NORTH BERWICK HIGH SCHOOL
Winter 2010
Winter Newsletter All staff and pupils at North Berwick High School wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Beekeeping Club The Beekeeping Club, run by Mrs McCormack, meets every Thursday lunchtime. The club members visit the two hives that are situated near the school, weather permitting, to check the bees are healthy and to carry out various jobs for the month. On our last visit, the bees were clustering together for the winter. We hope they will survive, as bees are becoming endangered and we need them to pollinate all our flowers and crops. They are vital to the ecosystem. I have learned a lot about bees and I represented the Club on the bee stall at the North Berwick Food Fair one Saturday. It was great fun, and I was able to share the knowledge I‟d gained with others. If you are interested in joining the Beekeeping Club, contact Mrs McCormack (Guidance). Louise Melvin S6
OPEN INVITATION We are very honoured to have been chosen by the Anne Frank Trust Scotland to host the exhibition, “Anne Frank – A History for Today” at our school in January 2011. The exhibition will form a major part of our Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations in school. The exhibition looks at the history surrounding the events in Anne‟s life and challenges us to consider the contemporary relevance of these issues, leading the visitor to a greater understanding of the steps that we can all take as individuals to prevent the rise of prejudice and discrimination in our communities. We hope to make the exhibition available to as many people in the community as possible and should like to take this opportunity to invite you to visit the exhibition. We plan an Open Day of the exhibition to community groups between 10.00 am and 6.30 pm on Wednesday 2nd February.
Dropping Off And Picking Up At School As you know, we have several pupils who need to be dropped off and picked up as close to the front door as possible to allow them to access vehicles easily. Please do not stop or park directly in front of the school at any time, because our pupils may need this access throughout the school day in addition to the beginning and end of it. Please use the turning circle area outside the Sports Centre instead. Thank you for your support in this matter.
Fun Run This was very successful again this year. The sum raised was £5425.75, which will help boost School Fund particularly financial support for pupils - and also the two school charities. Thank you very much for your support. If there are any outstanding contributions, these should be sent in to school as soon as possible.
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SPORTING ENTHUSIASTS HAVE YOU AN INTEREST IN A LESS TRADITIONAL SPORT IN WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACQUIRE A QUALIFICATION? NBHS already provides the opportunity for students to participate in golf, mountain biking and sailing but the school would like to offer its students the chance to participate in more varied and less traditional sports. If you have an interest in, eg archery, shooting, fencing, orienteering (the list is endless!) and you would like to acquire a qualification which you could offer to students, then NBHS may be able to help you with the funding. Please contact Claire Parry, Sport and Physical Activity Coordinator on cparry@elcschool.org.uk for further details. DO YOU HAVE A QUALIFICATION OR TIME WHICH YOU COULD USE TO BENEFIT NBHS STUDENTS? Many teachers, from all departments, give their time after school to allow our children the opportunity to partake in a range of sports. If you already have a qualification in a sport or even the time to offer to help at the various activities already provided by NBHS, the school could really do with your help. For more information, please contact Claire Parry, Sport and Physical Activity Co-ordinator on cparry@elcschool.org.uk. Many thanks Vanessa Hutchison Parent Council
RAG BAG TEXTILE SKIP We have received a textile bank (otherwise known as a skip!) which has been located next to the paper recycling skip in the car park. Parents, pupils and staff can now put textiles in this bank for recycling at any time, as long as it is in a bag. We have bags in the office, or your own plastic bag will suffice. Please refer to the attached website for further information on what is done with the goods. It also helps raise funds for the school! http://www.rag-bag.co.uk/
DEAD BOY TALKING Pupils from 2C2 (09/10) spent the spring term working with local author, Linda Strachan, to launch her novel, the award-winning 'Dead Boy Talking'. This hard-hitting novel deals with knife crime and its devastating effects on young lives. They were visited by Linda's publishers and learned about the economics of the publishing industry. Linda talked to them about life as an author and the inspiration for her book. Our pupils worked hard, organising a book launch at the school. The event was attended by authors and publishers as well as the pupils' parents and teachers. It featured readings, presentations and a short drama. You can see the pupils, who are now in S3, discuss the project on the Scottish Book Trust website: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/otir/deadboy
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Pupil Support Newsletter Autumn 2010 The new session started with one of our S6 beginning his work experience at East Links Family Park. Every Tuesday morning the young person helps to feed the animals, which is a very busy task due to the number of animals. He thoroughly enjoys this task. He is also taking part in a Lifeskills programme which involves using public transport to Musselburgh, with support. Three of our young people attend the Riding for the Disabled Association on a Tuesday morning. As part of the experience they are completing an ASDAN course in Horse Husbandry which will lead to the boys receiving a certificate at Christmas. The Riding for the Disabled Association is celebrating the opening of new facilities and this took place from 16 to 20 November. The boys who attend from the Support base took part in these celebrations, in the open riding session on Tuesday, 16 November. Parents, carers and friends were invited to share in the celebrations. In September, four of our young people attended a badminton tournament at Meadowmill. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and met other young people from other local schools. The Pupil Support Base held a successful Macmillan Coffee morning when parents/carers of the young people who attend the base were invited. Cakes and pancakes were made in the support kitchen for everyone to enjoy and ÂŁ25 was raised for the charity. The Department, through Miss Shepherd, are involved in the Moving On Transitions programme for some S3, S4 and S5 young people. This is held in the Youth Cafe in North Berwick with youth workers from the cafe working alongside the young people and Miss Shepherd to deliver the programme. November was a busy month for the Department with the S4 prelims being supported for the young people with Additional Support Needs through their various SQA Assessment Arrangements. The department will also be running their annual trip to the Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh to see the Pantomime, Mother Goose. The department continue to participate in the Theme of the Month. September was Harvest, October was the Bejing Commonwealth Games and November was Children in Need. The PSB held a party on the afternoon of Thursday November 25th to celebrate 21 years since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was produced. Later this term we hope to begin an Intermediate 1/2 course in hairdressing. This will be delivered jointly by a tutor and Youth CafĂŠ staff to a selected group of senior pupils. Work converting one of the PSE rooms into a hairdressing salon continues apace and we're really excited now the project is about to become a reality.
S1 Bonding Days In October all S1 classes enjoyed bonding at East Links Family park near Dunbar. This presented an opportunity for pupils, registration teachers and guidance staff to build and strengthen relationships outwith the school setting. These days were action-packed, full of fun and laughter and extremely worthwhile. Special thanks to S6 helpers who came along.
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Lammermuir Festival 10 – 19 September 2010 This music festival was set in beautiful locations around East Lothian featuring some wonderful orchestras and renowned soloists. Many of our Higher and Advanced Higher pupils had the privilege of watching the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra rehearsing at St Mary‟s Parish Church, Haddington, chatting with their conductor Rory Macdonald and then watching the concert. Some of our pupils volunteered to be on the Festival Youth Team, gaining valuable experience in events management, front of house and ushering. Others were given free tickets to concerts and then were asked to write a review. This classical music Festival really sought to engage with young people. Reading comments like these below – I think they succeeded. “I enjoyed watching the rehearsal and it was interesting to see the orchestra work on the pieces and improve them. I also really liked the venue as it had a lot of history and good acoustics.” Elizabeth Nicholls, S5. “The venue for the concert was great! It was good to meet the conductor and the creative director…..The violinist was amazing to watch.” Vivien Conway, S5. Dunbar and District Choral Society Charity Concert in aid of the RNLI, 8th October Two ensembles from NBHS collaborated with Dunbar and District Choral Society performing two sets of songs with great energy and vitality. Well done Mr Roderick and the Ukelele Orchestra, and „the band‟ (Fraser Fulton (S6), Holly Wilson (S6), Sarah Patrick (S5), Rowan Wood (S5) and Jacob Cusworth (S5).)
Winter Newsletter
Opera North - 'Operation Pinocchio' In October, 30 of our S1 pupils worked with Opera North for a day, exploring the themes and music from Opera North‟s production of „Pinocchio‟. Our young people threw themselves into the circle games, singing in up to 4 parts at one time, making costumes (from newspaper and vast quantities of sellotape…now that‟s what I call resourceful), drama challenges such as creating a freeze frame, creating text and actions, and improvising. Here are some comments from the experience: "fun, exciting, amazing…." Melissa Rogers "creative, lively, fun" Eve Walker, "challenging, interactive" Josh Pumfrey What did you like most about the workshop? 'Working with other people." Zoe Whellans The workshop was then followed up by a visit to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre to see the production itself. Everyone was all psyched up for it by then, and we recognized various themes and songs in the opera from the workshop. One very catchy song was the cricket song - a highpitched rolled 'rrrrrrrrrrrr' followed by a piercing repeated chirrup - the coach on the way back to school was full of cricket chirrups!
Winter Newsletter
Royal Scottish National Orchestra Concert, Usher Hall th
On 26 October, pupils studying Music from S3 and S6 were treated to a concert by the RSNO, featuring a selection of works from Baroque to contemporary music. Even better than last year (says Mrs Medine!), the presentations that were given – specially aimed at pupils studying Standard Grade/ Higher/Advanced Higher – were engaging and memorable, really bringing the language of music concepts to life. Congratulations to Emma Aitken (S6, violin) and Joanna Casson (S5, cello) who were selected to play alongside the musicians in „Pictures at an Exhibition‟! "I thoroughly enjoyed the concert at the Usher Hall on Wednesday. The orchestra were amazing and it was really great to see classical music performed live. " Helen Black, S3 “The concert refreshed my love for orchestra pieces" Beth Pearson, S4 “I thought it was really good and I would definitely go again. The useful commentary showed us how the music was formed and it was broken up into various bits." Alistair Mackenzie, S4 “I was left hoping for more……maybe another half an hour would have been nice.” Callum Devine, S6 “I enjoyed the concert because compared to other concerts, it was by far the most interactive and educational." Marcus Whitmore, S6
Trinity/Guildhall Hall Woodwind Results Katie Bennett - Grade 2 - Flute - Merit Eve Milne - Grade 2 - Flute - Merit Emily Menneer - Grade 4 - flute Heather Shaw - Grade 4 - flute with merit Mhairi Cousland - Grade 8 - Alto Saxophone
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S1-S3 Achievement Ceremonies For a number of years we have held year group awards ceremonies in June to celebrate the successes and achievements of our pupils. This year we made three important changes to this system. Firstly, we held smaller, less formal events for each House year group with our House Captains as guests and entertainment for parents provided by members of the class. This meant there were nine smaller ceremonies compared with the three of previous years. Secondly, certificates were awarded to all pupils recognising achievement both in school and in the community. This meant recognition of achievement not only in subjects but also in other activities. It was amazing to see just how varied and wide these activities are. Thirdly, we tried to make sure that pupils were rewarded not just for being good at a subject but also for the effort made and resilience shown within that subject or activity. It is our plan in future to hold these ceremonies in June of each session. We have already asked pupils to evaluate these events and would be very interested to receive feedback from parents. Please pass on your thoughts to Mr Peyton either by post or by e-mail to cpeyton@northberwickhigh.elcschool.org.uk
Christmas Concerts All our ensembles and choirs are rehearsing hard for the Christmas Concerts! We look forward to seeing you at our Christmas Concerts on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th December at 7pm. Tickets £5/£3 are on sale from the school office from 24th November.
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WORLD CUP In June I was lucky enough to attend the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Having visited the country before and knowing of the desperate poverty that chokes the country, I felt I should try to do my bit to help those who are so disadvantaged. With the timing of the World Cup I felt it had to be an attempt to bring football to the people most in need of some happiness in their lives. With some very generous donations of strips and boots from the North Berwick High School community, I got in touch with a local kids football club in a shanty town on the outskirts of Cape Town where I was staying and they welcomed any donations that were offered. The club has a policy that it only charges fees to those who can afford it and with many of the children‟s parents struggling to pay for basic food, football was always neglected. When we arrived at Johannesburg Airport, it was clear that this was a changed place. The atmosphere was electric and there were vuvuzelas sounding everywhere, random games of football happening in the airport and fans chanting their songs everywhere. We were lucky enough to go to matches at Soccer City and Rustenburg. We then flew to Cape Town to see another two of the group stage matches. Later on in the tournament, after the group stage, we visited the football club to drop off the kit. The club was nothing compared with what we are used to. The ageing rusty posts and damp ridden changing room were obviously cared for but were decades old due to the lack of funds. We were given a hero‟s welcome and after watching them show off their new kit (North Berwick High School vs Rest of the World) we had a chat with some of the locals. They emphasized how proud they were to be able to show off their country to the world despite having so little and that the tournament had brought hope to a nation with so many issues. South Africa is one of the most crime ridden countries in the world yet during the World Cup crime fell by 90%. Who would have thought that, despite the costs, football could make such an inspirational change to the Rainbow Nation? I would like to thank Mr Docherty for giving me the old school football strips, and all the parents and pupils who donated kit. They have gone to a very deserving cause and were hugely appreciated by everyone at the club. Calum Morrison (S6, 2009 – 2010) Going for Green This term has seen a big increase in the number of pupils getting involved with the school‟s ecocommittee as we head towards a visit from the Green Flag inspectors in December. Led by a large number of environmentally-aware S6, pupils from all years have come together to decide on the school‟s new eco-code and to form an action plan for the coming session. There will be a big concentration on cutting down on litter, increasing our recycling and, later in the year, there are plans for community clean-ups of some of our local rubbish black spots. Come December the whole school will be ready to receive the inspectors who will be treated to a full programme highlighting the immense amount the pupils do under the eco-schools banner – presentations will include bee-keeping, the school garden, the Malawi backpack appeal, citizenship and fair-trade groups and the use of the school grounds for outdoor learning. There will also be information on health and well-being and events such as those aimed at increasing the consumption of local produce by parents and pupils. While preparation for the inspection is currently taking up a lot of time, the eco-committee will continue its activities when it‟s over and will be looking for help from the local community for the big clean-up events – more details later on.
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Forest School Following the successful launch of the Forest School programme at NBHS with some of our S4s last year, we have expanded the programme this year to include the current S6. Forest School is all about getting our pupils outdoors into the woodland environment and getting them involved in activities including shelter-building, woodland games, the best way to make fires and cook outdoors and the safe and correct use of tools such as axes, bow-saws and knives. The techniques used encourage collaboration, self-reliance, development of self-esteem, leadership and teamwork as well as environmental appreciation. So far we have made our own mallets using axes and saws, built a large fire pit and cooked sausages and marshmallows and made some substantial forest furniture and shelters. We have also been looking at how to pass on the techniques learnt and may be doing so with younger children from our cluster primaries as part of the transition arrangements later in the year. The time spent in the woods is proving a big hit with those involved, keen to contribute in all weathers. Resources permitting, we hope to expand the opportunities offered to other age groups over the coming years.
Recycling Did you know the school now has a textile bank that can be used by the public to drop off their unwanted clothes? Please bring them along and put any bagged items in the skip in the school car park. We are also looking to collect unwanted mobile phones. These can be placed in the box in front of the school hall – please bear this in mind if handing out or receiving new phones at Christmas and bring your old ones along to help us out.
North Berwick High School Eco Code ·
Reduce litter in our school
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Recycle whenever possible
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Reduce our carbon footprint
Allergies to Nut Products, Especially Peanuts Please remember that there are a number of pupils in school with an allergy to nut products. An increasing number of our pupils suffer very serious reactions when they are in contact with any peanut products, for instance. They do not even need to eat the peanuts to suffer from such a reaction. Could you please help by not providing your child with any snacks for school which contain peanuts, and by preventing them from buying these products to bring into school. This includes peanut butter, chocolate spread and chocolate bars such as Snickers. Our school must be a „nut free zone‟ at all times.
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Year Group Outdoor Challenges Session 2010-11 has seen a fantastic uptake for the year group outdoor challenges. As more and more pupils take advantage of the opportunities afforded them by the Outdoor Education Department, not only are they developing their teamwork skills and their self-confidence, but they are also winning a lot of the 2010-11 titles! Well done to our S3 and S5 teams, who came first in their challenges, and to the S4, who came second amongst the East Lothian schools. S1 had their first taste of the outdoor challenge at the start of November. Still to come are the S6 challenge on 3rd December, and the S2 challenge on 10th February. Keep your eyes open for the posters around school and, if getting mucky and having a laugh is right up your street, make sure that you get your name to Miss Ritchie in a timeous manner please! The year group outdoor challenge is an annual event that brings together pupils from across the region in their year group categories. Pupils face a series of team tasks, which challenge them to work together and compete against other teams from the other East Lothian secondary schools. For more information, or for a news report and photos of an event in which YOU may have participated, please go to the "for schools" section of http://edubuzz.org/blogs/eloes/.
Duke of Edinburgh, Siver Practice Expedition, 2010-2011 A group of twelve lively S5 pupils set off on their practice Duke of Edinburgh Hike with heavy rucksacks ( some heavier than others - Jamie! ) on a blustery Friday Morning. We walked from Skateraw Harbour along the coast towards Knowes Farm Shop and on to Binning Wood. At Binning Wood that evening we all came together for the first time around the campfire and we were all ready for a good hot meal. The next morning we woke to a surprise visit from Mrs McLaren, our Assessor. Saturday was a beautiful day and we headed to Newmains Farm near Yellowcraig. On Saturday evening Martyn, our guide, decided to take us at around 8pm for night navigation around Yellowcraig. It was freezing cold and we were exhausted from the two day hike, but all managed to make it to the top of the hill practising our compass skills along the way. We were in awe at the brightness of the starlight sky. It is amazing how your eyes adjust to the dark. On Sunday morning the group woke at day break, then headed for the top of the Law ,via Kingston, to eat Lucy's birthday cake and end our weekend expedition. We would all like to thank Ms Ritchie, Ian, Anthony, Martyn and Mrs Waddell for giving up their time over the weekend and, of course, Dr. Scott for preparations in school. We look forward to heading for the hills in June for our final Silver Expedition. Amber Whitelaw and Sarah Scott.
FOOTBALL NEWS In September our Seniors hosted players from Ignatius Park College, Townsville in Queensland, Australia and played a game against them. George Elderfield, 6L1, piped the players onto the pitch to "Flower of Scotland". Although the match was played in driving wind and rain, it was an excellent performance for North Berwick who finished 10-1 winners. Among the scorers were Andrew Jones with 3 goals, and Hamish Law with 4 goals in the second half. The Australians commented they were not used to the Scottish weather! A huge thank you to all the hosting families who looked after the Australian boys during their visit to North Berwick and helped with the match hospitality.
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Art and Design In September, sixty of our 3rd year Art and Design pupils visited the exhibition of "The Glasgow Boys" at Kelvingrove Art Gallery This was a superb exhibition showing a huge quantity of work by these influential Scottish painters who made such a huge impact on the international art scene in the early 20th century. The paintings on show were of the highest quality and gave pupils the chance to see some of the finest examples of landscapes, figure paintings and portraiture at close quarters. One aspect that pupils found particularly interesting was that a number of these well-known artists worked for part of their careers in the East Lothian and Berwickshire area and pupils were able to identify local scenes and landmarks in the paintings. The pupils and staff enjoyed a very informative and lively guided tour with museum staff. Pupils completed a worksheet during the visit and used it as the basis for a written assignment back at school. Sixty pupils from the Dept of Art and Design attended a jewellery-making workshop run by the internationally recognised lecturer and jewellery designer, Dorothy Hogg. This took place in the Royal Scottish Museum and ran over four afternoon sessions. After a super introductory talk, pupils got down to the hands-on business of making a piece of jewellery for themselves. They had brought along their sketches and ideas and then put them into practice under the watchful and encouraging eye of Dorothy. Her enthusiasm for her subject came through and she motivated each pupil into producing a lovely piece of work to bring away for their folios. The musem supplied a wide range of materials and equipment for our pupils to use and they made splendid use of these. Dorothy was so delighted with the very positive attitude and creativity shown by our pupils that she has very generously offered to come to NBHS and run a free workshop session for a day. The pieces of jewellery made at the workshop will be put on display in the school.
Homework
2F Gardening Project
I am pleased to see our youngsters making good use of their diaries, which should be used for recording homework, assignments, „things to do‟ and achievements gained. Success comes from being well organised and the planners should assist in this process. I ask all parents to take an active interest in these diary/planners. Ask to see them regularly and contact the school if you ever feel that there is an issue about homework. Mr Sutherland
2F raised £45, under the supervision of Mrs Logan and senior pupils from 6F, washing cars on a wet and cold Friday morning. This money is to be used to purchase plants and bulbs to create a more aesthetically pleasing garden area at the front of the school building. Many thanks to parents who have volunteered to help with this project.
Former Pupils Dan Barber and Rachel Nelson receiving their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards at Holyrood. Emma Girot and James Gibbons also achieved the Gold Award
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Careers Adviser Update An update on some of the activities over this term, developments and what happens from January 2011. For those who are not able to view this article online I have put the web links in brackets. You put in www.tinyurl.com/ followed by the appropriate letters/numbers. A large group of S6 students attended the Higher Education Convention at Edinburgh Napier University to meet with and talk to representatives from UK universities. Students have built on this by visiting Open Days to help focus their UCAS (y5r6x9) choices. All the S5 (37zyt3g) and S6 (2wpzewm) have received a careers talk which included information and resources to help with their career planning and these can be viewed at edubuzz.org/blogs/ careers. There is a link from the main school site to the blog. These talks have generated many interview requests, which take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays over the session. This term I have delivered a 3 week block on employability skills (d7sueg) with a group of S6 students and intend to develop this further. It is fortunate that we now have a very active Skills for Schools representative who is working with me to help involve parents in helping students plan for life after school. The first session was led by Dr Peter Elderfield from Heineken on his career as a chemical engineer. This is a great resource and I hope it continues to grow. Please feel free to volunteer! Delivering our service via specific subjects has always been of interest and this term I delivered a session to Intermediate level English. You can access some of the online resources we used here (3y9hgfg) and feel free to create your own No1 hit! We also managed to celebrate the European Day of Languages (35qdcb7) with careers information, conversation and music! The Podcast (2v4yx43) updates continue and I would like to highlight the continuing input from Julia and Claire on music and psychology along with our medical students and a great story from Emily, an ex-student, on her experiences at St. Andrew‟s and the Marshall Islands! (2wqrstt) Next term sees the start of the S4 inputs after their return from work experience and continuing to offer one-to-one interviews for students on a self-referral basis. The main emphasis of the S4 talks is to make students aware of the school leaver destination returns and try to develop their understanding of what happens to students after they leave school. Another development currently being planned is to offer an employability input for interested students and Skills for Schools representatives and I will report on this next term. I attend S2/4/5/6 parents‟ evenings and any other related evening sessions and look forward to working with everyone at North Berwick High over the academic year 2010/11. Mick Burns Careers Adviser mick.burns@sds.co.uk
Charities The two charities for session 2010 – 2011 are Motor Neurone Disease and North Berwick Music Therapy. Fundraising is now underway for these two worthy causes. A very successful International Ceilidh was held at the end of October, hosting visitors from an international school in Brussels. In addition, £160 was raised at the Macmillan Coffee Morning and £570.45 for Children in Need. The committee is grateful for all the support you give us. Donations for the raffle at the Christmas concerts would be most welcome. These can be given to Mrs Macaskill by your child or left at the office for her.
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SQA Results 2010 The school has had another very good set of results in the SQA examinations of 2010. These results are the accumulation of individual results by individual students and illustrate the hard work of staff, pupils and parents in partnership. I hope that these results will be the spring board to further success this year. Our results for 2010 are as follows: Fourth Year 5 or more awards at 1-2 5 or more awards at 1-4 5 or more awards at 1-6
57% 88% 95%
5 or more Highers 3 or more Highers 1 or more Higher (of original S4 group)
24% 42% 67%
1 or more Advanced Higher (of original S4 group)
33%
Fifth Year
Sixth Year
The work for the examinations starts from the moment our students come into First Year when we build upon the work of our partner primaries. We can never take good results for granted and indeed we are always looking for ways in which to improve. Our aim is, as always, to ensure that all our students attain as highly as possible in their examinations. There are many ways in which parents can help us in our efforts. Two of them are homework and attendance (particularly not taking holidays during term time).
Attendance and Registration In order for our students to attain highly, they must of course be present in school. I therefore urge you in the strongest possible terms not to consider taking family holidays outwith the normal term times. This point cannot be stressed too highly. In addition, regulations from the Scottish Government mean that family holidays are classed as „unauthorised absence.‟ Thank you for your cooperation and support in this vital matter. I am pleased to report that our attendance level is running at over 95% and pupils are arriving punctually to school apart from a small percentage who – and they are not the same pupils every day! – persist in arriving just a few minutes late. Clearly they are cutting it too fine and I have asked all of them to leave home ten minutes earlier so that they can arrive in school with a few minutes to spare. I ask for your assistance with this if your child comes into this category. We have been operating our parental contact system for quite a while now, in which we contact you by telephone if your child is not at school with no reason for absence. This has been going well and I know that it is greatly appreciated by parents. It is vital that parents do keep us up to date and this includes telephoning the school in the morning to tell us why their child is absent. The contact number is 01620 894716 and this is a dedicated line for this purpose.
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Careers Notice for S4, S5 and S6 pupils Database of Professionals If you are unsure as to which Highers you want or need to study, or if you are still trying to decide on your university course, then you may find it useful to speak to one or a number of people from different professions. A member of the Parent Council has a database of volunteers from varying professions who are willing to talk to you about what their job entails, their experiences, the opportunities available and which qualifications you will require to enter their profession. Should you wish to meet with someone who can help you reach the critical decisions you have to make over the next few months, then please contact your guidance teacher or Mick Burns, Careers Adviser, who have details of the database. Top Award for North Berwick High School Rugby Coach NBHS 1st XV Rugby coach, Mike De Busk, was presented with the Aviva Daily Telegraph Sports Teacher of the Year Award at a gala reception in Wembley Stadium on 3 November. Mike has given his time to coach rugby for 15 years, starting at NBRFC Minis and continuing into the High School. He has been the senior coach for a number of years and has helped hundreds of boys grow up through rugby. He overcame a personal tragedy, when his son, Matt, who was a member of the rugby team, died in a car crash two years ago. Mike kept on coaching and the lifelong bond he constructed with the boys is a testament to the quality of the man. It was fitting that such an unsung hero was given this prestigious award, which highlights that his contribution really does matter. The link to the article that appeared in the Telegraph is http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/ schoolsports/8108855/Daily-Telegraph-Aviva-School-SportMatters-Awards-brings-out-a-host-of-sporting-heroes.html
PTA Upcoming Events Burns’ Supper Friday 4th February 2011 Traditional Burns‟ Supper and ceilidh, with the S6 students presiding. Tickets will be on sale at the start of the new term in 2011. Quiz Night Friday 4th March 2011 A fun evening with questions to suit all. Open to pupils and families, as well as the more competitive adults among us. Tickets will be on sale nearer the time. Engineering Recently, Professor Maher, whose qualification is in engineering, was kind enough to spare some time to talk with the senior pupils taking maths. His son, Patrick, is in one of the classes. Professor Maher spent some time explaining how the subject can be applied in the engineering fields of mechanics, transport and electrical. He then took questions from the pupils. Professor Maher was an engaging speaker and it was very interesting to hear how the subject we study is used in real settings. The video examples, including solving the problem of traffic congestion, were good illustrations. Engineering is a popular choice of career, therefore we appreciated the input of someone with such experience in the profession.
We’re on the web! www.northberwickhigh.net
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CHINA TRIP – JUNE 2010 Twenty six pupils participated in this field trip to China in June 2010. The students were from S5 and S6 (2009-2010) and had undertaken a study of Modern Day China as part of their Higher Modern Studies course. The trip allowed the pupils to consolidate their knowledge by seeing China‟s capital city, Beijing, first hand and comparing China in 2010 to the China of the past. Every participating student threw themselves into the spirit of the trip, from wearing our „Red‟ Tshirts on the outward leg of the journey to trying out the language where possible. The students enjoyed getting to know our tour guide Amanda (an English name she had chosen for herself) and travelling around Beijing‟s crazy traffic in the careful hands of Master Lee. The sites visited ranged from China‟s Imperial Past to more recent architectural wonders, including the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and the Bird‟s Nest Stadium. Tiannamen Square was enormous and welcomes tourists from all over China, keen to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mao Tse Tung. Despite the controversy surrounding past events in Tiannamen Square, the students were nothing but courteous and respectful. Still, a lesson learned in what it means to live in a country with a high degree of censorship – students could acknowledge that many Chinese people simply did not have any awareness of the actions taken by the government in 1989. A trip to the Great Wall and a difficult ascent up what felt like a million steps gave a sense of the size of China, its dominance as an Imperial nation in the past and of course, a great sense of personal achievement – „I climbed the Great Wall‟ medals attest to this! Students were also given the opportunity to experience evening entertainment, China style. Acrobatics and Kung-Fu shows entertained and thrilled but none compared to the experience of the Peking Opera. A mixture of traditional Chinese folklore, music mixed with acrobatics, extravagant costumes and makeup, the Peking Opera has no rival to its uniqueness. Mention the Peking Opera to any participant and watch their expression! The good manners of our students extended to meal times when Chinese food for lunch and dinner all week could have easily brought on the onslaught of „rice fatigue‟ but every morsel was gobbled up without complaint (well, aside from the soup, but that‟s a different matter entirely!) Everywhere we went, be it a fresh water pearl factory, the Ming Tombs or the Summer Palace, the students followed Amanda with interest and enthusiasm. It gave us a great sense of pride when she told us that in her ten years as a tour guide, North Berwick High School was one of the best groups (not just school groups) she had ever taken. The students did themselves proud, and they left China having had an unforgettable experience. To Amanda and China, we say “Xie Xie!”
INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY CONFERENCE
Singer, Zoe Moskal-Guy, accompanied by Bess MacArthur, Polly Waters, James Leslie and guitar instructor, Alan Coady, prepare to take the stage. The performance was very well received by hundreds of delegates at the opening ceremony of the 18th Commonwealth Forestry Conference - held in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Monday 28 June, 2010.
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MALAWI In the five short months since I returned from Malawi, so many people have asked me: “So, how was it?” In response, I normally return: “It was wonderful/incredible/fantastic” – whatever adjective I haven‟t used in a while – not wanting to talk for hours about it! But it was so much more than that. From the moment we stepped off that bus at Katunguwiri Community Day Secondary School, I knew I was about to have an experience which would change me forever. Children were jumping up at the bus and village Headmen were waiting before us to be the first to shake our hands. Then from nowhere the singing of a children‟s choir, waiting to lead us up to their church, was to be heard. And from then on, a fusion of culture took place as both the children and the men and women from the surrounding villages taught and entertained us with their traditional dances, songs and drama. We in turn taught them ceilidh dances and sang to them the songs we had long prepared back in Scotland. We slept on the floor and used pit latrines and washed with heated basins in what could only be described as straw pens. But also I had the most fun I can remember, living in this way and meeting people my age, but who were growing up in one of the poorest countries in the world. I was struck by the utmost sense of community there; they all relied on one another. It showed me that despite differences in responsibility, culture and wealth, children are children all over the world and happier or friendlier people I could not hope to meet anywhere else. It is hard to believe that in the first three days we experienced that much. When we travelled to Ekwendeni we expected it to be far easier in comparison. However, it turned out to be the hardest three days I have ever experienced. There were joyous and fun moments just like at Katunguwiri. The HIV Youth Vocational Centre was excellent as we danced to their band and were told about the incredible work they do educating young people especially about the importance of preventing HIV/AIDS through music, dance and drama. We also went to church! It was interesting to see what their worship is like in Malawi and their choir was fabulous! However the service lasted from 9am to 2pm so we didn‟t stay for its entirety. Perhaps the toughest day of the trip was when we visited the Primary School and the Hospital. In the primary school we saw 104 children crammed into one classroom cross-legged with one teacher and no materials for notes. But as always in Malawi, everybody was smiling and very happy. The hospital was enlightening but horrifying at the same time. I saw how the hospital works and the way it is managed but I also saw conditions which I don‟t think I will ever forget. The experience of that hospital, I know, will stay with me always. Another highlight of my trip was handing out the backpacks with Mary‟s Meals. These children had never been given anything in their lives. So the sheer joy that spread across these children‟s faces was beautiful! They were working in classrooms with no roofs and poorly structured walls with no equipment or materials. Some had uniforms but many simply could not afford it. So it was hardly surprising that when they were handed something that was theirs to keep, with everything for school they could possibly wish for, they were so excited. In fact some of the children were so delighted, they rushed home to show their families and forgot to get their school meal! It really was such a happy day. We were so happy to see our Mary‟s Meals kitchen at Liwonde, now feeding around 1000 children every day. On our final day of the trip, we visited Adziwa Orphanage.
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Malawi contd. We saw the area in which they lived, which was a slum, and met women who were looking after four of their own children and then six orphans, in a two roomed house! We then witnessed the children‟s feeding programme. I actually got to feed the children which was really wonderful to be serving them their only meal of the day. The children sang us songs (including: “My God is so Big”, a song which a few of us remembered from our Sunday school days!) and danced with us and then watched us attempt to play football. I don‟t need to say, we were beaten, completely. It was a really wonderful day, seeing these children so happy. They had such tragic backgrounds but they still played and laughed and sang, just as children should. It was a fantastic end to the trip. My experience in Malawi this year was one that will never leave me and I don‟t think I will need to look at my journal very often to remind myself of the times I had and the people I met. At some points it was emotional and shocking, it was exciting, we had fun as a team and with the new people we met but, above all, I saw a completely different culture and side of the world in which I live. Joanna Casson Forst German Work Placement Trip In its ninth year, the German trip to Forst was a great success again this year. All in all, seven pupils from North Berwick High School and twelve from Dunbar Grammar School spent a week in Germany in order to participate in a week of work experience. Ten pupils worked for the regional council in Forst, Lausitz. Our German counterparts had visited us in September, and contacts were joyfully reestablished at the start of November. Three of the North Berwick pupils were visiting the area for the second time and renewed friendships with their peers from last year. From my point of view, it is these friendships and international contacts that are the true essence of the trip - even beyond the gains in langauge experience - and it was a marvellous privilege to witness our young people and their German peers having such a great time together. Starting with two nights in Berlin, the pupils learned a lot about one of Europe's most fascinating and mutli-faceted cities. We visited the TV tower, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial Museum and even managed to take in a German film. Journeying on to Forst late on the Sunday, anticipation was high, with cries of "but ah cannae speak German!" peppering the air! Certainly, being asked to immerse themselves in German working and school life took our pupils out of their comfort zone but they rose to the challenge admirably. Throughout the week, our pupils had the opportunity to spend time with pupils from the Forst Grammar School and to visit sights in the region, as well as to work for the council. It is always delightful to see how young people grow in confidence during this trip in particular. By the time we returned on Friday, the consensus from our pupils was that their German knowledge had grown, that they had enjoyed the trip and that they would love to go back again next year. As one boy said,"It really took German out of the classroom and made it real." My sincere thanks to the parents and staff who supported this trip. Miss Ritchie
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DAY SCHOOL SESSION DATES 2011-2012 Wednesday 17th August 2011 Monday 19th September 2011 Monday 17th October 2011 Tuesday 25th October 2011 Friday 23rd December 2011 Tuesday 10th January 2012 Monday 13th February 2012 Monday 20th February 2012 Monday 2nd April 2012 Tuesday 17th April 2012 Monday 7th May 20112 Monday 21st May 2012 Tuesday 22nd May 2012 Wednesday 23rd May 2012 Friday 29th June 2012
Pupils resume September holiday First day of October holiday Pupils resume First day of Christmas holiday Pupils resume First day of February half-term holiday Pupils resume First day of Easter holiday Pupils resume May Day Holiday Victoria Day holiday Teachers‟ Inservice Day Pupils resume School closes for summer holiday
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Monday 13th Tuesday 14th Wednesday 15th Thursday 16th Monday 20th Tuesday 21st Thursday 23rd
December Christmas Concert Christmas Concert S3/4 Christmas Dance S5/6 Christmas Dance S2 Christmas Dance S1 Christmas Dance School closes for pupils at 2.20 pm
Tuesday 11th Monday 17th Thursday 20th Monday 24th Monday 24th Tuesday 25th
January School re-opens for pupils Parent Council Meeting S5/6 Parents‟ consultation S2 Ski Trip (All Week) S4 Work Experience (All Week) Opening of Anne Frank Exhibition
Friday 4th Friday 11th Monday 21st Monday 28th
February PTA Burns‟ Supper and Ceilidh School closes for half-term School re-opens Parent Council Meeting
Grange Road North Berwick East Lothian EH39 4QS
Phone: 01620 894661 Absence line: 01620 894716 Fax: 01620 895495 Email: northberwick.hs@northberwickhigh.elc
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