Friday 25 June

 

1. As session 2020/21 draws to a close I’d like to pay tribute to all who are part of the amazing community that is JGHS. I’d like to thank many people so forgive me if don’t name individuals; to do so would take forever and a day. I suspect it will be the understatement of the century when I say that this past year has been challenging. Covid-19 has changed how we have had to live our lives; SQA arrangements have dominated how we have had to organise our Learning and Teaching schedules across the entire school. Throughout the past year, we have had to adapt and evolve to ensure that we are safe and others have been cared for. Pleasingly, on a daily basis, I have seen evidence of our school values underpinning how we operate as a school.

a) Respect

b) Kindness

c) Integrity

d) Inclusion

e) High Expectations

2. In alphabetical order I’d like to relay my thanks and pay warm tributes to:
1. Parents – thank you for your support, understanding and encouragement throughout what has been really challenging for you as parents. Working from home and doing your best to ensure that your children engaged with ‘home learning’ was hugely challenging.  Special thanks to our Parent Council who continued to provide support and counsel.  
2. Partner agencies – thank you for working with us and making the difference to so many youngsters who needed a bit of extra tlc. Social workers, youth organisations, counsellors, community police have all contributed towards ensuring that our most vulnerable, in particular, were supported through the toughest of days.
3. Students – thank you for working so hard and staying with us through such unpredictable times. In particular, I salute those in S4, 5 and 6 who, despite what was happening around us, managed to stay focused on school work and prepare for final assessments.  Very best wishes to our outgoing S6. We hope to see you all at the ‘Prom’ on 31 August.
4. Teachers and support staff – thank you for all that you have done to support our students. You always went the extra mile; you were creative, professional, thoughtful and kind. All worked hard to ensure that those who needed extra time and support were nurtured and  looked after.
3. This is a reminder to complete the Parent Survey on your priorities for next year and how you would like Parent Council to meet them. It will only take 5 minutes! Are you interested in putting forward your views?  Would you like to support and diversify our work representing parents and children?  What do you want PC meetings to look like? The survey will close on 2 July.
4. Best wishes to several staff who are finishing with us today. I’ll send an update next week showing all the changes over the past session.
5. Warmest congratulation to all students who received their ‘provisional’ SQA grades on Wednesday evening. For those who have corresponded with us on any aspect of the grades awarded, please be reassured that we will respond to you individually and/or or refer you to the relevant advice from both City of Edinburgh Council and the SQA.
6. Please see below video link which was produced by Nature Scot. It contains important messages and safety measures around acting responsibly when wild camping. Including fire safety, littering and water safety. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eQ_YyV2BII&t=7s
7. Well done to:
1. Reuben Murdoch (S2) who created an animation that was included in the Edinburgh Schools Syncopate concert broadcast on Monday. Using plasticine and stop motion he animated the words in the song ‘parade’ played by the Leith Academy and Trinity High jazz band - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw3SErYUn3Q.
2. Rhys Edwards (S4) who last week won the Scottish Time Trial (Cycling) championships, beating not only the under 16s but also the under 18s as well. Rhys now goes onto the British championships as the Scottish qualifier which will be held in September.
3. Congratulations to pupils who have successfully passed the following music exams this term:

                                                                           i.      Veronika Fenwick - Grade 8 Piano

                                                                         ii.      Toby Ward - Grade 7 Violin

                                                                       iii.      Thomas Brandie - Grade 5 Violin

                                                                       iv.      Sophie Miele - Grade 4 Violin

4. S6 students (Emma Naylor, Charlie Beeston, Ruyuan Yang and Aimee Ma) who have just gained accreditation as Young STEM Leaders at Level 6 after working hard on a sustainability project through lockdown. This is a prestigious award that helps develop leadership and mentoring skills and contributes UCAS points toward university entry.
5. All students  who are involved in our Gardening Club. Lovely to see so many taking an active interest in the plant sale that took place yesterday.

 

My quote of the week: ‘It always seems impossible until it's done’ (Nelson Mandela)

 

Wishing all a safe and wonderful summer.

Donald j Macdonald

Friday 18 June

 

1. In the past few days, a number of parents have been in touch to express concern at the lack of productive teaching and learning in recent weeks. The delay to starting our new timetable will have added to those concerns. Please be assured that we have tried our level best to maintain some semblance of normality but that has proved enormously challenging when we have had so many staff either being absent or unavailable to take classes. This includes but Is not restricted to: Vaccinations, Post vaccination illness, staff family members having to self-isolate, assessment/grading/moderation duties. Over the past month we have been ‘covering’ classes for 10-15 teachers each day. On a few days this number rose to 25. In a ‘normal’ June, we would only have one or two ‘absent’ teachers. I’m grateful to the flexibility and willingness of staff across the school for stepping in, often at short notice, to best keep the show on the road. Throughout the past few weeks, senior officers at the Council have been very supportive and helped us find additional teachers to cover classes.
2. As communicated yesterday, we will be changing to next session’s timetable on Monday morning. Thanks to all for your patience and understanding (and offers of help!) as we resolved a number of issues earlier this week. Understandably, some parents have raised concerns that students may be adversely affected as a result of a later start to this year’s timetable. I have been informed that the SQA will be making some adjustments to courses for next year to compensate for disrupted learning over the past 15 months. Once we receive that information, teachers will adjust schedules of work to ensure we best prepare all pupils.  
3. You will be aware that, as part of the SQA’s Alternative Certification Model (ACM) for courses at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level, our teachers are busy determining provisional grades for your child, which will be submitted to the SQA on Friday 25 June.
1. Your child will be emailed their provisional grades after school on Wednesday 23 June and you will also receive a copy of the letter by email.
2. The letter will include details of the SQA’s appeals process, details of which can be found on the SQA website: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/79049.html 
3. The SQA has also produced an information booklet for pupils: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/SQA-Appeals-2021-what-you-need-to-know.pdf Should you have any questions at this stage, please email Admin@jamesgillespies.edin.sch.uk
4. Police Scotland have offered to do a bike marking session this Monday 21st June  between 0745-0830 hours.
1. Registering your bike helps police and retailers identify and verify the legitimate owner of bikes that have been stolen or are being resold
2. Please arrive early to the bike shed to have time to complete the registration form if you have not already been given a timeslot.
3. We will have another bike marking session at the start of next term.
5. The Parent Council is planning for next year and would like to hear from parents about your priorities and how you would like Parent Council to meet them.  Are you interested in putting forward your views?  Would you like to support and diversify our work representing parents and children?  What do you want PC meetings to look like?  Please complete our survey at: Parent Survey for 2021/22It will only take 5 minutes, and we want as many responses as possible.
6. Any S1 pupils who missed the opportunity to apply for a Young Scot card through school, can obtain one via the following link. https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/schools-learning/young-scot/1
7. Join us on Monday 21st June for the digital premiere of ‘Syncopate’, in celebration of Make Music Day UK and the fantastic musical activities that have taken place across our 23 high schools, 89 primary schools and 11 special schools over this past year. There will be hundreds of participants from across Scotland’s capital taking part – we’re confident this will represent the largest single digital concert ever produced in Edinburgh. Look out for the fabulous contribution from JGHS! The Syncopate Digital Premiere will screen on Reel Youth Media’s YouTube Channel at 7.40pm on Monday 21st June: https://www.youtube.com/reelyouthmedia
8. AREYC (Anti-Racist Early Years Collective)  is a collective comprising of academics,  early years practitioners and grassroots activists. In partnership with Queen Margaret University we are conducting a pioneering research project that's looking at the impact of Covid-19 on children of colour in Scotland.).  We are looking for participants from Black, Brown, Asian, mixed race/ biracial minority ethnic groups aged 0-18 to participate in our research. There is a £10 e-card that participants can avail of, and the process will be explained by our research assistant. All relevant details are in our flyer (attached).  If you would like to follow them on Twitter;  handle is @AREYCScotland.
9. Any pupils requiring supplies of any sanitary product over the school holidays can come to the welfare office any time before the end of term and collect as many products they may need.
10. Also, Locker keys must be handed into welfare on Monday 21st June. If a pupil has lost/misplaced their key please come to welfare to let us know what the locker number it is.
11. Well done to:
1. Sarah Johnson (S4) for after riding strongly at two recent UK Series Omniums at the outdoor track in Dundee, has qualified for the National Youth Omnium Final in London in July.
2. Erin Sheehan, 4W1, has been selected to take part in the Scotland Womens'  Under 17's Squad Training Camp on Thursday 24th June at Ainslie Park.  We are immensely proud of Erin's achievement.

 

Term ends at midday on Friday 25 June.

 

 

My quote of the week: ‘Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.’ (Joshua J. Marine)

 

Wishing all a lovely weekend.

Donald

Friday 11 June

 During this past week, I have been immensely proud to see many of our pupils and staff displaying rainbow colours to mark ‘Pride’ month. Pride events are rooted in the arduous history of minority groups who have struggled for decades to overcome prejudice and be accepted for who they are. The JGHS community is diverse and inclusive.  Prejudice or discrimination has no place at JGHS. Please continue to work with us to ensure all of our young people understand what being inclusive means in an increasingly diverse and enriched society.

 

 The final Parent Council meeting of 2020/21 was held on 8 June and dealt with SQA assessments, the new timetable, and arrangements for Active Schools after the summer.  A recording of the meeting and the presentations are now available on the PC website https://jghspc.wordpress.com/

1. Last week, some of our S2 students worked with a local artist, Brittonie Fletcher, to start creating our final piece for our STEAM (Sciences, Technologies, Engineering, Arts and Maths) project working with Oulu in Finland. Our first workshops focussed on photographic techniques with Brittonie using common household materials and a soil chromatography workshop using one of our Physics rooms as a darkroom with Mrs Oram and Mrs Stewart. This week we are working with Brittonie to create cyanotypes using recycled materials from our local environment. Look out for updates and our final pieces on display.
2. Two message this week from PC Fowler.
1. There is an upcoming GetSafe Online campaign. This includes webinars on the following dates 17th, 24th and 30th of June 2021. https://www.getsafeonline.org/gaming4good/
2. We have a film that was produced last year by local students who wanted to reach out to other young people to think twice before making a decision about becoming involved in the theft or criminal use of motorbikes. https://vimeo.com/359020419
3. Pupil timetables for the new academic session will be shared with pupils on Monday in advance of the new timetable starting at 0840 on Tuesday 15 June.
1. Monday 14th June

                                                               i.      Period 1 to 3 - pupils follow current timetable

                                                             ii.      Period 4 – pupils attend at their Key Adult classroom/space where Key Adults will distribute new timetables

                                                           iii.      Period 5 & 6 – pupils follow current timetable

2. Tuesday 15th June

                                                               i.      Pupils commence new timetable from Period 1

5. In response to queries from pupils relating to the European Football Championships starting this weekend,  I have agreed to teacher discretion to viewing matches when these take place during school hours. Covid 19- mitigations must remain in place to minimise risks of transmission. Very best wishes to all the nations taking part and here’s hoping for a festival of sport that all can enjoy.
6. If you happen to have an unused guitar (or a keyboard) that is looking for a new home,  our support for learning department would gladly receive your kind musical contribution and find a new home for your instrument with one of our SFL pupils. Please drop any such instruments off at reception. Many thanks in advance.
7. Please ensure that you ‘phone or email the school if your child is absent from school.  When absences are planned, please give us as much notice and detail as possible so that we can maintain accurate records. The school will be supportive and understanding of the additional pressures being faced by families during this time.
8. Well done to:
1. Zhana Fritsch (S6) who won the Talent & Creativity Category for her Frank Gehry inspired painted relief panel at Wednesday night's Paolozzi Art Prize 2021 and Cerys Scott Hobbs (S6) won the Spirit of Paolozzi Category with her dynamic fashion headpiece. Aiden Ross (S6) was a nominee for the New Directions Category with an animation. 
2. Minnie Peacock (S6) and Malena Allen-Bernad (S6) who completed a joint project for their Science Baccalaureate looking at the effect of lockdown on mental health. Their findings can be read on the following website: http://lockdown--mental-right8.webnode.com/
3. Davie (S4) and Calum Murray who are enjoying great success representing Aberdour in Shinty.  More information about Shinty can be found at:.  https://matches.shinty.com/mowi-south-leagues-2021/
4. Iona Patrick (S4) had a very successful national (rowing) regatta in Nottingham last weekend. Iona won silver in the U16 girls 200m sprint kayak race and was placed 6th in the 500m final
9. The June Maths Circle (University of Edinburgh)  will take place on:
1. Tuesday 22nd June from 5:30pm to 6:30pm (slot for 7-11 years old)
2. Wednesday 23rd June from 5:30pm to 6:30pm (slot for 11-14 years old)
3. Booking details to follow.
10. School will finish at midday on Friday 25 June.

 

 

My quote of the week: ‘We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. (Jimmy Carter) 

 

Wishing all a lovely weekend.

Donald

Friday 4 June

In last week’s Friday Update I concluded with a reminder to all of our school values. When, in 2015/16, we consulted as to what our school values should be, I was delighted to see that ‘kindness’ emerged as a favourite. The older I get and the more I learn about the world and how it works, I am convinced that kindness is the key to making all of our lives better. More often than not, it is small acts of kindness that make a difference on a day to day basis. On that note, thank you to those who have donated musical instruments to our Support for Learning department and to those who have offered to pay for a ‘Prom’ ticket for any of the outgoing S6 who may need help to afford the £65 ticket.  I take this opportunity of thanking all who give so generously, often anonymously, to ensure our school is inclusive and allows everyone to access the richness of experiences on offer.

 

1. The next Parent Council meeting will be held online on Tuesday 8 June at 7pm. A link to join the meeting will be circulated via the school next week.  The agenda will be:
1. Donald Macdonald (HT) – overview and parents’ questions
2. Bob Shankland (DHT) – SQA assessments
3. Jeff Warden (DHT) – the new timetable
4. Eliot Ambrose (Active Schools Co-ordinator) – plans for Active Schools in 2021/22

There will be the opportunity on the night to ask questions via the Q&A typed chat facility, but if you want to raise a question in advance please sent it to the Parent Council email jghscouncilcomms@gmail.com by Monday at 2pm and we will try to include it in the updates.  You can catch up with the May meeting on the Parent Council website https://jghspc.wordpress.com/ where there are links to presentations and the recording of the meeting.

2. Pupil timetables for the new academic session are now being finalised and should be distributed during the week of 7th June. Pleasingly, we have been able to accommodate over 96% of the subject requests for pupils going into S5 & S6 and over 97% of the requests for pupils going into S3. Our course offering this year allows for over 90 classes across levels from National 4 to Advanced Higher for over 650 pupils making requests and we are very proud of the breadth and depth available to pupils across the faculties. After pupils receive their timetables, any urgent changes, errors or omissions should be emailed in the first instance to Mr Warden prior to 14th June (Jeff.Warden@jamesgillespies.edin.sch.uk)  These amendments take time and pupils must follow their published timetables until the amendment has been confirmed by Mr Warden. Further change requests beyond this date should be made directly to your child’s Pupil Support Leader. Please note that we do try our best to fit all requests and will operate waiting lists as classes become full. There will be a further opportunity to make changes immediately after the summer holiday and supporting correspondence will be shared closer to the time.
3. Please note that there is no further study leave for pupils in S4 or S5. Pupils in S4 and S5 who are involved in further SQA assessments will be released from their classes.  From Monday 7 June, S4/5 pupils should bring in a device to access online resources. Council funded Ipads are available to be collected after the documentation Is completed and the nominal fee is paid.  
4. If you happen to have an unused guitar (or a keyboard) that is looking for a new home,  our support for learning department would gladly receive your kind musical contribution and find a new home for your instrument with one of our sfl pupils. Please drop any such instruments off at reception. Many thanks in advance.
5. Thanks to Mrs Oatman (Support for Learning) for the heads up on next week being national Carer Week. More information here. In JGHS we are working toward the We Care Award.
6. If your child feels unwell during the school day, they must report to Welfare. We will then contact you if they need to go home. It is essential that this procedure is followed.
7. Please ensure that you ‘phone or email the school if your child is absent from school.  When absences are planned, please give us as much notice and detail as possible so that we can maintain accurate records. The school will be supportive and understanding of the additional pressures being faced by families during this time.
8. The following link takes you to some useful information booklets for staff and parents on a range of matters. https://www.camhs-resources.co.uk/downloads?fbclid=IwAR3ogMRI95pl9Zx_vJwy6YV4VWA4pEbn-vghUDRQ2c3nMPbqQqmaBquIvRM
9. Dates.
1. Please note that that the Wednesday 9 June is an Inservice day and that pupils should not attend unless they have been invited to be part of an exam/assessment.
10. Well done to the following for their guitar ensemble performance at the Scottish Instrumental Music Teachers conference. Oliver Coombs, Erin Sandiford, Chloe Stirling, Elizabeth Mole, Scarlet Young, Ella Rose Ridley, Amelie Primrose, Alexandre Sabine Hunt, Sam Shannon, Hannah Schenk, Parthiv Kalappurackal, William Warlow & Dylan Daunt. They all performed magnificently in the recording and teachers from across Scotland were very impressed and generous with their praise for them.

 

My quote of the week: ‘Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change’.  (Bob Kerrey)

 

Wishing all a lovely weekend.

Donald