MINUTES OF PARENT COUNCIL MEETING 22 SEPTEMBER 2015
AGENDA ITEMS
Introduction and
Welcome
Presentation by
students
Conabor
DISCUSSIONS
Welcome from LMcG
Presentation by
students visit to
China
Blair and Carys (Head boy and Head girl) plus 6
others– China Immersion Course. 105 students from
all over Scotland in
Summer 2015 visited Beijing and Tianjin.
Lasswade High School has a Mandarin teacher. The
students visited:Great Wall of China
Beijing Zoo
Stayed in Olympic village
Buddhist temple – chanted with monks
Summer Palace – fantastic history, met local people
Corinne Douglas introduced winners, who discussed
what they needed to do to gain merits. They were
challenged to gain as many merits as they could.
S1 received merits for:
good homework, trying hard in school. Effort and
focus, good behaviour and being rewarded for
efforts.
The levels were 50 bronze, 100 Silver and 150 Gold.
Great amount of winners. 182 winners across the
year groups and there were 83 bronze, 96 silver and
3 gold. House Assemblies were held to present
certificates to winners.
Students said there is a variety in teachers who
give/don’t give merits.
Prizes were delivered, certificates good to have to
take home. This means that the Headmaster and
staff know who received these and were for good
reasons and this also helps the students school CV.
Also winners from the Wiz show and Successville –
Tree of Knowledge and workshops with others.
Students had to appoint leaders and they also felt
this helped get to know each other better. Good
feedback. These types of Awards help recognise
middle students’ efforts as well as students who
traditionally receive awards.
More girls than boys in S1 to S3. It would be good to
recognise all Year Groups. Gender concern being
discussed with SLT.
Top ten merits from staff were also rewarded.
Departmental issue with PE and they cannot update
easily due to PC’s in this subject – all Practical
subjects are difficult.
Quality control measures regarding giving of merits.
Couple of assemblies so far to translate into actions
within school behaviours.
Parent Council will continue to financially support
this.
ACTION POINTS
Apologies
Hanban HQ in Beijing – met people
Kung Fu Show & Peking Opera
Took part in making opera masks.
School syllabus followed and tried on traditional
costumes and made Chinese fans.
Had to sit a Mandarin test which all passed.
The students also did calligraphy and made Chinese
roses
Visited the Culture Centre
Learned that there are 14 million people in Tianjin
Visited partner school No 25 Middle School –and
were treated like VIP’s
Visited a local home, had dinner and shared photos
and stories about life.
Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City.
Had rides in Rickshaws and saw first houses ever
built – President stays there.
Meet N Sturgeon at 5* Hotel.
Annual visit so that students can keep creating links
with China.
F Harris, L Wood, L Darling
Ally Hollins- Kirk.
Minutes of last
meeting
Approved
Update from
Chair
LMcG – set up for meeting is different tonight so that
we can split into groups to gather some feedback on
School Improvement Plan.
Anna, Gail and Amanda updated. Christmas Fair is
19th November. LW sold all tables already and there
will be games and different stalls.
Bingo night was a great success.
Setting up stall to sell second hand blazer and ties
discussed and agreed this was a good idea.
Trying to engage more widely re Transition process –
how can it be improved. Questionnaire to go out on
Thursday at S1 Family Learning evening.
LMcG attended Charities committee meeting and a
PTC’s meeting – both were very interesting.
5 Student teachers from Ed University for couple of
months.
Short of Science teacher. Twice advertised on
temporary basis but no success, advert may now be
for a permanent post.
Not many supply teachers available and not many
taking temporary contracts. Other schools perhaps
offering longer contracts. Taken a strong decision to
go permanent and this will be advertised. Science
staff being rotated.
School photography being done by Mr Poots around
school for Website
Update from
Fundraising
Group
HT’s report
Topics/Aims for
year
New clubs this year, see booklet on Website.
Bikes stolen this weekend – 13 bikes stolen.
Cashback to crime got us 10 bike’s back last time.
Affects a number of programmes we run around this.
Real impact for Small Group work we do. Raised
this concern with Midlothian re open area in
playground when the school opened. Press
coverage? Container? Write to HQ from Parent
Council – and some positive publicity.
RUTS repair old bikes. Sports Hub funding may
access some funds but do we want to do so – need
to consider this carefully.
Pre-cast concrete unit direct access from school
muted. Headmaster looked at this along with issue
re Changing rooms.
CCTV monitored? Need to look at this.
Could the bikes be brought into school each night this would be difficult re night classes etc.
Midlothian council garages? On-site preferable.
In conjunction with School Improvement Plan.
Headmaster:Point 1 – delivering New Higher in one year
Validated Self Evaluation – VSE
Lots of good practice and lots of good lessons but
some learners in S1 to S3 were not as challenged as
say S4-S6 – Lasswade not alone in this.
Point 2 – Learning and Teaching. How do we give
feedback to our students?
Point 3 – How do we support our students?
Point 4 – Personal Support being introduced to all
S1’s. Need someone (not DHT or Guidance) – S1
Tutor’s to do so.
We then split into groups to discuss and come up
with ideas.
Bullets points from discussion noted belowKeep Uniform Level high
Inspiring students how can they keep inspiring others
Mentoring
Role Models
GP – Assertive Mentoring to support aspiring S4’s.
Ambassador Programme
Supporting early years – homework classes at
lunchtime could change to after school.
Reporting – level and timings not at present perhaps
informative enough (what does a 3rd level at gold
what does that mean) – SIP is trying to address this.
Boy’s attainment.
Tap into boys competitive nature
GP – Attainment meeting with PTC’s to look at this
closely
Parent Council to
write letter to
MDC expressing
their concern.
PC to look at
getting a grant?
Support for students – online system to see
merits/points being awarded. Perhaps limit staff to a
set amount of awards a month so they can be
selective in awarding these.
Reporting system – NABs how parents know when
they are happening – look at Edmodo/Glow/App etc.
Feedback – parents understanding of this.
Feedback – feed-forward to see where you need to
be going.
Don’t lose the good bits by concentrating on other
areas.
AGM
Reports by
Chair, treasurer,
fundraising
LMcG Chair - yes
JF Vice Chair - yes
AT Treasurer - yes
MO Secretary - yes
Reports to be e-mailed out to all.
Signatories will be changed to Bank account.
Reports from HT
Attached to these Minutes
Reappointment
of Elected
members
LMcG voted in again as Chair
JF voted in again as Vice-Chair
AT voted in again as Treasurer
Appointment of
secretary
AOCB –
MO voted in as Secretary
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Concerns voiced about Fast Tracking students in subjects.
Revision books should be brought back in to re-use.
Daily Bulletin – query on whether this is on Website – it is put on daily, sometimes at the
end of a day or if not then at the start of the next day.
G Monteith resigns due to work commitments – LMcG thanked him for his past work.
E-mail contacts for information:
Lindsey McGregor, Chair – lindseymmcgregor@aol.com
John French, Vice Chair – durinsbaneuk@gmail.com
Anna Traquair, Treasurer – annatraquair@gmail.com
Marie Owen, Secretary/Social Media:– marieowen@me.com
Ruth Risien, Minute Taker – r.risien@mgfl.net
Fund Raising Committee:
Lorna Wood – lorna.wood@cprmlimited.co.uk
Lesley Sargent – kandlsargent@btinternet.com
Lesley Darling – lesleyd@ednet.co.uk
Skills Bank:
John French – durinsbaneuk@gmail.com
Parental Toolkit:
Steven Jolly - steven.jolly@hotmail.co.uk