What a difference the weather makes: lifting spirits, increasing resilience and generating energy. I have certainly benefited from the warmth and longer days during a recent absence and know that much of my recovery is due to the better weather. Furthermore the long range forecast bodes well for our Activities week beginning Monday 28th May... read more here Meadowpark Newsletter 25.05.18
General News
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On Monday 4th June and Tuesday 5th June 2018, Meadowpark will have a climbable tyre structure built in the playground. The project is in conjunction with Loose Parts Play, who have been active within the school for some time now. The tyres have begun to arrive, and our pupils are very excited by it all. Some great play, exploration and learning is already happening!
In order to successfully undertake this project, we need volunteers to assist with the build. Think DIY Big Build!
We are looking for help on both days, in two ‘shifts’, from 9.30 am – 12.30pm, and from 1 pm – 3.15andpm. There will be some heavy lifting involved, as the tyres are large, so if you have back, or other related issues, please do not volunteer, we don’t want any injuries!
All volunteers will receive a health and safety briefing beforehand, and will be working alongside the team overseeing the project. Suitable clothing for volunteering would be boots and gardening gloves, and dress for the weather!
If you are able to volunteer your time either in the morning or afternoon, on either day, please contact Meadowpark.
Meadowpark Team and Students
East Lothian Council are investing in a new online payments system, iPayimpact, to help you manage your school-related spending better. You will be able to use the new system from Thursday 31 May 2018. As a necessary part of installing the new system, we need to switch off the existing system you use to make school payments online from Thursday 17 May.
The wall-mounted machines in the school dining area will continue to work during this changeover period, and will continue to work from 31 May 2018. If your child doesn’t have sufficient funds on his/her card to pay for meals from 17 May to 31 May, please give them cash to load their cards using the wall-mounted machines, known as Revos. If you have other items you wish to pay for between 17 May and 31 May, please make your payment in cash at the school office.
We apologise for any disruption caused as a result of this temporary withdrawal of online options. We’ve tried to keep this period as short as possible and hope you will appreciate the greater control and transparency you will benefit from in terms of keeping track of your spending on school-related items when you set up your iPayimpact account.
You will receive a personal invitation by letter over the next few days for you to set up your personal account on iPayimpact. We would encourage you to sign up for your account as soon as possible so this new service is ready for you to use from 31 May 2018.
If you have any queries about this email, or the iPayimpact system in general, please contact me, on 01620 827992 or by email.
Stephen Fraser
Project Manager
School session dates for the next academic session (2018/2019) can be found in the School Information section of our website.
Once agreement has been reached after the recent consultation, on dates for Session 2019/2020, these will also be published here and on the East Lothian Council website.
I am delighted to inform you that following a successful recruitment campaign Susan Cook currently Acting Head Teacher, Trinity Academy, Edinburgh is the preferred candidate, subject to the usual pre-employment checks, for the post of Head Teacher, Knox Academy. I will be liaising with Susan’s current employer to agree a start date and will provide a further update in due course. I am sure you will be looking forward to welcoming Susan as she brings a wealth of educational experience to Knox Academy.
Fiona Robertson
Head of Education
Key themes for this week’s newsletter are Transition and Sustainability. We have been welcoming pupils from The Cove Provision over the past few weeks as they familiarise themselves with the way we do things at Meadowpark, and the feedback has been very positive so far. Transition of course works both ways and engaging with young people in an environment in which we are comfortable allows teachers and support staff to give of their best. I know that Steven Gilmour-Jack is looking forward to visiting The Cove next week. Read more here...Meadowpark Newsletter 04.05.18
Meadowpark staff and pupils were able to have a whole school photograph taken, and I was incredibly proud of how most of our young people coped with a stranger organising them in rows, sitting without their trusted member of staff beside them, and encouraging them to face forwards and smile. Read more...Meadowpark Newsletter 27.04.18
The following letter clarifies arrangements for S4 pupils who are not on study leave during the 2018 SQA exam period and who are sitting 2 or fewer National 5 examinations.
Schools in East Lothian have been offered an amazing opportunity to create maths calculations that will feature on flags at the Scottish Open in Gullane and seen by viewers all over the world!
Click here for the competition outline and details for entering.
Background
Numeracy and mathematics are core to education and skills development across all aspects of learning and teaching. The Making Maths Count report was published by the Scottish Government in September 2016 and sets out a range of recommendations that aim to raise awareness of, and confidence and attainment in, maths and promote its value and relevance to education, life and work. One of its key recommendations was to create positive initiatives and partnerships that promote maths in real-life, fun and relevant ways. You can access the report here.
Aberdeen Standard Investments, together with the Scottish Government, East Lothian Council, The European Tour and VisitScotland, have developed an initiative to help encourage greater enthusiasm for maths amongst the country’s children – by running a competition across East Lothian schools to print mathematical calculations that will feature on the 18 pin flags at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Men’s and Ladies Scottish Opens in July 2018.

