St Andrew’s Hospice

We had pupils and staff head down to Strathclyde park again for this year’s Santa Dash to help raise funds for St Andrew’s Hospice.  Following this, along with 4 pupils, I got talked into doing the zip line across the loch! Great fun!  Thanks to Mrs Smith in RE for organising, and to the pupils who came along to join in.

Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education is celebrated between the Feast of St Margaret (16^th Nov) and the Feast of St Andrew (30^th Nov).  This was celebrated at the start with pupils completing passports on each of our new houses (Lourdes, Loreto, Carmel, Guadalupe and Tinos), attended a house assembly and enjoyed a prayer breakfast with pancakes.

Christmas Fayre

It was great to get our Christmas Fayre back up and running again after a few years absence.  The turnout was excellent and I would like to thank all those who organised the evening and those that came along, raising over £1100 for school funds.

Month of the Holy Souls

November is the month of the Holy Souls when we remember those in our families who have died.  Pupils across the school have been remembering their dead by creating a display of crosses and candles at the main entrance to the school.

ASDAN

Recently our pupils in the ASDASN class completed their First Aid and Mental Health First Aid courses.  A great opportunity for them to be involved in and a fantastic life skill! Well done!

War Memorial Mass

Each year there is a Mass to remember the lives of the pupils and staff connected to the school who lost their lives in WWII.  This has been unable to take place in the school’s War Memorial Chapel for a couple of years so it was lovely to welcome everyone back to the chapel again this year for the Mass, celebrated by our new chaplain, Fr. Christopher Morris.

Prelims

Well done to all of our S4 pupils who have now completed their prelims. It’s always a strange experience being in the big hall for exams like this for the first time but they all coped admirably.  The S5/6 prelims are planned for January and a timetable has already been issued to all pupils.

S1 Pantomime

We had a group of S1 and S2 pupils head down the road to the pantomime Cinderella in the Motherwell Concert Hall. Thanks to the Pupil Support department for organising this.  Everyone seemed to have a great time.  Oh yes, they did!!

Senior Citizens’ party

Mrs Zambonini and her Professional Development class spent a great deal of time raising money and preparing for the Senior Citizens’ lunch.  It was the first time we have been able to get them back into the school since 2019 and once again, it was a great success. Thanks to all those in the preparation for the day and all those involved in helping out and entertaining our guests!

Christmas Concert 

It was a great pleasure to welcome so many along to our Christmas Concert this year.  Given the impact that covid has had on extra-curricular activities over the last few years, particularly in the Music department, it was a fantastic evening with great talent on display.  Thanks so much to the staff for preparing the pupils so well and for a lovely evening enjoyed by all.

Ceilidhs

We had our Ceilidhs last week and it was great to see the pupils joining in and enjoying themselves.  There was a great turnout from pupils particularly on the Friday afternoon for the S1-3 Ceilidh. Thanks to the PE staff for preparing the pupils with social dancing in classes , and for running both ceilidhs.

Industrial Action

Industrial action by teaching unions has had an impact on all school across the country in November and December.  Just advance notice that there is planned industrial action again in January with the EIS union identifying the 11^th January as a strike day in all secondary schools across the country and 19^th January as a strike day in North Lanarkshire.

Farewell

As you know I will be finishing up as HT of Our Lady’s this Christmas.  I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the support I have had in the school for over 5 years.  Managing the Covid situation in school was up there as one of the most challenging times in my career but one which was made easier for me due to the support I received from staff and parents.  I have enjoyed my time as HT in Our Lady’s and it has been an absolute privilege and honour to be part of this wonderful school and community. From a personal point of view, I was delighted to have become a part of a community that my dad had also been a part of, attending Our Lady’s from 1945 – 1951.

I have always tried to keep positive relationships at the heart of the school and what I do, and hope that any success I may have had is measured by that more than anything else.

From the beginning I was always made to feel welcome and I have no doubt that the incoming Head Teacher Mrs Louisa McGraw will be extended the same warm welcome I received over 5 years ago.

To finish off, I would just like to wish all our young people and their families every success in the future.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, when it comes.