Embedded Files
HEAD TEACHER'S NEWSLETTER
Dear Musselburgh community,
Thank you all for your understanding and support this week when we had to send two year groups home. The pupils are dealing with the continuing Covid twists and turns patiently and with good spirits, and it is, as ever, a pleasure to teach them.
With best wishes for a relaxing weekend.
MGS School App
Our new school app has launched. The app provides an accessible way for you to view upcoming school dates and receive important messages from the school. We are moving towards using the app for whole school and year group messages. Following the February break, the app will be used rather than groupcall for whole school and year group messages. Individual messages will still be sent via groupcall.
This video guide shows you how to download the app, including how to filter information for the year group your child is in: https://youtu.be/ij8IGh6XGl0
How to download and use the app:
Click on the app store links below or search for ‘School App for Parents’.
Apple App Store: https://apple.co/2Gvy17w
Google Play Store: http://bit.ly/2uZIrGf
A green app named ‘School App for Parents’ will appear. Download this app.
Once the app opens, search for ‘Musselburgh Grammar School’
You may be asked to receive notifications from the app, accept this so you can receive messages from the school via the app.
If you have a child at another school you may already have the app downloaded. You can add more than one school to the app by searching for more ‘Musselburgh Grammar School’ and adding it in the app settings.
E-scooters
The following notice is in conjunction with Police Scotland.
We have been having some issues with e scooters in and around school grounds, and while e-scooters are legally available to purchase, it is currently against the law to ride a privately owned e-scooter in any public place in the UK. This includes roads, pavements, parks, town centres or promenades.
The only place a privately owned e-scooter can be used is on private land with the agreement of the land owner. E-scooters are currently classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs) so they are treated as motor vehicles and are subject to the same legal requirements as any other motor vehicle and require insurance, a valid driving licence and compliance with various construction and use requirements.
Officers can and will seize e-scooters being used illegally.
Out with the illegal use of e-scooters, of greater concern, is the safety aspect of their use. E-scooter riders are frequently seen travelling at speed along pavements, where they can be a danger to pedestrians due to the speed and silent way they travel. They have also been observed in the local area weaving at speed in and out of traffic on main roads. The riders aren’t wearing helmets and may not be aware of the safe use of roads.
The school will contact the police if e-scooters are in and around school grounds.
If your child/ren possess an e-scooter please can you discuss this safety and road use information.
Thank you for your support.
Jodie Hannan
Notice for parents and carers of current S3-S5 pupils
We are in the process of course choice for current S3 to S5 pupils, and are committed to making sure that all our young people leave school with the best possible set of qualifications. Our curriculum offer is central to this and we want to make our Senior Phase curriculum broader, more engaging and more inclusive to meet the needs of all our learners.
Mrs Watson, DHT Curriculum, will present an online curriculum information session at 6.30pm- approx. 7pm on Thursday 20 January for the parents and carers of pupils who will move into S4-S6 in August 2022.
The event will be held on Skype for Business. There are ‘how to’ guides below that explain how to access this system. Please use this link to join the event: https://bit.ly/mgs-curriculum-20-1
Mrs Watson will also be presenting this information to pupils before current S4 and S5 pupils make their choices for next session.
Questions arising from the session in the chat function will be collated and answers published.
Skype for Business ‘How To’ Guides:
Video guide for devices/tablets: https://youtu.be/dR_5C1V1U0k
Video guide for web browser: https://youtu.be/MDvZ-QY9OvQ
Poster guide for devices/tables: https://bit.ly/mgs-skype-device
Poster guide for web browser: https://bit.ly/mgs-skype-web
School Lunch Payments at Revalue Machines
A reminder that due to COVID restrictions, we are encouraging less handling of cash within the school. Whilst revalue machines will still be available, we encourage parents/carers to make payments for school meals online rather than pupils accessing the machines in the kitchen.
Payments can be made to Schoolpay via the following link and logging into your account: https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/schoolpay
Medical - S3 and S4 Vaccinations
A reminder that Polio Diphtheria vaccinations for S3 and S4 pupils (and pupils catching up) will take place on Tuesday 8th February. Pupils should see Ms Harvey if they have any queries. Thank you.
English Dept Study Support
Please check the attached schedule for the dates, times and locations of English & Drama Supported Study this term.
PE Department Notice
The PE department would like to remind all pupils and parents/carers that it is school policy that pupils come to school in school uniform and get changed in to PE kit for PE lessons.
This is to ensure that pupil hygiene is maintained, and that pupil safety during lessons is a priority.
PE kit should be;
a change of t-shirt/polo shirt/sweatshirt
a change of joggers/leggings/shorts
appropriate flat soled trainers
all jewellery should be removed
Long hair should be tied back
The PE dept would like to thank you for your continued support with this.
Mr MacDonald
FAO All parents of S4-S6 pupils
Skills Development Scotland have two Careers Advisers based in Musselburgh Grammar School, Karolina Green and Carla Bichan, and they are happy to contact any parents or pupils who have questions regarding next steps for pupils when they leave school, as well as choosing subjects in schools. If you would like to speak to either of them then you can contact them directly:
Karolina: karolina.green@sds.co.uk 07887 832386
Carla: carla.bichan@sds.co.uk 07887 831034
East Lothian Works - Foundation Apprenticeships, SCP, Course Choice Option
East Lothian Works (the Council’s Employability Hub) are hosting a series of virtual information evenings about their course offerings for the coming academic year. They will cover course choice options including Foundation Apprenticeships, the School College Partnership offer, and the East Lothian Works offer. This is a fantastic opportunity to find out about the variety of courses available to students when they choose their subjects for next year. The sessions are repeated on the following dates, and will run from 6pm-7pm through this link: https://meet.google.com/ijq-pzhs-hhi
Monday 17th Jan
Wednesday 19th Jan
Monday 24th Jan
Wednesday 26th Jan
Can Do Volunteering
Anyone aged 15 years and over who are interested in volunteering, can contact Michelle Crawford at Can-Do. Contact details as follows:
Michelle Crawford
Assistant Co-ordinator
Can-Do (SC049885)
Normal working days Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Community Centre, 8 Law Road, North Berwick, EH39 4PN
michelle@can-do.scot
01620 893823 / 07305368093
Em & Nic's Not-So-Secret Diary
Happy Friday Everyone!
We hope you have all had a lovely and productive week. We have been working very hard since returning to school to ensure that everyone is adjusting back into their routines.
We'd like to emphasise the necessity of finishing and submitting your UCAS applications again as the deadline is January 26th. It is important that you submit your applications by this deadline to guarantee that your application is considered by the universities of your choice.
Today we were given an assembly on the new school app that our senior leadership team has created to enable our parents/carers at home to keep updated about what is going on at school. It's a quick and easy way to learn more about your child's class and what's going on at school. We highly urge you to use this app in order to keep track of important dates this year!
As always we wish everyone a wonderful weekend and hope to see you all again next week!
Em and Nic
Page updated
Report abuse