The Graig Co Mprehensive School, Pwll, Llanelli
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THE GRAIG GAZETTE THE GRAIG COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, PWLL, LLANELLI, DYFED FEBRUARY 1991 Behind the Staffroom Door Graig welcomes the fpllowing new members of staff: Miss Jane White (Welsh) 1 Miss Moira Evans (History) 1 Mr John Croot (Science) 1 and Mrs Nicola Davies (Music) and Mr Oliver Taviot (French). Miss Jane White lives in Mumbles, Swansea, which she· considers to be the· coolest place on earth. Looking much younger than her actual mid-twenties, Miss White attended Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera (a Welsn Lornprehensive School) and graduated at Swansea University gaining a Joint Honours Degree in Welsh and English (a bilingual degree!) Before entering teaching Miss White worked as a management trainee in Harrods (London}- the top people's store. But the lure of Welsh· Wales brought her back to Swansea to a Post- Graduate Course in Education. She has little time for hobbies except aerobics and her Marks and Spencers' Chargecard! Miss Moira Evans taught History at Cefn Hengoed School in Swansea before joining the Graig Staff. A keen researcher of local History, she is magazine editor of the Amman Valley History Society and she enjoys arranging exhibitions for the society on all aspects of local History. Her interests includ'e painting in water-colours and oils and also drawing. One of her annual pleasures is the design of Christmas Cards and Harvest Home notelets for the Amman Valley History Society. She has been researching her Family Tree for a Another successful Harvest Celebration was held at number of years and is a past secretary of the the School on 17 October 1990. Inspiring Dyfed Family History Society. She has traced her addresses at both services were delivered by Rev. own family tree back to the 1400s. Dorrien Davies, Curate of the Parish of Llanelli, Mr John Croot from Swansea teaches Science from and the generosity of the pupils, parents and year 7-11 but in previous posts he has held staff was evident in the vast array of food items positions in Psychology {the study of the human on display. At the conclusion of the services, mind} 1 Physics (the study of the human world); Sixth Form students prepared and then delivered Information Technology (the study of everything parcels to senior citizens in the community. It else) and, of course Teaching (the study of is always an encouragement to the students studying). ·one may well ask how did he get so involved in such good work and the school is varied a life? His answer is simple: work hard and always delighted to receive notes of appreciation. listen in class and leave the rest to the A letter from the East Dyfed Health Authority at teachers! He claims that in twenty years' time, Bryntirion Hospital said: np1ease convey to the Graig pupils could be masters of Quantum Mechanics p�pils- and staff of the school our gratitude for and hey could hold the key to the Universe with the kind donation of harvest gifts. 1The donation Schrodinger's Harmonic Theory of Reality! will be used to give our patients greater variety, n Mrs Nicola Davies is a lady of many parts. When and is greatly appreciated by all concerned she is not teaching Music at the Graig she is most Many other letters from individuals and other old likely to be pounding away at a typewriter or people's homes were also received. attending play rehearsals in draughty Church Halls. Mrs Davies is known in Wales as a playwright and last term had two of her plays Parents' touring the Principality in a professional production. Mrs Davies lives in the Swansea Association Valley and travels from there to be with us two � Friday, February 22 -- Annual Dinner days a week. Thursday, March 21 -- Easter Raffle Draw We welcome Mr Oliver Taviot to the school as this And looking ahead to next term, the Parents' year's French Assistant. Mr Taviot comes from St Association Brieuc in Brittany and most of his time at our will be holding a Barn Dance and a Summer Fayre school is spent in French Conversation with forms The "GRAIG GAZETTE" gratefully acknowledges the 11, 12 and 13. He also spends part of his week in financial support given by the Parents' Glan-Y-Mor School, Burry Port. We trust he is Association in assisting with meeting the costs of enjoying his stay in Wales. roducing this free newspaper Star Musician The Caring, The best came last in the 1990 w Llanelli Star" Sharing Graig the greatest challenge Young Musician of the Year Competition. in our short academic Graig Sixth Former Peter Mainwaring was the final FOR HUMANS ••••• 1ted Head Boy and Bead solo competitor of the evening at Theatre Elli, but his cornet performance of "Facilita" left the To complete the term's er the last year have, adjudicators in no doubt about his overall victory activities the C.P.V.E gr�ups the aid of a very co to take the coveted trophy. came up with the idea of a ixth Form. This year's competition attracted almost 80 young Christmas Appeal for the !ry successful one and musicians. Elderly. With support from active role in School the parents, pupils and staff, ies we have organised We also congratulate John Hooper of year 12 who they collected presents and on several Discos, the was the winner of the string section playing the Monday 17 December distributed and other aspects of violin. John was also a finalist in the overall them to the residents of he activities we have competition and our congratulations go to them Ca e rna en Resid en t ia l Home • been most successful both. This furthered the link with money has been raised On the Record Caemaen which has been charities, both local fostered since it was opened. Work related to producing "Records of Achievement w m were finely rewarded is progressing well and it is expected that pupils FOR ANIMALS ..... 1tember when Mr Smith :1 in Year 11 will receive their final documents in Common Room for the April/May 1991. These documents will contain Graig School initiated cialise during their subject-related comments: comments on pupil• s "C hristmas Gifts for Animals" stly, we would like to personal qualities and skills: and a statement last Christmas and pupils ?Orted us in the past prepared by pupils themselves. In addition, threw great enthusiasm. into :nd our best wishes to pupils will be able to include evidence of the Dog and Cat Food Appeal ut to take office. achievement which enhances their individual for the RSPCA. records. School topped a total of 300 NTER and ROBERT STROUD Further progress is being made in years 7 and 8 on tins of pet food: 2 sacks of reporting National Curriculum achievements, and in dried food for dogs: 2 bags of year 12, work is in hand for records of "Shapes" and a bag of l-o achievement for students in the 16 - 19 age range. "Winalot" It is hoped that, in addition to increasing pupil The appeal was organised by �tober all the pupils Miss Jane Rosser and Miss Sara k of Work Experience. motivation, these records will provide parents and other users with more detailed information. Davies. <S organised by the Mr Bill Deane and his otal approximately 800 Quiz Squiz assistants from the RSPCA placements in loca 1 THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRAIG SQUIZ, 1987-1991 came to school to collect the an achievement, and it gifts. Mr Deane spoke to cal industrialists are In the autumn of 1987, it occurred to me that pupils about the work of the n the education of our among the many extra-curricular competitions RSPCA and he has invited a offered by Graig, the majority were physical number to visit the Swansea 11 of the Graig pupils challenges. The most brain-stretching competition Dogs' Home at Singleton. icperience in the real _ availao.le _was the _ Che!:3§ Tournamen,t _ so I thought !d a good ·insigh-t into that a school Quiz would probably be much Hng down a particular appreciated. o prepare them for the After consultation with Mrs Bell in the Spring of work. One employer 1988, I unleashed the first School Quiz upon an 's work here at the unsuspecting school. The early format was simple, as been excellent. I although it was somewhat restrained by the fact Kind Hearts hard to operate our that I tried to make it fit in with a fledgling without her quiet, school "house teams" scheme and I also tried to The school continues its sistance. A week is a get one team out of each registration group. charitable collections. So far over that period her Disputes on who should answer the question first this year over £600 has been my future pupils wish were settled by the QI2 - Quiz Indicator 2 - an collected. Those who have j it hard to match her unwieldy box with a couple of LEDs and switches, benefited include MENCAP, connected to an aluminium thumping pad for each NSPCC, THE BRITISH LEGION team. POPPY DAY APPEAL, the BBC " In the final, we had a three-cornered match CHILDREN IN NEED" Appeal and 1 ::, between three pupil teams, followed by a battle the MAYOR of LLANELLI'S between two .staff teams. The winners played and, CHRISTMAS APPEAL. lisgyblion ar gyfer predictably, the staff won. yflwyno'r cwricwlwm The following year, I tried to improve the image :mt iau, mae' r adran of the Squiz. Out went foil pads, the unreliable First Class Appeal mewn meysydd all- QI2 and rigid formats.