ahs newsletter 34

Issue 34 September 2009

Anderson High School

Newsletter

Anderson High School Health Week (see pages 10 - 11)

Pupil Support News 4-7

AH Geography Trip 8

Air Rocket Challenge 9

Seismology Project 9

Health Week 10-11

S5 Induction Day 12

GAP Club 13

70th Anniversary of WWII 14

KANASH Calendar 14

Fundraising - Trip to Berlin 14

AH Biology Trip 15

HI-FiReS Training 16

S2 Fundraiser 16

Crest Awards 17

Museum Presentation 17

Windhouse Productions 18

Duke of Edinburgh Award 19

The Rocket Day 19

Careers Scotland 20

Alton Towers 2009 20

Barcelona Trip 2009 21

ASN News 22-23

Activities Week 23

AHS Parent Council 24

German Exchange 25

Maths Competitions 26

John Muir Trust 27

Hungary and Shetland 27

Tunester’s Trip to Ireland 28

Active Schools 29

Poem by Louie Gray 30

S2/3 Sports Day 31

S1-S3 Netball Competition 31

Inside this issue

P A G E 2 A N D E R S O N H I G H S C H O O L

1ST TERM Monday 17th August - Friday 9th October 2009 inclusive. October Holidays - Monday 12th October - Friday 23rd October 2009

inclusive. 2ND TERM Monday 26th October – Tuesday 22nd December 2009 inclusive. Christmas Holidays – Wednesday 23rd December 2009 – Tuesday 5th

January 2010 inclusive. 3RD TERM Wednesday 6th January - Friday 26th March 2010 inclusive.

Spring Holidays - Monday 29th March - Friday 9th April 2010 inclusive. 4TH TERM Monday 12th April – Friday 2nd July 2010 inclusive. Teachers’ In-Service Days: Occasional Holidays: Monday 26th October 2009 Wednesday 27th January 2010 Tuesday 27th October 2009 Friday 26th February 2010 Tuesday 1st June 2010 Monday 1st March 2010 Monday 12th April 2010 Monday 31st May 2010

Term Dates

The Anderson High School SRC Elections were held on Thursday 3rd September. Three pupils from each year group were voted onto the council, giving a total of 18 members who will represent the views of AHS pupils. These pupils will participate in an Induction Day at Voxter House which will involve teambuilding through canoeing and group tasks, learning about SRC's locally, nationally and internationally, meeting with Headteacher Ms Nicolson and Councillor Bill Manson, and participating in the first official SRC meeting of 2009-2010. Nicole Mouat is an elected AHS SRC member and she is also a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP). She will be holding surgeries for pupils across Shetland later this year. You can also contact her on [email protected] website http://www.syp.org.uk SRC moto "The SRC are your Voice so use them!"

Student Representative Council - Mr B Redman & Mrs C Reid

S1 S2 S3 Christian Duncan Morven Davies Lauren Clarke Tiffany Walterson Ross Murchison Ellyn Leask Jake Dow David Dunn Scott Johnson S4 S5 S6 Katie Farnworth Nicole Mouat Elyse Jamieson Lee Peterson Ashely Fuller Kara Manson Daniel Smart Ben Allinson Sean Molloy

P A G E 3 I S S U E 3 4

Below you will see a diagram from the government’s “Curriculum for Excellence” pack, showing the key features we should consider in relation to school education and health and wellbeing. When I read through this edition of our School Newsletter, I am proud to see how our community’s work is taking these ideas forward.

I am writing my comments at the end of our annual “Health Week.” Over the last few days, I have really enjoyed seeing our young folk actively engaged in so many activities, encouraging us all to think about our health and wellbeing. Our focus this year was Mental Health and Wellbeing with the school organising a programme of events including healthy breakfasts, African drumming, chill-out library time, the Smoothie Cycle challenge and health information sessions. I gave the African drums a go, in the after-school class, and managed to display remarkably poor co-ordination but had great fun. Shona Manson, Chair of Shetland’s “Mind your Head” campaign, launched last week’s events on the tannoy, promoting new resource materials aimed to support teenagers. Our Pupil Support teachers spoke with classes about the topic. On Friday afternoon, all of Class 1 and Class 2 (240 pupils) strode around the Knab in AHS’s own mini “Mind you Head” event, on what turned out to be a beautiful September afternoon. The Scottish Government has highlighted “Health and Well-being” as one of its key strands for development, as part of a “Curriculum for Excellence.” We are hoping that events like last week will encourage our school community, young and old, to think about lifestyle all year round. SIC’s Active Schools Co-ordinator, Louise Jamieson, is in AHS every week, and we have a good programme of activities on at lunchtimes to keep pupils busy. The PSE programme in AHS, at all stages, supports young people in making informed and positive choices about their health.

Head Teacher’s Comments - Ms V Nicolson

3. Citizenship: we are thinking about how to make sure pupils feel represented, reviewing how our student representative council operates. We are thinking about encouraging everyone to be even more responsible citizens.

4. Supporting SIC Schools Service targets: we will support new ICT developments like GLOW and SEEMIS. We will continue to ensure that the school meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2006. The school will be involved in the council’s plans for sharing information about young people. We will fur-ther integrate international education into the school curriculum.

Our “Standards and Quality Report for 2008-9” will be available on the website, and in the school office, from the end of September 2009.

Our “School Development Plan 2009-10” is available on the school website www.anderson.shetland.sch.uk. Our main target areas for this school session are: 1. A Curriculum for Excellence: teachers are looking at

how our courses in S1, 2 and 3 will fit with the government’s plans for Scottish education. We are also looking at how we assess pupil progress and how we recognise all the achievements young folk have in their lives. Some teachers are developing our links with colleges, thinking about the choices available once pupils reach 16.

2. Managing the Anderson High School building: the school will undertake any new school tasks as required by the elected members and SIC Schools Service, at the same time as keeping the current building as safe and pleasant as possible.

School Development Plan

Adapted from: www.curriculumforexcellencescotland.gov.uk


Basically, Pupil Support Teachers are responsible for their pupils:

• Welfare in school and their pastoral care • Curricular needs – subject choices and transitions • Vocational needs – options and directions post

school. On a day-to-day basis, Pupil Support teachers perform some of the following tasks in school:

• Supporting pupils and dealing with crises that sometimes occur in school

• Promoting positive behaviour and anti-bullying • Communicating with parents • Liaising with subject teachers • Teaching Personal and Social Education to all year

groups • Monitoring student late coming and attendance • Working with External Agencies to support young

people, including Social Work, Educational Psychologists, Youth Workers and the Shetland Befriending Service.

• Setting targets and monitoring pupil progress • Providing information and advising pupils at points

of transition within school.

“Pupil Support” is the new term for “Guidance” in Shetland. There are five Pupil Support Teachers at the Anderson High School and they are responsible for the following classes: Mr Robin Calder: 1B, 2B, 2F, 3B, 4B, 5B, 5H, 6B Mr Adam Johnson: 1E, 2E, 3E, 4E, 5E, 5F, 6E, 6H Ms Maggie Liddle: 1C, 2C, 3C, 3F, 4C, 5C, 6C, 6G Mr Donald McDonald: 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 4F, 5A, 5G, 6A Mr Paul Regan: 1D, 1F, 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, 6F The Pupil Support Department is located in Pupil Support Room 4. If parents have any queries or concerns about their child’s progress or welfare at school they should contact their Pupil Support Teacher in the first instance. There is always a member of staff in Pupil Support on duty if a child needs help or assistance urgently.

Pupil Support News - Mr R Calder, PT Pupil Support

“I learned a lot about all the new people in my class and that I can conquer my fears if I put some umph into it – it was a really enjoyable day.” – Shane Talukeder, 1B “We learned that we were a great team.” – Aimee Strachan, 1B “I think that I have learned that I am fearless and that I could not have asked for a better class than the class I have.” – Martha Pearson 1B

Following the success of previous years, once again all our S1 classes participated in a day’s Outdoor Education at the start of term. The purpose behind the day is to encourage the pupils from each of the six S1 register classes to get to know each other and work together by doing a variety of outdoor activities, including team games, bog jumping, tunnel crawling and co steering. All six days were superb – the pupils participated enthusiastically and staff too joined in the fun with Mr McDonald rolling back the years with some impressive jumping off 5 meter cliffs at Cunningsburgh. Here are some quotes from pupils involved: “I learned that we can all work together and we are all friends” – Ashleigh Tait, 1B

S1 Outdoor Activities


The new S1 classes all took part in one day of outdoor activities, helping them get to know each other at the start of secondary school.


long work experience offers many benefits for our pupils; meeting and working with new people develops their confidence and gives them an insight into the world of work. As Freya Garden in 3B, who spent a week as a drama teacher assistant within the SIC, said, “If you work hard it’s rewarding and you learn that work can be fun.”

Work Experience remains a popular aspect of the S3 curriculum. S3 pupils had placements at various different locations across Shetland in May, including Bells Brae and other primary school’s, the North Mainland Leisure Centre, Hair 2000, Shetland Electrical Services, T & N Joinery, the Lerwick Port Authority, the Eric Gray Centre, Tait & Peterson, Tesco, the SIC and Tingwall Airport. The week

Work Experience - May 2009

application forms and at university and job interviews. Overall, the extra–curricular activities push students out of their comfort zones and can develop their social, communication and organisation skills. Peer Support is now underway – 44 S6 pupils received a day’s training in August at the Shetland Hotel and looked at strategies for working with younger pupils. Subsequently, these pupils have been allocated a small group of S1 pupils to teach for six weeks on topics that include friendships, relationships and anti-bullying. Lastly, some of our senior pupils use their extra curricular activities in school to work towards Volunteering Awards, which are organised through Voluntary Action Shetland at Market House. Pupils who complete 50 hours of volunteering over the next year both in and outside school will go on and receive their awards from Tavish Scott at the Shetland Museum next March. Below are some of last years S6 pupils receiving their volunteering certificates at the Shetland Museum on 23rd March 2009.

S6 is a crucial year for our pupils as they study more Highers and/or Advanced Highers in order to gain the qualifications for college and university courses or full-time employment. There is, however, more to Class 6 than studying subjects. Sixth Years also have the opportunity to take part in a number of extra-curricular activities. On Monday 22nd June, our senior students had the chance to sign up for a range of activities and committees, including Peer Support, helping out in the ASN Department or in subject departments, Young Enterprise, Global Classroom, Lunchtime Sports and the Student Representative Council. There are real benefits for pupils who involve themselves in extra curricular activities – these activities can be really rewarding and give them a real insight into what future careers are like. For example, many students who do Peer Support, which involves teaching small groups of S1 pupils for six weeks, have subsequently gone into teaching. Similarly, Young Enterprise has inspired many youngsters to pursue a business related career. Students who become involved in other aspects of the school, through extra curricular activities, are able to include their experiences on

S 6 Pu p i ls - Ge t t i n g In v o l ve d i n E x t r a Cu r r i cu la r A c t iv i t i e s


addition, our Quality Improvement Officer, Mr Jerry Edwards, visits the school every term to monitor our progress. We also attempt to monitor the situation vis-à-vis bullying behaviour within the school by running pupil questionnaires. In recent years these have, for example, shed light on the incidence of cyber-bullying. Another questionnaire revealed pupils’ concerns about bullying that had occurred within classrooms, following which teaching staff were alerted so that they could increase their vigilance during lessons. I do not believe that bullying will ever be eradicated from schools nationwide. It is a facet of human nature and it is endemic in society. What we must continue to do is to promote a culture of zero tolerance within the school, and a culture of openness in which pupils will be prepared to discuss their concerns. The Pupil Support structure, with five full-time teachers, facilitates rapid investigation of all reported incidents, and the teamwork approach has proven to be very effective in resolving conflict between pupils. The HMI Inspection report published in January 2008 adjudged our anti-bullying procedures to be very effective, but we cannot relax our vigilance. The school’s anti-bullying policy is regularly reviewed with the help of a small committee of teachers and via consultations with pupils. Input from parents is always welcomed. Do get in touch with Pupil Support staff if you wish to comment in any way.

This is a good time to remind parents and pupils about the anti-bullying measures which have, for many years, been adopted in Anderson High School. The school’s policy is clearly stated in the Staff Handbook and also in the School Handbook which goes to the parents or carers of all new pupils. All teaching staff know that they have a professional duty to maintain vigilance in classrooms, corridors and social areas. Any suspicion of bullying is immediately passed on to Pupil Support staff. Ancillary staff are also aware that they should report any suspicions. We encourage pupils to discuss the issue of bullying in PSE lessons, and actively promote a culture in which pupils will be prepared to discuss any concerns or worries with their Pupil Support teacher. Parents are informed that they can contact Pupil Support staff at any time. There is always at least one member of staff on duty in the Pupil Support base who can pick up on any calls from parents. Whenever a bullying incident is reported, an investigation is launched within the shortest time possible. The Pupil Support teachers of the pupils concerned, both victims and perpetrators, work together with the pupils to seek to resolve the problem. Every case is different and there is a need to be flexible in how each case is dealt with. Each reported incident is entered into the schools’ bullying log. I maintain an oversight of the log and I am obliged to provide bullying statistics to the local authority at six-monthly intervals. In

Anti-Bullying Measures in Anderson High School - Mr D McDonald, AHS Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator

The disco, now an annual event, has an anti-bullying theme and took place on the evening of 16th September. Over 100 S1 and S2 pupils had a whale of a time whooping it up on the dance floor.

K o o l Ka t z D i s co - Mr D M c Don a l d , P T Pu p i l S u p p o r t

P A G E 8

On Sunday morning the students’ final challenge was to survey the landscape of this part of Strath Ardle, measuring and mapping it’s glacial features and leading to a much clearer understanding of how ice created the scenery of this area. Hopefully the group left Kindrogan able to recognise kame terraces, recessional moraines, kettleholes, eskers , druml ins etc . and understanding much more about these landscapes than classroom learning back in AHS would have achieved on it’s own.

During their weekend stay at Kindrogan, the party stayed in comfortable, single room accommodation and ate excellent meals, which were really enjoyed by everyone – with second helpings being in great demand. As well as experiencing some really top class geographical education at Kindrogan, the group also found plenty of opportunities to relax and get to know each other better – something which will help the class to work together even more effectively during the months of study which lie ahead. Over the weekend students also were able to develop an appreciation of some top quality music, thanks to the i-Pod of one member of the party, which proved that talents of people like Mick Fleetwood, John Fogerty and Mark Knopfler are as much appreciated today as they were many years ago when a certain member of staff on the trip listened to them in the original vinyl format. Overall this trip proved to be a great success for all involved. Both staff and students learned a great deal and everyone had a really enjoyable weekend away. Each individual will take away special memories of Kindrogan – including the feel of wet, sticky mud when you leave your boot behind in the bog. Finally very grateful thanks must go to the Anderson High School Fund which contributed the cost of Northlink ferry fares.

In early September the Advanced Higher Geography class travelled to the Kindrogan Field Studies Centre in rural Perthshire to under take three days of challenging practical fieldwork. The centre is set in wooded grounds on the banks of the River Ardle in the heart of the Scottish Highlands – lying midway between Glen Shee and Pitlochry. The group travelled by ferry to Aberdeen then onwards to Kindrogan by minibus – expertly driven by Miss Watt. En route there was time for a detour into Dundee, where everyone had an opportunity to do a little shopping, before heading on to Kindrogan, arriving there at lunchtime.

Within an hour of arrival the students were already at work examining soil profiles and surveying vegetation on the forested slopes of the valley side. The soil samples and data gathered were taken back to the laboratory for testing and statistical analysis of the results. The following day the work focused on measuring the changing characteristics of streams flowing down from the glaciated hanging valley above Kindrogan. Although the weather was a little damp it did not deflate the happy atmosphere among the group who rose to the challenges posed by fast flowing streams fed by the heavy rain which had fallen earlier in the week On returning to Kindrogan for hot showers and a change of clothing, the group then spent another session in the classroom interpreting the information gathered during the day and presenting their findings.

A N D E R S O N H I G H S C H O O L

A d va n ce d H ig h e r G eo g r a p h y K i nd rog a n F i e l d s t ud i e s Tr i p – M r D G r i e ve , PT Ge og r a ph y

Surveying a kame terrace

Messing about in the river - Lewis and Callum measuring stream flow.

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

P A G E 9

The competition took place on the airstrip. All four Anderson High School rockets travelled nearly 100m and landed approximately 30m ahead of the field, with Scalloway and Aith the next nearest. To make the most of the day out a couple of educational visits were incorporated into the itinerary. The first was to the Unst Pure Project. The last event for the day was a visit to the Valhalla Brewery. Sonny Priest, the owner, allowed us to smell a vast array of ingredients used in the production of beer and to experience at close quarters the smells of the brewing ales but (unfortunately) we were not allowed a taste. The winning team and their teacher returned home tired but pleased.

Following work in science classes around Shetland, a rocket launching day was organised on Unst in May for all the schools. After having trials at Anderson High School for the whole of second year, the winning team of Joss Tait, Patrik Szabo and Barry Lippett went to Unst with their teacher Mrs Thomson. The other schools competing were Unst , Aith, Scalloway, Mid-Yell and Whalsay with each team making four rockets. The rockets were made from an A4 sheet of paper, some card, sellotape and no more than 5g of blue-tack, weighed to ensure fairness at the Baltasound school. The time allowed to make the four rockets and do some final tweaking was about an hour. The launchers for the rockets were basically made from plumbing pipes and tyre valves filled with compressed air from foot pumps.


S h e t l a nd I n t e r S cho o l s A i r R o ck e t Ch a l l e ng e - M r s J Th oms on , C h e m i s t r y D e p a r t m e n t

Physics, it is hoped that the equipment will promote more cross-curricular working between Social Subjects and Science. Classes will be able to gain a real understanding of the physics behind earthquake activity as well as the physical and human impacts of these fascinating natural events. We hope to bring you more in the next newsletter.

The Anderson High School has been lucky enough to be selected to participate in the British Geological Society’s Schools Seismology Project. In October, Mr Keith Turner (Teacher of Geography) will attend training at the UHI campus in Elgin. On completing the training he will be given a seismometer to bring back to school. This will allow the monitoring of earthquake activity throughout the world. As well as being of interest to current classes in Geography and

BGS Schools Seismology Project - Mr K Turner, Geography Department

H e a l t h Wee k - M r s C S i m p so n , B i o l o g y De pa r tm e n t

P A G E 1 0 A N D E R S O N H I G H S C H O O L

This year’s theme for Health week was Mental Health and Well Being with an emphasis on having fun and feeling happy. There were the usual mixture of fun filled events for pupils, and staff, designed to get them thinking more about their mental health and how to preserve it.

Tuesday’s breakfast was porridge (or “gruel” as Mrs Simpson calls it). The canteen staff were surprised at the uptake and are planning more regular gruel days with winter approaching. The main event on Tuesday was the “Smoothie Challenge” brought to AHS by the Co-op and Active Schools. This was a brilliant event which ran from 10.30 am through until 3.30 pm. Active Schools and Co-op staff had provided, cleaned, peeled and chopped a selection of delicious fruits. The pupils then chose their own ingredients, which was placed in the blender and the pupils then pedalled to drive the blender and make their smoothie. Eggs were on the menu for Wednesday’s breakfast - which were served scrambled on toast. Again this proved very popular with the pupils. Jenny Gilmour’s Drugs and Alcohol Drop In Information Session was well attended at lunchtime with over 60 pupils passing through. Thursday’s breakfast was kippers and, back by popular demand, “Gruel” (although not on the same plate!) The canteen staff got a real surprise at how popular the kippers were and are planning to serve more of these in the future too. On Thursday lunchtime there was an Introduction to Yoga by Sandra Pottinger and twelve pupils turned up to learn some basic moves and were treated to some relaxation techniques.

The week started off with Shona Manson of Mind your Head doing an introduction to the week on the school tannoy (with the help of Charlie). She spoke about the importance of good mental health and introduced the events for the day. Mind your Head also launched a new resource this week. This was a selection of cards with tips on how to maintain good mental health and where to seek help if required. These cards were handed out to 1st and 2nd year pupils during PSE lessons throughout the week. This year’s healthy breakfasts took a slightly different format with each day promoting a different type of breakfast with information leaflets on why it was a good choice of breakfast. Monday’s breakfast was cereal. Monday lunchtime was full of activities which were all very well attended. The highlight was definitely Joy Duncan with her African drumming session. Twenty pupils of all ages joined in and it was amazing what Joy managed to achieve with them in 30 mins; they were African dancing, singing and performing various drum rhythms by the end of the session. All who attended fully enjoyed it and agreed that their mental well being had got a definite boost thanks to the session. Some lucky pupils attended further sessions during periods 5 & 6 in the afternoon. After school Joy did a staff session which was also well attended and enjoyed by everyone. Star of the show was Mrs Carter who not only did some solo drumming but also “shook her bootie” African style.


Over in the newly refurbished Wow Room there was a Comedy Classic shown everyday: Mr Bean, Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses, Still Game. This was well attended and laughter could be heard coming from the darkened room each day – and it wasn’t just from Mr Turner! The Samaritans were also in school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, giving senior pupils a thought provoking powerpoint presentation during PSE lessons. They gave information on the service they provide and handed out cards with contact details in case a pupil wanted to get in touch. One pupil commented later “It was interesting, I didn’t really know exactly what they did before. Its good to know there’s somebody there if you need them.” The Outdoor Activities continued again this year from Tuesday to Thursday. This year we mixed the year groups which encouraged pupils to chat and have fun with different people and make new friends. The main activity was Coasteering, which now seems to be a bit of a tradition, along with the usual bog jumping. Great fun was had by all! Overall it has been another very successful Health Week which was well attended and offered a little something for everybody. The Health Week Group is changing its name to the Wellness Group. As well as organising Health Week they are hoping to focus more on spreading healthy messages throughout the year by organised more events and activities – watch this space! Once again the Health Week Team have a lot of people to thank for their help during the week. These include: Shona Manson and the Mind Your Head Team, Joy Duncan, Sandra Pottinger, Jenny Gilmour, Pete Richardson, the Library staff and English Dept, Music Dept (hope the ears have recovered), Home Economics Department, particularly Hazel for giving up her room on Tuesday and for organising the fruit chopping, Co-op and Active Schools (special mention to Louise and Daniel), the Janitors, Tesco for providing bottles of water and fruit for the walk, the Samaritans, Mr Thoresen, the long-suffering canteen staff, Mr Redman and all staff who took part or covered classes during the Mind Your Head Event on Friday. And finally, thanks to all the pupils and staff who took part in the events and made this another Healthy, Happy Health Week. If you have any comments on this year’s events, or activities/events you’d like to see running throughout the year, or ideas for next year please contact your SRC Rep or one of the Health Week Team. They are: Mr K Smith, Mr K Turner, Miss M Gurney, Miss D Marwick, Miss L Jamieson and Mrs C Simpson.

Friday’s breakfast was the ever popular chopped fruit and yoghurt, which all disappeared before the bell went. Finale for the week “Mini Mind Your Head” As per previous years, there was a big event to finish off the week. This year was a mini walk/run around the school. The route went around the Knab golf course, Breiwick Road, Knab Road, Lovers Loan and Twageos Road. S1 and S2 pupils took part in this event and were clearly very keen to participate and were very lucky to have a beautiful sunny afternoon. Hopefully this will raise awareness of the benefits of exercise and being outside, and will encourage pupils to participate in the real Mind Your Head run at Spiggie next summer.

As well as the main events there were other lunchtime sessions running all week aimed at attracting as many pupils as possible. This year the newly refurbished Library served as a Chill n Spill area where pupils could come along, chill out in the relaxing chairs to classical music and aromatherapy candles. They could even sample a selection of herbal teas served up by Kat from the Library. One pupil commented “It’s great to have somewhere to come and just chill out and relax with friends after a really busy morning, this place is ideal.” There was an area for Silly Games where pupils came along and played a variety of games such as Rapidough, Giant Jenga and Twister. This was by no means relaxing but full of laughter and hilarity. This became more and more popular as the week progressed with pupils requesting this continues throughout the year.

A group of S1 girls commented “It’s really good to have something fun to do in your lunchtime with your friends and meet some new folk too.”

“It’s braw good yeah!”

The S5 induction day took place on Monday 8th June where two group activities were in operation. The PE department again hosted one part of the S5 induction day with physical tasks in the games hall. On the whole, the pupils seemed to very much enjoy the challenges and were very effective at working as a team by the end of the session. The Royal Bank of Scotland and the Pupil Support Department delivered an activity based around teamwork and problem solving. The activity used is from materials developed by RBS for schools across Scotland to promote the importance of financial education. Teams of pupils had to prepare a catering tender and a suitable menu for an event to be held at the fictional Lerwick Lawn Tennis Association. They were provided with various resources including a costings sheet and an appointment with the secretary of the Lawn Tennis Association who answered questions about the contract and offered some information on the type of menu required as well as costs. These roles were played by Mr Johnson and Mr Regan. Pupils were encouraged to work together in groups to prepare their tenders and menus. The activity meant that pupils spoke freely to each other and they met a large number of new people as they tried to agree on how best to approach the task. The activity did require pupils to express their views and work to a deadline resulting in some very amusing moments. The feedback from pupils was generally very positive clearly enjoying the different activities and the chance to meet new people from across Shetland. We look forward to planning a similar event for the new S5 pupils joining us in June 2010.

S 5 I n d u c t i o n Da y - M r B Re d ma n , A c t i n g De pu t e He ad

“AHS is good fun but there is too much homework!!!”

“I loved my first week!”

“S5 is much harder than S4; you need to do so much more at home to stay on top of your studies. It’s great to meet new people from across the islands.”

“It is a really big jump from S4, more

essays, more homework and less

time. Organisation is key to staying

on top of my work.”

“There is a lot of responsibility

placed on you by teachers,

which is good experience for

life after school.”

“Self-motivation is vital in

S5 if you are to do well.”



Unfortunately there is not enough time in our maths courses to do a lot of these types of activity but there is a wide selection of games, puzzles and things to make activities at the lunchtime GAP club on Wednesdays and Fridays in A2.6 from 1.15 pm. This is open to all year groups in the school. Pupils can come along and try out games they’ve never heard of, or some familiar ones. Move the Towers of Hanoi, or try Lagoon Ocean Mega Puzzle!

Many people enjoy folding card to make 2-D or 3-D objects. Most of us enjoy solving practical puzzles such as fitting smaller shapes into bigger ones, and almost everyone has some strategy games at home e.g. chess or draughts. When we take part in these activities we are using mathematical skills without realising it!

Ga m e s A c t i v i t i e s P u z z l e s - M r G Do r ra t , P T Ma th e m a t i c s

Making cubes.

Playing Blokus Trigon

Class 6 students Robert Smith and Kara Manson lead the new Class 5 assembly, sharing their experiences of S5.

AHS Christmas Coffee Morning

Saturday 5th December 2009 10.30 - 12 noon

70th Anniversary of Outbreak of World War Two - Mr J Sandison, History Department questions about World War Two. These mainly focussed on what lessons mankind can learn from the war, and all conflicts. Given that servicemen and women are currently involved in the Conflict in Afghanistan, in was viewed that these questions are just as relevant and important today as ever. There was a good response from both staff and pupils. The forms that were filled in will be passed onto the Imperial War Museum in London who currently have an exhibition on the Outbreak of 1939. The History Department is looking for pupils to make suggestions for future important dates, or even historical figures to commemorate in the future. Any suggestions welcome!

Early September marked the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two, when Britain declared war on Germany. The war was a tragedy for everyone and had a major impact upon the world and community that we live in today, where over seventy million people, the majority of whom were civilians, died - making it the deadliest conflict in human history. For this reason it was an event which the History Department commemorated at different levels. Higher lessons focussed on this subject on the 1st of September when Germany invaded Poland. This linked into the Appeasement Unit which Higher pupils will study. Pupils were also asked to consider the local dimension and what might be going through people’s minds throughout Europe on that fateful day. On the 3rd of September date, the anniversary of when Britain declared war on Germany, pupils and staff were invited to fill in a feedback form which asked a few


Copies of KANASH 2010 Calendar, Lerwick Shoormal, have sold well since publication last June. KANASH is an Enterprise project involving a group of ASN senior pupils and their Business Studies teacher, Thelma Robertson. K[aren], A[iden], N[atasha], A[aron], S[ean] and H[annah] tied it up with one of the many challenges leading towards their ASDAN Bronze Award. The pupils came up with outstanding photographs whilst local poets Christine De Luca, Robert Alan Jamieson & Nat Hall provided quotes. The result is a sleek and very professional calendar. Selected local businesses sponsored their project, which also benefited from an educational enterprise grant.

If you want your own copy, it can be purchased either directly from the AHS (any day or at Coffee Morning) or from the following outlets: Toll Clock, Robinson & Morrison, Weisdale, Scalloway Meat Co., Sandwick Baking Co., the Airport and hopefully at the Farmers Market, Tingwall Hall in November. All proceeds to Anderson High School Special Department Fund.

KANASH Calendar on Sale - Mrs T Robertson, Business Education Department

Back row: Hannah Hunter, Aidan Ward, Natasha Hunter, Front row: Sean Robertson, Aaron Smith

Senior pupils have been fund-raising for their forthcoming study trip to Berlin in October. S5 and S6 pupils are preparing to visit Berlin for a week, as part of their German courses. While there, they will be attending a language school in the mornings, participating in classes with other foreign students, and the afternoons will be spent in various cultural activities. Their accommodation is with local host families, who will speak no English, so rapid progress in the language is to be expected!

Fundraising for Study Trip to Berlin - Mrs M Ockendon, Modern Languages Department

P A G E 1 5

We got a tour around the Welcome Trust Biocentre which is mainly used for research workers. On the tour we saw four extremely powerful microscopes, which can zoom a midge’s head to the size of an A4 sheet. We finished off the day with a presentation from Dr. Hari Hundal, explaining the history of diabetes and the importance of research into the disease.

After a packed day we hit the shops, followed by a well earned meal at Jimmy Chung’s to celebrate Tom Moncrieff’s 17th birthday.

We had another early start the next day to head down on the train to Edinburgh Zoo. In the morning we focused on the animals adaptations and we got a guided tour around the zoo. This was very interesting as we have learned about the cute, and not so cute, animals we saw! We learned how gibbon monkeys are very acrobatic and like to sing every morning. When we went back to the education centre we met some other animals, including Dylan the armadillo, which made Mrs Reid’s trip!

In the afternoon we had a talk on primates then had a tour of them in the zoo. We met the cutest little monkeys, the squirrel monkeys and the capuchins. Usually in primates the males are dominant, but we liked the fact the lemurs have women in charge. At the end of the day we had time to see other animals before getting the train back to Dundee.

This was an excellent educational trip that helped us with our biological knowledge as well as having a good time with our classmates and teachers.

Special thanks to Dundee University, Edinburgh Zoo, Mrs Reid and Mr Nield, AHS School Fund, parents and Moira from Tescos!

When we found out there was no grants available and thought of all the fundraising that would have to be done, we were not impressed. But all the bag packing and home bake sales were definitely worth it.....

After an early start, we arrived in Dundee and headed for the university. Our first lab was a Genetics lab lead by Dr William Whitfield and Dr Hilary-Kay Young. We carried out experiments to extract DNA from bacterial cells and used different enzymes to locate desired genes and cut them out of the cells. The DNA can then be multiplied, a method they would use in the production of insulin. We also saw the banding patterns in DNA using agarose gel electrophoresis.

We enjoyed a quick lunch in the student union at the university before our next lab, a physiology lab lead by Dr Graham Christie. Here we carried out experiments in pairs. We found out the volume and percentage of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our breath by using a Douglas bag and a fancy computer! The other experiment we carried out was the measurement of arterial blood pressure which was good fun, but also useful to understand.


Advanced Higher Biology Trip - Stephanie Wiseman 6B & Eilidh Peterson 6F


H I - F i Re S Yo u t h Tr a i n i n g C o u r se - Jo n n y S in c l a i r a n d Ta ma r a N e w co mb e 4 E

developed. David Gill, Area Manager from Highlands and Islands, attended and gave us all a certificate. Malcolm Younger made a DVD of our progress throughout the course which he gave us and a HI-FiReS hat. The course was helpful and everyone enjoyed it a lot! Here are some comments : ‘It was great banter and a useful experience.’ ‘I loved the 10 week course at the fire station. I think the best part personally was cutting up cars and hosing down things. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.’ ‘I never missed a night. The best bit was cutting up cars. Working with breathing apparatus was the most difficult.’

Club XL did a ten-week course at the Lerwick Fire Station every Thursday for three hours. Here are all those who participated: Tamara Newcombe, Tamara Pitt, Jonny Sinclair, Lauren Anderson, Danne Scott, Andy Manson, Scott Grant, Aimee Watt, Jason Bryant and Shaun Gifford. We learnt a variety of skills including pump relays, ladders and breathing apparatus drills. We were also given an insight into incident management, such as road safety. Near the end of the course we all went to the Sumburgh airport and some of their team gave us information on what goes on when they are called out to an aircraft incident. On the last week we had a presentation night and showed all of our friends and family the skills and teamwork we had

S2 were invited to watch the Zulu Warriors perform earlier this year. They were here to fundraise for God’s Golden Acre, which is a charity in South Africa. Laura and Dara wrote… “We had seen the Zulu Warriors perform and we had been told that a lot of them were orphans, their parents had died of AIDS. So we decided to do some fundraising – we would bake biscuits and cakes, and then sell them. Any money we raised we would send to the charity to help pay for all the stuff they need.” Mrs MacAlpine, whose charity ‘From Shetland with Love’ works with the Zulu’s, came to collect the cheque.

S2 Fundraise for Charity - Mrs A Eunson, Home Economics Department

Museum Presentation for Logan Grant - Mr J Sandison, History Department

It is hoped that a range of all pupil presentations completed will be on display in the Learning Room in the Museum and Archives. Mr Sandison from AHS Social subjects said that the school would like to “formally thank the Museum and Archives, Douglas Sinclair, as well as the Shetland Family History Society for all their help with this project. It is hoped that the Unit will continue and be developed further next year”.

Earlier this year, S2 pupils at the Anderson High School completed individual investigations on Auld Lerwick. Pupils studied various areas of Lerwick history including the arrival of the Dutch, Growth of the Lodberries, Pressgang, Smuggling, Stories and Folklore, as well as important individuals and buildings. The Unit also helped develop skills in research and presentation. Staff from the Museum and Archives, and local Historian Douglas Sinclair, recently judged these presentations and decided that the work completed by Logan Grant merited the top award. Logan was recently presented with a gift token from the AHS, and various gifts from the Museum and Archives. Yvonne Reynolds, Learning Assistant, Shetland Museum and Archives said “We were delighted to be asked to judge the pupils work and were impressed by the overall standard of entries. In the end, we felt Logan was a worthy winner. His presentation style was punchy and demonstrated a good understanding of his chosen subject. It was concise, relevant and informative. Congratulations go to Logan on his efforts”. Although Logan’s class teacher for the year Miss Watt could not attend the presentation she added that Logan had been a “hard working pupil all year” and that this award was “reflective of his efforts”.

Ian Tait (Curator of Collections at Museum), Logan Grant, Douglas Sinclair (Lerwick Historian), Yvonne Reynolds (Learning Assistant), Jon Sandison (Project School Link)

Projects involved the theme of Health, and topics included:- government advertising, low fat verses full fat taste challenges, food salt and sugar content comparisons, effect of sports drinks on physiological measurements (BP, HR), effect of exercise on BP, HR and Recovery Time. All pupils and staff involved thoroughly enjoyed working on the projects, and the pupils showed real pride in their work whilst presenting their investigations on the BIG SCREEN in the WOW Room to other pupils, Mr Moncrieff and Ms Nicolson at the end of the session. All pupils received a Bronze CREST Award, and would like to thank everyone involved.

CREST is the nationwide curriculum enrichment award scheme for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) designed to recognise achievement and develop skills, knowledge and interest in STEM. As part of the S2 Health &

Well-being course run by the Biology, PE and Home Economics departments, pupils learned lots of facts about the impact of life choices on their body and especially on their heart. Pupils learned through many ways including:- • talks & discussions with Julie Redpath (Cardiac Nurse) • an information session with Jenny Gilmore (Youth Drugs

Development Worker) • an activity session with Jennifer Thomson (PTI) at

Clickimin • designing, cooking and enjoying a healthy meal!!! As part of the CREST award pupils creatively planned projects, carried out investigations, made conclusions, and wrote scientific reports based on their findings.

Crest Awards - Mrs C Reid, PT Biology


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beforehand, so as they can be in attendance for what looks to be an excellent night. The launch will also offer a preview of a number of stories (compiled by Windhouse), a range of local storytellers and a preview, or mock-up of the book itself. A pre-order form will be available. It’s hoped that the Shetland public will welcome this new publication. Currently, the writing team are researching stories and meeting with contacts among the Arts and Heritage community to discuss future arrangements and collaborations. It is hoped that physical copies of the book will be available for the Craft Fair held annually at the Clickimin in November.

If anyone is interested in buying shares in the company or for more information please email: [email protected].

Windhouse believe themselves to be a worthy competitor in this year’s Young Enterprise competition - with great aspirations, and hard workers.

Young Enterprise group “Windhouse Productions” established itself at the start of the term, and has gotten off to a running start. After initial indecision, the company veered down the route of publishing; aiming to promote Shetland heritage by producing a book of ‘scary’ stories, researched and according to Shetland folklore. The stories themselves are intended to appeal to a large age group, and hope to grab the attention of tourists and islanders alike. To coincide with its publication, the team aim to hold a series of storytelling events around Shetland, hopefully in the vari-ous Böds. The evenings will all be geared towards selling the book, and continuing a Shetland tradition that, argua-bly, isn’t promoted enough. In an attempt to remedy this, Windhouse also intend to hold a competition for Shetland’s older primary pupils, asking them to write their own ‘scary’ story about the islands. The team are currently negotiating, but are offering the winner publication in i’i Shetland Magazine and a reading of their story on SIBC. The winning story will be announced at the company’s launch, aiming to be held at the Shetland Library as close to Halloween as possible. The finalist will be announced


Wi nd hou se P r od u c t i on s - Je nny H e ub e c k 6C


Looking back now, the five of us can see how much we have gained from the weekend: sore feet, sore shoulders… and a great feeling of achievement. We faced countless problems over the course of the expedition but our teamwork helped us through. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition, although challenging, was a very worthwhile experience for all of us as we learned many valuable life skills over the course of the weekend. If anyone is looking for a challenge and is interested in doing the award, or even just wants to find out more about it, the group meets on Thursday lunchtimes in A2.3. Anyone from S3-S6 is very welcome.

‘Picture this: a mini mob of tired schoolchildren stomping along the countryside muttering, “ If I

ever meet the Duke of Edinburgh…” Anti-monarchists? No. Just a group of D of E

award candidates.’

This, taken from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award website concerning the expedition which is synonymous with the award scheme, helps to sum up the feelings we, and many others in the past, experienced on our silver-level expedition. Upon returning from our trek from Toft to Wadbister, we were able to reflect on the many enjoyable moments over the three days, as well as sharing the same sense of relief as we reached the finish on Monday afternoon that we’d completed it. Setting out on a windy, wet Saturday morning from the Yell ferry terminal at Toft, we headed off, maps and compass in hand, over the hills, hoping that the weather would improve as the day wore on. We wound our way along some meandering burns; hiked up a few practically-vertical hills; laughed our way down the very steep ‘Dales Lees’; contemplated taking various short cuts (which we decided against, of course); skilfully avoided falling in any peat bogs; and, 30 miles later, arrived in Wadbister on a gloriously sunny Monday afternoon, still in one piece.

D u ke o f Ed in b u r gh Awa r d - Ca i t l i n Wa t t 6 F

We met a man called Dr. Iain Johnston from the Open University who showed us a presentation in the WOW room. We watched a programme hosted by Richard Hammond called the Battle of the Geeks. It was about two teams who were trying to get an egg across a canyon in Namibia using various methods such as RC planes and rockets. Dr. Johnston was on the show as a consultant.

Then we went to the technical department and made water and air powered rockets using bottles and special kits containing valves and rocket fins. There were roughly 10 groups each with various designs and ideas. After this we went to the large multi-court to launch them. We pumped the bottles with compressed air and water and when the pressure was high enough they flew off the ground. They flew a range of heights, from hardly leaving the ground to others that flew roughly 30 metres in the air.

The Rocket Day - Craig Nicolson, Joe Smith and Andrew Tait S4

Craig Nicolson and Joe Smith constructing their rocket.


Alton Towers 2009 - Mr D Ferrier, Mathematics Department

Twenty-seven pupils headed south this year for an adrenalin rush at Alton Towers. For most it was their first experience of a theme park. Two full days of Oblivion, Nemesis, Air and Rita, along with the many other rides, meant there was enough to keep everyone happy, including the staff. For the two evenings in Stoke-on-Trent the group went to the cinema and ate out at an Italian restaurant. After an overnight stop in Aberdeen, the group enjoyed a full day shopping. A highlight for some was at the meeting place out-side M&S, before heading for the ferry. A pigeon blasted Mr F. Not a pretty sight! The Alton Towers trip will be back for Activities 2011.

Katie Hunter and Mrs Hunter

Rhianna Dalziel, Katherine Umphray, Sophie Manson and Christopher Stevenson

C a re e r s S co t l a n d I n fo r m a t i on - M s V A n g u s , C a re e r s Ad v i so r sessions with S5 PSE classes over the next month and with S4 pupils later in the year in which pupils are given the opportunity to request an individual appointment. At the moment, advisers are contacting pupils who have left school this summer as part of the School Leaver Destination Report on behalf of the Scottish Government and offering leavers support with their career planning if necessary. We are also working to support Winter Leavers through the Bridges Project Winter Leaver Programme. For the last couple of years, we have been involved with Additional Pupil Support and Club XL to help pupils make positive transitions and will be building on this over the session. We work closely with the Additional Support Needs Department and meet with pupils a year prior to their transition. Parents are also welcome to contact Careers Scotland at any time and we look forward to meeting you with your school pupil at S4,5 & 6 Parents Evenings. To arrange to speak to an adviser, please phone 01595 695791 or drop along the Careers Centre on the first floor of Charlotte House, Commercial Road, Lerwick.

One Stop Shop for Careers Information The nature of work has changed and will keep changing but what won’t change is the need for good career planning skills. The Careers Convention in Shetland is a not to be missed opportunity to meet with representatives from universities, colleges and training providers. In addition, there are lots of career areas represented and this year we have included a few new careers including Events Management. All pupils in S4, S5 & S6 receive a booklet that gives tips on how to get the most from the event and we hope you find it useful. Careers Scotland Advisers will be on hand too and look forward to welcoming you to Shetland’s No 1 career event. Schools Advisers Julie Mackay and Vaila Angus are the Careers Advisers for Anderson High School and we have already briefly met S6 pupils in PSE classes. We will be running interactive


We had 2 adventure day trips to Port Aventura, the Universal Studios theme park, where many pupils screamed during the Dragon Khan and the vertical drop of Hurakan Condor! Some pupils watched different shows that were put on including the China Town show, which involved gymnasts flying through the air – they were amazing and could squeeze themselves into tiny bins! After all our eventful day trips we always returned back to the hotel in Salou, went straight into the excellent swimming pool and simply chillaxed (as Mrs Reid would say!!!) On our last night in true AHS Barcelona Trip tradition we had a karaoke night, whereby everyone sang – some quite well, some very dodgio! The night finished with everyone going to the “Crows Nest” where Sean Nicol impressed us all with his incredible dance skills, and we had a dance off! Everyone has fond memories of visiting all of the sights, and the good fun we had together. We shall especially remember Danny Smart’s Karaoke skills, Mr. Sandison’s impersonations of Elvis Presley, Mrs. Reid’s laugh whilst falling into a donut ring at the water park, having to drink lots of water because of the heat (and then holding it in whilst on the bus!), and Andrew Robertson eating lots of watermelon! This was another great Barcelona Trip and it won’t be forgotten. It is so true what the teachers say, every time the trip pupils and teachers meet in the corridors at school or on “da street”, we say hello and smile as we remember the good times of the 2009 Barcelona trip - which we shall remember for ever!

The 7th AHS Barcelona School Trip took place in May 2009. There were 45 pupils and 5 teachers - Mrs Reid, Mr Spence, Mrs Yeaman, Mr Sandison and Mr Handley. We stayed at a hotel in Salou called Hotel Cap Salou. The hotel had tennis courts, a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a gym, a sauna, trampolines, shops nearby, a super-market, a small fairground and its own beach.

On our first day trip to Barcelona we visited Nou Camp Stadium, which has 98,000 seats! The next stop was shopping and lunch at the Placa de Catalunya. We then walked down La

Ramblas to the Columbus Monument at Barcelona Harbour which had some very swanky cruise ships and yachts. On the morning of the second day trip to Barcelona we saw the Olympic Village, and the Sagrada Familia, which was designed by Gaudi. The traffic there was nuts and everyone

stared up into the sky to see this massive Holy Church!! Then, we went to the Gothic Quarter and saw street p e r f o r m e r s . We went onto La Ramblas, where we saw

lots of market stalls and we went to a big shopping center at the harbour. Then we finished the day by going up the large hill called Monjuic, and looked over the amazing views of Barcelona City and all the places we’d visited.

On our visits lots of pupils bought real and fake Barcelona football shirts from market stalls and we were really impressed by the haggling abilities of Lorne McNiven who made sure we all got a good dealio.

B a r ce l o na Tr i p 2 00 9 - L o u i s e Ja m ie so n , Ja ck C lu b b , Ka t i e Fa r n wor th a n d K i r s t e n M cM i l l a n S4

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Once again, Laura Mathewson’s team went to Badaguish, near Aviemore. The boys left for Aberdeen on the Sunday night boat, and the group drove to Aviemore on the Monday. When they arrived, they went for a walk with a herd of reindeer up on the hill, which everyone really enjoyed. They also did activities such as weaselling, canoeing, archery, took a trip on a steam train and abseiled down a 75 foot cliff. The whole team did themselves proud by giving every activity a try! Residential Trips - May 2010 During session 2009/2010, we are once again organising trips to Badaguish, near Aviemore for pupils. The success of previous trips has encouraged us to offer this trip to different teams this year. Each group will stay in a log cabin surrounded by trees, and pupils will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of outdoor activities in addition to trips to Landmark Forest Theme Park, and other local attractions. If you haven’t already expressed an interest for your child, please contact your son/daughter’s team leader, as this is sure to be yet another exciting trip. Outdoor Activity Days Outdoor activity days include activities such as canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking and bog jumping. Whatever the activity; you are guaranteed to get wet or very dirty, and sometimes even both! Everyone has fun on these days, and it is something that the pupils and staff look forward to every year. Once again, the ASN department has managed to secure funding to provide small group activity days for its pupils. Some of these days were before the summer holidays and we also have some booked for the very near future. Below, ASN Teacher, Laura Mathewson talks about her team’s day out: “We went bog jumping near the Brig o’ Fitch at the beginning of September. At first, the team weren’t too sure what this would involve, but as it turned out, we all had a fantastic and memorable day. It was hard work walking up-stream against

Since the last newsletter we have been very busy in the ASN Department. We have said a rather sad goodbye to 3 pupils who are now enjoying their adult life to the full but also given a big warm welcome to 12 new pupils who are all settling into life at the AHS splendidly. Here is some of the recent news and activities from the Department in detail. Residential Trips - May 2009 Residential trips can be an important part of a pupil’s schooling and wider life experiences and being able to participate in such activities for pupils with Additional Support Needs can be difficult without adequate support. For many pupils, residential school trips provide an opportunity to try new things, and visit new places. Each year, the ASN staff is available to support such pupils on trips, opening their lives to these new experiences where they would otherwise be out of reach. The whole school Alton Towers trip is always popular and lots of fun was had on rides such as Nemesis and Oblivion. A small group took part in this trip and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

David and Michelle’s teams spent Activities week in Edinburgh. With the wide range of activities on offer there was something for everyone to enjoy. We tried an F1 simulator, a space suit, visited Edinburgh Dungeon, the Botanic Gardens, Dynamic Earth, met some sharks, snakes, tarantulas, giant millipedes, perhaps a ghost or two…we’re not sure…and former Hearts, Rangers and Scotland star Alan McLaren. It was an extremely successful trip with all pupils and staff having a tremendous time.


AS N Ne w s - M i s s M G ran t , ASN Dep a r t me n t

Activities Week - May 2009 (more photos on back page)

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Health Week 2009 As part of Health Week 2009, a group of pupils prepared a fruit salad for others to enjoy during snack time. This session involved preparing and chopping fruit and there were also some follow-on activities. When snack time arrived, the rest of the pupils enjoyed their portion of fruit salad.

African Drumming Every Friday, Joy Duncan comes to the department to provide African drumming sessions for the pupils. This is a popular activity and we are thankful to have secured funding for this to continue for the rest of this academic session. Joy holds a lunchtime drumming club and also takes small group sessions throughout the afternoon. Pupils get a lot out of these sessions and after hearing them week on week they are all certainly making progress by learning new rhythms and developing their musical skills.

the water, but everyone managed it. The team walked up the hill towards the waterfall, which everyone had a go at standing under – it turned out to be the best shower ever! Afterwards, all of the boys had a go at climbing inside a large pipe, and then sitting down and sliding out of it like a flume at the swimming pool. At the end of the day, the dirtiest, smelliest part of all came! We walked up the hill towards a muddy bog, which we all got into; the thick mud and water came up to our armpits. To clean off, we all got into the fast moving stream, and floated down it on our backs making sure we got all of the mud off. Everyone was tired but very happy by the end of the day.” In addition to the activity days the ASN department organises, all S1 pupils have the opportunity to take part in a day out with their mainstream class. These days are an excellent opportunity to develop friendships with new classmates and again are always fun.


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Additional meetings will be called if necessary, with all meetings advertised in the “Public Notices” section of “The Shetland Times” published on the Friday prior to the meeting. The members of your Parent Council are as follows: • Ms Lisa Crooks Parent Representative • Mr John Handley Parent Representative • Mr Steve Henry Parent Representative • Mr James Hutton Parent Representative (Chair) • Mrs Elaine Jamieson Parent Representative (Vice

Chair) • Mrs Sandra Moar Parent Representative • Mrs Lise Sinclair Parent Representative • Mrs Jackie Watt Parent Representative • Mr Paul Regan Staff Representative • Miss Caroline Watt Staff Representative • Mr George McGhee Halls of Residence Representative • Vacant Pupil Representative from SRC In addition, Ms Valerie Nicolson, Head Teacher, and two local SIC Councillors, Mr Cecil Smith and Dr Johnathon Wills also attend Parent Council meetings in a non voting capacity. Miss Maria Irvine has recently taken over from Mrs Emma Williamson as Clerk to the Parent Council. I would like to welcome Maria to the Parent Council and at the same time thank Emma for all the hard work and support that she has given to the Parent Council since it was formed some two years ago, and to wish her all the very best for the future. Members of your Parent Council will be in attendance at all forthcoming school parent evenings; providing an opportunity for an informal chat whilst we dispense tea and coffee as sustenance during your trek from classroom to classroom! Finally, please remember that the Parent Council are here to represent your views, so please feel free to contact any of us.

Dear Parent /Guardian Since the last School Newsletter in March the key focus for your Parent Council has been active participation in the debate and associated independent review into the location of the new Anderson High School. Those parents who responded to our request for views regarding the location of the new school were clearly in favour of the Lower Staney Hill site. These views, and the reasons for them, were fed into the independent review process. In addition to this, as Parent Council Chairman, I was interviewed by the education specialist who was part of the review team, with parent views consequently being reflected in the Educational Impact Review section of the Review Report. With the decision now having been made to build the new school at the Lower Staney Hill Site, your Parent Council will continue to be fully involved in the process and will ensure that parents are kept fully informed and have the opportunity to have their views and concerns heard. I’m sure you would wish to join me in offering our whole-hearted support to the Head Teacher and her staff as they continue to maintain the highest educational standards whilst being involved in the new school project and at the same time continuing to cope with the deteriorating fabric of the existing school buildings. As I have previously indicated, we continue to have several vacancies for Parent Representatives on your Parent Council. If you wish to become more actively involved in the school and the challenges that lie ahead then we would be pleased to welcome you onto the Parent Council. I’m sure that you will find your involvement to be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. Should you be interested in joining you simply require to be nominated by two other AHS par-ents. A copy of the nomination form is on the Parent Council section of the school web site, or alternatively e-mail myself at [email protected]. The dates of Parent Council meetings already scheduled for the 2009 / 2010 school year are detailed below. All parents are welcome to attend these meetings which are held in Room B1.1 in the school commencing at 19.00 hrs.


A H S Pa ren t Cou n c i l - M r J H u t t on , Ch a i r p e r son

TUESDAY 29/09/2009 TUESDAY 24/11/2009 TUESDAY 12/01/2010 WEDNESDAY 03/02/2010 TUESDAY 23/03/2010 WEDNESDAY 12/05/2010 TUESDAY 22/06/2010

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Ben Allinson, 5A, writes: The next phase took place in September 2009, when 20 young people from Reinfeld arrived in Shetland for two weeks. Their programme included trips to Unst and the South Mainland, special lessons in Shetland baking, music and dancing, and sports evenings at Clickimin. Families and teachers made a great effort to give their guests a good time at home and at school. The pupils from Reinfeld loved Shetland and kept saying “Everyone is so friendly”. They also helped us out by bringing many German lessons to life in a new way. A lot of people are now looking forward to meeting up again in Reinfeld in June 2010.

Christmas markets were at the centre of the 2008-09 exchange trip. Fourteen pupils aged 14-16 stayed in Reinfeld with friends they had previously met in Shetland. It was good to see them get to know each other even better through lots more shared activities. On the first school day there was a riotous cooking session, when all the young people prepared a traditional German meal and ate it together. There was also a trip to Lübeck, with a team quiz in the ancient streets, time in the Christmas market, and an evening meal for fifty people – very good for our pupils’ German. The two-day trip to Berlin was an eye-opener for a lot of people, including some of the young Germans. The Berlin Wall, the massive Soviet War Memorial, and the unsettling Holocaust Memorial really made us think. We also enjoyed the outdoor Christmas markets, a giant chute (thank you Ben for paying for buying everyone a shot), and Europe’s biggest department store. Everyone spent the whole of Friday in mixed-nationality groups finishing projects about the places they had seen. They worked excellently together and produced impressive displays in both languages. The families in Reinfeld were impressed with the Shetland pupils’ enthusiasm and manners. They all came in person to see us off at 4 a.m! There were a few tears, and lots of the young folk were sorry the visit had been so short.


Ge r ma n E xch a n g e - M r P H a v i l a n d , PT Mo d e rn La n g ua g e s

Pupils from the two countries share in activities and visits.They walk through the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin.They reflect in pairs on the impression it has made on them and they present this to the group.

The German Exchange for me was a wonderful experience because I participated in a German school and experienced a new culture. Even after I came back from Germany it has made me a more confident and mature person. I would recommend anyone this trip because it helped me so much.


M a th s C o mpe t i t i o n s - Mr G Do r r a t , P T Ma th e ma t i c s

These photos record the certificate winners in the UK Maths Challenge competitions since last March. These competitions consist of problem solving questions which are sat on an individual basis at Junior (S1 & S2) and Intermediate (S3 & S4) levels.

The Maths department also put forward pupils to take part in the UK Junior Team Maths Challenge. The junior team consisted of two pupils from S1 and two from S2 who competed in the regional final in Aberdeen and came 6th out of 20 entrants from the North of Scotland.

L to R: Sam Constable, Eilidh Jones, Ryan Moar & Ailidh Risk

A separate competition is the Scottish Maths Challenge which requires pupils to complete written solutions to longer problems. This year four pupils from Anderson High received certificates for their work. Pictured are all pupils from Shetland who achieved a Silver or Gold certificate at the prize giving event at Aberdeen University. Not pictured was Chris Halcrow from AHS who achieved a Gold certificate in the Senior division, one of only seven awarded.

L to R Stephanie Gould (Junior Gold) and Rachel Sansom (Junior Silver) from Aith Junior High, Ailidh Risk (Junior Silver), Anya Risk (Intermediate Gold) and Sarah Irvine (Junior Silver) Anderson High School and Greg Anderson (Intermediate Gold) Whalsay Junior High.

S1 pupils

S4 pupils S3 pupils

S2 pupils


recently produced an excellent Volcano Trail for the area, which the class will use to plan their explorations. As well as working towards the John Muir Award, the class will have the opportunity to contribute to the Amenity Trust’s ongoing Geopark Shetland Initiative, building on Shetland’s successful bid to join the European Geoparks Network. Work produced by the class will need to be shared and they hope to do this throughout the school, with the wider Shetland community and perhaps internationally. The Geology class would like to use the next newsletter to share some of their discoveries and explorations. Hopefully this is just the beginning of John Muir Award at Anderson High School. To find out more about the Award and the area that the class will be exploring check out www.jmt.org and www.geoparkshetland.org.uk.

This session AHS became a group member of the John Muir Trust, one of the UK’s leading conservation organisations. Inspired by the Scottish conservationist John Muir, the Trust aims to protect wild lands and ensure they are valued by everyone. As well as joining the John Muir Trust we will be offering the opportunity for pupils to participate in the John Muir Award scheme. The Award is a challenging initiative that promotes understanding of wild places as well as focusing on personal development, responsibility and partnerships. But most of all it’s a fun way of acknowledging the hard work of our students, without sitting a formal examination. Students from the S4 Geology short course will be the first to work toward the Award, focusing on the wild landscape of Northmavine. Under the terms of the Award, the students must identify a wild place to Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share. With its remarkable volcanic landscapes and fragile ecosystems Northmavine is ideal! The Shetland Amenity Trust has also

John Muir Trust at AHS - Mr K Turner, Geography Department

1. Maths is easy in Shetland , but in Hungary last year I learned about the powers.

2. In Shetland the teachers explain the task very well but in Hungary the teachers didn`t explain the task very well.

3. The lunch is much better in Shetland . In Hungary I didn`t have one hour for lunch . The egg soup in Hungary tasted very watery.

4. I get less homework in Shetland . In Hungary I usually got 1 hour of maths homework . In Hungary I got a lot of homework.

5. In Shetland it`s easy to find the class-room.

By Szabolcs Kolozsvari 1F

Hungary I`m from Miskolc in Hungary. Miskolc is a very good town. Miskolc has a lot of cinemas, churches, statues and people . In Miskolc there are about 220.000 people and in Hungary lives about 10.000.000 people . Hungary`s capital city has a lot of very famous bridges . My first impression was that in Shetland , there aren`t many trees . And Shetland is very nice. The peoples are very nice and the town is wonderful. I really like my home because it is big and my house is near the Clickimin.

Hungary and Shetland

I lived in Hungary in Taktaharkany. Taktaharkany is a big village; in this village 6000 people live. In Taktaharkany live my grandparents and a lot of friends. In Shetland the weather isn’t good. I don’t like the rain, and the heavy wind. In Hun-gary there is more sunshine. The people are friendly, kindly and helpful. Lerwick is a very beautiful town. I like the sea because in Hungary there isn’t any sea. Lerwick is an interesting town, I like to walk in the town centre and, in the harbour and in Clickimin Broch. I feel good in my home, because the neighbours are very friendly and my home is beautiful. By Dominika Kovacs 1F

P A G E 2 8

On Friday morning we visited the neighbouring town of Ennis for a few hours shopping. In the evening we enjoyed a dancing class for both Irish step dancing and set dancing. The evening ended with another joint session with our new friends. On Saturday, Mary brought all the students to the Killaloe Activity Centre where we had a class in archery and a climb up the high ropes. Meanwhile the Irish and the Shetland adults went for a cruise on the Shannon where they played continuously! To celebrate our visit, a farewell meal was organised for everyone involved in the exchange, both from Ireland and Shetland. A total of 90 of us gathered at the exceptional banquet. Margaret, Mary and others took this opportunity to give thanks to all who made the trip possible, and to thank the Irish for their wonderful welcome, hospitality and hosting during our time in Feakle. After four tiring but rewarding days, we left early on the Sunday morning to make the trip home to Shetland. In order to make the trip happen, we had to work hard, both musically and also raising the necessary funds. We faced the task of raising £23,000, which was a daunting thought. This was raised through contributions from all who travelled as well as many fund raising events such as bag-packing, cake baking, concerts, supper nights, sponsored reel-a-thon, sponsored swim and quiz sheets. We also had support from Yell, Whiteness & Weisdale and Lerwick Community Councils along with the Callum Younger Reach fund. The Anderson High School supported all our fundraising events and sponsored our stage t-shirts. A very rewarding fundraising event was for “Tunester” to have the chance to record their first CD. This was made possible by a loan from Wilderness Music and Shetland Arts by sponsoring us for the use of the Garrison Theatre to record. Altogether there are 18 tracks on the CD, made up of the main group “Tunester”, smaller groups such as dance

Tunester spent the last week of the school summer break continuing an already established link with East Clare in Ireland. Back in 2003 the group, then named High Strings, travelled to East Clare by the invitation of musician Mary MacNamara, a teacher and concertina player, who had visited Shetland to play at the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival. Since then we have hosted Mary’s students three times and the trip this summer was our third visit. This time, as an extension to the previous trips, we asked local musicians who have supported the exchange trips to Shetland to join us. In all, 40 people got on board the bus at Lerwick sailed on the ferry to Aberdeen on the 10th of August. In all we had 33 musicians who played almost constantly from then till our return on the morning of Tuesday the 18th August. By 2pm on Wednesday we had reached our destination in the small village of Feakle where we would spend most of our time for the next 4 days. After arriving and settling into our accommodation, we joined Mary and her students at the Feakle community centre where we exchanged dances and tunes, before enjoying a session later. Following a welcome nights rest, the Irish students hosted the Shetlanders at the Tulla Football Club for a morning activity on the pitch. Whilst the students toasted in the sun playing football, the adult musicians enjoyed sharing tunes. In the evening we played to a sell-out audience in the Tulla Court House, which is now a concert venue. The music continued back in Feakle at “Lena’s bar”, now G.M.Shortts, which is in the Guinness World Record book for having had a session every Thursday night for over 35 years.


Tun e s te r ’ s Tr i p t o I r e l a nd - K i r s t en H en d r y 6 C a n d M er r a n Nug e n t 6 H


bands and the CD also features duets. It was a great experience and it taught us how much time it takes, not only to record, but also to mix and master a CD. “Tunester” is really fortunate to have had this experience and are very proud of the CD. Margaret Scollay wrote in the sleeve of our CD - “To the group who have worked so hard to make this possible, I congratulate you on a tremendous achievement – well done!” We met a number of musicians from both Ireland and Shetland and had the chance to learn tunes and different techniques from them. We have all made good friends with the Irish from our trip. The trip also gave us as a group the opportunity to know each other, look after each other and support each other better. We hope the connection between East Clare and Shetland will continue for many years. Although the preparation was demanding, the trip was an amazing experience. On behalf of “Tunester” we would like to thank everyone who made this trip possible for us.

Tunester Stir It Up

CD’s available from

High Level Music Price £10

after-school football sessions for S1/2 boys and separate sessions another day for S1/2 girls. I am also launching a Pedometer Challenge Scheme where pupils and staff will be invited to borrow a pedometer for a week and see how many steps they can achieve each day. The scheme is free. You can challenge yourself to see if you can manage the recommended 10,000 steps a day. Alternatively, a group of friends can borrow one each and challenge each other! Walking is an excellent way to keep yourself fit and it’s free! You can walk alone for peace and quiet or you can make it a social activity and go for a walk with your friends. If anyone has any ideas of activities they would like to see happening, then please get in touch and let me know about it. If any senior pupils or teachers are interested in running activities or helping out with activities then again, just let me know! You can email me at: [email protected]

We have kicked off this term with a variety of lunchtime activities in the games hall including hockey, netball, volleyball and football. There is also jazz dance in the small gym on Monday lunchtimes and table tennis in the Engineering Block on Tuesday lunchtimes for S1-3. A new rugby lunchtime club has started outdoors on Wednesdays for any interested pupils in S1-3. There will be a change to some lunchtime activities after the October break so keep your eye out for posters and your ear out for tannoy announcements! Between October and Christmas I am planning to offer a range of free after-school sessions at Clickimin using their instructors. Pupils will make their own way to Clickimin to take part. These will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis so make sure you sign up for the sessions you are interested in as soon as possible once they are advertised. Soccer One after school sessions will also be starting after the October break for any interested pupils who are not members of the Shetland squad. There will be weekly

U p d a t e f r o m A c t i v e S c h o o l s - M i s s L J a m ie s o n , A c t i v e S c h o o l s C o - o r d i n a t o r

P A G E 3 0


P o e m b y Lo u ie G r a y 2 F

The river is a sparrow Small, quiet, tentative

She arises, nervously awaiting her first flight Having formed and arrived during the night

She hips and hops down the jutting rocks Watching her parents and family in their flocks

At first she dips, outstretching her wing tips And then she is caught, having fought

To the best she’s got, by the wind Then she falls and though she calls The sound is drowned by the falls

She rests on a stone Her life ends with the drone, a moan And so she lays until through the day

When the falcon comes to play

He rattles on down the ride Using the rough banks as a guide

But other than that he rushes down Nothing but a flec of brown

Though he stops Letting his body flop

Picking away at the grot Purposefully floating from the lagoon

Things will reach their climax so very soon Gushing down with the flow

Slicing the air, as if its foe But alarmingly soon and with a blow

He silently cuts away from the blue glow Oppression mounting with the crushing

His wings receive a slight brushing from the others From his million and one falcon brothers

So the falcon finishes But the eagle carries on

His resounding presence cries over the slop, slop he makes with the river

Causing the surrounding grass to shiver Not even do the fish begin to leap

For the roaming of this silent eagle has sent the water to sleep Along the shallow, marshy causeway

As the visible black clouds say The flies have come out to play

But not for long as the heavy beat of the silent eagle’s wing blow them all away Its wing bellow long and loud

As if with voices from the cloud His rich plush wings reach to the ends of the land and out

Then the nomadic seabird drops Nothing but a glimmering feather on top

An idle life “Shall we go down to the depths?”

“Yes” said the riverbird “lets”

Anderson High School Lovers Loan Lerwick SHETLAND ZE1 0JH

Phone: 01595 692306 Fax: 01595 695688 Email: [email protected]

WE’RE ON THE WEB:

www.anderson.shetland.sch.uk

With the fine weather that Shetland was experiencing during the end of June and into July this year, it was great to finally get a day where pupils could enjoy doing events outdoors. Again there were 6 teams with the names based on British cyclists given that it was National Bike Week the previous week. Yet again the pupils performed very well as a whole and 4 records were broken as well as 4 new records being set for the javelin. Team Hoy were the clear leaders right up until the final relays where team Cooke stole the show and won overall. Winners of events were: 90 metres Shot Putt Overall Scores S2 Girls: Danielle Warnam (13.07secs) S2 Girls: Lynsey Morrison (7.1m) Cooke - 442 S2 Boys: Cameron Gibbs (12.41secs) S2 Boys: Connor Couper (8.1m) Reade - 390 S3 Girls: Rozanne Georgeson (12.41secs) S3 Girls: Rozanne Georgeson (7.8m) Hoy - 386 S3 Boys: Iain Goodlad (11.09secs) S3 Boys: Kristoffer Thomason (9.5m) Wiggins - 372 Romero - 346 Javelin High Jump Pendleton - 221 S2 Girls: Megan Nicolson (17m) S2 Girls: Megan Petursdottir (1.17m) Overall Winners - Cooke S2 Boys: Lee Hamilton (22.50m) S2 Boys: Daniel Walterson (1.31m) S3 Girls: Lauren Odie (18.25m) S3 Girls: Rozanne Georgeson (1.38m) S3 Boys: Kristoffer Thomason (34.50m) S3 Boys: Scott Spence (1.50m) 2 Lap Race (500metres) Triple Jump S2 Girls: Inga Woods S2 Girls: Lynsey Morrison (5.72m) S2 Boys: Hayden Thomason S2 Boys: Michael Williamson (6.36m) S3 Girls: Caitlin Watt S3 Girls: Natalie Moffat (6.36m) S3 Boys: Connor Regan S3 Boys: Scott Spence (6.81m)

S2/3 Sports Day 2009 - Mr K Smith, PT Physical Education


On Tuesday 8th September the two Anderson High School netball teams were ready and raring to go. Unfortunately due to the weather conditions Unst and Whalsay couldn’t participate in the tournament. Both teams had a mixture of girls from secondary 1, 2 and 3. The two teams, AHS1 and AHS2, faced each other in one of the first games of the tournament. The rest of the tournament for AHS1 was looking good as they dominated the leaderboard, winning most of their games. Unluckily AHS1 didn’t manage to beat the Rebels (Yell) and lost by one point. Overall AHS1 came a nail biting two points behind the Rebels which put AHS1 in 2nd place with AHS2 close behind them in 5th place.

S1-S3 Netball Tournament - Anne Leask and Hannah Manson S3

ahs newsletter 34

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