HT Weekly Update: Week-ending Friday 1st September 2023

Friday 1st September 2023

This concise weekly HT Update is generally published every Friday afternoon.  It’s a simple opportunity for you to also feedback/ask questions via the link at the bottom of each Update.  Feedback received, where appropriate, will be responded to and published by Monday afternoon on the school website link. 

Key messages from this week

Calendar:  A reminder that our ‘Whole School – Lasswade High School’ calendar is now visible on the school website.   Click here to view it.  Next week:  on Monday a number of our S2 students will visit Bannockburn, also on Monday afternoon all S2 will take part in a substance misuse workshop as part of their Personal and Social Education programme (apologies, got ahead of myself last week on this one);  our first Parent Council Meeting of the session is on Tuesday at 7.00pm (see below);  across the week we’ll hold Student Voice Year Council meetings. 

Senior Leadership Team:  On Wednesday of this week we announced to staff and students that Ali Mitchell will be leaving us at the October break.  She has secured the Head Teacher position at Balwearie HS in Fife.  Her appointment is thoroughly deserved as Ali is an outstanding leader who in her almost 4 years with us has made a huge impact on our school.  Ali and I shared HT duties last session and will continue to until her departure.  She has been excellent in that role and will be missed by many in our school community.  It has been great to see so many staff and students congratulating her on her new appointment.  We are delighted for her and wish her great success in her new role.  In terms of Lasswade HS this means that from Monday 23rd October Lynsey Struthers, currently DHT,  and I will share the Head Teacher role.  This will last until the end of June 2024.  I will return to full-time HT duties at our school from August 2024.  In addition,  Hana Petrie will step-up to a full-time DHT role within our SLT on an acting basis.  Our plan is to advertise for a permanent replacement for Ali in the spring/summer of 2024.

Staffing: On Monday the 4th we welcome Callum Boyd, Teacher of History to our school.   We are pleased to confirm that Amanda Montague will step up from her existing role to take on the Acting PTC Creative Design role from Monday 23rd October.  This is related to Hana Petrie picking up the full time Acting DHT role from this date

S4 Work Experience November 2023: Our S4 Work Experience ‘slot’ is from 6th-10th November 2023. Last week I made a plea for support and we’ll keep this in our update for a little while longer.  We are seeking through our parent/carer community, and their contacts/connections, any businesses that may be willing to offer a work experience placement to one of our students, please let us know through the feedback form at the bottom of this update and I’ll pass details onto Mrs Sharp. 

Academy of Performing Arts:  Congratulations to Maisie Walker (S3) who represented us brilliantly whilst singing at the opening ceremony of the UCI World Cycling Championships in Glasgow at the start of August. What an achievement and a great opportunity for one of our APA pathway students.

SQA 2024:  We’ve added the SQA 2024 Exam Diet Dates to the school calendar.  You can see this on the website.  In addition, if you wish to see the dates of exams then visit the SQA website  click here.  Although the dates of exams will not change, sometimes we move the start/end times for logistical reasons relating to the school.  Much nearer the time students will be issued with their individual timetable.  

Parent Council:  Our first Parent Council meeting of the session will be held in-person on Tuesday 5th September, at 7.00pm in room 114.  The agenda will include discussion on Parent Council plans for the year, a focus on how we engage with and involve parents/carers, a section on what’s happening nationally, our main plans for the school year and an introduction to our School Captain Team. All parents/carers are welcome and it would be great to see as many S1 Parents as possible.  Our Parent Council Chair is Sara Adam, she can be contacted via email the Parent Council Facebook page click here

First Aid Mop Up:  Posts have been placed in S4, S5 and S6 Year Group Google Classrooms regarding how students, who’ve missed the opportunity to complete a First Aid qualification can be ‘mopped-up’.  Students who’ve missed out on the first round of training are asked to complete a Google Form by Friday 8th September.  

Fair Trade:  In June we received official confirmation we achieved the FairActive Award. As part of our feedback we were encouraged to go for the highest award as well, which we did.  I’m delighted to inform you we have achieved the FairAchiever Award as a school.  This work has been led by Miss Conlan and students within Geography,  particularly last session’s S3. Our aim is to build on this achievement and ensure we continue to include Fairtrade in our curriculum and as part of our school community where possible.

Cost Of Living Support:  Midlothian Council have asked us to share this with our school community.  If you have a child or young person in your family in P6 and above then you may be eligible for free school meals and clothing grants, depending on your income.  Find out more and apply at www.midlothian.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals

 

If you have any feedback/questions relating to this update please submit them via the link below

Feedback here

Take Care

Campbell Hornell,  Head Teacher

 

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