Page 17 - link magazine

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com The Link Magazine • October 1999 17
Balloons away to launch first north school
The 170 children and staff celebrated the opening of the new Abbey Meads community primary school
by letting off bright blue gas filled balloons on 9 September. The westerly wind took them off in the
Oxford direction and returned labels are being plotted on a map.

0 Backache, Le
0 Neck,
Shoulder, I
Arm Pain
0 Headache
The occasion was a bit overwhelm- programme had slipped badly ear- Parent Susan Moore from &Migraine a
ing for a few children who burst lier in the year. Headteacher Gaynor Close expressed apprecia- 0 Sciatica
into tears on seeing their balloons Marilyn Brown gave huge credit tion for what the school had
floating away. to her teachers and admin officer achieved. "I'm very pleased that 0 Sports Injury
Scott Sturgess, 10, was optimis- Jackie Chalice for helping to get they kept us informed all the way;
tic that his balloon would end up the school ready. "The fact that we it's impressive that the school has You should consider
in Australia. "I like it because Mrs were able to open in time is down opened to a high standard." consulting a Chiropractor
Rose was my teacher at Haydon to the staff who gave up their holi- The £2.3 million school will ca-
Leigh and she is my teacher here." day to prepare the classrooms. ter for 210 children when full and SANDRA E. DAVIES D.C.
It was a race against time to com- "It has been a marvellous first has a suite of community rooms
plete the project as the building week, despite the builders." and a multi-play pitch available Shaw Chiropractic Clinic
for hire by local groups. Shaw Village Centre
Mrs Brown hopes to organise a
Mum moves in and gets involved community festival after half term. (01793) 887801
• Parents from St Andrews Ridge
As well as keeping her children amused this summer Helen Miah Member of the British
spent much of her time helping staff ensure the new Abbey Meads are planning to organise a 'walk- Chiropractic Association
Community School opened on schedule. ing bus' to and from school super-
vised by parents on a rota.
She moved to St Andrew's Ridge
from Somerset barely a year ago.
The reasons for choosing North
Swindon were simple, "we wanted
a new house and we found a de-
velopment with lots of them. We
also wanted to live in a growing
and expanding area."
Helen is a busy working mum
with three young children, Joshim
6, Korim 3 and Jamal 2, but she was
determined to take part in com-
munity life. "I decided that I must
have the courage to join in, be-
cause no-one would involve me if Helen's role as governor has now
I didn't put myself forward," she come to an end after she was ap-
said. pointed as professional assistant
Helen found The Link invaluable. in the Swindon Borough educa-
"I discovered a new school was tion department. Not content on Keyboards and Text Processing
being built at Abbey Meads and it taking a back seat she will become Computers for Dummies Learn to Touch Type
needed governors. Having had a member of Friends of Abbey Microsoft Office for Beginners Computer Keyboard Skills
eight years' experience in educa- Mead's Community Primary Microsoft Office for Improvers Word Processing
tion and knowing that Joshim was which will raise funds for the Advanced Microsoft Office Mail Merge
going to attend, I decided to put school. Family History using Computers Spreadsheets using Excel
my name forward." Now that Abbey Meads School PowerPoint Presentations Designing a Small Garden
When the chair of the initial gov- has opened, elections will be held Databases using Access Indian Head Massage
erning body moved away, the com- in due course for parents to join Desk Top Publishing Introduction to Reflexology
mittee voted for Helen to take his the governors. Sign Language for Beginners First Aid Lifesaver
place. • Schools are always interested in
In the last few months she has people willing to become gover-
attended meetings with other gov- nors. To find out more, contact the
ernors at least one night a week governor support unit at the edu-
and has been involved in the ap- cation department, at Sanford
pointment of the head teacher and House, on 463000.
other staff, formulating policy and Building work has started on a
deciding on school uniform. She is second school for Abbey Meads
responsible for designing the on Elstree Way. Governors will be
school logo. needed there later in the year.