Dear Parent\/Carer<\/p>\n
I hope that our weekly news roundup finds you well and you are looking forward to the weekend.<\/p>\n
Last Friday\u00a0our U13 football team\u00a0took on\u00a0Dumfries High School in the quarter final of the Scottish Shield,\u00a0and won an excellent contest 6-3. Well done to them. They\u00a0now take on Portobello High School in the semi-final, which will be played at Kelty Hearts ground next Friday (24 March) at 5.30pm. All welcome.<\/p>\n
Then, of course, last week ended\u00a0with our annual fund raising Ceilidh. It was\u00a0organised by “Friends of Kirkcaldy High School” and our own Mrs Davidson (Depute Head). Thanks to all who\u00a0attended or donated raffle prizes.\u00a0It was another\u00a0great night with the Bert Pozzi Band and we have raised\u00a0around\u00a0\u00a32700 to support our work.\u00a0We are lucky to have such a proactive group of supporters.<\/p>\n
On Monday we had\u00a0a Biology trip to Dundee Science Centre as well as a Friends of KHS mentoring session for our S5 pupils who are sitting 5 Highers. We\u00a0also held\u00a0SQA Music performance exams and in the evening it was the\u00a0Fourth Year Parent\/Carer Evening. This\u00a0was a great opportunity to get any issues resolved in time for course completion or exams in May.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday we\u00a0marked “Pi Day” by having themed activities across the school. The focus\u00a0was on circles and triangles in recognition of the achievements of Pythagoras. Well done to Mrs Hamilton and the Maths team who took the lead, and all the staff who laid on themed lessons.\u00a0Also on Tuesday, there\u00a0was a\u00a0CDT trip to visit the Fife traditional building skills exhibition, held at the Town House and in Kirkcaldy Town Square. It was a great experience for our young people, who got to use traditional tools under the guidance of craft stonemasons, slaters and carpenters. In the evening,\u00a0our Parent Council sponsored\u00a0a special event, with an emphasis on Teenage Drugs and Alcohol Issues.\u00a0<\/strong>Representatives from\u00a0the school,\u00a0the DAPL and “Clued Up” support agencies, and the Police\u00a0shared information on drugs, alcohol and new psycho-active substances, or so-called\u00a0“legal highs”.\u00a0\u00a0It\u00a0was a great opportunity to learn more about these issues\u00a0and it gave\u00a0parents\/carers a better understanding. Thanks to those who attended, I know that you found it very valuable.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Ms Wight and our Higher Geography students\u00a0attended a special conference at St Andrews University\u00a0and yesterday, the University’s “Geobus”\u00a0held earthquake “workshops” in school. Both of these engagements were excellent … we enjoy a very good partnership with the University. On that theme, I was delighted to learn that 25 young people in S5 have applied for the Sutton Trust Summer School this year. It’s an excellent wider access scheme which helps working class young people with no family history of a\u00a0university education to get a flavour of the experience. Mrs Hunter is also continuing to support our S3 “First Chances” group as they follow their programme with St Andrews and she is planning to meet with the potential new entrants in S2 next week. Our latest report, just in, shows that 34% of last summer’s leavers went on to university. That’s a 3% rise on the previous year and our highest ever figure. I find this trend encouraging.<\/p>\n As I explained last week, over the weekend ahead, we’ll have several groups of young people involved in the Adam Smith Festival of Ideas, organised by the Adam Smith Global Foundation. Mrs Meek, Ms Young are I\u00a0are accompanying groups of young people to seminars, lectures and various events. I’m looking forward to this evening\u00a0when I’ll be joined by Lachlan Duncan and\u00a0Lauren McArthur\u00a0(both S6)\u00a0to the reception and lecture being delivered by Ed Balls, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, whilst another group of our pupils also attend the lecture itself. Our\u00a0Saturday School\u00a0tomorrow\u00a0is Biology, Chemistry and Physics at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher.<\/p>\n Next week is the penultimate week of term and we have assemblies\u00a0with a focus on “Learner Journeys”, including recent leavers and\u00a0staff telling their career stories.\u00a0On Monday we have a Chemistry Trip to Dundee Science Centre and\u00a0N4 Maths students in\u00a0S4\/5 undertake their Added Value assessment in the Assembly Hall. In the afternoon we have a special careers talk for potential hairdressers\u00a0in the Library with Dom Migele.<\/p>\n On Wednesday we are holding an SQA Art Practical Day, and hosting the Disability Sport Fife Football in the afternoon. In the evening, the Drama Department\u00a0will put on another performance of\u00a0\u201cThree\u201d, this time at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, sponsored by the National Theatre of Scotland. Many thanks to Ms Bruce and Mr McPherson for their work with this … and best wishes to all our performers.<\/p>\n Next Thursday is the Fife Final of the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Public Speaking Competition. Team KHS (Morgan Faulds and Cara Hayes, both S2)\u00a0take on teams form Auchmuty, Inverkeithing and Queen Anne High Schools. It all happens in our school\u00a0from 6pm and spectators are very welcome.<\/p>\n Next week’s hot dish menu 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 pasta, sandwich, soup and salad options too.\u00a0 Do remember that a cup of home-made soup is available free to all young people at lunchtime.<\/p>\n I have also been asked by Fife Council\u00a0to\u00a0remind you about\u00a0the new Online Payment System called iPayimpact, which will affect school meals\u00a0arrangements. The system will allow you to make payments for school meals from any internet enabled PC, laptop, mobile or tablet, or via PayPoint at your local store. It could mean\u00a0your\u00a0son\/daughter no longer needs to carry cash to school, as you can “top up” their “Myfife” card remotely. KHS is expected to go live week beginning 17 April and the Council will issue more details on how to register for the online account together with a unique registration code soon.<\/p>\n Please find attached our “Easter School” programme for SQA exam candidates. You will see that we are offering extra revision sessions in almost all subjects. I must thank all the staff involved and also Miss Diamond for putting together the programme. Please urge your son\/daughter to get along if they can. We find that those young people who get involved report that it is a great help. There are only 6 weeks left to the exams and a focussed effort over that time can make all the difference.\u00a0Our employability bulletin is also attached as usual – thanks to Miss McIntosh and Miss Nessel with this.<\/p>\n Finally, thanks and very best wishes to Mrs MacDougall of the English Department, who leaves us today to take up a post at Levenmouth Academy.<\/p>\n Please do be in touch\u00a0for help or support – your son or daughter’s Guidance Teacher is the usual first point of contact.<\/p>\n Yours aye<\/p>\n Derek Allan<\/p>\n RECTOR<\/p>\n 17 March 2017<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Parent\/Carer I hope that our weekly news roundup finds you well and you are looking forward to the weekend. Last Friday\u00a0our U13 football team\u00a0took on\u00a0Dumfries High School in the quarter final of the Scottish Shield,\u00a0and won an excellent contest … Continue reading