 27th and Friday 28th March we are presenting "ROMEO AND JULIET" by William Shakespeare. Performances sill start at 7.30 p.m. and tickets are £1.20 for adults and 60p for children. Tickets for the production will be available through Mrs. Brook in the School Box Office from Monday, 3rd March. (Please use the attached booking form).

On Wednesday 30th April we are holding our "Arts Exhibition '80". This will be an opportunity for you to see some of the school's art-work, some music and a drama v,rorkshop. There will be no charge for this and refreshments will be available throughout the evening.

Twelve months ago we embarked on a fund-raising scheme to improve our stage lighting. Last week saw the installation of the third and final phase of this project and, with a lot of help from our Friends, we have raised the necessary £4,500 in just over a year.

We are now hoping to improve our School Sound System and all proceeds from the above productions will go towards this.

We look forurard to seeing you at any or all of our forthcoming events.

AN INVITATION TO OUR MOTHERS
Have you been neglecting your body for too long? Would you like to be just that bit trimmer?

The Misses Hines, Inak, Smith and Weston of the Therfield staff who are experienced in teaching your children how to keep fit, would like the opportunity to help you in this aim as well.

They would like to form, not a 'keep Fit Club' full of exercise and contortion fanatics, but a 'Movement Group' which would offer a casually strucured progranme of movement aiming to develop a healthier body and a more relaxed mind. There will be an element of the 'keep fit' idea, of Yoga, perhaps, and of dance, all put together to help you into excellent shape.

It is proposed that interested mothers meet for an hour on a Friday afternoon at the school, initially, for the length of the summer term. Please indicate on the attached slip which time would be the most convenient for you and then we shall confirm the definite times before the end of this spring term.

Each instructor will take one session in every four, and will be concentrating on the use of different areas of the body. It would not necessarily be a regular commitment on your behalf, although obviously a continuity of attendance would help the 'toning up' process.

The cost per weekly session will be 85 pence, payable at the time. This is where the dual purpose of our project becomes clear, the profit from will go, in total, towards new sound equipment to be used in the teaching of dance throughout the school.

If you are at all interested in coming to this sort of movement session, please complete the attached slip and return it to us as soon as possible.

We look forward to meeting you, and an interested friend, at Therfield, next term. We shall send you the final details of time and place, in the near future.