The S1 and S2 Clyde Valley Readers travelled to Our Lady’s High in Motherwell for an audience with author Steve Cole. The event was part of a tour of schools organised by Random House publishers to launch, Shoot to Kill, the latest title in the Young Bond series of books.

The launch was also to welcome Steve Cole as the current writer of the series as he takes over the mantle from Charlie Higson. Higson, is a firm favourite of Clyde Valley High pupils, his The Enemy series of books often tops the CVHS library issues list. In 2010 Clyde Valley High was lucky enough to be paid a visit by Charlie Higson on his whistle – stop Authors Live tour.

                                                       Authors Charlie Higson and Steve Cole
Steve Cole kept pupils entertained with a hilarious history of espionage and the tools of a spy’s trade. Steve then threw down the gauntlet for the audience to take up The Queensmarch Challenge; a soft target shooting game (all very safe). Clyde Valley pupil, Rachel Lees took up the challenge along with a pupil from Our Lady’s High but both were beaten by Steve!

                                    Rachel Lees, 2H2, on stage with a triumphant Steve Cole.
Steve read an extract from, Shoot to Kill, and engaged in a question and answer session with the audience. Copies of the new Bond book were available to purchase and Steve signed these books while chatting with pupils.  A good time was had by all.

 Burns Competition Winners

As part of the Eco-schools biodiversity project the Wonderful World Club made bird ball feeders from, seeds, lard and string. A very messy job, indeed, but as can be seen from the photographs one that was enjoyed by pupils and staff alike. The seeds and lard were mixed by hand, shaped into balls, attached to string and allowed to set for a week. Once the feeders were set, Miss Kelly, Miss McGough and club members placed them on or around trees in the school grounds. Any birds or wildlife that visit the school grounds are sure to find a feast during the winter months.

This term Miss McGough and the library irregulars bade a sad and tearful farewell to state of the art and aesthetically pleasing macs. The macs have  been an eye-catching and popular addition to the library since 2009. In October they  were re-located to the Art Department where they will be a great benefit to the school’s digital photography students.

Here, in the library, new pcs have replaced the macs and they are proving to be fabulously fast and the irregulars and myself are growing to love them. The pcs may not be as pretty as the macs but as one senior boy reminded me, “Miss, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!”

S1 pupils Jamie, Connor, Robert, Samantha and Lisa were members of the last class to use the library macs.

    

To celebrate National Poetry Day 2013, Clyde Valley High held a poetry competition for S1 pupils. This year National Poetry Day was sponsored by Scottish Water and the theme was, unsurprisingly, Water.

During library period each S1 English class discussed poetry techniques, the theme of water and listened to a recording of poet, Diana Hendry, reciting, “What is the Pond Doing?”. Pupils were then set the task of writing their own Water poem. The standard of work was very high and the two most descriptive and imaginative poems from each S1 English class were chosen to be judged by Mrs Cimmino, Acting PT of English. Mrs Cimmino chose Iona Orr’s poem as the overall, and very deserving, winner. For her book prize, Iona requested a copy of the latest edition of, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.  

Winner –  Iona Orr, 1C2

Runners–up

Elizabeth Hendrie, 1C2, Shannon Sirrell, 1C1, Lewis O’Neill, 1C1, David Kennedy, 1S1, Jade Purcell, 1S1, Amy Stewart, 1H1, Porsha Fitzpatrick, 1H1

A display of the S1 pupils’ poems is on show in the English corridor.

Water by Iona Orr

Dancing in the moonlight,

Shining like the stars,

Glistening with the sight of the sun,

Water takes you far,

You sit for ages watching it,

As it stares back at you,

Until the sight of your face goes blurry,

And the river sweeps you through.

This Halloween we had lots of fun at Clyde Valley High. The library was decorated to a Halloween theme. Scary stories where told during the S2, Tales by Torchlight library periods, a fun filled Halloween party was held for S1-S6 pupils one evening after school and The Wonderful World Club dooked for apples, at lunchtime, on Halloween day.

Miss Kelly spoke to the Wonderful World Club about the origins of Halloween in Celtic culture and how ancient cultural beliefs and traditions tie in with the changing of the seasons. Large apple harvests led to an excess of the fruit, and so, there were spare apples to eat and to dook for.

S1 – S6 HALLOWEEN PARTY

Staff getting in on the act………