Friday update 8 December

1.      Our senior Drama production (‘Deathtrap’ by Ira Levin) takes place tonight in the Muriel Spark building. Tickets available at the door. Show starts at 630 Pm.

2.      School Christmas Concert takes place on Tuesday 19 December. Tickets can be obtained from the Usher Hall box office.

3.      A coursing information evening takes place on Tuesday 12 December for parents of pupils in S2,4 and 5.

4.      Marchmont and Sciennes Tree-Lighting Ceremony – Saturday 9 December at 4.00pm. Brass and wind pupils will perform carols around the tree at Scotmid from 4.00pm. Members of the JGHS pipe band will start proceedings and pipe the community to the German Church on Chalmers Crescent at 4.30pm where members of the senior choir will perform. All are welcome to attend.

5.      Carolling in Princes’ Street Gardens – Thursday 14 December from 4.00pm. Members of the senior choir will sing carols in the Winter Wonderland to raise money for Mercy Corps Christmas Collection.

Many thanks to all the pupils who are performing at these events, and for staff and parents who have helped organise and accompany them to these events.

6.      A copy of our latest celebrating Sporting Success newsletter is attached.

7.      Best wishes to the following, accompanied by Ms Walker, who are in York today taking part in a Mandarin speaking competition in York.

a.      Aurora Branigan

b.      Aaliyah El-Salahi

c.       Mara Franke

d.      Lucia Garland

8.      Best wishes also to the following pupils who are representing the school in the 2nd round of the Scottish Schools Tennis Competition against Stewarts Melville next Thursday 14 December.

a.      William Belkebir S4

b.      Robbie Galloway S4

c.       John Dabos – Doukas S4

d.      Sean Gallacher  S2

9.      Well done to Archie Ellen who is now the 2017 U14 Boys Scottish Cyclocross Champion.

10.  Last week our STEAM (*) (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) club had a fantastic turnout at the ‘Green Plan It’ challenge at the Botanical Gardens, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society. Our s1 and s2 pupils have been working tirelessly to research, design, and build (to scale!) model gardens for the annual Green Plan It competition. A huge congratulations to all who took part, especially the ‘Thoughtful Thistles’ group who managed to come away with the RHS award for the best team work.

11.  This coming year is the centenary of the birth of Muriel Spark (b. February 1918) We will mark it in some way. February is a very busy month for the school and the JGHS Trust and so we will likely look to do something in May/June.

12.  Work continues on measures to deter thieves from stealing bikes. I’ll update on this next week.  

Have a lovely weekend and do wrap up warm as low temperatures and piercing arctic winds are heading our way over the weekend.

Donald j Macdonald

Headteacher

(*) At Gillespie’s HS we believe that our pupils are best served by following a curriculum that maintains breadth across a wide variety of disciplines. Thus, we encourage all pupils in years 1-4 incl. to study across a breadth of disciplines including at least one additional language to certificate level.