News from Lockerbie Academy - Thursday 18 December 2008

Christmas Reindeers produced by First Year PSE Classes

The S1 and S6 Christmas Reindeer and Santa Project was started in late October when each S1 Register class was given the creative challenge of decorating a large reindeer. All eight classes achieved this task and along with the S6, who created a Mr Ferrie inspired Santa and sleigh. The reindeer were all totally different and individual to each class but lots of glitter, glue and paint seemed to be a common theme. All are now displayed in the back of the Assembly Hall for all to see. Merry Christmas from S1.

First Year Famous Mathematician Project This year an innovative Curriculum for Excellence Project has taken place in the Mathematics Department with pupils working individually or in pairs on a “Famous Mathematicians” project. Many famous mathematicians were covered including Isaac Newton, Galileo, Albert Einstein, Pythagoras and others less known, Ada Lovelace! The quality of projects delighted all the teaching staff in the Mathematics department. All seven classes produced some terrific efforts and prizes were awarded as follows:

S2 Enterprise Competition – Adventure Playground for Marbles!!

Second year pupils have been working on an enterprise project this session. Working in teams they were given the task – ‘Design an Adventure Playground for a Marble’. Materials were strictly controlled and the results were graded on teamwork, economy, craftsmanship and how much ‘fun’ the marble would have.

Judging revealed the winning team of Logan Crichton, Andrew Mair and Francis Carruthers with their entry ‘Marble World’ and they each received gift tokens as a prize. The runners up were Bethan Halliday and Danielle Beattie.

E-on Presents Prizes to Lockerbie Academy Pupils

Two classes of Higher Administration pupils from Lockerbie Academy took park in an E-on Presentation last Tuesday in the Business Studies Department. Pupils were presented with prizes and certificates from 2 members of E-on’s management team, Tony Parsons and Jim Little from the Biomass Power Plant in Lockerbie.

In June of this year, the pupils visited the Plant at Steven’s Croft to see how the Company is using ICT to improve workflow and improve efficiency in the organisation. Tony and Jim demonstrated how the Company uses various pieces of technology and working practices such as video conferencing, ‘PI’ and ‘SAP’ software, conference calls, teleworking and hotdesking and explained the benefits and financial efficiencies made by the Company as a result. On return to school, each pupil was asked to compile a professional business report describing everything they had seen and learned from the visit. Certificates for these reports were issued to all pupils and prizes were presented for the two best reports from each class. First place prizes went to Joanne Howatson and Annmarie Mooney. Second place prizes went to Lauren Gass and Rachael Darroch.

Helping the Homeless in Edinburgh

Over the last week all the pupils in their Register Classes have been bringing in non-perishable goods like tinned food, tea bags, sugar etc. Everything will be collected on Thursday to be taken to Edinburgh to be made up into parcels for the homeless there.
Dates for the Diary
Friday 19 December	9.30 am - Junior Christmas Service 10.30 am - Senior Christmas Service 2 pm - Junior School Ceilidh 2 pm - Senior Christmas Quiz School closes at 3.30 pm
Monday 5 January	School restarts
Thursday 8 January	S2/S4 Options Assembly
Friday 9 January	Closing date for Syracuse Scholarship Applications