Message from the Head
Dear Parents,
This week we have been standing up to bullying, we have odd shoes and socks at Primary and PSHE and tutor lead sessions at Secondary. GES is a happy and tight knit community and we want to continue to ensure that all our students, from the very youngest to the eldest, stay happy in school. By raising the awareness of what to do if you are feeling picked on or how to help a friend who may be in need, we continue to support our children to be the best they can be. Thank you to Ms Fortune for leading on this and for picking up 300 wrist bands in the UK over half term!
It was great to have so many Primary parents on site for the carousel showcases – if you were able to attend, thank you. We realise that having events during the working day is difficult for lots of working parents so we will try and change the timings so more parents can attend and improve our audiovisual techniques for those of you who would like to ‘zoom’ in.
To those of you growing moustaches for Movember, there are only 12 days left before they can go! Please follow our Movember Just Giving link and give generously. We are quite a way off our target!
Just a heads up that Mr Vavrecka is running a pre-Christmas holiday camp full of festive cheer – from 19 to 21 December for children between the ages of 7 and 11. Please click here for the full itinerary of Christmas fun and book a place.
I hope you have a lovely weekend,
Matt Williams
Head
From the School Office
Gift box Appeal reminder: Monday 21 November
“One more box, one more happy child”
Last opportunity to assemble a Gift Box and help some children in need in Ukraine and Moldova.
Your boxes can be dropped off at the Founex Communal buildings/local school, 3 Route de Chaitaigneriaz over the weekend or by next Monday 21 November at the Primary Gym and Secondary Reception.
Please click on the link here for more details on the project and read the instructions to wrap your gift box.
Many thanks for your support.
Panini FIFA World Cup stickers
To coincide with the start of the FIFA World Cup, we invite KS1 – Year 6 pupils who are collecting Panini football stickers, to bring their collection of World Cup stickers to school to trade and exchange stickers with other children.
Ms Fortune will be overseeing this at break time in the Primary Gym. Please could they bring their collections in a named bag or box to avoid confusion between children.
From the Sport & PE department
Escalade countdown: 2 more weeks to go
We have almost 100 children signed up to run the Escalade races under the GES team colours, which is amazing!
Only 2 more weeks to go so keep running – a letter with all final details will be sent out shortly to all the participants.
Wednesday Ski Academy: Registration opening soon
We are delighted to announce that we have partnered with ESF Les Rousses to offer a fantastic opportunity for our Primary children to learn or develop their skiing abilities at La Dôle / Les Jouvencelles ski resorts, as of January 2023 on Wednesdays afternoons as part of the Sport Academy.
We are finalising the programme and will send you a letter next week, along with a ski ability and sign up form.
Get your skis ready – winter is coming!
From the School Nurse, Polly Pupulin
Head Lice at Primary
We have several Primary classes with head lice and kindly ask you to check your children’s heads this weekend. If you find head lice or the eggs, please treat accordingly and if unsure seek further advice from your local pharmacy.
A few tips to help on your head lice/egg hunt:
- Head lice are easier to catch when hair is wet as they won’t move when wet.
- The nits (white eggs) can best be found with a regular hair conditioner, applied every 2 or 3 days, and a special anti-lice comb that can be purchased from any pharmacy. The lice, though, will require a special treatment with anti-lice shampoo, to be repeated after 5-7 days (follow manufacturer’s guidelines).
- It is recommended that your child’s pillowcase is washed at a high temperature to kill all remaining lice.
- Please can you remind children not to share hats, hair/ headbands, hairbrushes, etc. with their friends.
- We ask that all students with long hair wear their hair tied up.
Thank you in advance for all your efforts to keep the students as lice-free as possible.
Have a great weekend,
Nurse Polly
Primary Extra-curricular
After-School Care weekly theme
From 21 to 25 November, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and hold a Harvest festival in After-School Care.
Students will make vegetables out of clay, leaf art and craft projects, talk about things we are thankful for, and read books about Thanksgiving.
If you would like more information about After-School Care, please see the information on our website here or contact the Primary Office via [email protected].
Upcoming Primary concerts and performances
This is the time of the year when the children are rehearsing for their shows, and we can all hear beautiful songs in the corridors!
We will be sending all details by email next week, but you can already save the dates:
- Wednesday 7 December, 17:30 – 18:20: Year 3 and 4 Show – ‘Dragon Days’ (Primary Gym)
- Tuesday 13 December
- 8:40 – 9:10: Year 3 and 4 Christmas Performance (Primary Gym)
- 9:30 – 10:00: Key Stage 1 Christmas Performance (Primary Gym)
- 18:00 – 18:45: Rising Stars Christmas Concert (Salle de spectacle de Genthod) involving all of Year 5 and 6, ballet dancers, street dancers, choir members, and orchestra members
From Mrs Ball (Head of Drama and Performing Arts)
Theatre recommendations
For all of our theatre and performance lovers, here are Mrs Ball’s latest recommendations for local theatre productions.
If you would like further information about any of these, you are welcome to email Mrs Ball at [email protected].
Sleeping Beauty
This famous pantomime features the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, staged of course with a prince and princess, an evil witch and some surprisingly sassy fairies plus a large cast of talented children and adults.
Mrs Ball is running a Culture Vultures outing (open to GES Secondary and Year 6 students, parents and siblings) to see Sleeping Beauty on Saturday 3 December at 19:00. Please contact Mrs Ball directly for further details.
- Starring our very own Madame Bongioanni
- GAOS Musical Theatre, Théâtre de Marens, Nyon
- 25-27 November and 1-4 December
- Details and booking here
The 39 Steps
- Simply Theatre Studios, Versoix
- 12-20 November
- Details and booking here
Much Ado About Nothing
Set in 1950s mafia Italy, where women’s tongues are faster than bullets, the coffee is strong, and the policemen are asleep. A play about honour, hearsay and horns.
- Hoops of Iron
- Théâtre Les 50, Grand Rue, Ferney Voltaire
- 26, 27 November and 16 – 18 December
- Details and booking here
