Carsphairn Primary now has a blog. I look forward to seeing their entries in the coming weeks. https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/dg/thecarsphairncatchup/
S4 pre exam residential
What really matters?
As a finale to the RME/PSE course, S4 students spent an evening in Mabie Forest experiencing what life in the Ironage may have been like.
Looking in at the graveyard at Sweetheart Abbey on the way to Mabie, helped put the impact of living in harder times in context, as students noticed the number of people who died either in infancy or very young.
Discussion about how we now expect our children to outlive us, helped to bring home how lucky we are to live where we do and when we do.
Spending the night in the Ironage roundhouse was an exercise in community living from a bygone era. Also recognition that in many parts of our present day world, the conditions many people live in, would be more like the Roundhouse than our usual homes.
Cooking on open fires, eating communally, sleeping communally, making sure the fire stayed in overnight, mastering the composting toilet and experiencing the biting North wind with it’s attendant snow showers over the hills – all broadened experience and raised awareness.
The clear, cold night gave a breathtaking view of the night sky from the Roundhouse and the dawn this morning was special too. Having completed homework last night by candlelight, S4 returned to school today where they are working hard in preparation for the exams which start next week. We wish them well.
RSA Schools Art Award 2017
Congratulations to Eva Gibson in S2 who has received a Highly Commended for her mono-print which she submitted to the yearly RSA Art Award.
Her work will be on show at the RSA exhibition from 2nd April – 16th April along with other prize winners throughout Scotland.
Ceramics at Dalry School with Ruth Jones
A group of S1- S3 pupils have been working with a professional ceramicist – Ruth Jones, from Moniavie to create large coil pots. 
S4 Expressive Paintings
S4 pupils are very busy working on their final paintings for their folios. These are to be sent away after the Easter holidays. Watch this space to see their final pieces. They are going to be lovely. 
Youth Writing Group
The Youth Writing Group meets weekly on Thursdays at 3.30pm in Dalry school library to put pen to paper and finger to keyboard to explore the art of creative writing amongst other writing projects. If you have something to say, a story to tell then don’t stay silent – come along and join the group and share your thoughts and ideas in written form! The group is facilitated by Sara Lockwood from the CatStrand. Some comments from the group:
“You get to make amazing stories. The world is your story”.
“I like writing because it’s calming”.
“Make new friends and get to be creative.”
Come and join us!
Ex-pupil making a storm in the culinary world.
Ex-pupil, Fraser Cameron is in the running for the title of Scottish Junior Chef of the year. This is the pinnacle of the Scottish culinary championships at Scothot 2017 and is hosted at the SECC in Glasgow on Wednesday and Thursday 15th/16th March.
Each competitor is allocated 120 minutes to produce 3 courses, one of which must be fish.
The competition takes place within the live theatre in front of an audience and 12 respected judges.
We can only share one of the dishes that Fraser will be producing before the event.
Fish Dish
Cured and blowtorched sea bass with candied golden beetroot. Pickled candy and red beetroot. Apple, lemon gel, charcoal oil, carbon salt, bacon popcorn and a selection of edible flowers and cresses.
We all wish Fraser the best of luck in the competition and we are honoured that he will be hosting a workshop for our pupils during Health Week in May.
All the other dishes will be shared with you once the competition is complete.
Sirens vs Wasps at the Emirates Stadium in Glasgow
Extract from BBC news
Scotland’s newest professional sports team, the Sirens, lost 57-43 to Wasps as they made history on Tuesday evening in front of a sell-out crowd.
The first Scottish team to join netball’s Vitality Superleague were always behind against the visitors from London at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.
Sirens and Wasps are two of three new clubs this season after the league, now with teams from England, Scotland and Wales, was expanded to 10 teams.
A crowd of 4000 – more than attended three of the weekend’s Scottish Premiership football matches – watched the match.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/netball/39046624
The Dalry Netball team were there to see this historic match and to be part of that 4000 strong crowd. Having played all season in the Dumfries and Galloway School’s league, they were more than impressed by the speed and skill of these professional players. They also learned lots about the warm up and pre match drills.
This minibus dash up to Glasgow and back made a fitting end to a season where the Dalry players have shown real sportsmanship and determination. An aspirational and inspirational evening!
Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership
Pupils from Dalry School visited the Dalry Town Hall for a public engagement event. They were invited to share their knowledge and reactions to the landscape they live in, whilst talking to Archaeologists and Landscape specialists about their jobs. Pupils were given a brief presentation about the project itself and have a better understanding of the opportunities it may create in the future.
Some of the old maps captured attention as young people related the current landscape to what it may have looked like in history. Of particular interest were the various fording points of the rivers in the past and how they relate to the roads and bridging points of the present
Community engagement
This morning members of the Light Dragoons visited St John’s Town of Dalry as part of their preparation for a NATO exercise in Europe later in the year.
The focus was on community engagement and their visit was unplanned.
Pupils from Dalry School formed small groups for the troops to talk to- explaining why they were in the area and to let the young people become a little more familiar with the Jackal (4 wheels) and 2 X Coyote (6 wheels) vehicles.
The visit gave staff chance to talk to young people about how it may feel to have military vehicles move into the area where you live and the variety of roles that the military has in peacetime.
