I was delighted to see in the Scotland on Sunday, an article about a former pupil, Neil Stewart, who has developed an app “…to give smallholders in south-east Asia access to vital agricultural information…” “The programme provides weather forecasts as well as information about crops such as soil types, diseases and growing advice, with a messaging service letting farmers connect directly to agricultural experts.” I am so proud of him and wish Neil all the best in the development of this project. In 2011 a professor at Duke University was quoted as saying that 65% of pupils entering schooling that year would end up working in careers that had not yet been invented. I know that Neil was always keen on going into IT, but I wonder if he ever thought this would be where it took him? I think that’s one of the biggest challenges that we face as a school – to ensure that we are skilling people up to meet the future job market.
Talking of things you might never have thought of happening…our pupils and those from our associated primaries have been learning all about the Moon this week. Ms Dornan (Physics and Science) managed to get a loan of some “Moon Rocks” and pupils have been studying them, comparing them to rocks from Earth and learning more about what it’s like on the Moon. When I went in to see part of a lesson, pupils were talking about the properties of “Moon Dust” and working out how some of the rocks from the Moon had been formed.
On Tuesday of this week, pupils from Haddington Infant School joined pupils from the School of Rugby in our Games’ Hall for a Healthy Living event. Pupils enjoyed a variety of activities, including trampolining. I caught up with the youngsters when they were about to leave and they were showing no signs of flagging at all. Everyone seemed to have a ball and it was good to start getting to know our future Knox Academy pupils.
This afternoon sees the first round of the “Little and Large” cookery competition where pupils from our cluster primaries team up with some of our pupils to cook up a storm. This heat will determine which team represents Knox in the final next week. I look forward to wandering along to Home Economics and seeing what they create.
Next Wednesday evening is the final Parent School Partnership meeting of the session. It starts at 6.15pm and is in L.3 (follow the signs). Any parent is welcome to attend and we have a packed programme and will have, if past meetings are anything to go by, some stimulating discussion.
School closes at 12.05pm today and reopens to all pupils on Tuesday 20th May. Some senior pupils will have their Business Studies exam on Monday 19th (all starting at 1pm). Remember that owing to the time of the exam pupils will have to make their own way to school, and because it is not a “school day” will have to make arrangements for travel home. Parents should telephone the School Office if they need any help with this.
Have a very good weekend.
S Ingham
