Homestretch...

 Hello and welcome back to the Dorchester Middle School Blog!

My word of the week is 'glorious'! 

It was indeed, a glorious week weather wise but so was what was going on in school. The Year Five Team in particular had a busy week but more of that later.

Here is a spoiler...

How was your week? 

Did you manage to survive without melting? 

I know there is more heat to come but you do know what will happen don't you? It will rain the first day of the holidays! Well, let's cross everything so that doesn't happen!

Enough of the Ray Ramblings, on with the Blog...

Well, hello there!

As I mentioned in my introduction, the Year Five Team had a particularly busy week. 

We started the week by meeting the majority of the Year Four teachers from our Feeder Schools. Poor Ms Brown from Prince of Wales was a poorly bunny but was very kindly spoke to us on the phone just before her voice completely went!

This meeting is an important part of the transfer process. The more we know about our new recruits then the easier their transition to middle school will be.

A HUGE thank you to all of the teachers who attended the meeting - it was a lovely, positive experience.

Welcome to the DMS family!

On Wednesday evening, the Year Five Team had another engagement, this time with the Year Four parents and carers for our Meet and Greet evening.

We had such a lovely evening. Not only was it great to meet our parents again but it was also fabulous to see so many of our newly appointed prefects attend (with incredibly short notice) as well as my amazing Year Five models.

A huge thank you to everyone who was involved in the evening, especially the PTFA who provided teas and coffees for everyone. It was very exciting to see that so many people signed up to join the PTFA in September - exciting times ahead!

It's good to be beside the seaside!

We did it! 

Our first Year Five trip in three years and what a fantastic experience it was.

We were able to navigate the whole train experience with relative ease. 

We have to say a huge thank you to Ross and Joe from South West Trains who, literally, saved our trip. Despite numerous phone calls, visits to the train station and emails, no straight answers were given. It was incredibly frustrating for us all.

 Once Ross and then Joe got involved we were in a go situation within 24 hours!

These men are my heroes! 

The cinema experience wasn't quite a straight forward as the train journey - having to suddenly create over 100 'Munch Boxes' was quite a challenge but Team DMS, working with the Cineworld Team, were able to assemble them in no time at all!

A huge thank you to Andy, the manager for keeping calm and ensuring that each and every single child (and adult) had a Munch Box as the film, Lightyear, started.

Once we had finished the (very long) film, it was time to regroup and head for the beach...

 With speed and efficiency we reached the beach in no time at all. 

Kristan and Ben were our advance party and put up a couple of the school gazebos that were kindly loaned to us by Mr Roberts near the matting so that our wheelchairs could access the beach.

Once the lunch was munched, it was time to hit the beach for our Sandcastle Building Competition.

I was very mean and asked a few of our helpers to do the judging. 

These are our initial winners:

There were so many worthy winners so I will be giving out additional prizes in school this week.

It was then time to head back to Weymouth Station where the staff were ready and waiting for us!

What a totally fantastic day!

A HUGE 'thank you' to all of the staff, volunteers and, most importantly, the children for making it such a special day and one that I will cherish for a very long time.

All the fun of the fair

In case you didn't see this in Ms Pluck's weekly letter, the marvellous PTFA raised £2700 from our super Summer Fair!

A HUGE 'thank you' to everyone who came and supported the school last Friday - the money that was raised will enable us to help make a difference for the brilliant children in our school.

Hot off the press...

As many of you will know, Monday's Year Eight Leaver's Service has been postponed to Wednesday due to the predicted increase in temperature. Further information about the postponement will be sent out on Monday morning so you will know how to obtain tickets of you can now come.

Well, that's it for another week and the penultimate Blog of this academic year.

I  look forward to seeing you back here for the last Blog of the year.

Have a good week everyone,

Mrs Ray

(who is absolutely loving this weather. Being in the garden is a joy, especially when you have this little fellow hanging out with you!)