HT Weekly Update: Week-ending Friday 6th September 2024

Friday 6th September 2024

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 on Monday on the school website.  

Key messages from this week  

Calendar:  Significant events next week;  our work relating to Fairtrade Fortnight begins from Monday;  on Wednesday we have our S1 Fair to encourage our new students to sign-up for our extra-curricular groups/clubs/teams,  also on Wednesday we’ll give our S6 and ‘younger’ staff the opportunity to be part of the Anthony Nolan Stem Cell Drive, see below, Wednesday is also our Senior Phase Awards Ceremony;  a wee reminder that Friday 13th and Monday 16th September are holidays with the school closed for staff and students, as a result news week’s HT Update will be posted on Thursday and responded to on the following Tuesday.   

Staffing:   Our PT Creative Design post is live on myjobscotland. 

Anthony Nolan Charity:   ‘Anthony Nolan’ connects people who are willing to donate their stem cells to patients with blood cancer and blood disorders in desperate need of a lifesaving transplant. The charity urgently needs donors, aged 16-30, from as many different ethnic backgrounds as possible, to give everyone the best chance of survival. The drive, on Wednesday of next week, aims to sign up staff and students aged 16-30, to join the register and become a donor. By donating cells, donors have the power to give someone with blood cancer or a blood disorder another chance to live. 

2025 SQA Exam Timetable:  SQA have published the 2025 exam timetable on their website. The exam diet will start on Monday 28th April and finish on Friday 30th May 2025. The timetable takes account of the May Bank Holiday on Monday 5th May.  Results day will be Tuesday 5th August 2025.  To access the timetable,  click here

S4 Work Experience:  This will take place week beginning Monday 4th November 2024 and was launched this week with our S4 students.  We’ve asked students, through their Year Group Google Classroom, to start having a think about where they would like to do their Work Experience and start to ask around/contact potential employers. A PowerPoint with some information as well as a PDF form was shared with students in the Google Classroom. The PDF form can be sent to employers via email or if students prefer a paper copy they should ask staff in Room 110.  The deadline for forms to be completed and returned is Wednesday 9th October.  In effect, students have until then to find their Work Experience placement and fill out associated paperwork. A copy of forms will also be emailed to parents. Rest assured that Work Experience week will be discussed and supported in more detail through our PSE programme.  

Adult Learning Programme:  Midlothian’s Communities, Lifelong Learning and Employability Team have asked us to share their Midlothian Adult Learning Programme.  Please click here to access it.  

Parent Council:   Our first Parent Council meeting of the session was held last night.  Thank you to those who were able to join.  One of the outcomes was that we’ll consult on the format of our meetings in the new year.  The options are either in-person or online. At this stage just have a wee think about that.  Our next meeting is in-person and will be held on Tuesday 29th October.      

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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