Friday 11 February 2022

Friday 11 February

Please note that during our first week back after the February break, there are no changes to our current COVID arrangements. I will communicate with all parents/students about any changes on Friday 25 February. 

The number of pupils testing positive for Covid over the past 7 days was 37 (This is 10 more than last week)

 

  1. Coursing Update Please ensure that you can access email for all updates from Mrs O’Brien relating to coursing – much information has been shared this week for S4/5 and this includes some changes to the coursing options at Higher and Advanced Higher.
    1. S2 – many thanks to pupils and parents/carers for all the efforts in ensuring that pupils made their choices for the deadline. PSLs have been speaking to pupils in PSE classes this week and making any appropriate changes. Thanks to them for their support.
    2. S4/5 – due to the holiday next week, the deadline for senior coursing has been extended until Wednesday 23 February at 5.00pm. The system will be locked after this date, and PSLs will discuss choices with senior pupils during PSE the week after this deadline, so any amendments can be made.
    3. Senior Coursing Evening – this was a well-attended online event on Wednesday 9 February. The recording and presentations have been shared on the course choice page on the website, and emailed to senior pupils and parents/carers. Thanks to Kyle Hamilton, our career coach from Skills Development Scotland, for his input.
    4. Coursing and Career Advice – for any queries over career pathways and coursing, please see our career coach Kyle Hamilton at his drop-in sessions in the library on a Tuesday and Thursday lunchtime. He can also be contacted on: Kyle.Hamilton@sds.co.uk
    5. All coursing information, including the Schools College Partnership programme, can be found on the school website: https://www.jamesgillespies.co.uk/course-choices/
  2. The Young Person's Guarantee is a commitment to bring together employers, partners and young people. It aims to connect every 16 to 24 year old in Scotland to an opportunity. This could be a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training or volunteering.
  3. S2 Parents’ Evening – Written Feedback Requests Thanks to those parents who made requests for written feedback following our recent S2 Parents’ Evenings.  We aim to have all feedback to parents on or before Friday 25 February. 
  4. Please find a link below to an SQA update that details support for learners taking National Qualifications in 2022 https://blogs.sqa.org.uk/qualifications2022/support-for-learners-taking-national-qualifications-in-2022-an-overview/
  5. Parents and Carers of S6. Please encourage your child to go in to the S6 Teams page and check their school emails, as there are links pertaining to the S6 Yearbook. Thanks in advance for your support. (Mr Porter)
  6. Be aware that bike thieves are active in the Edinburgh area.  The following advice from the Police may be helpful in keeping our bikes secure.
    1. Photograph your bike and record all of your bike’s details and distinguishing features and keep in a safe place. The serial number can be found on the bottom bracket.
    2. Register your bicycle securely online at the National Cycle Database, www.bikeregister.com Doing this may help to recover your bike if it goes missing. On registering, you can also download a bike logbook where you can record your bike’s details to keep at hand.
    3. Security mark your bike’s frame with a UV pen or other method – the mark should include your home postcode and house number.
    4. Insure your bike, either on contents insurance or separately if required.
  7. Edinburgh Council has been holding open meetings for parents to discuss the impacts of Covid on school communities and parental engagement. The final meeting is on Tuesday 22 February (from 6.15-7.15pm) and parents are welcome to join through this link: Click here to join the meeting. There is more information about the issues and comments that have been raised by parents in earlier meetings on the PC website https://jghsparentcouncil.org/. The Parent Council encourages parents to take this opportunity to let the Council hear about your experience of being part of the school community during Covid. If you can’t attend the meeting but have comments to contribute, these can be sent to: Parental.Engagement@edinburgh.gov.uk
  8. Covid-19: information.  
    1. Please ‘phone or email the school to tell if your child tests positive for COVID. Include test date and whether it was a LFD (Home test) or PCR.
    2. Anyone testing positive for a Lateral Flow Test (Home Test) should immediately self-isolate in line with current Government Guidelines.
    3. Taking regular lateral flow tests and getting vaccinated are among our best mitigations to limit the spread of Covid. You can find out where to get lateral flow and PCR tests on the NHS website. The vaccination booster programme has expanded, so you may now be eligible to book yours. But, again, the NHS website has the information you’ll need.
    4. Please continue to access the NHS Guidance so that you will know when you should get tested for Covid19.
    5. If/when, there are changes to COVID mitigations affecting schools I will write to all members of our school community and give you as much notice as possible.  
  9. Teenage booster (Diphtheria/Tetanus & Polio and Meningitis ACWY) – this will be on Wednesday 2 March 2022. This is for all S3s and any S4-6s who didn’t receive the booster in S3. Please return any outstanding forms to us as soon as possible. If your child in S4-6 did not receive a form, this means they already received the booster in S3.
  10. This is to inform you that the next online Maths Circle (Edinburgh University), will take place on Saturday 19 February. As usual, there will be two slots:
    1. 10:00-11:00 (slot for 7-11 years old)
    2. 11:30- 12:30 (slot for 11-14 years old)
    3. To ensure safeguarding of all participants, the University will require that each minor will be supervised by a parent/guardian/responsible adult at all times during the online event. In general, information about the outreach program can be found at:
  11. https://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/school-of-mathematics/outreach  You can find some online resources at: https://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/school-of-mathematics/outreach/online-resources
  12. Dates:
    1. 11 February All break for Mid-term holiday
    2. 21 February All resume
    3. 23 February S4/5 course choice submission deadline
    4. 2 March  Teenage booster (Diphtheria/Tetanus & Polio and Meningitis ACWY)
    5. 7 March S4 Parents’ evening
    6. 16 March S5/6 Parents’ night
    7. 22 March Parent Council meeting
    8. 6-7 April HPV vaccine
    9. 8 April Term ends
  13. Well done to:
    1. Scarlett Norrie (S1) who won first place a and a £25 voucher for her art work in a recent Scottish Beekeepers’ Association Calligram competition.  In addition, congratulations to S1s, Niamh Thomson, Petra Leetch, Eva Sutherland, Tilda Carmichael and Hannako Stevenson, who were Highly Commended.
    2. Dominic Chan (S1), who on Sunday 6 Feb was crowned the champion of British Fencing  in the U13 boys foil category.
    3. Iona Patrick (S6) on being selected to represent Scotland in canoeing.  

 

My quote for the week: “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of becoming.“ (Goethe)

 

Best wishes to all for a COVID free and rejuvenating February break.

Donald


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