SCHOOL NEWS
Term Dates 2012-2013
SPRING TERM 2012
Return : Monday 9th January at 6pm
Half-term : Friday 10th February at 3.30pm to Sunday 19th February at 6pm
End of term : Students, Thursday 29th March at 4pm (after Easter Service 3-4pm) Staff in School Friday 30th March
SUMMER TERM 2012
Return : Monday 16th April at 7pm
Half-term : Friday 25th May at 3.30pm (Parents Meeting 2-4pm) to Sunday 3rd June at 7pm
End of term : Friday 29th June (after Leavers’ Service - 11am - 12 noon)
AUTUMN TERM 2012
Staff In-Service : Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th August
Return : Tuesday 28th August at 7pm
Half-term : Friday 5th October at 3.30pm (Parents Meeting 1.30-3.30pm) to Sunday 21st October at 6pm
Staff In-Service : Thursday 15th and Friday 16th November (Students off from Wednesday, 14th November at 4 pm
End of term : Wednesday 19th December at 7.30pm (Christmas Service 6.30-7.30pm)
SPRING TERM 2013
Return : Monday 7th January at 6pm
Half-term : Friday 8th February at 3.30pm to Sunday 17th February at 6pm
End of term : Wednesday 27th March at 4pm (after Easter Service 3-4pm)
SUMMER TERM 2013
Return : Monday 15th April at 7pm
Half-term : Friday 24th May at 3.30pm (Parents Meeting 1.30-3.30pm) to Sunday 2nd June at 7pm
End of term : Friday 28th June (after Leavers’ Service - 11am - 12 noon)
Dates for Your Diary
Autumn Term 2013 begins on Wednesday 28th August, with boarders returning on Tuesday 28th August at 7pm, (TBC).
Staff In Service: Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th August.
Weekly Updates
11 December 2011
Dear All,
This week I have tales of brave deeds and adventures Indiana Jones would have been proud of. This Update is subtitled 'All's well that ends well'!
As you must assume, we keep a very close eye on weather forecasts during the Winter, and this week was no exception. We were relieved that strong gales were predicted much further South than The New School. After lunch myself and several members of staff drove down to Birnam to join Angela, and her cast of Junior Expressive Arts students and staff, who were having a dress rehearsal for their Christmas show 'Peter Pan and Trendy'. I was unaware that as we sped down the road, huge trees were falling in our wake! John phoned me to say they were unable to get other students down in time to watch the show .....and that electricity was off, but as they say in 'show biz' - the show must go on - and it did.
There were stunning performances from all the cast - Reuben as Peter Pan, Gemma as Trendy and Henry as her brother John-Michael. Kerrie and James G were Mr and Mrs Darling, and Kimmy and Amy little Indian girls. The lost boys were magnificently (and very cutely!) played by Aaron, Kimo and Stuart. Simon our Science teacher made a scaringly realistic Captain Hook and Alastair our Engish teacher, a scaringly dumb Smee. All was played to a backdrop of howling laughter ...and howling gales.
At the end of the performance we travelled in convoy back to the school by a circuitous route, bearing in mind the Butterstone road was firmly blocked. We had gone about a mile when we hit the first obstacle - a mammoth tree trunk which was promptly dispatched by John Goldie and chain saw. After many dead ends, and myself now (unwisely) at the head of the convoy, we made it back to a torch lit school with a roaring log fire and excited children. Colin served a dinner of roast chicken using a head lamp, akin to those worn by miners, to see what he was serving, while the SMT 'Think Tank' went away and thought.
It was clear Plan A, and probably Plan B were not options and for the first time we were forced to think beyond the normal protocols. Contact was made throughout the evening with police, emergency services and the electricity board who gave us updates on weather conditions from the home areas of students we had in school and advice on lighting etc. Meanwhile parents were contacted to establish whether children could go home if clearance was given by the police. All of this made very difficult as only phone working was the payphone! I do apologise if communication between home and school was frustrating over the evening.
The end result was a very old fashioned evening for the children-charades and other games by the fire, a feast of Friday's sandwiches for supper, and upstairs to bed by candlelight - not bothering with showers (which seemed to appeal to some of the boys). The dark night meant they slept through with the first student surfacing around 9:00am. Jamie kindly volunteered to work a waking night to ensue no accidents happened during the night and I joined him by the fire for a welcome hot cup of tea at 7:00am so we could begin to organise getting children home.
I am happy to hear electricity should be reconnected by 5:00pm today and we should - after a well deserved weekend rest - be back to normal for opening on Sunday evening.
I would like to thank staff for all the extra work they did to make sure all our students were safe and happy over the last 24 hours, both at the Birnam Institute and at school. We are very lucky to have such a committed team.
....many parents and friends missed the Christmas production and I'm happy to tell you we will run the show again in January.
Next Thursday is the end of term Christmas Carol concert in Dunkeld Cathedral at 6:30. I look forward to seeing you there.
kind regards,
Anne
Dates for your diary
15th December Christmas Service Dunkeld Cathedral 7:00 followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Duchess Ann
Buildings
School life is enhanced by the main building and its surroundings. It is a Victorian house set in several acres which include outbuildings, a large garden, tennis court, sports and assembly hall, and a computer centre. There is a games field as well as two other fields that the pupils are able to use. The stable block houses the science laboratory, reception and Bursar, general office, meeting room and the Headteacheroffice.
Provision for senior students includes The Lodge, a separate accommodation block which encourages students to further develop independence and confidence in preparation for transition to the next stage in their life.
School Improvement Programme
On the strength of considerable fundraising activity and investment over the years, further developments have been undertaken which have seen significant improvement in the School’s academic, vocational and physical education facilities.
Looking to the future, the programme will seek to invest in expansion of the art and craft classroom and replacement of the present rented classroom cabins.
These initiatives would not be possible without the continued generosity of the great many individuals who have supported us over the years, and also of the Scottish Executive and charitable organisations such as The Gannochy Trust and Wooden Spoon. The Governors are extremely grateful to all who have contributed in any way to the continuing development of the School.