It has been a joy to have all of our young people back at Knox Academy this week. The mood has been cheerful across the school and both staff and pupils seem to be relishing being back to face to face teaching and learning and the feeling of community. Pupils have been so good at following the new safety measures. Thank you to all parents and carers for supporting your young person’s return and all the preparations that have gone on throughout the summer to get us to this stage.
Staffing
DHT Meadowpark (Charli Prime’s post) – interviews will take place over the next fortnight
Health and Safety around the school
Just a short reminder that any pupil showing Covid-19 symptoms must not attend a school and you can book a test online at www.nhsinform.scot or by telephoning 0800 028 2816. Only if this test is negative should the pupil return to school (and an email with any result should be emailed to kfraser@knox.elcschool.org.uk (who is our Welfare Auxiliary)). I would also like to encourage as many of our pupils as possible to wear face masks / face coverings in and around school (particularly in corridors), as part of an enhanced system of our approaches to reduce transmission and to support all of our wellbeing. Face masks are also recommended for both pupils and staff when staff are working 1:1 with pupils.
We are also still encouraging all pupils to be outdoors as much as possible and to go outside to the playground and playing fields areas at break and lunchtimes (if dry). This is a measure put in place to prevent large groups/gatherings indoors and therefore an enhanced measure to reduce transmission. As the weather gets colder young people may wish to bring a cosy jacket and hat/gloves to stay warm when going out. If your young person can bring a packed lunch to eat outside that would be great, but if they can’t, they should eat at the Food Court and then head outside thereafter. If it is raining, designated year group wet weather areas are available inside the school should they wish to eat their break/lunch there. Only S4-S6 are allowed to leave school premises for lunch. Thank you for support with this.
It has been great to see so many pupils in our school uniform and representing the Knox Academy community. If you need support with uniform, information can be found in the link above. Please can I remind parents/carers that we have a ‘no hooded top’ policy for health and safety reason (detailed in the link above) and I would be very grateful is you would support us with this. Thank you.
S6 Pupils
We are going to adopt a flexible approach to S6 studies this session and allow S6 to prepare for University/College and employment by organising their day to day in the way that best suits their studying style. For this reason, if pupils have a non-contact period first thing in the morning, they will be able to study at home instead of attending registration and then studying in the Library. I am aware that many will still choose to come in and attend registration and do this but there is now a flexibility for those who wish to, and are able to study from home. Likewise, at the end of the day, pupils who do not have afternoon classes may also choose to go home to study. All we ask is that pupils sign in and out at the front of the school, in the S6 register, and also hand sanitise on entry and exit to the building. Pupils should mark the times they will be working from home on the timetables they will be given out tomorrow at registration so the office can update the periods they are studying from home as OAT (other attendance out of school). This arrangement will come in to play from Monday 24 August to allow the office team time to update timetables.
SQA
Revised certificates will be issued to be with candidates on Tuesday 8 September.
The update on the appeals process can be found here. SQA anticipate that in all three circumstances such appeals will arise only exceptionally.
Holidays
To any families returning going to/or returning from holiday in countries that require a period of quarantine, (and do not have an ‘air-bridge’ with Scotland) must self-isolate for 14 days. Please do not send your young person (people) to school until you have complied with all of the requirements. This is vital to keep everyone safe and keep Knox Academy open. Thank you.
Bringing Your Own Device
Pupils have been encouraged to bring their own device to school now only if they can (please don’t go out and purchase one). These devices should be fully charged in readiness for learning as we will be unable to provide charging facilities. Ideally these devices should be a Chromebook but laptops are also ideal. Please ensure that you have insurance to cover these devices as the school cannot cover loss or damage to them. The school will be able to provide pupils with Chromebooks for learning when needed in school but at present we only have a ratio of 1:10 Chromebooks, but this will change once we receive some more through Scottish Gvt funding. We have been asked not to use textbooks and be creative digitally, as once used, textbooks have to be stored for 72 hrs before re-using. We will be able to photocopy some booklets to give to pupils to keep.
Parent Council
Our first Parent Council of the session will take place, virtually, on Tuesday 1 September. If you would like to join us, please email Lesley Pirie, the Chair of the Parent Council, at lesley_pirie@hotmail.com, so we can add you to our session. It would be great to welcome as many new parents/carers as possible. The meeting will run from 6.30-7.30.
Communication
Most of our communication is by email to parents/carers so if you have still to provide us with your email please do so ASAP so you don’t miss out on any information from us. Please send an email to admin@knox.elcschool.org.uk to give us your email information. Thank you. If you have a question to ask about your young person or a question in general about the school, please email your young person’s Pupil Support Leader in the first instance as they will be best placed to help you. If need be, they will refer any questions on to the House Depute Head Teachers. The email addresses are as follows:
Ms Adam - ladam1@knox.elcschool.org.uk (Garleton Pupil Support Leader (PSL))
Mr Meekison - smeekison@knox.elcschool.org.uk (Lammerlaw PSL)
Mrs Doig - wdoig@knox.elcschool.org.uk (Traprain)
Dr Lyon - vlyon@knox.elcschool.org.uk (PSL Support for Learning)
Ms Fox - sfox@knox.elcschool.org.uk (PSL for Inclusion)
Parliamentary Motion (Kenny MacAskill MP)
This came in during the summer break from Kenny MacAskill. Great to be recognised for the community work our staff did during lockdown.
“I was very impressed to read that CDT staff from Knox Academy helped in designing and producing PPE equipment over lockdown. This was a wonderful and uplifting read and I wanted to contact you personally to recognise the great achievement. Also, I have lodged a parliamentary motion noting the accomplishment. The motion has been lodged with the Parliament of Westminster and will gain cross-party. The motion is as follows; “That the House recognises the assiduous efforts of Craft, Design and Technology teachers across East Lothian working together to create thousands of pieces of personal protection equipment in the form of visors, scrubs and masks; notes the initiative on behalf of teachers come from Haddington Knox Academy, North Berwick High School, Preston Lodge High School of Prestonpans, Musselburgh Grammar School and Ross High School of Tranent; further notes that the teachers have created more than 4,500 visors, 60 sets of scrubs and
several face masks; highlights the efforts a staff of more than 30 providing equipment to over 120 organisations throughout East Lothian and beyond; further highlights that the initiative also held a fundraiser that raised more than £9,000 in donations; and thanks the teachers for their innovation, creativity and dedication towards a project that has help keep many frontline NHS staff and keyworkers safe during the pandemic to continue to do their life saving and crucial work.”
A Huge thank you to your team, Kenny MacAskill MP, Member of Parliament for East Lothian Constituency
Have a good weekend and we will look forward to seeing all of our young people back on Monday.
Sue Cook
