October Break
Don’t forget that we finish today, Friday 12 October, for the October break. Students resume on Tuesday 23 October.
Have a great holiday!
Expansion Update
We are nearing the final stages of the expansion. Some members of staff have been visiting the site over the past few weeks and have reported that our new facilities look amazing! Transferring all of our resources over to the new build requires careful planning to coordinate with teaching and learning. We are working closely with the project team to plan for this. Teachers will start to move their resources into the new rooms during the week beginning 12 November with a view to students accessing the new facilities later that week.
Over the next few months, work will still be taking place in the main building, creating 2 new Science classrooms and removing the temporary unit at the front of the school. All work is due for completion by Christmas.
We are planning some exciting open doors events in the new year, where the community will be invited to come and see our new school facilities.
Instrumental Service Information
Please see the attached letter from the Instrumental Music Instruction service: Instrumental Music Tuition registration
UCAS 2018-2019 – Update for parents and carers
Any student who is applying to university this year should now have started on their UCAS application. They will be supported by a member of staff, either their Guidance teacher or another member of staff and they have all been informed who their mentor is. Students are required to meet with them for support in writing their personal statement. The students should have provided their mentor with a first draft of their personal statement and be working on the second draft which is due the 12 October. The final draft is due 26 October. In most cases the mentor will also be writing the reference for the student and if not it will be the guidance teacher.
You can support your child in this application process by:
- Reading their personal statement before they submit it to their mentor.
- Encouraging them to continue completing all sections of their application
- Go online to www.ucas.com/parents where you find lots of useful information, resources and videos.
- Asking your child to invite you to the UCAS Google classroom. On this you will find a timeline along with any additional information that they may need to complete their application.
S3 Monitoring and Tracking Reports
These went home with S3 students today. Please contact the Guidance Department if you wish to discuss any issues.
Staffing news
This week we have welcomed our new Home Economics Teacher, Lyndsey Combe.
Information Update
A pack is going home with students over the next few days containing a school closure form, a mandate form for the School Council 200 Club, new photo permission form for S1s, an email and NHS form and an Annual Data Check form which is required to be checked by parent/carers, updated as appropriate, signed and returned by Friday 26th October.
If you have no email address, it is essential that you inform the school. Where this is the case, we will provide a printout of this weekly information update to students on a Monday morning in their registration folder. A printout is only available to families who do not have access to email. The weekly email information is automatically updated on our website.
Photograph Permission Forms
Students over 12 years of age will be completing photo permission forms themselves: ELC Photo Video Permissions Form over 12s
School Photographs
Proofs and order forms for S1/4/6 photographs will be distributed soon.
S2 Parent/Carer Consultation Evening
This is being held on Wednesday 24 October from 5.30 – 8pm. Letters were issued to students on Tuesday 9 October. Please speak to your son/daughter’s Guidance Teacher if you have any questions.
Musical Performance
Thanks to all of our performers and technical team for another outstanding evening of entertainment at the Belhaven Concert this week. The diversity of talent amongst the young people here at Dunbar is something to be celebrated. There were even some ex-students in the audience who wished they could be performing again! The feedback was amazing and we raised about £500 which will be split between the school and a charity which the church supports. We are incredibly proud of you – well done!
S4 Work Experience
Each year, our S4 cohort, participate in a week of work experience. This year, this will take place during the week beginning 12 November. Hopefully your son or daughter will already have had some conversation with you about this as we have been preparing for it since August. The following letter with details will be given to all S4 students on Monday: S4 Work Experience
If you have any questions about the work experience arrangements, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s guidance teacher.
DGSC Update
At the DGSC AGM and the first meeting of this school year, Dee Davison and Lawrence Tierney stepped down as Co-Chairs of the Parent Council after 3 years. We would like to invite parents and carers to attend our monthly meetings and to request nominations for the Chair / Co-Chairs of the DGSC Parent Council. Please email nominations to our Clerk, Judy, at parentcouncil@dunbargrammar.elcschool.org.uk The dates of our next meetings are:
- Monday 29 October, 7-9pm
- Tuesday 20 November, 7-9pm
S2 Activities Week
Returns for Activities Week are now due back: S2 Activities Week Letter. If you have any queries, please contact Mr Maxton at the school.
Dates for Your Diary
| Break for October holiday/ Dress Down Day | Fri 12 Oct |
| In-Service | Mon 22 Oct |
| Students resume | Tues 23 Oct |
| S2 Parents Evening | Wed 24 Oct |
| Geography Kindrogan Trip | Fri 2 – Sun 4 Nov |
Online Payments
The new online payments system for schools, IPayimpact, went live on Tuesday 25 September. Every student has been given a letter with instructions for parent/carers and a unique ID for them to log in to the new system. If you have not yet activated your account, it’s quick and easy to do. Setting up your School Pay Account
Parental Consent Forms
Blanket Parental Consent forms have been handed out to students. This form covers most trips and DGS Sports for the session 2018-2019, so it is important that they are completed and returned as soon as possible: Blanket PC1