S1 and S2 pupils were excited to receive a surprise early Christmas present this week – each pupil got their own book to keep.
At Calderhead High School, we are committed to promoting reading for pleasure and as well as celebrating reading throughout the year, we take part in initiatives such as the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.
We were delighted to be able to gift the books to the pupils and hope they enjoy reading them over the Christmas break.
We will be holding two Christmas Ceilidhs in the school this month:
Our ceilidhs are always great fun and a wonderful opportunity to practice your social dancing! There will be both traditional and modern music, as well as games with prizes.
There will also be snacks and drinks available. You can change into your own clothes for the ceilidh but we do ask that no high heels or football colours are worn.
Tickets for the whole school ceilidh cost £1 and will be available in the social area at interval and lunch from Monday.
S3 Modern Studies pupils will begin their annual foodbank collection on Monday, 26th November 2018. The collection will continue until Friday, 14th December.
All items collected will be donated to the Trussell Trust’s Airdrie Foodbank.
Pupils are hoping to build on the great success of previous collections by encouraging all those within the Calderhead High School community to donate at least one item over the next three weeks. Items which can be donated include non-perishable food items, such as tinned soup, beans and vegetables; dried foods such as rice, noodles, and pasta; as well as cooking sauces, salt, pepper, tea bags, coffee, diluting juice, and longlife milk and juices. Non food items such as nappies, wipes, toilet and kitchen rolls, toothpaste and other toiletries would also be greatly appreciated.
Donations can be handed into Calderhead High School and placed in the House boxes. There will also be a collection point during the school’s Christmas Fayre to be held on Saturday, 1st December.
Please make this a merry Christmas for those most in need within our community.
Next week Book Week Scotland is taking place from Monday 19 – Sunday 25 November 2018 and Calderhead High School are hosting many exciting activities to celebrate.
The English department are running a sponsored Readathon for all S1-S2 pupils. Let’s see how many books they can read over the course of the week! Please click here for more information.
On Tuesday, 20th November 30 pupils will receive an award to attend the ‘Book Bistro’ where they will have the opportunity to read as they sip on hot chocolate with marshmallows. This is for S1 and S2 pupils who we think have made significant progress in reading, are avid readers or have shown signs of sustained effort in Literacy. Congratulations to all who are selected. We’ll also be announcing the winners of our ‘Rebel’ creative writing contest.
On Wednesday, 21st November we have our weekly Comic Book Club running, and will be talking about some of our excellent Scottish comic book and graphic novelists.
On Thursday, 22nd November we are hosting a ‘Drop Everything and Read’ event. This is open to all classes across all subjects – ask your teacher if you are taking part in their subject. Pupils can read books, comics, revision notes, class textbooks … the aim is to get as many pupils reading in as many subjects as we can whilst learning at the same time. More information is available at http://www.dropeverythingandread.com/ for more information.
There will also be a reading lunch for S3-S6 in the library that will be ticketed for quiet reading time, all senior pupils are welcome to come along and read.
On Friday, 23rd November there will be a special Scottish book group meeting at lunchtime, all welcome.
If you would like to read more about Book Week Scotland, please click here: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland
Happy reading everyone !
The English department and Irene Lumsden (Librarian)
Calderhead High School
Dyslexia Awareness Week took place from 5 – 10 November 2018 and the theme this year was ‘My Wider World’. As many as 1 in 10 children and adults in Scotland have dyslexia, which can impact their lives in many ways, including difficulties with reading, writing or spelling. Pupils and staff at Calderhead High School marked Dyslexia Awareness Week in the school by wearing blue ribbons.
S4 pupil, Aiden, presented an Assembly to S1 and S2 pupils about dyslexia, ably assisted by S2 pupils, Jack and Cole. Some of our great selection of dyslexia friendly books were also on display in the library all week.
Pupils and staff also participated in a dyslexia word search competition. Congratulations to Chelsea in S2 and Miss Gillanders who were our lucky winners, and thank you to Mr O’Donnell and Ross in S1 who helped Aiden draw the winners.
Pupils and parents/carers of P7 pupils are invited to attend an introductory meeting here in Calderhead High School on Tuesday, 20 November 2018 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm.
The transition of children from Primary to Secondary school is a major experience for both pupils and their families and the involvement of Parents/Carers is acknowledged as central to the smooth transfer of children from Primary to Secondary school.
More information is available by clicking the link below:
Calderhead High School has a long history of supporting good causes. Once again we will be supporting the Blythswood Trust Shoe Box Appeal as part of the RME curriculum.
We are looking for toiletries, toys, gloves, hats, scarves and any other suitable items that would be a welcome gift for children and adults. Sweets are also welcome but the expiry dates must be seen and must be ‘best before’ March 2020. No chocolate, biscuits or cakes please. If you prefer to donate money instead that would also be welcome , as postage for the boxes needs to be paid.
All donations are gratefully received.
Click here for more information about the appeal and items needed.
Mrs Buchanan
The S1 Parents’ Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 6 November 2018 from 4:30pm – 6:30pm. This will be an opportunity to meet with all of your child’s teachers to discuss their progress so far at Calderhead.
Please see the attached letter for more information.
You can get information about free school meals and essential clothing grants on the North Lanarkshire Council website by clicking here.
Parents who applied last year have either been issued with a letter advising them of their entitlement to an automatic award or sent an application form for completion.
The form are available to download on the website or you can request them from the school office.
Applications will be accepted at First Stop Shops from the first week in June.
Early submission is encouraged to ensure clothing grants are made and free school meals registered for the start of the new session.
Mr Leitch and our four seniors, Elizabeth Gentleman, Morgan Lynch, Heather McCallum and Kate Sutherland will be departing for their trip to Malawi on Tuesday.
They have a very busy itinerary, which includes visiting projects and schools, as well as gardening and renovation work.
Thank you to everyone who donated the first aid and medical supplies to take to Malawi.
Mrs Crosbie’s knitting group also created and donated some wonderful garments. We look forward to hearing from our intrepid travellers when they return.
