Author Archives: Mr Jack

Ski Club – Autumn 2024

Bearsden Ski and Board Club Logo Dear Parent/Carer,

We are delighted to offer 10 lucky pupils the opportunity to participate in 4 fully funded ski lessons at Bearsden Snowsports Club. These lessons are designed specifically for complete beginners, and there is no cost involved for pupils or their families.

Please note that it is essential for pupils to attend all the dates listed below:

  • Lesson 1: Tuesday, 22nd October
  • Lesson 2: Tuesday, 29th October
  • Lesson 3: Tuesday, 3rd November
  • Lesson 4: Tuesday, 12th November

Pupils will change into their skiing clothing in the PE changing rooms after school and will then be transported to the Bearsden dry slope, departing at 15:45.

Lessons will run from 16:45 to 17:45, with an expected return to school by 18:40. Please note, lessons will only be cancelled in extreme weather conditions.

As mentioned, these lessons are aimed at complete beginners, and the cost of the club is fully covered. While there is no cost to families, pupils will need to wear appropriate ski clothing, as the lessons will take place outdoors. Please ensure your child is dressed for the weather with the following items:

  • Thick waterproof gloves
  • Long-sleeved top
  • Tracksuit/jogging bottoms or waterproof trousers (no jeans)
  • Layers to stay warm/cool
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Thick, high socks
  • Water bottle

All skis, bindings, boots, and poles will be provided by the Snowsports Club.

If you wish your child to be considered for this opportunity, please return the consent form and factsheet by Friday, 27th September.

Should we receive more than 10 applications, participants will be selected at random.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

G. Nicol
Teacher of Geography and Modern Studies
gw20nicolguy@glow.sch.uk

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

As part of our preparations for the upcoming school ski trip to Italy, we need to ensure that all students are adequately covered for any medical needs that may arise during the trip. To this end, we require all participating pupils to have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

The EHIC card provides access to state-provided healthcare in European countries at a reduced cost or sometimes for free, making it an essential part of travel preparation within Europe.

If Your Child Already Has an EHIC Card:

If your child already has a valid EHIC card, please provide a copy of the card details to the school. You can either send a photocopy of the card with your child, or alternatively, you can hand the card into the office and they will photocopy it for you.

If Your Child Does Not Have an EHIC Card:

If your child does not yet have an EHIC card, you can apply for one online, and the process is straightforward and free of charge. Please visit the official EHIC website at

www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/to apply

Do not use any other website apart from the official NHS website and others can wrongly include a fee. After receiving the card, kindly ensure that you submit a copy of it to the school office.

Please note that having an EHIC card is a mandatory requirement for this trip.

We appreciate your attention to this matter to ensure that all students are fully prepared for the trip. If you have any questions or require further assistance with the application process, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at gw15jackdavid@glow.sch.uk.

Next Payment Details

The next important payment milestone for the ski trip is Thursday, 29th August. By this date, all families are expected to have contributed £800 towards the total cost of the trip. Please make this payment via ParentPay.

We understand that unexpected circumstances can arise. If you encounter any difficulties in making this payment, please do not hesitate to contact me directly via the email address below or through the ski trip website.

The final balance of £1,000 is due by Thursday, 3rd October.

Two Spaces Available

Due to unforeseen circumstances, two pupils have unfortunately had to withdraw from the Italy trip, leaving us with 38 students confirmed. While we can proceed with this number, we are eager to fill the available spots to bring our group up to 40 participants. If you know of any S2 or S3 students who might be interested in joining the ski trip at this late stage, please ask them to contact Mr. Jack so we can explore the possibility of including them.

Gather Pupil Passport Information

As we prepare for this unforgettable adventure, it’s important that we gather all necessary information from pupils to ensure smooth travel arrangements. To facilitate this process, I kindly request that you complete the digital form provided using the following link:

Scan to enter passport information

https://forms.office.com/e/ccisse2QJ1 

This information will be shared with the travel company well in advance of our departure. Please ensure that the form is completed by Friday, May 31st.

If there are any issues with providing this data then please let Mr Jack know via email.

One block of ski lesson finished

A heartfelt thank you extends to the 10 pupils whose enthusiasm and dedication illuminated the ski sessions at Bearsden. Witnessing their remarkable progress over just 4 weeks was truly inspiring.

Exciting news awaits! We’ve secured an additional 4 lessons with Bearsden Snowsports Club.

We’ve drawn 10 names from the participants of the ski trip, who will be notified today. To the selected pupils: kindly ensure your completed forms are submitted promptly. Any forms not returned will lead to substitution, as we aim to utilise all 10 spots.

Looking ahead optimistically, we aim to secure more funding for similar opportunities later in the year, extending participation to those who haven’t yet had the chance to join.

Using The Tow

Great to see our pupils progressing on the Dry Slope.

After only 3 weeks of lessons our pupils have now progressed the the main slope and they are using the main tow to get up the slope. An amazing display of determination and resilience and we are impressed by how far they have come so far. There was also pupils showing off and doing small jumps and they made their way down the slope. Impressive stuff, can’t wait to see how all the pupils progress when we are in Italy.

Thank You For First Payment

A massive thank you to the majority of parents and carers who have already paid the deposit for the trip. Mr Jack is chasing up a few more payments this week and will be finalising the list of pupils who will be attending the trip. Once this has been done we will have our first meeting together. Pupils should expect an announcement on the school tannoy.

A list of pupils names is currently posted outside Mr Jack’s class and outside the school canteen. As this list changes due to drop outs, the list will be updated as quickly as possible.

Mr Jack will be regularly checking the payments via parent pay. If there are any issues with payment please stay in touch and we can be flexible if needed. Mr Jack may communicate home with parents if payments are not up to date and communication with the school has not been made.

Thank you once again for the clear communication with families and I hope you find the information on this website useful.

Start of the KPSS Ski Club

We’re thrilled to announce the start of the King’s Park Secondary Ski Club 2024! Ten lucky pupils were randomly selected from the forty who attended the trip to visit Bearsden Snowsport Club, where they had the chance to enhance their ski skills. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Physical Education, Physical Activity, and School Sport (PEPASS) team, as well as Active Schools, for funding these invaluable opportunities. A huge thank you to Mr G Nicol in Geography who organised the paperwork and pupils for the club.

Unfortunately, we were limited to only 10 funded spaces on the club. As we continue to monitor our funding closely, our goal is to expand these opportunities to even more pupils in the future. Stay tuned for further updates!

 

The Trip is Launched!

Today I was able to inform the pupils who were successful on gaining a space on the trip and those who have been placed on the reserve list. The list of the 40 pupils who have been selected have been placed on the notice boards outside the office and Mr Jack’s room(106).

I would like to apologise for any delay in communication with parents/carers, this was frustrating for me as we waited for the trip details to be approved by Glasgow City Council. I am delighted to say it was approved today at 1pm and I managed to get almost all of the letters out to pupils by the end of the day.

I hope you find the information provided useful as well as the content stored on this website. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.

AMENDMENT: I would like to make an amendment the the trip deposit date. The documentation given to families states that the first deposit should be paid by Thursday 7th March. Due to the tight turn around I would like to extend this period to Thursday 14th March. If you have any issues with this please don’t hesitate to contact me.

I will be updating this website regularly, so please visit often.

D Jack