15 pupils from S1-2 were rewarded for their hard work and behaviour with a trip to Cumbernauld Outdoor Centre.
The pupils split into three groups to rotate around the activities on offer: archery, paintballing and off-road driving.
After a barbeque lunch, they were treated to a falconry display, demonstrating owls, falcons and buzzards.
The Pupil Support team
Nine senior pupils and two courageous staff valiantly tackled the highest peak in Scotland on Sunday 6th May to raise funds for St Andrew’s Hospice.
Having conquered their first challenge of meeting the bus at 5.45am for the journey to Fort William, the actual hill-walking was a doddle. One member of staff and six of the pupils reached the summit before the official closing time, after which the mountain is deemed unsafe.
All enjoyed the hospitality at the Ben Nevis Hotel afterwards, especially the chance of a hot shower and some hot food. The total is as yet unknown.
Congratulations to all concerned – and hope you feel better soon.
Report from Mrs McDonald
A group of 12 pupils from OLHS received the John Muir Award this week in recognition of ‘awareness and responsibility for wild places’.
The pupils from S1-S4 had all taken part in a week long programme last October, organised and ran by the Motherwell Community Learning & Development Youth Work Team. It involved learning about their outdoor environment and participating in workshops on camp craft, survival skills and forest walks. Well done to all.
From Mrs Sinclair
Dear Parent/Carer
Further to the letter which you received prior to the Easter holidays I would like to advise a change to the exam leave arrangements. As it is an in-service day prior to the long weekend it has been agreed by the senior management team that pupils in fourth, fifth and sixth year may begin the formal exam leave on Friday 4th May. Pupils should use this day and the weekend for study purposes. They should then use all non-exam days for study.
If any pupil would prefer to study in school he/she should see me to make arrangements. The teaching staff will be available to assist pupils when they would normally have been teaching them and therefore if your child needs some assistance with a subject a visit to the school for support is an option. When visiting the school, can I ask you to ensure that the uniform is worn.
This is a busy and often stressful time for the young people and I am sure that the extra support from families helps at this time. I am very hopeful that most of our students have been studying hard, particularly in the last few weeks, and that they will reap the benefits.
I wish your child every success in the exams and be assured that we pray for the success of all of our young people every day, during the exams.
To our sixth year students, there will be a number of opportunities to say goodbye and wish them well. However can I take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution to our school over the years. I look forward to hearing about their successes in the years ahead. Good Luck and God Bless.
Pupils in fourth and fifth year should return to school on 7th June for their induction into fifth and sixth year respectively. A letter and text message will be sent nearer the time.
I hope that this change in arrangement days does not cause you any inconvenience.
King Regards
Mrs K Sinclair
Head Teacher
If you are considering leaving school, have a look at the following websites for information about training, employment and apprenticeships.
MyJobScotland
Information on vacancies and online applications. The website is updated daily. There is also a MyJobScotland blog with plenty of useful advice.
North Lanarkshire’s Working
This is the website for the NLC youth investment programme. The website is updated weekly with vacancies.
Our Lady’s is saying goodbye to our Activate Officer, Marion Russell. Marion has worked tirelessly with OLHS pupils for the last ten years, organising visits, filling in forms, and always encouraging young people to accomplish whatever they could. We will miss her smiles, understanding and determination to achieve the best for those in her charge, but wish her all the best in her new job.
Report from Mrs McNeish
On Wednesday night, the S4 badminton club boys had a visit from Keith Turnbull, Scottish mens doubles champion, to do a session of technique and court movement. This was the final club session for most of the boys as they go off on exam leave, so was a real treat.
The group thoroughly enjoyed the visit and have learned much from Keith. Mrs McNeish would like to thank Keith for his input and the boys for their participation.
4th year pupil, Sean Downes, has retained his World Irish Dancing Championship for the 5th year running. Sean competed in the Boys 15-16 years class against over 50 competitors from around the world in Belfast last month.
Many congratulations to Sean, his family and teachers for an amazing achievement.
Exams have now started for 4th year pupils, with 3rd years also sitting their Standard Grade English.
All pupils have been provied with personal exam timetables, providing details of subjects, levels, dates, times and seat numbers for each exam, as well as a copy of a Candidates Booklet, issued by the SQA. Pupils should also remember to wear full school uniform for their exams.
Study leave officially begins on May 8th, although there are individual study days for earlier exams.
Good luck to everyone.
Report from Mrs Sinclair
A staff vs pupils basketball game took place at lunchtime this week, with a great crowd assembled for this long awaited match. The staff team was too strong for the challenging upper school boys who tried valiantly to even up the match.
The victorious staff team delighted the crowd with their skills, reminiscent of the famous Harlem Globetrotters. The boys had little chance against such quality.
Final score: Staff 16: Pupils 11.
