Issue 129 July Kirkcaldy High School 2018 Respect for Self, for Others, Newsletter for Learning The Easter Break Diary Dates The Rector Writes ... For some of our young people, the Easter holiday was a very productive and busy time. Our "Platinum" Sports Mon 13 Aug Staff training Ambassadors had an excellent experience coaching and Day 1, S5/6 Coursing pm ith another session over, it is satisfying teaching at school sports camps in Sweden. Well done Tue 14 I n– Service Day 2 to Cameron Pilmer and Sean Saunders, who were an Wed 15 Extended Tutor (S1 to reflect that for KHS, it has been a absolute credit to the school. Thanks to the staff who in Hall at first) W very happy and successful one in so led our trip to the Etihad Stadium in Manchester during Fri 17 S2-6 Year Assemblies many ways. I am probably most proud of our the holidays for the Champions League Quarter Final Tues 21 Adam Smith As- between Manchester City and Liverpool. This was also sembly re School Values, gaining the UNICEF “Rights Respecting School” quite an experience for those involved. House Captains, and Silver Award a couple of months back. This was “Boozebusters” Presentations Thanks also to all the staff who came in during the Wed 22 Carlyle Assembly recognition of many strands of our work but I Easter break to deliver study support sessions for our Thu 23 Osw ald Assembly, think that, above all, it says that we are a listen- SQA exam candidates. It was great to see such a big English trip to Edinburgh Book turnout for these revision sessions. Festival, FoKHS Meeting at ing school. Our young people are the school, and 7pm are central to all we do … and this fits very well Week Beginning 16 April Fri 24 S5/ 6 PSE Session “I with our core value of “Respect”. During first week back we had yeargroup assemblies on Can” Statements (Careers) the theme of teenage mental health (for S1-3) and the Mon 27 S1 Assembly re SQA exams (for S4-6). The S2 also had a special input School Rules, Circulation, Further very positive news came a couple of from our link Police Officer, Stevie Black, about online Expectations etc safety and "sexting". Thanks go to Christine Paterson, Tue 28 S2 Assembly weeks ago with the publication of the of DAPL, for her input to our assemblies. Christine is our Wed 29 S3 Assembly, Geo- “Parentwise” and “Pupilwise” surveys. These school based wellbeing counsellor. bus Trip to St Andrews (Geography) were conducted online We also welcomed Thu 30 S4 Assembly, Sen- by Fife Council. The young people from ior Health Day (S5/6 timetable Valley, Fair Isle, suspended) full report is on our Torbain and Cap- Fri 31 S5/ 6 Assembly w ith website, with a tab on shard as part of our Polar Academy input our homepage. "enhanced transi- (Lochgelly High School) tion" programme. Tue 4 Sept Vaccinations You will be aware Catch Up Session (Hall) Remarkably, in all of that we always try Wed 5 S1 Numeracy to do whatever is Growth Mindset Evening for the 57 questions asked, best to make the Parents/Carers the KHS "satisfaction" move from primary Fri 7 S4 Tracking P arental to secondary suc- letter, overview to pupils, Fife rate was above the Fife cessful. On the Education Conference average, often signifi- Thursday evening, Mon 10 Maths Week Scot- Morgan Faulds and land, UCAS Convention pm cantly so. Overall, the Cara Hayes Tue 11 Adam Smith Assem- Pupilwise level was (S3) were up at KHS Prizewinners 2018 bly (Rights Respecting School 7% more positive with Dundee Sheriff Court on presentation, extended to Public Speaking business. It 9.25am all week), Maasai "Parentwise" 15% above. was the national semi-final of the Crown Office Procura- Warriors Dance Troup pm tor Fiscal's Championship ... the Scottish Schools Public Wed 12 Carlyle Assembly, Speaking Competition. KHS won through to the national S4 N5 Maths Parents Evening Some of the important trends are that 11% more final. In that semi we were against Glen Urquhart High Thu 13 Osw ald Assembly of our young people say that they feel safe and School, near Inverness and Morgan and Cara spoke Fri 14 S5/6 Tracking Pa- passionately about child poverty, the impact of hunger rental letter issued, overview cared for in school, 12% more enjoy their learning and poor nutrition. to pupils and 10% more report that they are happy in Mon 17 S1 Assembly re On the Friday, we welcomed the St Andrews University Fordell Trip Arrangements school. The "Parentwise" report indicates that Geobus to school. The University staff worked with Tue 18 S2 Assembly with 95% of our parents/carers are "happy with the Geography classes all day. The activities were a lot of Teenage Cancer Trust tbc, school". The Fife figure is 79%. fun and had a focus on earthquakes and tectonic activi- Equalities Conference in Edin- ty. There were some terrific designs for 'quake proof burgh (D Allan and pupils) buildings. Finally, we held an excellent employability Wed 19 S3 Assembly I must thank you for this very powerful vote of session on the Friday in conjunction with Costa Coffee. (Courses), S5/6 UCAS sign up We had a large group of young people from several Thu 20 S4 Assembly confidence, it means a lot for us here to have our different secondaries engaging with the Costa training Fri 21 S5/ 6 Assembly collective efforts recognised by you … and to team to set up a series of work placements, mainly at Mon 24 S3 Employability the coffee shop in the Fife Retail Park. Two of our Sen- Week with workplace visits etc have your backing. In some ways this is reflected ior Phase pupils subsequently started work placements Tue 25 S3 “Course Trans- in the sharp rise in our school roll for the session with Costa. fer” Meeting at Lunchtime Wed 26 S1 Fordell Trip for ahead, much of this due to “placing requests”. Adam Smith, AH Geography to However, as I shared at the Prizegiving last Second Week of Term Kindrogan (Perthshire) for 3 Week 2 was another busy week, culminating in what days, KHS at National Adverse month, we will strive to do better still. Usque was effectively the last day of school for our S6. After Childhood Experiences (ACES) Conabor, as it says on the badge! school on the Tuesday, our Active Schools Ambassadors Conference in Glasgow hosted a transition event which they had organised for Thu 27 Fordell Trip Carlyle our new P7 intake, laying on taster sessions in dance Fri 28 S1 Settling in Report Finally, you are likely aware that Mrs Aitken and netball. issued, Fordell Trip for Os- wald will be Acting Headteacher of Lochgelly High Also on the Tuesday evening, Mrs Davidson and Mr Tue 2 Oct Adam Smith As- School, from August. We have moved quickly to Allan attended the Rotary Club of Kirkcaldy meeting at sembly (with Kirkcaldy “backfill”, and I’m delighted that Mrs Sharon the Dean Park Hotel. This had a strong focus on youth Mosque, tbc), S3 Parents’ and activities with our Interact Club members speaking Carers Evening (1) Hamilton, currently Head of Maths, will be an about their fund raising activities. The Rotarians were Wed 3 Carlyle Assembly, Acting Depute Rector on return. She will be Year- also introduced to Kiara Montgomery and Blain Aitken School Photos (S1, 3 and 6), (S5), our successful RYLA Leadership Camp applicants. Open Doors Afternoon/ head for S3, with Mr Young taking on that role Kiara and Blain are being sponsored to take part in a Evening (Tours for FPs etc) for S1/2. Miss Diamond stays with S4 and Mrs week long adventure and leadership camp in the High- Thu 4 Osw ald Assembly lands this summer. They will also be joined by Stepha- Fri 5 Charity Dress Dow n, Davidson oversees S5/6. nie Blyth (S5) after an additional place became availa- Maths CSI Court Case, Close ble. Many thanks to Kirkcaldy Rotary for all their sup- with return on Mon 22 Oct. port. Yours 1 On the Wednesday, KHS was Also on Monday morning, Mrs In the afternoon, our U14 invited to be part of a prestigious Davidson went along to ASDA football team contested event at Kirkcaldy West Primary Carberry Road to collect a cheque the semi-final of the School. It was the launch of the as part of the "Green Token" Scottish Schools' FA Plate Scottish Government's School scheme. Many thanks to the store against St Modan's High Improvement Our young peo- for their support. Then, on Mon- School of Stirling. The ple spoke about different aspects day afternoon, we had the first match took place at New of their being involved in design- session of the Migele Experience Central Park, home of ing learning and contributing to work shadowing programme. Kelty Hearts and KHS school improvement. Gayle Gor- Many thanks to Dom Panetta of won a keenly fought man, the new Chief Inspector of Dom Migele for his support. As match 2-1. Schools attended the event. It is you know, helping young peo right that our success in involving On Wednesday, we had a young people in the life of the Tuesday saw a visit by our group of over 50 S1 school continues to be recognised. Go4SET technology team to Levi- pupils attending a special It certainly fits in well with our ton (Brand-Rex) in Glenrothes. event at Edinburgh Uni- "Rights Respecting School" Award.