5th November 2007

November
November is possibly the most insignificant month of the year. It has neither the colourful flowers of the summer nor the golden autumn leaves; also not yet the snow crystals of winter. Dark and barren the landscape, grey and brown are the colours of the moors. From nature life has withdrawn.
Still if we look behind the outer surface of what meets the eye, a hidden treasure reveals itself. Quietly sprouting numerous seeds from the summer’s harvest are resting in the earth, not yet developing but ready and willing to follow what nature asks of them. A mighty concentrated force that knows how to wait patiently.
Also thousands of insects have withdrawn into the earth – motionless, as if enchanted, and yet full of future life forces. Even some bigger mammals are withdrawing into their winter hibernation.
And we celebrate within this dark month not just Martinmas on 11 November, but also All Saints and All Souls.
November is the month when we especially remember our dead and as we do this we inwardly begin to prepare for Advent and the light that is reborn out of the darkest time of the year.
Maybe November is not so insignificant after all.
Karin Medböe


Lantern Walk
You are warmly invited to the Lantern Walk on Sunday 11 November at Linden, 4.30pm.
This is for the youngest children and their families (suitable for pushchairs).
I will be leading the walk up to Kindergarten where a fire and refreshments will be waiting. Please come with your singing voices and a lantern. Candles stay burning better than nightlights! Please watch your child closely.
Barbro

Advent Fair
The Autumn Fair this year will be held on SUNDAY 9 DECEMBER, 1PM – 5PM
and has now become the Advent Fair. This year’s organisers are Valeska, Fee, Carolyn and Julie, and, apart from Carolyn, we are new to this and need all of you to be supportive, patient and committed.
The work rota will be completed by early next week, so, if you have a particular preference or aversion to a stall, now is the time to speak. If we do not hear from you we will assume you don’t mind where you work. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
There are a few subtle changes this year; the café will NOT be providing lunch for the village and therefore will be open from 1-5 only, and tombola
items must be in school by Friday 7 December. They will NOT be accepted on the day itself.

As usual the following is required:
1. Home-made crafts – beautiful homemade items for the craft stall, always popular and a lovely reflection of our school. REMEMBER, we have a craft group up and running every Thursday 9.15 to 12.00. Gossip and tea provided.
2. Home produce – lovely, well presented homemade goods, e.g. Christmas cakes, jams, sweets, etc.
3. Bake a cake – one cake from each family, dust off your favourite recipes and bake a beautiful cake for the café – if this fills you with horror – small cakes for children are always a good seller. If you baking skills allow, more than one cake would be greatly appreciated.
4. Tombola – at least 3 items per family – only new and reflective of our school, i.e. healthy, organic, natural, recycled etc. Items could be sweets, toys, toiletries etc. NO ALCOHOL PLEASE.
5.Second-hand books – donations gratefully accepted.

As if that is not enough for you all here is the list of stalls available to work on – please contact Valeska, Carolyn, Fee or Julie by FRIDAY 9 NOVEMBER with your preference and hours. Rota will be in the next courier.
Thank you.
• café (Stacey)
• seasonal table display (Sabine to help)
• star-fishing (Valeska)
• home produce (Fee)
• craft (Barbro)
• tissue stars/candle decorating (Margaret & Sue)
• gnome garden (Carol)
• candle dipping (Mark Ellis)
• second-hand books (Simon)
• treasure hunt (Class ???)
• WOW/tombola (Anthea & Class 3/4)
• raffle (Jeanette)
• puppet show (Christine)
• gingerbread house decoration (Hellena & Andy)
• waffles (eur. Stud). – no help needed
• new book stall (Wain) – no help needed

Just a quick reference to NEW parents who may be wondering what on earth this is all about. Our annual Advent Fair is a joint school and parental fundraiser. It is a lovely event for everyone involved. We ask a couple of hours commitment on the day itself to run a stall, and require a cake for the café, any lovely crafts for the craft stall, donations of books, tombola items and home produce. DON’T PANIC, you don’t have to do all of the above (although you may if you want to). Please contact any of the organisers for a chat about the event if you are worried/confused or need any guidance.
PLEASE NOTE SCHOOL WILL START AT 9.30AM ON MON 10 DECEMBER.
Your friendly organisers,

Valeska, Fee, Carolyn & Julie (Easley)
PS Julie Tyrka needs help making crackers for the craft stall. Please contact her if you are interested.
Also for the crackers Julie and Katherine Shaw need donations of toilet roll inners.


BLITZ CLEAN 27 October
Class 3/4 parents
The blitz clean has been the bane of the co-ordinators group for a long time. We have tried various ways to get parents together for this important school event. But finally, EUREKA, success! A 100% completed blitz clean from a 99.9% parental turnout. Maybe it was because it was Class 3/4 parents this time, but the commitment and effort was fantastic and thanks to all of you.
I fear, though, we may have now set too high a standard for the other classes to match. What do you think, Class 1/2 parents, it’s your turn next.
Remember > clean school = happy school = happy teachers = happy children
Julie Easley

Minutes from the Coordinators meeting 29.10 07
Advent Fair
The group will meet again on 5 November, 9.15am. We still have 6 weeks until the fair.
Supermarket packing
We are waiting for a new date in the New Year. Julie Easley is the contact person
Website
A big thank you to Lee. The website is well appreciated.
Paper folding
The rotas will come out shortly. Contact person is Stacey.
Workdays
We want to look at it well in advance for next year. At around Easter we want to organise it already.
Parents Handbook
Anthea is working on a rewrite.
Christmas Play in Saltburn
15 December probably at 2.30pm.
We can have the key at 1pm and have to leave by 6pm. We hope that Class 5/6 will do the refreshments.
Next meeting: 14 January
Valeska


WOW Shop
On Friday 19th October class 3/4 opened their classroom shop from 9am until 11.30am. They sold a wide variety of edibles, such as hand made chocolates, biscuits, cakes, toffee apples, brownies and popcorn. The origami and craft items, jams and chutneys really went down well. A huge thank you for all your support. The shop made £135.60, which will be sent to the charity Waldorf One World. Class 3/4 will also run a school WOW stall at the Advent Sale. If you would like to donate items please let me know. Once again thank you for helping to make this idea a real success.
Anthea

Botton School Cards
We have just printed 3 more beautiful cards:
Snail by Luke, Class 5
Apple picking by Aiden, Class 3
Sunflower by Raigards, class 4
They will be sold in the Gift Shop and Bookshop for 70p each, and from me for 60p.
Marie-Reine

STUDENT IN SCHOOL
We welcome Anna Hall from Plymouth to the school and Botton Village, from Plymouth University, for two weeks for her second Teaching Practice.
Anna will largely be working alongside Anthea with Class 3/4. She will also observe other lessons and visit the Kindergarten. You may meet her around the school or village and in Parents' Evenings
We wish her a useful and enjoyable visit
Mary.

Harvest Table
We wanted to thank everyone for their contributions to the Harvest Table this year. There was a nice selection of things. As last year, we are passing it on to the Salvation Army, for their work with homeless people around Teesside. 
Thank you again, from Simon and Class 7/8.
For Sale
LDV Convoy Minibus/Van – 8 seats and fittings for 2 more – high top. 74,000 miles, V reg. Transit engine, 2.5 D. £1,500, poss px. 078166 79342 (leave message)



Blitz Clean: Saturday 5 1 08
Class 1/2 Carol Burnham

Coordinators Meeting
Botton Farm: Monday 14 January 2008

Craft Group: Thursdays 8.45 Botton Farm

Eurythmy Classes: Thursdays 8.45 School Hall

Anthroposophical group: Dec.7th, Jan.18th, Feb.15th, Feb.29th, Apr.25th, May 9th, June 6th.

Eskdale Trust Council: Tuesdays at 20.00:
27 Nov, 26 Feb, 15 April, 20 May, 17 June.

Nestt: Friday 16th November - Saturday 17th November. The Village College is closed for this as all rooms are booked out.

Letter inserting: November 22, 23, 24, 26, 27


Parents' Meetings
Tuesdays at 20.00:
6 Nov Class 5/6 20 Nov Class 7/8
11 Mar Class 3/4 18 Mar Class 7/8
22 Apr Class 1/2 29 Apr Class5/6
13 May Class 7/8

Events
Sun 18 Nov Village Autumn Sale
Sun 2 Dec Advent Garden
Sun 9 Dec School Advent Fayre

Thank you again to Catherine Hollis who types all the hand written articles... Please send them in good time...

Next Copy date:15.11.2007
Please send handwritten articles to Marie-Reine Adams or to the school, and you can also email articles from the website or from the address at the top of the courier.

Lee and Marie-Reine