Staffing Update
Our new teacher in Music, replacing Mrs Tessa Martin on a temporary basis, will start with us as soon as pre-employment checks are finalised. This is taking longer than hoped due to this teacher previously having worked overseas.
School News
Christmas Concert
Please note due to a variety of internal and external factors, our Christmas Concert will now take place on Wednesday 11 December at 7pm. Please click on the following link for my letter about our Arrangements for the End of Term and Christmas
School/home transport
Contact details for our Home to School Transport providers are now available within the School info section of our website.
Pupil News
Samye Ling Trip (S5/6 pupils)
This trip was a great success and pupils enjoyed their trip down to Dumfries and Galloway to see the largest Buddhist temple in the Western world. Pupils had a tour of the temple and peace garden by a resident nun, enjoyed a delicious vegetarian lunch and had an opportunity to ask questions about Buddhism as part of their National and Higher course. (by Mrs Montgomery, RMPS)
S1's First Fixture:
On Thursday 14 November the S1 netball group hosted their first game of the year, welcoming Dunbar Grammar School. Nine of our S1 group managed to make it along to the fixture and had their first experience of playing 4 x 10 minute quarters. The players were assisted by some of the more experienced S2s. The first quarter was a tight encounter with the quarter tied at the end of the 10 minutes. The girls began to find their feet during quarter two where they were able to achieve an extendable lead by half time. With Helen and Lucy playing a dominant role in attack, and Ava and Isla taking the lead in the centre role, the girls were on the front foot. The girls will now look to build on their first win of the year, with more fixtures in 2020. (by Ms Borwick)
S6 Leadership Group
This group delivered ‘invasion game’ sessions all Thursday morning at Haddington Rugby Club. There were P5 classes from Haddington Primary and Yester Primary (approx. 100 pupils). The P5s rotated round seven different stations focusing on rugby skills, evasive movement, problem solving and team work. Knox Academy pupils were absolutely fantastic and got lots of positive feedback from primary staff. I am very proud of them all (by Mrs Leighton, CL Health and Wellbeing)
Eco-Committee News
This week the Eco-Committee delivered an assembly about litter and waste. The group is working to encourage all students to be responsible for their own litter, to pick it up and dispose of recycling in the right place. We also launched some new recycling programmes in the school. Last year, we bought a Terracycle Cosmetics box and we are still taking in items for this. Any empty cosmetics items are accepted, apart from nail polish bottles. This year we have purchased a Terracycle Office Supplies box to help tackle stationery waste (like pens, art supplies, glue sticks) that can't normally be processed by council recycling facilities. We hope to send less to landfill by using these boxes! Lastly, the Eco-Committee has made a crisp recycling box to collect empty crisp packets to send to Terracycle. This will be kept in the school food court for students to access. We hope that all students will engage with these waste minimisation programmes to help make Knox a more waste-conscious place! Furthermore, members of the Eco-Committee feature in the recently released winter issue of East Lothian Living. Find us on pages 6 and 7! (by Miss Laudi, Eco-Team leader)
Parents/Carers Information
HMIe – Re-Visit
As you will be aware, from previous Head Teacher’s updates, HMIe will re-visit the school to review progress based on the initial inspection in March 2017 and the previous follow up in March 2018. In light of this visit they always gather the views of stakeholders. An email and text was sent to parents/carers yesterday with a direct link to the survey. I would like to encourage you to complete the survey by Friday 29 November for one child or for each of your children in attendance. Inspectors will also be meeting with groups of parents during the inspection so, to be part of that discussion, you should complete the survey with additional links provided to indicate your interest in taking part. (If you did not receive this email or text please contact the school so we can arrange for this to be re-sent). Thank you.
Reminder to complete the VE Day Consultation on an additional day’s holiday
East Lothian Council is currently undertaking a consultation on an additional day's school closure to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day in May 2020. Your views are valued so please do participate in it. Thank you.
Diligence Certificates
As you will be aware from previous Head Teacher’s Updates, our new diligence certificates are about to be printed for all our pupils at the start of December. Diligence nominations, from subject teachers, are given to those pupils who demonstrate hard work and commitment, on a day to day basis throughout Term 1 (August – December). The certificate will detail all subjects they have been nominated in. The ultimate aim is for pupils to be nominated in all of their subjects and if in term one they are not, to aim higher and achieve this in Term 2 (January – March/April). The idea behind these awards is to create ambition (one of our school values) and raise attainment and achievement through sustained effort and commitment to their studies. More information on our diligence awards is available by clicking on this link Diligence Awards
Dates for your diary (please also refer to the CALENDAR on the school website for all events across the year):
- 25 November-12 December – S4/5/6 Prelims (attend normal classes unless in a prelim exam)
- 3 December – Parent Council – School Library – 6.15-8pm
- 4 December – S1 Parents’ Evening
- 9-12 December - HMIe visit (continuing engagement)
- 11 December – Christmas Concert – 7pm – Main Hall
- 17 December – School Christmas Dance (tickets limited to 300) – 7-9.30pm
- 19 December – S6 Panto – 6pm (donations on the evening at the door)
Sue Cook
