Friday, 21 June 2019

Friday 21 June


1.      Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of various events in the past week. This includes:
a.       Diverscity 2019 (3 concerts)
b.      Sports’ awards evening
c.       Gaelic Concert
2.      Over the past 4 days, we have had the pleasure of welcoming 256 P7s to the High School. It has been our practice for many years to give P7s a taste of what High School is like prior to the summer holidays. This helps allay fears and anxieties for pupils (and parents!) who can be anxious at the prospect of such a major change.
3.      Over the past 2 weeks, we have been busy appointing new staff as our roll continues to rise. I will share a staffing update in the next few weeks.
4.      Recently released Curriculum for Excellence levels of attainment (for S3 pupils) for all CEC schools shown excellent results for JGHS. They confirm that recent efforts to focus on the development of Literacy and Numeracy are paying rich dividends.
5.      Thanks to the maths department who have started lunchtime drop in sessions for staff to share tips for more effective and fun ways to incorporate maths skills across the school.
6.      On Friday 31 May, several students from James Gillespie's High School attended an awards ceremony at Heriot-Watt University for the Scottish Maths Challenge. The event included a talk about game theory by Dr Mark Wilkinson, which covered topics such as Nash equilibria and, by way of further example, game theory problems such as the Prisoners' Dilemma. The following pupils received awards:
Junior
a.       Kenneth MacIver (Gold)
b.      Chirag Shetty (Silver)
c.       Rudy Adair (Silver
d.      Hanga Eroy (Gold)
e.       Andrew Wright (Gold)
f.        Robert Newman (Bronze)
g.      Sam MacIntosh (Bronze)
h.      Artruro Vargas (Gold)
i.        Rachel Allan (Bronze)
Intermediate
j.        Reuben Laurier (Bronze)
k.      Rose Newman (Silver)
l.        Abby Earnshaw (Bronze)
m.    Esther Silverton (Bronze)
n.      Fedor Cheltsov (Silver)
Senior
o.      Sai Raghv Neelothpal (Neelu) Saraswatibhatla (Silver)
p.      Thessaly Silkenat (Bronze)
Best wishes to:
7.      Pupils and staff who are en route to New York today and will spend the next week exploring topics covered in the Modern Studies syllabus
8.      Pupils and staff from the Gaelic Department who are off to the Misty Isle today to spend a week immersed in outdoor education and Gaelic culture. I am hoping that Mr Neithercut will be able to assist our pupils in understanding the Skye Gaelic.
9.      Rhys Edwards (S2), who will be competing in the European Youth Cycling Tour in Assen, Netherlands. Rhys will be competing against the cream of the European Youth cyclists, including the Dutch, French and German champions.
Well done to:
10.  Jessica Philp and Freya Clarkson (both S5), who are members of the Edinburgh Synchronised Swimming Club Junior Team which won 1 bronze and 4 silver medals at last weekend’s Scottish National Age Group Championships in Glasgow (15-16 June).  In addition, Edinburgh was overall Scottish Club Champion.
11.  Kirsty Johnson (S4) who won the silver medal in Glasgow in the Scottish National 500m Time Trial Track Championship (Under 16 girls) and Sarah Johnson (S2) who won the bronze medal in the Scottish National 8km Scratch Championships (Under 14 girls). 
Dates
12.  We will have the S6 leavers’ ceremony next Thursday at Greyfriar’s kirk. Owing to the popularity of this event, we have to go offsite to accommodate an audience that can exceed 700. Following the ceremony and champagne reception at the Kirk, pupils and staff will travel by coach to the Sheraton hotel for the ‘Prom’; Parents and carers have been invited to the City Chambers (c/o JGHS Trust) to meet and reminisce over a finger buffet and a further glass or two of a suitable refreshment.
13.  I take this opportunity of reminding everyone that school will finish for the summer a week today (Friday 28 June) at 1200.

My quote of the week:
‘Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.’  (Albert Camus)

I wish a lovely weekend.

Donald j Macdonald
Headteacher

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