LENZIE ACADEMY PARENT COUNCIL
A meeting of Lenzie Academy Parent Council was held on Thursday 5 March 2009 at 7 pm in the
Conference Room.
Present:
Parent Members:
Mrs H Blair (Chair), Mrs L Lang (Vice Chair) Mr D Steedman, Mrs J Sambrook,
Mr C Holdstock, Mr F Guild, Mr D Shearer
Co-opted members: Dr Tom Slimming MBE,
In Attendance:
Mr R McLelland (Rector), Mr A Elliott, Mrs T Murphy (Clerk), Mr Peter Kane
(Chair of Lenzie Primary PC), Ms W Lee (Lenzie Primary PC), Mr G Carmichael
(Forum)
Apologies:
Cllr A Jarvis, Mrs J Carr-Gomm, Mrs C McPherson, Mr D Woodier,
Mr Lex Gaston, Mr J Miller, Cllr R Geekie, Mrs S McKellar,
1.
Mrs Blair welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending. She welcomed
Mr Kane and Ms Lee of Lenzie Primary Parent Council and Mr G Carmichael, member of
Lenzie Academy Parent Forum.
2.
Minutes of previous meeting held on 15 January 2009
These were approved, subject to the following amendments:
2nd Page should read Mr Guild
AOB Item 3 should read ‘of Lenzie Primary Parent Council’
Proposed: Mr D Steedman
Seconded: Mrs L Lang
3.
Correspondence
 Various leaflets were distributed
 Feedback from the Next Generation of National Qualifications Consultation Document
 Invitation to Further Parent Council Training from Ms H Campbell
 Email inviting members to Internet Safety play at Bishopbriggs Academy on 26 March.
 Invitation to attend a course at Stirling Management Centre
 Documents from Boclair Academy Parent Council. Mrs Blair explained that BAPC were
keen to ‘join forces’ over the ‘PPP school issue’
4.
Committee Reports
Attendance Council
Mrs Blair reported that an Attendance Council was being held that evening attended by
members from St Ninian’s High School who were dealing with 3 primary school children from
the catchment area.
Parent Council Forum Meeting
Dr Slimming reported on the meeting he attended on 19 January.
Topics discussed included:
 Provision for clearing ice on roads into schools
 Sexual health – response from parental questionnaires
 Data Protection Policy
 Insurance for school trips
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Biometric system – Mr Frank Glenn of Westercleddens Primary School sought a motion for
this to be suspended. This was carried 20:1 for all schools, with exception of Lenzie
Academy and Boclair Academy, where the system was in operation.
Budget for Education 2009/10
Next meeting to be held on 23 March when a delegation from Glasgow City Council will attend.
Mrs Blair thanked Dr Slimming for his feedback.
5.
Head Teacher’s Report
Staffing
Appointments of:
 Mr Mark Hughes, currently Principal Teacher (Communication) at Wallace High School,
Stirling to post of Principal Teacher (English), with effect from 20 April 2009.
 Mr James Cameron, formerly temporary teacher at Bishopbriggs Academy to
permanent post of Teacher of Geography (with Support for Learning) with effect from
18 February 2009.
 Ms Jennifer Dolan, previously temporary teacher at Lenzie Academy, to permanent
post of teacher of Mathematics at Lenzie Academy with immediate effect.
Events January/February 2009
 Inter-house events – Cross Country, Football, Reading Quiz
 Inter-house Swimming Gala at Bishopbriggs Academy – well attended
 Issue of S4 Reports including S5/6 Curricular Information Evening and Course Choice
exercise for S5 2009/10
 S4 Supported Study Programme – most subjects represented in ‘after school’ sessions
 S4 Parents/Staff Meeting
 Holocaust Memorial Assemblies – series of talks by the delegation who visited
Auschwitz
 DTP Immunisation – all S3 pupils. Mr McLelland reported that a number of pupils had
suffered an adverse reaction to the immunisation and had been taken to hospital.
None of the pupils were seriously ill and most returned to school the following day.
Greater Glasgow Health Board explained that the same dose had been used
throughout Glasgow with no ill affects reported elsewhere. Concerned parents were to
raise their concerns with GGHB separately.
 HPV Immunisation Programme
 S5/6 Preliminary exams
 Issue of S5/6 Reports, Guidance interviews and S6 Course Choice
 Scottish Schools Indoor Athletics
 Careers presentations by Strathclyde Police, Royal Air Force and Strathclyde Fire
Service – targeted at selected pupils.
 LAB visits to Jordanhill Campus (selected S5/6 Biology students)
 Italian/Home Economics excursion to Venice/Lido di Jesolo
 Glasgow Museums Art Competition
 S3 Class Assessments
 S2 ‘UKANDOIT2’ Conferences
 Fairtrade Activities
 S6 visit To Edinburgh and Scottish Parliament
Recent Successes
 John Ruddy (S6) selected for GB Team to participate in Deaflympics in Taipei in
September – an outstanding achievement
 ‘Battle of the Bands’ – Lenzie Academy Heat had raised £1000 for Merkland School.
Mr McLelland expressed his concerns at the lack of security at the EDC Heat event as
it had attracted far greater numbers than anticipated and he has requested that more
effective arrangements are put in place for future events.
 Filming of S2 Fairtrade Project by HMIe/Learning and Teaching Scotland – will appear
on ‘Good Practice’ websites
 Celtic Indoor Athletics Championships – Scotland/Ireland/Wales at Cardiff – Andrea
Gaffney (1st in Long Jump) and Chloe Lambert (1st in Relay)
 Faraday Challenge – organised by Institute of Engineering and Technology – Team of
6 pupils from Lenzie Academy had won this National Competition of 180 schools. An
excellent achievement, winning £1000 cheque, and bust of Thomas Faraday.
 Video link with Washington High School during Presidential Inauguration. Mrs Elliott
said this had been a very successful event.
Future Events
 Scottish Schools Cross Country Championships
 Duke of Edinburgh Silver/Bronze Activities
 S5/6 Supported Study classes
 S2 Pupils – Issue of Reports and S3 Course Choice Option Material
 S2 Parents/Staff Meeting, and Curricular Information Evening
 Scottish Schools Badminton Championships
 Oxbridge Conference
 Glasgow Music Festival – junior choir to participate
 EDC Dance Competition to be hosted at Lenzie Academy
 BBC News School Report Day
 Invitational 7-aside Rugby Tournament
 Excursion to World War I Battlefields
 Charity Events
Other Matters
 Budget 2009/10 – Mr McLelland issued copies of the East Dunbartonshire proposals of
itemised savings in the next financial year. He said he was pleased to report that the
savings did not affect schools directly so the curriculum had been protected.
 Placing Requests 2009/10 now being received.
 Early Retirement Trawl by EDC – applications invited from Teaching staff to resolve
overstaffing issue.
 Social Areas – build going well and Mr McLelland hoped that the work would be at a
stage for him to arrange access and a tour at the next meeting.
 Astro-turf – no developments to report. It was agreed that this item would remain ‘on
the Agenda’ for review at a later stage.
 Toilets – Mr McLelland had written to Mr McGarvey stating that he had heard from
various sources that the toilets were to be upgraded and requested written clarification
to the status and timing of the upgrades. He received a response from Mr Joe Wilson,
by email confirming that funding would be allocated in the next financial year (2009/10)
with plans for 2 to be upgraded early in the year and the remaining 2 during the
Summer holiday. Mr McLelland thanked the Parent Council for their support with this
issue.
Mr Kane talked about a similar situation at Lenzie Primary regarding a faulty fire alarm system
and described the difficulties he had experienced in dealing with the Council to resolve the
matter.
6.
AOB
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7.
Mr Gordon Carmichael described his concerns over road safety in the area around the
school and in Boghead Road affecting school pupils in the area. He described the
chaos of parents dropping off and collecting school children and the dangers he
believed this caused describing it as ‘wanton disregard’ to safety. He asked for the
LAPC support in resolving this situation. Various options were discussed. Mr
McLelland recognised this had been an issue and explained that the Roads Dept had
been out to the school in the past but various options had been dismissed.
It was agreed that the Community Policemen Constable Paul Owens would be invited
to a future meeting and a Working Party set up in the future to look at the issue.
Mrs Blair thanked Mr Carmichael for bringing this issue to their attention.
Mr D Steedman questioned Mr Kane and Ms Lee about their recent Funding success.
Ms Lee explained this had been organised by Ms Jennifer McCafferty of the PTA and
referred the LAPC to her for further advice.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting to be held on Thursday 2 April 2009.