Dear Parent/Carer

Here’s hoping that this finds you and your family in good shape. I also hope you welcome our latest update.

This week has been Fife Business Week and school representatives attended an employer event at the Dean Park Hotel on Monday morning. We are continuing to extend our business engagement model to provide a greater range of work related skills for our learners and the next stage is a large scale employer partners meeting here in school (from 4pm) on 22 November. Parents/carers will be welcome along as we intend to treat the meeting as an extended Parent Council – more details soon. Also, please see attached a flyer which gives details of current opportunities available to our young people. I am indebted to Miss McIntosh and Miss Nessel, our employability team leaders for their excellent work in this field.

In school on the Monday, it was a pleasure for me to present Dynamic Youth Awards to the S1 pupils who took part in our enhanced transition programme as they stepped up from primary before the summer. Many thanks to Sonia McCathie of Fife Council Community Learning and Development for her excellent support of this programme … and well done too to Mr Broadway and his team in school.

On Tuesday through to Thursday our House Assemblies had a Remembrance theme with Head Boy Lachlan Duncan and Depute Cameron Lafferty delivering moving monologues which were an echo of the brief lives of some of the 105 former KHS pupils who died in the Great War. We also showed a Poppy Scotland video clip about that organisation’s support for Stuart Proudfoot, a former pupil who was badly hurt whilst on active service in Iraq. Stuart’s nephew, Logan Thomson (S1), also spoke about his fundraising for Poppy Scotland – this now stands at over £1000. We are very proud of Logan.

Also on Tuesday, two S6 students, Josh Binnington and Ashley Davidson, headed to Poland as part of the “Lessons from Auschwitz” programme, organised by the Holocaust Memorial Trust. Josh and Ashley visited the Nazi death camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. They found it a very moving experience and in January they will lead at assemblies here, sharing their memories and photographs, emphasising the importance of cooperation and respect for difference in contrast to the conflict and hate of extreme regimes.

Last night, Mr Young and I met with the parents/carers of the young people in S5 who are undertaking a course of 5 Higher exams to make sure that all possible supports are in place. We have a mentoring programme delivered by “Friends of Kirkcaldy High School” and a special study space adjacent to the library. Last night we were joined by Chloe Newton (S6) one of our students who have achieved 5 Highers earlier this session –  she was able to offer some advice. We also reiterated the usefulness of “Show My Homework”, either using the app or logging in via the link on the homepage of our website. If you need a reminder of any log-in details please just request this by responding to this email and it will be forwarded to Mrs Davidson.

For all those taking SQA exams, from January we will be laying on “Saturday School” and we will also be operating study sessions over the Easter Holidays. This is in addition to the lunchtime and after school study support programme I shared last week. As promised, I have included the May 2017 exam timetable as an attachment.

Today, at 11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month, we held a special Remembrance commemoration at the war memorial in school. Our school based Army Cadet Force Detachment and senior pupils laid wreaths at the memorial, where those 105 names, as well as those of the teachers and World War 2 casualties, are so prominently displayed, beautifully cast in bronze. Head Girl, Bethany Cunningham, read “Flanders Fields” and teachers Dr Murray and Mrs MacDougal sang “Willie McBride” … beautifully. It was a poignant occasion and we also held a two minute silence across the school. On Sunday, Bethany and Lachlan will be part of the official Kirkcaldy Remembrance parade and lay a wreath at the town memorial.

Today at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre there is the highly prestigious presentation ceremony of this year’s Arkwright Engineering Scholarships. Very well done to David Moir (S5), who has been awarded the scholarship this year. It means industry mentoring, sponsorship and financial support to help him pursue his dream to become an engineer, and David intends to apply to Heriot-Watt University next session with that aim in mind. Well done also to our CDT team under Mr Morrice. The staff have an excellent track record of supporting budding Arkwright Scholars.

Next week sees all Second Year pupils involved in a “Speedy Stem” Challenge Day in our Hall supported by the Hydrogen Office at Methil. The focus is on renewable energy and designing solutions to energy problems. On Tuesday, our “Enterprising Maths” team will represent Fife in the Scottish finals being held in Glasgow this year. Best wishes to Miss Grubb and the team of S3 mathemagicians! It is also our S1 Parent/Carer Evening and I hope that you will have received the schedules by now. Please contact Guidance if not.

On Wednesday we have special assemblies for all yeargroups on the theme of facial disfigurement – many thanks to the “Changing Faces” Charity. In the evening we will be competing in the Rotary Club Young Musician Competition at Balwearie High School. Good luck to vocalists Hannah Denholm (S3) and Aimee Lindsay (S4). On Thursday we are holding a spotty themed dress down day in support of Children in Need and we’ll have various fund raising events at lunchtime. I hope you can support this.

The hot dish menu for the week ahead is; Monday: Spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread. Tuesday: Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and mash. Wednesday: Macaroni cheese with chips or garlic bread, Thursday: Steak pie and potatoes. Friday: Fish and chips. We also have our pizza, pasta, sandwich, soup and salad options too.

Please be reminded that the closing date for Tempest school photograph orders (S1,3 and 6) is next Monday 14 November.  Any orders after Monday will have to be sent directly to the company which incurs a £4 charge. Please contact the school office.

Also, may I remind you that our school uniform policy is quite clear. Only white shirts are acceptable in school and shoes/footwear should be black. We have a stock of white shirts which are offered to pupils inappropriately dressed and we usually contact you if dress code is an issue. School ties are available at only £3 from the office. We can help any family with uniform if funds are a bit tight right now; please just be in touch. Many thanks for your support with this.

Best regards

Derek Allan

11 November 2016