Parent Council AGM

The Parent Council AGM will be held on Wednesday 8th September 2010 at 7pm in the Library at Linlithgow Academy.

Dates for your Diary

School Closes
Wednesday 30 June

SQA Examinations Results
Wednesday 4 August by email and text,
Thursday 5 August by post

School Opens for Teachers
Monday 16 August

Exam Queries or Subject Re-Coursing
Monday 16 August
(from 2pm)

School Starts for Pupils
Wednesday 18 August

School Awards Ceremony
Thursday 16 September

Behind the Desk

I have spent a lot of time recently with a colleague from Texas. Ashley White, a Physics teacher from our twin school in Grapevine, who was over learning about Scottish education and on a practical note helping put together the arrangements for our pupils going out to Texas in October. Although at times it was a wee (she loved that word) distraction from my normal work, it was a great development opportunity having someone regularly asking you “Why do you do that”? It should happen more often. I have always supported the idea of headteachers being able to shadow colleagues in other schools for a few days simply to ask the same question. It’s a great way to pick up new ideas but equally it is excellent to have to justify the operation of your own school. I wonder how many times, to the question “Why do you do that” would you get the answer “It’s aye bein that way”. Have I stumbled upon a simple, cheap method of development? Have a good holiday.

David A MacKenzie

Staff News

At the end of every year staff leave us and staff join us. This year is no different!

In English Jenna Hopkins is getting married, moving to Kent and pursuing her career in the Garden of England. Lauren Morrison in History is moving to St Margaret’s Academy in Livingston in order to teach Modern Studies. Also leaving History is a long standing member of staff, Lis Thomson, who is retiring.

A change in Brenda Smith’s husband’s job means a move for the family which sees her leaving for south of the border and a gap in Chemistry.

Another retiree is Richard Knights in Maths but he is not leaving entirely as he will continue to cover for Lynne Wearing who is on maternity leave at present. Caroline Farrer who last year took a career break has decided she is enjoying life away from the classroom so much she is not coming back!

Paul Boyle who has been PT Art for nearly 20 years is also retiring. All his female colleagues on the top floor will be at a loss with no one to mother!  Another colleague with many years of service in the school who is retiring is Jackie MacFadyen in PE. Our loss will be Linlithgow Golf Club’s Ladies Section’s gain!

Finally on the list of retirees is Peter Wood in CDT who has decided to call it a day away from the drawing boards and lathes.    
 
Last year we had a teriffic group of probationer teachers and our heart goes out to them as they seek work in very difficult times. Brendan Reilly in History and Alison Mitchell in Home Economics are staying with us. Stuart McQueen in Music has got a job in Bannockburn High while Catherine McCann in Maths has been successful in securing employment in St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn. Kristy Nimmo has a couple of interviews coming up before the holidays and we wish her well while Hannah Davies in Art has decided to extend her family.   

Pupil Support

The school has appointed 3 full-time non-teaching Pastoral Support Workers to work alongside our Principal Teachers of Pupil Support. This will ensure all pupils have a first point of contact when they wish to access personal support and advice at any point during the school day. This development also allows the Principal Teachers to focus more on their core business of monitoring and tracking pupil attainment and achievement.

Parents can now email Pupil Support Teachers and Workers directly by logging on to the school website where more information on this development can be found.

The new team is as follows:

Bell House

Pupil Support Teacher
Alison Rutherford/Grant Armstrong

Pastoral Support Worker
Sandra Stone

Kelvin House

Pupil Support Teacher
Stuart Forrester

Pastoral Support Worker
Susan Robertson

Watt House

Pupil Support Teacher
Elaine Kerridge

Pastoral Support Worker
Erica Mckay

Football

When it comes to football this summer you have to add the names of Brown and Turnbull to Torres, Lucio and Messi. Robbie Brown   played for Hibernian Under 13s in a European tournament in Milan at the end of May and Kyle Turnbull was selected for the Scotland Under 15 squad.

Merit Certificates

A highly successful Merit Certificate awards evening was held on Wednesday 2 June. The revised scheme has proved so popular that the school had to hold two events on the same evening. The Guest of Honour, West Lothian’s Provost, Mr Tom Kerr, gave an entertaining speech highlighting some of his memories of attending the school, including teachers who gave the belt!

Mrs Kerr then presented the
Certificates of Excellence to the pupils who achieved the criteria set by consistently working to the best of their ability all session (a summary description) of what was required).

Mr MacKenzie told LA News “It was a special evening for so many pupils and their families. It would have been good if we could have celebrated with all the pupils together but on the other hand it was fantastic to see so many achieving the top award”.

He added “I have to apologise to the parents and pupils who attended the first “sitting”. Because this was the first time we faced this problem we did run through the first event too quickly. We have learnt our lesson and I hope people in the audience and the prize winners did not feel cheated by the quick pace of their moment in the limelight”.

School Meals Prices

From August the cost of a school meal rises by 5p to £1.75.

It is further proposed that school meals will increase from 1 April each year by the level of the Retail Price Index (inflation rate).