Dear Parent/Carer and Home Education First Aider (Temp),

Although it’s been another tough week for us all, it’s another week survived and a week of several significant highlights.

As well as the many reports of excellent learning taking place online, we had two virtual assemblies this week. Mr Young put out a terrific, fun message for S1/2 with a focus on wellbeing, physical exercise and maintaining a positive mental attitude. Then, on Wednesday, we marked Holocaust Memorial Day with a beautiful video tribute to the victims of hate, prejudice and genocide. I am so very proud of all involved. Miss Osborne (History) collaborated with Mrs Duckett of the Music Department to bring together superb contributions from Harry Kellichan (S1), who explained the idea of genocide and The Holocaust, Morgan Faulds (S6), who read from Anne Frank’s Diary, Adam Johnston (S6), who told the tale of a death camp survivor, Jawad Ali Madni, who read Pastor Martin Niemoller’s well known poem “First They Came” and from Jonathan McIntyre (S6), who gave a detailed, poignant and grim account of the time he visited Poland as part of the “Lessons from Auschwitz” schools’ programme run by the Holocaust Memorial Trust. Cara Hayes (S6) sang “Kindness Lights the Way” beautifully over a collage of photographs of pupils and staff holding a light in darkness. It really is very affecting, and quite emotional. Here is the link to “Youtube”;

Also this week, we were blown away by the level of interest in our online parent/carer events for P7, the new S1 intake for August 2021. On Tuesday and Wednesday evening we had around 150 families and children from Capshard and Torbain tuning in. Mr Young, Mr Broadway and I were joined by Laurie Hunter, Emma McDonald and Jonathan McIntyre (S6) to deliver a short presentation and take questions. Thanks also to the other KHS staff (teaching and support staff) who logged on to be part of the evenings too.

One of the issues which came up was the likelihood of P7 visits taking place this year. I must say that I am quite optimistic that we will be able to do this as usual in the early summer. There are some good signs in terms of virus control and vaccination, and meetings are ongoing about getting schools back to face to face, perhaps in a phased or part time way, maybe even with some school subject lessons being offered first, particularly practical subjects which can’t really be delivered at home. I’m afraid that we can’t be more specific right now with all the uncertainties we face, but all of these possibilities are being mooted at present. Whatever does transpire, please rest assured that we will try our utmost, when it is proven to be properly safe for you and all your family, to get our building open for all. In the meantime, we’ll continue to do our best as a virtual school.

Next week we’ll have our next round of P7 parent/carer evenings (at 6pm) for Valley families on Monday and Fair Isle on Tuesday. For those making placing requests (eg from Pathhead, North, Dunnikier, Cardenden etc), we have an evening lined up for Monday 8 February. Mr Young has asked the primary schools to send out the online joining details for “Zoom”. We have also shared an electronic link to our Prospectus (KHS Prospectus 2020-2021).  You might well find it of value too.

For S1/2, we have now published the weekly schedules, which makes it a bit easier to plan learning. I’m hearing from some parents with kids at other schools that they have been overwhelmed by the expectation that their child can somehow complete work for 9 or 10 different subjects in one day. We think that this unrealistic and are restricting this to 4 subjects daily for S1/2 as follows;

S1 Mon: Maths, French, Drama and Music. Tues: Maths, English, Business/Computing/HE and Social Subjects. Wed: Maths, English, Science and RME/Classics or PE. Thurs: Maths, English, Art and French. Fri: Social Subjects, Science, CDT and Reading.

S2 Mon: Maths, French, Social Subjects and Science. Tues: Maths, English, CDT and Computing. Wed: Maths, English, Science and Art. Thurs: Maths, English, Business and RME/Classics. Fri: Social Subjects, Drama, Music or HE and Reading.

For S3-6, the rhythm of the week roughly follows timetabled contact, at least in terms of the days on which any subject is usually studied. For all yeargroups, teachers have set up a live “drop-in” session, using video, audio or a real-time “chatroom” format. Please encourage your son/daughter to tune in once a week, even if they are not “stuck”. It’s always nice to catch up, and the teachers report that these sessions are often the highlight of the week.

I should add that we have added the “late submission” button for all assignments on Teams. We totally get it that there might be very good reasons why deadlines just can’t be met. For example, where broadband access is a problem. Please be in touch to claim one of those free Vodafone SIM cards I mentioned last week if you think that you can use one. Over the next week or so, senior staff will call home in cases where we are picking up that there seem to be problems keeping up with learning. This will be a supportive call, an offer of help, including IT broadband or mobile data. We are taking another delivery of 8 tablet computers on Monday, donated by a local business and I’ll share more about that later. If you are able to help in any way with the donation of IT equipment, please be in touch.

Our S2 Reports are now ready for posting home, some will go today and some on Monday. We’ll be following up with course choice and an online “Learning Fair” shortly. The course choice process for S4 and S5 will then take place later in February. For those Senior Phase students undertaking qualifications, we have received further advice from the SQA about the types of evidence of achievement which schools are expected to gather for specific subjects. Obviously, it’s just not possible to do that right now and the deadlines have been extended until the middle of June. You will be aware that there are no formal exams this year and the awards will be made on the basis of tests and other assessments done in class.

During “lockdown”, the Fife Active Schools social media platforms are carrying especially important messages, wellbeing challenges and ideas to help keep kids healthy. Together we aim to support all of our young people and families to remain active. There are resources, postcode campaigns, virtual sport/physical activity sessions and lots more available. Please like/follow these platforms to help us get KHS families more active, more often.

Facebook: @FifeActiveSchools https://www.facebook.com/FifeActiveSchools/

Twitter: @FifeActiveSch https://twitter.com/FifeActiveSch

Instagram: @FifeActiveSchools https://www.instagram.com/fifeactiveschools/?hl=en

As always, if we can help with anything, especially in relation to home learning or general wellbeing, please be in contact. To close, I feel that it’s worth repeating that message that wellbeing and learning are our top priorities right now and that if you made me choose, I’d need to say that wellbeing comes first. It underpins everything, including learning. So do what you can, and celebrate all the good things, however small.

Please take care, look after you and your family’s health, and stay home unless it is unavoidable.

With respect

Derek Allan

RECTOR

29 January 2021