Week 37 15.07.22 Building a Legacy...
Mrs Boddy's Legacy
...a message from Mrs Boddy
Dear All,
As my 36 year career comes to an end and I approach my retirement I would like to say a huge thankyou to so many people that I have worked with and supported during that time. I have worked in three Local Authorities and five schools during this time and have thoroughly enjoyed each and everyone of them.
When I started at Little Green, I was employed on a contract for a three day a week SENCO role but within a couple of years I was full time and an Assistant Head with many other responsibilities as part of the Senior Leadership Team. I have loved being part of the team at Little Green for the past 13 years, during which time I have worked with three very different Head teachers and it has definitely kept me on my toes!
I have tried my hardest to make a difference to families. I do not have the magic wand but I have always tried my best to make things better or to contact other agencies who can help. I have supported children to the best of my ability and the interventions that I have introduced during my time such as Read, Write Inc, Comets and Rockets Nurture Groups and the Horseriding intervention at the South Bucks RDA Centre are just some of the initiatives which I introduced, have had impact and I hope will live on at the heart of Little Green.
My mantra due to personal experiences has always been "Never give up." A few weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting a Year 10 young person who I had supported. This child had Autism and had needed lots of support and reasonable adjustments put in place. The progress while he was with us was evident but as he had matured to a 15 year old the development was even more striking. I had the opportunity to ask him if we could have done anything differently. He said "no". He said the best thing about Little Green was no matter how bad things were, no one gave up and everyone cared. If that is how I have made a difference in my career then I feel I have succeeded.
I want to wish Little Green and all the staff all the best as they take their next steps and I look forward to hearing all their news.
Best Wishes for the future,
Suzanne Boddy
Thank you Mrs Boddy
Little Green Junior School has been very lucky to have Mrs Boddy steering the ship for so many years and ensuring all children are given as much support as possible to allow them to access learning. She has fought tirelessly for the families of Little Green, always trying to do the right thing in an incredibly complex, contested and underfunded world of Special Educational Need. She began the journey for Little Green to become more therapeutic and understanding of behaviour, understanding that behaviour communicates a need - that behaviour is bad but children are never bad - that experiences shape the brain - that children behaving badly need love and support and caring boundaries. She has embedded the Zones of Regulation in the school to support children to understand their own feelings and what to do with them. She has supported families to try and come to terms with some realities they had not imagined for themselves and their children. She has supported staff as a friend, colleague and matriarch - whether that be pedagogical advice or a shoulder to cry on or as a careful listener. She has lived and breathed raising a family and supporting others to raise families and supporting Little Green to be a family. She has planted seeds so that others may learn in the shade of trees to come...and plant their own seeds. She is part of the Little Green story and we thank her for a legacy owned and a legacy given to future generations. Mankind is her business!
Suzanne, we wish you an incredibly well earned break and many many more adventures to come! Thank you Mrs Boddy. X
School Development Plan Website
Building a Learning Community - Behind the scenes the whole teaching staff and governors have been collaboratively working on a website based School Development Planning tool. - A staff of website developers! https://sites.google.com/littlegreen.herts.sch.uk/sdp2122lg/home
The benefits:
Transparent
Collaborative
Developmental
Reflective and Reflexive
The journey as the destination
Maps the rationale and the journey
Open to suggestion and improvement always
Manifests our moral research values and processes
Begins conversations and debate about all of these things.
Shares our research lead and leading practice and the logic and reasoning behind the approaches.
We still have some work to do on completing some of the subject impact pages and the global impact pages - they are coming - but we would love ongoing engagement - your feedback and suggestions, conversations, reasons and ideas - for what you would like to see developing in the future and any questions or arguments you may have. We also hope to develop spaces for all staff and community members... eventually...
Please see the home page for the public questions and suggestions section: https://sites.google.com/littlegreen.herts.sch.uk/sdp2122lg/home/general-public-feedback
Transition Day and Open Afternoon Thank you!
Today, the children have thrived in their new classrooms, building new relationships and preparing for their new adventures next year. It was also a pleasure to welcome the Year 2 children, the Malvern Way staff and the Year 2 families to the school. Miss Marriott shared our Reading approaches and the families were able to read together - see the picture .
There will be a range of workshops planned for all year groups in the coming term and we look forward to sharing more information. Thank you to the whole community for your warmth and positivity during the open afternoon also.
It is a pleasure to be part of such a focused and engaged learning community.
Open Afternoon - Community Wellbeing!
Thank you to all of the families who were able to tour the school on Wednesday celebrating everyone's learning success and being EXCITED for the future!
Supporting Musicians at
Little Green
We are delighted to share that four of our musicians taught by our peripatetic teachers from Hertfordshire's Music Service, have successfully achieve their gradings.
Congratulations to:
Emily Fletcher - Distinction
Ava Litchfield - Merit
Erin Hinton - Distinction
Ethan Walker - Distinction
Thank you to our music teachers:
Amanda Mackie- Piano
Mark Taylor- Flute/woodwind
Ashley Horton- Brass
Victoria Vandy- Violin
Casey Cronyn- Drums
...and a special thank you to Mr. Fletcher (parent and musician!) who supported the children with preparing for their gradings.
Play Rangers with Lee Bennion
A special thank you to Lee who has been supporting Play Rangers for the children on Mondays and is also our guest artist and is available for birthday parties also!
Little Green Cartoon Strip
There is another Little Green Cartoon Strip again made by Leo. Leo says, "It is even funnier than the last one." Enjoy!
Non-Uniform Day Monday and Tuesday
It's HOT and getting HOTTER! Please remember all the basics for keeping safe in toasty temperatures - water, sun-cream, hat, shade.
On Monday and Tuesday, in line with Malvern Way, we will have non-uniform days. Please dress your children in light and airy clothes appropriate for the hot weather. The meteorologists keep predicting higher and higher temps - here's two screen shots from today and earlier in the week!
Avis Electrical Fan Donation!
Following our plea, A HUGE thank you to Mr. Avis or Avis Electrical for their donation of ten desktop fans to the school. Special thanks also to Mr. Fletcher for lending us a fan. With the weather to come, we are still keen to have as many fans on as possible so do keep them coming on Monday!
My next plea will be for some Ferraris!
Stationery Packs -
Stationery packs are now available to order:
Ice cream sales
Thank you for your support with the after school ice cream sales - to date we have raised almost £300! There will be one more chance to buy ice creams on Thursday 21st July after school - it would be great to see you there and as always any offers of help greatly received,
Key Dates:
Thu 21/07 - Year 6 Leavers' Assembly and Awards
Thu 21/07 - Year 6 Re-scheduled Rounders Tournament
Fri 22/07 - 1.45pm END OF YEAR!
NOTES:
CAR PARK REMINDER
Just a polite reminder that parents should not be driving into the car park for any reason. Only Blue Badge holders should be accessing the car park. Thank you.
Continuing on Fridays: 1700-2100 - in the carpark!
From Three Rivers Council: Summer Activities...
Play Rangers
Join us this summer for lots of fun and adventures with the award winning Play Ranger team
Free sessions
For more information visit threeriversleisure.co.uk/play-rangers
Nature Activities:
River Dipping
Tuesday 2 August, 2pm-3.30pm at Scotsbridge Playing Fields
£4 per child
Bird Box Building
Thursday 4 August, 10am-11.30am at Leavesden Country Park
£10 per bird box
The Power of Flight
Tuesday 9 August, 10am-11.30am at Leavesden Country Park
£4 per child
Nature Walk
Thursday 11 August, 2pm-3.30pm at Chorleywood House Grounds
£4 per person
Children MUST be accompanied by an adult at all sessions.
For more information visit: threeriversleisure.co.uk/natureactivities
Under 19 Free Swim & Free Gym
Free swimming and gym sessions at selected leisure centres across Three Rivers will return this summer holiday.
For dates and times visit threerivers.gov.uk
Playschemes for this summer have sold out, but did you know about Three Rivers ACE - accessible childcare for everyone?
Families living in the Three Rivers district may be eligible for a discount on holiday play provisions.
To find out more about the criteria and to apply please go to threeriversleisure.co.uk/three-rivers-ace
Children’s shows and films at Watersmeet, Rickmansworth this summer:
Pop Princesses
Friday 5 August
6pm
All tickets: £18
watersmeet.co.uk/pop-princesses
Jurassic World: Dominion (12A)
Friday 29 July
2pm & 7pm
£6 adults/£5 concessions
watersmeet.co.uk/newpagea9b10d86
Minions: The Rise of Gru (PG)
Sunday 28 August
11am & 3pm
£4.50 adults/£3.50 concessions
watersmeet.co.uk/minions-the-rise-of-gru
Fireman Sam live is on his way to Rickmansworth on 30 October and don’t forget your panto tickets!
Aladdin pantomime at Watersmeet
9 December – 1 January 2023, times vary
Tickets from £11
To book tickets and for more information visit watersmeet.co.uk
Call out for talented young dancers!
Auditions for pantomime
Sunday 18 September
Do you know someone between the ages of 8 and 18 in the Rickmansworth area who would like to take part in this year’s pantomime of Aladdin at Watersmeet?
For more information visit: Jordonproductionsltd.co.uk/casting-jobs/kids/