Dear Parent/Carer

I hope that you are well. Here is the news from KHS.

And it’s a little bit better on the Covid front. This week have seen 25 new cases reported, which is once again, well down on the previous week’s figure of 70. I reckon it looks like we are over the latest “spike”. I’m hopeful of that anyway. We’ve also seen progress made with the vaccination programme for young people with a mobile unit in school on Tuesday and details of the appointments being issued for 12-15 year olds now available. On the general health theme, we also vaccinated hundreds of senior pupils and staff against winter flu on Wednesday.

Of course, public health remains a massive priority and we appreciate your continuing support to ensure that your son or daughter brings in a face covering every day and undertakes Covid testing regularly at home. Thanks for doing your bit.

Unfortunately, we have still had a significant level of staff sickness this week, including Covid related absences. This has meant disruption to learning and I would again apologise for that. Please bear in mind that sometimes, it might take our Guidance staff a wee while longer to respond to an enquiry, or for teachers to mark homework … that kind of thing. I’m sure you will understand.

Our outdoor learning/adventure trips to Fordell Firs continued this week and these conclude next week. They have been a terrific success, especially at a time when the usual in-school activities are so constrained by public health regulations. We also had our Geography pupils working outdoors too, as part of a consultation exercise on town planning, organised by The Scottish Government. It was good to welcome Lorna Sim, a planner with Dundee City Council who is currently seconded to the Government to lead the consultation. Lorna was very impressed by our learners’ active interest in the issues discussed.

We also had young people engaging with the BBC this week. A small group of S6 pupils are working together to create a short educational film about Ravenscraig Castle. Many thanks to Mr Jones (Head of Social Subjects) who is helping behind the scenes. I’ll send a link once the film is available. It’s all very good experience for our pupils to be working with the media on scriptwriting and developing their film-making skills like this.

Overall, we are very pleased at the way our first ever online parent/carer evening worked out on Wednesday. About 150 parents/carers of S3 linked up with teachers to discuss their son/daughter’s progress. In a few cases, we had IT glitches, but this was always inevitable. I am greatly indebted to Mrs Hume (Head of English) for her leadership of this initiative. Our teachers also received excellent IT support from Mr Samson, our Senior Technician. Parents and carers of S5/6 students will have received details about signing up for online appointments on the evening of 5 October.

This week we have been showing brief video clip assemblies put together by the Yearheads. These have had a focus on the basics … issues such as school uniform, being respectful and the rules around mobile phones, out of bounds areas in school etc. On Thursday and Friday next week we are planning to hold “in person” gatherings in the Hall (within Covid rules) to reiterate these important points. It’s been a huge miss not having assemblies. I’d appreciate if you would be reminded that “hoodies” will need to be removed in classes unless the temperature is low. Also, mobile phones need to be stowed away in corridors and classrooms. We might ask you to keep a phone at home if any young person can’t control their use of it at school. Thanks for your support.

Finally, please respond to this email if you want to be sent log in details for next week’s Parent Council. This will be held online on “Zoom” at 6pm on Tuesday 28 September. I am delighted to say that Victoria Stokoe has offered to take on the vacant position of Chair. Thanks Victoria. Tuesday’s agenda will include Covid (inevitably), SQA plans (inc prelims), Online Parents Evenings, Future Timetabling Plans and any other business you choose to bring up on the night. As I say, please respond to request the log in details. If you want to raise any matter you can advise me in advance too if you wish.

As always, thanks for your backing, and thanks for your understanding of how difficult things have been in school over the past few weeks. I must say that right now it’s a case of us trying to live up to the old school motto “Usque Conabor”. We are certainly doing a lot of striving to do our best in the circumstances. We are due a break in a fortnight and it will be hard earned for everyone here.

Derek Allan
RECTOR
24 September 2021