Friday 16 March

1.       Spring Fling takes place on Wednesday 21 March.

2.       The city wide Resonate concert takes place on Thursday 22 March. Best wishes to all who are involved in both concerts.

3.       Our next Parent Council is on Tuesday 20 March. Agenda items will include:

a.       Wifi access for pupils and visitors – Lorna Sweeney (Senior Education Manger) will be in attendance to advise on progress on the request for senior pupils and visitors to the school campus to be able to gain internet access using personal devices.

b.       Increasing pupil population and accommodation arrangements for the future.

4.       Our S1 residential takes place from Friday 23 March. Here’s hoping for warmer weather than of late. Parents are reminded that pupils involved will not be expected to bring school equipment/books next Friday. Thanks to Ms Smith (RME and Psychology teacher) for leading on this.

5.       Staff and pupils in years 4,5 and 6, have been very busy in recent days in ensuring that exam related assignments have been completed by the stated deadlines. Thanks to all for your support with this.

6.       Planning is now underway for next year’s South Africa Trip in February 2019. Parents of S5 are asked to look out for communications related to this.

7.       School will finish this term at the usual time of 3.40 pm on Thursday 29 March.

8.       Work has recently begun on updating our current website. It is planned to launch an updated version in the Autumn of 2018.

9.       On Thursday 22 March we look forward to welcoming 30 French students and three teachers to the Scottish leg of our exchange with Collège Pierre Matraja which is based near the coastal Mediterranean town of Sausset-les-Pins near Marseille. Thanks to all the families who are hosting!

10.   Well done to:

a.       Cameron Hook and Stuart Mackay (both S5) who have both been selected to play for the Scottish U20 Men’s National Volleyball Team in the upcoming European Small Countries Division taking place between Thursday 22nd March and Monday 26th March.

b.       Jess Casot in S3 who, next week, will be the Deputy Stage Manager for a production of Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers with Edinburgh Grand Opera in the Churchill Theatre.  Jess has been lucky enough to be mentored by professionals from the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Opera and is shadowing the lighting designer to gain new skills she can put into practice in the school’s own theatre in future.

11.   All visitors to the school are asked to be especially careful and mindful of pedestrians, especially younger children, when exiting either of the school car parks.

12.   All parents/carers are requested to complete the current school survey. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/V3VPWRK  The information gained by us will help us to improve what we do.

13.   Please continue to share news of pupils’ achievements with me so that I can add to my weekly update.

And finally, returning to the theme of snow, you may be aware that there is snow forecast for later this weekend. Should there be an impact on schools, this will be shared with parents via text and email as previously.

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Donald j Macdonald

Headteacher

Quote of the week: “A few years ago, the city council of Monza, Italy, barred pet owners from keeping goldfish in curved bowls... saying that it is cruel to keep a fish in a bowl with curved sides because, gazing out, the fish would have a distorted view of reality. But how do we know we have the true, undistorted picture of reality?’’  (Stephen Hawking)