Pupils from all year groups enjoyed a terrific Christmas Disco during the second last week of term. Pupils travelled through Santa’s Cave, carefully constructed by sixth year pupils, to enter the disco. The dance floor was filled all evening as staff and pupils began their Christmas celebrations.

Take a look at our gallery of photos from the night. Thanks to our e-Mag team for their sterling work!

There was a packed audience of parents, staff, community friends and distinguished guests for the annual Christmas Concert. Mrs Stefanie Chalmers, Acting Principal Teacher of Performing Arts, produced a very varied programme of entertainment and community carol singing.

From the very beginning when the Samba Band set the concert off to a flier right through the staff rock band leading everyone in ‘I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day’ as the finale, the evening was a truly joyous celebration of the true meaning of Christmas.

At the end of the evening, the raffle had raised £325 to support the Kisadhaki School in Uganda. This was the school 3 of our S5 pupils visited in October.

And, the school captains were delighted to present Margaret Donald, of St Andrew’s Hospice in Airdrie, with a donation of £600. Margaret thanked everyone in the audience for their kindness and the school for its continued support of the Hospice.

The recent ‘Beat the Goalie’ competition, organized by the school’s Fair Trade Group, raised a grand total of £80. This allowed the group to purchase Fair Trade Christmas Hampers to present to our senior community friends at the Law View Sheltered Housing Complex in Wishaw. The group also presented a decorative nativity scene made by our pupils.

Fair Traders, Miss Lucy Kenny, from the Humanities Faculty, and pupil members Nicole Tollan and Erin Laing visited Law View last week to present their early Christmas gift to the residents.The Law Viewers expressed their deep appreciation for the kindness of the Fair Trade Group and clearly eagerly anticipated sampling the wonderful range of chocolate in each of the hampers!

Clyde Valley’s Fair Traders (Miss Lucy Kelly, far left), Erin Laing (kneeling) and Nicole Tollan (far right) present the Law View residents with their Christmas gifts.

Members of the school’s S1 Nurture Group, along with their S6 Peer Mentors, spent a busy morning at the local Morrisons store to help Christmas shoppers with their bag-packing. All of the pupils thoroughly enjoyed the work and were very warmly received by both public and the store employees alike. In turn, Morrisons staff complimented all of the Valley packers for their industry, efficiency and impeccable manners.

A special well done to first year pupils Daniel Cairns 1S1, Marc Downs 1C2, Rebecca Finlayson 1S1, David Gordon1C2, Ben Isherwood 1C2, Ryan Parvin 1C2, Shannon Sirrell 1C1 and Chloe Watson 1C2 who worked tirelessly and with great Festive cheer!

The school would like to thank all of the Morrisons staff for their hospitality and friendliness, with a special thank you to Morrisons Community Liaison Officer, and former Clyde Valley Captain, Stephanie Gray, who organised the visit.

The Clyde Valley bag-packers outside Morrisons in Wishaw.

The school has been delighted to receive many cards from other schools and friends from within Learning and Leisure Services and the wider community. These have been prominently displayed in the main entrance hallway.

As has been our custom for several years, Clyde Valley’s Festive Greetings have been sent via the CVHS Christmas Card Series for 2013. Each of the designs in the 6-card series was created by an S2 pupil: Calum Dunn 2H1, Lisa Megahy 2C1, Annabel Rae 2C1, Carly Murray 2H1, Meghan Hill 2C1 and Stuart Murphy 2C1.

Mr Sommerville presented each of the Christmas artists with copies of their card and a sketch pad and pencils to encourage further design work.

Clyde Valley’s Christmas Card Designers: Back row (left to right): Annabel Rae, Meghan Hill and Lisa Megahy; Seated: Stuart Murphy, Carly Murray and Calum Dunn

Mr Sommerville and the school captains made a special trip to St Aidan’s High School during the last week of term. Alex Murphy, Karen Perry, Adam Lawson and Josh Speirs presented Mr Rooney and their captain counterparts from St Aidan’s High School with a special commemorative ‘Friendship’ banner to recognise St Aidan’s 50^th Anniversary and the long-standing and close working relationship the schools have enjoyed.

In accepting the gift, Mr Rooney was gracious in his appreciation of the warm partnership that exists between St Aidan’s and Clyde Valley. He reflected that partnership will only grow even closer in the years ahead.

Nicholas McDonald, St Aidan’s X Factor finalist, was a surprise visitor the school that afternoon and was delighted to join the presentation ceremony.

St Aidan’s Head Teacher, Tony Rooney (second left), Clyde Valley’s Ian Sommerville (second right), with the school captains of both schools and Nicholas McDonald (centre).