Each week I share the theme which is being explored by staff and students in school to give an opportunity for you to discuss this at home as a family with your child.
This week our theme is ‘individual liberty’.
In addition to this students have been actively engaged in many issues and events outside school this week.
History Club D-Day Drop-in
History Club extended an open invitation to all students to attend a special D-Day related session today.
The club was exploring the technology behind D-Day, looking at artefacts, reading newspapers from 1944 and providing a place for students to share any of their own family stories.
They also looked at lots of interesting Twitter posts, found by searching for the D-Day hashtag #DDay75thAnniversary
Excellent Work
In their English lessons Year 8 students have been writing to their local Member of Parliament about issues they are passionate about and I enjoyed meeting some of them this morning to learn what they think about single-use plastics and plastic packaging, solar power, keeping our waters clean and the ending of cars being reliant on fossil fuels.
It’s great to see students starting positive conversations around these issues. So far they have received replies from Sheryll Murray, MP for South East Cornwall and Gary Streeter, MP for South West Devon.
Well done to Matthew Stell, Sam Hibbert, Eddie Gruzdev, Harvey Brown, Harrison Southall, Callum Fradley, Andrea Isaias, Mackenzie Pike, Luke Hines, Jamie Conway, Brandon Smith, Tomas Cao, Javier Martin.
Special Olympics Mayflower 400 Commemorative Games
Also reaching out into the community are our Digital Leaders who have taken on a new project this week. They will be leading the social media campaign for the 2020 Special Olympics Mayflower 400 Commemorative Games running in Plymouth in April 2020.
This will include raising awareness of the crowd-funding campaign but will also hope to raise awareness of this great charity. The Special Olympics Plymouth & District (SOPD) is a self-financing volunteer organisation whose mission is that anyone with encouragement, support and access to resources can have a positive sporting experience, raising their self-esteem, improving health and wellbeing and giving them opportunities to improve physical fitness and motor skills.
The Special Olympics Mayflower 400 Commemorative Games will unite Plymouth with other Special Olympics groups from America, Holland and Great Britain who will compete in a unique International Special Olympics event in Plymouth UK.
These games will be the first International Olympic Games held in Plymouth and it will be the showcase for Learning Disability sport in the city, South West and the UK. This will put Plymouth on the map for Disability Sport and could be the first step in bringing the Special Olympics World Games to the UK, it will a phenomenal occasion.
Please take a look at their crowdfunding campaign at this link and consider donating to this worthwhile event. If you are a student and interested in volunteering, please see Ms Buckler.
Ms Buckler
Expedition in the French Alps
Four teams, 23 students in total, travelled to the French Alps over half term and successfully completed their Gold Duke of Edinburgh assessed expedition. Lake Annecy made a stunning backdrop in a week that saw rain, wind and sun.
The hills were bigger and conditions different, even some snow to cross, than in the UK so many congratulations to all those who took part.
Pictured are some of the students in varying weather conditions!
Mr Coombes
Charity Football Tournament
Please be reminded about the charity football tournament taking place here on Saturday 15 June. This is in memory of Simon Gerry and all proceeds will go to St Luke’s Hospice.
All enquiries should be directed to footballtournament@dhsb.org and team entries can be made online at this link.
The Native
Our DHSB Band, The Native, will be performing at Plymouth Pavilions on Friday 21 June and tickets can be bought at this link.
Please try to support the band if possible! There is a discount available for members of the DHSB community.
Promo Code: NATIVE
Discount: 25% off – £7.50 + booking fee.
Sports Update
Athletics
Well done to the Year 7 relay team who won their heat in the final race of the Year 7 Championships.
The team finished fifth overall in Plymouth/Cornwall Schools.
The junior athletics team took on Tavistock College in an athletics match this week and were pleased to win the event 36 – 27.
Mr Carpenter has shared this photo from the school athletics club who participated in Global Running Day by running a few miles during a lunchtime this week.
Cricket
Congratulations to the U15 cricket team who reached the Devon Cup quarter-final.
Unfortunately the team didn’t get through to the semi-final and are out of the Devon Cup after losing to a strong Plymouth College side.
Future Dates
8 – 9 June 2019
Bronze DofE assessment
17 – 21 June 2019
Year 8 exam week
19 June 2019 at 18.00
PTFA meeting
21 June 2019
Year 9 report
22 – 23 June 2019
Bronze DofE assessment
22 June 2019
Uniform sale day (Year 6)
23 June 2019
PTFA disco
24 June 2019
Sports Day
26 June 2019
Sports Day reserve date
27 June 2019
Year 6 familiarisation day and parents information meeting