A very warm welcome back. In particular, welcome to our new students and staff!
New S1 Parent/Carer/Students
Hopefully the first few days went well for all of our students. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact your so/daughter’s Guidance Teacher in the first instance:
- 1C1, 1C4 – Mrs Wood
- 1C2, 1C5, 1C7 – Mr Robertson
- 1C3, 1C6 – Mrs Scott
Communication with the School
The school operates a system whereby you will receive an email every Friday from the school with updated news about events, and links to relevant information on our website. We have found that a few minutes each week glancing at our website to be one of the most effective ways of communicating with parents/carers and students.
We do appreciate that some people do not have access to either email or internet (we realise that they won’t pick up this communication!). If you know of anybody in this position, please pass on this information. Students will be informed of this situation at forthcoming assemblies.
New S1s with no email on their primary school record will be issued with a hardcopy this and the following Monday, to allow parents/carers time to contact the school with email addresses if they have one. If you continue to require a hardcopy of our weekly updates, due to not having internet, please inform the school office on 01368 863 339, and your son/daughter will be given one each Monday following the Friday update.
Examination Results
Congratulations to 4th, 5th and 6th year students from session 2016-17 who produced excellent examination results. Thanks to staff, students, parents and carers for the huge amount of support and hard work throughout the year. We look forward to celebrating this success with parents/carers and students on Wednesday 13th September at this year’s Awards Ceremony. Let’s see if we can make 2017-18 even better!
Senior Students Changing Course
If any student is changing course, they will have been issued with an updated course choice sheet. If parents/carers have any issues with the recoursing, please contact Mrs Slowther at the school.
Modern Studies London Trip
Students have been issued with a final letter for parent/carers and a PC1 form to complete and return as soon as possible. Payments are now needed from ALL students for travel Oyster Cards and any students who also ordered hoodies. The letter contains all the necessary information.
Bistro
Please can students remember their smartcards or PINs as this can cause a delay in the Bistro queues which are set to get longer and longer. Any student who does not have their card can apply for a new one – remember this also gives you reductions in many retail outlets! Students who turn up at the Bistro without their card or PIN will be asked to go to the end of the queue. Those who arrive with money, will be sent to the social area to load their accounts. Students also need their smartcards in the library to have books issued.
Expansion Update
Unforeseen circumstances have led to a delay in the final signing off of our expansion programme. We had hoped to have the construction site up and running, however, this was not to be. My understanding is that this will be agreed within the coming days which will allow the projected work to start mid-September. I have given a commitment to staff and students, and would equally like to give parents/carers a commitment, that I will do everything in my power to ensure that teaching and learning, along with health and safety, continue to be the priorities. I will also continue to update everyone on progress as stated previously. East Lothian Council has put together the following statement:
‘Although some preliminary works are underway, the programme for progressing the main extension works at Dunbar Grammar School has been delayed by formal completion of the legal work in relation to the contract with the PPP consortium. The Council is working closely with the main contractor to re-programme the extension works to ensure that sufficient accommodation will be completed by August 2018 to meet the education requirements for the beginning of that session. The extension is the next phase in a wider package of improvements within the existing school building and new build. Significant improvements have already taken place and been completed within the existing building. This includes the creation of a new social space, alterations and the reconfiguration of corridors to improve flow and movement around the building. Separately, some internal alteration and improvement work has taken place during the summer holidays.’
School Improvement Plan 2017 – 2018
Over the summer and during our two days In-service, we have been scrutinising all of the information and feedback we have received from parents/carers, staff and students, and priorities as identified by ELC and the Scottish Government, regarding our School Improvement Plan for 2017-2018. We are in the process of finalising our Plan and will publish it shortly.
S1 Lockers
Lockers will be allocated to students by the end of next week.
Attainment & Achievement Awards Evening
Students nominated to receive an award will be receiving an invitation shortly.
Well Done
Well done to Hamish Gill and Max Peterson, who took part in the 101st International Four Days Marches in Nijmegen, Netherlands. This is the biggest international walking event in the world, with 47,000 people signed up and 38,409 completing it.
Hamish and Max were part of the South East Scotland Air Cadets Road Marching Team and completed 4 x 40k marches over the 4 days. They were really committed to taking part and have been training for this for the past two years. They also took part in two qualifying 2 day marches (40k per day) earlier this year.
Congratulations
Former students have been awarded the following from the University of Aberdeen:
- Jean Barley, Degree of Master of Arts in English 2.1
- Constance Loretta Fawcett, Degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
- Kyle Mark Stuart, Degree of Master of Arts in History 2.1
- Megan Ann Szczypka, Degree of Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with Psychology 2.1
PTA Afternoon Tea with Prosecco and Promises
- Saturday 9th September 3pm-5pm
- Belhaven Parish Church Hall
- £10 ticket over 18s only
This very popular fun event is back. An enjoyable way to raise funds to enhance the learning experience of our children in the school while catching up with your friends after the long holidays. Please come and buy your tickets from the school office as soon as possible.
Battlefields 2018
We launched Battlefields 2018 at assembly before the summer break. Letters went home with new S3 students: Battlefields 2018
Returns are due back on 31st August.
Dates for Your Diary
| Frantic Assembly Workshop Drama Trip | Tuesday 22 Aug |
| Edinburgh Book Festival Trip | Tuesday 22 Aug |
| LTS S3 Day Walk | Wednesday 23 Aug |
| 2Moros Driver | Wednesday 30 Aug |
| Mock Court Case Project | Wednesday 30 Aug |
| AH Biology Trip to Belhaven Bay | Friday 1 Sep |
| Higher Education Convention | Tuesday 5 Sep |
| Modern Studies London Trip | Mon 18 – Wed 20 Sep |
| DGS Texas Scramble | Saturday 23 Sept |
Please also see Information Sheets for our most up-to-date Information Sheet including updates on lunchtime and after-school clubs and:
- Recycling Bins
- Breakfast Club
- Paired Numeracy
- East Coast FM