Easter Newsletter

LASSWADE HIGH SCHOOL CENTRE EASTER NEWSLETTER Arrangements for the Easter Holiday I write to advise you that the school will close for the Easter Holiday at 12.15 pm on Friday 30 March 2012 and will re-open for students on Monday 16 April 2012.

Arrangements for S4 SQA Examinations

Lasswade has a Heartstart Programme running in the school where all S1 pupils participate in a 2 hour course and S4 leavers as well as a number of smaller groups around the school.

Even some of our associated Primaries are onboard now and our aim is to send as many trained pupils out into our community.

S1 pupils will do the Heartstart Course in May and the S4 leavers will be doing the course before they leave to sit their exams.

Healthy Start to the Day

Study leave will commence at 3.30 pm on Monday 23 April 2012. SQA examinations start on Wednesday 25 April 2012. Art and Design Standard Grade exam will take place on the second day after the Easter holidays; Tuesday 17 April 2012 at 9.00 am.

Arrangements for S5/S6 SQA Examinations

Study leave will commence at 12.15 pm on Friday 4 May 2012. Higher and Intermediate examinations start on Thursday 3 May 2012.

Students studying Information Systems (Intermediate 2 and Higher), Home Economics (Higher) and Music (Intermediate 2) who have an exam on Thursday 3 May 2012 will be excused from classes on Wednesday 2 May 2012. All students return from exam leave on Tuesday 5 June 2012.

Heartstart Well done to the pupils and staff at Lasswade High School Centre who recently won a Wii Fit Plus for the school by collecting the highest number of signatures in a British Heart Foundation Campaign to persuade the UK Government to make the teaching of Emergency Aid Skills compulsory in all schools in the UK. We collected over 900 signatures after a series of Assemblies to highlight the benefits of learning basic Emergency Aid Skills.

We are trying to encourage pupils and staff to start the day positively and healthily. From next term the Sports Centre will open at 7.00 am on a Tuesday and Thursday morning so that pupils and staff can access facilities.

Options such as badminton, squash and the gym will be available and the Sports Centre Cafe will be open for a healthy breakfast. All pupils and staff are encouraged to take up this opportunity. Usage of facilities is free but the breakfast will cost around ÂŁ1.50.

LASSWADE HIGH SCHOOL CENTRE EASTER NEWSLETTER School Sports Colours February saw the launch of Lasswade High School Centre sports colours. The aim of the sports colours is to promote excellence in sport. Pupils eligible to be nominated should have displayed outstanding achievement, dedication and commitment as well as to recognise the service and contribution they make to sport. There are 3 awards Full Colours, Half Colours and the Service Award. Pupils must be nominated to be considered for selection, nomination can come from teachers, coaches, parents, peers or pupils themselves.

The criteria for nominations is on the school website. To nominate from out-with the school please send any information via e-mail to lasswade_hs@midlothian.gov.uk to tell us of any sporting achievements.

French Pupils Visit Bienvenue!

S1/2 Fun with Food Cookery Club

Terms 1 and 2 of this session have been very busy on a Tuesday after school in the Home Economics Department.

Cookery Club has been very popular again this year with up to 40 pupils having lots of fun producing a range of sweet and savoury dishes. Coming along to club has helped several pupils to work with more confidence in the kitchen and develop stronger practical cookery skills. There is no club in term 3 but we will restart next session. Anyone who wishes to purchase a recipe booklet for 50p, please see Miss Fairley in the Home Economics Department. Thank you again to all of the enthusiastic pupils who came along this year.

On Wednesday 28 March, a group of 54 pupils and 6 staff from College Julien Franck, Champigneulles, near Nancy, France visited the school for the afternoon. A number of our S2 and S3 pupils have been involved in an e-twinning project with the French school since October so it was a great opportunity for them to actually meet many of the pupils they have been working with. The French pupils were spending a week in Scotland, enjoying the amazing weather we have been having and had a very busy itinerary so it was great for our pupils that they could manage to spend some time at the school.

After spending lunch with the French pupils, our pupils took them to their P6 and P7 classes. After school, a number of our pupils showed off their talents entertaining the French visitors with a Ceilidh Band, Pipes and Drums and Highland Dancing. The French pupils were then taught a few Scottish dances and "Flower of Scotland" before heading back to Alloa where they were being hosted.

LASSWADE HIGH SCHOOL CENTRE EASTER NEWSLETTER Project Linus

Sports Centre Reception on 0131 660 1933 or email us on:lasswade.sports@community.mgfl.net.

Please note Sports Centre Easter Weekend Opening Hours Friday 6 April Closed Saturday 7 April open 9.15 am - 5.00 pm Sunday 8 April open 12.15 pm - 9.00 pm Monday 9 April Closed Duke of Edinburgh

The Project Linus Quilt Group have donated 15 quilts to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (in the name of the Hunter family). The total number of quilts donated by the school in the last 6 years is now approximately 60. The group is made up of both pupils and staff. The quilts were collected last Thursday by Heather Sherman - Project Linus coordinator for Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Easter Holiday Programme - Tuesday 3 April – Thursday 12 April Looking for something to do during the Easter holidays? Here at Lasswade High School Sports Centre we have the following on offer:Sports Sessions each morning:10.00 am – 12.00 pm. Age group 5 years and over, must be attending school.

Try Trampoline 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm each afternoon. Age group 5 years and over, must be attending school.

Mini Kickers Football Coaching:3 afternoons 1.00 pm - 1.45 pm each afternoon for 3/4 year old boys and girls.

Kiddie Kartwheels Pre-School Gymnastics, for 3 - 5 year old boys and girls:10.00 am - 11.00 am each morning for three mornings.

Gymnastics for Beginners /Improvers:P1+ both boys and girls and welcome.

11.00 am - 12.00 pm each morning for three mornings.

For further details on costs, sibling discount and booking information please contact the

At last Lasswade High School Centre is being able to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and it is proving to be extremely popular. A collection of S3-S5 students have been working since Christmas on their award and most should finish their bronze in June. Founded in 1956, it is split into four sections: a skill, a volunteering and a physical activity, which have to be carried out for either 3 or 6 months at Bronze.

The last section is an excursion which willsee the students heading to the Pentland Hills for a self-reliant overnight practice and qualifier expedition. This award is a rewarding, excellent opportunity that helps to shape the individual and looks great on CVs.

LASSWADE HIGH SCHOOL CENTRE EASTER NEWSLETTER Fairtrade Fortnight This year the school took part in two Fairtrade challenges in early March. Our first challenge was to sell 90 kilos of Malawi rice.

Our second was to sell 48 jars of Swazi jams and chutneys.

Thanks to the tremendous support received from staff, pupils and parents, we achieved both of these targets. We sold all of the rice and have thus raised enough money to pay for a child in Malawi to go to High School for a whole year.

Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we have also been able to send a donation of over £40 for Malawi. By selling all of the Swazi produce, we have been able to help to pay for a child in Swaziland to be fed and clothed for a week. Such was the success of both of these initiatives that we hope to sell more Fairtrade produce next year and we want to work towards becoming a Fairtrade school. We hope you will continue to support this very worthwhile cause.

Also, on Friday 9 March at the end of Fairtrade Fortnight, Jamie Lloyd visited Lasswade and presented the winners of the S1 and S2 interhouse football competition with certificates and a Fairtrade chocolate bar.

Jamie features in the Fairtrade Football’s video and started up the initiative for Fairtrade footballs. He also showed the prizewinners a short presentation about how footballs are made in Pakistan which was very informative.

Please support the Fairtrade Friday Tuckshop too. Remember every bite makes a difference!

Schools Will Rock You

(A

School version of the hit musical "We Will Rock You") Wed/Thurs 13th/14th June – 7.00pm "Young Musician/Vocalist of the Year" Music Concert: Thursday 7th June 7.00pm Well done to :Cameron Hutton : winning Midlothian Heat of Rotary Young Musician competition Chris Amer : National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland Hamish Misselbrook : National Boys Choir of Scotland School Concert Band The school concert band have had a busy and productive year so far and members of the band are looking forward to their concert tour of Germany at the end of June.

In addition to three concerts, the pupils will visit Beethoven’s House, a chocolate factory, the Nurburgring and a theme park, to name but a few!

Over £4000 has been raised so far towards the trip which will also feature the Midlothian Schools Ceilidh Band and one of the many fundraising highlights was a joint concert and ceilidh at the end of January.

If you’d like to hear their fantastic programme before they go abroad, then head along to Vogrie Park’s “Diamond Jubilee Party, Picnic and Performances” at 3pm on Sun 3 June where the band will feature on the main stage!

LASSWADE HIGH SCHOOL CENTRE EASTER NEWSLETTER Primary Maths Challenge 2012

Wednesday 7 March was World Maths Day. S1 & S2 pupils competed against pupils from all over the world to solve maths problems.

A fun day was enjoyed by all the pupils.

The top boy & girl in each year group were: S1: Megane Steel 1SL2, Thomas Reitvelt, 1SL2; S2: Erin McNeil 2MK1, Ross Worton 2SA1. Well done to all the S1 & S2 pupils who participated.

UK Maths Challenges

Once again Lasswade High Maths department are participating in the UK Maths Challenges organised by Leeds University.

We compete at 3 levels: Junior (S1/S2), Intermediate (S3/S4) and Senior (S5/S6). We have competed at Intermediate and Senior level so far this year. The Junior Challenge is after Easter – watch out for the results!

Intermediate: We won:- 1 gold, 5 silver and 13 bronze medals.

Joshua Shanks 3SL2 was best in school at this level.

Senior: We won 1 gold and 7 bronze.

Jack Baptie, 5SA2, was best in school at this level. Jack also qualified for the next round of the competition – the Kangaroo.

Well done to all pupils who took part in the UK Maths Challenges.

On Feb 8 & 9 the High School was buzzing with all the pupils from our feeder primaries competing for the Primary Maths Challenge Shield. The competition was over 2 days with half the schools on each day. The pupils solved maths puzzles, had a poster competition and also competed to see which school could design the best plane and car from paper, rubber band and straws.

A great day was had by all the pupils.

The winning school were: Day 1 – Paradykes and Day 2: Bonnyrigg.

LASSWADE HIGH SCHOOL CENTRE EASTER NEWSLETTER Maths sans frontiers S4 & S5 pupils were involved in the Maths sans frontiers competition this year. Pupils had to solve Maths problems in French & English. The teams were the S4 Maths Fast Track classes and S5 French classes.

Well done to all those who took part.

Swimming Iain Rose 4SL2 – Scottish schools swimming championships – 100m nd breaststroke - 2 place, 200m breaststroke 3rd place. Selected for the schools UK games in London May 2012 - good luck.

Jennifer Henderson 2SL2 – Scottish schools swimming championships – 200m Backstroke – 4th Place.

School Bank:- Lasswade High School Bank.

The school bank is now open to all pupils on Monday lunchtimes in H8. Pupils can deposit money into their existing RBS bank account or open up an account with RBS. S1 & S2 pupils have also been learning all about the world of finance over the last few weeks.

They have been learning about budgeting, borrowing, credit cards and history of banking with Susan from RBS.

Lasswade High School Football.

Congratulations to all teams who participated this season.

The S1 team finished second in the league and reached the last 16 of the Scottish cup.

The S2 team are still competing in the league and reached the 4th round of the Scottish cup. The S3 team reached the 4th round of the Scottish cup. The S4 team finished 4th in the league and reached the quarter finals of the Scottish cup. The senior team were unfortunately put out of the Scottish cup in the first round. This has been a successful season with a total of around 40 fixtures being played. Hopefully Lasswade can win some silverware next season!!

Sports

Iain and Jennifer are pictured here on the site of the new school swimming pool.

Athletics Hannah Cameron 2SA2 – SSAA Indoor Track and Field Championships – 800m - 2 nd place.

East Region (Lothian and Borders) schools giant heptathlon - Giant Heptathlon Team (Carolyn Cameron, Kirsty Robertson, Emma Watson, Catriona Sargent, Rachel Dobbie, Rachel Ferguson, James Ross, Duncan Pennycook, Blair Jones, Mark Phillip, Ross McKenzie, Brok Robertson and Euan McKay) - 4th place.

Football Sam Daniel 3SL1 – Selected for the U/15 Scottish football squad and played in the 4 nations tournament in Italy.

Rugby Lewis Clarke 5 – Selected for the U/18 Scottish rugby league team.

Athletics Hannah Cameron was in the U/16 age group for the 800m.

Safety Concern

LASSWADE HIGH SCHOOL CENTRE EASTER NEWSLETTER May I ask that on no account do pupils bring to school Aerosol cans (i.e. deodorant).

These are causing a Health and Safety issue. If pupils bring them to school they will be confiscated permanently. Thank you for your support with this.

Progress towards the New School

I am pleased to advise that work on our new school is on schedule and we are still on target to be in our new school in August 2013.

Visit the school’s website, http://lasswadehsc.mgfl.net/ and follow the links for the new school where progress being made can be viewed.

Yours faithfully

Albert Jaster

Head Teacher