Newsletter-June-2015.Pdf
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Kemnay Academy June 2015 2015 Dear Parent, Carer or Colleague supporting and encouraging them during the We are rapidly approaching the end of another exams. session, Kemnay Academy’s thirty third and my eleventh and last as headteacher. Over all I was delighted when Provost Webster of those sessions, the Academy, its pupils, Aberdeenshire Council formally opened our parents and teachers have faced many new facilities at the Academy a few weeks ago. challenges and made significant achievements. The flexibility of pupils and staff and the Throughout my time as headteacher, I have helpfulness of the contractors have paid been continually impressed by the dedication dividends and we now have bright, airy and of our teachers, the positive attitude of the vast modern facilities that include a new gym that majority of our students and the concern and doubles as our exam hall, a biomass heating support offered by our parent body. We can all plant, an extension that accommodates Maths, be proud of what Kemnay Academy has Music and ASfL and a social area whose become as a result. design and fittings were designed with pupil involvement. We need to say thank you once The academic and other achievements of our again to our officers and councillors for making current students are to be celebrated at our all of this happen. achievement ceremonies at the end of term but other achievements will be evident in this Our Senior Achievement Ceremony gives us newsletter. Each one of us, pupil, parent, the opportunity to acknowledge the successes carer, teacher, non-teacher or any other of those students who are leaving us for further supporter should recognise that we, too, have study or the world of work. I am sure that their achieved in the last 12 months and should join memories of the Academy will be positive and in the celebration with satisfaction irrespective that their experience will stand them in good of whatever barriers we may have faced stead for whatever life holds for them. We wish individually. This time of year and the them every success for the future and look achievement ceremonies give us all the forward to hearing about their future opportunity to reflect on those achievements successes. and to consider how we will develop and improve in the coming session. Finally, I extend to all pupils, parents, carers, colleagues and partners my thanks for your This session’s S4, 5 and 6 students completed support as well as a welcome to new their SQA examinations just a few weeks ago. headteacher, Mrs Lizbeth Paul. I wish you all a For the first time we had the benefit of new relaxing and safe summer holiday. accommodation that allowed most exams to be timetabled without disrupting other classes. Feedback from the SQA invigilators on our students’ attitude was very positive and complimentary indeed. I congratulate those students and look forward to confirmation of their successes when certificates arrive in Dr C Hunter August. I also thank parents and carers for RECTOR 1 IN THIS ISSUE: Staffing Changes Since the last newsletter at Easter, a number of changes Pg 1: Welcome form the Rector Pg 2: Staffing Changes in our staffing have taken place with more changes due Pg 3: Read Write Gold at the end of session and for the start of session 2015- Pg 4: S5 Induction 16. Notable amongst these is the appointment of Mrs S6 Induction Lizbeth Paul as Headteacher following the retirement of Inspiration and Aspiration for Dr Hunter at the end of this session. Mrs Paul will take S5 and S6 Students Pg 5: SQA News up post in August. Senior Phase Expectation In addition, Chris Payne and Tracy Christie, Business Workshops Studies teachers, have now taken up post. Following Pg 6: Extension officially unveiled interviews that took place before the end of last term, our Pg 7: Hospitality Group current probationer teachers, Scott Christie and S3 Health and Food Technology Cameron MacKenzie, have been appointed to Kemnay Technical Challenge Pg 7: Global Citizenship Academy as permanent teachers of PE and Physics Pg 8: Chef Visits Home Economics respectively. Emma Smith, Chemistry probationer, has Our Links with Rwanda and the been successful in gaining a post outwith Aberdeenshire Visit by Jacqueline Uwito and she will leave us at the end of session. However, Pg 9: Costa Rica – Team 1 both Craig Watson and Susan Davidson will return as Pg 11: Aberden International Youth Festival teachers of Chemistry following their current career Art Club breaks. Pg 12: Music events & News Lindsay Bray (Music) is now on maternity leave. She will Pg 13: Health & Wellbeing, Active be replaced temporarily from August by Fraser Moffat. Schools Pg 14: Scottish Space School Islay Stewart, teacher of Mathematics has gained a role Feedback on Annual Parental as ASfL teacher at Mackie Academy. John Agnew, Surevey 2015 teacher of English, will return to his native Dumfries and Pg 15 : Charity Update Galloway at the end of session. Meanwhile, Joyce Pg 16: Pupil Voice Pinnell, teacher of ASfL, will retire but Rachel Cooper will S3 Profiles & Interviews Pg 17: Ace of Spades return to ASfL in August following her maternity leave. Pg 18: Kemnay Academy Parent Council At the time of writing, new colleagues joining us in Pg 19: Diary Dates for Session August will be: 2015-2016 Headteacher Lizbeth Paul Music Fraser Moffat Biology Stephanie White Appointments in Mathematics, English, Chemistry Modern Languages and ASfL are underway. Finally, one of our loyal chaplains, Rev Ellen Larson- Davidson, leaves the area to take up a new charge in Stirlingshire. We wish all colleagues joining us or leaving us every success and enjoyment in whatever their next steps might be. 2 Kemnay Academy is in a position where we are able to provide, free of charge, a copy of Read Write Gold 11 for pupils to use at home. Further information about the various elements of this software can be found on the Texthelp website (www.texthelp.com) This software is used increasingly across the school - primarily to support pupils with literacy difficulties – but as you will see from the website, many of its features have the potential to enhance the learning of all pupils – from the most able to those who face substantial barriers to learning. If you are interested in installing this software on your home computer please contact Alan Millar (Principal Teacher – Additional Support for Learners) – [email protected] . Unfortunately we only have a Windows compatible version at this moment in time, although a free 30 days trial of the tablet app can be found at http://www.texthelp.com/UK/rwtablets 3D Paper mache peacock Rebekah Scott S1 3D paper mache meerkat Sian Hay S1 Paper mache peacock Jodie Henderson and Evie Gray S2 3 S5 Induction The S5 Induction took place at Thainstone House Hotel on Wednesday, 3 June. We had 3 presentations by 4 speakers in the morning: Sgt Alison Durward from Police Scotland presented a CSI style ‘Act Now’ scenario based workshop. Michael Scott from ‘Student Award Agency Scotland’ presented information on funding for higher and further education. Yva Yortson and Keith Bell (young business owners) presented a ‘Myth and Myth Busting’ presentation on owning your own business. In the afternoon the Guidance staff spoke with their pupils about the expectations and requirements of the senior school and handed out timetables. We would like to thank Thainstone House Hotel and in particular Claire and Neil for all their help in the preparation for and during the day. S6 Induction This year’s S6 Induction took place at Robert Gordon University on Monday, 8 June. We were welcomed with Costa coffees and time to have a look at the social areas. The day then consisted of lectures on Personal Statement Writing, Choosing a University or College, Campus Tours, mini lectures on Sports Science and Architecture. There was also a presentation by students from RGU who have just finished their degree. The initial feedback from the pupils is that the day was a great success and it has taken away any worries about attending university or college at the end of their schooling. We would like to thank RGU for hosting the day and in particular a big thank you to Alison and Ellie who organised and ran the day. Mrs Hepburn 3D Paper Mache Dog Josh Allan S1 Inspiration and Aspiration for S5 and S6 Students On 10 June, senior students were treated to an inspirational talk by Bob Keillor, CEO of Wood Group. Bob had spent a career in the oil and gas industry picking up many awards for Entrepreneurship, Business and Leadership along the way. His talk covered key qualities and attributes for success but he surprised the audience by identifying kindness as the key to success. He exemplified this from his own experience and challenged seniors to actively look for opportunities to be unexpectedly kind. 4 SQA News All SQA exams within the SQA diet have now been completed. This has been the first presentation of the new Higher qualifications and we await the results on 4 August. Our young people in S4-6 have been a credit to the school in their preparation for the exams and their conduct in the exam hall has been exemplary. Miss Grant undertook a full evaluation of the exam procedures with staff and the chief invigilator, all of whom have praised our young people in their mature and focused approach in this important time. Results will be issued to S4-6 pupils on Tuesday 4 August and if there are any issues or queries then please contact the school which will be open during this time.