End of Term April 2015 Dear Parent, Junior and Senior School pupils have again participated Championships and Transitus to S2 pupils entertained Farewell Presentation enthusiastically in a range of different activities this with their performances of “The Wizard of Oz.” term, and you can read of their achievements and vari- On Friday 6 March, we were delighted to welcome a to Colin Mair ous highlights in this newsletter. group of visiting Secondary School teachers from The School has arranged a Farewell Presentation to Following the appointment in December of current Iceland, who enjoyed meeting subject staff, observing Colin Mair on Friday 12th June at the Senior School Deputy Rector, Mr Kenneth Robertson to become Senior classes and discussing the Scottish Education System. to which all parents, former parents, and former Deputy Rector next session, the Board of Governors in In February, S6 Historians visited Berlin, and in early pupils are warmly invited. March named Mr Graeme Robertson, currently Head of April, there is another History Department trip to the The evening will be held in the Assembly Hall the Guidance Faculty at St Columba’s School, Kilmacolm World War One Battlefields, the Hockey 1st XI and of the Senior School at 7.30 p.m. when tributes as Deputy Rector from August 2015. Rugby 1st XV will tour in Northern Italy and Duke of will be paid by representatives of the School Mrs Karen Waugh and I were again pleased that the Edinburgh’s Gold Award participants will have their community. High School was the school of choice for many families practice venture on the Isle of Skye. As we expect a large turn-out from the High School after our Entrance Tests in January. I offer you and your family my best wishes for a very community, numbers will be restricted due to the As ever, there has been fundraising for several charities, enjoyable and relaxing Spring holiday. capacity of the venue. with Bannerman and Moore Houses supporting Miti Yours sincerely, Mingi Primary School, Kenya and the Beatson Cancer In order to assist with seating and catering Centre respectively. Other beneficiaries at both Schools arrangements, could all those wishing to attend have included Comic Relief, the Little Princess Trust and please complete the on-line form that can be found UNICEF. here: There has been success in the Trades House of Glasgow www.glasgowhigh.com/senior-school/colin-mair-farewell Robert Burns Festival and the UK Rotary Public Speaking Competition as well as in athletics, badminton, skiing, swimming and hockey, with the 1st XI reaching the Scottish Schools’ U18 final. Twelve pupils have been selected for the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland Junior Orchestra, and five for the National Youth Choir Boys’ or Girls’ Choirs, the Pipe Band and musicians won the Freestyle event at the Scottish Schools’ Pipe Band www.glasgowhigh.com Junior School At the beginning of this term, with regret, Mrs Jennifer where they explored the Glasgow Style of Charles Mackay resigned from her post as Deputy Head at the Rennie Mackintosh, looking at furniture design, paint- Junior School in order to spend more time with her ings, drawings, jewellery and costume. They came back young family. She left with thanks for her hard work to Art class and created their own beautiful designs and her contribution to the school in her time with us and jewellery. They then visited the Cathedral and the and with our good wishes for the future. East End of the city, spotting landmarks and spend- Mrs Alison Gray, our former Deputy Head, returned ing time at Glasgow Green. They visited the Riverside from retirement in mid-January to assist with the run- Museum for a Clydebuilt exhibition and The People’s ning of the school. Palace to learn about Changing Glasgow. Artist Avril Paton visited the classes to talk about her work and her Mrs Elaine Muscatelli, classroom assistant at J4, took childhood memories of Arran and Glasgow. Together leave of absence from her post in February and we they looked at her famous painting, Windows in the were pleased to welcome Miss Naomi Simpson to West. A visit to Garnethill Synagogue, with expert assist with this stage until her return. guidance from a member of the Hebrew Centre, was Miss Maggie MacLean will return to school from her enjoyed in their study of Judaism. maternity leave on Monday 20th April and Mrs Vicki Junior 5 celebrated the 256th anniversary of Robert Stone will finish with J5M on Thursday 2nd April. We Burns’ birth with a study of the Bard and his work. thank her for her very hard work this session. They visited the Burns Heritage Park in Alloway, We welcomed Mrs Marsali Duncan and Mrs Lesley Grier Hopscotch Theatre Company presented a Burns Last as new members of the Out of School Care team. Supper workshop and the children planned and hosted their own Burns Supper with songs, poems, musical CLASS NEWS items, speeches, toasts and a Ceilidh. Kindergarten children have had a busy term finding Prior to their York visit, the classes visited St Andrew’s out about ‘People who help us’ and have received visits Roman Catholic Church in Bearsden. In York, they vis- from Watch Commander Dhesi and his team from the ited the Minster, the Dungeons, walked on the walls local Fire Service with a fire engine to explore. and explored the ancient city beneath York at Jorvik. They saw evidence of the Early, Roman, Medieval and Mr Zhou visited to talk about Chinese New Year. Viking past in a variety of visits and talks. They enjoyed The children had a wonderful time at the Gallery of a day as medieval peasants working for their feudal Modern Art looking at sculpture and this inspired the Lord and gained a great insight into life in the mid- budding artists in Kindergarten in the creation of their dle ages. own works of art for an Art Gallery Enterprise. A visit To round off their medieval studies, the classes took out of school to post invitations and shop for provi- part in a Knights and Castles workshop at The Burrell sions helped them prepare for the event when their Museum. parents, grandparents and friends came to their Art Gallery Open Morning. Donations of £138.64 will go to Junior 6 visited Glasgow Science Centre Planetarium the customs of Chinese New Year. The Senior School the children’s chosen charity- the Dogs Trust. to study the Solar System and watched the 3D film, Space Station at the IMAX cinema. Visits were also Fiddle Orchestra and the Fusion Group gave a wonder- Junior 1 visited Loch Lomond Aquarium to learn more made to the Greek Orthodox Church in Glasgow, the ful lunchtime concert. about what’s ‘Under the Sea’. For the enterprise part Coats Memorial Church in Paisley and to TCoNE at of their Myself topic, the children planned marvel- Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. CHARITIES lous entertainment and made cakes for a special Grandparents’ Afternoon Tea. The invited audiences The classes enjoyed the gift of a session of Adventure We raised £361.60 buying red noses for Comic Relief were entertained with songs, poems and stories and Golf at Paradise Island, Braehead as they collected the and the sum of £688.48 for Unicef from our Dress-as- the children took them on a tour to show off the work largest sum of money whilst singing for Quarriers at you-Please day and fantastic Global Citizenship Talent in classrooms. Congratulations to all involved for Princes Square at Christmas. Show. Several very generous donations to charities making the days so successful and for the generous The annual Daffodil Tea for elderly residents of the were given from individual children in lieu of birthday donation of £606.85 to RNLI. community was hosted by Junior 6 pupils and was gifts. Junior 2 classes learned about island life through a very successful afternoon. Junior 6 classes invited the characters in the Katie Morag stories by Mairi parents to a European Exhibition to display their work SPORT and dressed up to enjoy a European Lunch to end their Hedderwick. They set up and worked in their Post The Junior School boys and girls were successful at European research project. Office. both Triangular Swimming Galas held in January. In their study of Materials the classes visited Pupils from Juniors 5 and 6 had outstanding success VISITORS Finlaystone Country Estate to explore how to make art at the Glasgow Primary Schools' Swimming Finals. from natural materials and a visit to The Burrell for We welcome many visitors at the Junior School and The R W Smith Memorial Trophy for 10 years Boys’ workshops on Changing Materials also enhanced this thank each one for giving of their time and talents. Relay was won by Fergus Currie, Liam McColl and topic. On a snowy March morning they took part in This term, Mr Colin Mair, Rev Graeme Wilson, Rev Jamie Ritchie (all J5) and Milo Harris (J4). an exciting Cycle Rodeo, arranged by Mrs McConechy. Roddy Hamilton, Mr Gordon McCracken, Mrs Jenny The Dykes Trophy for 11 years Girls’ Relay was won Junior 3 studied Polar Lands and had two visits from the Cheung, Mrs Mia MacDonald and Ms Estelle McKean by Kirsty Jones, Zara Kennedy, Anna Ivins and Anya Edinburgh Science Festival group, Generation Science, led some of our morning assemblies, bringing new MacLean (all J6). with fabulous workshops - The Wonderful World of ideas and stories. Individual gold medallists were Anya MacLean (J6) Water and Marvellous Magnets. They did some baking Mr and Mrs Brian Adair have also attended Assembly for 11 years 25m freestyle and 11 years breaststroke, and opened an Igloo Café where they enjoyed after- and many other Junior School occasions and are James Ballantyne (J6) for 11 years breaststroke, Zara noon tea whilst singing songs.