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SpeysideHigh School

Mary Avenue
Aberlour
Banffshire
AB38 9QU /
Rector : Nigel Engstrand BA(Hons)
E / Tel No.01340 871522
Fax No. 01340 871098
Website:

Date: 3rd September 2013

All Parents / Guardians

Dear Parent/Guardian

As a parent or guardian of a child at SpeysideHigh School you are automatically a member of the Parent Forum and I would therefore like to invite you to its AGM on Wednesday 18thSeptember2013 at 7.00pm in the school's staffroom. This is an opportunity for parents to hear more about the Parent Council, who are accountable to the Parent Forum, and to raise any issues you might wish the Parent Council to look into. The meeting will be short and be followed by a Parent Council meeting that you would be verywelcome to attend.

New Clerk

The Parent Council is currently looking for someone to take over the role of clerk. The job involves taking the minutes at the meetings, sending out reminders and agendas and dealing with correspondence. Access to email and basic computer skills are desirable. The post does not require too much work and is paid at the rate of £100 per term (£400 a year). If anyone is interested in the post please contact me via the school office or come along to the meeting on the 18th September.

During the past year the Parent Council has been involved in a number of areas relating to the school.

New Fund Raising Group

The Parent Council is in the process of setting up a fundraising group, which hopes to increase community wide involvement in the school and help enhance the pupil’s experiences while studying at Speyside.Rod Jackson, a past member of the Parent Council, has identified a number of fundraising methods that are not labour intensive but give a good return on effort. Amongst these are; the Easy Fundraising initiative and the embryo development of a monthly sweepstake under the banner of Friends of Speyside High School. We now need a few volunteers to help launch the group and if anyone felt they could help please get in contact with me or come along to the meeting. This would not be a big commitment or require lots of time but could help to raise valuable funds for the school.

Extension to SchoolBuilding

The planned extension to the school that will see essential improvements to music, drama, changing room facilities and social areas in the school was given the go ahead by Moray Council this year following many years of campaigning by the Parent Council. Moray Council have agreed to accelerate the project and following planning permission being granted in April work should now commence in this school year. Mary Bourne, a member of the Parent Council is currently working on a project to provide integrated arts works for the new extension which will express the character of the school and the wider community and we are currently looking at ways of funding this project.

Curriculum for Excellence

The Parent Council continued to debate and discuss the new National examinations and the choices for S3 and S4 pupils. Members of the Parent Council attended useful sessions provided by Moray Council and the school kept the Council up to date with progress within the school.

Moray Council/.

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Moray Council Budget

The on-going budget restraints have been a concern this year, with the schools budget being cut on a year on year basis. They have also been fears over any possible management restructuring plans that could impact on the quality of the education provided at Speyside. The Parent Council will scrutinise all proposals put forward by Moray Council in the coming year.

Please find below the provisional Agenda for the Parent Forum and the Parent Council meeting.

Agenda for Parent Forum, 7pm on Wednesday 18th September 2013

  1. Welcome and Apologies
  2. Minutes ofAGMheld on19th September 2012and Matters Arising
  3. Chairperson’s Report
  4. Parent Council Financial Report
  5. Constitution
  6. Parent Council Membership

Agenda for Parent Council Meeting following on from the Parent Forum

1.Welcome and Apologies

2.Election of Office Bearers

3.Minute of last meeting of 15th May 2013 and Matters Arising

4.Art project for the new Extension

5.Parent Council Finance

6.Correspondence

Please do come along to the meeting, as we would like the Parent Council to be as representative as possible. If you are unable to make the meeting but have anything you would like to raise or would be able to help with the fundraising group please feel free to contact me via the school office. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible on the 18th September.

Yours sincerely

Tess Erginsoy

Chairperson

SpeysideHigh School Parent Council

Inspire /  / Include /  / Improve