Click here for JPG newsletter June 2010 (Right-click to open in a new window)
There is an active parents group at JESS Jumeirah, which has been an integral part of the school since 1993. Each year, this group of enthusiastic parents & staff volunteer their time & expertise to organise a series of social events throughout the school year.
Our primary aim is to involve parents, children & staff in some great social events, & to add real value to the whole JESS community. But each year we also raise substantial funds from the bigger events we organise, which enables us to...
- fund a series of smaller events for the school community
- give some money to charities
- buy some fantastic extra resources for JESS
Social Events
We organise a wide variety of community events each year, some big, some small…
Night Market – this has become the biggest & most well attended Christmas market in Dubai. It is held in the school grounds, which are magically transformed into a fairytale backdrop for a range of activities to keep the whole family entertained. As around 3,500 people from all over Dubai attend each year, it is a mammoth feat of organisation, but it is a very popular event which is also a huge fund generator for us.
Summer Ball – this annual event is an excellent way for parents & teachers to mix socially outside school, in a very sophisticated hotel setting. Again this requires a big team effort to organise, but around 500 people attend each year, & it is a hugely enjoyable evening. As a result of raffles & silent auctions on the night, we also raise a lot of money in the process.
Table Top Sales – these are held in the school grounds twice each year, & are very well attended by people from all over Dubai. These relaxed & popular events provide a great opportunity for parents, staff & children to sell their old toys, household items & books.
Second Hand Uniform Sales – these sales each term are always popular with bargain-hunting parents, as we sell good condition second hand uniforms at very low prices.
We also organise events each year for each of the year groups, which the children love…
- 'Funky Fever’ Discos – for years 3 to 6 children
- Themed Party – for years 1 & 2 children
- Easter Egg Hunt – for Foundation 1 & 2 children
- Leavers Disco - for year 6 children
Other projects we organise include...
- refreshments for all school concerts
- welcome coffee mornings & orientation tours for new parents
- story sacks for teachers to use when telling stories to younger children
- calendars featuring children’s work, or year group tea-towels featuring a picture of every child in each year
- renting out our tables to other people for their events
- occasional Quiz Nights for parents which are popular & fun
- the JPG Newsletter, which is a chatty & informative way to keep parents, children & staff informed of upcoming events
Where the money goes
We’ve sharpened up how we organise events over the last few years, & as a result we raise a lot more money than we used to...generally well in excess of AED 100,000 each year.
That money pays for...
- a series of excellent events & parties for JESS children
- refreshments at all JESS school events
- story sacks for younger children
- a yearly upgrade of foundation 1 playground toys
- extra resources for the school like unusual new playground equipment, steel drums & samba pans for the music department, bleachers for the PE Department
- a donation to several local & regional charities
How you can be involved
These events don’t happen by magic. They require a lot of planning, organisation & hands on hard work. We currently have a small group of enthusiastic & talented parents on the Events Team who meet once a month to plan & drive the programme of events.
We also rely heavily on parents, staff & children to help out at individual events, & we get a lot of support in the form of sponsorship from local businesses in Dubai. But we’d love EVERY family at JESS to be actively involved.
While your children are at JESS, being part of the JPG is...
- an easy way to get really involved in your child’s school world
- a chance to get involved in the overall JESS Community
- a great role model for your children
- a chance to get to know the staff well socially
- a chance to put your skills to good use
- a way to fast track your time at JESS
- an excellent way to ‘give back’
...so look for the contact details on the school noticeboards or email jumeirahjpg@gmail.com & come & join us!
Our Events Team
Chairperson - Danae Edgar
Vice Chairperson - Karen Varley
Treasurer - Fiona Nijkamp
Secretary - Michelle Theocharis
Members:
Louise O'Donnelly, Dave Harvey, Omar Shams, Karen Ridd,,Arlene Reid , Joanna Hawker, Vicki Alexander,Mel Fisher, Noelle Mack, Jane Parker, Eman Metwally, Heidi Atkins, Nicky Garwood , Cathy Joshi, Alistair Davidson, Jennifer Macleod, Janet Baker.
School representatives:
Ruth Burke, Darren Coulson, Kim McLean
JESS Parents' Group Arabian Ranches liaison link - Tricia Evans