MELDRUM ACADEMY

NEWSLETTER Term 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Address: Colpy Road, Oldmeldrum, AB51 0NT

Tel: 01651 871300 Fax: 01651 871313

www.meldrumacademy.aberdeenshire.sch.uk

Blog: www.meldrumacademy.org.uk

Twitter : @MeldrumAca

WELCOME TO OUR END OF TERM NEWSLETTER WHERE Y OU WI LL FI ND

I NFORMATION AND UPDATES FROM:

SENI OR MANAGEMENT AND PASTORAL CARE

NEWS FROM THE FACULTIES I NCLUDING PHOTOS AND REPORTS ON

SCHOOL TRIPS AND OUTINGS

PUPI L SUCCESS OUTWITH SCHOOL

ROTARY CLUB OF OLDMELDRUM

PARENT COUNCIL

COMMUNITY LEARNING A ND DEVELOPMENT

FI NAL WORD FROM ANDREW TRAVIS, HEAD TEACHER

UPCOMING DATES FOR Y OUR DIARY

Dear Parents

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SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND PASTORAL CARE

STAFFING UPDATE

Our very best wishes to Liz Prosser on her retirement at the end of term. Liz is one of the

‘originals’ having joined the school, prior to our opening, in May 2002 as a Principal

Teacher of Pastoral Care. She was appointed Depute Head Teacher in 2007. Liz is a

consummate professional who has brought a pupil-focussed approach to all that she

does. Her thoughtful approach coupled with her energy and enthusiasm has placed

our school at the forefront and has resulted in wonderful opportunities for our young

people- unrivalled in other schools in the North East. Thanks and good luck from all at

Meldrum Academy. Craig Sim, Depute Head Teacher at Mackie Academy, will be

joining the school early in the new term.

A fond farewell to Lisa MacKay, Design Faculty, as she has moved to teach in Central

Scotland after 4 years at Meldrum. Donna Marie Stewart has recently joined the

Technology team in our Design Faculty from Peterhead Academy. The Design Faculty

- Art will also get back to complement when Christine Roychowdhury starts next term.

Our very popular Home Economics teacher Jacqui Coughlan was drawn back to

family and friends in her homeland. Our best wishes go to her in a new post in Cork,

I reland. We will be joined by HE teacher, and one time student teacher at Meldrum

Academy, Audrey Blair in mid-February.

WINTER WEATHER

When adverse weather conditions present a potential threat to the normal opening of

Meldrum Academy a number of procedures are implemented to make decisions

both on the running of school transport and whether or not the school will open.

I f conditions are very poor some transport contractors can make a decision the

evening before. Other contractors will be phoned by Mr Jackson and Mrs Fraser

around 6am. By this time a number of operators have already been out driv ing the

bus routes to determine their safety. We also take account of a special Aberdeenshire

Council Roads department forecast, Traffic Scotland road reports and Police

Scotland reports. Our janitors, who are usually on-site from 6am, give us a report on

the conditions around the school. When we have all this information a decision is

made and we post the notice on the Aberdeenshire Council School Closure Website

and on the phone line. We try to do this by 7am. You can keep up to date with the

website by subscribing to the School Closure RSS feed or following Aberdeenshire

Council on Twitter. Links to these are on the closure website.

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MOCK ASSESMENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR PUPILS IN S4, S5 & S6

The purpose of the Mock exams is to inform staff and pupils of the level that pupils are

working, to identify next steps in learning and to give pupils an exam experience

ahead of the final SQA exams. There is no longer an appeals process so prelims are

not used to “upgrade” a pupil’s mark if they do not do as well as they hoped in

May/June. They are however used in special circumstances as evidence if a pupils is

unable to sit the final exam.

National 4 courses do not have an exam element.

National 5 exams start on Monday 16 January and end on Tuesday 24 January.

H and AH exams start on Wednesday 25 January and end on Friday 3 February.

As was the case last year there will be no study leave for pupils during the Prelim

exams in January and February. Students in the senior phase (S4, S5, and S6) will

attend their normal timetabled classes unless they have an exam at the same time.

Students should bring normal classwork as well as study materials so that meaningful

work can take place in all classes. Senior phase classes are made up of pupils in S4-6

often working at different levels so this approach ensures that pupils’ learning is

minimally disrupted by the exams. There will be study leave for senior students during

the SQA exams in May 2015.

Further information will be issued in January for all pupils involved giving details of

expectations and procedures to follow to ensure this is a successful and worthwhile

experience for all candidates involved.

CHANGES TO S3 BROAD GENERAL EDUCATION in session 17-18

Pupils currently in S2 will have a slightly revised curriculum in S3. Currently (16-17) we

have a two-period Capacity Building Course in S3. This S3 CBC will be replaced by a

two-period additional subject choice. In addition, subject teachers will increase the

coverage of Senior Phase (exam content) in the latter part of S3. We will advise

parents and pupils that they should use this widened course choice to seriously

consider which courses they wish to pursue in the Senior Phase (S4-S6) and take the

most appropriate courses.

We will hold an additional S2 Parent Information Evening on Thursday 19 January 2017

19:30-20:30 to discuss these changes. This will take place in the assembly hall

immediately after the Parent Consultation Evening 17:00:00-19:30

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PUPIL ATTENDANCE

I would like to remind parents of the need to notify the school of any absence either in

advance if a planned absence or on the morning of the first day of absence. When

the pupil returns to school please provide a written note confirming the absence. This

needs to be handed to the school office on the morning of the pupils return to school.

The average attendance rate for Aberdeenshire school pupils is approximately 95%. I t

is also accepted that improving attendance has a direct correlation to improving

achievement and attainment. The attendance of all pupils with an attendance rate

of 90% and less will be subject to close monitoring until such time as appropriate

improvement is made.

PUPILS LATE TO BOTH SCHOOL AND CLASSES

Over the past term there have been a number of pupils who have been late to

school in the morning. Due to the fact that Meldrum Academy does not have a

registration period first thing each morning and pupils go straight into a lesson it is

even more important that they arrive in school on time. Late arrival at school is also

closely monitored and after 5 instances of being late in the morning a letter will be

sent to parents / carers to highlight this is occurring. There also continues to be a

number of pupils arriving late to classes during the day. Where this is occurring

teachers will be asking the pupils to payback the time lost at lunchtimes. At any point

you require to discuss your son/daughters attendance at school please do not

hesitate to contact the relevant Pastoral Care teacher or the Depute Head Teacher

with Year Head responsibility.

LEPRA FUNDING

In November S1 pupils took part in a fun slide-a-thon to raise money for the charity

Lepra. The school has supported this charity for a number of years. Lepra is an

international charity that focussed on people who find themselves trapped by

disease, poverty and prejudice and helps them improve their health. They work with

indiv iduals and communities affected by some

of the world’s oldest and most neglected

diseases in countries such as India and

Bangladesh. The pupils heard the many ways

that the charity can change lives and they

raised the staggering amount of £2016.32. A

huge well done and thank you to the S1 pupils

who took part and to the many parents, carers

and friends who supported their fundraising.

Andrew Travis, Head Teacher

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BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP GROUP

We have had a busy session so far and the group is really getting its teeth into linking

employers with the school. There is an S3 pupil event planned for the 8th February

ahead of pupils choosing subjects for the following year and on into national

qualifications, and we hope to also have a very local business breakfast later in the

spring. So far 4 newsletters have gone out to local employers/companies and we are

continually trying to add to our database of addresses to include as many as possible

in our circulation. I f you are reading this and are a local employer who hasn’t

received a newsletter please contact the school and we will add your email address

in. The newsletter includes a section where teachers request some support from local

companies with their teaching of certain subject areas so for example if you are a

local tradesman regularly using number / measuring calculations our PT Maths would

be very pleased to receive your help if you could spare 20/30 minutes to pop into his

S4 class to show pupils the relevance of what they are learning in future careers. All

the details are in the newsletter. A tiny input from people out there in the community

will make a huge difference to the pupils in the academy and all its feeder primaries.

So please here are ways you can be involved:

come to any/as many meetings of the Business Partnership Group as your work

permits. They are on the 1st Thursday of every month school is open – so the next

meeting is Thursday 2nd February at 3pm with refreshments

come along and help at our S3 event on 8th February – absolutely no prep

required. The day will be in 3 sections 9-11am, 11-1pm, and 1.30 – 3.20pm and

your help for one or more sections would be very welcome. You would be working

as an adviser with a small group of pupils who will be set a task to complete with a

deadline – just like real work!

look out for date and time of a local business breakfast probably just after Easter

and attend if you can to hear from senior pupils about how they are preparing

themselves for the world of work and enjoy a good start to the day!

Any queries or comments please contact Mrs Blevins at the school.

Mrs Prosser, Depute Head

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TEENAGE CANCER TRUST

Our S2 pupils recently had a presentation from the Teenage Cancer Trust which is a

charity which is devoted to improving the lives of young people between the ages of

13-24 who are diagnosed with cancer and raising awareness and understanding of

cancer and the symptoms. Pupils were told about the ways in which the risks of

cancer can be reduced throughout their lives, the most common types of cancers

affecting young people and the important of early diagnosis in recovery and

treatment. Pupils were told that if the following cancer symptoms are unexplained

and persistent then they should speak to a health professional or adult as soon as

possible. The 5 common signs of cancer in young people being: pain (that doesn’t

go away with painkillers), a lump, bump or swelling, extreme tiredness (meaning you

find it hard to stay awake), significant weight loss (more than a few pounds), and

changes in a mole. We are lucky enough to have this presentation of our pupils each

year and see this as an important part of our curriculum. I f you would like to find out

more about the Teenage Cancer Trust you can v isit their website on

www.teenagecancertrust.org.

Mrs MacLeod, Principal Teacher Pastoral Care

SHOW MY HOMEWORK

Show my homework is the online tool that is used by the school to set and manage

homework. At present it is being used in a limited way, simply to set homework with an

attachment or link to support the completion at home where appropriate.

Some teachers are however experimenting and trying additional features that we

may extend across the school such as marking if homework is submitted or not and in

some cases asking pupils to submit homework on line.

I f you or your child are experiencing issues logging in to Show my Homework please

contact the office who can reprint login details or set up an additional login for a

second parent should this be required.

Show my homework is being well used by pupils who are largely reporting positive

benefits. We recently held a session for parents which was well received and will be

running another in the New Year. Information will follow but please contact the office

if you would be interested in attending.

Olwen Fraser, Depute Head

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SENIOR STUDENT EXECUTIVE TIES

“Each indiv idual is truly deserving of this tie”, Professor Francis Smith

As Senior Student Executives within the school we have badges to identify ourselves,

however, recently we have been presented with newly designed ties from Professor

Francis Smith. Professor Smith is an extremely successful man, from the pioneering the

MRI scan across the word to establishing and carrying out research and clinical trials

for the advantages of the upright MRI scan.

The reason behind his thoughtful gesture was that when he was in secondary school,

in Zimbabwe, he was presented with a tie to mark to mark his achievement of gaining

the role of prefect within his school. Professor Smith presented Meldrum Academy

with 100 ties, enough to last 25 years of Senior Student Executiv es, as a way of giv ing

something back to the community.

We as Senior Student Executives are truly honored to embody the history behind this

gift and continue his legacy by wearing this wonderful tie.

Leona Whyte 6T and Max Allan 6B

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News from the FACULTIES

BEIT

1. BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP - STORK

We are excited to be meeting with Stork representatives to

develop a business partnership. Stork plan to deliver sessions

to our National 5 and Higher Business Management students

initially in the Human Resources area but we can see

potential in Marketing, Operations etc. We are very much

looking forward to our planned sessions in February.

2. BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP - BREEDON

Once again our thanks go to Mr A Henderson of Breedon for the inv itation to v isit

Kemnay Quarries. Past v isits have shown how valuable the experience is for our Higher

Business Management students. Andy focuses on the production aspect of their

operation, Health and Safety aspects and the importance of IT in their production

processes. We are looking forward to v isiting the quarry again in February.

Mary Benton, PT Faculty of Business Education and IT

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HEALTH – PE FOOTBALL

S1 BOYS

The S1 boys carried on their league

campaign with a good run of games

despite the winter weather.

Mintlaw 2-4 Meldrum

Inverurie 4-0 Meldrum

Ellon 5-1 Meldrum

The boys are continuing to develop and

improve through regular training session

with 2 of our senior players and are still just

as keen despite the difficult run of games.

The team will be building towards the

NASSA 7’s tournament at Aberdeen Sports

Village in the New Year.

U15 GIRLS

The girls recently played Inverurie Academy

at home. The result was a 5-5 draw. Women

of the match was Millie Barron S1. The girls

team also beat Fraserburgh on penalties on

Wednesday 14th December with an away

game. The girls fought back hard after being

down 2-0 at half time. Sarah Connon

got women of the match. Well done to all

the girls in particular the new S1's who have

great potential alongisde the experience

of the S3 girls. We play Glenrothes at home

in the 2nd round of the Scottish cup at

home, date to be confirmed.

Well done to Elliot Ainslie, Dylan Hansen

and Sophie Jamieson who have assisted

with teamlines, coaching and organisation

of the U15 girls team this session.

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UNDER 15 ABERDEEN SELECT

In our first match we played Angus down in Dundee and were successful coming

away with a 8-1 v ictory. Josh Baird scored 4 and Joey Wilson scored 1 and both got a

handful of assits as well.

RUNNING

“My name is Jack Ross-Thompson and I am an

athlete who trains and coaches at my local

athletics club in Ellon (Ellon AAC). On 13t h

November I took part in the Peterhead 10K. I

completed the race and came 20t h out of 200

participants in a personal best time of 39 minutes 25

seconds. I was first in my age category by over half

an hour (under 17 men). I was also a participant in

the East District Cross Country Championship where

I finished 32nd out of 37. I completed the 6600

metre distance in a time of 25 minutes 24 seconds.

My future goal for 2017 is to train as hard as I can

and try to get my 10K PB down to break

25 minutes”.

Jack Ross-Thompson, 5S1

ELLON ROAD RELAY

Well done to Greig Cowie, Drew

Cowie and Joey Wilson who won

their S3/4 boys section in the Ellon

road relay in October.

Also pictured right is Lewis Emslie

Pupil Team: Esteban Chauvet, Josh

Simpson, Jack Ross-Thompson, Lewis

Watson, William Worton Gregor Marr.

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NASSA BADMINTON TOURNAMENT

On Thursday 24th of November Meldrum

Academy hosted their annual

badminton tournament for schools

across North Aberdeenshire. With eight

schools taking part the competition was

as fierce as ever with many talented

badminton players on display. A young

Meldrum Academy team performed well

in all age groups with our S1/2 team

narrowly missing out on a semi final

place and eventually finishing in 5th

place overall.

Our S3/4 and Seniors teams both

qualified from their group stage to

reach the semi final however came

up just short in close games and

finished in 4th and 3rd place

respectively, leaving Meldrum in an

overall position of 4th. Inverurie were

the tournament winners having won

the Junior and Senior competition

with The Gordon Schools winning the

Intermediate age group.

Pictured in the photo above right are (from left to right)

Jordan Stuart, Amy Robb, Kenzie Western and Sophie Jamieson

Well done to everyone involved in the day including our sports leaders who helped to

organise and run the tournament. Pupils were required to officiate, keep score,

organise teams and work towards their Sports Leader Values.

S1/2 Team: Ross Stewart, Cammy MacDonald, Lewis MacDonald, Cara Malcolm-Hutcheon,

Kimberley Jackson

S3/4 Team: Connor Munro, Connor Organ, Drew Cowie, Kenzie Gibson, Abbie Black, Eve

Pennington

Senior Team: Luke Mackie, Greig Cowie, Finlay Gunn, Suzi Harper, Sophie Jamieson

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SPORTS LEADERS

Meldrum Academy Sports leaders are currently

sitting modules in order to complete their Youth

Coaching Course in Rugby. They are working

alongise the Rugby Development officer (Peter

McCartin) in order to achieve this award. Sports

leaders are currently working towards a set of

values some including Confidence, Respect,

Leadership and Safety Awareness. This course

will be completed in the New Year.

Pictured left to right back row: Thomas Lodge, Toni

Findlay, Amy Robb, Jack Ritchie, Reece Cormack,

Jodi Abel

Front row: Peter McCartin (RDO), Sophie Jamieson,

Kenzi Western, Jamie MacIver, Gemma Ogg, Ewan

Collie

This month the S4, 5 and 6 pupils working

towards their Sports Leadership award

received an Emergency First Aid at Work

course delivered by First4aid. They

covered CPR, how to treat choking, burns,

broken bones, strokes and a

demonstration and v ideo on how to use

the defibrillator. This will allow the pupils to

be prepared for any first aid emergencies

when leading sports clubs in and outside

school, and provide a valuable

qualification when applying for jobs and

higher education (Skills for Life).

By Max MacDonald 6W

STAFF vs PUPILS VOLLEYBALL

The school volleyball team recently challenged the staff to a lunchtime match. Led

by Captain Esteban Chauvet the pupil team struggled against the experienced and

powerful staff team lead by Mr Gerard. The boys were able to put into practice all the

skills they have been developing over the term and really benefited from some real

game experience. They will now be looking to build towards the NASSA tournament

at Huntly in the New Year.

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ACTIVE SCHOOLS Basketball

The basketball club has had excellent numbers this term and coach Kenny Gibb is

pleased with the progress the pupils are making. Meldrum Academy have their first

competitive match against Inverurie Academy on Friday 19th Dec. Good luck

Meldrum Academy!!

Yoga

Rona Main, yoga coach delivered a 4 week clock of curricular yoga this term. This has

seen a positive increase in the number of pupils attending the lunchtime yoga club

which is great! Yoga sessions run on a Tuesday from 1330 – 1400 and are open to all

pupils and all staff.

Table Tennis

Table tennis club runs on a Monday in the small gym 4-5.15pm. I t is run by our very

enthusiastic coach Doug Farquharson. We would love to see more girls attending the

club so come along and give it a go! Sessions start again on Monday 9th January.

Dodgeball

The Health & Wellbeing Young Leaders ran a very successful Dodgeball Tournament

for S1 pupils last month. A great time was had by all and the S1 pupils raised over £140

for The British Heart Foundation. Look out for more lunchtime tournaments in the New

Year!

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Netball

Both the S1/2 & S3-6 teams have played friendly matches this term. In January we are

entering the Aberdeenshire League which will see us compete against schools from

all over Aberdeenshire. Training for S1-3 pupils is a Wednesday lunchtime. S4-6 training

is a Monday lunchtime. Come and get involved!

Abigail Sutherland, Active Schools Coordinator, Meldrum Network

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MATHS

S1 MATHS TALL BUILDINGS PROJECT

S1 Maths classes have been working on their Measurement unit this term.

As part of this topic pupils were asked to conduct research on a tall building of their

choice and present the results in a clear and informative way. There were a great

variety of results including posters, powerpoint presentations and models, some of

which were edible. The cake produced in the shape of New York’s Guggenheim

Museum was particularly tasty! Teachers enjoyed looking at all the results and would

like to

congratulate pupils (and all parents who helped) on their excellent work.

MyMaths Homework Resource

All pupils have access to www.mymaths.co.uk which is used as a major homework

resource by the maths faculty.

Username: meldrum Password: eighteen

The website also contains a wide range of rev ision materials, suitable mostly for S1 – S3

but also for National and Higher courses. Pupils are encouraged to access the website

regularly in order to rev ise work covered on an ongoing basis. Mymaths can also be

used during any periods of absence from school or to help catch up after absence.

Mr Reid, Principal Teacher Maths

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MATHS DROP-IN SESSIONS

The maths faculty run four lunchtime and three after school drop-in sessions per week

throughout the school year. These are available for all year groups and are staffed by

maths teachers. They are particularly useful for pupils to get help with homework, revise

for upcoming assessments or help catching up after an absence. As the name suggests,

pupils can just ‘drop in’ without the need for an appointment or regular attendance.

Pupils are welcome to attend any session, not just the one provided by their own maths

teacher.

LUNCH AFTER SCHOOL

Mon, Tue: 1:30 – 2:05 Wed, Thurs: 3:20 – 4:20

MONDAY Mrs Warren G103

TUESDAY Mrs Burgess G107

WEDNESDAY NO DROP-IN Mrs Leith G108

THURSDAY Mr Reid G102 Mr Hamer G106

FRIDAY Mrs Smith G105 Mrs Leith G108

STEM in the Pipeline 2016

[STEM in the Pipeline is a competition run by Techfest; it is open to schools in Aberdeen

and Aberdeenshire. Each team consists of up to six senior pupils, usually from the

Advanced Higher Maths class. Pupils can achieve a Silver Crest Award, as well as

gaining skills in engineering, finance and project management.]

We started our STEM in the Pipeline

experience with an introduction day at

the University of Aberdeen in August.

We then spent the next three months

working on our project which involved

the planning of our own oil rig, from

working out the amount of oil in our oil

field, to the finances and the design of

the separator. Once we completed

our project, we created a report and

then had our presentation day at BP

headquarters. This was an amazing

experience which taught the six of us skills that we will take on to university and our

careers. I t was great to represent Meldrum Academy.

Kayla Wallace, Will Broad, Taylor Burnett, Oliver Pickford, Gregor Phimister, Morven Reid

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MODERN LANGUAGES

WORD WIZARD

After last years’ success, the Modern Languages faculty are delighted to be entering

the Word Wizard spelling bee competition. A sizeable group of pupils have attended

the first couple of lunchtime meetings and have so far been very impressive. Round

one of the competition will take place on 24th January, by which time pupils will have

learnt the translation and spelling of 75 new words. The winner of round one will

attend the semi-final at the University of Aberdeen.

French Vocabulary Guides Miss Morris has recently re-worked our French BGE vocabulary guides and uploaded

them to the school website:

http://meldrumacademy.aberdeenshire.sch.uk/

These can easily be found by clicking on the Faculties tab. We hope that all pupils will

find the online version of our vocabulary guides easy to use and encourage pupils to

use them whenever they need to. I t is also hoped that the new vocabulary guides will

make it easier for parents to support their children with their learning. The relevant

section of the guide will always be attached to anything issued on Show My

Homework. Thanks go to Mrs Czarnecki in BEIT for uploading the guides for us.

Mrs Laing, PT Modern Languages

PERFORMING ARTS

On Monday 26th of September, the Higher and NPA drama pupils attended a drama

workshop in the assembly hall at Meldrum Academy with a few other school pupils

from secondary schools in the surrounding area.

First, we thoroughly enjoyed how the workshop lasted for mostly all of the school day.

We also thought that getting a chance to meet other drama pupils from various

schools in the surrounding area was great, especially for those of us at Meldrum who

know people from other schools who do drama also.

The workshop’s activities helped us to understand ‘The Cheviot, The Stag, and The

Black, Black Oil’ more as we acted and directed some excerpts from the play.

Discussing and deliberating afterwards on certain techniques helped us to broaden

our ideas for acting and directing roles, particularly when we used (or attempted to

use) Brechtian techniques that had been effectively explained by Lisa from Dundee

Rep, before we began working in our groups. Working in groups was really effective

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because we mixed all of the pupils from each school together, this encouraged us to

get to know the other pupils and expand our ideas for each part of the workshop.

Everyone also really enjoyed the pantomime acting explanation where a few

volunteers demonstrated some techniques as it added a kind-of ‘humour-break’ in

between presenting our ideas, working and discussing.

Lisa from Dundee Rep was good at explaining ‘The Cheviot, The Stag, and the Black,

Black Oil’ and the techniques we were learning about effectively, and gave well-

presented, constructive criticism after the groups showed their ideas.

Overall, the workshop really helped Meldrum’s drama pupils to expand their

knowledge and ideas before seeing ‘The Cheviot’ live. It also made the pupils more

confident in topic areas like Brecht, acting and directing skills and generally building

confidence individually to act (and sometimes improvise) in front of people that we

only met the same day, which is a fantastic skill to have in drama.

Many thanks to Lisa and Dundee Rep. By Meldrum Academy Higher Drama Pupils

CHRISTMAS MUSIC AT HOODLES

The Junior Vocal Group were invited to perform at Hoodles singing Christmas songs – it

was lots of fun!

On November 10th Junior Vocal Group arrived at Hoodles to perform Christmas songs

to the public while they looked around at the stalls at their Christmas Fair. This was our

first public event. Family members came and watched us perform and we had lots of

amazing feedback. Junior Vocal Group had a great time while we sang with our

friends and got to show off to our parents/carers as well as the public too! Senior

musicians Ronan, Beth, Rachel and Gregor

also performed Christmas songs with their

instruments which people

enjoyed. Performing at Hoodles was an

amazing opportunity for the Junior Vocal

Group and senior musicians to represent our

school and our school motto “working

together for success”. We sang Christmas

songs like ‘Frosty the snowman’, ‘Santa

Claus is coming to town’, ‘Ding Dong Merrily

on High’, ‘White Christmas’, ‘Silent Night’

and ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. The

public and families enjoyed our

performance and we all had fun!

By Jasmine Morrison 3T1

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SWITCHING ON THE LIGHTS IN MELDRUM

On Sunday the 4th of December, the

pupils of Meldrum Academy who play

woodwind or brass instruments were

given the opportunity to play in Meldrum

Square at the switching on of the lights.

They played a number of traditional

Christmas Carols for the people of

Meldrum and their parents, including

“Ding Dong, merrily on high”, “We wish

you a merry Christmas” and “O little town

of Bethlehem”. Everyone had a good

time listening to and singing along with

the traditional music played by the

band. The band is very thankful for the

wonderful opportunity they received!

By Eva Nicol 4B2

ROYAL REGIMENT OF SCOTLAND

On Thursday 17th of November the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland came to

Meldrum Academy. Our musicians playing brass, woodwind and string instruments of

grade 4 or above were joined by musicians from Gordon Schools Huntly and Kemnay

Academy.

Firstly we were given a presentation about what the band does and job opportunities

within the army for musicians. For the remainder of the morning we rehearsed as we

had a concert in the afternoon and in the evening.

We played highlights from Disney's Frozen, Happy by Pharrell Williams, Let Me Entertain

You (Robbie William's highlights), a traditional military March Colonel Bogey and

accompanied Loch Lomond performed by the Ceilidh Band.

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In our music department we had

the Band Master of the Countess of

Wessex String Orchestra working

with our string pupils, they

performed Mama Mia by Abba. In

the afternoon we had a concert for

S1 pupils and S3-6 pupils who study

music and in the evening we had a

concert for all parents and the

surrounding community which was

free! I 'm sure that all the pupils that

participated thoroughly enjoyed

their day! Let's hope we will see them back soon for another unforgettable day of

music!

By Daniel Osborne 4B1

MELDRUM ACADEMY CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2016

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This year we thought the

Christmas concert was great

and even better than last

year. The layout was really

good and incorporated lots

of groups and styles of

music. The highlights of the

show were definitely; The

Pipes and Drums playing us

into the hall at the start of

the Concert, The primary

brass ensemble; Junior and

Senior vocal groups; The

Orchestra with Music from

the Polar Express; The S3

music band ARC and an

amazing finale including

the Orchestra, the vocal

groups and the amazing

audience singing with us “I

Wish it Could Be Christmas

Everyday”. It was a little bit

nerve-racking when we

found out we had sold out

but we were not surprised

and can’t wait for next

year!

By Emma Lawson and

Ciara Burns 3T1

P a g e | 2 2

SOCIAL SUBJECTS

Study Support - Social Subjects

Pupils are encouraged to come along to Study Support to support their learning and

help them achieve their best. Study Support is available at the following times:

Subject Teacher Day and Time

Geography (all levels) Mr McNiven

Mrs Tough

Wednesday after school

Thursday after school

History (all levels) Miss Catton

Mrs Jackson

Thursday lunchtime

Thurs

day after school

Modern Studies (all levels)

Higher Politics

Mrs Fleming, Mr

McMenemie, Miss Steele

Friday lunchtime

MAMSA can be used all

the time!

RMPS Miss McSaveney

Mrs Jackson

Tuesday lunchtime

Thursday lunchtime

Thursday after school

P a g e | 2 3

PUPIL SUCCESS OUTWITH SCHOOL

SAILING: Lucy Wilson 4G1

Lucy was recently been

accepted into the 'RYA 29er

Development Team' in Cumbrae,

for weekend training which was

supported by SportScotland. She

had a successful weekend and

achieved 2nd place.

Well done Lucy!

DIVING: Jamie Mackenzie 2W2

Jamie competed in his first ever div ing

competition, SASA levels held in Edinburgh

on 19th November and won gold medal.

Fantastic Jamie!

P a g e | 2 4

KARTING: Logan Blake 3S1

2016 saw Logan competing in the UKs premier

club championship series and the British Kart

Grand Prix.

These races draw the best drivers from across

Europe and the World giv ing the toughest

competition available.

The season was a massive learning curve,

some kart problems during the summer and

Logan had to be at the top of his game every

weekend.

A win alluded him but consistency for the

overall championship was key in his first year

at this level and this gave him 4th place

overall.

The British GP did not go well. His best race engine failed prematurely during the

weekend and at a World Championship level that left him a lot of work to do, he used

two sets of brakes in six races trying but to no avail and he missed out on a decent

result. He will be back next year to try again.

He was able to race at his home circuit at Banff in September in a 'Pro' event and in a

field of twenty two over four races he had two second places and two wins, winning

the main final by over three seconds.

His other highlight of the year was to meet five time motorcycle world champion Marc

Marquez, the reason Logan uses the #93 race number.

2017 plans are not confirmed, though Logan is competing in the UK Winter Series

through to March which had three hundred entrants in its first meeting at the

beginning of December.

MUSIC

CELLO:

Ruaraidh William (3S2) has been selected to play Cello for a second year with the

National Youth Orchestras of Scotland Junior Orchestra. In 2017 he will be performing

with NYOS at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (Glasgow) and Greyfriars Kirk

(Edinburgh). Ruaraidh has also been selected for Grampian Youth Orchestra and

Aberdeenshire Youth Orchestra. Well done Ruaraidh!

PIANO:

Neve Scott (1G2) recently did her Grade 3 piano exam and received a distinction.

P a g e | 2 5

PARENT COUNCIL NEWS

The Parent Council had a very successful start to the session with a highly enjoyable

30th Anniversary concert by Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain. The Parent Council doesn’t

raise money to put it in the bank. We want to invest in the pupils so we handed out

that money at the Dragon’s Den on Wednesday 23 November. Each group had to

make a pitch for the money; showing what they wanted to do, how it would benefit

the group or the school and how much it was going to cost. By the end of the night a

record £2460 had been allocated to twelve different school groups and projects.

The Meldrum Meteors, our running club, sped off into the distance with £180 for

fluorescent bibs and tops for these dark winter nights.

The Additional Support Needs Faculty made two successful bids. £250 pounds

will allow them to expand the range of trips, v isits and other activ ities in the

Enhanced Prov ision Programme. Riding for the Disabled (RDA) is a key part of

our ASN work with its core being around ‘Education, therapy and fun’. Our

keen riders make regular trips to Keithhall and w ent over the jumps to gain

£300.

The Yearbook is a special memento for out senior pupils but it can be very

costly. This S6 group gained £200 to fund an ‘early bird’ discount.

The Senior School Football strip is very worn and tired so a new strip will match

these energetic and youthful players. £260 will be a substantial contribution to

this

The Musicians from the Performing Arts Faculty required some new sheet music

for their concerts. The Dragons were persuaded by their tuneful presentation

and provided £250.

We have some talented tennis players who have won the Inter-Schools

tournament and they served up an ace presentation winning £200 for their

new club.

Our Art Club is a pupil led group who support each other as they develop their

skills and talents. Materials are proving costly so by drawing in £200 they will be

able to work in clay.

A few years ago the Dragons helped out the table Tennis Club with new tables.

This club have had such a smashing time that, this time, they came back for

bats and balls. (£150).

The Champions in Schools Programme brings inspirational athletes into schools

to work with pupils. Our Student Sports Leaders pitched for £200 to support this

great idea.

P a g e | 2 6

The ECO group showed off their fourth ECO flag to emphasise the positive

impact that they have had on school life. The Dragons prov ided £150 to let

them keep up the good work around the school and grounds.

Our drama society, Differently Sane, played up a storm and were rewarded

with £120 to support their new production on stage in the Spring.

To keep this successful cycle of fundraising and then using the cash to improve the

school going we have booked Phil & Aly for another v isit to the Academy in

September 2017. Look out for details in the Easter newsletter.

NPFS

The National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) website has a range of useful

information and links to other sites http://www.parentforumscotland.org/

One of their new links is to My World of Work for parents. My World of Work has

information for you to help support your child as they go through school and make

choices about their future. This can help when choosing courses, looking at options for

college and university and when looking for a job or modern apprenticeships.

The NPFS ‘…..in a nutshell’ series now has straightforward information on courses and

subjects at N4, N5 and Higher including advice on revision, assessment, progression

from one level to another and learner pathways.

http://www.npfs.org.uk/?s=nutshell&submit=Search

BBC Bitesize for National 4, 5 and Higher

BBC Learning Bitesize content has been launched to support learners doing Scottish

National 4, 5 and Higher qualifications. Sections include Lifeskills Maths; Maths and

English.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/?tab=bitesize

SHOP ONLINE AND RAISE MONEY FOR MELDRUM ACADEMY PARENT COUNCIL

Have you heard about easyfundraising yet? I t’s the easiest way to help raise money

for Meldrum Academy Parent Council! I f you already shop online with retailers such as

Amazon, M&S, Argos, John Lewis, Comet, Vodafone, eBay, Boden and Play.com,

then we need you to sign up for free to raise money while you shop!

So how does it work?

You shop directly with the retailer as you would normally, but if you sign up to

http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/mapc for free and use the links on the

easyfundraising site to take you to the retailer, then a percentage of whatever you

spend comes directly to us at no extra cost to yourself.

How much can we raise?

P a g e | 2 7

Spend £100 with M&S online or Amazon and you raise £2.50 for us. £100 with WH Smith

puts £2.00 in our pocket and so on. There are over 2,000 retailers on their site, and

some of the donations can be as much as 15% of your purchase.

Save money too!

easyfundraising is FREE to use plus you'll get access to hundreds of exclusive discounts

and voucher codes, so not only will you be helping us, you’ll be saving money

yourself.

So please help us to raise funds by signing up now (before your Christmas shopping

starts!) at is http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/mapc and start making a

difference...simply by shopping.

COMMUNITY LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT Adult Learning

Three local adults successfully completed a SQA Problem Solv ing Level 4 Qualification

recently. The course module is a first for Community Learning & Development and is in

addition to the variety of SQA courses offered to Adult Learners.

I f you wish more information on the range of learning modules in Literacy, Numeracy,

ICT Skills and Communication contact Jo or Sandra on 01651 871323 or email

christine.robson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

P a g e | 2 8

PARENTAL LEARNING WORKSHOP

The Academy and partners such as Community Learning and Development are

looking to offer parents the support and opportunity to participate in workshops which

will give you the confidence to be part of your children’s growth into adulthood and

their world of learning.

A number of parents took advantage of the offer to attend the first workshop on

‘Show my Homework’. Mrs Fraser took the group through a “hands on session” on the

steps to accessing the information the programme can offer. Participants found it

useful to have ready answers to their concerns and all felt more confident in how

they, along with the Academy can support their children.

At the evening parents were asked their v iews on other potential workshop subjects.

Online Safety – how online safety impacts on young people and to give some

practical advice for families to manage their concerns and suitable behaviour online.

Effective Studying – practical support for parents that they can pass on to their

children.

Teenage Brain - teenagers can appear to be ‘wired differently’ the workshop would

give knowledge and understanding of why this is the case and explain at times

puzzling contradiction of adolescence.

ICT Skills - The pressure is on parents to get up to speed with the changes in new

technology, CLD can signpost or offer SQA qualifications from Level 2 to Level 4.

Wits End – a workshop designed for parents who are struggling with the challenging

behaviour and having a teenager in their life.

Mindset – a workshop based on research undertaken on how a person’s thinking or

mindset is a key factor when setting personal performance or learning goals.

Drugs & Alcohol – information on trends and what

to look for as a parent.

I f you’re looking for more information on these

possible workshops please contact Neil I ronside

Senior CLD Worker on 01651 871312.

Further workshops on ‘Show my Homework’ will

take place – watch out for further information.

P a g e | 2 9

THE HUT IN TARVES

The Hut in Tarves, which is the portacabin that’s

‘home’ to the youth project was installed in the

school playground in 1998. The outer ‘skin’ is

beginning to deteriorate and the young

people who meet there weekly are working

hard, with the support of CLD staff and the

adults who make up the Hut committee, to

raise funds to cover the cost of cladding and

insulating the exterior.

We recently organised a car wash which was

well supported by local people and raised

£197. This was topped up by a generous

donation of £150 from a member of the

community so £347 was added to our funds.

Well done and thank you to Amy Penny, Caitlin Bremner, I lona McGrath, Chloe

Cattanach, Fraser Bruce, Caitlin Cattanach,

Ellie Bremner and Ryan Green who worked hard, serving refreshments and washing

cars with freezing water on a very cold Saturday morning!

LIBRARY

We are hoping to get the chess club back up and running in the new year, and I ’ll be

looking for volunteers to run the stationery shop again. Reading and games will be in

the library at interval and lunchtime and I ’ll be looking for book reviewers too. From 5th

January, all senior pupils will need to sign in at the library desk when studying in the

library. S6 pupils may study in the window area, all other pupils should use the

classroom area.

Kirsty Dickson, Network Librarian

P a g e | 3 0

AND FINALLY …

This has been a very busy but highly enjoyable term. Particular highlights have

included the v isit by the Royal Regiment of Scotland Military Band – The Scots Band,

superbly organised and extremely well attended Junior and Senior Christmas Dances

and memorable Christmas Concerts.

The Scots Band worked alongside our young musicians coaxing and cajoling them to

reach new heights in their playing. Even our most experienced players found it a

daunting experience one commented that she had “Never before seen that many

notes on one page”. After a few hours they had the pieces ready to perform to

expectant audiences. A true example of reaching beyond where you thought that

you could go; conquering your inner fears and succeeding.

In a similar way the S6 Events Committee set off at the start of the year to organise the

School Ceilidhs. What do we do? How does this work? Where do we get a band? This

group were very committed, motivated and well led. As with our musicians they had

the immense pleasure of seeing other enjoy the fruits of their labours. They stretched

themselves and excelled.

Lastly, not everyone could get in to hear our Christmas Concert- it was a sell-out- but

the entire school heard pieces at their assemblies. Talented actors, musicians and

performers who had worked long and hard to perfect their craft. Supported by sound,

lights and stage crew provided an evening to remember. Excellence all round!

We all have gifts and talents; some are v isible and others not so easy to see. As we

look forward to 2017 lets us look at our own special skills, develop them and working

together use them to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year

Andrew Travis, Head Teacher

P a g e | 3 1

TERM 3 - DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2017

JANUARY

Wednesday 11 Primary 7 Open Evening and Tour of school (18:00 – 19:30)

Monday 16 NAT 5 Mock Assessments begin

Thursday 19 S2 Parents Evening (17:00 – 19:30)

S2 Parents Options Evening (19:30 – 20:30)

Monday 23 Nat 4/5 Music Practical Mock Assessments

Tuesday 24 N5 Mock Assessments end

Wednesday 25 Higher and AH Mock Assessments begin

Parent Council Meeting (12:50 – 13:30)

Friday 26 Higher, NPA and AH Drama Practical Mock Assessments

Monday 27 Higher and AH Music Practical Assessments

FEBRUARY

Thursday 02 Intermediate Maths Challenge

Friday 03 Higher and AH Mock Exams end

Saturday 04 Ski Trip departs and returns on Sunday 12th February

Friday 10 OCCASIONAL DAY

Articulate Language Camp - senior pupils

Monday 13 OCCASIONAL DAY

Tuesday 14 IN-SERVICE DAY

Wednesday 15 IN-SERVICE DAY

Thursday 16 Burns Supper – 19:00 – 21:30)

Tuesday 21 S3 Parents Evening (17:00 – 19:00)

S3 Options Evening (19:30 – 20:30)

Thursday 23 S4/5 Options Evening (19:30 – 20:30)

MARCH

Wednesday 01 Parent Council Meeting – 5 (19:15 Staff Room)

Thursday 02 World Book Day

Thursday 09 Tempest Group Photos (Assembly Hall)

Friday 10 S4/5/6 Options forms due in

Monday 27 Meldrum Sports Bursary applications issued

Wednesday 29 Expressive Arts Show Case 19:00 – 21:00

EASTER HOLIDAYS Monday 03 April – Monday 17 April inclusive