Dear Parent/Carer
I’m hoping that you are well and looking forward to the weekend.
The week past has seen the SQA Prelim exams for National 5 candidates (S4). These went very well and I must thank our invigilators from “FoKHS” and also Mrs Davidson and Miss Diamond, who oversaw arrangements. Once the papers are marked, teachers will be able to offer improvement advice for May, when the final SQA exams take place. It’s all down to our young people now. How hard they work over the next 10 weeks or so can have a significant impact on the rest of their lives … these qualifications really do matter.
We also had a Science trip to visit the new Forth Bridge on Monday. The students took part in practical activities as well as having the chance to see the site. On Wednesday morning it was the Fife Festival of Music at Adam Smith Theatre, when our string players and our woodwind band took part and played exceptionally well, being awarded a Gold and a Silver Certificate, which is an excellent achievement. In the afternoon we had our Rotary Interact Club members planting snowdrops in Beveridge Park as part of Kirkcaldy’s “Britain in Bloom” entry – maybe you saw the story in The Courier? Being a part of community initiatives is a big part of the school.
On Thursday, we were pleased to host a group of 12 teachers, headteachers and school inspectors from France, Germany and Poland as part of an international educational study programme. Mr Young (Depute Head) put together a varied experience for our European friends and they were greatly impressed by seeing our young people and our teachers in action. They were struck by the “family feel” of the school and the excellent relationships between staff and pupils. They commented on the care we take to support young people in the broadest sense. In Europe it seems, there is far less emphasis on values and character development. These things are central to Scotland’s “Curriculum for Excellence”.
Our SQA “Saturday School” tomorrow is Business Education, Administration and Computing … we’re hoping for another big turnout.
You are probably aware that next week is a short one for pupils. Wednesday is a training day for teachers and support staff and Thursday and Friday are mid-term holidays. The staff will be working on improvement planning, our new anti-bullying policy and electronic “profiling” of young people’s achievements.
The week starts with our Employability Fair on Monday afternoon and evening. All parents/carers of young people in S4-S6 are invited to join us. Many thanks to Miss McIntosh and Miss Nessel who have organised the event. A great range of education partners will be in attendance, including the Universities of Edinburgh, Dundee, Stirling and St Andrews as well as Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. We also have many local and nationally significant employers, including BAE Systems, Babcock, Kwik Fit, Leonardo (which used to be known as Selex), Network Rail, EDF Energy, BAM, Bank of Scotland, Ernst and Young, the Law Society of Scotland, Raeburn Recruitment, Byron Hairdressing, Robertson’s Coffee Shop, the Cottage Family Centre, Fife Voluntary Action, Police Scotland, the Fire Service, the RAF, the Army and Fife Council. As usual, our employability bulletin is attached to this mail.
The other attachment is an important one. You will be aware that we have had problems with late buses in the mornings. Many thanks to Stagecoach, who have changed the times of the KC1, KC2 and KC3 buses from Monday 20 February. Please note that the KC1 will now depart Redcraigs at 8.15am (5 minutes earlier), the KC2 leaves the Bus Station at 8.10am (10 minutes earlier) and the KC3 leaves the Glamis Turning Circle at 8.15am (5 minutes earlier). This should sort out pupils being a couple of minutes late in the mornings. The trouble seems to be the volume of traffic along Dunnikier Way.
I have also been asked by Fife Council to inform you about a new Online Payment System called iPayimpact, which will affect the Myfife card school meals arrangements. The system will allow you to make payments for school meals and other school purchases (eg uniform or paying for a trip) from any internet enabled PC, laptop, mobile or tablet, or via PayPoint at your local store. It could mean your son/daughter no longer needs to carry cash to school. The system will be rolling out through our high schools over the course of the next six months. You will be contacted again when KHS is due to join the scheme, with more details on how to register for the online account together with a unique registration code. We will also make arrangements if you do not have internet access.
On the theme of new technology, may I also remind you about “Show My Homework”? It’s our online tracker which allows you to know when homework is due and what is expected of your son or daughter. We introduced it as a result of your feedback … especially comments made in our “Parentwise” questionnaire last year. It’s an app based system, which allows you to track homework on your smartphone, home computer etc. All you need to do is use the password previously sent home by Mrs Davidson. Please be in contact if you need assistance. Alternatively, to access the whole school calendar, you can use the link, which is also on our website; http://kirkcaldy.showmyhomework.co.uk We hope to be able to lay on some demonstrations and registration sessions at forthcoming parent/carer evenings and our Learning Fair. Please do make use of this facility, it helps us strengthen that all important partnership with home.
Finally, please note a date for your diary. You are warmly invited to a special evening hosted by our Parent Council on Tuesday 14 March (from 6 until 7.30pm). It’ll be a themed information evening on “Drink and Drugs: Teenage Issues” with inputs from school staff and young people, DAPL (the Drugs and Alcohol Project) and Kirkcaldy Police (probably Drugs Squad Officers). A recent consultation suggested that this theme would be welcomed by parents and carers. To help keep our young people safe, it’s good for you to be aware of local drink/substance/drugs trends, what to look out for, suggested ways to go about discussing concerns etc. You will receive a letter soon, but please save the date.
Next week’s hot dish menu is; Monday: Chicken and mushroom pie with potatoes. Tuesday: Gammon steak and we also have our pasta, sandwich and salad options too … and do remember our FREE home made soup offer, which is proving very popular.
As always, if we can be of any help, do be in touch. The guidance teacher is the usual frontline contact.
With very best wishes
Derek Allan
RECTOR
10 February 2017
