Dear Parents,

We have several new staff arriving in school next week.

Laurence Burgess (Deputy Headteacher) will arrive next week with his family and he will be in school at the end of the week, I know several of our community know Laurence from his time in PDO several years ago. Laurence is looking forward to returning and re-connecting with our school community.

We also have 2 new LSAs starting next week.

Haifa Alshani- Haifa has a  BA (Hons) in Education and TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other Languages) from Strathclyde University in the UK. She has taught in several schools in Scotland and Oman.

Fatema Al Balushi- Fatema has experience of working in International Schools as a Learning Assistant and Arabic teacher, she has a Degree in English Language Studies from Sohar University.

We are looking forward to both Haifa and Fatema starting next week and supporting the learning of our students.

We have several new staff arriving in the new school year (see below). Both Ms. Gina and Ms. Mia are experienced teachers and leaders with 25 + years in education, they will bring significant knowledge to our school.  We look forward to all the new staff arriving and supporting our current team of dedicated professionals at PDO School.

PTA 

We held our last meeting of the year with the current PTA this week. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the members of the PTA who have provided several events across the school year including; Movie nights, Quiz nights and also supporting in a number of events across the school year. The smell of popcorn wafting through the school was a clear indication that the PTA were working towards keeping the school topped up with healthy treats. Many thanks to the whole PTA team, parents and teachers, who have supported the events across the school year.

The AGM for the PTA will take place on Sunday the 8th of September in the main school hall.  All are welcome. During the meeting on the 8th September we will be voting for a PTA committee, all positions are available.

The coordinating committee is formed every year at the AGM during the Autumn Term, where parents and community members are nominated to the Committee roles.

All PTA Committee Members shall serve for one year and are eligible for re-election at the AGM. 

PTA. T.O.R

Tim Robinson

Headteacher

New Teachers

In August we will have two new teachers joining the team. Ms Gina will be teaching Year 5 and she will also be our IPC Leader and Ms Mia will be working in the Additional Needs Team and is our new Assessment Leader. Both Ms Gina and Ms Mia come with a wealth of International Teaching and Leading experience and will be an asset to our school and community.

Early Years

This week, we have been exploring "Superbat" and had an exciting adventure at Superbat Academy, where the children completed a superhero camp. They tackled various stations that tested their critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills. Through creative challenges, they enhanced their communication and collaboration abilities while also gaining knowledge in science by exploring the fascinating traits of bats. We are proud of their achievements and growth during this fun and educational experience!

Toddler Hut

Today's Toddler Hut session, led by the wonderful Ms. Iveth, was an absolute blast! The children had a fantastic time dancing, playing with the colourful parachute and twirling with scarves. The children also had a lot of fun practicing their aim with bean bag stars and bouncing balls. The energy was high and the smiles were endless. A big thank you to Ms. Iveth for creating such a joyful and engaging experience for everyone!

Milepost 2

Milepost 3

Filtering and Monitoring System Meeting

We had a fantastic response today at our Filtering & Monitoring meeting.  Thank you to all the parents who attended this important meeting.  Parents were informed about the new, upgraded system, Linewize by Qoria.

Why do we have a Filtering and Monitoring system in school?

• Filtering and monitoring are both important parts of safeguarding pupils and staff from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material

• Ensures cyber Well-being and Safety 

• Helps to steer and direct children’s online behaviour 

Linewize is separated into two sections:  The School manager (Admin are Designated Safety Leads) and Classwize (Teacher controlled via Chromebooks).

Parents were shown how both work in order to highlight any risk indicators and ensure their children are using 

their learning device responsibly. 

We also looked at the parental controls presentation sent to parents via the newsletter this time last year which gives information of local local providers who offer parental controls. The presentation is full of useful information about different apps, what parents should be aware of and advice on how to keep children safe online. 

Please access both presentations below (slideshow mode is preferable for easier navigation)   

Wake Up Wednesdays

Every Wednesday you will receive advice and tips in a fun and clear format to support you in keeping your children safe online. 

Dear Parents,

We have observed several cases of viral infections circulating within our school community. As a precautionary measure, we kindly request that if your child is feeling unwell, please keep them at home to prevent the potential spread of the infection.

If your child displays symptoms of illness , we advise you to attend the clinic and get the necessary medical attention.

The health and well-being of our students and staff are of utmost importance, and we appreciate your cooperation in helping us to maintain a safe and healthy environment within the school. 

School Nurse Munira 

Al Harub Summer Camp

Al Harub are excited to announce a summer camp at Al Harub Medical Centre, starting from June 23rd, for children aged 6 to 10. The camp will be run at both our Shatti and Mawaleh branches.

As a special offer, PDO employees can avail of a 50% Off on the camp fees. We believe this is a wonderful opportunity for the children to engage in fun and educational activities during the summer.

Please find the details of the camp here.

Please note this is run by Al Harub and we recommend that you read the terms and conditions to support your child's safety during the camp.

Wishing you a pleasant weekend,

The PDO School Team