FORFAR ACADEMY SCHOOL NOTES, MARCH 3, 2010
S4 work experience: At the end of January, all S4 pupils were able to take part in a work experience placement thus experiencing the world of work at first hand.
This is a very valuable experience for pupils and the Academy is most grateful to the local employers who accept pupils into their places of work.
The school is always looking for new placements, so any employer who would like more information is invited to get in touch with the school and discuss their particular requirements.
Rock Challenge: This is a national competition which Angus schools have been able to take part in for the first time this year.
Pupils have to devise an eight-minute dance and drama routine set to contemporary music which highlight issues which affect young people today - bullying, domestic abuse, teenage pregnancy, selfimage,
etc.
Forfar Academy was one of five Angus schools which took over Webster's Theatre in Arbroath for the hotly contested competition.
The Academy team comprised over thirty S1-S5 pupils and although it was not placed, the school was thrilled to win the following awards:- Achievement in Drug Awareness Student Leadership (Awarded to Rebecca Fletcher - S5); Healthy Lifestyle Drama Award (for a performance by Jodie Leith and Michael Ducat); The Spirit of Rock Challenge Award (presented to the friendliest school group and voted for by
other schools); best air guitar performance (won by Miss S. Wallace of the philosophies department).
Haiti Earthquake Appeal: The Academy has a long established reputation
for donating to charity and the pupils and staff responded very generously to the appeal for funds after the devastating
earthquake in Haiti.
1400 was raised through donations from pupils and staff. Particular mention must be made of the senior pupils who donated the surplus from their Christmas dance to boost the final total.
Individual fund-raising: David Joiner, one of the S1 pupils, raised 100 for the National Blind Children's Society by selling tickets for two cuddly tiger soft toys provided by the NBCS.
Trips and excursions: S2 Ski Trip: 58 pupils left on Saturday, February 20 for a week's skiing in the French Alps. Mrs Judy Wilson, Group Leader said: "Nearly all of the pupils are beginners and a trip such as
this gives them a fantastic opportunity to learn the basics of skiing and experience the awesome scenery of the Alps in winter."
Other staff accompanying the group were Ms Soutar, Mr Martin and Mr Cargill.
Modern Languages Exchange - Ebern: Numbers for the modern languages
exchange to Ebern in Bavaria have been finalised and pupils are already looking forward to the trip.
The Forfar party will depart on June 9 and return on June 17. A group of pupils from the exchange school, The Friedrich Rckert Gymnasium, will arrive in Forfar on Sunday, April 18 for a week's stay.
Careers Information Evening: Representatives from over twenty further
and higher education institutions along with armed service and professional organisations took part in a recent careers
information evening.
Over 200 families from the school were able to visit the stalls of the universities and colleges and discuss entrance requirements and career opportunities with representatives.
This is always a very busy evening at school and many parents commented on how useful it was for them to become updated with the modern requirements of college and university education.
Talks were also given on applying to university and college and also on budgeting and managing finances at college.
Holocaust Memorial Week: Two S6 pupils, Amy Murdie and Greg Wingham,
visited Auschwitz last October and led a very successful Holocaust evening in December when the school invited a Holocaust survivor, Eva Clarke, along to share her memories with pupils.
To mark the recent Holocaust Memorial Week Amy and Greg gave presentations to all year group assemblies.
Amy commented: "We must never forget what happened during the Holocaust and we must never allow such atrocities to happen again."
S2 Community Awareness Group: The Academy has a small group of S2
pupils who are working on raising awareness of the needs of the local community.
Before Christmas, they filled over thirty shoeboxes and, with financial assistance from Forfar Rotary Club, were able to pass these on to a charity which provides support for needy children.
This term, they are looking to help the Guide Dog Centre in Forfar by collecting unwanted items such as foreign currency coins, old spectacles, old jewellery and old keys.
If you have any of those unwanted items, the Community Awareness Group members would be delighted to receive them.
Items can be handed into the main reception desk at the school and will then be handed on to the Guide Dogs.
Sport: Scottish Schools Swimming Championships: Congratulations to the
school swimming team of Daniel Baty, Ellie Finlayson, Megan Finlayson and Lisa McKenzie who took part in the recent Scottish Schools Swimming
Championships in Glasgow. All pupils performed exceptionally well in their individual events, with Daniel Baty winning a silver medal in the boys aged 13-14 100 metre freestyle event with a time of 58.77 seconds.
Basketball: The Forfar Academy team travelled to Bo'ness (near Falkirk) for their U-14 Boys Scottish Plate quarter final encounter after receiving a bye in the previous round.
Ten players made the journey down, including new recruit Luca Macari.
The general run of play was favourable to the Forfar boys, yet the score-board wasn't in the first quarter.
Bo'ness seemed to drain every shot they took early on and disrupted the Forfar fast breaks by winning rebounds and getting their fingernails to final passes.
Bo'ness led at the end of the first quarter 10-6.
In the second quarter, Gavin Thomson started to find his scoring range
and this managed to help Forfar back into the game.
Bo'ness continued to work hard though and defended very well to keep the game close at half time.
Thomson's jump shot at the buzzer counted and gave Forfar a narrow half
time 20-18 lead.
Forfar really put the foot down in the second half and never allowed Bo'ness to play.
Forfar started to pass the ball around with more purpose and looked to get more players on the ball.
Dean Kettles, Neil Aitken and Luca Macari were more aggressive under the
boards, winning rebounds, and Ritchie Lawson and Connor Deas offered more offensively with good fake and drives to the hoop.
Lawson scored the game's only three pointer from the top of the key (although having reviewed the video evidence the referee perhaps should have called it as a two pointer or even a travel).
Well done to the boys on a comfortable win. A more testing encounter awaits them in the semi-finals against Portobello High School.
Top Scorers: Gavin Thomson, 18 points; Ritchie Lawson, seven points, Neil Aitken, six points; MVP shared between Gavin Thomson and Connor Deas.
Basketball Hoodies: The sponsored free throw event has been a massive success in raising money towards the basketball team hoodies.
So far over 1400 has been raised, with some money still to be brought in. This has made a huge dent in the overall cost and should help keep the cost per head down to a minimum.
Along with the sponsored free throw event, the staff v pupils basketball match also raised nearly 70.
The Cluster Enterprise budget has also been kind enough to make a small donation towards the hoodies, which is greatly appreciated.
The hoodies are ordered and an expected delivery date of April 10 has been set by the company, so fingers crossed they arrive on time.
So far it looks like the cost will be roughly 10 per hoodie, which is excellent value for money as the hoodies are priced at 30 each.
Staffing: A warm welcome back to Mrs C. Crabbe who has returned to the school after a period of maternity leave.
Study Support: A number of study support classes run throughout the session.
Details of those classes can be found by logging onto the school website (www.forfaracademy.angus.sch.uk).
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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