Friday 18 December

1. Please remember that whilst you are waiting for the result of a COVID test, all members of your household should self-isolate until the result is known.
2. The Parent Council meeting this week covered changes in arrangements for SQA assessments, with a very informative presentation by Mr Shankland.  You can catch up with it at: https://youtu.be/mtpVkQj0zSA
3. The S6 Group Photo is available to view and order from the Tempest website - http://htmp.st/JamesGillespieHS.  Click on the photo and enter your email address and child’s name. If orders are placed before Friday 8th January 2021 they will be delivered free of charge to the school.  Any orders after that date can be posted to your home address but a £5 postage will be charged.
4. Thanks to all in our School community who are working on gaining School accreditation for ‘Rights Respecting Schools’. https://jghsrrsa.wordpress.com/
5. Thanks to pupils in S1, S2 and S4 who, as part of their Mandarin classes this week, have made bilingual Christmas cards for the homeless in Edinburgh. These cards will be delivered by the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, along with their winter relief packs for the homeless.
6. We are currently involved in fundraising on three fronts. Thanks to all who have contributed to these.
1. Parent Council Fundraising (See previous correspondence)
2. Children 1^st (Shopping vouchers) (Over £1,000 raised)
3. Save the children (Xmas jumpers on Friday 18 December) (£225 and rising!) www.tinyurl.com/jghscjd 

7. Well done to:
1. Reuben Murdoch (S1) who passed his Grade 3 piano this week.
2. Carla Brunelli Bonet (S1) who has been accepted as cellist in the Junior National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and
3. Alberto Brunelli Bonet (S3) who has passed his Grade 8 Violin exam (ABRSM) with distinction.
4. Isaac Murdoch (S3) who achieved his Chief Scout Gold Award in November, after completing many challenge badges and an expedition along the John Muir Way - a remarkable 55 mile journey on foot and bike from South Queensferry to Dunbar in the October holidays.   

8.       Please continue to share stories of pupils’ achievements with us so we can share with our wider school community.

9.       This term will finish at midday on Tuesday 22 December.

10. Police Scotland will be offering a bike marking session at JGHS on Wednesday 3rd February from 7.30am to 8.30am. This is an great chance to get any new bikes marked. Due to social distancing measures staff/pupils will need to book a timeslot in advanced. To book a time and collect a form, please see Ms Dolan in 2.07 or the maths base.
11. As always, do email or phone the school (please speak slowly and clearly if you are leaving a message) if your child is absent and do tell us if your family is waiting to be tested for Covid19. This is recorded differently in the school’s attendance register.
12. Thanks to everyone who has helped prepare pupils for the JGHS Christmas Live Lounge. Staff have thoroughly enjoyed hearing you rehearse and getting a sneak preview of all your wonderful videos! It is lovely to be able to provide a platform to celebrate the work everyone has been doing. Follow this link below to see the full playlist on the school’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGOcpQEAoNPsIj3bC-8skjD2NMXTK6pit

 I’d like to wish all of our families a lovely Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.

 My quote for the week: “And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent … ‘’ (Taylor Caldwell)

 

Donald j Macdonald

Headteacher