Newsletters

Ribston Hall Association Newsletter September2019
 

Welcome – RHA Newsletter – September 2019

We hope everyone had an enjoyable summer break.  Welcome to all the new Year 7’s and Year 12’ students! We hope you are now settled in and getting to grips with Ribston Hall.


News & Events

 100/100 Club – NEW members needed (would you like to win our December jackpot?)

The draw for £100 June bumper prize was held at our July meeting. For a chance to win this or the December jackpot (£200) join our 100/100 club. Prizes are awarded each month and you could win anything from £10 up to £200?

Each entry is £1.00 and you can sign up at any time, for as many entries as you like.  Contact us for the forms, arrange the standing order with your bank, and we’ll do the rest.  It’s a brilliant way to support the school without even leaving your house!

 RHA AGM - Tue 12th November 2019 6pm

As a parent you are automatically a member of the RHA, come along to the AGM and find out more about us, meet the outgoing committee, and get involved by voting for the committee. The meeting will elect the chair(s), secretary and treasurer and we shall be seeking nominations for these roles shortly.  Full details will be sent out separately, including a nomination form and details about how to vote. We need more members to secure the future of the RHA so do get involved.

RHA Next Meeting – Monday 7th October 2019 6pm

The current Chair of the RHA invites you to our next meeting.  This is a particularly useful event for anyone considering joining the committee and would like to know more about what is involved.  Questions in advance can be emailed to rha@ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk. 

RHA LOGO COMPETITION – prize to be won – EXTENDED DUE DATE!

The RHA has for many years been without its own logo and we thought it would be fabulous for a student to create one for us.  The winning design will be used in all the RHA notifications and on our section of the website.  Of course, we are offering a prize for the winner.  The creativity and talent within the school is impressive and we are sure the competition will be a hard one to judge.  The logo should encompass the RHA’s principle purpose and the closing date has been extended to the 13th December 2019.  It’s open to students across all years and entries should be emailed to rha@ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk .  Good luck and get creative!

 


Your INPUT

 Committee members needed!

The RHA has a vibrant and enthusiastic committee and they do a marvellous job.  Nonetheless, we are constantly in need of new parents to bring a wider field of ideas and of course to ensure that that the RHA continues in the future.  The more hands we have available the easier the workload and greater variety of events we can organise.  We are a friendly bunch and there is no prior experience needed – just your time, ideas and involvement.  You can just turn up to one of our meetings and we will give you a great welcome or contact us at rha@ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk with any questions.

What’s in it for me?  A great feeling of achievement knowing that your efforts have raised funds to support the schools commitment to provide the best education for Ribston’s students.  The realisation that what we do impacts on students school life. Gain an insight into the rhythm of the school through the activities we are involved in.  Why wouldn’t you want to be part of that?


How you can HELP

https://www.ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk/_site/data/files/images/ribston_roar/march%202019/25AD906B20E974365DACDBD320D25414.png - every time you make a purchase from one of the 1000’s retailers, a percentage goes towards our cause.  Sign up at www.easyfundraising.org.uk to register.  Click on ‘Support a good cause’ and search for Ribston Hall Association.

https://www.ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk/_site/data/files/images/ribston_roar/march%202019/7C7C1768739EAD55097E9A92D8DBAFA8.jpg 100/100 Club – from as little as £1.00 a month you can enter our own ‘lottery’.  A chance to win cash through our regular draws with prizes from £10 up to £200!  Request details to join via the school or email the RHA.

Donate - set up a standing order for a regular donation or just a one-off. Contact the RHA for details on how to do this

Take Part – join the committee (we are always looking for new members) or participate in the events

Facebook – follow us at www.facebook.com/RibstonHallAssociation/ - we post event details and notices here


The FOCUS for our current fundraising in 2019/2020

The head teacher at the school regularly communicates to the RHA areas for consideration of financial support.  We also welcome teachers (and students) to approach us directly with requests to fund small (or large) projects that they feel would benefit the school.  Your support for the RHA and the events we arrange is therefore vital especially in view of continuing Government budget cuts to the school funds. 

The RHA committee reviews all requests and we hope that our decisions reflect the expectations of the parents.  (NB-the best way to influence this is to join our committee!).  We have been asked to consider these areas:-

RIBSTON HALL HIGH SCHOOL WELLBEING HUB’

The ‘Wellbeing Hub’ is a new and exciting project to integrate all the pastoral care within the school into a specifically designed, bright, relaxing and safe place for the students to visit.  The RHA has already funded £6000 towards the renovations and the ‘hub’ is well on its way (with fabulous student input) to realising its vision.

 

RIBSTON HALL HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY

The library has always been a vital function of Ribston Hall, it is forever changing to meet the demands and needs of the students.  There is hope to install a ‘private area’ where students can discuss their career choices.

 

 STUDY CENTRE

Re-designation of rooms within the school to create a new ‘study centre’.  This gives students from Y7 to Y13, a dedicated area to study where they can focus on revision and projects away from the distractions of school life.  RHA support to provide additional equipment has been requested, with your support we hope to be able to contribute to this important space.


Who are we?

Well, the RHA constitution says we are here to:-

i.  Develop more extended relationships between staff, parents and others associated with the school

ii. Engage in activities which support the school and advance the education of the pupils attending it

iii. Provide and assist in the provision of facilities for education at the school not normally provided by the department of Education & Employment

Or, in other words, we like organising events to raise essential funds for the school so they can make purchases that benefit our children. And, of course, have FUN.

By the way, all parents of students at Ribston Hall automatically become a member of the RHA.


Your RHA contacts:-

Mrs Wendy Hiiemäe – Chair

Ann-Marie Karadia – Secretary

Julie Paveley – Treasurer

Oliver Dyer – committee member

Liz Good – committee member

Louisa Smallpage-Mitchell  - committee member

Anna Birt – committee member

Elisa Jordan – committee member

If you would like to contact the committee, please email rha@ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk 


Meet the committee (one by one!)

We have decided to provide this space on the newsletter to give you a brief resume of each member, one at a time.  We hope that this will give you an insight into who runs the RHA and why we choose to volunteer our time for its purpose.  Starting with the Chair, Wendy Hiiemäe.

I was a school governor at my daughters primary school and felt I needed to give support at secondary school.  I therefore decided to join the RHA almost immediately after my daughter started in Year 7 and I’ve not looked back.  I have been the chair of the committee for the past 3+ years and enjoyed every moment. My daughter is now in Year 11 and nearly at the end of her school journey and I will be sad to say goodbye to all my friends and colleagues in the RHA, but not just yet!   I also have a 6 year old son and work full time for a firm of loss adjusters on their 24/7 Helpline as a customer relations advisor.  I am however lucky enough to work predominantly from home and this enables me to be pretty responsive to the RHA needs.  A fun fact though that many might not guess about me is that I hold a full motorcycle license, although how to put this skill to aid the RHA I have yet to discover?!


Dates for Diary:-

RHA NEXT MEETING

Monday 7th October 2019 – 6pm – Ribston Hall High School – Library (All parents are welcome).