NEWSLETTER NO. 4 - FEBRUARY 2009

Dear Parent / Carer

Welcome to the first Parental Newsletter of 2009. This is an extremely important term for the vast majority of pupils in the school.     Pupils in S4, S5, S6 and some in S3 are on the final run-up to SQA examinations; S2 will shortly be making their choices for next session.

There is an extensive range of Parents’ Evenings and Options Evenings this term and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on these occasions.  Woodmill staff will be doing all we can to support pupils and parental involvement and encouragement are utterly invaluable if your child is going to attain the level of success which they deserve.

Important Dates this Term

S5
Thursday 19 March                 :         Options Evening for S6

S2
Thursday 5 March                   :         Options Evening

Study / Revision Aids

In school

Between now and the SQA examinations, individual staff and departments will be offering a range of additional study and revision opportunities to pupils.  For example, the maths department has organised a study weekend for Higher maths pupils at Heriot-Watt University.   I would encourage pupils to take advantage of all these opportunities where they are offered.

Websites

In addition to these supports, there are valuable revision websites which can be accessed either directly or through Woodmill’s own website by clicking on ‘Web Links’.  These sites are:

BBC Education :  Look for the ‘Browse’ section and click on ‘Bitesize’. There is a wide variety of study aids relating to most Standard Grade and Higher subjects

SQA: Click on ‘Services for Learners’.  This will give you access to past papers and other material for each SQA subject at every level.    The website also carries the SQA 2009 timetable which you can download and also use to plan an individual timetable.
Topmarks:  This site should be used very carefully as the majority of resources are geared at the English examination systems.  However, certain subject areas contain material specifically aimed at SQA examinations.

If in doubt about any of this material please contact staff at the school.

Standard Grade English Folios Deadline

The deadline for S4 and ‘fast track’ S3 pupils to have their folios completed for Standard Grade English is Monday 9 March.

High Expectations

The school has very high expectations for this year’s SQA examinations and we are committed to doing all we can to maintain the current improvement in attainment.

S4 are to be congratulated on their behaviour and attitude during their prelims: the invigilators commented to school staff on the high standard of pupil conduct.

S5 and S6 are expected to maintain this standard during the Senior prelims and it is essential that seniors do all they can to perform to the best of their abilities during this exam period.

Standards and Quality Report

A summary of the contents was published in the last Newsletter.  A copy of the full Report is available from Reception by request.

Success Stories

Since the last Newsletter, Woodmill pupils have continued to achieve at a very high level, both individually and as part of groups.   These are all detailed in the Newsletter but notable examples include:

Woodmill Interact Club

Woodmill’s Interact Club received its Charter from Rotary International at a ceremony in the school where the Club also handed over a cheque for £1000 to Leonard Cheshire International to aid their support of education for disabled children in Africa.

Woodmill had the pleasure of hosting a Canadian student, Nathan Stots, during October and November, as part of a Rotary exchange.   An account of Nathan’s Woodmill experiences is printed later on in the Newsletter.

Dunfermline Carnegie Trust – Courage Awards

Sophie Webb (S1) and Rachel Small (S6) both received ‘Courage’ awards from the Dunfermline Carnegie Trust in recognition of their bravery and determination in tackling severely adverse circumstances.

Football

Andrew Jackson and Jamie Clelland of S3 earned selection for the Fife U-15 team while Scott Pitblado of S5 earned selection for the Fife U-17 team.

Netball

Tiffany Concannon, Lauren Queen and Chloe Reilly of S3 were invited to attend the Scottish Netball development squad selection weekend.  Lauren was selected to be a member of Scottish U-15 squad and will train with it until the final team is selected in March.

Mel Rennie Quaich  :  Dunfermline United Burns Club

Zoe Cuthbert was awarded the Mel Rennie Quaich at the centenary dinner of the Dunfermline United Burns Club. This recognised Zoe’s outstanding successes in the 2008 Fife Schools Burns Competition.
 
National Theatre of Scotland

S3 pupils are now well advanced in the ‘Transform’ project which has its public performances in March.   Further details are contained later in this Newsletter.

Senior Charities

The S6 Charities campaign reaches its climax this term.  The target is £3000 to be shared between the Sierra Leone Association, the Sick Children’s Hospital in Edinburgh and SSAFA.  The seniors are well on track to achieve their target:  please support their activities this term.

‘Lessons from Auschwitz’

In November 2006, two of our seniors and a member of staff visited Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland with the support of the Holocaust Education Trust.
In November 2008, two of our current S6, Nick Fraser and David Walker made the visit and their accounts of their experiences are printed later in the Newsletter.

And Finally …………… Parental Questionnaire

Woodmill is committed to involving parents fully in the life of the school. One of the ways in which we do this is by giving you the opportunity to comment on our performance by means of an annual Parental Questionnaire.  This will be posted out to you shortly.

This questionnaire is an important element in the school’s programme of self-assessment and I would be grateful for as many returns as possible.

The deadline for returns is TUESDAY 10 MARCH.

Thank You

These continued achievements and successes of Woodmill pupils at regional and national level depend on the continuing and unstinting support of staff, parents and carers.   My thanks and appreciation go to all of you.

Yours faithfully

Michael J Gilmour                                                               

Michael J Gilmour
Rector

STAFF NEWS

DEPUTE RECTOR - DR WOOD

Dr Wood retired from Woodmill on Wednesday 11 February after just over 28 years’ service to the school.  Originally appointed to the school as Principal Teacher of Mathematics, Dr Wood was soon promoted to the post of Assistant Rector and had, for the past few years, held the post of Depute.  Always utterly committed to the welfare of the pupils in Woodmill, Dr Wood made a significant and long-lasting contribution to the continuing successes and smooth running of the school.  In addition to his work in the classroom, particularly during his time as head of Mathematics, Dr Wood’s duties as school timetabler meant he had a key role to play in the development of the curriculum and in ensuring the range of pupil subject choices was kept as wide as possible.  His advice was always well thought-out and geared to the best interests of pupils and his timetabling skills meant that the school timetable worked at the first time of asking year on year.  A keen skier and hill-walker, Dr Wood had ‘bagged’ all the Munros and, as one of the Trustees of the John Carswell Trust, supported pupils and former pupils in their bids for support from the Trust.   Dr Wood made notable appearances in school pantomimes and was a constant member of the school band, initially on trombone and then, when he had mastered the complexities of that instrument, taking to the tuba with equal success.   His membership of the noted Really Terrible Orchestra means that his skills will receive international attention when the RTO appears in New York!

Dr Wood was a respected, trusted and valued colleague who thought deeply about education and who was determined to seek the very highest standards in everything in which Woodmill was involved.   His devotion to the school, his clarity of thought and depth of humour along with his friendship were all of the very highest quality and we wish him all the very best for a long, busy and fulfilling retirement.

DEPUTE RECTOR - MISS SULLIVAN

As noted in the previous Newsletter, Miss Sullivan has joined us from Whitburn Academy, taking up post on 2 February.

ENGLISH

Mrs Fraser leaves us on Friday 27 February to start her maternity leave.  We wish her all the very best.

I am very happy to say that her post will be covered by two existing members of staff, Mrs Aitken and Mrs McIntosh on a job-share basis. Both are experienced English teachers who have taught in the Learning Support Department for a number of years. Their existing  knowledge of the school, the pupils and the English Department will mean that any disruption will be kept to a bare minimum.

MATHEMATICS

I am pleased to say that staffing in the maths department has been at full strength since the start of term when Miss Johnston joined us.   She is an experienced colleague and has quickly settled into the school.

NEWS FROM DEPARTMENTS

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

S2 Robotics Experience

Every member of S2 was given the chance to build and test a remotely controlled vehicle under the direction of a member of the Lecturing staff from Carnegie College. In the space of two periods the pupils designed and built their vehicle from card, masking tape and electronic parts from the college. The pupils were shown basic construction techniques and added their own imagination to produce vehicles that were radio controlled. Pupils had a free choice in the size and number of wheels they thought best for their design. It was then that vehicles were put to the test against all comers and finally the last design standing was the best-designed vehicle.

DRAMA

Int 2 Drama have spent this term working on bringing textual extracts to performance level.  One of the extracts was from Willy Russell’s play “Blood Brothers” which they presented to Mrs Fraser’s S4 English class.  The Int 2 pupils also went to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre to see a professional production of the musical, in preparation for their own mini production of the play in the 2nd half of this term.  Photographs of the performance are on display outside the drama studio.

GEOGRAPHY

Well done to Maddie Coussens, Charlotte Fletcher and Jonathan Peffers (Team 1) and Calvin Mowat, Rebecca Reed and Cameron Fletcher (Team 2) for their hard work and effort in the Fife Regional Geography Quiz Team Competition.  Team 2 (Woodmill Destroyers) got through to the final heat but unfortunately did not make it to the National heat but came third overall.  A good night was had by all and Kirkcaldy High School who hosted the event commented on the conduct and the high standard of all the competitors.  Well done!

HISTORY

Proud winners of the 1W5 History homework quiz.

Chloe McConkey, Ailish McKenna, Keli Dick, Colin Lindsay, Callum Fraser

MODERN STUDIES

Proud winners of the 1W3 Modern Studies homework quiz.

Natasha Scotland, Andie Rae, Emily McKenzie and Alexander Murrie

MATHS

Our Monthly puzzle competition has been growing in popularity making judging quite difficult.  December’s winner was Stuart Baynham S5 and January’s was Shelby Lynch of S4.  Here is February’s puzzle for you to try.

2 ticks = 3 clicks
4 clicks = 5 flicks
3 flicks = 4 picks
How many ticks make 600 picks?

Mrs Parsons has been running a very successful puzzle and games club on a Tuesday and Thursday lunchtime.

MUSIC

It has been a busy time for pupils and staff in the music department as we prepare for the next concert, the SPRING FLING on Wednesday 25 March at 7.30 pm.  It will include band, choir and strings as well as pieces composed by pupils as part of their SQA courses.  The theme is Folk and World music and lots of busy and enthusiastic pupils are rehearsing every week.  Tickets go on sale on 16 March at £4 each, available from the music department staff.

The concert will include a number of vocal solos following on from two very successful, but tough Masterclasses with Scottish Opera in which four pupils were put through their paces in vocal technique and performance practice.  A 2 hour workshop on 27 February was attended by Higher and Intermediate pupils taking SQA Practical exams this term and all gained a great deal of information and clarity about what a successful performance requires.  We look forward to amazing Practical marks in the forthcoming SQA practical exams which are being held on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 March.  Each pupil will play two instruments and each instrumental performance is worth 30% of their final grade.

Some members of the Higher class, as well as practising hard for their exams, have taken the opportunity to work with composer Philip Pinski from the National Theatre of Scotland to prepare music for a forthcoming new theatrical piece.

Finally, the department saw numerous pupils attend and perform at the Fife Festival of Music in January.  The adjudicators were all very positive in their comments and their feedback will be invaluable to young learners.  Not all results were available as we go to press but can be found on the Festival website.

PE (Netball)

1st Year
‘A’ squad v Auchmuty, Scottish Cup, 17-1 win.  Men of the Match, Eilidh Reid and Lauren McCall.
‘B’ and ‘C’ squads v Madras ‘A’, lost 16-0 and 14-0.  Men of the Match Eilidh Robinson and Lisa Johnston.
‘A’ squad v St Andrews, won 35-1.  Men of the Match, Jessie Concannon and Ailish McKenna.
‘A’ squad v Balerno, Scottish Cup, lost 45-28.  This means that they now move into the Plate competition.

2nd Year
‘A’ and ‘B’ v Buckhaven, both teams won 9-5.  Men of the Match, Sophie Balsillie and Jess Barrie.
‘A’ team  v Beath, lost 14-8.  Man of the Match, Jess Barrie.
2nd Year Fife tournament.  In the group games the girls beat Kirkcaldy and Beath ‘B’ then drew 7-7 with Auchmuty (the eventual winners).  They then played Madras ‘A’ and after tying at full time we lost in extra time.  Men of the Match, Laura Bowman and Kirstyn Barratt.

3rd Year
‘A’ team v Glenwood, won 20-3.  Girl of the Game, Tiffany Concannon.
‘B’ team v Glenwood, won 9-7.  Girl of the Game, Gemma Lane.
‘A’ team v Beath, won.  Girls of the Game Sally Whitehill and Lauren Queen.

Seniors
‘A’ team v St Margarets, Scottish Cup, won 35-10.  Man of the Match, Claire Sneddon.
‘B’ team v Glenwood, lost 11-9.  Man of the Match, Nicola Bett.
‘A’ team v Glenwood, won 25-1.  Men of the Match, Lynn Cowan and Zoe Sharp.

Congratulations are also due to Lauren Queen, Tiffany Concannon and Chloe Reilly, all S3, who were selected by the Scottish selectors for trials.  Lauren Queen has been selected and will now attend regular training in Dundee.

Congratulations also to Jessie Concannon, S1, who has been selected for a Fife Development squad.

FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM

First Aid Certificates

Well done to the group who obtained their Emergency First Aid certificate as part of the Kickstart programme.

Adventure Skills (Natural Connections)

A group of S3 students successfully completed the Adventure Skills element of the Natural Connections programme.  They participated in outdoor activities which included mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing and raft building.

OTHER NEWS

‘Diversifire’

In January a group of five S3 boys successfully completed an intensive one-week course with the Fife Fire and Rescue Service.  Four days were spent at Rosyth Fire Station working with ladders, hoses, hydrants and pumps and being trained in First Aid.  However the favourite activities took place at Headquarters in Thornton when the boys worked in darkness in the confined spaces of the breathing apparatus building and were also given an opportunity to extinguish real fires.

At the end of the week the boys gave an excellent presentation to family, friends and school staff, demonstrating the new skills they had learned.  Framed certificates were presented by the Station Manager to Alistair Forsyth, Darren Kirkpatrick, Jace Marshall, Lewis Ritchie and Jake Ternent.   
                         
SCHOOL TOILETS                

The campaign to improve the condition of the school toilets which has been run by an S4 Modern Studies class has resulted in Councillor Chapman, Chair of the Children’s Services Committee, visiting the school.  He has written to say how impressed he has been by the way in which our students organised themselves and has indicated that budgets for such repairs will be re-examined.

NATIONAL THEATRE OF SCOTLAND   -  ‘TRANSFORM’

You Tell Us What Was           
We Tell You What Is

A Major Theatre Education Project

A team of professional theatre artists from the National Theatre of Scotland have been leading a major theatre education project in Dunfermline since December 2008.  Transform Fife is created in partnership with students from Woodmill High School with contributions from members of the local community.  The Transform Fife project will culminate in a site-specific theatre event entitled You Tell Us What Was We Tell You What Is and the event will take place at Pilmuir Works in Dunfermline from 10th to 12th March 2009.

The creative team includes Ben Harrison and Jemima Levick as co-directors, Molly Taylor as Assistant Director, Becky Minto as Designer, Philip Pinsky as Sound Designer and Fleur Darkin as Choreographer.  The Transform Fife team have worked on the project with 150 students from Woodmill High School.  The resulting theatre event will be created by a company of 56 students, consisting of 25 performers, 7 musicians, 4 writers, and with a design, technical and stage management crew of 20.

You Tell Us What Was We tell You What Is explores the reality of being a fourteen year old in Scotland today – looking at the inner lives of young people as well as the ways they are perceived by an often uncomprehending adult world.  Working directly from the young people’s most personal materials, their music, their dreams and ambitions, their most cherished relationships and objects – the show celebrates the energy, ambition and possibility of change that young people can bring to their world.  The show involves drama, dance, creative writing, design, installation, song and music.

The collage-style, site-based event is set in Pilmuir Works, the former Dunlop Factory, the closure of which a few years ago remains a powerful local symbol of industrial decline.  Central to the development of the show has been the input of former employees from Pilmuir Works who have contributed stories about their time at the factory.

Transform is a major collaborative education project between National Theatre of Scotland Learn, Scottish Power Learning and the Scottish Government’s Determined to Succeed programme that allows schools and communities to transform their approaches to learning.  By bringing schools together with theatre professionals, communities and audiences, the partnerships produce high impact theatre events that use the local environment as a backdrop to tell compelling stories.  Transform aims to enthuse and motivate participants and enable them to develop key skills they can adopt in life and the world of work.

Transform was launched as a nationwide project in September 2007, with a view to involving up to 10 different communities in creating 10 pieces of site-specific theatre across Scotland by the end of 2009.  In 2008, successful Transform projects took place in the communities of Port Glasgow, Inverclyde in March and Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire in June.  In addition to Transform Fife, Transform projects began in Dumfries and East Renfrewshire in October 2008, with performances taking place in March and April.  Transform projects are taking place in Moray, Orkney and Caithness between April and June 2009 and a further two projects are due to take place in communities across Scotland by the end of 2009.
Listings
Location:        Pilmuir Works, Pilmuir Street, Dunfermline
Dates:             10th to 12th March
Times:            5 pm and 7.30 pm (no 5 pm performance on 10th March)
Tickets:           Free
                       Available from Carnegie Hall Box Office, East Port, Dunfermline
                       Tel: 01383 602302
                       E-mail: boxoffice.carnegie@attfife.org.uk

Special Requirements:
Access:           One part of the event will take place on the first floor of the venue, which is not fully accessible.  During this part of the event, a live video feed of the performance will be available for audience members to view on the ground floor, which is fully accessible.
Dress:             As the performance is taking place within a disused factory, audience members are advised to wear warm clothing and comfortable footwear for this event.

About National Theatre of Scotland Learn
National Theatre of Scotland Learn opens up great theatre experiences to as many people as possible across Scotland.  Since the launch of the National Theatre of Scotland in February 2006, National Theatre of Scotland Learn has created many educational and outreach theatre projects, involving over 74,000 participants and audience members, over 3000 workshops and over 85 schools in 26 Scottish local authority areas.

ONLINE INFORMATION: www.nationaltheatrescotland.com

The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government.

MYFIFE CARDS

All pupils at Woodmill High School require a Myfife card, including photograph, to use essential services within the school.  These services are:

• School library
• School transport
• School meals: cash is no longer accepted in the dining hall.  Pupils can load money onto their Myfife card within the school to buy lunch.  Cash is loaded automatically for pupils entitled to free school meals.

That’s not all.  The Myfife card can also provide your child with additional benefits and services, all free of charge:

• Young Scot membership, for discounts and advice
• Local leisure discounts during school holidays with Young Fifestyle
• Community library membership, to borrow books, CDs or browse the Internet for free
• Voluntary proof of age through the national PASS scheme, useful for cheap bus fares, going to the cinema or buying DVDs.

Information for pupils already using Myfife:

• Pupils are reminded to look after their cards and keep them in a safe place.

• If a pupil has lost or wilfully damaged their card they must come to the Phoenix Office to be given a temporary card – there will be a charge of £1.00 for temporary cards with immediate effect.

• A replacement Myfife card will incur a cost of £4.00 which must be paid before the card is placed on order.

• A letter will be sent home via pupil’s Guidance teacher, for any pupil who requests a new card due to loss or wilful damage, where a charge is incurred, to keep parents/carers informed of payment due.

• When a new card arrives in school the pupil concerned will be asked to come to the Phoenix Office to collect it.  Pupils must act upon this request at their earliest convenience, otherwise their card may be blocked.

• Pupils are reminded that they should not be sharing their cards with friends.  Any pupil caught doing this will be seen by their Year Head.

School Bus Transportation

• For those pupils who are entitled to free transport their Myfife card will show a bus logo and coloured dot associated to the appropriate bus route, in the bottom left-hand corner. Pupils who travel by bus must have the correct colour bus pass and show their pass to the driver when alighting the bus.

• If a pupil is entitled to free transport and stays late after school to participate in any type of extra-curricular activity, they can request a ‘Late Pass’ from the Main Office.  Please note however, that these can only be used (together with their Myfife card) for journeys or parts of journeys which commence by 6.30 p.m.  After 6.30 p.m. the ‘Late Passes’ are not valid.

• Any pupil remaining in school after 6.30 p.m. will, unfortunately, have to ensure that they have money to pay their own fare home or arrange alternative transport.

• If a pupil misses their bus home they should return to the Main Office area from where they will be able to use a school telephone to contact their parents free of charge to inform them of the delay and to make alternative arrangements.  We ask that all parents reinforce this point with their children to ensure that safety and communication are paramount.

• Any enquiries about the school’s side of bus transportation should be directed to Mr King (Business Manager) on 01383 602406.

REWARDS STAMPS - PUPIL GUIDE

The school has recently restructured our rewards system for all pupils in S1 – S6.   All departments have criteria for awarding stamps and a Pupil Guide will be issued to all pupils so that they are aware of what they have to do to earn stamps. 

A copy of the Pupil Guide is enclosed in this Newsletter.  If you do not receive one, please contact the school.

‘LESSONS FROM AUSCHWITZ’

These are the personal accounts of Nick Fraser and David Walker, both of S6, who visited Auschwitz-Birkenau in November 2008.

The effect of their experiences is clearly shown and both seniors have prepared presentations on their visit which they are now sharing with all S1 and S2 classes in the English Department.

Personal Reflective Essay on Auschwitz by Nicholas Fraser

I am going to write about my trip to Poland with the Holocaust Education Trust (HET) when we toured the Auschwitz camps.

Before I went on the trip with HET to Poland I knew a bit about the Holocaust.  Upon hearing about the trip to Auschwitz, I thought it would be a good educational trip to learn more about what went on at the Auschwitz camps and the conditions faced by the prisoners at the camps.  I also knew about the story of Anne Frank and her family.  I had seen some films on Auschwitz and about people who were imprisoned there and who went back to visit like Ziggy Shipper, a survivor of the Holocaust.  Before I attended the first seminar I thought the trip would be a tour in which I would learn a bit about the living conditions of the camps and what went on there.  I had no real idea as to the sheer magnitude of the camps until I got there.

Before our visit, we attended a seminar in Glasgow organised  by the HET.  The teachers from HET asked us questions about the Auschwitz camps such as should they be rebuilt or restored so other tourists could visit the camps and learn from them.  My views are that they should not be re-built but parts should be repaired if small parts are broken, as it is the buildings that stand now which hold the truth about what went on at the camps.  We got a very interesting talk from Ziggy Shipper who was a Holocaust survivor and his story inspired me as he never gave up and his friends always stood by him and did not let him down. His story gave me an extended view of what went on at the camps as he was talking from first hand experience.  Another thing I learned was that no matter how much he told us about what went on we could never get the full effect of what went on in the camps.  They also talked to us about bystanders and proprietors at the seminar, which they expanded on when we were in the camps.

Before I left for Poland, I did not know what to expect from the trip.  One thing which everyone talks about is that no birds sit on the trees surrounding the camp, I wanted to see if this was true or not and try to think about why this was.  As we arrived at Auschwitz, which was in a town, the place looked a bit too like a tourist attraction, which shocked me.  Once inside the camp, the outside world seemed to disappear as if we had left the town and arrived in a quiet countryside.  At Auschwitz-Birkenau, the first thing that shocked me was the sheer size of the camp; the amount of people crammed into one barrack was truly breathtaking and harrowing.  This was furthered by the appalling conditions of the camp like the toilets they had to use and the content of the real life pictures from back when Auschwitz was running as a death camp.

After the whole experience, I found the trip very educational.  The teachers were very good as they gave us many ideas to think about on the trip.  For example, if people who were train drivers had said no to take innocent people to the camps, what might have been the outcome?  More people saved?  I left the camp feeling a mixture of deep sorrow and relief that I live in a country where such atrocities do not exist.  Yet, history is set and my thoughts and my feelings are truly changed because of the trip and the things that were said at the camps.  Hearing about the ordeals of people held at the camps changed my thinking.  My original thoughts of just a tour around the camps were truly changed by the teachers, as it was more about learning about individuals rather than about a mass of people.  The fact that the birds do not sit on the trees surrounding the camps shows that what went on at the camps was truly horrific.  What I found most moving was that if we were to hold a minute’s silence for every person who died at the camp we would need to stay silent for four years.

Reflective Statement – Auschwitz by David Walker

When I was chosen to visit Poland, I was excited to have the opportunity to learn about a terrible period of time when so many people were executed during a period of mass genocide.

Firstly, my friend and I had to go to a seminar before the trip where we met a holocaust survivor whose story was inspirational especially since he was so young at the time.  It made me think of how lucky I am and the easy life that my friends and I grow up with.  After meeting our group and team leader we discussed what we wanted to find out and learn about from our trip to the Auschwitz camps.

When we arrived at Glasgow airport, early in the morning, I was anxious about what I would see and discover.  A few hours later and we arrived at Krakow and boarded a bus which took us to the village of Oswiecim.  Here we visited a Jewish centre and a synagogue in which we learned of the large Jewish population which used to live in the town before.  To learn that there were none left here was a shock.  When we arrived at Auschwitz One, which was mainly occupied by political Polish and Soviet troops, we saw the famous gates ARBEIT MACHT FREI (work shall set you free).  Though the letter B was upside down, so a warning to the people who entered the camp.  There I saw huts which brought to life the chilling images I had only previously seen in TV documentaries.  In the Now museum there were the mountains of hair and bags left over which were collected from the Jews, which was truly a shocking site.  I was especially shocked by the amount of human hair in one room, which made my stomach turn.  Later we saw prison cells in which I saw where people were forced to stand for days at a time.  Learning about what had happened here brought home to me how different it was to the stories I had heard.  It is not until you get there do you fully understand what has happened and why it happened in the first place and the extent of this horrific period of history.

After the visit we went to Auschwitz-Birkenau where the Jews were mainly sent and so many lost their lives.  When I first saw the main entrance and the famous railway tracks that lead into the camp I was left speechless by the thought of the hundreds of thousands of people that went in but never came out.  Inside we were shown the living arrangements, which were terrifying just thinking of the number of people that had to sleep in these inhumane conditions. 
The saying ‘seeing is believing’ is certainly true and seeing the scale of the camp which I never realised before that day.  For all the ethnic groups, Jews, Gypsies, Roma people and many others it must have been haunting as you saw the smoke coming up from the gas chambers and furnaces and knowing that you wouldn’t get out alive.  After the living conditions our group walked along the railway lines, which made me think of the very people who stood where I was standing.  We then saw the gas chambers which took my breath away and sent a shiver up my spine to think of how they must have felt just before the end game, surrounded by strangers as the gas took hold of them.  The truth is though we can never know, as my generation today and maybe the one before cannot comprehend how you can feel when you know death is coming.  Just before we left the camp the Rabbi led the prayers as we all lit remembrance candles and laid them on the tracks which had brought death to the people.  As I turned to look at all the candles it is a sight and feeling I will never forget because I know I am doing my part not just to remember the number that died but the individuals which Birkenau took from us before their time.

When we arrived back at Glasgow Airport, I had a feeling of achievement that I had undertaken this trip and seen for myself the horrors of the holocaust so I can now tell others of the people who died and to try and remember them and not to forget them.  A week later we were back at the second seminar.  Now that we have had enough time to reflect in plentiful time on our experience to the Auschwitz camps we could tell others in our groups our own thoughts and feelings and explain why it should never happen again.

ROTARY CLUB CANADIAN EXCHANGE   -  NATHAN STOTS

Woodmill had the pleasure of Nathan’s company during October and November last year.  As well as being a very popular and impressive ambassador for his country, Nathan has provided us with this account of his Scottish visit.

My Trip to Scotland

It all started when I volunteered at the Scarborough Rotary Ribfest last summer.  While I was volunteering I met a Scottish couple, Councillor Joe Rosiejak and his wife Dorothy, who were also helping out while visiting their friends from the Rotary, Ruth and Gary, who were running the Ribfest.  I had always been interested in Scotland and started asking questions about everything from highland cows to castles.  In the end they offered me the opportunity to go to Scotland and attend school there for a month.  I have always wanted to visit Scotland and jumped at the opportunity.

Living with Joe and Dorothy Rosiejak

Living in Scotland was a great eye opener and showed me a different way of life.  I was able to see and do much more than a normal tourist would have.  Staying with Joe and Dorothy was great.  It was a bit different than living at home but I respected their rules and we got along fine.  They were kind enough to show me many things in and around Dunfermline and drove me around the country.  We went all the way up to Inverness, and as far south as the borders.  They were very nice; they put up with my curiosity, showed me Scottish foods, told me about history and taught me many Scottish words.  They even showed me how to cook new foods.  Joe and Dorothy also passed on knowledge from their work experience and shared with me a lot of useful advice.  Thank you Joe and Dorothy for making me feel so welcome in your home and for your kindness and generosity.

Scottish School

Going to school was great; all of the teachers and students were very friendly and made me feel welcome.  After a week I felt like I had been there for years.  Many of the students were very curious and bombarded me with questions at the beginning but I didn’t mind as long as they answered my questions too.  It was interesting seeing how the school differed from mine in Canada.  In Scotland, Year 6 is the equivalent to Canada’s grade 12.  My grade (year 6) had so few people, while in Canada students need to stay until year 6 to graduate high school.  At my school we have over 300 students in year 6.  I had fun on all the school trips.  We went to St Andrews University, the drive safe presentation, and the play “A streetcar named desire”.  I had a great time at the Halloween disco; I loved helping out and scaring students who went on the haunted tour of Woodmill.  I made friends and enjoyed hanging out outside of school, seeing the new James Bond movie, randomly going to ASDA, and miniputting in the snow.  I had a fantastic time and miss everyone. 

Where I went/what I liked

Going to Scotland was a great experience that I will never forget.  I was able to see Edinburgh and the famous Edinburgh Castle, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, St Andrews, Inverness and Loch Ness (but no Nessie!), the Wallace Monument, Stirling and the borders.  I was amazed at how much history Scotland has and at all of the old churches and buildings that I saw everywhere.  In Canada they aren’t so common. I was also amazed at all the great views in Scotland and especially loved the highland countryside.  The temperature in Scotland was not what I expected.  I thought that it would be freezing because it was farther north than Toronto but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t.  I learned that it is the ocean currents that keep Scotland from being really cold.  I loved seeing the highland cows and being able to feed Hamish the highland cow.  I enjoyed Guy Fawkes Day, also called bonfire night, and the fireworks astounded me.  They were way better than any I have seen in Toronto.  I also liked hearing Scottish words and finding out about the different meanings of them.  I love the Scottish accent and even tried to learn one but failed horribly and had to settle with being able to say “loch” correctly.

Knowledge I Gained

Living in Scotland was a great eye opener.  I learned about a different way of life.  I learned how to live well with others (outside of family).  I learned that I’m able to live away from home for over a month and that I’m self sufficient enough to take a flight overseas by myself.  I was also given a lot of advice on life in general from Joe and Dorothy.

Conclusion

Without this opportunity of going to school in Scotland it would have probably been many years before I would have been able to travel here.  I am very grateful that I was able to have this experience.  Thank you Joe and Dorothy for putting up with me and thank you to all of your friends who took the time for me and helped me enjoy my stay in Scotland.  Thank you to Mr Gilmour and the students at Woodmill High School and everyone else who made my stay in Scotland as enjoyable as it was. I’m in Canada now but my experiences in Scotland will stay with me for the rest of my life.  I had a great time and miss everyone!

CREATIVE WRITING

The standard of imaginative writing is very high and pupils are always encouraged to develop their mastery of the craft of writing.    Here is a very good example of the standard in Woodmill from Kyle Black of 1G4.

Winter Poem

Harsh and bitter frost floating through air,
spitting on the crowds
spreading its despair
Laughter in the snow,
a hero in the gloom,
A mere pitied fool among sledges.

Wind harsh and cruel.
It is a rampaging monster,
The hail a castle siege.
Hell releases all its rage,
here comes another ice age.

But fun is here and there,
the simple joy of sleigh rides,
Screams like a fun fair.
Trees weeping with icicles,
Like a cursed hero forced to be a monster.

The season to be jolly is a twisted game,
When nature has its months of shame.

ECO COMMITTEE

The eco committee have been continuing with their recycling initiatives.  5D1 and Ms Millar have been working particularly hard on recycling waste they find around school.  The seniors on the eco committee have been selling smoothies and fruit at some break times as well.

You can help us by having a clear-out at home and sending unwanted clothes, shoes, belts, towels and bed linen to school for Mrs Urquhart (C12) or Mr Maxton (G14). The date for collection is Tuesday 17 March.