Christmas Week Activities December 18th - 22nd
As usual we will be having a Christmas activity week to wind down to the end of the term. The children will not be required to wear school uniform this week.
Here is a list of events.

Afternoon

5. 30. - 7.15 p.m.

Afternoon

Afternoon

SCHOOL FINISHES AT 3 p.m. for both staff and children

Bring and Buy Update - December 4th, 2000.
A BIG THANK YOU for all your support in raising just over £300 during our BRING AND BUY SALE on Thursday. The money raised will be used to buy additional materials for the children.

Christmas Concerts

This year's Christmas Concerts will take place on Wednesday 13th December at 2.00. p.m. and Thursday 14th December at 7.00. p.m. This year the children will be performing the nativity musical "Away in a manger". Both performances will be held at St Paul's Church, Birchgrove. As usual, we are very grateful to Father Martyn and the Parochial Church Council for permission to use the church. There will be a retiring collection for local charities and UNICEF. Tickets for both performances will be available from the school. As space is limited in the church and as we anticipate the same high demand as in previous years, tickets will be allocated on the basis of two per family. Should any tickets be available after this they will be available from school on a first come first served basis. Details of the distribution process will be outlined in the usual way via pupil post. 

In-Service Training Day

The School will be closed on Friday 1st December, 2000. 
During this day the staff will be updating the Scheme of Work for English in order that it is consistent with the changes to the National Curriculum 2000 in Wales.
A letter confirming this will be distributed by pupil post during the week prior to the closure.

Bring and Buy Sale

We will be holding a 'BRING AND BUY SALE' on Thursday 30th November in the School Hall beginning at 2.15. p.m. In previous years this has been a very popular initiative with both parents and pupils alike. So, if you want to do some early Christmas Shopping, then you know where the best bargains are. As usual there will be Clothes Stalls, Brick-a-brack, Toys, Books, The Grand Raffle and Refreshments. Free Entry. If you have any unwanted items that need a good home please bring them in to school by Monday 27th.

Mr Jones appointed Deputy Headteacher

On Wednesday 18th October, Mr. Jones was appointed Deputy Headteacher of Porth Junior School. He has a long relationship with Porth Junior School as he first taught in the school in 1987. He deputised in Year Six when the previous Headteacher, Mr. Evans, was on sick leave. That meant that Mr. Williams - the Deputy Headteacher - took over as Headteacher. It was then he first met Miss Hartnell, Mrs. Jenkins and Mrs Morgan who were members of staff and was welcomed to the school. He helped prepare the Christmas Concerts and helped Mr. Williams build the stage in the Hall. He even got a Custard Pie in the face during the Christmas party from Mrs Jenkins. 
"Everybody laughed" he recalls, "but I was more concerned about my contact lenses." Mr. Jones the spent a year teaching in Tonypandy Primary School 

and then two years in Penyrenglyn Junior School in Ynyswen. When Mr. Williams was appointed Headteacher at Aberllechau Primary School in 1992, Mr. Morris invited Mr Jones back to Porth Junior School. He was appointed as a Year Six teacher later that year. Since then he has guided each Year Six through the SATs and helped them make the transition to their chosen Comprehensive School. As you know, Mr. Jones is a computer-holic and has been busy developing these web pages. 
This has been a special year for Mr. Jones as in July he was awarded a Master of Arts Degree by the University of Wales, the culmination of three years studying at UWIC. 
Congratulations Mr Jones, but shame about the photo! (Well I suppose it was early in the morning.)

Harvest Thanksgiving Service

The children will perform the Harvest Thanksgiving Service in the School Hall on Thursday 19th October at 2.00. p.m. The theme this year will be "Children of the World Celebrate Harvest" and will be a trip around the world in poetry, drama and music to see how children in different countries celebrate harvest. This year our harvest donation will be made to HELP THE AGED. A representative from the charity has visited the school and talked to the children and explained how the charity supports the senior citizens and how our donations would be used locally.

Changes in the Kitchen

In September, Mrs. Shelbourne, who has been a member of the kitchen staff and a dinner lady in Porth Junior School for over twenty years decided to relinquish her post to look after her granddaughter. Mrs. Shelbourne was presented with a large bouquet of flowers by Kirsty Regan and Joseph Williams from Class 6J. She was also given a card designed by some of the Year 6 children and signed by all the children of Porth Junior School. We wish her all the best in her new vocation. When asked what would she miss the most about Porth Juniors, she replied "... the wind, the rain, all those cold winter afternoons in the yard." Good luck Mrs. Shelbourne.