News from Lockerbie Academy - Thursday 21 January 2010

Staffing

Mrs S Bain has been appointed Headteacher of Dalbeattie High School, and Mr M Turner appointed Depute Headteacher at Wallace Hall Academy. Mrs Bain began her career as a Business Studies teacher in Doon Academy in 1982 and was promoted to Principal Teacher. She was appointed to Lockerbie Academy as Assistant Rector and took up post in April 1993.

Mr Turner began his teaching career in St Leonards Secondary School in Glasgow in 1992 and was acting Assistant Principal Teacher for six months before leaving in 1997. He was appointed Principal Teacher History/Modern Studies and began at Lockerbie on 1 April 1997. When management restructuring occurred, he was appointed Principal Teacher Curriculum for Humanities.

We wish them both every success in their respective new posts.

Mr N Terrace has been appointed Acting Principal Teacher of Humanities until a permanent appointment can be made. Mrs A Anderson has been appointed Acting Depute Headteacher on an 18 month secondment and Ms S Linton has been appointed Acting Principal Teacher Pupil Support (Annan), replacing Mrs Anderson.

We are also pleased to welcome Mrs L Gardiner to the Support for Learning department and Mr J Carrick to the Humanities faculty. We also wish them every success in their new posts.

Merit Certificates

Before the Christmas holiday students in S1 to S3 received their Interim Merit Certificate. These are based on merits give by teaching staff throughout the school day. Merits are given for a variety of reasons, but are generally around the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence, i.e.

Successful Learners
Effective Contributors
Confident Individuals
Responsible Citizens

A number of students achieved an amazing feat of over 100 merits. The members of this 100 Club are:

Stephanie Bain, 1B.D, Morven Beattie, 1C.K, Lewis Carruthers, 1D.M, Sam Copeland, 1B.D,
Lauren Dorrance, 1H.M, Hannah Elliot, 1H.M, Luke Finch, 1B.D, Adam Gilmour, 1H.M, Alanah Gough, 1D.M,
Innes Green, 1D.M, Rebekah Hargreaves, 2B.D, Holly Hunter, 1B.D, Fraser Hyslop, 1A.A, Katie McCutcheon, 2C.K, Dana McGarrity, 1A.A, Alison Pringle, 1H.M, Christopher Shearman, 1H.M, Rachel Templeton, 1D.M.

House Points were given for overall merits. The amazing totals were:

Annan 8841 Merits
Dryfe 8893 Merits
Kirtle 8453 Merits
Milk 8912 Merits

The merit / demerit system has developed quickly as part of the new SEEMIS management system.

Top Student in SQA

Congratulations go to Scott Irving of sixth year who was the top Higher Administration student in Scotland after the 2009 SQA exams.

Scott was invited to the Scottish Business Education Association Conference at Perth in November and received the SBEA Award for Higher Administration.

African Link School News

Over the holidays an exciting parcel arrived from Thawale Primary school, our link school in Malawi. Inside the parcel were photos, pen pal letters and posters prepared by Thawale students.

Our own students have been really excited by this development and our Malawi African Link Enterprise Group have produced an exciting display in the school. Next steps include primary visits by the Enterprise Group and a whole school event examining the Rights and Responsibilities for children in both Scotland and Malawi.

Dates for the Diary