Dear Parent\/Carer<\/p>\n
I hope that you are well and maybe starting to feel a bit festive? Or maybe a bit stressed even!<\/p>\n
This week we had\u00a0year group assemblies with a musical input at each. Many thanks to all our contributors. We also focussed on the case of Bailey Gwynne, the Aberdeen schoolboy who was stabbed to death in his school last year.\u00a0From the feedback at\u00a0assemblies, it\u00a0seems clear to\u00a0me that\u00a0almost all of our\u00a0young people would be prepared to “grass” if anyone\u00a0ever did have a weapon in school. However, there is obviously no room for complacency, it’s a matter of life and death.\u00a0Maybe you\u00a0could go over this at home; emphasising that an adult must be informed immediately?<\/p>\n
On Monday, our Senior netball team took part in the Fife Championships at Glenrothes and at\u00a0lunchtime, it was\u00a0the staff Interhouse Bake-Off Competition. Well done to winners Mr Cromb and Ms Wight, representing Adam Smith House. There\u00a0was a big crowd to watch the good natured\u00a0fun.\u00a0On the Tuesday\u00a0afternoon we had a group\u00a0at the St Andrews University Christmas Chemistry Lecture, which was, as ever, a fun-packed learning experience.<\/p>\n
Wednesday was our annual Christmas Concert. I must say that as in previous years, it\u00a0was a special occasion, with very varied musical, dramatic and comical items, and a fair amount of audience participation.\u00a0For me, Dr Murray’s contributions deserve a special mention. He had the entire audience singing along to Matt McGinn’s\u00a0“Jeely Piece Song”.<\/p>\n
Last night our U13 football team recorded an excellent\u00a06-0 win against Balwearie in the Scottish Shield and will now play Our Lady’s High School of\u00a0Cumbernauld, at home\u00a0in Round 5. It was also\u00a0our Rotary Interact “Hi-5” Games Night when we welcomed young people from St Andrew’s High and from Glenrothes.\u00a0Many thanks to Kirkcaldy Rotary Club, which does so much to support our young people. In particular, our Interact group are a great credit to the school, doing so much for others, volunteering, fund-raising etc. Maybe you’ve seen the lovely picture in this week’s Fife Free Press? Today,\u00a0our First Years and some Second Year\u00a0attended the Adam Smith Theatre for the pantomime, Cinderella. I\u2019m told it was \u201cbrilliant\u201d \u2026 and that\u2019s a direct quote!<\/p>\n
The week ahead is the final week of term and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we have Christmas House Assemblies with our school Chaplain, Rev Ken Froude.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Mrs Aitken will accompany Ashley Davidson (S6)\u00a0to lunch at the Kirkcaldy Rotary Club, which meets at the Dean Park Hotel. Ashley\u00a0is a special guest after being selected for the “Euroscola” programme –\u00a0a fully funded trip to Strasbourg in February to meet young people from across Europe and participate in a special debate in the European Parliament … in French. Very well done to Ashley, and many thanks to Mrs Morris (PT Languages) who helped Ashley undergo a very tough selection process.\u00a0We also have a couple of trips next week; to the McManus Art Galleries, Dundee and the Continental Christmas Market at Edinburgh. And I’m looking forward to our very own “in-house” Christmas Chemistry Lecture in the Hall on Wednesday afternoon. Going\u00a0on previous experience, I’m expecting explosions, fire-balls,\u00a0bad smells, dry-ice and mysterious colour changing chemical reactions.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0term ends on Friday 23 December, when we have our traditional staff “X-Factor” or “talent” show. You’ll understand that term “talent”\u00a0is used quite loosely, but it’s always a\u00a0fitting finale to the year. We expect the buses at around 12.15pm. It will be a “Dress Down Day” and we welcome donations (50p or \u00a31 if possible)\u00a0for “Refuge Fife”. A reminder that we are still collecting young people’s clothes for the camp in Greece and taking donations of food for Kirkcaldy Foodbank. We have a “Donation Station” right at our main entrance.<\/p>\n
Next week’s hot dish menu is; Monday: Chicken and mushroom pie with potatoes. Tuesday: Gammon steak\u00a0and chips. Wednesday: Mince pie and mash. Thursday: Lasagne with garlic bread. Friday: Buffet menu. We also have our pasta, sandwich, soup and salad options too.<\/p>\n
As of\u00a0Monday past, to promote simple, hearty\u00a0and\u00a0healthy eating, we\u00a0have made\u00a0our\u00a0homemade\u00a0vegetable soup completely free to all young people.\u00a0This offer is proving popular. I hope it will be helpful, especially for families on lower incomes.<\/p>\n
Our\u00a0regular employability bulletin is attached … thanks to Miss McIntosh and Miss Nessel, who compile this weekly update.<\/p>\n
Another\u00a0attachment is our “Saturday School” timetable for 2017. This is aimed at our Senior Phase students studying for SQA exams at National 5 or Higher level. Different subjects are allocated a Saturday slot between January and the Easter break. We find that these sessions can really make a difference to exam grades – please encourage your son\/daughter’s participation.<\/p>\n
Next week, Mrs Davidson will send parents\/carers of S5\/6\u00a0a copy prelim timetable, starting on Wednesday 11 January 2017. S4 exams will begin Monday 6 February. These practice exams are taken in class time (usually in the Hall) and there is no “study leave”.<\/p>\n
All the best to you … if we can help with anything, do be in contact.<\/p>\n
Yours<\/p>\n
Derek Allan<\/p>\n
RECTOR<\/p>\n
16 December 2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear Parent\/Carer I hope that you are well and maybe starting to feel a bit festive? Or maybe a bit stressed even! This week we had\u00a0year group assemblies with a musical input at each. Many thanks to all our contributors. … Continue reading