Over the last couple of weeks, the Wonderful World Club, hosted by the Geography Department, has hosted a number of ‘teacher talks’. In these, teachers have been informing pupils about their own experiences of the wider world, relaying to them the sights, sounds and pictures of their experiences.

Miss Lucy Kelly, herself a Geography teacher, recalled her time in Bolivia in South America. She recalled the warmth of the people and her visit to the breath-taking Bolivian Salt Flats.

English teacher, Miss Clare Daly entertained pupils with her recollections of spending the summer of 2013 living on a farm in Zambia. Miss Daly handed out valuable advice, advising pupils never to stand between a hippo and its route back to the river!

The highlight of Miss Daly’s trip was undoubtedly watching the sun go down over the Luangwa River. The Luangwa is one of the main tributaries of the Zambesi and provided spectacular views for Miss Daly.

The most recent talk featured Modern Languages teacher, Mrs Hedda McLeod telling of her time spent living in Soviet Russia during the late eighties. This time of great change in Eastern Europe, found Miss McLeod experiencing the hardship of food shortages and queuing for basic food supplies. On a brighter note Miss McLeod also spoke of the beauty and history of some Russian buildings, such as St Basil’s Orthodox Cathedral in Red Square.

Each Teacher Talk has been accompanied by a slide show of photographs bringing the information to life. The next talk will take place on Thursday 5th June and will feature Modern Languages teacher, Mr Christopher Gibney, speaking of his time in Spain and France.

The photograph shows Miss Kelly (back left) and Miss Daly with the audience who were present for Miss Daly’s talk of her time spent in Zambia.

Pauline McLeish and Carolyn Thornton from the ‘Make A Wish Foundation’ were very welcome guests last week. On behalf of the entire school, Captains, Adam Lawson, Karen Perry and Josh Speirs, presented Pauline and Carolyn with a cheque for £7,300, the magnificent total raised during our recent Charities Week. Mr Vincent Lanagan, Depute Head Teacher in charge of S4-S6, who assisted the captains with the coordination, was also on hand to meet our visitors.

Pauline and Carolyn said, ‘We can’t thank the staff and pupils of Clyde Valley enough for this magnificent donation. Please know your generosity will allow ‘Make a Wish’ to bring moments of spectacular joy to a number of young people, and their families, at a time when they are battling illness and life-limiting conditions.

Having seen the pictures of the week’s events, we’re both just sorry we missed what looked like great fun! Well done and thanks to you all.’

Cheque Presentation (left to right): Adam Lawson, Pauline McLeish, Karen Perry, Carolyn Thornton, Vincent Lanagan and Josh Speirs.

40 S1 and S2 pupils recently travelled to the heart of rural Perthshire for the annual visit to Teen Ranch Scotland. In glorious sunshine the group bade farewell to family and friends as they set off on the two hour coach journey to their Teen Ranch base.

Party leader, Mr Clark Govan of the PE Department, has been running the Teen Ranch club two lunchtimes each week throughout the session in preparation for the stay which is always one of the year’s highlights. At Teen Ranch, pupils stay in surrounding set out like an authentic Wild West ranch, with even wigwams on site.

Over a busy three-day programme, pupils tackle mountain-biking, pony trekking, Canadian canoeing, and water sliding and archery.

Our picture captures Miss Clare Hughes (front and centre) leading Clyde Valley’s pony-trekkers during a training session at Teen Ranch Scotland.

A party of avid readers from S2 and S3 travelled to the Mitchell Library in Glasgow last week to meet with Children’s Laureate, Malorie Blackman. The event was one of a number of ‘Meet the Laureate’ seminars organised by the Scottish Book Trust.

Award-winning author, Malorie, enthralled the young people with her passionate description of her love of literature and the craft of writing. She entertained her young audience with her often amusing tales of the period when she was a struggling young writer and her endless search for a publisher. Her esteemed position as Laureate certainly proved to be one story with a happy ending!

Malorie then took time to answer questions and to sign individual copies of her books.

Clyde Valley’s S2/S3 readers with Children’s Laureate, Malorie Blackman.

Pupils in first year enjoyed a day off timetable last week to take part in the annual S3 Health Day.

Principal Teachers of Pupil Support, Mr Ian Love and Mrs Mari-Claire Barclay, worked with the school’s PE Department and a number of partner organisations to deliver a busy and varied programme of personal development and health activities.

All of the pupils took part with great enthusiasm as they tried their hand at mountain biking, dancing, judo and several other sporting challenges. Colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland delivered CPR training, drugs awareness education and the consequences of knife crime.

Third year pupils captured mountain-biking during Clyde Valley’s S3 Health Day.

Pupils in Clyde Valley’s S1 and S2 classes have adorned the Library Resource Centre with a colourful display of Book Marks. The pupils undertook this challenging design task as part of the celebrations of the World Book Day on 25 April.

Pupils worked on this task in a joint project with the Art Department under the guidance of Miss Wendy McKenna and Mrs Julie Menzies.

All of the finished originals were posted to London for consideration by the National Book Week judging panel. The Clyde Valley pupils will eagerly await the outcome and will have fingers crossed that one of them might scoop the £250 and £100 main prizes.

Miss Clare Daly’s S3 English class recently visited the Falls of Clyde Woodland Centre to undertake field study work linked into the themes they have been working on in their recent novel study. Having read about woodland activities and wildlife conservation challenges, the class were thrilled to visit the peregrine falcon nest site and learn of the 24-hour surveillance undertaken to protect the eggs against poachers.

At the Centre, pupils also learned about the range of plant species to be found in the locality and how the Woodland Trust works to preserve the beauty of the stunning natural surroundings.

In keeping with their thematic study, the pupils were inspired to create their own ‘survival guides’ taking due account of the natural resources at their disposal. Everyone enjoyed a fascinating trip and having a picnic in the lovely spring sunshine.

The Clyde Valley third year pupils and teachers during their recent visit to the Falls of Clyde.

The school is delighted to announce Ryan Devine of S5 will be this year’s Dux of School. Joint recipients of the Proxime Accessit Award for runner-up to the Dux will be fellow S5 pupils, Gary McFarlane and Heather Waugh. Ryan, Gary and Heather will receive their David Colville Memorial Medals at prize giving on Monday 23 June.

Congratulations to Taylor Hamilton of third year on becoming the Scottish Junior Open Boxing Champion. Craigneuk lad, Taylor’s achievement was all the more remarkable as he scooped the title in his first ever competitive fight. Despite impressing trainer Jack Parvin by his determination and fitness, there was a slight hesitancy about setting Taylor’s first competitive bout in the environment of the national championship in Glasgow. However, Jack’s confidence in Taylor was rewarded when he captured the Scottish Junior title, without losing a single round. The school now looks forward to watching Taylor’s boxing career progress in the future.

Taylor Hamilton stops by the Head Teacher’s office to show off his championship medal and fighting stance!

Mr Ian Sommerville, Clyde Valley’s Head Teacher for the past 19 years has announced his intention to retire at the end of the Session. Mr Sommerville succeeded Mr Jack Gallagher, Clyde Valley’s first Head Teacher, in May 1995. He informed staff, the Parent Group and, of course, his pupils last week, letting them know he is very much looking forward to continuing to work hard with them in his remaining months in post. It is anticipated the Head Teacher ‘vacancy’ will be advertised shortly.