Rector's Newsletter - June 2006

Dear Parents, Former Pupils and Friends of Dollar Academy,

Visitors to Sports Weekend saw Dollar at its best. The sun shone frequently; there were perhaps two drops of rain; every activity went ahead as scheduled. The Shakespearian space opera, Return to the Forbidden Planet, had a wide appeal, and parents and friends were embarrassed to confess that not only did they recognise the music, but they knew almost every one of the lyrics in addition. The producer, Mr Stewart Gibb, and his excellent supporting team deserve great praise as does Miss Sally Horne, the producer of Annie, the Junior School musical, which had run to packed houses the previous week. The acting and singing in both shows were of remarkably high calibre.

From the Thursday of Sports Weekend, Dollar’s top athletes were seen at all age groups, from the Prep School upwards; there was much athleticism in addition during the marquee event on Saturday evening featuring the music of Craig McMurdo’s That Swing Thang; the school tennis and cricket teams took great pleasure in beating their elders in the main events of the Sunday. The focus on Sunday once again was the remarkable performance of the pipe band under the guidance of Mr Craig Stewart and Mr David Methven. The pipe band has now won the Independent Schools CCF Pipes and Drums Competition an unprecedented seven years in a row. The excellence of the band’s performance is unquestionable; even more exciting is the fact that so many young people in the Academy are playing chanter, pipes and drums as the pipe band family keeps growing.

The last weeks of term have seen many of our young people out on expeditions. The D of E was particularly challenging this summer because of extremely poor weather conditions in Wester Ross; Biology field trips, Prep and Junior outings and the now traditional Form VI outing to Mount Stuart all kept people very busy. Innovations took place, such as the Form I Activities Day; and there is nothing more characteristic of collaborative learning in Dollar than the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, which again brought together Prep 1 and Form VI for an al fresco lunch.

The Form VI Summer Ball has passed; farewells are being said to those leaving Dollar Academy; but once again, as we look back on a remarkable year in the history of the school, it is the seamless blending of Dollar past, present and future which is unique. I thank everyone for the genuine commitment throughout session 2005-2006.

John Robertson
Rector

PUPILS

Athletics
Kathryn Gillespie (P5) came 1st in the 800m in the JSV Forth Valley meeting in May.

In the Senior meeting, Form I boys (Captain, Ruaridh Cameron) were placed 2nd, Form II boys (Captain, Kerr Wishart) 2nd, and Form III (Captain, Courtenay Morrison) were placed 1st; the Form I girls (Captain, Rachel Mills) were 1st as were the Form II girls (Captain, Ellen Houston).

In the Scottish Schools Championships U-17, there were a number of medal winners: Caitlyn Mackie (IV) took Gold in the Hammer, Silver in the Shot and Bronze in the Discus; Rhianydd Parry (IV) Gold in the Discus; Michael Gillespie (V) Silver in the 5,000m and Rowena Bell-Scott (VI) Bronze in the 3,000m.

The following Dollar pupils were selected for the Forth Valley Regional team for the Inter-District Matches in late June: Adam Dearden and Rachel Mills (both I); Anthony Gillespie, Kerr Wishart, Ewan Torrance, Ellen Houston and Stephanie Hanley (all Form II).

Caitlyn Mackie and Rhianydd Parry have now been chosen to represent Scotland in the SIAB Athletics Match in mid-July at Grangemouth.

Ballroom Dancing
Emma Lamont, Gabriella Kohler and Gemma Beaton (all VI) have been presented with their Scottish Award 2 level plaques for their achievements in Latin American and Rock’n’Roll dancing this year.

Basketball
The Crimpson Vipers won the Form II Basketball tournament this year. Manveer Bahia was also the top scorer in the tournament.

Biology
On 1 June, Mrs Marjorie Smith was one of the speakers at the Institute of Biology Day in Stirling University. Amy Brenkel, who left the Academy at the end of last year, was awarded the Institute’s prize for the top mark in Higher Biotechnology in 2005.

Cricket
The 1st XI had a mixed season, but there were some good results in a number of matches, particularly in the defeats of the Glasgow schools and, for the first time, MCC. They convincingly beat a strong Rector’s XI at Sports Weekend. The Junior teams, however, saw some tremendous performances, with particular mention having to be made of the Form II squads. The Form II A group went through the season undefeated, with many of the boys showing enormous concentration and skill. Peter Ross (II), along with his brother James (III) have been inspirational in their respective teams; the prodigious scoring feats of Scott Weir (II) when he had scored more than 250 runs before he was dismissed for the first time this season, will remain long in the memory. There are many good cricketers in the Academy at present.

Downhill Ski Racing
Scott Laughland (IV) was placed 2nd in the Youth category of the Scottish Downhill Association Competition.

Football
Mark Tollerton (IV) was part of the Bonnybridge Youth Football Club U-16 team which won the Preston Tournament at Easter. He was awarded “Hero of the Tournament” as a result of his outstanding goalkeeping.

Equestrian Vaulting
In the Italian Equestrian Vaulting CVI** Competition, Joanne (VI) and Hannah Eccles (III) once again met with success. Joanne was placed 1st in the Senior Female Individual class, and the pair took 1st place in the Pas-de-deux class, the first time that British vaulters have achieved these two first places. The two girls have now been selected to represent Great Britain at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen. They are also part of the Scottish team.

Fencing
In the Scottish Schools Team Championship the Dollar team of Amy Duffus, Isla Winchester (both II) and Ruth Clarke (I) came 1st in the U-15 Girls Foil, winning all their matches. Isla became Scottish U-14 Sabre Champion. Other medallists in the Scottish Youth Series were Amy Duffus, 3rd in the U-14 Epée and Ruth Clarke, 3rd in the U-14 Foil. Fiona Winchester (V) has been selected for the Scottish team at the UK School Games this summer.

Head Boy, Head Girl and Deputies for session 2006-2007
The following appointments were made for next session: Head Boy – Angus Sutherland; Head Girl – Julie Fergusson; Deputies – Lisa Hammond, Finlay Hay, Jenny Macdonald and Gregor Ross.

Hockey
Elizabeth Shedden and Caroline Brewster (both II) won Silver medals for their performance in the Inter-District U-15 tournament when they represented Midlands. The most improved Form I Hockey Player’s award this year was shared in the A team between Charlie Hogarth and Nicole Abel; Alex Kirby (I) won the B team award.

Mathematics
Fourteen Junior 2 pupils won awards in this year’s Mathematical Challenge competition. Alexandra Dewar and Scott Cubitt won Gold; Lewis Macdonald, Rosie Keith, Jonathan Hood and Stephanie Dick won Silver and Collette Crawford, William Cunningham, John Devine, Cameron McKenzie, Calum McMillan, Sam Tarvet, Catherine Wishart and Calum Worsley won Bronze.

Pipe Band
In the 2006 Scottish Schools CCF Pipes and Drums Competition hosted by Glenalmond, the Dollar band once again triumphed in circumstances which were made particularly difficult because of the weather. The band competition itself had to be held indoors, much to the disappointment of spectators and indeed of Glenalmond itself which was looking particularly beautiful. Dollar this year entered two bands; overall in the competition, there were ninety soloists and nine bands and the results once again reflected hugely on the work of Mr Craig Stewart, Mr David Methven and the other instructors. Callum Martin (IV) was placed 2nd in the Drum Majors’ Cadre; in Junior Drumming, Louise Carson (I) was placed 1st and Ruth Clarke (I) placed 2nd; Lewis Vanstone (IV) was 2nd in Intermediate Drumming; Sean Sarafilovic (IV) won the Intermediate Piping with Ross Hammond (III) in 3rd place; Robbie Jones (III) was placed 3rd in Junior Piping. In the Base and Tenor Competition, Katy Simpson (IV) collected the trophy won by Dollar, and there was great rejoicing when Pipe Major Sean Sarafilovic collected the trophy for Dollar Academy which had won the overall competition.

Dollar has now won the Scottish Schools CCF Pipes and Drums Competition for seven years in a row, significantly the longest winning run in its history. Once again, despite the rain, the band took great pleasure from parading through the town from the Castle Campbell Hotel, up the West Burnside, along Academy Place to an impromptu performance in front of the school early on Sunday evening.

Prep and Junior Notes

• Fraser Pock (P5) won Gold in Freestyle Swimming and Silver in the other three strokes as well as the Prospect Insurance Trophy for his age group.

• Calum Macdonald (J1) took the trophy for the Best Boy in the Dollarphins Gala after coming 1st in all his races.

• Gavin Hay (P1) won the Mini Championship of the Show Hunter Pony section at the British Show Pony Society Scottish Championship for the class involving children up to age eleven. Gavin is five. His brother James (P5) came 1st in the Royal Highland Show in the Open Show Hunter Pony class, and 6th in the Mountain and Moorland Novice. Gavin got a 5th place in the Mountain and Moorland Leid Rein at the RHS in addition.

• Eve Kilgour (J2) was one of the winning team in the recent display at the Balwearie Gymnastics Club.

Shooting
The shooting team continues in the same vein as in previous years, retaining its title as Scottish Schools Champions at Castlelaw at the start of May. The team’s success continuied at Barry Buddon where our A and B teams were placed 1st and 2nd in the CCF Ashburton. Eight of the shooting team were away at the CCF pipe band competition in mid-June so it was particularly pleasing that an under-strength shooting team retained the Brock Shield at Castlelaw.

Table Tennis
Corinna Whitaker (IV) won Player of the Tournament in the recent national competition held in Doncaster. She won the Band 2 event and narrowly lost out in the final of the Band 1. She was delighted to be awarded the Player of the Tournament trophy. She has also been selected to play in the UK School Games in September as well as in the British Schools Championships on the Isle of Man.

Tae Kwan Do
Callum Wishart (III) has had a wonderful year in this sport. Last May he won Gold in the British U-15 Individual and Sparring competition; he was part of the British U-15 team which won Sparring and Patterns Golds in October; again in May this year, he won the British Individual Sparring Gold U-15 immediately after winning Scottish Individual Sparring Gold at U-17. This September, he will be competing in Australia in the World Championships at U-18 level.

DEBATING

Summer term has seen the most outstanding performances ever by Dollar debaters. The Junior debating team of Laura Sugden and Catriona Basquill (both III) won the English-Speaking Union National Debating Competition, defeating teams from Dundee, Dumfries and Newcastle in the Scottish Final held in the Scottish Parliament; ten days later, the Senior debating team of Katie Trim and Tarni Duhré (both IV) won the Donald Dewar Trophy presented by The Law Society of Scotland for their powerful performance in the main chamber of the Scottish Parliament. Their opponents were Hutchesons’ Grammar School, Carnoustie High School and Earlston High School. Over 150 teams had entered the competition, and the two young Dollar debaters were commanding in their performance.

The following week, almost inevitably, the same partnership won the Dollar Academy Debating Competition held in the school library. Laura and Catriona have spent two days in London, visiting amongst other environments the House of Commons and the House of Lords under the guidance of Baroness Smith and Gordon Banks, MP. As a distinctive feature of the Senior debate, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Mr George Reid (FP), supervised the final. He did, quite understandably, declare an interest, but stressed that he would take no part in the judging. Mrs Murray and Mr McFadyean’s coaching of debating is very much appreciated.

Tennis
The tennis teams had a most successful season, winning the vast majority of their matches, and many by a large margin. The girls met with particular success in the Kilgraston tournaments, where the following key results were recorded: in the U-14 tournament, Alicia Robinson (I) and Naomi Forbes (II) were the winners, with Emma Donoghue and Kirsten Duff (both II) runners-up; the winners of the senior tournament were Emily Bain (V) and Alicia Robinson.

Triathlon
In early June, James Smith (IV) became the youngest person ever to compete in the 70 Wild Miles Adult Triathlon held at Glencoe. He cycled 47 miles, canoed 10 miles down the length of Loch Etive and ran for 13 miles. All of this was completed in six hours twenty three minutes, which put him easily in reach of the top performers.

NASA
Robbie Kirk (IV) visited the Scottish Space School and met several astronauts and one cosmonaut on an excellent day arranged by Careers Scotland. Robbie now hopes to be selected to go on a ten day trip to NASA in Houston as a result.

FORMER PUPILS

Information has been received regarding a number of recent former pupils who are graduating this summer. While formal notification has still to arrive from universities, we have heard of some outstanding success: Laela Adamson, Hilary Cooper, Serena Elliot and Caroline Baird have all gained 1st Class Honours degrees, and Alethea Drane has gained an MBChB from the University of Manchester. Further details will be supplied in the next newsletter.

NEWS

Argyll House

Mr and Mrs Waddell, after twelve years of outstanding work as houseparents of Argyll House, have decided to return to family life. Mrs Sandra Brooks (Modern Languages) and her husband Dr Jason Brooks, who currently teaches Mathematics at Glenalmond, have been appointed to Argyll as houseparents. Mr and Mrs Waddell are thanked for their tremendous contribution, and we wish Dr and Mrs Brooks every success.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
During every weekend in the past month, Duke of Edinburgh groups have been out and about – some in the nearby Ochils, some in Knoydart and groups in the far north-west in the lunar landscapes of Inchnadamph. The support offered by the team of colleagues involved with these major expeditions is greatly valued.

Knitting Club
A successful development this year has been seen in the Home Economics Department where a Knitting Club has been set up. Mrs McFarlane’s Enterprise Club for Junior 2 combined with Mrs Kean’s expertise in knitting to good effect, and a large number of pupils enjoyed the process of developing their knitting skills. Some splendid scarves were thus sold as part of Enterprise 11 just before Mother’s Day.

Brian Monteith MSP in Dollar
Mr Brian Monteith visited Dollar recently in the light of our excellent boarding report. In his letter the following day, he wrote, “May I add that the standards of boarding accommodation and pastoral care were very impressive; they are in fact of the standard against which others should be assessed. You can quote me on that if you wish.”

Prep 5 Book Group
Twenty four pupils signed up for the Prep 5 Book Group organised by Mrs Hazel Duncan this year. An equal number of boys and girls had a wonderful opportunity to discuss the books they had read. They entered a competition to ask the children’s author Jacqueline Wilson a question. The group’s winning question was: What do you think Tracy Beaker will be like when she is forty? They were thus able to meet Jacqueline Wilson at the macrobert and they also were captivated when TheScotsman writer Katie Grant visited them in February and shared the story of her Great Uncle Frank, the last person to be hanged, drawn and quartered. Above all, the group had a wonderful time.

UCAS Evening
A large number of parents and pupils attended the UCAS evening which was held in the Academy in mid May. Presenters from universities throughout Scotland, along with gap year specialists, provided very stimulating question and answer sessions. Mrs Lesley Hutchison, who organised the evening, was delighted with the work of the prefects under the direction of Rowena Bell-Scott, the Head Girl. A large number of the presenters commented on the support shown by members of Form VI on what was a very busy evening.

We say farewell to a number of colleagues at the end of this term: Miss Helen Prifti (Modern Languages) goes off to develop further European projects; Mr Nick Carr and Miss Helen Walker (both English) go off to teaching posts in Colchester and George Watson’s College respectively; and Dr Joanne Walker (Classics) will be returning to the world of taxation accounting. Mrs Ros Leslie is thanked for her year of teaching in the Maths Department while covering Mrs Fiona Stewart’s maternity leave. At the end of this term, Mrs Cath Kelly, Mrs Karen Thomson and Dr Shona Scheuerl go on maternity leave, and a number of colleagues will be welcomed to the Academy at the start of next session to cover for these leaves of absence.

During summer term, Mrs Kelly has been Acting Head of Year in Form I during Mr Blezard’s absence through ill health; Mr Cameron Smith is to be thanked for his work as Acting Head of Form II during Mrs McGirr’s leave of absence; Mrs Catherine Childs has been Acting Assistant Head of Form I during Mr Blezard’s absence; Mrs Gill McFadyean and Mrs Anne Gibson have provided cover in the Junior School during Mrs Siobhan Adamson’s maternity leave, and we have been fortunate, during the extensive involvement of senior colleagues during SQA procedures that we have a strong supply of teachers who have been ready to assist with day-to-day work here.

Mr Duncan Wills, our Chief Invigilator with SQA, is to be thanked for his management of an increasingly complex examination process. We very much appreciate the sensitive control he provides throughout the examination spell.

This term has seen the arrival in the Academy community of two very new additions – Jenny, daughter of Dr Bill Beveridge (Head of Chemistry) and his wife Vicky (née Browne, formerly of the Biology Department) and Cara, daughter of Mrs Siobhan Adamson (Junior School) and Mr Kenny Birrell.

Mrs Marjorie Smith (Biotechnology) gave a presentation at the retrial of former HMIe Dr Jack Jackson OBE. Dr Jackson has been closely involved with the Biotechnology developments here in the Academy.

We are very grateful to Mrs Pamela Griffiths (Art & Design) who has assisted in the department during the first part of Mrs McGirr’s maternity leave.

Mr David Hall gave a presentation to the Association of Classics Teachers in Scotland on the use of film in Classical Studies; his talk was very well received.

The golfers on Dollar’s staff are to be congratulated on their retention of the Robertson Rose Bowl, after their annual match with the staff of Stewart’s Melville. The result this year was a narrow victory, and there have been rumours of intensive training undertaken by the Stewart’s Melville staff throughout the winter.

HELP PLEASE

Supermarket Vouchers
Over 30,000 Tesco vouchers have been sent to Mr Marchant for the purchase of computers. Parents are thanked, and asked to send any remaining Tesco vouchers to Mr Marchant at the Academy as quickly as possible. While the promotion has ended in Tesco, there will be a number of vouchers still to be collected.

Donations of Books
Ms Frances Breslin, the Librarian, has been delighted to receive a number of donations of books recently from parents, staff and pupils. In every case, the books are “newish”, and have been languishing on shelves at home. She will be very pleased to accept books which people are clearing out, and can assure the wider Dollar community that these books will be given a very good home. We were particularly pleased to receive a collection of books from Professor Ian Brown, FP, who had taught Drama at Queen Margaret University College in Edinburgh.

Geography Trip to Morocco in 2007
Miss Cowan would be pleased to hear from anyone interested in the last two places on the trip scheduled for Easter 2007.

UKCAT Test
Those applying for entry to Medicine, Dentistry and Vet in 2007 are reminded that they should complete the UKCAT test this summer prior to submission of application forms.

MAIN DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Thrift Shop Opening – 2:30pm – 4:00pm (2nd and 4th Thursday of the month)

The Thrift Shop will also be open on the afternoon of Wednesday 23 August, before term starts on the 24th.