ParentMail    

Class Photographs

Dear Parent/Carers,

The photographer will be in school next Tuesday, 11th March to take photos of the following classes - Nursery, P1 and P7. 

Please ensure that full school uniform is worn.

Thank you 

Mr McDaid

Speak out, Stay safe

Dear Parent/Carer

Next week, our pupils will be participating in the NSPCC “Speak out, Stay safe” online assemblies.  “Speak out, Stay safe” is a safeguarding programme available to all primary schools and our pupils have previously benefited and enjoyed hearing important safeguarding messages through the child-friendly approach of the NSPCC. Children will enjoy meeting the NSPCC mascot Buddy and the assemblies include input from Ant and Dec. If you would like to know more about the “Speak out, Stay safe” programme you can find information on the NSPCC website www.nspcc.org.uk/speakout or myself/Miss Agnew would be happy to discuss any questions you may have.

If you wish for your child not to take part in this assembly, you must let your child's teacher know before Monday 4^th March via a message on Seesaw.

Many thanks,

Mrs Blair

Menu Update

Please find an updated copy of the menu attached. We are currently on Week 2 of the menu, below are the dates for the menu. 

Safer Internet Week 3rd Feb to 7th Feb 2025

Safer Schools App

As part of Safer Internet week, we are asking parents/ carers to download the Safer Schools App, if they haven't already done so.

Safer Schools NI App is provided by the Department of Education and INEQE Safeguarding Group.

The App contains extensive age-appropriate guidance, resources, and advice on a wide variety of topics.

The Safer Schools NI App is updated with the latest news and alerts as-and-when they happen so you’ll also be in the know, in the here and now.

You will also be able to access our latest school news and our school website. Seesaw and Iris Parent mail is also accessible via the safer schools app.

Please click the link for more details- Safer Schools App

Uniform

Dear Parent/Carers,

Can I remind all parents and carers that all pupils are expected to wear the school uniform every day to school.

Recently it has been noted by teachers that there are increasing numbers of pupils wearing fashion shoes to school. Ugg Boots and coloured trainers are not part of our school uniform and I would ask parent/carers to please ensure that black footwear is worn each day.

I have asked teachers to monitor this.

Thank you

Mr McDaid

Early Morning Drop Off - Front Gates

Early Morning Drop Off - Front Gates

Thank you to those parents/carers who continue to use the one way system at the front of the school.

Keeping the traffic moving is an important way to reduce bottle necks. You can help this by - 

• Making sure Nursery - P2 Blue Hazelwood Badge is clearly displayed
• Please do not stop your vehicle on the zebra crossing
• Drop your child off just before the zebra crossing, especially if you are stuck in traffic in the slip road. Waiting to drop your child off directly outside the school gates can cause further delays

Thank you for your continued support on this.

Mr McDaid

Good News Worth Sharing

Dear Parent/Carers,

Our mid year reading assessments have shown significant progress in reading attainment. Pupils who have made much higher or higher than expected progress has increased to 32% this is 7% above the reading national average. Pupils are expected to make this progress in 10 months our pupils achieved this in 5 months.

These are fantastic scores and we are so proud of the progress are pupils have made.

Our P4-P7 pupils completed their annual Pupil Audit in January. We are delighted with the overwhelming positive response from our pupils. The audit covered a range of questions on all aspects of school life. Including Teaching and Learning, Safe Guarding and Pupil Welfare.

We are thrilled that our pupils have such positive feelings about their school. The results of this audit clearly demonstrate how much our pupils love their school.

Full copies of this audit will be made available this week on the school website and shared with you via Parent Mail.

As well as auditing our pupils we will be sharing a parent/carer audit with you in the next few days. Understanding your views on the school is an important part of our school improvement plan.

I will confirm with you soon the date in which you will be able to complete this.

Thank you

Mr McDaid

Women's Tec

Dear Parent/Carers,

Hazelwood are once again offering an opportunity for a group of women connected with our school (mums, grannys etc) to complete a 6 week course with Women’s Tec.  This course is completely free of charge and has been very popular in the past. The course is held in the premises of Women’s Tec in Chichester Avenue in North Belfast.

The first session is on Wednesday 19^th February and it runs for six weeks. Each session will run from 10am-1pm with a coffee break included.

The course details and suggestions of content are listed below:

If you are interested in attending please contact Mrs Blair or leave your name and contact number in the school office.  Please let us know you are interested before Friday 24^th January.

Many thanks

Mrs Blair

School Meals New Model

Dear Parent/Carer,

We are excited to share with you Hazelwood’s exciting plan for delivering a new model for school meals for our pupils. Working with the Education Authority we have partnered with  Lunchtime Delivered, a company with over 12 years of serving nutritious, balanced and delicious meals to children across Ireland.

Lunchtime Delivered have consulted closely with Isobel and our catering team at Hazelwood  to design an exciting menu that we are confident our pupils will love. Indeed, the chefs from Lunchtime Delivered brought sample meals last week for our staff and pupils to taste and we were delighted by the positive feedback.

We are confident that your child will continue to receive the same high-quality, nutritious meals each day that you would expect.

Lunchtime Delivered Plan for Hazelwood:

The Nutrition Experts from Lunchtime Delivered will create home-cooked meals that are both delicious and nutritionally balanced, offering flexible options to keep children fuelled and focused throughout the school day. Using only the freshest ingredients, these meals contain reduced levels of salt and sugar, in line with nutritional guidelines for children, and are free from artificial preservatives.

We’re incredibly proud to partner with Hazelwood Integrated Primary School to deliver nutritious and delicious meals for your children. Our commitment to quality and nutrition is at the heart of our business, and we work tirelessly to ensure that each meal is not only nourishing but also something children enjoy and look forward to.  Ryan McGivern – Head Chef & Managing Director

Our new school meals will continue to cater to a variety of dietary and allergen requirements, ensuring every child can enjoy a wholesome meal tailored to their needs.

There will be no change to the cost of a school meal the price will remain unchanged at £2.60.

Our new lunch service will be phased in – same menu will continue for December, prepared by Lunchtime delivered on the days noted below -

We look forward to this new partnership and hope your child enjoys our new school meal provision. If you have any questions or queries about the new lunch arrangements please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.

Our student Council were amongst the first to sample our new school dinner menu.  

They gave a huge thumbs up to all the delicious meals on offer and are very excited for their classes to also get to enjoy our healthy and very tasty new menu! 

Thank you

Mr McDaid

School Parking

Dear Parent/Carers,

Reminder to all that the parking spaces at the front of the school are for blue badge holders only.

Staff are there to help and manage traffic for the safety of all. Please respect school staff and their sometimes difficult job, at all times. Aggressiveness towards them is not acceptable.

Tomorrow, as all pupils will be finishing at 1pm, only blue badge holders will be allowed to access the school grounds. The school bus will be available at 2pm for those who need it.

Thank you

Mr McDaid

Diabetes Week

Dear Parent/Carer,

This week is Diabetes Week.  See below for the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes.  Included is a QR code that will provide further support and information from Diabetes UK.

Many thanks,

Miss Agnew

Play Areas

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Last week I was delighted to meet with Ronnie McKee the CEO of EA Adventure Escapes.

We have finally agreed the plans for the incredible new play areas for the school. This includes an extension to the nursery play area. A new pirate ship themed area for the nursery area.

An exciting 12-piece adventure trail for P4-7 classes and a natural wood play area at the rear of the school.

These will all be installed during the summer break and ready to use by September 2024.

Until then we are continuing to fund raise as much as possible so we can buy the very best in play scapes for the school.

Please support us by sending in your 20p’s for the smartie tube fundraising challenge. Every penny raised will be invested into enriching and improving the play experiences of our pupils.

Mr J McDaid (Principal)

Literacy Results

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I am writing to share some great news with you. Our pupils have recently completed standardised reading tests which allow us to track their progress. The tests also help us to understand how well our children are doing compared to the rest of the country. I am pleased to say that our Hazelwood pupils have made fantastic progress in the first term and, as a group, are performing at a level higher than the national average. This is great news indeed. This wouldn’t have happened without you supporting your young readers at home, so I would like to take this opportunity to offer congratulations and to thank you.

Mrs Szlachta

Literacy Co-ordinator

Parentline NI

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Parentline NI

0808 8020 400

FREE ONLINE COURSES

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The Solihull Approach are offering free online courses for parents.  There is normally a charge for the these, but the access code below should give you free access.  Courses include:

• Understanding your child's feelings
• Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby
• Understanding your baby
• Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager
• Understanding your child with additional needs
• Understanding your child's mental health and wellbeing
• Understanding your brain (for teenagers only)

Your can access these courses by visiting:  https://inourplace.co.uk/

The access code for these free courses is: NIFAMILIES

Many thanks,

Miss Agnew

SAFER SCHOOLS APP

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Today is Safer Internet Day.

Following on from our parentmail a few days ago regarding the Safer Schools App, please see the attached information on how to download it and the access code you will need to activate it.

If you have any problems, please contact the school office.

Many thanks

THANK YOU

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I would like to thank all those parents and carers who completed the audit.  There as a fantastic response with approximately 70% of our families completing it.  The responses are really positive, and it is so encouraging knowing that you are happy with so many areas of school life and your child's learning experience at Hazelwood.

We will now carefully go through the audit and identify any areas that we can improve on.  Next week we will hopefully have a full copy of the audit available for you to read on the school website and a shorter summary available on See Saw as well as hard copies that can be collected from the school office.

Mr J McDaid (Principal)

ONE WAY TRAFFIC SYSTEM

Dear Parent/Guardian,

A quick reminder that the one-way system for entry to the school grounds begins this morning. There will be school staff at the gates to direct you and we would ask for your patience and co-operation.

Please see the map below for more details.

Many thanks

Mr J McDaid (Principal)

REMINDER ABOUT TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS FOR MONDAY 13th NOVEMBER

Dear Parent/Guardian,

A quick reminder that the new traffic arrangements start on Monday 13th November 2023.

For those not already done so, you can collect your pass from the school office. These are for Nursery to P2 children. Please have this clearly displayed on your dashboard each morning from Monday 13th November. I hope this will make your entry to school easier.

Only cars with this pass will be allowed access to the school. If you have a blue mobility badge, this really should apply to your child and not the driver and therefore I would ask that your child also walks from the front gate, and you do not drive into the school grounds.

As a result of these changes traffic coming into the school grounds has been greatly reduced. The punctuality of our pupils has greatly improved and the safety of our pupils while walking in the school every morning and afternoon has also been improved.

Thank you once again for your support.

Mr J McDaid (Principal)

CODE OF CONDUCT - PARENTS

Dear Parent/Carer,

Hazelwood Parent/Carer Code of Conduct.

Please take time to read and understand what your responsibility is to ensure that the entire hazelwood Community, its employees. pupils and parents/carers, are treated with respect, so that the ethos and values of Hazelwood are upheld by everybody.

A copy of this is also available on the school website .Hazelwood Parent/Carer Code of Conduct.

Mr McDaid (Principal)

ADMINISTERING MEDICATIONS IN SCHOOL

Dear Parent/Guardian,

After reviewing the Department of Education's Guidance on the administration of medicine, there are a few things we wanted to highlight.

• -If children need to take prescribed medications in school (including inhalers), parents must fill in a form called Administration of Medicine and return it to their child's class teacher.
• -If children are prescribed a short-term antibiotic, we would ask parents to try and administer these at times when the children are at home.
• -All prescribed medication must be sent into school in its original box, so staff can see names, instructions and date of expiration.
• -School is not permitted to administer non-prescription medication, such as Calpol.
• -If your child needs an inhaler for asthma, we would ask (where possible), that you provide 2 of these in case of an emergency where one inhaler runs out.

Lastly, can I remind parents that we are a nut free school.  We have a number of children with serious nut allergies.  Please ensure that you do not send in nuts or foods containing nuts, eg Nutella, Snickers, Peanut butter.

Many thanks for your support.

Mr J McDaid (Principal)

27th October 2023

Just a quick reminder that Hazelwood IPS is a NO SMOKING ZONE and therefore smoking is NOT permitted on school grounds or at the school gates.  Recently there has been an increasing amount of cigarette butts appearing in the school grounds and at the school gates and we would ask you to please be considerate to other parents and children and make sure you are well away from the school and school grounds before lighting up.

NUT ALLERGY

This letter is to inform you that some of our students in school have severe food allergies to peanuts/nut products. It is important that there is strict avoidance to this food in order to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction. We are asking your help to provide the student with a safe school environment.

Any exposure to peanuts/nuts may cause a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires emergency medical treatment. To reduce the chance of this occurring, we are asking that you do not send any Hazelnut or products that contain nuts such as Nutella, Ferrero Rocher etc to school with your child that will be eaten in the classroom.

If your child has eaten peanuts/nuts before coming to school, please be sure your child’s hands and face have been thoroughly washed before entering the school.

We appreciate your support of these procedures. Please contact me if you have any questions.