Parental Newsletter April 2018

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018
“We have now come to the end of a very full
and rewarding term. In this Newsletter I
share with you a few of our successes this
term so far – there are many more and I
would encourage you to follow us on
Twitter to learn more about the work of
every area of the school. Pupils have
participated in many exciting trips,
residentials, competitions and fund-
raising. Trips to Cape Town and
Ausschwitz have been exceptionally
rewarding for pupils. To the right you can
see a snapshot taken in January on the ski
slopes in Italy where over 4o pupils and 5
staff members spent a most enjoyable
week. It does feel as if we know all about
these weather conditions here in East
Kilbride this term! We are pleased that we
managed to use Google Classroom and the
school website to allow learning and
submi8ssions to continue over these snow
days! We have also been delighted at the
number of senior pupils taking up the
places in our Easter Supported Study
provision where staff are working very
hard to help pupils’ understanding and to
point them to how to gain extra marks to
improve grades significantly. We wish our
pupils in S4, S5 & S6 the very best as
they study hard for their SQA exams!

This year we have further extended
opportunities for pupil and staff leadership
to thrive – all of which is helping us to
support key improvements in learning and
wellbeing. We are delighted at the high
levels of uptake and participation by
parents at our family learning workshops
for parents of pupils in S1 –S3 to help
parents understand how they can
contribute to their child’s learning.
I thank parents, on behalf of all staff, for
your continued support and wish to take
this opportunity to wish all pupils, parents,
staff and partners of Calderglen High a
refreshing Spring Break!
Liz White
Head Teacher

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018

The Calderglen Go4SET team undertook a project over a period of 10 weeks in which they carried out
research and built a display of a new stadium. They were supported in their design by Tony, their Mentor
from Rolls Royce. Their project design went forward to the Lanarkshire Go4SET competition where our ace
S2 team presented a well-structured presentation to two judges, answering all questions that were directed
to them. The judges were especially impressed by the interactive features of their model. The feedback about
their presentation and display was very positive – including comments on their teamwork and honesty.
Pictured here is the team who received high commendations by Viridor, the Competition sponsors and a
photo of their interactive stadium! Well done to our superb team who represented our school so ably!

Rocket Girls!
Pupils in S1 and S2 have been working to design, model on CAD and 3D print sculptures for the opportunity
for these to be sent to space in a NASA rocket. This will be launched into sub-orbital space on board a NASA
Black Brant IX rocket - a Pennsylvania State University X-ray telescope mission called WRX-R (Water
Recovery X-ray Rocket). Our winners were S1 pupil Shannon Slaven who designed a pyramid structure and
S2 pupil Christy Boyes who designed ‘moon cheese’.

Look out for media coverage of the launch, which is scheduled for the
4th April 2018, taking off from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands in the
Pacific Ocean. The rocket will return to Earth where the SμGRE-1
payload will be recovered. The sculptures will then be returned to the
school, alongside a certificate authenticating it has been in space.
Hopefully they will both still be intact after their out of this world
experience!
Thanks go to the Technical Department

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018

Thanks to staff who have admirably given of their time to support the wider achievements of a range of pupils
through the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. These achievements were recently celebrated at an Award
ceremony at Council Headquarters. A special thanks to Mr Ormsby who has taken the lead in this, ably
assisted by Mr Bleach, Mrs Lockens, Mr Bell & Ms Loudon. Calderglen and Sanderson High staff work
together to ensure pupils from both schools benefit from this programme.

DofE Awards 2017-2018

Name Level + Method Name Level + Method

Victoria Ferguson silver sailing Olivia Mulholland bronze walking

Amy Neilson bronze walking India Alexander bronze walking

Samantha McGowan bronze walking Kara Whitters bronze walking

Taylor Welsh bronze walking Caitlin Ferguson silver walking

Molly Templeton bronze walking Alexandra Morton silver walking

Gemma Knox silver walking Andrew Sturgeon bronze walking

Kim Dorricott silver sailing Caitlin Rhind bronze walking

Christopher Quinn bronze walking Kirsty Goodwin bronze walking

Sian Robertson bronze walking Emily Hannah bronze walking

Ellie Stewart bronze walking Rhiannon Imrie bronze walking

Fiona Mclean bronze walking Valentina Palli bronze walking

Our talented musicians were asked to play at the Awards Ceremony in Council Headquarters!

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018

We were honoured to have been able to hold a commemoration event in February at which we unveiled the
plaque below before the extended family of our treasured S4 pupil who tragically lost her life last October.
Sincere thanks must go to Mrs Martin & Mr McShane for the design and construction of the plaque. I would
encourage all parents and friends of our school to visit the Dance Studio and see this tribute to Megan the
next time you visit the school.

On the morning, as well as a balloon release we raised almost £750 for the Schiehallion Unit at Glasgow
Children’s Hospital. Thanks also must go to PE teacher, Mr Murray who organised and ran the Testimonial
Football Match with Megan’s brother and to Mrs McDonald, DHT, who oversaw the event.

Important Dates for your Diary! Newsletter for Parents
April 2018
Calderglen High

S3 pupil, Katy Andrews, has recently competed in the FIG British Gymnastics championship at Stoke on
Trent. Katy and her partner Holly Dougan, from Holy Cross High School
finished with not 1 but 2 personal best scores in both their balance and
dynamic routines This display placed them overall 12th in Britain for their
disciplines. Well done Katy!

South Lanarkshire Gymnastics Qualifiers

A group containing 13 Calderglen pupils and 1 Sanderson pupil attended the
South Lanarkshire Gymnastics Qualifiers in Blantyre earlier this month.
There were 170 pupils from schools across the authority competing therefore
it was an extremely tough competition for them. With the assistance of S6
pupils Erin Leishman and Lewis Heaney they had been working hard at the
after school Gymnastics Club and performed excellent on the day. All of the
pupils represented the school fantastically. Please see results below:

Level 1 team – 5th out of 12 teams Level 3 team – 3rd out of 21 teams
Matilda McIntyre – Sanderson Katy Andrews – 3C2
Taylor McLean – 1C3 Jenna Robertson – 3T2
Robyn Menzies – 1C3 Kiera Carson – 1C3
Emma Mathewson – 1C3 Emma Heaney – 3C1
Level 3 team 2 – 6th out of 21 teams

Sky Bakke – 1C3
Eva Ross – 1C3
Emma Smith – 3T1
Eve MacPhee – 1T3

Pictured are: Keira, Katy, Jenna and Emma who came 3rd in the level 3 South Lanarkshire category.
Well done to all gymnast participants!

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018

Calderglen High School recently held a Showcase displaying a vast array of talent through Gymnastics,
Dance and Trampolining. Fifty S1-S3 pupils prepared for the Showcase for several months at their extra-
curricular clubs with the assistance of S4 pupil Holly Freeman and S6 pupils Erin Leishman and Lewis
Heaney. The evening was compered by S6 pupil Taylor White to an audience of approximately 150 people
from the wider community. Pupils, teachers and parents were also treated to guest performances from
Hamilton Gymnastics Club and Starlight Dance Company. The spectacular show of Dance, Gymnastics and
Trampolining was a great success and will hopefully become an annual event on the school calendar.

Thanks to our senior pupils, Taylor, Lewis, Erin and Holly who showed outstanding leadership abilities
through this event and to Ms Marshall who allowed them to lead so ably!

Hot off the press!

S4 pupil, Katie Sherry competed in the BDO British Dance Competition (a hip hop/Streetdance
Competition) in Blackpool Tower Ballroom at Easter weekend and came third for her solo so is 3rd place
BDO British Champion in 16 and under category. Sophie Grubb, also S4, came fourth and gained overall
4th place BDO British Champion in under 16 category. Katie and Sophie, duo partners, came 7th for their
duo and their dance team, Nu Elite, was also placed 4th for their team dance. Congratulations girls on such
high achievement!

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018
Performing Arts Successes!

A group of Calderglen S3 pupils took part in South Lanarkshire’s “Battle of the Bands” recently with their
outfit, Generation 7. The group, who were one of the youngest bands to take part in the competition, played
during the day for a sound check and then competed later in the evening alongside a selection of young
bands from a number of South Lanarkshire schools. The evening was a fantastic display of top-quality rock
and pop music and the quality of performances on display certainly got the audience rocking. The evening
was rounded up by a special guest performance by the up-and-coming internationally renowned band Be
Charlotte. The band, consisting of Catriona Moffat 3T1, Ross Keskin 3T1, Ewan Hunter 3T1, Johnny Newton
3T1 and Luke Gallacher 3T1, performed in front of an all-star adjudication panel and narrowly missed out an
award, such was the level of competition on the night.

Ms Menzies said “It was a fantastic performance from Generation 7. The guys gained loads of experience
from the competition and already have fantastic ideas on how to take their band forward for next year’s
competition”.

Clyde Wind Ensemble – Platinum winners!

Featuring a number of Calderglen High School Pupils, the multi award winning Clyde Wind Ensemble (CWE)
took part in the Scottish Regional qualification heats of the prestigious National Concert Band Festival
(NCBF). The festival was held in Garnock Community Campus and CWE were delighted to be awarded the
highest possible accolade of a Platinum. Far right - S6 Calderglen pupil Ross Abernethy on the Euphonium

We are also delighted to announce the superb achievement of Calderglen High’s Senior Concert Band at
the National Finals in Perth in March – they were awarded a Silver Plus Award in the Advanced School

Band Class! Well done to al on outstanding performances! Finally, a massive well done and congratulations
to our fabulous Strings Group who made their debut performance at this year’s Instrumental Music

Showcase in Hamilton Town Hall recently.

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018

The National Benchmarking Tool, Insight, shows in its Insight Spring Update that we have upheld our
high percentages for leavers’ destinations!

The February Data shows that we have sustained our positive destinations at 97.24% - which is particularly
noteworthy as we have had our highest cohort of leavers for a few years – 290. Thanks to all who ensure
these high levels are maintained and allow us to remain above our Virtual Comparators and our local authority
and national percentages. Our very strong Developing Young Workforce strategy is impacting well on
ensuring we achieve consistently high levels of destination percentages for all of our pupils and involves full
collaboration with all Faculties, a wide range of partners and Support providers. We will use the detailed data
to set clear targets for next session’s improvement plan – these will centre around a strong focus on S5
leavers and a focus on further increasing the % of our pupils going in to Higher Education.

Thanks to Ms King, teacher of Additional Support Needs, we have had Great Success with an Introduction
to Work Place Skills (IWPS), a qualification for individuals who are preparing for work but who need some
extra support to develop their core and employability skills. The IWPS qualification includes an employer
assessed work experience placement of 150 hours. The employer’s opinion is crucial to the assessment
process meaning that the award will be well thought of by other employers. The IWPS qualification is
certificated by SQA, sits at SCQF Level 3 and includes SQA Core skills units which previously covered
communication, numeracy, ICT, Self & Work and Working with Combining core skills with work experience,
We realised the potential benefits that the IWPS qualification could offer to several S4 pupils. To meet the
requirements of the qualification, local employers had to be found who were willing to support the pupils one
day a week in a real life working environment. Fortunately, Ms King’s efforts paid off and we managed to

acquire different organisations where the pupils could complete their work placement element of IWPS and
gain a wealth of employability skills.

June 2017 saw the launch of the course with a business breakfast held at the school. This allowed employers,
staff, pupils and parents the opportunity to meet and discuss the year ahead. Employers took time out of their
busy schedules to talk about what roles they could offer to pupils. Parents and pupils found this a valuable
time to discuss any questions directly with the employers as well as identify a specific area that the pupils
wanted to focus on in the work place. When the pupils began to complete their work experience, they all
received glowing reports from their supervisors. They were praised for their time keeping, reliability and

“Before I went to the work placement I lacked in self-confidence, I would get
anxious and I would be unsure of doing things on my own. At my work placement,
I feel my self-confidence has improved greatly and I am becoming more of an
independent person. The people that I work with are very helpful and they
encourage me to do well which has been a great boost to my confidence.”

Pupil who completed IWPS

willingness to undertake new tasks, as well as they ability to work with new people and interact politely with
members of the public.

PUPIL EQUITY FUND

Family Learning: Mr Marsden has supported over 80 families within the BGE phase to develop vital skills
that will allow parents to support their child better within Calderglen. He has worked with Long Calderwood
Primary and their P6/P7 parents on bespoke workshops and engaged staff to support home learning.

Nurture: Ms King has visited over 12 education establishments to see the best practice around Scotland and
is presenting her findings to seniostaff before involving partners and key staff in planning phase for launching
our Nurture development within Calderglen. Ms King has also worked with a number of pupils introducing
mindfulness skills within their daily routine to allow young people to be ready for learning.

Wider Achievement: Mrs Healy is working closely with Pupil Support Managers and Year Heads to develop
a BGE leadership academy that is targeting pupils identified as being at risk – either to increase levels of
confidence or to feel more included and part of the Calderglen community. The BGE leadership academy will
plan and run the charity week at the end of March and will then support other projects.

BGE Standards: Mrs Stewart is currently working with English, Science, Modern Languages, Home
Economics and PE to support staff in creating and delivering their moderation plans for BGE courses. Lesley
has been supported by Diane McCrory who is looking at moderation activities within Music and Creative Arts.

Leading Learning: Miss Robertson and Miss Craig have taken up posts to lead learning within Calderglen.
This two-year authority-wide programme will develop critical thinking in learning within a whole school setting
and both teachers have committed to support staff with the knowledge and skills they develop to enhance
learning experiences for all pupils.

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents

PUPIL EQUITY FUApNrilD2018

The Calderglen U14 team continued their unbeaten run by defeating St Ninians, East Renfrewshire on
Wednesday 28th March in the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Cup. After a tough 0-0 battle in the first half, St
Ninians were quick to open the scoring in the early minutes of the second half. With some exceptional skill in
goals, keeper Cameron Powell managed to block all shots from St Ninians and eventually Calderglen
equalised with a superb goal from William Dawson. The two teams battled for the rest of the second half and
as the final whistle blew both teams prepared themselves for a penalty shoot-out. With two magnificent saves
from the Calderglen keeper, the game ended 4-2 in penalties to Calderglen who go on to the Semi-Finals of
the Scottish Cup. Well done boys and all the best for the semi-finals!

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018

National Champions!! Outstanding Result for the Calderglen High School S3/4 Handball team who won
the Scottish Schools National Handball Championships on Friday 16th March at Ravenscraig Sports
Centre. Wins in their first three groups games against Kelvinside, Linlithgow and Auchinleck booked their
place in the final before losing their final round-robin game to Marr College. In the final Calderglen faced off
against Marr College once more. Calderglen opened the scoring but Marr rallied and scored four unanswered
goals. Calderglen stayed in the match thanks to some excellent defending and goalkeeping and clawed their
way back into the game to level the score at 6-6. The dramatic turnaround was complete when Ryan Kealy
scored the winning goal with 1 second remaining on the clock to seal the trophy for Calderglen. Well done to
a brilliant team!

Calderglen High Newsletter for Parents
April 2018

South Africa, Cape Connections trip to Mount View High School

Mount View High. Hanover Park. Not the image you picture when you think of Cape Town, one of the richest
cities in the developed world. However, this is one of the harsh realities of what most people are having to
live through within small townships just out-with the capital. Mount View High school is a safe haven for pupils
and even teachers to get away from all the troubles they have to face when they walk out the gates of the
school. Hanover Park is a drug and gang ruled township where men carry guns and children are involved in
gangs from such a young age. The relationship formed between Mount View High School and Calderglen
High School is one that has been developed over a number of years. 20 children from Calderglen were
selected in 2017 to fundraise money to go and visit Mount View High School in February 2018. Along with
20 children 3 teachers went also. After many months filled of charity nights, tuck shops and many more it
was finally time to pack last minute essentials and visit our long awaited destination.

After travelling for just over an entire day we had reached Cape Town International Airport where we were
greeted by the 20 children we had all been paired with over the past year. We said a quick hello to our new
found friends before going to what would be our home for the next 10 days. Over our first weekend we slowly
began to discover the culture of Cape Town and learned a lot about its famous Waterfront and took in the
amazing sights of Table Mountain. On the Monday we got up and prepared ourselves for helping in Mount
View for the next coming week. We were greeted by the warmest of welcomes and even got a performance
from the schools marching band. We then spent the day going around classes and answering questions that
any of the pupils had about where we came from. In the afternoon we went to a township called Langa where
we got a tour of what a real township in South Africa is like. This was by far one of the most eye opening
experiences of the trip as it was such a drastic difference from what we live like back home.

Over the next few days we continued to visit the High School and develop our friendships with pupils in the
school and taught them about our life back home while also learning about their culture. We also paid a visit
to the primary school which was an unforgettable experience and one that sticks with us all the most. During
the week we also took part in some of the cultural experiences that Cape Town has to offer including Going
up and abseiling down Table Mountain, visiting Robben Island, also going to Cape Point, and spending a day
at Boulders Beach to see the penguins. On the day we were leaving we went to the airport to discover a
banner the school had put up for us as a last thank you, a few of our friends had managed to get to the airport
to come and see us one last time before we finally left to come back home.

All together all of us discovered a lot while being in Cape Town. We learned how much we take for granted.
how you don’t need a lot to be happy. But most of all we learned the simplicity of friendship and discovered
friendships that would no doubt last a lifetime.

By Racheal McKenna (S6 Pupil)

Through our fund-raising we managed to donate to Mountview a wide range of books and stationery and an
area for the pupils to sit at tables and chairs while being provided with food as until now they have had to
stand while eating.

Just under 100 pupils had a day’s ski outing to Glencoe over 2 days in March – an event which proved to
be very popular with pupils across the stages. Meanwhile other pupils were displaying their considerable
skills in cross country at the South Lanarkshire Championships held in Biggar!

Almos t

Congratulations to Jamie Scullion S1 who came 2nd in the SLC Cross Country and to the S1 boys who
secured the GOLD!! Congratulations to Charlie Frew [3rd from right] who came 1st in the S2 SLC Cross
Country and to the S2 team who were placed 3rd! Great achievement all round!

Swimming Success!

Congratulations to S5 pupil Stewart Brodie [2ND from left] who
was part of the 14-16 boys 400 free relay team who snatched
Bronze at the Scottish National Age Group Championships
at Easter weekend!

Netball Success
Congratulations to our newly formed and equipped S1/2 netball team who won all of their 8 matches in a
recent local tournament. The team is certainly dressed for success and are showing great promise – many
thanks to Miss Craig who manages the team and has inspired them all by acquiring such beautiful new attire!
Well done to an up and coming talented team!

Dates for your Diary!

Spring Break Thursday 30th March 2.30pm
Easter Study School Tuesday 3rd April, Wednesday 4th April, Thursday 5th April
School returns
S3 Exams begin Monday 16th April 2017
Calderglen’s Got Talent Monday 16th April
Paws against Stress for pupils in S4/5/6 Thursday 26th April
S4/5 finish at end of school day Thursday 26th April
S6 Leavers’ Breakfast Friday 27th April
SQA exams begin Friday 27th April 9.30 – 11.30 am
May Bank Holiday Monday 30th April
INSET Day 5 Monday 7th May
S2 IDL starts Tuesday 8th May
Lightwater Valley Wednesday 16th May
May Weekend Holiday Friday 18th May
Friday 25th & Monday 28th May