Orkney Schools' Athletics Success at Hampden

Ten students from Kirkwall Grammar School and three from Stromness Academy have have just returned from a memorable Scottish Schools Track and Field Championships at Hampden Park, Glasgow. Alongside 183 schools, these Orkney athletes were the first to compete in a championship event within the Commonwealth Stadium.

Over two days of fierce competition they ran, jumped and threw their best to secure 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals, producing personal best and season best performances for their schools and Orkney.

However, the true purpose of this championship was to give all participating athletes (and        their lucky coaches!) the opportunity of a lifetime to compete in the Commonwealth
Stadium prior to the actual July 2014 games. Many thanks must go to Kirkwall Grammar School, Stromness Academy, Serco Northlink, The Natwest Island Games Travel Fund, Orkney Athletic Club, the KGS Enrichment Fund and the community councils of Kirkwall and St Ola, Orphir, Birsay and Evie for their financial support towards this trip.

Podium places for Kirkwall Grammar School included a Gold, for the fourth year in a row for Thora Cant in O17 with a javelin throw of 32m. Alex Stevenson had a great Javelin O17 competition to secure his first Scottish Schools Gold Medal with a throw of 42.29m; unfortunately injury limited his performance in the Long Jump and High Jump.  Sarah Macphail took Silver in O17 High Jump with 1.55m and an on- form Anna Tait took Bronze in the O17 1500m, smashing a further four seconds off her recent JIC record with a fantastic time of 4.52 minutes.

Also competing for KGS was Andrew Davis, who achieved a PB time of 24.51s in the 200m semi-final and a 400m heat time of 54.28s. Amy Davis placed a close fourth in the U16 High Jump final with 1.45m, while Joe Gregg in his first Scottish Schools achieved PB performances in both his 200m (25.18s) and 400m (55.11s) O17 heats. Jack Duncan came a tantalising fourth place in his U16 1500m with a PB time of 4.23 minutes and was so close to a podium place. Finally, Jodie Drever achieved season best times getting to the finals of both the O17 100m and 200m (27.81s).

A podium place came for Stromness Academy with Erin Montgomery in U16 shot putt. She left it to her final throw of the competition to reach 9.24m, which secured her the Bronze Medal.

Balfour Hay, in his first Scottish Schools, achieved both the final of the U16 Long Jump, with a PB jump of 5.11m, and a 400m time of 57.65s. Taylah Spence competed through to the semi-finals of the U17 100m (13.11s) but sadly injury prevented her from competing in the 200m.  

These championships gave all Orkney athletes the experience of what it is like to compete
in a top level athletics venue, which included use of Lesser Hampden’s warm up track and call rooms, and of being officiated by Commonwealth officials in the Commonwealth Stadium. 

Kevin Tait and I would like to say it was an honour to take this group of deserving athletes - who have trained hard to achieve the qualifying standards required to compete at these championships - and hope all those who took part will have memories which will last a lifetime with them. 

Aly Macphail

New buildings officially opened by First Minister

Yesterday the new KGS building was officially opened by Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland.

Mr Salmond addressed guests, staff and senior pupils in the theatre. He declared himself "absolutely delighted to join Orkney Islands Council and the pupils of Kirkwall Grammar School to officially open their new school buildings" and added "I’ve been able to see for myself the high standard of the new buildings, and this has been recently echoed by inspectors as being ‘outstanding’. Young people from Orkney and nearby islands will be able to develop their skills in top rate educational facilities, including a fantastic new theatre, state of the art classrooms and an abundance of social space”.

The First Minister then visited several classes before chairing a Ministerial Cabinet meeting in the school.

Interim Head appointed

Gordon McDonald, currently Depute Head Teacher, has been appointed as acting Head Teacher  and will take up the temporary post in August 2014, when current Head Teacher, Sheila Dick, retires.

Gordon entered the teaching profession in 1994 after working as a senior test engineer with Marconi Space and Defence systems. He taught Physics in Beath High School, Fife, and was promoted as Faculty Head of the Science Department there. Having spent many summer holidays in Orkney, he was delighted to join KGS in November 2011 as a Depute Head - describing the opportunity to live and work in the place where he loved to spend his holidays with his wife Irene as “a dream come true”.

Gordon will continue in the post of Acting Head Teacher until a permanent appointment is made. The post will be readvertised in spring 2015. Current Head Teacher, Sheila Dick, says: “I am delighted that Gordon has been appointed as Acting Head Teacher at KGS.  Since he took up his post as Depute Head Teacher, Gordon has shown excellent leadership skills and has proved to be an invaluable member of the Senior Management Team.  He is fully committed to the pupils, staff and the wider school community.  His appointment as Acting Head Teacher ensures that there will be continuity in the work of school improvement, building on existing strengths at KGS.”

Gordon himself says he is looking forward to the challenge: “The recent HMI inspection report recognised the good progress the school has made under Sheila’s leadership. We are working through a period of intense change adapting to the new Scottish curriculum and it is vital that we continue to move forwards on our journey. It is a real honour and privilege to be given this opportunity to continue with this work and to serve the pupils, parents, staff and wider KGS community. Our pupils deserve the best possible educational experience and I will work tirelessly to ensure that they get nothing less.”

Councillor Janice Annal, Chair of the Council’s Education, Leisure and Housing Committee, said: “We’re delighted we’ve been able to appoint Gordon as interim Head Teacher to KGS. Gordon has demonstrated his enthusiasm for the school over the time he has been Depute. We now look forward to seeing the school continue from strength to strength during the term of his appointment.”

The Case of the Disappearing School

There are not many days left to take a photo of what remains of the old Grammar School. The Technical Block and a couple of language rooms are all that is still standing. What was for some a fantasy is becoming reality.

There is a lot of work to be done yet, but eventually playing fields will take the place of the rubble and the school's already impressive sports facilities will be even better.

International Happiness Day

Thursday 21 March was UN International Happiness Day  and KGS pupils and staff marked it with a variety of activities. Central to the day was the KGS Wall of Happiness, where anyone could place a marker to celebrate anyone or anything which made them happy.

Holocaust Memorial Day

KGS pupils and staff marked Holocaust Memorial Day today with a candle lighting ceremony. The event was organised by the school's Social Subjects department. The ceremony began with a short speech in which S3 pupil, Harry Sandison, urged those gathered to take a moment to reflect on the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Darfur.

Alistair Carmichael, the MP for Orkney and Shetland and Secretary of State for Scotland, told of his own educational visit to Auschwitz and reminded his audience that "genocide does not just happen; people - individually and then collectively - make it happen. And we need to remember that and make a pledge not to let it happen again. That is why Holocaust Memorial Day is so important".

The school's headteacher, Mrs Dick, then joined Mr Carmichael in lighting candles to remember those who have died in genocides, before inviting pupils and staff to light a candle of their own as a pledge to stand up against intolerance.f to light a candle of their own as a pledge to stand up against intolerance.

Another change in Social Subjects

It has been a bright start to the new year for History and Modern Studies in KGS with a new appointment to the staff.

Ms Hoggan is the newest member of the KGS Social Subjects staff - though she is no stranger to KGS and has been teaching History 2.5 days a week since August, as well as 2.5 days at Stromness Academy.

We're happy to welcome her on a full-time basis and you can find Ms Hoggan in Room F055.