Dear Parent\/Carer<\/p>\n
Here’s hoping you are well enough in the circumstances. It’s been quite\u00a0a difficult spell with the school closed since last\u00a0Wednesday due to the snow.\u00a0You will have heard that we are reopening tomorrow.<\/strong>\u00a0Please do urge your son\/daughter to be careful on the way to school … some routes may still be slippy.<\/p>\n Here is some of the news from last week. I shared that Miss Ashby, Mr I’Anson, Mr Fulton and Miss McIntosh\u00a0were taking a\u00a0busload to Murrayfield for the Calcutta Cup. Maybe they are the lucky mascots! What an excellent occasion it was. We also had another group of young people out and about on that\u00a0Saturday morning … our LGBT+\u00a0group attended an equalities awareness day at Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline.<\/p>\n At the start of the week, our\u00a0Guidance Team members\u00a0assisted our S5\/6 pupils and their parents\/carers\u00a0to select their courses for 2018-2019. On Monday, many S3 pupils\u00a0were vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, polio and meningitis. We also welcomed student teachers\u00a0Ms McDowall (Modern Studies) and\u00a0Ms Torrens (CDT).\u00a0Ms Torrens\u00a0is a former pupil and it was lovely to welcome her back here.<\/p>\n Also on Monday, our S4 “Peer Mentors” were trained to deliver the “Boozebusters” alcohol awareness course to S2. Many thanks to “Clued Up”, “DAPL”\u00a0 and Fife Police for their excellent support. The “Boozebusters” programme is a very effective “peer education” programme aimed at reducing teenage alcohol abuse.\u00a0Thanks also to Mrs Houston and the Guidance Team who have organised such an effective support network. When I was invited to attend\u00a0the anti-bullying launch\u00a0event at the Scottish Government HQ last week, our strong sense of community was\u00a0highly commended and these initiatives are big parts of our ethos and success in improving health and wellbeing “outcomes”.<\/p>\n On Tuesday\u00a0we held\u00a0a “SPEEDY STEM” event for S3 with a large group of STEM Ambassadors in the Hall. This was aimed at raising awareness of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Mrs Aitken\u00a0visited Valley Primary in the afternoon with our “Learning Council” in order to discuss and develop our shared “Learning Charter” across KHS and our primaries. In the evening, our Drama Department\u00a0 performed “Ceasefire Babies” in our own studios. This\u00a0 is part of the National Theatre “Connections” Festival and we are performing the play at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh later this month.\u00a0It was an excellent\u00a0production and the performances were\u00a0superb. Well done all our young actors and to\u00a0the technical team too. Many thanks to Mrs Bruce for her commitment to this and good luck at the Traverse on 28 March.<\/p>\n And, as you know,\u00a0the rest of the week was a whiteout!\u00a0Thanks to Fife Council for calling it correctly on the Tuesday evening, I know that this was a difficult decision, but at least it gave parents\/carers the chance to plan ahead. Well done also to the staff who continued to offer some kind of service from home, using dedicated channels of communication and social media to set up, and even mark, learning tasks. This will have been especially important with S4-6, who have exams coming up in a few weeks time.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, our English Saturday School was postponed. It will now take place on Saturday 24 March. Mrs Shearer\u00a0was due to take a group of 45 pupils to the St Andrews University Classics Conference. Sadly, this has also been cancelled.<\/p>\n The Saturday programme continues over the coming weeks;\u00a010\u00a0March: Latin, Classical Studies, Engineering Science, Graphic Communication and Design & Manufacture, 17 March: Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Drama, 24 March: English and Spanish. These\u00a0sessions run from 9.45am and last up to four hours. Thanks to all the staff who are giving up their time. There is evidence that this time for concentrated study\u00a0can make\u00a0a big\u00a0difference for the exams.<\/p>\n Our S2 Course Choice information will now\u00a0be issued\u00a0tomorrow, with the deadline extended until 14 March and tomorrow’s S2 Parent\/Carer evening is postponed until next Tuesday (13 March). Mr Young sent an email home this morning about that.<\/p>\n We also have\u00a0some input on Wednesday and Thursday this week\u00a0from the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, when they hold “Energiser” science events in the Hall for S1 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Still on the Science theme, Mr Fleming is taking a small group of S2 pupils to Heriot-Watt University on Wednesday for the “Dragonfly Headstart” event.<\/p>\n On Wednesday evening,\u00a0we are hosting the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Public Speaking Fife Final in KHS at 6pm. Best of luck to Morgan Faulds and Cara Hayes (both S3). The girls are up against Auchmuty, Dunfermline and Inverkeithing and\u00a0you are welcome to join us in the Library.\u00a0On the same evening, Miss Diamond and\u00a0Mr Broadway will be attending a Scottish Parliamentary Reception at Holyrood on the theme of school bullying. This is hosted by “Respectme” and our school has been asked along because of our strong commitment to creating a safe, happy and fair school.<\/p>\n The big event this week is undoubtedly the “Friends of Kirkcaldy High School” Ceilidh on Friday 9 March. Mrs Davidson tells me that the last few tickets are available by calling 01592 583405. The ceilidh is a real highlight and usually raises at least \u00a32000 to support good causes in the school eg revamping the Hall and allowing less well off pupils to take part in foreign trips. We have the Bert Pozzi Ceilidh Band and a Valente’s Fish Supper … no wonder it’s likely to sell out again!<\/p>\n Saturday School is Drama, Latin, Classical Studies, CDT: All Subjects.<\/p>\n The\u00a0menu\u00a0this week is;<\/p>\n Tuesday<\/strong>: Tomato soup, Roast Chicken, baby boiled potatoes, broccoli<\/p>\n Wednesday<\/strong>: Minestrone soup, Pork sausage casserole, potatoes and vegetables<\/p>\n Thursday<\/strong>: French onion soup, Red Thai Chilli Beef, noodles and vegetables<\/p>\n Friday<\/strong>: Leek and potato soup, Breaded fish\/Steakbake, chips, peas<\/p>\n We also have baked potatoes, pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salad available every day as well as our new outdoor snack bar. Please also remember that we offer a free cup of soup with bread for all our young people, regardless of their \u201cfree school meals\u201d status.<\/p>\n As always, please do be in touch if we can assist with any matter of concern. Here’s hoping we have a more normal week next week.<\/p>\n With very best wishes to you and your family. Enjoy the weekend.<\/p>\n Derek Allan<\/p>\n RECTOR<\/p>\n 5\u00a0March 2018<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Parent\/Carer Here’s hoping you are well enough in the circumstances. It’s been quite\u00a0a difficult spell with the school closed since last\u00a0Wednesday due to the snow.\u00a0You will have heard that we are reopening tomorrow.\u00a0Please do urge your son\/daughter to be … Continue reading