A big thank you to pupils, families and staff for their contributions to the shoe box appeal. We packed 35 boxes and contributed £35 to postage. Well done all who were involved, especially Burns House, who donated the most items.
Physics Lecture – IET Christmas Lecture
Pupils from Calderhead High attended the The Institute of Engineering and Technology’s Christmas Lecture on 12th December 2016 in Glasgow.
The theme of the lecture was ” What Goes Up Might Come Down” and pupils enjoyed hearing Professor Andrew Rae, Professor of Experimental and Applied Aerodynamics,  University of the Highlands and Islands, talk about aviation.
We now take air travel pretty much for granted but the comfort and safety we expect are achieved in a very harsh environment. At cruising altitude the air outside the aircraft cabin can be more than 50 degrees below zero and the air so thin that oxygen is essential. A few feet away from the cabin is a jet engine operating at a temperature of 2000 degrees Celsius when the materials it is made from melt at 1300 degrees Celsius.
The lecture used a series of practical demonstrations to illustrate some of the physics exploited in the design and operation of a modern airliner and other transport vehicles, including aerodynamics, materials and propulsion.
Zoolab Visit
Zoolab came to visit the Science Department on 30 November.
S1 and S2 pupils got an opportunity to learn about and handle some of the different insects and animals, including an enormous milipede, snake, spider, and green tree frog.
The pupils (and staff) really enjoyed the experience although Aiden admitted that he was (understandably) a “bit nervous” about the poisonous green frog and Evan was surprised that the snake was not slimy and in fact felt as “dry as sand”.
S4 History Students are “Digging In”
S4 National 5 History students attended the “Digging In” Project  on Tuesday, 6th of December.
The Digging In Project has replicated trenches from the Great War by recreating a section of Allied and opposing German trenches in Pollok Park, Glasgow.
The reconstructions draw on a variety of sources, including archaeological excavations carried out in France and Belgium by the University of Glasgow. In the reconstructed trenches, pupils were able to gain an insight into what life was like for soldiers in WW1 – not just the violence of war but also the mundane challenges of daily life in the trenches.
MVP Conference
On Tuesday, 6th December, pupils from Calderhead High School attended a Mentors in Violence Prevention Conference hosted by Education Scotland and the Violence Reduction Unit.
400 young mentors from all over Scotland attended the event, which celebrated the role of the mentors in reducing violence and promoting positive relationships in Scottish schools. Speakers included Michael Mathieson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
Shotts and Dykehead Junior Piping and Drumming Championship
On Saturday 3rd December Shotts and Dykehead Pipe band held their prestigious annual Junior Piping and Drumming Championship. This attracted competitors from all over Scotland as well as two Pipers from Canada. Our own Mackenzie Forrest in S2 was second in the U15 solo drumming pad and sticks competition. Senior Pupils Andrew Lynch, Callum Mathieson, Ceinwyn Barr, Elizabeth Gentleman, Ellie Truesdale Jason Prentice and Rachel Murphy acted as stewards throughout the day which ensured the smooth running of the event.
The feedback has been extremely positive about the venue and how helpful everyone was in making the day a success. A special mention must go to Andrew Lynch for his technical expertise in stage management as well as his calm professional demeanour. Â The prizes were presented by Calderhead High School Headteacher John Robertson.
Happy St Andrew’s Day!
We’re celebrating St Andrew’s Day in Calderhead High today.
Mrs Phee’s  S2 ICT class were researching and reporting on St Andrew using ‘sway’, a digital storytelling application.
A powerpoint detailing facts about St Andrew was also showing on the large screen in the Library.
St Patrick’s Primary Decant
Following issues at their own school, staff and pupils from St Patrick’s Primary School have been with us since Wednesday 23rd November and this will continue until the authority is confident that the issue at St. Patrick’s Primary School is completely resolved.
Our young visitors have settled  in well and we have all been impressed by their good behaviour.  The staff and students of both schools have been very accommodating and professional.
Special mention must go to the pupils of Calderhead High School, who  have conducted themselves in a mature manner and welcomed the Primary School pupils.
For more information, please see attached letter.
Assessing Children’s Progress
The National Improvement Framework has been introduced to provide better information about how children and young people are progressing and how well schools, councils and the Scottish Government are supporting their learning.
As a parent or carer, you may have heard that changes are being introduced to the way your child’s progress is assessed in primary and early secondary school. These changes relate to Curriculum for Excellence and are being introduced to tell us whether children in P1, P4, P7 and S3 have achieved the Curriculum for Excellence defined level of understanding in literacy and numeracy.
Education Scotland have produced a leaflet for parents that provides information and aims to answer questions about assessment of children’s progress and the introduction of national standardised assessments. These assessments are part of the National Improvement Framework.
More information on this can be found on the website Parentzone Scotland.
Christmas Fayre, 26 November 2016
We’re busy getting ready to welcome a very special visitor tomorrow.
Come and see Santa and all the excellent stalls at the school’s Christmas Fayre on 26th November  from 1pm to 3pm.
Don’t forget to bring along a donation for the Food Bank and help a good cause this Christmas.
