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FROM THE HEADTEACHER  nox ews Dear Parent/Carer, Welcome to the last Knox News of 2010. As usual, the term has been very busy and details of various events and successes can be found in this edition of the Knox News. I would like to congratulate the school community on the various events organised to raise funds for charity. The senior pupils have taken the lead in this, resulting in money being send to a wide range of good causes: Pakistan Flood Appeal, Amnesty International, Macmillan Cancer Support, Breast Cancer Campaign, Children in Need, the British Legion Poppy appeal etc. Also, Tutor Groups have been busy making up Xmas Boxes for the local community. Well done to all the pupils who took part and/or made a donation. Pupils in Fourth Year have just completed their Prelim Examinations and Work Experience placements. I am sure you will encourage all of them to build on their prelim performances to achieve the very best results possible in the summer. I know they will study hard and try their best. Fifth and sixth year pupils begin their prelim examinations at the end of January, I hope they find some time to study over the festive season. I am sure you join with me in wishing them all every success. At the end of term, we say farewell to Mrs S Grant, Principal Teacher of Guidance (Traprain) who is retiring. Mrs Grant has been at the school for 35 years, having joined Knox Academy in August 1975 as a teacher of Science (Biology and Chemistry). In 1978, Mrs Grant’s focus moved to the pastoral support in the school, when she was appointed Assistant Principal Teacher of Guidance, moving to Principal Teacher in 1991. During her time at the school, Mrs Grant has been a valued member of staff, the Biology Department, the Science Faculty and the Guidance Team. Recently, she was a very effective acting Head of the Biology Department, providing subject expertise, leadership and support. Whatever the role, Mrs Grant has been a hardworking, committed and loyal member of staff. Also, Mrs Grant has been effective as a member of various groups, ranging from the S6 Leavers’ Dance Committee to Working Groups and has led numerous initiatives, such as the S5 Working with Others course and the S5/6 Induction Days. Mrs Grant has supported extra-curricular events held by the school, including dances and concerts. However, it is as a Guida nce Teacher that most pupils will remember Mrs Grant, as she has provided outstanding support and encouragement to so many youngsters and their families. I am sure you join me in wishing Mrs Grant a happy and healthy retirement. The inclement weather has meant we have had to re-arrange or postpone some of the end of term activities. Nevertheless, the festive spirit is alive and well at Knox and we plan to have an exciting, fun-packed and, of course, educational, last day of term, the centrepiece of which will be the, now traditional, S6 Panto. We finish the term on Thursday 23 December at 4 pm and the new term for pupils begins at 8.44 am on Tuesday 11 January 2011. I wish everyone an enjoyable and relaxing holiday and a happy New  Year. Best wishes JB Craig December 2010 The Newsletter of Knox Academy

Knox News December 10

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FROM THE HEADTEACHER 

nox ews

Dear Parent/Carer,

Welcome to the last Knox News of 2010. As usual, the term has been very busy and details of 

various events and successes can be found in this edition of the Knox News.

I would like to congratulate the school community on the various events organised to raise

funds for charity. The senior pupils have taken the lead in this, resulting in money being send

to a wide range of good causes: Pakistan Flood Appeal, Amnesty International, Macmillan

Cancer Support, Breast Cancer Campaign, Children in Need, the British Legion Poppy appeal

etc. Also, Tutor Groups have been busy making up Xmas Boxes for the local community. Welldone to all the pupils who took part and/or made a donation.

Pupils in Fourth Year have just completed their Prelim Examinations and Work Experience

placements. I am sure you will encourage all of them to build on their prelim performances to

achieve the very best results possible in the summer. I know they will study hard and try their

best. Fifth and sixth year pupils begin their prelim examinations at the end of January, I hope

they find some time to study over the festive season. I am sure you join with me in wishing

them all every success.

At the end of term, we say farewell to Mrs S Grant, Principal Teacher of Guidance (Traprain)

who is retiring. Mrs Grant has been at the school for 35 years, having joined Knox Academyin August 1975 as a teacher of Science (Biology and Chemistry). In 1978, Mrs Grant’s focus

moved to the pastoral support in the school, when she was appointed Assistant Principal

Teacher of Guidance, moving to Principal Teacher in 1991. During her time at the school, Mrs

Grant has been a valued member of staff, the Biology Department, the Science Faculty and the

Guidance Team. Recently, she was a very effective acting Head of the Biology Department,

providing subject expertise, leadership and support. Whatever the role, Mrs Grant has been a

hardworking, committed and loyal member of staff. Also, Mrs Grant has been effective as a

member of various groups, ranging from the S6 Leavers’ Dance Committee to Working

Groups and has led numerous initiatives, such as the S5 Working with Others course and the

S5/6 Induction Days. Mrs Grant has supported extra-curricular events held by the school,

including dances and concerts. However, it is as a Guidance Teacher that most pupils willremember Mrs Grant, as she has provided outstanding support and encouragement to so many

youngsters and their families. I am sure you join me in wishing Mrs Grant a happy and healthy

retirement.

The inclement weather has meant we have had to re-arrange or postpone some of the end of 

term activities. Nevertheless, the festive spirit is alive and well at Knox and we plan to have an

exciting, fun-packed and, of course, educational, last day of term, the centrepiece of which

will be the, now traditional, S6 Panto. We finish the term on Thursday 23 December at 4 pm

and the new term for pupils begins at 8.44 am on Tuesday 11 January 2011.

I wish everyone an enjoyable and relaxing holiday and a happy New Year.

Best wishes

JB Craig 

December 2010T h e N e w s l e t t e r o f K n o x A c a d e m y

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The EcoLife event was planned and delivered by the Biology Department of Knox Academy on 4th 

November 2010. The evening was a resounding success and attracted around 100 people! The fabulous

atmosphere was enriched by live background music provided by pupils. The event was based around threeareas, as detailed below.

· The Marketplace hosted traders and exhibitors from a large number of organisations, including

Oxfam, Green Flag at Home and Waste Innovation. There were also stalls that sold products made

by pupils, such as recycled jewellery.

· Swap in the City allowed people to bring along unwanted items, such as books, clothes and DVDs

and to swap them for other items. A fabulous example of recycling in action!

· The fashion show featured clothes from local charity shops including Cancer Research UK, Chest,

Heart and Stroke Scotland, Capability Scotland, Sue Ryder Care and Oxfam. The models included

pupils and staff, who strutted their stuff to some great music.

EcoLife has:

· made people aware of simple steps that can be taken to reduce their carbon footprint

· raised money for the creation of a vegetable patch at Knox

· strengthened the links between Knox Academy and the local community.

We hope to have a similar event in 2011.

C SlowtherL Ward

G Wilson

Biology Dept

ECOLIFE  

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K NOX SPOTS Page 3

The annual Children In Need appeal saw an outbreak of spots amongst Working with Others and S6

Charity Committee members.

Bake sales; head shaving and an invasion of animation characters attacked the school all in the name of 

Pudsey.

S5 Working with Others demonstrated their culinary skills with lovely snacks in their bake sale to raise

money for Pudsey. Held over break time the pupils sold cakes and sweets, which were all thoroughly

enjoyed by the school community.

S6 boys braved losing styled locks in the bitterly cold temperatures and had their head shaved to raise

funds for the deserving charity. In the worst weather seen for decades the boys sacrificed the loss of hair

product, until it grows back, and can now been seen shivering in Haddington for the sake of the BBC

Bear.

S6 Pupils and Staff showed their enjoyment of animated characters by dressing up for the morning of 19th 

November. Fantastic efforts were made from evil Disney icons to current favourites. Pupils collected

donations around the school and, in total, an amazing £1, 410 was raised for Children In

Need.

Thank you to everyone who contributed.

B Plain

Library

S3 Modern Studies pupils have been studying the Politics of Aid unit. As part of the unit, pupils complete

activities about various charities that provide aid to the developing world.

Class 3C decided to collect money for one of the charities which we study - Mary’s Meals. This charity

provides free school meals in many poorer parts of the world. Mary’s Meals not only addresses the

immediate needs of hungry children by giving them a daily meal, it also allows those children to receive

an education that can provide an escape from poverty.

The class managed to raise enough to provide 2 children with free meals for 1 whole year! Well done to

all of the class for their generosity.

K Bulloch

Modern Studies

MARY ’S MEALS  

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K NOX GOES GLOBAL…AGAIN 

Page 4

Mr Jappy from the Chemistry Department and Dr Wilson from Biology represented Knox Academy on the

first leg of an international exchange programme to the city of Karvina in the Czech Republic. Staff were

introduced to the regional authority of Moravia Silesia and a selection of its many attractions.

The Knox teachers were accompanied to the Czech Republic by the Education Officer from the Scottish

Seabirds Centre, Mrs McAllister. All staff were impressed by the attempts being made within the Moravian

Silesian authority to focus on sustainable development.

Over the next two years, members of staff from Knox Academy and Gymnazium Karvina will share ideas

and resources supporting the concepts of sustainability.

Pupils from Knox Academy will have the opportunity to interact with their counterparts in Czech Republic.

The project, funded by the British Council’s Comenius Regio team, will enable staff at Knox Academy todevelop resources in conjunction with the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick. As the project

progresses information will be posted on the Knox Academy website.

M Duddin

Depute Head Teacher 

Knox Academy Support Group has had a busy year. The Duck Derby and Teas in the Park during the

Haddington Festival Week being the highlights. Between these events and The School Dance we have

raised approximately £1,500.

This year we have supplied 5 Medical Sports Kit Bags for Active Sports and are about to ask for bids

from Departments for equipment not normally covered by their capitation allowance.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

SCHOOL DANCE, having been cancelled twice due to weather, is now scheduled for THURSDAY 13TH 

JANUARY 2011.

BURNS’ SUPPER – We are intending holding a Burns’ Supper on TUESDAY 25TH JANUARY 2011 to

which all are invited. Tickets will go on sale early in the new term. Tables can be reserved @ £2 per

table. Wine and Beer will be available. Contact Mrs Ball on 823387 or Mrs Richardson on 822340.

It is always nice to see new faces at our meetings – which are about once every six weeks. If you would

like to know more about KASG please come along to our next meeting on Tuesday 11th January at

6.30pm.

M Ball

KASG

K NOX ACADEMY SUPPORT GROUP  

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In Summer 2012 two teams totalling 27 pupils from Knox Academy will be taking part in a month long

expedition to the Central American countries of Nicaragua and Honduras. Both countries are renowned

for their superb natural beauty. Pupils will be climbing dormant volcanoes as well as trekking through the

Nicaraguan and Honduran cloud forests, jungles and beaches.

Pupils will also be taking part in environmental and community projects. Projects, which have yet to be

finalised, may involve working with children from some of the poorest communities teaching English,

developing creative skills and helping with construction and renovation of under resourced facilities.

Obviously, the expedition will require an enormous amount of fundraising. We will inform you of various

upcoming fundraising events via the Knox News and school website.

Pupils from Team One have already raised over £700 by bag packing at Tesco in North Berwick. Tesco

staff and customers were impressed with the pupils’ enthusiasm and professional manner. Well done!

L Woolley

RMPS Department 

2012 N ICARAGUA AND  HONDURAS EXPEDITION  

Page 5

Pupils can hand in payments for Activities’ Week 2010 any Tuesday or Thursday lunchtimes from

1.30pm. Staff will be stationed in the Creche (sometimes known as the ASDAN Room). Payments

should NOT be handed in at the School Office.

B Skirrow

Business Manager

PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR  ACTIVITIES ’ WEEK  2010

G IFFORD BUS 

We have received a number of calls and e-mails from Prentice Coaches about the safety of pupils from

Gifford waiting for the school ‘bus in the High Street. The pavement near the ‘bus stop is very narrow

and many pupils are standing waiting in the road. As a result we are very concerned that an accident may

occur involving injury to a pupil. We are therefore asking for the support of parents to ensure that pupils

waiting for the school ‘bus wait on the pavement until the ‘bus arrives.

M Duddin

Depute Head Teacher

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EMPLOYMENT  RIGHTS  FOR  PEOPLE  UNDER  16

Page 6

The Secretary of State for Scotland approved Bye Laws governing the employment of children in East Lothian and these came

into effect on 27 August 1998. They replaced those which were made by the former Authorities prior to the re-organisation of local government in 1996.

Full copies of the Bye Laws are available on request from the address at the end of Policy & Procedure Circular 13/2000

entitled "Employment of Children".

However, the main points in the new regulations are:

AGE

Children between the age of 13 years and school leaving age may be employed only in accordance with the Bye Laws.

Children under 13 years of age may not be employed.

PERMITTED DAILY HOURS OF WORK

During term time you may only work for 12 hours a week 

MAXIMUM WEEKLY HOURS OF WORK DURING HOLIDAY TIME

25 hours per week if under 15 years of age and 35 hours per .week if over 15 years of age

MEAL BREAKS

If employment is for more than 3 hours (or 4 hours if over 15 years of age) a break of 1 hour must be taken before resuming

work.

AGRICULTURAL WORK

Children under 15 years of age engaged in harvesting may work up to 8 hours per day, subject to a maximum of 25 hours per

week in any school holiday, but not on Saturdays or Sundays in term time.

Children aged 10 but under 13 may work in the company of their parent in light agricultural work.

PAYMENT

The regulations cover all forms of employment of children even when no payment is made for their services.

WELFARE OF CHILDREN

Where necessary for the work, employers must ensure proper arrangements are made for transport. It is also the duty of the

employer to ensure that the child is provided with suitable clothing (including waterproof clothing for outdoor employment) if 

this is not provided by the parent.

Term time weekdays Term time Saturdays Term time SundaysYou can work:A total of two hours per dayUsually no more than a hourbefore schoolHours of work are onlybetween 7.00am and 7.00pm

If you are 13/14 you canwork 5 hoursIf you are 15/16 (and underschool leaving age) you canwork 8 hours between7.00am and 7.00pm

You can work 2 hours ona Sunday between8.00am and 4.00pm

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OH  YES  THEY  DID! THE  S6 PANTO 

PROHIBITED EMPLOYMENTS

No employment will be permitted in the following trades or occupations:

1. In the sale or delivery of intoxicating liquor.

2. Employment in connection with gaming or betting.

3. In the collecting or sorting of refuse in bulk.

4. In the delivery of fuel oils.

5. In the delivery of milk.

6. Employment at any machine prescribed as dangerous in an order made under Section 19 of the Offices, Shops and

Railways Premises Act 1963; excluding agricultural machines which are covered by other legislation.

7. In cinemas, dance halls, discotheques and theatres, except when performances are given entirely by children.

8. Employment in commercial (but not domestic) kitchens.

9. Employment in those parts of catering establishments where cooking ranges, hot plates or steam/water boilers are in

use.

10. External window cleaning more than 10 feet above ground level.

APPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES

Application forms are obtainable from all Secondary Schools. They require to be signed both by the employer and the parent

and to be endorsed by the Head Teacher of the school the child is attending. Certificates will be granted only where the

Authority is satisfied that the proposed employment is not likely to be prejudicial to a child's health or education.

RETENTION OF EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES

No child may be employed without a valid Employment Certificate which must be retained by the employer. Certificates must

be displayed on demand to any Police Officer or authorised officer of the Education Authority. On the termination of 

employment, or any change in its form, the certificate must be returned immediately with an indication of the reason.

It is an offence to employ children who do not hold a valid employment certificate and employers in such cases are liable to be

prosecuted and, if convicted, filled up to £ 100.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Copies of the full Bye Laws and further information and advice can be obtained at the under noted address: Education &

Children’s Services Department (Pupil Support), John Muir House, HADDINGTON, EH41 3HA, (Tel No 01620827415).

The tears, the tantrums, the blood, the sweat, the greasepaint…it must be panto time of the year again. As

ever the S6 put on an amazing show, and what can we say about the staff performance?

The quality of the panto says a lot about the pupils at Knox Academy and watching such a great show

come together in such a short period of time it is always one of my proudest moments as Head of S6.

Huge thanks as ever to all the staff involved, especially Mr Campbell without whom the show would

definitely not go on.

S Illingworth

Head of S6

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STOCK  SALE  

Page 8

Navy lightweight v/neck sweaters -

xs - £8.00 small medium large - £10.00

Boy’s Long Sleeved White School Shirt 2 for £8.00 Chest Size 37

Boy’s Short Sleeved White School Shirt 2 for £8.00 Chest Size 16 1/2

Girl’s ¾ length White Sleeved Shirt 2 for £8.00 Chest Size 37 (14)

Gent’s White Shirts 2 for £8.00 Chest Size 14 ½ /15, 15 ½, 16 ½, 18

Please contact Mrs Ball on 823387 for further details or email on [email protected] and mark for the attention of Mrs Ball

The first National Non-Fiction Day was celebrated on the 4th November 2010, and we were very lucky to

be able to take a group of S1 pupils to meet the wonderful Kjartan Poskitt at the Royal Society in

Edinburgh.

Maths is often seen as dull, boring and useless but not by Kjartan (nor by the maths department at Knox!).

He dazzled the pupils by showing them how exciting, useful and entertaining maths can be with an

amazingly energetic and fun-packed show. All the pupils had great fun and came away buzzing with

excitement.

Some of the comments from the pupils were it was ”cool”, “exciting”, “fun”, “funny”, “better than

school!” They were even arguing about who was to get to read the book on the bus on the way back.

They all had great fun as did the teachers Mrs McInnes, Mr Williamson and Mr Wren.

National Non-Fiction Day is an annual celebration, initiated by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups

in partnership with Scholastic Children’s Books. It aims to celebrate all that is brilliant about non fiction

and show that it’s not just fiction that can be read and enjoyed for pleasure.

Thank you to Scholastic for giving Knox a signed copy of Kjartan's new book  The Murderous Maths of 

 Everything.

You can find out more about National Non-fiction Day by visiting the official website.

L McInnes

Maths Department

MURDEROUS MATHS

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Every year I look forward to the fine display of Christmas boxes that Tutor Groups decorate and

generously fill with goodies. These boxes are then distributed to some of the older members of ourcommunity. This year I was not disappointed as there was an excellent variety of boxes with the theme of 

Christmas carols. Some stuck more closely to the theme than others but the effort and thought was there

for all to see. I have been accused (by my Tutor Group) of taking the box decorating a little too seriously

but as a mathematician it is nice for me to let loose my more artistic side. I really enjoy helping them

decorate the box, which they generously fill with tea, coffee, chocolate, Christmas puddings etc. Many

tutor groups also included a card from the class. The boxes are then judged and the winners announced.

So well done everyone for all your efforts and the lovely display of the boxes. They certainly brightened

up my day.

The joy that they bring to those that receive them makes everyone's efforts so worthwhile.

L.McInnes

Maths Department

CHRISTMAS BOXES  

Page 9

MODEL TRENCHES  

The History Department once again hosted the annual World War One model trench building competition

for the S3 Standard Grade History pupils. Each year the standard has been very high and this year was no

exception. Models of various shapes and sizes lined the Library during the Remembrance Day week. At

the end of the week the judging panel (Mrs Craig, Mr Illingworth and Mr Plain) took on the very difficult

task of deciding on the winners.

The final results were:

1st Kookie Murray 3L1

2nd Bethany Quirk 3L2

3rd

Katie Archibald 3T3

Highly Commended: Louis Luke 3G3 and Kyle Dunkinson 3T1

Well done to all pupils involved and many thanks to the judges.

S McPheeHistory Department

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THANK  YOU, MERCI, DANKE,BEDANKT , GRAZIE , SPASIBO  

Page 10

Knox Academy could not provide such variety of experiences for our pupils without the generosity and 

assistance of others and we are fortunate to have such a vibrant and helpful local community. We are

extremely grateful to those listed below for their contributions to the school this term.

Thank you Jennifer MacRae, minister at St Mary's for welcoming large groups of S1 pupils to Church

where they made films on the life of the Church. She also visited S1 classes and spoke to pupils about

her life as a minister. She has recently spoken to the S4 Standard Grade pupils who also visited the

Church. Thanks also go to Jennifer for coming in and doing various religious assemblies throughout the

session.

Nicaragua and Honduras Team 1 would like to say a massive thank you to Carol Thorburn from North

Berwick Tesco for allowing the team to bag pack on 20th November. We raised over £700!

Thanks to Tam Munro, a parent, who has been running the basketball club for the last 2 years and to

Mike Mitchell who runs the badminton club with Mr Clelland and Miss Waters. You are appreciated.

Rosehall Stores have kindly donated food items to help with our Macmillan Coffee Morning. We are

very appreciative of this support.

It was a pleasure to welcome Craig Hunter from The Avenue Restaurant Haddington. At very short

notice he came in to fillet a huge Rainbow Trout that had been donated to the Home Economics

Department from Jackie McKenzie (LSS Auxiliary) and her husband. Good catch.

The EcoLife Event was a great success and special thanks go to Vicky Cole, S2 parent, for her help. Inaddition, the Bead Shop in Haddington donated many beads for our jewellery stall, which was most

generous.

Several Charity shops kindly donated clothing for modelling at the Eco Life fashion show: Cancer

Research, Capability Scotland, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, Oxfam and Sue Ryder Care. 

Their contributions were gratefully received and ensured the show was truly unforgettable. Thank you

very much.

The Business Education Department would like to thank Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar and ScotPrint

in Haddington for offering to host pupils for educational visits to their premises. Pupils in S3 enjoyed a

memorable visit from Robin Stenhouse, co-owner of Baguette Express, who talked about hisexperience of setting up and running his own business whilst our senior pupils welcomed Standard Life

staff who explained the recruitment process. Many thanks.

The Formula 1 in Schools Challenge Team would like to thank the following companies for their

invaluable sponsorship which enabled us to purchase the necessary equipment and tools to participate in

this competition: RX-Comm in Haddington, Had-Fab Ltd in Macmerry and Leisuretime Sports in

Haddington.

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Page 11

AUBIGNY 2010

On the 9th of July we all came prepared,

A sense of anticipation was lurking in the air,

In the airport we awaited our flight,

That would take us to Aubigny by night,

When we arrived in Charles de Gaulle,

We waited for a bus to collect us all.

On arriving in Aubigny sur Nere,

We wondered who our families were,

We exchanged kind greetings and were on our way,

To our houses to have tea and prepare for the next day,

On Saturday we met in the Parc de Sports,

Where there were drummers and pipers galore,

From Haddington to Aubigny Auld Alliance Pipe Band,

The pipe tune ‘Ca Marche’ was exchanged by hand,

We had a wander down the high street to the colourful

tents,

And stood in awe of the amazing events,

There was archery and hammer throw and kilts

everywhere,

There were even stalls from Haddington where people

stopped and stared,

Inside the castle there were lots of lovely flowers,

Along with statues and paintings, which could be gazed

at for hours,

On Sunday we met and went to the pool,

The day was really hot and the water nice and cool,

Once we dried off we walked into town,

And went to the park for a nice sit down,

There we stayed until near the end of the day,

When we all went our separate ways,

On Monday we went for a journey in the car,

It was an hour to Bourges, which wasn’t that far,

The Palais Jacques Coeur was our first location,

Then a lovely restaurant where we’d made a

reservation,

With our newfound friends we sampled the cuisine,

Then saw the buildings light up with stories to be seen,

On Tuesday we went to a small café,

Had some lunch and were on our way,

Once again exploring the beautiful town,

Seeing what spectacles there were to be found,

On Wednesday the parade was on its way,

To lay the wreaths for Bastille Day,

At the memorial the wreaths were laid,

And many many tributes to brave soldiers

were paid,

A meal was prepared when we met at night,

With Scottish country dancing, which was a

delight,

The highlight of the evening was when we

went to the park,

And the fireworks exploded, lighting the dark,

On Thursday we met under a bright blue sky,

To leave for home and say a fond goodbye,

None of us left without a smile on our face,

And wonderful memories of a wonderful

place,

We all made friends who we’ll remember

always,

Maybe we’ll meet again one of these days,

I think I speak for us all when I say now,We’d love to return to Aubigny somehow.

Emma Campbell

S6

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GEOGRAPHY IS EVERYWHERE  

Page 12

Well this term has been busy for the Geographers of Knox Academy.

The first S1 rota has just come to an end with youngsters enjoying a whirlwind tour of “Where We Liveand “How We Live”. The main focus for the start of the term was the use of Maps with youngsters

considering the many different map types through designing classroom plans, writing route plans, giving

directions, grid referencing, investigations and group presentations.

S2 will remain in department until the New Year working on the Development Unit where they consider

and compare differences in world development. Having already completed the Earth Forces Unit, displays

of volcano investigations and earthquake survival guides are definitely brightening up the classrooms!

Standard Grade and Higher classes have been able to continue with their revision for examinations and

unit tests throughout recent study leave, work experience and snow days by accessing the updated

Geography Department section of the Knox website. Keep your eyes peeled for more materials coming

soon and please make use of the list of useful links highlighting some very helpful resources.

2LY completed a Poetry literacy exercise combining their two topics from this year, Earth Forces &

Development. Youngsters have chosen aspects from the course including Volcanoes, Earthquakes,

Climate, Technology, Culture, Traditions, Perceptions and Scenery to create their poems which will be

displayed in the department.

2LY have been tackling many different activities this term while exploring Japan as an economically

developed country. Activities include some art & design tasks (Design a Fan & Origami) and language

skills (learning Japanese on an interactive website).

Cherry BlossomBy Katie Scott 2LY

Japan is famous for its special tree.

It’s called Cherry Blossom.

It flowers in the spring

With it’s beautiful pink flowers.

Then it’s bare in the winter,

Its entire colour is gone….

The Bonsai Garden

By Rowan Bland 2LY

Little and glowing,Miniatures growing,

The art of Bonsai so small,

The big trees will not ever be tall,

But the delicate leaves are still bright,

Stunning, beautiful, small in height,

A tiny garden sitting there,

Every small flower grown with care,

A traditional art,

Sparkling with life and heart,

The small forests are delicate as a fan,

These are the Bonsai Gardens of Japan.

L Jeffrey

Geography Department

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Page 13

SPORTS ’ NEWS  

There are some exciting new developments planned at Knox in 2011.

· Fit For Girls! 

Miss Waters in PE has started a Fit For Girls programme which aims to get more young women

physically active through activities such as dance, aerobics, yoga, pilates etc. The programme is

for S3-S6 girls and runs in the small gym on Tuesday lunchtimes and then the girls meet to eat

lunch and discuss topics such as diet and nutrition, body image etc. in the PE classroom.

If any girls are interested in the programme, feel free to come along. Miss Waters is also looking

to start a club for S1/S2 girls if there is enough interest, so look out for information on this after

Christmas.

· Cheerleading 

After several pupils expressed an interest, Miss Morson in CDT has kindly agreed to supervise a

cheerleading club, which will start after Christmas. She will be assisted by two S6 pupils and the

club will run on Thursdays after school in the small gym.

If any pupils are interested they should collect a permission form from Mr Lambert ASAP.

· Outdoor Education 

Knox have entered teams in S1 and S3 Outdoor Education events this year. The S6 challenge was

unfortunately cancelled due to the inclement weather recently, but has now been combined with

the S2 Orienteering challenge on Tuesday 10th February at John Muir Country Park. Any pupilsinterested in taking part should collect a permission form from Mr Lambert ASAP.

There will hopefully be further opportunities for pupils to take part in outdoor education activities

in 2011, so if you are interested check the Daily Bulletin and sports notice boards for updates.

· Extra-Curricular Sport 

Knox Academy now has an extremely busy extra-curricular timetable. Currently the school has

the following clubs: table tennis, basketball, badminton, football, rugby, hockey, dance and the

new "Fit For Girls" club. In addition to this, Knox enters a team in the East Lothian school golf league.

Knox Academy is always looking for volunteers to help with the running of extra-curricular clubs.

If you would like to become involved in a club in any capacity (coaching, assisting, organising

transport etc.) or if you would like to start a new club at Knox, please contact the school's Sport

and Physical Activity Co-ordinator, Andrew Lambert through the school office (01620) 823387 or

by email [email protected].

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Trampolining News

On November 20th, Knox pupil Lloyd Connell (3T3) took part in his first Scottish Gymnastics

Trampoline Grading Competition at Bells Sports Centre Perth. He finished a very respectable 19th out of 

33 male and female competitors in the Regional G Under 15 event and had the 8th highest Voluntary

routine score (22.7) in his group. Lloyd has also recently been selected for City Of Edinburgh Trampoline

Club’s Senior Squad after only 2 months with the Club, recognising his potential in the sport. He is

already working on double somersaults. Well Done Lloyd.

The trampoline classes at Knox are facilitated by The City of Edinburgh Trampoline Club on

Wednesdays (4.30-5.30pm) and Fridays (12.30-1.30pm) in the games hall. Contact Mr Lambert for more

details.

Active Schools and City of Edinburgh Trampoline Club are working in partnership to bring the sport of 

trampolining to the children of Haddington. From an initial taster block of three weeks in June 2009, the

programme has grown and grown. Now the programme runs on Wednesdays and Fridays at Knox

Academy with eight classes on offer catering for children from P1-S6. City of Edinburgh Trampoline

Club (CETC) facilitate the classes by providing coaches and programme structure. The club also providea pathway for those children who wish to participate in the sport at the next level. Feedback regarding the

classes has been excellent with children coming back for more term after term. The link between Active

Schools and CETC has expaned to include the Musselburgh Cluster where both the primary and

secondary Active Schools Coordinators are offering trampoline classes. Futhermore, Active Schools

Coordinators are working together to open up classes to Dunbar and North Berwick cluster primary

pupils.

Classes run in Haddington at Knox Academy at the following times -

Wednesday

4.15pm-5.15pm S1-S6

5.15pm-6.15pm P1-3

6.15pm-7.15pm P4-7

7.15pm-8.15pm P4-7

Friday

12.30pm-1.30pm S1-S6

1.30pm-2.30pm P4-7

2.30pm-3.30pm P4-7

3.30pm-4.30pm P1-3

If you would like to book a place for Primary Children please contact Suzanne Laing, and for secondary

pupils contact Andy Lambert Knox Academy’s Active Schools Co-ordinator.

If you are interested in finding out more about City Of Edinburgh Trampoline Club and the classes avail-

able please contact [email protected] or check out our their website

www.cityofedinburghtrampolineclub.co.uk.

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Page 15

A Forth Valley Employment Conference for young people with learning difficulties and individuals on

the autistic spectrum.

Are you, or do you have in your family, someone aged 14-24 with learning difficulties or on the autistic

spectrum?

Do you want to find out more about the help out there to find suitable work?

Are you the young person or their parent or carer?

Find out more about a free conference at Larbert on 22 January 2011 from:

Christine at the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disabilty0141 418 5420

or visit the SCLD website at www.scld.org.uk 

YOUNG SCOTLAND’S GOT TALENT  

Badminton

Hannah Laing and Megan Richardson helped Scotland to victory in a national team competition in

Northumberland in November. The Scotland team overcame teams from England, Ireland, Wales and

Sweden to win the tournament for the first time in many years. In order to challenge the girls and help

them improve they are also playing at Senior level. Recently Megan won her first senior title in her first

competition at the West of Scotland in Mixed Doubles, in level doubles the girls went through to the

quarter finals but were knocked out by the no 1 senior seeds 19 and 16. The East and Mid Lothian Junior

Squad also won the Senior Inter Area Competition in Dundee, a great achievement as they were a very

young squad, beating six other squads from all over Scotland.

The Badminton Club at Knox is run by Mr Clelland, Miss Waters and Mike Mitchell on Tuesday

lunchtimes and Thursday after school in the games hall.

BREAKING NEWS: KABC

From next term, a new extra-curricular activity will start at Knox Academy. The first meeting of the Knox

Academy Boxing Club (KABC) will be held on Monday 17 January 2011 at lunchtime in the small gym.

This new activity is in response to requests from pupils. The club is open to all pupils and more

information will be available early in the new term, along with registration/permission forms.

The club will be run according to established boxing rules, correct equipment will be provided and used

and all aspects of health and safety will be adhered to.

Many thanks to Mr H Colgan who has agreed to set up and run the club.

J Craig and A Lambert

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CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION  

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As ever, it was a difficult decision to make, but (drum roll, please) this year’s competition has been won

by Aimee Sked in 2T2. Her design (this page) will be the Knox Academy e-card that is sent out this

Christmas. Well done, Aimee!

The House winners are: (opposite, clockwise from top left)

Traprain - Leah Murray 3T1

Lammerlaw - Alexa Hay 1L1

Garleton - Katie Elder 4G2

Highly Commended:

Lauren Fairgrieve 4T1Full colour versions of the cards can be viewed in the Knox News on the website.

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Dates for the Diary

10th January 2011 In-Service Day

11th January Pupils Resume

11th January S6 Pantomime (7pm)

12th January Parent School Partnership (6.15pm)

13th January School Dance

20th January S3 Parents’ Consultation Evening (5-7pm)

24th January S5/6 Preliminary Exams begin

24th January to 28th January S5/6 Study Leave

9th February Parent School Partnership (6.15pm)

10th February Musical Theatre Cabaret Evening (6.30pm)

14th February to 18th February Holiday

21st February All resume

9th March Parent School Partnership (6.15pm)

15th March S4/5 Parents’ Information Evening (6.30pm)

22nd & 24th March S4 Coursing29th & 31st March S5 Coursing

6th April Spring Concert (7pm)

7th April S4/5 Course Choice Deadline

11th-25th April Holiday

26th April All resume

27th April S2 Parents’ Information Evening (6.30pm)

28th April S1 Parents’ Consultation Evening (5-7pm)

Knox Academy

Pencaitland Road

Haddington

EH41 4DT

www.ka-net.org.uk

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 01620 823387