Friday 18 January

1.       The Prelims started this week for pupils in S4, 5 and 6. Prelims will give pupils much needed practise in sitting major exams and provide  a strong platform upon which to build for the ‘finals’ in May.

2.       Earlier this week we were delighted to learn that JGHS has been awarded 5 tickets for a Gala dinner in March where the Key Note speaker will be Nobel Peace Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai! Mrs Sturm and the 4 pupils who contributed most to the organisation of our ‘Sleep out’ will represent us. JGHS was the school/centre that raised most money for the Social Bite enterprise. Thanks to all who gave so generously to support this worthy cause.

3.       We are staging a Gaelic Concert on Thursday 31 January 7-9pm in the JGHS Theatre. This is a fundraiser for the Cancer Ward at the Edinburgh Sick Kid’s Hospital. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/oidhche-oigridh-ceolcraic-is-caise-tickets-53541424843?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

4.       The JGHS Parent Council would like to invite everyone from our school community to our next PC meeting.  Ian Porter, DHT, will be reviewing Key Adult Time and we will have updates on Wifi, capacity, and fundraising.  Everyone is very welcome on Tues 22nd Jan @ 7pm in the Library in the Malala building. If you can't make the date our minutes are online at http://jghscouncil.btck.co.uk/ 

5.       Pencil Case Donations, South Africa 2019-  So far we have collected around 200 pencil cases but are in need of 300 more to match lasts years 500. We request that parents and pupils donate a filled pencil case to the reception area, in order to help us reach our target and ensure that every south African child we meet can receive a pencil case. Many thanks from all involved with S6 South Africa Project.

6.       Earlier this week the following pupils were selected to attend a two day enrichment event for mathematics.

a.       Abby Earnshaw,

b.       Sophie McDonald Ness

c.       Toby Ward

d.       Reuben Laurier

7.       You may be aware that the Scottish Daily Mail carried a story on Lewis Byrne (S6) on 2 January.  Lewis speaks 11 languages and is currently undertaking a crash course at Advanced Higher level in German. He plans to learn Korean and Faroese in 2019. Lewis hope to become an interpreter and travel the world!

‘Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.’ (Nelson Mandela)

I wish all a lovely weekend.

Donald j Macdonald

Headteacher