Click on the link below to see letter from Headteacher regarding school arrangements.

Click Here for Letter

Message to Parents/Carers

Parents and carers are advised that North Lanarkshire Council Communications team are preparing to release information as soon as possible through its normal communication channels regarding the closure of schools to pupils from today. This will include

· Arrangements for children of key workers (including clarification of who Key Workers are)
· Clarfication of arrangements for S4-S6 pupils for SQA accreditation purposes
· Arrangements for those children requiring free school meals from Monday onwards
· Arrangements for children with additional support needs fromMonday

Further information will be available through your school’s normal communication channels from Monday onwards.

Regards

Gerard

Gerard J. McLaughlin
Head of Education (North)
Education and Families
Civic Centre,
Motherwell

Click Here for Attached Document

Dear Parents /Carers

Following advice from the Scottish Government to close educational establishment today, we fully recognise that from today children and young people may be at home for a long period of time and we have produced a suite of materials to support their learning – further information about materials will be sent to you in due course.

Understandably, this is an unsettling time for children, young people and their carers and many people will be feeling anxious about the current situation and the impact that it may have on the health and wellbeing of family, friends and colleagues.

For this reason we have also included information to help you reassure your child.  Many of these resources have been developed in collaboration with South Lanarkshire Council.  The attached document provides some advice and guidance.

We will continue to up-date this resource and ensure that it is widely available online.  You will be notified of these updates next week.

Thank you for your on-going support during these challenging times.

Regards

Derek Brown
Executive Director .

Click Here for the Document Link

Due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)and the closure of the school, Skills Development Scotland cannot deliver career services face to face, but they are still there to help. Your child can contact their school Careers Adviser, Morven Jarvis, for career information, advice and guidance at morven.jarvis@sds.co.uk or visit myworldofwork.co.uk.
You can also still access their career services. Call your local centre to speak to one of their qualified advisers. Find your nearest centre at www.myworldofwork.co.uk/centres

You can also find their services for parents/carers online at www.myworldofwork.co.uk  and www.mykidscareer.com

The SQA exams have been cancelled. Outstanding coursework and assignments eg folios, practical work etc have still to be completed. All S4-6 pupils, If well and not currently self-isolating please come into school tomorrow to complete outstanding folios and assignments. We are awaiting further advice from North Lanarkshire Council following the announcement from the Scottish Government and will get more information to you as soon as we have it.

The following guidance was received with regards to pupils receiving EMA in the current circumstances.

Those young people who are in receipt of EMA and who are unable to meet their agreed attendance requirements either through self-isolating, contracting the virus or through the learning institution being closed will continue to receive their EMA payment.’

Q If  schools/colleges close will EMA continue to be paid?

A The guidance states that anauthorised absence would include a scenario where the learning centre is closed due to unforeseen circumstances. This would apply in this instance.

Q Willstudents who are in Self Isolation because of Coronavirus receive their EMA payments?

A The guidance states that anauthorised absence includes ill health and additionally the breakdown of a student’s method of  transport to and from the institution, a scenario which could arise in future. This also applies to those who have self-isolated due to their parents/carers having health issues which put them at risk.

Q Will everyone whose application has been authorised on the system continue to receive EMA over any self -imposed isolation and/or complete shutdown of the schools/colleges?

A Yes. As stated above the guidance allows for absence for unforeseen circumstances, which is applicable in this current situation.  We appreciate that many doctors surgeries will not be in a position to issue medical certificates in most cases and would urge that you view such cases sympathetically and follow the discretion which the guidance allows.

Q If in future our office closes will you accept an electronic copy of the final claim instead of a hard copy?

A Yes, in these exceptional times with many people being advised to work from home we would accept an electronic copy.

Q Do schools require evidence that students have been advised to self-isolate because they are experiencing some symptoms?

A No

Attached is a flyer for the NextGen NHSL Careers event which will take place next Thursday 5th March between 2.30-6pm at Kirklands Medical Education Training Centre in Bothwell.

Our Primary 7 Family Learning workshops will take place this Thursday evening 27/2 from 6.00pm-8.30pm.  P7 pupils and parents were given the opportunity to sign up to two of our 11 workshops back in September. Thank you

Please note all pupils will be issued information regarding the S3 Parents Evening on Thursday the 20th of February starting at 4.15pm to 6.30pm.

In line with other North Lanarkshire secondary schools we are moving to an online booking system so that parents have more control on when they can book appointments. More details can be found in the link below, this letter will be issued today. Please note the booking system will not open until 7.00pm on Thursday the 6th of February.

Click Here: S3 Parent’s Evening Letter

Pupils will also be issued their option choice sheets in PSD classes this week where they will be asked to indicate what 2 subjects they will not be taking  forward into S4. The deadline for the return of the form is Tuesday the 25th of February. This is after the Parent’s Evening and should give pupils some time to discuss their option choices with Pupil Support and their class teachers if they are still unsure about their options.

It is important these are handed in by the deadline as classes will be made up fairly soon after this date. Late returns may result in pupils not getting their preferred option. These forms should be handed in to the front office.

S2 PARENT OPTION EVENING

S2 Parent Option Evening is Tuesday 28th January at 6.30pm. We look forward to seeing as many S2 Parents and their Sons/Daughters as possible.

ART COMPETITION WINNER

Amy O’Keefe’s artwork has won a competition to be featured in the Specialist Crafts 2020 catalogue which is a fantastic achievement.