Care Packages

A huge congratulations to the personal development group who have been working hard this year to create care packs for patients at Wishaw general Hospital.  100 care packs and 50 craft packs for dementia patients.  These were collected recently and distributed! Well done to all involved.

Advent Services

Fr Ness continues to come to school and work within current restrictions in order to support us in any way he can. Lately he has been coming in to undertake Advent Service with our S1 pupils.  Thanks Father!

SQA

As you know we are now in a position where all SQA Exams at all levels have been cancelled for 2021. We will continue to gather evidence throughout the year for pupils to ensure a qualification reflective of their work during the year.  In doing so we will have to work within SQA guidelines to ensure an equity across the country as well as ensuring there is an integrity to the whole process.

Fundraising

Thanks to Mrs Smith and her team for organising a fundraising fun day on Wednesday.  Staff and pupils were encouraged to wear their Christmas jumper and had the opportunity to take part in the Walkathon to the North Pole!  There was a market with stalls set up –  lucky dip, home baking, hot chocolate, personalised candy canes, a raffle for Beats headphones, school masks and a meditation station. Thanks to the S5 and S6 pupils who played their part in the organisation and running of the day.  The rest of the day included a quiz and  film in classes.  Over £2000 was raised on Just Giving for our chosen charities.  This is still open and can be found at:   https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/olhsnorthpolewalkathon

           

Christmas Door Competition

In order to brighten the place up, many teachers took part in the Christmas Door competition.  There were many excellent decorated doors and the pupils had the final say in the winner.  Well done to Mrs McGuire for the winning entry and the runners up Mrs Woodside and Mrs Zambonini.

Sports Ambassadors

Well done to Stewart and Cavan who have been nominated as the school’s Sport Ambassadors.  Their aim is to promote sport and physical activity, motivate and inspire other young people in the school and seek pupil opinion on PE and extra-curricular activities.

Christmas Message

2020 has been a year like no other!  It has been difficult for most people but there are many families in the community who have lost loved ones over the course of the year and with the restrictions that have been in place, this has made it so much harder.  We remember them in particular at this time of the year and pray that they find some kind of peace during this Christmas season.  Throughout my time in the school I have found the Our Lady’s HS community to be a very close and supportive one and this has been evident over the last 10 months.  I thank you for your support of me, the school and each other and wish you all a Happy and Holy Christmas.

God Bless

Last week and this week we were delighted to hold our S5 and S6 virtual Awards Ceremony in  PSHE classes, where we recognised the hard work of the pupils during session 2020/21. With the restrictions in place we were unable to hold our ceremony in the usual way in September but felt it was important to still recognise the great work of so many pupils.  After the short ceremony pupils made their way to the Zone to pick up their award and certificate.  Hopefully next year we can go ahead as normal with our usual ceremony.  Congratulations to all the award winners – there are some pictures on Twitter (@OLHSMotherwell).

As part of this year’s celebration of Catholic Education Week the RE department organised a prayer breakfast in the school, delivering pancakes or crumpets to all classes where they joined together in a short prayer service.  It was lovely to be able to do something in these times of restrictions.

This is a difficult time for lots of people and our Caritas pupils, recognising this, have created prayer cards for the local priests to distribute to the sick in the parish, remembering them in our prayers.

Staff and pupils will be taking part in a walkathon this year to raise funds for three chosen charities: St Andrew’s Hospice, St Margaret’s Children & Family Care Society and SCIAF.  On Wednesday 16^th, we will attempt to walk to the “North Pole” whilst wearing Christmas jumpers.

The hope is to turn the yard into a Christmas market area with stalls selling hot chocolate, snacks and homemade gifts. Adding to this we will have a Christmas quiz and a Christmas film slot throughout the day. S6 pupils and some staff will also be taking part in ‘I’m a sixth year get me out of here’ where they will be eating a selecting of ‘foods’. This will be filmed and available to show to classes on the day. Looking forward to an exciting socially distanced, risk assessed day!!

A JustGiving page has been set up where donations can be made – please support us!

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/olhsnorthpolewalkathon

We are still awaiting the return of a number of library books which are overdue as a result of the lockdown.  Please check old schoolbags, under beds, behind furniture, etc… Books can be returned to the box in English classrooms where they will be collected and quarantined, ready for going back on the shelves!

A group of pupils had the opportunity to learn about animals from around the world and their environments, with some even getting the chance to overcome their fear of tarantulas!

Forthcoming

• Monday 7^th December                  S4 Prelims begin
• Wednesday 16^th December         Fundraising Day – walkathon to the “North Pole”
• Thursday 17^th December               Christmas Dinner (to be booked and payed for in advance)
• Tuesday 22^nd December               School closes at 2.30pm for the Christmas holidays
• Wednesday 6^th January                 School reopens
• Monday 18^th January                     S5/6 Prelims begin