News

Bluebell Walk		On a very unpromising looking Saturday several Gamma members plus one special dog met for a walk through Wattle Wood, near Tenterden. The blue bells were at the height of their beauty. It was an idyllic walk, enjoyed by all especially as the promised rain kept away. Afterwards a lunch at the local pub and return to tea at Sheila Robert's finished off a really enjoyable meeting.
Congratulations Zoe		Zoe Newman has been selected for The Canterbury Award for 2012. She is studying towards an Open University degree in Children's Literature. The Committee was impressed with her application and looks forward, in the future, to hearing about the outcome of her work.
Congratulations Jess		Jess Curtis from Beta Chapter has received funding from the DKG Educational Foundation for a project that she is undertaking with Sue Torr entitled “The Shout It Out Learning Project”. Linda McCrary, Educational Foundation Board of Trustees Chair, announced today that The Educational Foundation awarded $135,000 to fund 60 educational projects in communities around the world. The Educational Foundation supports and encourages intercultural understanding and educational excellence. We are delighted that Jess has received this recognition and we look forward to hearing about the outcome of the project.
Taking Care of the Environment Gail Gladwin		Our meeting on 4 February 2012 was memorable, not least for the fact that Sue Blackburn entertained us at her beautiful house in the historic area of Stonehouse - a square which contains many of the original buildings from the height of Plymouth's maritime development at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Sue's talk took us on a fascinating journey from her student days till now, of how she worked with different communities in various parts of the country, planting trees, creating green areas, improving local amenities. She has had the remarkable pleasure of returning to some of these sites and seeing noble avenues of trees which she had planted as saplings. No teacher can have a greater pleasure than that.
Gamma's Christmas Festivity		Our Christmas meeting was held at Robbie’s house and was a social rather than a business meeting. Irene Walker demonstrated some of the techniques of card making and we had the opportunity to make three of our own – great fun !!! This was followed by a shared lunch and a lot of laughing and chatting. As always we have to thank Robbie for opening her house to us and for the hospitality shown to us. We were thrilled to welcome two new members, Claudette Law and Sheila Bulley. Very exciting to welcome new faces.
	Congratulations Kate	The International Nominations Committee has put forward Kate York to be a member of the Nominations Committee 2012-2016. Elections will be held at the International Convention in New York in July. We know that Kate is very well qualified for this position and we look forward to the nomination being confirmed.
Wednesday 5^th October World Teachers' Day. Carole Stirling	Visit to the Oasis Academy, Coulsdon	Where would ‘Professional Women Educators’ mark this auspicious day – in a school of course! Eight members of Alpha and Gamma Chapters made the intrepid journey to the Oasis Academy in downtown Coulsdon. Because of building works on site the head teacher arranged for us to park at the Coulsdon Manor Hotel, where he picked us up in the school mini bus. At the time we visited the school resembled a building site but there were no excuses, the school was functioning as usual, everyone was just getting on with it. We were escorted to the new sixth year area of the school; the sixth form has only started this year. Here we were given refreshments and had the opportunity to chat informally with the recently elected Head Boy – George. George epitomised the whole school ethos; pupils are supported not criticised and the child is at the centre of a ‘hub’ which cares for every aspect of their life not just academic success. As the child is at the centre, the school becomes involved with families and their needs as well. There is a centre on the site where parents can come to receive help with anything. There is a plan to have a GP’s surgery and hopefully, a brand new primary school all on site. George spoke to the whole group about the changes he had seen in the school in the last three years since it has become an Oasis Academy. He spoke about a ‘bad’ school where he had only had his brother to look up to but now it is a ‘good’ school he feels the school and its staff are his support. The change in the school is reflected by the change in his life and has given him a sense of purpose. He has defined a career path for himself and aims to become an officer in the Royal Marines. A very impressive young man and one the school is very proud of. David Millar is the inspirational head of the school . (www.oasisacademycoulsdon.org). He spoke about the school which he and his staff have taken from a school in special measures to one which Ofsted now rate as good with aspects of outstanding, in just three years! He told us of the school’s zero tolerance policies, their uniform policy and their aim to make every pupil feel proud to belong to a school which cares for and supports them. The child is at the centre of every decision and they know this. The staff are also fully supported and helped if needed. The feeling is one of being part of a family and also the community. We left feeling that we had been somewhere very special and wishing all schools could be like this. We asked if it were possible for us to visit once the builders had left and the school was using the new buildings, David assured us we would be most welcome. We can’t wait!
Beta Chapter’s Thirtieth Birthday Celebration. Evelyn Goodsell		Trudging down to the station at 6.30am on a Saturday morning, turned out to be very worthwhile exercise. Three members of Gamma Chapter were going to travel down to Plymouth in time to join Beta Chapter at their celebratory birthday lunch. A taxi ride from Plymouth station ensured we reached the restaurant in time, and were greeted, on our arrival, by Beryl. Soon after, another Gamma member arrived (she had been on holiday nearby) followed swiftly by members of Beta. We were led upstairs to a room where a festive table had been laid. President Gail greeted everyone and, being members of DKG, there was no shortage of laughter and chat. It was a wonderful opportunity for members of both Chapters to get to know each other and ‘put a face’ to names we had only seen on membership lists. Wine was ordered, sampled and toasts drunk! We were able to order our main course individually, which again produced a great deal of excited chatter and enquiring as to who was choosing what. To finish off the meal there was coffee and birthday cake-or rather birthday cakes. Loetitia had, once again, excelled herself by making thirty individual cakes! Absolutely beautifully displayed on a special cake-stand and each one decorated so perfectly. Photographs were taken and ‘Happy Birthday’ sung. A most enjoyable occasion and such a happy atmosphere. After leaving the restaurant, Beta member Zoe took us on a very interesting walk around the Barbican. Not having visited Plymouth before I hadn’t appreciated how historical the City was. It was then time for a short rest at the home of Gail and Jess before setting out for some evening entertainment. We were driven by Jess to Kitley House Hotel where we were to have dinner and take part in a murder mystery evening. The original Kitley house was built in the reign of Henry V11 and a perfect setting for such an evening. (It was all stone stairways and long corridors). We joined some other people at our table and spent a very pleasant evening exchanging ideas as to who had committed the murder. I can now reveal that, if any of us on our table needed a job, we could join a detective agency as we guessed the identity of the murderer!! Gail and Jess were perfect hosts and we had super weekend.
	European Regional Conference 2011 Thank you, Germany Follow the link above.	Hearing and Listening: Jess Curtis Workshop
	Kate's continuing travels as European Regional Director	It is hard to believe, when you look at Kate's recent travels, that until she became GB State Organisation President she had rarely travelled abroad. Since then there is not one European Member Country that she has not visited. This year, alone, as Regional Director she has visited Germany, working with the Steering Committee for the Regional Conference, she has been to the USA several times either as a member of the International Administrative Board or as its representative to a State Conference in Indiana, Kate has also waved the DKG flag in Estonia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Iceland and, of course, here in GB. Kate really appreciates the opportunities she is having to learn about other cultures and make new friends. That is one of the main purposes of the DKG Society.	Kate with Elizabeth Garner and Longhorn! Taken before Elizabeth's sad and sudden death.	Kate being shown some Shrove Tuesday customs. Open Air Museum in Tallinn, Estonia
Alpha Chapter July 2011		Playing the Steel Pans! On the 2nd July Alpha Chapter, with a number of Gamma visitors, viewed the interesting exhibition of art and craft by the children of Dulwich Hamlet Junior School. Members of staff were putting up some of the final pieces during the Saturday morning. We then went to one of the music rooms and had great fun learning to play the steel pans with our hostess and teacher Claire Purcell. There was a great deal of laughter, but also much concentration. We finally managed a three part version of 'Mary had a Little Lamb' - a wonderful experience.