School News

Wallace High

Maths Challenge On Monday, March 21, four S1 and S2 pupils, along with Maths teacher Miss Miller, attended Forth Valley College in Falkirk where the pupils participated in team challenges, problem solving and fun competitions. Forth Road Bridge Maths teacher Mrs Harris recently organised a trip for 37 S4-S6 pupils to visit the Forth Road Bridge. The tour was aimed at pupils interested in venturing into construction and engineering both as further study and as employability. The pupils had the opportunity to investigate the bridge and take part in challenges to help them to understand the issues involved in the construction and engineering in mega structures. Stirling Schools Cross Country Championships Last month, 30 hardy athletes travelled to Queen Victoria School in Dunblane to compete in the Stirling Schools Cross Country Championships. Despite some late substitutions and absences due to conflicting sports fixtures, all of the runners coped well on a demanding 1.5 mile course, putting in some great team and individual performances. Eleanor Hanson narrowly missed out on the top spot in a close finish to earn silver in the S5/6 girls category and the S3/4 boys team claimed their place on the podium with Ruari Henderson, Logan Maclean and Tom Bradburn taking bronze. Procurator Fiscal Public Speaking Competition In the final of the Forth Valley Crown and Procurator Fiscal Public Speaking Competition on Wednesday, March 30, Wallace’s team of Shona Lafferty, Annie McCaskell, Avaz Majidov, and Adam Craig (all S2), gave excellent speeches and set a high standard. The team were beaten into second place by a group from Braes High School. Feel Happy S5-S6 pupils recently took part in an afternoon workshop called The Feel Happy (in School) Fix. The workshop was run by the charity Fixers. Having heard about the work that Wallace is doing to improve for mental health, Fixers have approached Wallace to ask if they could use the school as part of a nationwide project in which Wallace High has been chosen to represent Scotland. The aim of the workshop was to enable young people to explore the current challenges they face in their day to day school lives. This could range from bullying, peer pressure, home life, mental health and sexuality. The objective of the workshops was for young people to decide what was their biggest challenges are and come up with practical solutions about how to address them. Activities Day Thursday, May 5 is activities day. This is an annual event that aims to reward S1-S3 pupils for effort, attendance and behaviour throughout the year. This year’s activities day is being co-ordinated by Mrs Winters, and activities on offer include; trips to Alton Towers, Go Ape, and Blair Drummond Safari Park. Sporting activities on offer include mountain biking, golf, yoga, fishing and rock climbing. Ochil House pupils will enjoy a fun day with bouncy castle and barbeque. Sixth Year Graduation The S6 Graduation is being held in the school atrium at 4pm tomorrow (Thursday). The S6 Graduation provides an ideal setting for parents, carers and staff to come together to bid farewell to the current S6 as they embark on their exam leave and the journey towards further education, higher education or work. The ceremony will include speeches from Headteacher Mr Pennock, Senior Depute Mrs Ritchie, S6 Head Boy Benjamin Richmond and Head Girl Louise Cameron. S6 Graduation undoubtedly allows a moment to reflect on what the current S6 have achieved and how they have contributed to the school community including the fashion show, Shakespeare Festival, school shows – Little Shop of Horrors and Grease Christmas and Spring Concerts and The Battle of the Bands competition which saw three S6 pupils take first place with Two Steps Down. Many S6 pupils volunteered as peer mentors in different subject departments to help support junior pupils and also made a huge impact supporting the school’s literacy programme by volunteering as paired pupils to help support junior pupils improve their reading. S6 pupils also volunteered in Ochil House, getting to know the staff and pupils. The PE department benefited greatly from S6 involvement as pupils led and volunteered at sports teams, classes and events. Senior teams in football, rugby, dance and many more represented the school in competitions and tournaments. The charity committee successfully organised a collection of donations and teddy bears for the Royal Children’s Hospital in Glasgow in time for Christmas. The number of teddy bears collected was outstanding; it was a great achievement in the school and for the hospital’s younger patients. Through their involvement in many areas of school life - sport, news reporting, arts and music, charity work, looking after others, and peer mentoring- the S6 pupils have aimed to provide a positive role model for younger pupils. The year together will finish with the prom at Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro on Friday, June 10. By Katie Gordon S6

Beaconhurst School

Queen’s Birthday J1-3 pupils took part in the “Design a Cake” competition to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday on April 21. The competition is being run by Poppy Scotland and The Royal Yacht Britannia. The lucky winner will have their design transformed into a real cake and be presented with their prize on board the Royal Yacht Britannia. Green Flag The school is delighted to announce that its Green Flag has been granted again and continues to ensure the school campus is eco friendly. There is an effort to recycle as much as possible and striving to cut down on the use of paper by making most regular communications electronic. Holiday Club During the school holiday, Holiday Club children transformed into nature explorers! They read the story “Once there was a Seed” which ignited enthusiasm for planting and growing. The boys and girls enjoyed painting plant pots, growing cress heads and creating their own nursery herb garden. Furthermore, they used vegetables containing seeds to print beautiful spring pictures and have produced their own science experiment where they tried to grow beans using only a plastic bag, paper towel and water! They were also very lucky to receive a visit from Zoe from Boogie Beat Music and Movement, who took the children on a magical journey through the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. They finished their week with a beautiful spring outing to Stirling University, where the boys and girls enjoyed sniffing the fresh flowers and watching the swans and ducks playing on the loch. Duke of Edinburgh The Gold DofE team completed their practice expedition on the Spey during the first week of April. Cross Country On Tuesday, March 22, the Senior School Cross Country took place at the university. This year there was a fun run as well where pupils and staff were invited to dress up and “run-a- mile.” Results: U14 girls: 1 Carrie Banks; 2 Mia Hamilton; 3 equal Lara Hamilton and Chloe Kane; U14 Boys: 1 Euan Wond; 2 Logan Downie; 3 Jack Haughton. 14-15 Girls: 1 Skye Henderson; 2 Kirsty Robertson; 14-15 Boys: 1 Ben MacMillan. 15-17 Girls: 1 Madeleine Woods; 2 Emily Dawson; 15-17 Boys: 1 Jack Kerr; 2 Fraser MacPherson; 3 Tom Graham-Marr. The junior event was held on Thursday, March 24 and results were as follows: J1 Girls: Gold – Imogen Morrison; Silver – Charlotte Smith; Bronze – Jessica Marshall; J1 Boys: Gold – Rai Dhillon; Silver – Rory MacMillan; Bronze – Harrison MacMillan. J2 Girls: Gold – Freya Wright; Silver - Penny Stevenson; Bronze – Dee Sanderson; J2 Boys: Gold – Udo McRuach; Silver – Nicholas Isherwood; Bronze – Dillon Graham and Max Meikle. J3 Girls: Gold – Melissa Morrison; Silver – Lara Fyfe; Bronze – Lucy Laing; J3 Boys: Gold – Zac Downie; Silver – Harvey Hardstaff-Winstanley; Bronze – Jason Dickson. J4 Girls: Gold – Carron Vaughan; Silver – Courtney Innes; Bronze – Phoebe Wicks; J4 Boys: Gold – David Muzza; Silver – Liam Beveridge; Bronze – Aidan Beveridge. J5 Girls: Gold – Lily Blackhurst; Silver – Isabelle Kendall; Bronze – Molly McCaig and Eva Laird-Daly; J5 Boys: Gold – Cameron MacMillan; Silver – Killian Trenholm; Bronze – Stuart Fraser. J6 Girls: Gold – Heather Hale; Silver – Tara Mathewson; Bronze – Sophia Hardstaff-Winstanley; J6 Boys: Gold – Struan Craig; Silver – Archie Meldrum; Bronze – Jamie Purvis.

St Modan’s

PTA events The PTA have a few events coming in the next few months, starting with a race night on Friday, May 13, followed by the annual summer fete on Saturday, June 11. More details about both of these events will be published nearer the time. Gold medallist Well done to Chloe Gavin (S6) who competed in the recent Taekwon-Do European Sparring Championships in Greece, bringing home gold for her category. London Marathon Massive congratulations to Ms Kettles who competed in the London Marathon on Sunday, raising more than £4000 for Asthma UK. Dance The annual dance show takes place in the Benedict Hall tomorrow (Thursday) at 7pm. Tickets are available to buy on the door, priced at £4 adults, £2 children. All welcome. Diary dates Monday, May 2 - Holiday; Wednesday, May 4 0- SQA Exam diet begins; Tuesday, May 24 - P7 Activity Day; Monday, May 30 - Work experience week; Monday, May 30 - PTA; Tuesday, May 31 - P7 Parents Open Morning.

Stirling High School

Space Biologists On April 18, the school took delivery of two small, but special, packets of rocket seeds. One packet had spent six months in space on the International Space Station with British astronaut Tim Peake; the other had a more humdrum existence here on Earth. Similar sets of seeds have been delivered to 7000 schools across the UK to form part of a major citizen science project to investigate the effects of space flight on living organisms. The following day found members of the school’s Eco Club preparing and planting the seeds in tightly controlled randomised conditions. The Rocket Science project, initiated by the UK Space Agency and devised by the Royal Horticultural Society Campaign for School Gardening, seeks to introduce pupils to the practice of working to a structured scientific method and to the science behind horticulture. Over the next six weeks the pupils will count and measure the seedlings as they grow looking for any differences between the two packets of seeds. The pupils do not know which packet flew in space and so will not bias their observations in any way. The final results will be combined with those from the other schools to reach a conclusion on the effects of space flight. Water Polo Aithne Lawrence (3D2) and Elliott Lawrence (5D2) are both continuing their good run of success in the sport of water polo. Aithne is currently playing for both U17 and U19 Caledonia teams as goalkeeper and, in the recent European Championships, Elliott’s team came eighth out of the 12 teams competing. Diary dates Monday, May 2 - Holiday; Tuesday, May 3 - S4/5/6 study leave begins for all S6 pupils and some S4/5 pupils (pupils will be informed); new timetable begins for all pupils not on Study Leave (S1/2/3 and some S4/5 pupils); Friday, May 13 -S1 Reports sent home via schoolbag mail.