Our prelims for S5/6 are now complete and will give both pupils and parents a good indication of progress to date as well as an agenda for moving forward to the SQA exams in May. Well done to our pupils who have shown commitment and motivation as they approached these prelims.
We had our S3 Parents’ Reporting Evening last week and I would like to thank those that managed to come along on a very wet day! Following our S4 prelims and reports there will be an opportunity for parents to meet teachers this Thursday at the S4 Parents’ evening.
Sunday saw the start of Catholic Education Week 2018 in a year when we mark the centenary of the 1918 Education (Scotland) Act. The theme this year is “Catholic Schools: Serving The Common Good”.
Our Catholic schools are communities that promote social justice and opportunity for all. Pope Francis said in January 2018 that education should “train young people to be open and interested in the reality that surrounds them, capable of care and tenderness, free from the widespread prejudice where you must be competitive, aggressive, and hard towards others, especially towards those who are different, foreign or in any way seen as an obstacle to one’s own affirmation.”
Catholic schools in Scotland, and Our Lady’s in particular, are striving to put into action these words of the Holy Father by being inclusive communities which welcome, value, affirm and support all pupils, parents and staff to fulfil the potential of their God-given talents.
At the weekend staff and pupils visited the parishes of St. Luke’s, Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral, St Bernadette’s and St. Patrick’s. The visit to St Brendan’s will take place next week to coincide with the sacramental enrolment Mass for the primary pupils. It is always a pleasure to visit parishes at this time and a privilege for staff and pupils to be given the opportunity to speak to the congregation. It is only through our schools’, our families and our parishes all working together that we can hope to provide young people with the very best opportunity to grow in love of God and with each other.
Our PTA have organised a Quiz Night for Friday 23rd February and I would encourage you to come along and support their efforts in raising money for the school. There will be a PTA meeting on Monday 5th February at 6.30pm in the school. The PTA are always looking for new members and so please come along the 5th February and find more about what they do.
We are committed to Children’s Rights being at the heart of our ethos and culture, as we strive to improve well-being and develop every child’s talents and abilities to their full potential. As a result, we are working towards recognition as a Unicef ‘Rights Respecting School’. I recently sent a letter to parents about this and you can find more information at:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/
Forthcoming Events
- Wednesday 31st January – Annual Education Mass at the Cathedral (7pm)
- Thursday 1st February – S4 Parents’ Reporting Evening
- Monday 5th February – S2 Skills Development Scotland Careers Day
- Monday 5th February – PTA Meeting at 6.30pm
- Monday 5th February – Parent Council Meeting at 7pm
- Thursday 8th February – the first of our Open evenings for P7 parents at 7pm.
- Monday 12th/Tuesday 13th February – School Holidays
- Wednesday 14th February (Ash Wednesday) – Inservice Day
- Thursday 15th February – Pupils Return
- Tuesday 20th February – Options Information Evening (6.30pm for pupils moving into S3/4 & 7.30pm for pupils moving into S5/6 in August 2018)
- Friday 23rd February – PTA Quiz Night
- Monday 26th February – the second of our Open afternoons for P7 parents at 2pm.
