End of Term December 2014 Dear Parent, I am pleased to share with you news of School activities the Annual Commemoration Thanksgiving Service in and pupil successes over the past term. Glasgow Cathedral in September, and the Home and Annual Fund The term began with senior pupils again gaining excel- School Association Committee were very well-organised APPEAL 2014/15 lent results in their SQA exams. Early in September, as ever for another very popular Fireworks Display in we received notification of the Quality Improvement early November. We would like to thank everyone who has already and Professional Engagement Visit by Her Majesty’s Following a visit to a Ghanaian Orphanage in August by given to the recently launched Annual Fund Inspectors of Education towards the end of that month. three S6 pupils, Law House supported the Children’s 2014/15 Appeal. We have been heartened by the This proved a very positive experience overall, with Home for Hope Orphanage with their fundraising activi- support which we have received. acknowledgement of the School’s strengths and helpful ties in October, and Clyde House recently supported The Annual Fund will play an important part in the recommendations for ongoing improvement. the Desk and Chair Foundation, providing essential provision of additional income for bursaries and Junior 6 pupils impressed on stage in December in their resources for a school in Tanzania. In addition, S6 and will help to fund short term projects within the production of “The Tempest”. There was fundraising for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award pupils have undertaken School which are not possible within the annual Children In Need with a “Dress-as-you-please” day in Community Service, approximately 150 Christmas expenditure budget. parcels were delivered to senior citizens in the local October, and Junior 5 raised funds for the rebuilding of Along with our Bursary Fund, the other areas community and we maintained the School's commit- the Glasgow Art School through an enterprise activity. identified for support are a water-based astro pitch ment of more than 100 years duration to East Park Highlights at the Senior School have included World at the Senior School and to develop further our through our Annual Christmas Appeal. War One Commemoration events, with the History and outdoor learning area and to enhance our music Music Departments combining for a special evening At the AGM of the Board of Governors in December, the and drama resources at the Junior School. Chair, Mr Brian Adair, paid tribute to Dr Alison Garvie’s of commemoration through words and music, as well If you would like further information on how to excellent service on her retirement from the Board. We as a very poignant and striking display of Crosses of donate, please visit: were delighted also that our School Chaplain, the Rev Dr Remembrance in the Science Courtyard. The incom- www.glasgowhigh.com/annualfund ing F.P. Club President, Mr Alistair Wood, and School Laurence Whitley, was honoured with the presentation Once again, many thanks to those who have Captain, Adam Atri, laid wreaths at the War Memorials of the Loving Cup by the City of Glasgow in recognition already contributed - your gifts are very much during the Annual Remembrance Service. Distinguished of his years of pastoral service to the city. appreciated. Historian, Professor Sir Hew Strachan, delivered the Finally, I wish you and your family a very enjoyable, Annual Fraser Lecture, comparing the military strate- peaceful and relaxing Christmas holiday, and every hap- Karen McDonald gies of WWI with the major European campaigns of the piness and success for the New Year. Development Director 19th century. There were four lively and entertaining performances of “All Shook Up”, with impressive singing, acting and choreography, and insight into the talents of Transitus to S3 musicians in the Junior Christmas Concert. Our swimmers enjoyed considerable success in the Glasgow Schools’ Championships and the hockey 1st XI won the West District Tournament and the BP Cup final, thereby qualifying for the Scottish Schools’ Finals next March. The Rev Roddy Hamilton of New Kilpatrick Parish Church gave an interesting and humorous address at www.glasgowhigh.com Junior School At the beginning of the session, we welcomed new staff to the Junior School – Miss Alexandra Taylor, class teacher at Junior 2, covering for Mrs Margaret Moreland as she continues in her role as Acting Deputy Head and Mrs Vicki Stone, class teacher at Junior 5, while Miss Maggie MacLean is on maternity leave. We congratu- lated Miss MacLean on the birth of Katie, Mrs Alison Kiyani, Deputy Head, on the birth of Eva and Miss Jenny Hood, PE Teacher, on the birth of Anya. We sadly say Farewell and Good Luck to Mrs Joyce Jackson, Kindergarten teacher, as she is retiring (early) from her post at the end of this term. Mrs Jackson joined the school in 1996, firstly as a supply teacher and then taking up a permanent post as a teacher in Kindergarten in 2002. During all these years, Mrs Jackson has given excellent service to the school and many pupils have greatly benefited from her kindness, expertise, enthusiasm and very hard work over many years. She also contributed a great deal to the wider life of the Junior School and will be greatly missed by pupils, staff and parents who have known her over the years. We greatly appreciate everything Mrs Jackson has done for the school and the Kindergarten pupils who have flourished and blossomed under her genuine rainforest, displayed their knowledge in talks and took care, concern and careful nurturing. part in an enterprise activity to create art work which Many thanks are also due to Mrs Gillian Ballingall and was then printed onto canvas bags. The money used Mrs Lesley Perrett for all their hard work over their years from the sale of these bags will be used to support a of excellent service in Out of School Care as they have Rainforest charity. now left the team to take up other posts. In November, the children took part in a Badminton Carnival at the Emirates Arena. ACTIVITIES Junior 4 classes studied ‘Light and Colour’ and in Kindergarten children settled quickly and were soon their Viking studies, a visit to Vikingar at Largs gave an involved in making choices about their playroom insight into the reality of life in a Viking settlement. Mr themes. An autumn walk in Mugdock was very success- Bruce Jamieson, former teacher and historian, gave a ful and all enjoyed the glorious colours on show. Group very interesting talk to bring the topic alive. Suitably dressed, the classes enjoyed a wild and wonderful feast visits to Scotland Street School Museum for workshops In September, Juniors 4, 5 and 6 attended the Annual followed by games at their Christmas party. called ‘Wee Architects’ and group visits to Kelvingrove Commemoration Service in Glasgow Cathedral and in Museum for ‘Tracks, Trails and Dinosaur Tales’ were The Junior 5 topic, ‘Plants’ took the classes to the October, some Junior 6 pupils represented the school greatly enjoyed and staff and children brought lots of Botanic Gardens where they heard about propaga- in the Bearsden Festival, where they joined other local ideas back to the playroom to use in their play and tion and seeds. Activities in the Secret Garden and schools in a celebration of Scottish Country Dancing. activities. classroom experiments which followed, included stem Junior 6 class captains, Mackenzie Bruce, Annabel experiments, seed examination and dissection of Welcome visitors included Mr Mair with School Goold, Annabel Davies and Shria Crossan, represented flowers. Use of the internet added to the children’s Captains, Adam Atri and Charlotte Gilbride, and the the Junior School at the very moving Remembrance knowledge. In art they painted glorious flower paintings local Fire Service as part of the Kindergarten ‘Keeping Service at the Senior School in November Safe’ topic. in the style of Georgia O’Keefe and made sculptured flowers using coiled wire and mesh. As part of their National Poetry Day was celebrated at a special assem- Junior 1 visited Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum enterprise activities, they organised a very successful bly with classes and individual pupils reciting favourite for a workshop entitled ‘Feeling Faces’ and visited ‘Mackintosh MasterPieces’ Art Gallery event raising poems. Bearsden Cross Church to find out about Baptism from £753 for the Glasgow School of Art Restoration Fund. Our Eco work at the Junior School has continued and Reverend Graeme Wilson. They enjoyed their recent Day we have recently submitted an application for the and Night topic and are learning how to be safe around Other activities included a ‘Roald Dahl Day’, a visit to renewal of our ‘Green Flag’. electricity. the Falkirk Wheel in connection with their Scotland and Bridges topics and a day visit to Edinburgh to explore As part of the Commonwealth Games Legacy, Junior Junior 2 studied ‘Senses’ and invited Laura Rennie from the wonders of the planet at Dynamic Earth. School pupils created an eBook about a variety of Animal Magic to visit with a selection of small animals school activities related to the Games. to look at the ways in which their senses have developed. Junior 6 classes enjoyed several visits out of school in The sense of touch was explored by examining the tex- connection with their class topics. We are continuing to develop the use of 1:1 iPad tech- tures of the animals. The senses of smell and taste At Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum the children nology to enhance Learning and Teaching with pupils were investigated in tasting activities in the classroom. followed a World War II trail, visited Scotland Street at Junior 3 and Junior 6 having individual iPads for the The children rounded off their topic by telling their very School for a glimpse of school life in the war years enitire session and pupils at Junior 1, 2, 4 and 5 having impressed parents just how much they had learned! and visited Clydebank Library to view an exhibition.