LENZIE ACADEMY PARENT COUNCIL
A meeting of Lenzie Academy Parent Council was held on
Thursday 15 January 2009 at 7pm in the Conference Room
Present:
Parent Members: Mrs H Blair (Chair), Mr J Miller, Mrs J Carr-Gomm, Mr D Shearer,
Mr D Steedman, Mr F Guild, Mr C Holdstock, Mrs L Lang, Mrs C McPherson, Mr D Woodier
Coopted Members: Dr Tom Slimming MBE, Mr L Gaston
In Attendance: Mr R McLelland (Rector), Mrs A Elliott (Staff- PT Modern Studies)),
Cllr G Renwick, Cllr A Jarvis, Mrs T Murphy (Clerk), Mr G Currie
Apologies:, Cllr R Geekie, Cllr A McNair, Mrs S McKellar, Mrs J Sambrook
1
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Mrs Blair welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending.
2
Minutes of the Last Meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 4 December were approved
Proposed:
Mr C Holdstock
Seconded:
Mr D Shearer
3
Matters Arising
Toilets/Astro Turf
Mrs Blair had written to Mr J Simmons and reported on his reply
Mrs Blair had written to Cllrs Geekie and Walker and reported on their reply
Mrs Blair reported on a recent discussion she had with Mrs Alison McBride, Chair of Boclair
Parent Council following information that there would be no money available for capital
spend in the next financial year. Boclair PC had invited Councillors along to their recent
meeting to raise concerns about the lack of progress on upgrades at the school and the
reduction of capital funding. They were informed that no commitment could be given to
provide a rolling programme of repairs and upgrades to the school or provide an astro-turf
pitch etc Boclair PC had concluded that East Dunbartonshire now operated a ‘two-tier’
system in regard to Secondary schooling.
Mrs Blair reported that the distribution of funds available would be decided by a weighted
score given by condition surveys.
Mr McLelland confirmed that the capital budget was reduced and it is now up to the Council
to decide how the money is to be spent. It had appeared that the Council had elected to
spend the money on roads rather than schools, although nothing official had been
announced.
He said that, as far as he was aware, no one from the Council had been out to Lenzie
Academy to ‘cost’ the toilets as indicated by Cllr Geekie in the Parent Council meeting held
on Thursday 6 November.
Mrs Blair said she was awaiting the minutes of the recent Boclair PC meeting and said they
should consider ‘joining ranks’ to progress this issue.
Cllr Jarvis intimated that a further injection of money for Education from the Scottish
Government will be released in the near future which could be used to upgrade the toilets.
Mr McLelland distributed an extract from the 2007 Lenzie Academy Follow-Through Report
signed by Mr J Simmons Head of Education and Mr E Muir Education Officer. Action Point
3 East Dunbartonshire Council had committed to the following:
‘The local authority has already made a financial commitment until 2009 to……….improve
the condition of toilets….’
Although Mr McLelland accepted that the majority of the work had been carried out, the
toilet upgrade was still outstanding, in spite of many assurances that it would be upgraded.
He pointed out that if, as Head Teacher, he had failed to address a committed action point
that he had been given he could be suspended from duty. He estimated the cost of the
toilet upgrade to be in region of £120k to £150k
The Parent Council were unanimous in their support for Mr McLelland.
Cllr Jarvis stated that the capital programme for the following year had yet to be finalised,
but expected this to be allocated by end March/early April.
Mr McLelland reported that the heating system problems appeared to be resolved but was
concerned that the capacity may not be sufficient due to the increase in social areas in the
school.
A debate then ensued as to the action LAPC should take in regard to the toilet upgrade.
Concerns were raised about the future health of the children and the chance of litigation.
Guild referred to the Parent Council legislation which stated that the Parent Council had a
‘statutory duty’ to raise any outstanding issues with HMI
The following action plan was agreed:
 Write to HMI about EDC not fully addressing Action Point 3 of the Follow-Through
Report
 Write to Council cc Cllr Walker and Mr J Simmons
Mr Guild, Mr Shearer and Mr Gaston to assist with correspondence.
Mr McLelland will place an update on the situation in the next Newsletter.
Mrs Blair said that if no progress was made then it would be escalated to parent forum.
4
Correspondence
1
Mrs Blair’s letter, dated 16 December, to Mr J Simmons regarding outstanding
toilet/astro turf issues and heating issue.
2
Mr J Simmon’s reply dated 14 January 2009
3
Mrs Blair’s letter to Cllr Geekie, dated 16 December, regarding toilet and heating
issues.
4
Cllr Geekie’s reply dated 9 January 2009.
7
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Attendance Council
No meetings held todate. Mr McLelland reported on the introduction of ‘Attendance Call’
within the school.
8
Rector’s Report
Staffing
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Appointment of Mr Ian McLaren to Post of Principal Teacher (Mathematics) at
Dalziel High School. Mr McLaren had been a major contributor to school activities
and will be much missed.
Part time Secondment of Mrs Hilary MacGuire (PE) to Woodhead Behavioural Unit.
Ms Kathryn McWilliams (Home Economics) now Mrs Taylor
Vacancies
 Principal Teacher (English) – 17 applications received
 Teacher of Geography with Support for Learning/History/Modern Studies – 16
applications received
 Teacher of Mathematics – 31 applications received
Events December 2008/January 2009
 Visit to ‘Clothes Show Live’ – Birmingham NEC
 East Dunbartonshire Carol Concert
 Money Matters – involving S4 Mathematics section
 Christmas Dances S3/S4, S1/S2, S5/S6 – great success, attended by over 900
pupils and not one problem
 Christmas Concert – success
 Christmas Assemblies
 S1 Pantomime Visit – Cinderella
 January 2009 – Work Experience weeks 1 and 2 for S4 pupils
 Art and Design Portraiture Workshops – Inservice for S5/6 students
 Visit by Jo Swinson (MP) – Advanced Higher Modern Studies Students
 Excursion to Euro Disney, Paris – 50 S3 Mathematics pupils
 Blood Transfusion Service – presentation to S6 students
 ‘Battles of the Bands’ – Lenzie Academy heat – Final to be held in March. £1200
raised for Merkland School.
 Anniversary of death of Emily-Jane Gold – school staff and senior students wore
pink and students unveiled a commemorative bench
Recent Successes
 Advanced Higher Mathematics students – awards for outstanding performance in
Advanced Higher Mathematics 2008 – Alexander Morton, Adam Murray and
Cheng Xie
 Earl Haig Poppy Fund – total £347.03 collected by Lenzie Academy pupils
 BBC ‘Children in Need’ Appeal – total of £6000 raised
 Selection of Chloe Lambert and Andrea Gaffney (both S3) for Scottish Under 16
Indoor Athletics Team
 First Dan Black Belt Karate awards to Heather Blair S6 and Andrew McCormack S2
Future Events
 Inter-house Cross Country Championships/Football/Swimming Gala/Reading Quiz
 Issue of Reports/Parents’ Meeting/Course Choice to S4 students/Guidance
Interviews
 S5/6 Curricular Information Evening
 Stock Market Challenge (S3 Business Management pupils)
 Holocaust Memorial Assemblies
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DTP Immunisation (S3 pupils)
Dunbartonshire/Scottish Badminton Championships – Lenzie won 3-2 against
Boclair Academy in Dunbartonshire final.
S4 Supported Study Programme runs for 5 – 6 weeks
S5/6 Preliminary Examinations
Art ‘Open Doors’ evening for EDC Art teachers
Scottish Schools Indoor Athletics Finals
Careers presentations by Strathclyde Police/Royal Air Force/Strathclyde Fire
Service
LAB Visits to Jordanhill Campus (S5/6 Biology Students)
Airport Project at Glasgow Caledonian University (selected S5 students)
Italian excursion to Venice/Lido de Jesolo – fostering links with catering school; for
Home Economics and ‘Italian’ students
Kelvingrove Art Gallery Competition
Issue of S5/6 Reports and Guidance Interviews
EDC Volleyball Festival
UKANDOIT2 Conference (all S2 pupils) – Careers Conference
Other Matters
 EDC Attainment and Achievement Meeting – presentation to Mr Gordon Currie
(Head of Education) and Mr Ronnie Logan (QIM)
 Heating issues
 Car parking and access to school
 Video/Computer link with Washington DC school to watch inauguration
9
AOB
1. Dr Tom Slimming suggested Dr Alan Baxter be added to the list of School Alumni
2. Dr Tom Slimming referred to a press article – Independent schools v State Schools,
and Advanced Higher opportunities
3. Mr Peter Kane, Chair of Lenzie Parent Council, and two of his colleagues to attend
next meeting
4. Mr Gordon Currie, Head of Education, presented an overview of his visit to the
school for the Attainment and Achievement Meeting and said that he had been
‘enthralled’ by the standard of presentations he had seen by staff and pupils. He
praised Mr McLelland for his leadership.
10
DONM
The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday 5 March 2009