Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to the weekly news bulletin from your school … we try hard to keep you “in the loop”.

Last Friday night was our fund raising “Race Night”, organised by the “Friends of Kirkcaldy High School”. What a brilliant night it was, with well over 150 people in the Hall enjoying the sport, and a light supper laid on by the kitchen staff. Many thanks to those of you who came along. I am delighted to say that we raised the excellent sum of £3250, which will go towards subsidising educational trips for young people facing financial hardship. In particular, “FoKHS” have kindly sponsored a place on our trip to Rwanda in September 2019.

Also last weekend, our Spanish language students were out bag-packing at the B and M Store at the Retail Park, raising funds to support their visit to Madrid next June. Mrs Morris (Head of Languages) tells me that they raised over £860! We are very grateful to the store, its customers and to the many staff who joined our pupils.

This week, as you would expect, we’ve had a strong focus on Remembrance given it is the 100 year anniversary of the Armistice which brought the Great War to a close. We had House Assemblies on Tuesday, Wednesday and this morning marking the end of hostilities. I introduced Blain Aitken, Cameron Bowie and Fraser Anderson who delivered very moving monologues based on the book “The Memorial in the School”, which gives a fascinating insight into the brief lives of the 108 former pupils and staff who lost their lives in the Great War. Dr Murray sung a haunting rendition of “Willie McBride”, accompanied by Mrs Findlay, and Cameron Hamilton (S4) closed the assemblies with the “Last Post” on cornet.

On Tuesday morning, Miss Malcolm, our Principal Teacher with responsibility for “Developing the Young Workforce” attended a special business breakfast along at the Dean Park Hotel and was able to make some new connections. We are always on the lookout for new partnerships and work experience opportunities. In the afternoon, our S5 were out at the “Safe Drive, Stay Alive” Roadshow in Glenrothes. As always this was a very hard-hitting and emotional event which highlighted road safety. At the same time, the S6 were part of a driver induction programme in school with Kwik Fit. It’s called “New to the Road” and we are grateful to Kwik Fit for their support.

On Wednesday, our Advanced Higher English group attended an event held in St Andrews University Library. We had our “quadcopter” design team working with engineers from Raytheon in Glenrothes, perfecting their drones. This took place in our Assembly Hall. Also, we had a large group taking part in the Senior UK Maths Challenge, we’ll have the results back soon.  Later, we had a “FoKHS” mentoring session for some of our S5 Higher students that afternoon.

That evening, in school, we hosted Balwearie in the Fife heat of the Rotary Club “Youth Speaks” Public Speaking Competition. Very well done to Brooke Wishart, Cara Hayes and Morgan Faulds, who represented the school so well. I am delighted to share that KHS won and will now progress to the next round, to be held in Newcastle or Glasgow shortly. The girls spoke brilliantly about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (or “ACES”).

Yesterday was another one of those “Speedy STEM” days for S2, when we had a series of technology challenges in the Hall, led by STEM Ambassadors. This was supported by Fife College, and we are grateful for that support.

Also, you may be aware that yesterday, in the Scottish Parliament, we were twice cited as an example of best practice in developing equality and fairness in schools. John Swinney, the Education Secretary, was announcing legislation which will make inclusive education, in which LBGT identity is recognised and discussed, compulsory across Scotland. We will be the first nation in the world to make this move and I am exceptionally proud that our school, especially through our student group KHS LGBT+, has been one of the leaders of this movement over the past three years. Mr Swinney “unreservedly commended” KHS for its pioneering work.

On this theme, we have just been asked by Edinburgh University if we will take part in a film project which will become part of basic teacher training. We are honoured and delighted to do that.

Today, our Higher Geography students are on a field trip to Forteviot and Kinkell Bridge to study the course of the River Earn. Miss Wight has arranged an interesting programme which includes a visit to s “SEPA” monitoring station. Flood control and flood plain management have become ever more important as we experience more extreme weather events.

Earlier today, as well as our Adam Smith assembly, we placed wreaths at our school war memorial as a mark of Remembrance and held a two minutes silence across the school. This was impeccably observed and was very moving. After school today, I will be joined by Mollie Turner and Fraser Anderson (our Head Girl and Head Boy) to attend an Armistice Day commemoration at Dunfermline Abbey, hosted by Jim Leishman, the Provost of Fife. This is followed by a Civic Reception in the Glen Pavilion. On Sunday (11 November) we’ll be part of the Remembrance parade in Kirkcaldy and Fraser and Mollie will lay a wreath at the town memorial on behalf of all of our young people. We will also be part of the commemorations at the Adam Smith Theatre and Blain, Cameron and Fraser, who spoke at assemblies this week, will honour the KHS dead by reciting their monologues once again … these short talks are designed to represent the “ghost voices” of past pupils of KHS. Dr Murray joins us again, and will play “Flo’ers o’ The Forest” on fiddle.

Also this weekend we have a large group of young people taking part in a trip to Premier League football matches in England. Many thanks to Mr I’Anson and Mr English, who are leading the excursion which takes in Newcastle United versus Bournemouth on the Saturday then Manchester City against Manchester United on Sunday. This is sure to be a very exciting weekend for our young people. Due to the late return from Manchester, those attending will be permitted to sleep in until interval on Monday if required. We expect them at school for 10.30am.

There are no assemblies next week. On Monday we have a large group of S2 who are having an “Allied Health Professional” work experience day at Victoria Hospital. They are accompanied by Mrs Rae (Pupil Support) and will learn about radiography, podiatry, occupational health careers etc. At lunchtime on Monday, I am looking forward to visiting the Cottage Family Centre to present a cheque on behalf of our young people. This is a donation from the “dress down” day we held last month. I’ll be joined by Ellie Hitchcock, who spoke so passionately in support of the Cottage as part of our “Youth Philanthropy Initiative” earlier this year. After school, our LGBT+ Group is laying on training for staff. The group members have also been responsible for the rainbow pillar we now have at the heart of the school … this has been arranged to mark our success in the COSLA Excellence Awards last month.

On Wednesday, I’ll join Mr Young at Valley Primary for a meeting with the Primary Heads. We are already planning for the next intake of young people and I am especially pleased that, for the first time, we will welcome young people with significant additional support needs. Until now, these pupils would transfer to the “DAS” at Balwearie. However, from August 2019, Mr Broadway will lead our extended “Supported Learning” Faculty, which includes enhanced facilities and additional staff to support our new pupils. Wednesday is the final of that Quadcopter Drone Competition. Best wishes to our team, which will be up at Auchmuty High in Glenrothes, supported by Miss Tennant.

It’s our S1 Parent/Carer Night in the evening and the online booking system is now open. Details have been sent home.

On Thursday, we are pleased to be joined by a group of eight school inspectors from France. The team will visit Torbain in the morning before seeing some action at KHS. They will be hosted by our S6 Languages Ambassadors and see some classes in action as well spending time in discussion with senior teachers about classroom practice.

Please note that the school is closed to pupils on Friday 16 November for staff training.

Next week’s menu is;

Monday: Lentil soup, Macaroni Cheese, chips, vegetables

Tuesday: Tomato soup, Red Thai Chilli Beef and noodles with vegetables

Wednesday: Minestrone soup, Pork sausage casserole, potatoes and vegetables

Thursday: French onion soup, Roast Beef, Potatoes and vegetables

Friday: Leek and potato soup, Breaded fish/Steakbake, chips, peas

We also have baked potatoes, pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salad available every day as well as our outdoor snack bar. Please do be aware that we offer a free cup of soup with bread for all our young people, regardless of their “free school meals” status. We also have our “Breakfast Club” available from 8.10am and this is free to those facing hardship (it costs 44p otherwise). We have cereal, toast and jam and juice on offer.

Can you help develop a local project? Recently, Kirkcaldy Area Committee approved a £20000 grant for Dunnikier Golf Club to establish a junior golf academy facility at Dunnikier Park. The golf club are also putting an additional £10000 to the scheme. The plan is that this will be a full community facility and that each of the six new holes will be named local schools.

You can help with winning an additional grant of £7000 from the Aviva Community Grant Fund. It’s all about votes. The Club already have 1100 votes in a little over a week and reckon that something like 3000 votes might secure the grant. 

Many thanks on behalf of the club, and the school. I’m sure we can make good use of such a facility on our doorstep.

Always be assured of our assistance or support, and please do not hesitate to be in touch if we can help.

All the best.

Derek Allan

RECTOR

9 November 2018