07/03/2023
Minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2023, approved at this evening's meeting, are below -
LHS Parent Council Meeting
Tuesday 24th January 2023
Present: Shona Fleming (Chair), Dee Collins (Treasurer), Louise Pescod, Maria MacRae, Nicola Mair, Jen Deschenes, Jane Halewood, Rachel Tonks, Anna Trafford, Lisa Wharton, Scott Steele (HT) and Yvonne Clark (PT)
Apologies: Alison Stephen, Sarah Fanet (Councillor)
Welcome: The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Previous Minutes: Proposed – DC Seconded – LP
Treasurers Report:
Current balance (10/01/23) £2,680.33
Change of Signatories – matter still ongoing. RBS Mandate team investigated what has gone
wrong. Hopefully should be resolved this week.
Head Teachers Report:
Glencoe House
- holding a Prize Bingo evening to raise funds to create an outdoor learning area
- requesting bottle donations for bottle stall
- more information to follow
Last Term
- two successful school dances and the return of the Talent Show
- all events very successful
Curriculum
- reconstructing the school’s curriculum
- consult at next Parent Council meeting re proposals
- currently 3:3 model (S1-S3 + S4-S6) considering 2:2:2 model (S1+S2, S3+S4,S5+S6)
- why do it – gives pupils more time to deepen learning.
Lets
- authority not clear as to what is chargeable
- school should not be charged for core school activities such as Concerts, Parents Evenings etc
Support Your Child SQA Exams Event
- Gillian Baxter and Learning & Teaching Leadership Group organizing an event for parents/carers for S4-S6 pupils
- help parents/carers support their children in preparation for their SQA exams – highlight resources and study techniques
Violent Incident 19/02/22
- widely reported on different forums but largely inaccurate
- school began interviews immediately & evidence gathering on Monday 19th December & subsequently Tuesday 20th & Wednesday 21st.
- as evidence was gathered at each stage of the investigation action was immediately taken by the school with those pupils involved starting on Monday 19th
- investigations were hampered by not being able to contact certain pupils
- the Police have been involved and the school has been helping Police with their investigation
- since the incident there has been a Police presence in the area (lunchtime/after school)
- parents of all involved have been contacted and several pupils have been excluded
- a letter was sent to the wider school community on the 9th January 2023 relating to the incident
- the incident and the wider topic of violence has been addressed in school assemblies, Tutor Support classes, the Police are coming into the school to speak with pupils and drop-in sessions for parents have been arranged
- there was another incident last week in town at night which has been wrongly linked to the school by the media
- the school has taken wider interventions by involving external bodies to support pupils – Police, Education Psychologists, Lochaber Hope & school nurses
- the assembled members were reassured by the actions the school has taken and voiced their support for the school
- members requested more reassurance, especially for those pupils in primary coming to LHS and more communication
- there was a request for a statement to the press but the school cannot do this themselves as it has to come from Highland Council
- Scott took on board comments and reassured that these will taken into account in moving forward
The full Head Teachers Report is published below:
Incident in December
There was a violent incident at Farmfoods at lunchtime on Monday 19 December. The incident ended up in the press and social media. As ever, through such forums there were many inaccuracies, and S. Steele took the opportunity to clarify the school’s position.
When the school became aware of the incident investigations began at 2pm the afternoon of Monday 19 December. In the interviews that took place that afternoon, accounts were varied, confused to a certain degree and unclear. However, S. Steele managed to access one piece of video evidence that afternoon. Action was immediately taken with those pupils who were depicted in the video. By the end of the day all we had was one piece of video evidence and the statements of some pupils. There was no other available evidence.
On Tuesday morning, Mr Steele received further evidence which informed the next stage of the investigation which led to further action being taken with those involved. In addition, when the school received further evidence on the Wednesday, it was only then there was confidence the school had captured all the protagonists involved. Along with other relevant Depute Head Teachers, we have pursued this investigation relentlessly. The gradual revelation of reliable evidence is the reason behind any perceived delay in dealing with pupils who were clearly involved, and in each case when evidence emerged, we acted.
Since the incident, the school has been in contact with the police on several occasions, we helped the police in their investigation and have an agreement with the police about an increase in presence at Farmfoods and the surrounding area at lunchtimes and after school. This increase in police presence has begun.
Mr Steele sent a letter to the wider parent body on Monday 9 January and has been in contact with the parents of all involved. Several pupils have been excluded. Furthermore, Mr Steele enlisted additional interventions from other agencies for specific individuals.
Mr Steele led assemblies on the afternoon of Monday 9 January where it was made clear about the school’s expectations on bullying, relationships, and responsible use of social media. All guidance Principal Teachers and senior leaders were present across the different assemblies and are all familiar with this case. It has already been arranged for such key messages to be further explored during Tutor Support led by our guidance Principal Teachers. In addition, our local police have begun the process of speaking with S1 pupils in their Tutor Support classes. This will progress into S2, S3 and beyond.
Our Educational Psychologist team were on site to support any young person following the incident this week and support from the school nursing team and Lochaber Hope are also options on offer.
Mr Steele normally arranges drop-in sessions, however as Head Teacher he will undertake to increase the frequency of these drop-in sessions with the particular purpose of exploring any issues around this serious incident.
Health and Well Being Report:
- Christmas Discos – more than half the school attended, pupils behaviour excellent
- more Podcasts scheduled (Share an Hour Change A Life / Connecting Young Carers)
- supporting pupils with exam stress
- LHS Highland Games scheduled for June
The National Discussion
- previously consultation exercise led to The Curriculum for Excellence
- Scottish Government are repeating the exercise with the National Discussion
- what should we be teaching young people in the 21st Century – lots of things currently in existence (career pathways etc)
Funding Requests
- Glencoe House - £60 for an adapted bicycle. Funding approved DC to reimburse school
- Parents Night Booking System - £908 (Year licence & Virtual Appointments). Funding approved
Parents Nights
- no plans presently to go face to face
- virtual more efficient and supplemented with Guidance & Pupil Support
- parents can approach the school at any time
- noted that it can be hard for parents who have never met the teachers in person
Social Seating
- put into canteen and the main are within the school
School Security Review
- poly tunnel vandelised further
- CCTV internally on ground floor but not externally
- system reviewed, camera locations identified & submitted to the Authority but no response as yet
- SS will keep chasing & update accordingly
Format of Parent Council Meetings
- Zoom / In person
- noted zoom is easier to attend but several preferred in person option
- will alternate the next couple of meetings and see how it affects attendance
- next meeting will be zoom with the following meeting in person
AOB
- Website – will be updated with current information re Parent Council Office Bearers & dates of meetings
- Christmas Dances – possibility of having a photo booth
- LHS Text messages – seem to come from a variety of telephone numbers which is resulting in some confusion. Can they come from one number?
Next Meeting Tuesday 7th March 2023 7pm Zoom
