General

Further to yesterday’s communication, I am writing to confirm that the strike action by non-teaching staff planned for next week is going ahead and that Culloden Academy will be closed to all pupils on Tuesday 26^th September, Wednesday 27^th September and Thursday 28^th September. Teaching staff will be in the building and whilst there is no expectation from the Council of live delivery, we are keen to minimise the loss of momentum in learning. For that reason, all teachers will be expected to upload some independent learning materials to Google Classroom for all classes each day.

I will take the opportunity to run additional Improvement focused meetings and staff development events but beyond that teachers will respond to queries and emails when available. It has been a really good start to term and I am concerned about the impact this disruption will have and the lost time for completing courses so please ensure your young person does log in and complete the appropriate tasks. If you have queries or concerns please contact your child’s Guidance teacher or contact Senior Management via culloden.academy@highland.gov.uk

Dr J Vance

Please see a letter from Highland Council below in connection with the planned strike action by UNISON next week. As it stands Culloden Academy will be closed to pupils Tuesday-Thursday of next week. However as the letter indicates, national discussions will be ongoing on Thursday which may yet cause the planned strike to be cancelled. Given this uncertainty we will email all parents and update the website again on Friday morning to confirm whether the strikes are proceeding and also how we will support learning if the strikes take place.

The Scottish Government is consulting on the introduction of a Human Rights Bill. The Scottish Government plans to introduce a new Human Rights Bill that will incorporate four United Nations human rights treaties into Scots Law.

The proposals aim to strengthen protection for the human rights of women and girls, disabled people, and minority ethnic communities. The Scottish Government also intends that the Bill will set out the right to a healthy environment and strengthen rights protection for LGBTI and older people.

The two leaflets below explain the process for this. Everyone in Scotland can take part in the Human Rights Bill consultation process at the link below.

The Scottish Government would like to hear directly from mums, dads, parents, and carers to help tackle vaping and e-cigarette use amongst children & young people.

Have your say about children & young people vaping – complete the survey by Monday, 28 August.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes and is completely anonymous – your name or any other contact details will not be taken.

The deadline for survey responses is Monday, 28 August.

All children can get a free vaccine against measles, an infectious viral illness that can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia and meningitis. Please see the letter below from NHS Scotland about what to do if your child has missed the measles vaccine.

School closed for the summer today, and Dr Vance issued this end of session letter to all parents and carers. It covers:

• SQA Results Process
• Key Dates for next term
• Staffing Changes
• Uniform
• Sports Day
• Mobile Phones

The winners of this season’s Maths Brain-Teaser Challenges:

• Bronze: Ailish Boyd S4
• Silver: Amy Lainton S5
• Gold: Freddie Hoare S3

Participants entered seven rounds of Brain-Teasers, gaining points for each correct answer. Well done to all who entered!

Happy Pride Day: 28^th June. The Pride Flag is on display in the social area today.

Pride Month was started to allow members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies to embrace their true identity and to celebrate their contributions to society. Pride Month is a month-long celebration that recognises LGBTQ+ people as a diverse and inclusive community; accepting of all. It is a time to acknowledge the challenges faced by this community and to stand in solidarity to break down barriers for equality, acceptance, and human rights. 

Today is the anniversary of The Stonewall Riots. These took place in New York City on June 28^th 1969 outside the Stonewall pub after police raided this venue to prevent LGBTQ+ people expressing their identity and being themselves. Every year since then, whole communities in many countries have marked the event with Pride Day/Pride Month when individuals and communities: campaign against discrimination, challenge prejudice, celebrate inclusivity and campaign for equal rights for LGBTQ+ people all around the world.

A big thank you to Lifescan for their visit to raise awareness of career and further education opportunities within the an industry situated right on our doorstep. Students from Higher and Advance Higher Maths classes were invited along to find out more about how their skills in maths could set them up for an amazing career in medical research and/or healthcare and the impact they could have on the future of diabetes management.