Minerva Spring 2016

M I N E R VA THE NEWSLETTER OF KELVINSIDE ACADEMY SPRING 2016

Welcome to our new Rector

MINERVA Early on the Tuesday of my induction week, I rounded a corner at KA and collided with a life sized frog! This was a frog who was making good pace en route to his Junior 6 show rehearsal; his enthusiasm pleased me, as I place great value on what are sometimes described as traditional characteristics, such as punctuality, determination and commitment. I did see my webbed footed friend again later in the week, along with the rest of Junior 6, when they wowed a packed Gilchrist Theatre with their performance of A Grimm Night for Hans Christian Andersen. Mr Dickenson and his team deserve a very warm well done indeed – I feel sure that everyone left the school that night having had a good giggle.

Dear Parents, It is with a great sense of pride that I sit down to write my first introduction for the excellent Minerva. Throughout my application for the post of Rector I reviewed much of the back catalogue, and I could not help but be impressed by the stories which exemplified the richness of a Kelvinside Academy education.

When it comes to education, I firmly believe that the whole child is the whole point. Yes, our pupils must leave school with an excellent set of exam results, but we also need to equip them with a real depth of character if they are to succeed in the world beyond Kirklee Road.

Indeed, what drew me to Kelvinside Academy was the opportunity to lead an inclusive allthrough Scottish school, which demonstrates that academic success and rounded personal development need not be mutually exclusive.

As I write, I have just completed my induction at KA and I feel compelled to share some of my experiences from what I believe was not an atypical week at the school in late March.

These experiences certainly substantiated my initial impressions of Kelvinside and its special brand of education. I hope my reflections begin to give you a feel for your new Rector, as well as bringing everyone up to speed with some goings-on at the school.

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During lunch on Wednesday, my new colleagues were taking good care of me in the dining hall, when four giant model birds appeared to fly through the Kennedy Mall at eye level. Underneath the birds, who I believe may belong to the Accipitridae family (forgive me, but I did begin my career in education as a teacher of biology and I did promise that I would try and share some of myself in this article), were teams of S2 pupils who, it transpired, had created the striking models as part of an inter-house competition. The birds, their creators and the competition impressed me. It is certainly refreshing to arrive at a school where creativity has not been marginalised in pursuit of far narrower curricular goals. If we accept that a core goal of education is to prepare pupils for an ever changing world, then schools who do not create conditions for creative thinking across all subject areas are surely short-changing their pupils. As I watched the birds settle in Reception, I was reminded of Einstein’s belief that we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. I think he would have been proud of the creative thinking and actions of our S2.

It was a privilege to interview a number of my new colleagues for a Head of Year pastoral role on Thursday morning. The field was impressive, and at a time when media

SPRING 2016 headlines rightly bring our attention to child mental health issues, I felt reassured to know that we have outstanding pastoral leaders in our common room. In fact, as I have come to know KA, I have been struck by the strong relationships between pupils and their teachers. Pupils, parents, colleagues, Governors and Academicals have all been quick to impress upon me the importance of the Kelvinside Family, and I consider myself very fortunate to join a school that places an emphasis on promoting, building and sustaining healthy relationships. I place great importance on the capacity to show kindness, and given my welcome to KA, I suspect warmth and empathy are at the very core of the Kelvinside community.

Later on Thursday, Dominic Ferrie (S2) gave one of the best pupil presentations that I have ever witnessed. Dominic outlined the research that he conducted, after being sidelined with a rugby injury earlier this session, into the architectural history of KA. Dominic spoke with confidence and composure as he provided assembled members of the teaching staff with an overview of the three books (!) which he has written to report his findings. Alongside warmth and creativity, academic rigour must occupy a place at the core of our School. And for me, Dominic’s research symbolises the deep and productive learning which should emerge from Kelvinside Academy.

Whilst discussing academic matters, I must also mention the Junior 5 Maths lesson which I observed, by chance, in the Kennedy Mall. At first I thought I was observing a Drama class, as the pupils were all dressed in medieval costume. However, on closer inspection, I could see that projectiles were being fired from model trebuchets which the pupils had built themselves. Indeed, what I was witnessing was a test of model design effectiveness. So effective were the catapults in fact that the pupils were using trundle wheels to measure the distances travelled by the projectiles. What made the whole thing even more impressive in my mind was that the trebuchet project and resulting lessons were borne out of a recent

school trip to a medieval site. For the past two years I have carried out research throughout UK schools with Cambridge University into effective teaching and learning. Pleasingly, the trebuchet lesson demonstrated that innovative teaching practice is very much alive at KA. Friday was April Fools’ day, and with it members of S6 decided to move all of the contents (and I do mean all, furniture too) of Allan Gilliland’s office to the theatre for his final assembly. This removal job was far more tribute than prank, as evidenced by the fond address given by School Captain Louis Green (S6) to the retiring Rector at the assembly. I should like to take this opportunity to thank Allan personally for all the time he has given me over the past few months to ensure a smooth handover. I know the School community will also join me in thanking Allan for the sterling service he has given to KA, in various guises, over the years. I wish Allan all the best for retirement and I look forward to welcoming him to the Bute Hall for Prize Giving as our guest of honour at the end of the Summer Term.

I hope this article has given you a sense of some of the things I stand for and believe in.

Having witnessed a busy week in the life of KA first hand, I thought it a far more interesting topic than my own back story. However, I am conscious that those who want to know more about me can access additional information through our website (www.kelvinsideacademy. org.uk/News/ID/496/Welcome-to-Mr-IanMunro). I also intend to hold a ‘meet the new Rector’ evening at Balgray on 12 May 2016.

With both a new Chairman in Donald Wilson and Rector at the helm, Kelvinside is entering a new chapter. However, schools are bigger than individuals, and I look forward to meeting all members of the KA family in the weeks ahead so that together we can build a secure, ambitious and inspiring future for the School.

Ian H Munro Rector 3

MINERVA

Nursery Shiver me Timbers The children voted for the role play area to be turned into a pirate ship. They all worked hard to make it and are now enjoying the results.

Muddy Puddles The weather this term was challenging but the nursery pupils made the most of it. They were out

Transported out and about The children have shown a keen interest in the local area by asking about the passing traffic, so the key workers decided to take the learning forward and explore the local community. They visited Hyndland Train Station, Buchanan Bus Station and Riverside Museum. They undertook a traffic survey on Great Western Road and practised their road safety.

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in the fresh air playing in the mud, splashing in puddles and sliding down hills. They are so lucky to have all that outdoor space.

SPRING 2016

Junior School J5 trip to Abernethy ‘We took turns to do all the activities. We really liked the tannoy announcements. We enjoyed making our own lunches and the breakfasts were good. It was a bit scary when we went to bed and some of the others didn’t feel too good. We learned that working together is good, especially on the low ropes activities. We also realised that everyone speaking over each other isn’t helpful but giving support and cheering for others when they were doing the high ropes was a great thing to do. The archery was really good – Mrs Flanigan got a bull’s-eye! We learned how to live for two days without technology, without our parents and having to tidy up after ourselves!’

Julia Graham (J5) and Louis Coubrough (J5)

Euroquiz

Junior 1 are learning about how their bodies work. They went to the Science Centre to learn about all the senses.

Gaelic Discovery for J4 Junior 4 had a fantastic introduction to the Gaelic language as part of their Scotland topic. Mrs Rosemary Ward, Director of the Gaelic Books Council, engaged the children in the spoken word and brought along a selection of Gaelic books to share.

The Junior 6 Euroquiz team, Jenny Martin, Araia Urquiza Pereira, Skye McAlonan and James MacCuish went to the Glasgow heats of Euroquiz at St Albert’s Primary School, Pollokshields.

They competed with 17 other schools to answer questions on European history, culture, languages and politics. The team from Kelvinside Academy were in the top two after 4 rounds (in the first three rounds, out of 40 questions, they got all but 5 right). In the end they lost 8 - 6 in the final round and finished runners-up. However, the team which had enthusiastically prepared for the quiz over a number of months (guided by Mrs Paterson) enjoyed the event enormously.

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MINERVA

Junior School J3 to grow seeds from space!

Junior 3 pupils are preparing to become space biologists and embark on a voyage of discovery by growing seeds that have been into space.

In September, 2kg of rocket seeds were flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on Soyuz 44S where they will spend several months in microgravity before returning to Earth in March 2016. The seeds have been sent as part of Rocket Science, an educational project launched by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and the UK Space Agency.

won’t know which seed packet contains which seeds until all results have been collected by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and analysed by professional biostatisticians.

The out-of-this-world, nationwide science experiment will enable the pupils to think more about how we could preserve human life on another planet in the future, what astronauts need to survive long-term missions in space and the difficulties surrounding growing fresh food in challenging climates.

Mrs Laird-Jones, Junior 3 teacher says: “We are very excited to be taking part in Rocket Science. This experiment is a fantastic way of teaching our pupils to think more scientifically and share their findings with the whole school. We are so pleased that our application was successful.”

We will be one of the lucky schools to receive a packet of 100 seeds from space, which we will grow alongside seeds that haven’t been to space and measure the differences over seven weeks. The pupils

Letter from Udaipur Junior 3 received lovely letters from Class 2 at The Junior Study in Udaipur, telling them all about their school and their Diwali celebrations. They have written back to them to let them know all about life in Scotland and at Kelvinside Academy. They are looking forward to hearing back from the children as this is just the start of our school link up.

Infant Choir

Eco Committee

The Infant Choir, of Junior 2 and Junior 3 pupils, performed a selection of training songs to their parents and the Nursery children in the Pavilion at Balgray.

It was a lovely opportunity to showcase to parents what goes on during our choir sessions and to inspire the little ones to join the choir when they come up to Junior School.

The Junior School Eco Committee held a very successful recycling event. The committee are grateful to the many Junior School children who contributed their old clothes for recycling and earned us money to invest in some future initiatives.

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SPRING 2016 Scottish Children’s Book Awards J5 children had the chance to become literary critics this term when they took part in selecting the best children’s book of the year. Pupils studied three new novels and voted for their favourite, before enjoying a day out to meet the authors at the Scottish Book Trust award ceremony in Glasgow.

The overall winner was a book called The Nowhere Emporium, by Ross MacKenzie. Jack Dalziel (J5) represented the school at the national news conference about the awards, appearing on STV news and in a number of national newspapers.

Afterwards, Daniel Frame (J5) wrote: “The J5 trip to the Scottish Book Awards was amazing! We saw the authors of The Fastest Boy in the World (Elizabeth Laird), The Mysteries of Ravenstorm Island (Gillian Philip) and The Nowhere Emporium.

I loved the Book Awards because you got to hear what inspired the authors to make the books.”

J5 pupils have now formed their own Writers’ Club and are busy preparing a new publication. Watch out for a future best-seller!

David Martin MEP visited J6 as an introduction to their new topic ‘Europe’ ‘The MEP Mr Martin came to talk to us. We learned more about what it is like to be a member of the European Parliament. We had some interesting discussions about the EU referendum vote and about the Euro. The talk really helped our Euroquiz team and they ended up coming runners up in the Glasgow round of the competition. I learned a lot and I can’t wait to see what happens on 23 June.’

Gordon Bratt (J6)

Risk Factory Junior 6 visited the Risk Factory, an interactive safety centre, in Edinburgh. The children learned how to deal with or avoid risks in a variety of situations.

‘My favourite scenario was the one with the fire drill. I had to make a tough decision; we had to call 999 to get help.’ Nicholas Sproule (J6)

We saw eleven scenarios including staying safe near trains, on the road and in the home. My favourite scenario was the fire emergency. Our group leader just left us in a room and then an alarm started ringing. I thought that it was a real fire, but it turned out to be fake! I enjoyed it the most because it seemed the most realistic.

Unlike the other scenarios, it was testing your reactions, not just spotting the dangers.

Nicholas Chew (J6)

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MINERVA

Junior School J6 Present – A Grimm Night for Hans Christian Andersen The chance to see the Junior 6 show arrived at the end of March and the current cohort did not disappoint. The play was based on the rather contrived idea that the brothers Grimm have lost patience with Hans Christian Andersen’s plagiarising ways and have issued an ultimatum for him to ‘hang up his quill’. Instead, Hans persuades the pair of writers to go head-to-head with him in a contest to see who the better story-tellers are. The audience were left to judge between a number of scenes from famous fairy tales, except there was a vital twist. Every story had been updated for the modern age, resulting in an Ugly Duckling who seeks to deal with her image problems through plastic surgery and liposuction, a Steadfast Tin Soldier who seeks compensation for his latest accident through a ‘no win, no fee’ consultation with a lawyer and an emperor (he of ‘no clothes’ fame) who goes on a TV programme called ‘Makeover Magic’ to see if he can modernise his wardrobe.

With a witty script from author Sue Gordon, the play had plenty of comic highlights and an impressive number of cameo roles that offered almost everyone a medium sized part (quite unusual in any play for 40 or so actors). The

Emma Campbell, Benson Murray, Harrison Beveridge 8

triumvirate with the title roles (Joseph Scott as Hans Christian Andersen; Gilli Jones as Jacob Grimm and Adrian Chew as Wilhelm Grimm) – started the show (after a very funny prologue featuring Joe Cleary as annoyed narrator to Rhishay Sinha’s mischievous elf!).

The Grimm brothers in gangster mode were hugely entertaining as they tried to browbeat the urbane Hans Christian Andersen into premature retirement. The performances of these three boys were accomplished, each of them bringing new mannerisms and expressions to their characters with each rehearsal.

Other stand-out performances featured Prithika Selvendran as the Little Mermaid, Jessica Leese as the Princess (of the Pea) and Jenny Martin as Doll. Prithika came to her role with so much advance preparation that she needed almost no coaching. Her petulant, foot-stamping character – totally different from Prithika’s own modest and calm personality – was a wonderful comic creation.

Jessica too reinvented herself for the occasion as a shrill and insufferable member of the aristocracy, with an accent straight from Eton College. Jenny Martin has a naturally quiet voice but she slowed everything down and enunciated clearly to be heard throughout the Theatre – even in the hilarious scene where she speaks like a ventriloquist after too many injections of Botox!

Everybody who saw the show will have their favourite scene. Mine was ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’. This send-up of reality TV was scripted beautifully and gave the performers – Harrison Beveridge and Emma Campbell a wonderful opportunity to ham it up, while Benson Murray, the bemused Emperor, looked on. The dialogue was tricky to learn, involving so many one-line comments going back and forth, but the progress they made from first rehearsal to ultimate performance was huge and their work was enjoyed immensely by an appreciative audience.

Araia Urquiza Pereira, Joseph Scott

SPRING 2016

Luis Ryan, Cody McLaughlin This show was an eloquent reminder that it’s not all about the performance – though these children put on a fabulously entertaining piece – but about the character-building that goes on while collaborating to bring such an ambitious enterprise to fruition.

There were children who have more confidence now than before, children who surprised themselves in achieving something they did not feel they would manage and the whole thing was an exercise in resilience, perseverance and endurance (at every rehearsal – except the Dress Rehearsal, thankfully - there were people absent through illness or recovering from being ill). The phrase, “the show must go on” typified the spirit of the cast and they were justifiably jubilant on Friday morning (April Fools’ Day as it turned out!) when it was all over.

Staff and parents who made a significant contribution to the success of the show are too many to mention, but a few deserve special credit. Our musicians, Mrs Cunningham and Miss Crichton worked with the soloists to make each song a dramatic as well as musical moment, with coordinated actions to match the beautiful singing.

Gilli Jones, Adrian Chew Mr Armet on sound and lighting supported the whole cast through the final week. But the main credit goes to a small team of three: the indefatigable class teachers, Mrs Paterson and Mrs McAllister who worked tirelessly on preparing costumes and props, taught the whole cast their songs and choreographed the crowd scenes and Mr Dickenson who handled casting, coaching the actors and running the rehearsals. We are very proud of what our young charges have achieved – they have set the bar very high for future years!

Mr Dickenson, Head of Junior School

Ava Neilson, Tess Neilson, Kenn Dennis, Owen Thaw

Summerlee On Friday 4 March, Junior 2 visited Summerlee Museum as part of their When Gran Was a Girl topic. In the morning they explored the museum before taking a tram ride into the past which took them to homes from different decades in the last century. In the afternoon, everyone took part in a workshop where they learned more about school and home life in Gran’s day. After trying out washboards and mangles, old toys and a traditional grocer’s shop the day was rounded off with a dance to “Do You Love Me” with everyone donning either waistcoats or skirts to really look the part. It was a very successful trip which was not only great fun but also added a lot to everyone’s understanding of what life was like when their grandparents were younger.

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MINERVA Gardening Club The Gardening Club have been busy getting the Junior School garden ready for Spring. They have tidied up all the sticks and leaves, planted daffodil bulbs and made bird feeders to encourage more birds to visit the garden. They have also been working on a minibeast hotel made from old pallets and various materials brought in from home by the Gardening Club members. Hopefully there will be lots of minibeasts checked in to the hotel by the Summer!

J5 Rwanda Project Pupils in Junior 5 are reaching out across continents to forge new links with children in Africa.

A partnership project began at Christmas, connecting J5 boys and girls with a group of children who have lost their parents and are looked after in the community village of Nibakure in Rwanda.

Junior 5 pupils wrote cards to their partners and organised a collection of school equipment, with generous assistance from parents who gave up

their time to come into school and help with the festive wrapping.

Louise Kemp (J5) and Sophie Sproule (J5) wrote: “The lady who organised this project was called Dawn. She came to Kelvinside Academy to talk to us about the boys and girls and what they get for Christmas. That was when we decided to give them a little Christmas cheer. Then our teachers Mrs Flanigan and Mrs Henderson paired us up with our new pen pals.”

“In class we made fun Christmas cards and we bought pens, pencils and nice shiny new pencil cases. Then we thought we would add a nice merry Christmas message that they could watch on the big day. As a year group, we had a tea party to wrap up all the gifts for our pen pals.”

The Nibukare children spent Christmas Day watching the film which had been made by the children of Kelvinside. J5 pupils are now looking forward to continuing the relationship when they receive messages back from their new friends in Africa.

J5 at Glasgow University and Stirling Castle

university where they listened to lectures and took part in a question and answer session.

Junior 5 pupils joined in an unusual collaboration with Glasgow University psychology department as they worked on their medieval history topic this term.

The project continued with a visit to Stirling Castle.

The psychologists were interested in discovering more about how children can benefit from doing some of their learning outdoors.

They accompanied J5 on an archaeological ‘dig’ in the woods, where the children built castles and conducted a scientific inquiry into battle tactics. They also staged their own medieval fair in the playground.

In return, the children got a behind-the-scenes tour of the psychology department at the 10

Lucas Codona (J5) wrote: “The Stirling Castle trip was amazing! I really enjoyed it. It just felt extremely good that I was standing in this majestic old castle that had actually been in many wars. You could even see the Wallace Monument from the castle. It was an honour to be there.”

Near the end of the project, the Junior 5 children took to the stage to entertain their parents with their own version of a tale about the Knights of the Round Table.

They said it was a ‘knight’ to remember!

SPRING 2016

Senior School Jamie Andrew Inspirational Visit Former pupil Jamie Andrew (1987) talked to SP-S6 pupils about his experience in the French Alps when he lost his best friend and had such extreme frostbite that doctors had to amputate all four of his limbs. His life story, which started in the classrooms of KA, is told in his book ‘Life and Limb’.

Jamie’s inspirational talk told of his early goal of being able to brush his teeth by himself.

His positive attitude to life has seen him, as a quadruple amputee, climb, ski, run and snowboard.

He has now climbed Ben Nevis, Kilimanjaro and is

currently planning another attempt on summiting the Matterhorn.

His story of courage, endurance, resilience and never giving up was uniquely inspiring and uplifting for all of our pupils and staff who were lucky enough to spend time with him.

Holocaust Memorial Day To mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January, pupils watched a live stream of the testimony of the Holocaust survivor Rudi Oppenheimer. This was a national event and 30,000 students across the country took part and it was even featured in Newsround. Several pupils produced pieces of work that were presented to Rudi at a later date to show their gratitude and appreciation. He was absolutely delighted with them. Rudi is pictured with a moving piece of work by Hannah Aaron (S1).

Gifts of the Sea Congratulations to everyone who entered the 3D Art Competition.

This years theme was The Seaside and special emphasis was placed on pupils recycling household items.

The judges were bowled over by the inventiveness and sheer beauty of Heidi Brown’s mermaid.

The winners were: 1st - Heidi Brown (S2) 2nd – Archie Speirs (S1) Joint runners up - Mia Cousins (SP) and Lola Buchanan (S1)

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MINERVA

Madeline Cairnduff (S5)

KA’s Got Talent KA’s Got Talent night was an opportunity for pupils to perform any expressive art they wished, raising money for two good causes in the process.

The first being the Glasgow Old Peoples Welfare Association which is a local hands on, self-funded, charity that have spent 65 years serving the elderly through their Support Services. The other was the Community Projects in the Cloud Forest Reserve, Ecuador, where those pupils involved shall live on a farm, taking part in daily activities, and also get involved with the local community and the small primary school nearby.

“I participated in KA’s got talent; the night was extremely enjoyable, providing lots of entertainment and many varieties of talent. I played a sonatina on piano at grade 6 level. At first I was extremely nervous, but the audience were very warm and welcoming, making me feel much more confident about playing. The judges were extremely entertaining and lightened the scary prospect of playing in front of a large audience. It would be amazing to have another fundraiser like this, as I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Honor McAlpine (S4).

Numerous artists took part ranging from solo clarsach through to pianists and a full on rock band.

They all performed superbly well, especially in front of a theatre full of strangers; uniting the audience in their love of music.

Separating the leading acts proved far more difficult than expected with the judges taking their time, perhaps intentionally, to announce the winners. In 4th place was Molly Fraser (SP) playing the clarsach; in 3rd place was Mahee Mustafa (S5) rapping the theme tune to Game of Thrones, Arya’s Prayer; in 2nd place was Hannah McGregor (S4) performing her own song - she is certainly someone to look out for in the future. The coveted 1st place, ten house points and a private flight over Loch Lomond, went to Plastic Youth who simply owned the stage with their stunning performance and on stage presence.

One group who were not united were the dreaded judges - Mr Gilius, Mr O’Neil, Miss Orr and Mrs Clark. Simon Cowell (Mr Gilius) stayed in character throughout and true to form provided some particularly scathing comments towards the young performers. Thankfully the other judges were not so harsh and saw the talent for what it was, young aspirants performing music that they love.

The judges’ comments were certainly a welcome addition to the evening, providing added humour and sense of occasion.

Plastic Youth - Jack Graham (S5), Adam Graham (S3), Aidan Sloan (S5) 12

Ben Paget (S5)

Mahee Mustafa (S5)

SPRING 2016

Spring Concert

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MINERVA

Music Glasgow Music Festival Congratulations to the Junior Choir who won 1st place at the Glasgow Music Festival. The Intermediate and Senior Choirs both came in 2nd place in their categories.

This was a huge achievement for the senior choir who were only beaten into 2nd place by the music school at Douglas Academy.

The Nursery children recited a poem called ‘Animals Houses’. The adjudicator said “The different animals were clearly shown, movement was apt and they finished joyously. It was well rehearsed disciplined work”.

Lewis Ip (S2) won 2nd place in the piano solos B class

Intermediate Music Competition Congratulations to the winners of the Intermediate Music Competition: S2 and S3 class: 1st place - James Kemp (S2) - Piano - “Spanish Dance.”

2nd place - Sasha Decker (S3) - Saxophone “Spanish Love Song.”

Senior Prep and S1 class: 1st place Rachel Gray (SP) - Piano - “Witches Dance.”

2nd place - Tara Smith (S1) - Bassoon - “The Flight of The Earls.”

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Harrison Beveridge (J6) won 2nd place in his viola class.

SPRING 2016

After their success at last year’s Glasgow Music Festival, the S2 girls’ Drama group were victorious in a new Creative category with a revised piece entitled “It’s Just A Game”. The plot was devised from the stimulus, the board game Cluedo and was entirely their own ideas and dialogue.

WOSIS Course Poppy MacGeachy (S5) and Indie Muir (S6) took part in the March WOSIS course. They were both playing 1st Saxophone.

Congratulations to Andrew McCall (S4) who took on the coveted role of soloist in a recent concert in Bearsden. He played four guitar pieces to an appreciative audience.

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MINERVA

Sporting Honours A number of our pupils gave outstanding performances on National platforms this term and made Kelvinside Academy very proud of them.

National Handball The Scotland U16 Boys Team featured five KA pupils during their recent tour to Iceland, one of the top handball nations. Our S4 pupils scored crucial goals and made match winning saves to win 2 out of 3 matches. Zander Geddes, Euan Brady, Ben Geary, Hamish Bottomley and Hardie Brown are also hoping to travel to a European Tournament in Hungary over the Summer.

Six of our S4 girls travelled with the U16 Girls Team, who unfortunately lost all 3 of their matches against the tough Icelandic opposition. Hannah McGregor, Cameron Faulds, Monica Sloan, Chloe Gibson, Scarlett Green and Colette Elliott.

The School’s representation in the National Handball squads increased further this term as 6 boys from S2 who have been selected for the U14 Boys Scotland squad. James Kemp, Jamie Gray, Ewan McManus, Charlie Kerr, Tom Graham and Ben Houston.

Rugby After captaining the Scotland U16 rugby team last year, Paul Cairncross (S6) was selected for the Scotland U18 squad that played against England.

Hooker Paul also travelled to Wales with the team at Easter.

Rowing Rowing Captain Rachel Cannon (S6) is continuing her presence at the top of Scottish Schools Rowing and has recently achieved the Great Britain qualifying time which means that she will do further trialling with the top UK Rowers. This is a fantastic achievement.

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SPRING 2016

Skiing At the English Alpine Championships in Bormio, Italy, skier Sophia Wallace (S2) was 3rd Scottish skier home in the U14s for both Giant Slalom and Super G categories. She was 21st overall with skiers from all over Europe.

Judo After her Silver medal last term in the National Championships, Sophie McNeill (SP) moved up a weight and age group and secured bronze at the Ultimate Judo Open Championships in Edinburgh.

She has now been selected to join the Scottish Judo Talent Development Squad with the hope of representing Scotland and Great Britain in the future.

Scottish Goal!

S5 pupil Lucy Findlay returned from injury in style with her first goal for the Scotland U18 hockey team. Lucy was playing for the Scottish team against Ireland in a match that marked the start of the squad’s preparation for the EuroHockey U18 Nations Championship being held in Glasgow this July.

Athletics After winning the Glasgow Schools U13 Girls Cross Country Race by over 300m, Lily Evans Haggerty (S1) won gold at the Scottish Schools U14 Cross Country Championships in Irvine the following day.

She gave two very impressive displays of distance running. Lily also made the final of the U16 girls 1500m at the Scottish Schools Indoor Athletics Championships which, aged just 12, is a remarkable achievement.

Hockey The Senior Prep A hockey team have enjoyed a fantastic winning streak this season. After reaching the final of the Jordanhill Primary 7 Tournament they were unlucky to lose to The High School of Glasgow in running penalties. However, at the Glasgow Academy Tournament the following week, against school teams from all over Scotland, they emerged victorious after again going to running penalties against The High School of Glasgow. It is the first time ever that Kelvinside Academy has won this tournament.

(back row) Skye McMurdo, Evie Smith, Ella Ritchie, Isla Bottomley, Emma Williams (front row) Molly Whillance, Christie Burns, Mia Cousins, Skye Stuart, Nico Rigg MacInnes, Charlotte Reid 17

MINERVA

Junior Sport New Rugby 7s Tournament This event, held for the first time this year was organised by Mr Craig Lawson, Head of Junior School Sport. Hosted at Balgray, Junior 5 and 6 boys were joined by Hutcheson’s Grammar School, Glasgow Academy, The High School of Glasgow and played a round robin tournament in A and B teams for each year group.

With 15 minutes of end-toend rugby per match, this event involved much more playing time than boys would normally have on a Saturday morning fixture, so it was a test of fitness and stamina, as well as skill and speed.

Matches were close and tackling was good, though with the extra space made available by having fewer players on the field, players with real pace could on occasion run the length of the pitch to score if they managed to get into space. The most interesting matches were those that

were closely fought, none more exciting than the J5A team’s final match – against Glasgow Academy.

Having won their previous two games the team went into this match to see if they could remain unbeaten: the score changed every few minutes leaving the outcome uncertain right to the end, Kelvinside Academy eventually winning 4-3.

Team J5A - Cameron Reid, Mark Wilson, Iain Maclean, Louis Coubrough, Mikey Trainer, Rhuari Laughlin, Mackenzie Craig, Jack Dalziel

Cross Country Boys and girls in P5, P6 and P7 gave strong performances at the Glasgow Schools Primary Championships at Nether Pollok in February. There were some excellent individual highlights: Sophie

In terms of results, the tournament was a success for the hosts – overall our teams secured a comfortable second place.

More important was the spirit in which the games were played – competitive but good humoured – and the great support from parents of all four schools.

Mr Lawson got a stirring round of applause when he addressed the players, coaches and supporters and a strong endorsement of his suggestion that this could become a regular spring event in the sporting calendar.

Mr Dickenson, Head of Junior School

Sproule finished 5th out of 157 competitors in the P5 race with Louise Kemp not far behind in 13th place. The other girls; Erin Church, Holly Hailstone, Lottie Kusian-Taylor and Eilidh Cornwell finished in the top 60.

The P5 boys did equally well; all 6 finishing in the top 60. Top performers were Cameron Reid 19th and Jack Dalziel in 21st place. Rhuari Laughlin, Mikey Trainer, Lucas Codona and Louis Coubrough crossed the finish line not far behind.

P6 girls; Ella Campbell, Ellie McKendrick and Ivy Gerber also had top 60 finishes. P6 boys ran strong races; Nicholas Sproule was 11th and Finlay Speirs 19th with Cody McLaughlin, Louis Henderson, Gilli Jones and Owen Thaw all top 55 finishers.

J6 boys 18

The P7 girls race was a very competitive field and Nico Rigg MacInnes did very well to finish 8th.

Next home were Skye Stuart 23rd and Christie Burns 24th. Ella Ritchie, Mia Cousins and Emma Williams all made the top 50. Top P7 boy was Oliver Henderson in 26th place. Stewart Millard, Harry Byers, Sandy Hamilton, Leo Findlay and Jonathan Martin all competed well.

SPRING 2016 Swimming There were some excellent performances from the Junior School swimmers at the Glasgow Primary Schools Swimming Championships, with medals won in both the individual and relay events.

Harris Buchanan (J6) won a Bronze in both the 25m Freestyle and Backstroke. Nicholas Sproule (J6) won a bronze in the 25m Breaststroke.

In the relay the J5 girls won a tight finish to win a Bronze - Sophie Sproule, Louise Kemp, Erin Church and Holly Hailstone.

Logan Scrimgeour (J4) swam in the J5 breaststroke and finished 5th which was a great effort as he was swimming against boys a year older.

Handball The P7 Handball team continued the strong KA winning tradition at the Scottish Primary Schools Handball Championships by winning bronze.

They had a tough group but managed to finish on top of their section. They scored over 50 goals during the course of the 7 short matches.

A special mention should also be made of the S3 boys Lewis Pocock (S3) and Robbie Carroll (S3) who have helped coach the team.

Senior Sport Hockey The 1st VII successfully defended their West District 7s title, putting in some fantastic performances to bring the trophy home for a second year. Despite starting slowly, they were firing on all cylinders when they met Glasgow Academy in the semifinal. Craigholme put up a good fight in the final but the KA girls, lead brilliantly by goalie Alison Westwood (S6) and Elise Miller (S6), were just too good and won 2-1. Madeline Cairnduff (S5) and Lucy Findlay (S5) scored the goals in the final.

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Senior Sport Cross Country KA pupils gave some of the strongest performances of the day at the recent Glasgow Schools Cross Country Championships.

There was also a great run from Iona Paget (S2) who gained 4th place agonisingly just outside the medals.

S1 girls’ winner was Lily Evans Haggerty who gave a very impressive display of distance running as she set the pace from the start and kept it going for the full 3km race. Another gold medal winning performance came from Jennifer Lewis (S5) who gave a perfectly judged race performance to win the Senior Girls race. She sat behind the leader for 2.8km then with about 200m to go kicked for home, with the girl from Hutchesons’ Grammar school having no answer to her attack of speed.

There was a bronze medal for Ethan Wilson (S1) who put in an impressive performance from someone who is probably more suited to a sprint rather than the slog of cross county. He showed that he has a great engine and plenty of determination to gain a 3rd place finish.

Lily Evans Haggerty (S1)

Jennifer Lewis (S5)

Tough Mudder Indira Muir (S6) became the youngest person in the world to successfully complete not just one but two Tough Mudder races last summer.

Tough Mudder is a 12 mile obstacle course designed to test physical strength, mental grit and sheer resilience. Tough Mudder puts camaraderie and teamwork over finish rankings and is not a timed race. It is a team challenge that allows participants to experience exhilarating, yet safe, world-class obstacles they will not encounter anywhere else.

Rugby Congratulations to the 1st VII who were recent winners of the Plate Competition at the High School of Glasgow Rugby 7s tournament.

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SPRING 2016

CCF Army Section, Garelochhead 2016 This year was my first Garelochhead camp and I loved every moment of it whether everyone else felt the same way is hard to know; for some lying in a field for 30 minutes in the rain in pitch black is not particularly entertaining - but luckily I am easily entertained. Garelochhead is a functioning military camp on the West coast of Scotland.

As a third-year my expectations for the camp was non-stop rain; no sun; maybe even snow if we’re lucky; rubbish sleeping conditions; cold billets (dormitories) and a lot of exercise and that is where the camp got it’s notorious name of GarelochHell!

At least we were assured the food was good and it was. But to me and to the other third years’ surprise the elements treated us well; we even got some rays of sun on the last day. The billets were very warm and the beds were actually comfortable!

On the first day we were divided up into our billets and briefed on the activities and challenges we were going to be faced with and what was expected of us. After that we unpacked and we got ready to go out into the field for some lessons, led by the 5th and 6th year pupils. My section was fortunate to have Lewis Merrylees (S5) and Poppy MacGeachy (S5) to teach us the necessary skills and knowledge that we need to survive, spot enemies, patrol, stay hidden, be sneaky and a whole host of other things. There were also a bunch of Sixth Years scattered around the place for any questions that needed clarification. It was a great laugh but at the same time very educational and interesting. Then came the time we were all waiting for… dinner! Like I said the food was very good and very well prepared.

After dinner was the CTR (Close Target Reconnaissance) meant we were set a base camp with a flag to protect. In our sections we were assigned roles. My section got the role of watching for the enemy first. This consisted of lying on the ground, in the mud, in the cold, in the rain and trying to see if anyone was coming towards us. We would then alert the other people in our platoon

and a small party would be sent out to either capture or scare off the attackers. Then there was the section that got the sneaky role of trying to gain information about the enemy such as number of people, location, technology (we had night vision goggles - pretty cool right?) and so on. Then there was the patrolling section who would act as walking sentry essentially. Their job was the same as ours but they moved around. All in all it was a great night activity for everyone.

We were up not-so-nice and early and went for breakfast. We were given a rifle that would be ours for the duration of the camp, it was our responsibility to look after that weapon and keep it clean. These came out with us into the field for more lessons from the 5th year students. After learning the tricks of the trade we went back to camp. We were then briefed as to why we weren’t going to be doing section attacks that night due to the weather. As you could probably guess everyone was devastated at the fact that we were allowed to have a very much needed shower, watch a movie and get an early nights sleep. The next morning we were told we were going to be taught by some Paratroopers!

At first they were terrifying but then we realised that they were actually really funny and had a great way of teaching. They taught us how important discipline and teamwork is if you want to survive in the world. That night we had to stay in again due to a very strong storm, so again we got a relaxed and early night. The next morning we were sent out for an ambush! We were given blank rounds to fire, after we camouflaged up we were ready to go and lay our ambush for some unsuspecting 6th years that happened to walk right into our line of fire.

This camp taught us all about discipline, teamwork, precision, leadership and consideration for others.

Most importantly it was great fun and a great experience for everyone, definitely a highlight of my time at KA. Jameel Cathcart (S3)

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MINERVA

CCF

RAF Air Squadron Trophy Competition Earlier this year, a team of eleven members of the RAF Section participated in the SCOTNINE Regional Air Squadron Trophy competition at the ATC Inskip Cadet Centre. Prior to the competition, which took place over a weekend, the team had been meeting every Monday and Friday at lunchtime as well as staying on after CCF on a Thursday to practise each of the components of the competition.

The competition was made up of various components: General Service Knowledge, Command Tasks, Aircraft Recognition, Drill and Turnout, First Aid and Fitness. The team

CCF Annual Mess Dinner 22

of cadets, a mixture of S3-S6, arrived at Inskip at teatime on the Saturday to periodic lashings of heavy rain and high winds. The evening was spent preparing for the next day; practising drill and ensuring our uniform was up to standard. The weather was horrendous for the competition. The rain was torrential and there were howling gales – one of the S3 cadet’s berets flew off during the drill competition but thankfully she held her composure and carried on until the sequence was finished before retrieving it! Everyone enjoyed competing and meeting up with fellow cadets. Hopefully we can compete again next year (we’re already practising).

FS Keir Dinardo (S6)

SPRING 2016

Minerva Educational Trust Development Update Donald Wilson (1980) I wrote to you earlier this year highlighting the Fraser Library upgrade in memory of Robert Karling. As you know, Robert, was particulary keen to redevelop the library and bring this in line with our move to a new e-learning environment.

With the help of the KA Family we can bring this project to life and transform this area into a focal point for the School.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated and I am delighted to advise you that we are half way there. Your support will greatly improve the educational experience for our boys and girls.

There is still time to help. Every donation, large or small, will make a difference. Please look at the enclosed flier, which incorporates a donation form, and return it in the envelope provided. We are planning to commence work on the Library over the summer months and this will incorporate a donors wall at the entrance.

For additional information please contact Elaine Solman, Development Manager (elaine.solman@kelvinsideacademy.org.uk).

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MINERVA

Business Breakfast

A great morning was had at Balgray on Friday 4 March 2016. Over 80 Academicals and Parents came together to hear from, former pupil, Charles Berry (1970). Charles, who is currently Chairman of the Weir Group, was motivational, thought provoking and one of the best speakers we have had in our breakfast series. He shared his life from his time at KA playing on the top pitch, otherwise known as “The Field of Dreams”, right through to where he is today. Thank you to Charles for such an inspirational morning. Comments from attendees included “most enjoyable”, “very good morning indeed”, “inspiring speaker”, “I got so much out of the Breakfast” and “great fun and very interesting”.

Details of our next Breakfast will be released during the Summer Term. We would be delighted to hear from members of the KA Family who would like to be a guest speaker at a future event.

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SPRING 2016

Academicals Welcome to the Former Pupil Section We know that since leaving KA our Academicals are achieving all sorts of things, ranging from representing their universities in a variety of sports, to achieving success in a wide diversity of activities and careers. We really like to hear what you are up to and any news or memories you would like to share should be sent to elaine.solman@kelvinsideacademy.org.uk.

You can keep up-to-date with School and Club news on Facebook, Twitter @KACGlasgow or Linkedin.

Elaine Solman Development Manager

Donald Wilson (1980) We are delighted to announce that Donald, a very well-known Academical and current Chairman of the Minerva Educational Trust, has now been appointed as Chairman of the main School Board. Donald brings a wealth of business experience and will be an excellent Chair.

Ian S Forrester Q.C (1962) Congratulations to Ian on being appointed as a Judge at the European General Court.

Speaking to GCR, Ian described the job as an exciting and important one.

“I am looking forward to being confronted by interesting questions of EU law and addressing these from a different perspective,” he said.

During his career in private practice, Ian was occasionally viewed by commentators as something of a crusader for reform of the European judiciary, but he dismissed such claims, reiterating that he

often represented the European Commission before the courts.

“I have written extensively about European law and procedure and will look forward to considering these subjects from a different viewpoint,” he added.

Ian was a partner at White & Case in Brussels and a practising member of the bar in Brussels, England and Wales, Scotland and New York. Throughout his career, Ian has worked on some of Europe’s biggest competition cases, representing a number of household names including BBC, Canon, DuPont, GlaxoSmithKline, Toyota, Toshiba and Pfizer.

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MINERVA On Call Africa Academicals Improving Healthcare in Zambia Gavin McColl (2000) and Simon Tolmie (2000) Fifteen years ago Gavin McColl and Simon Tolmie were leaving Kelvinside Academy bound for medical degrees at the University of St Andrews. Little did they realise that the next few years would see them travelling much further afield.

After medical school, both Simon and Gavin spent some time volunteering in sub-Saharan Africa.

They spent time in rural villages helping people who rarely got to see a doctor. Then what began as simple interest developed into an ambitious plan to tackle remote health care delivery in southern Zambia. So in 2010 with two other friends they set up the charity On Call Africa.

“Having seen the huge need for doctors in many parts of Africa we started to think about how we could help more people” explained Simon. “One of the aims of On Call Africa is to recruit volunteer doctors from Scotland and beyond to work in inaccessible villages in remote corners of southern Zambia.”

Gavin outlined their approach: “Having volunteered with other charities, we saw the benefit of small ‘grass roots’ organisations being adaptive and locally directed but we wanted to set up a small organisation that also had a professional evidence based approach – something that’s often more

associated with larger NGOs, who might lack local relevance and the agility to respond to the needs of local communities”.

On Call Africa doesn’t just send in volunteers. Gavin outlined more of the charity’s strategy: “We knew that if we were to make a lasting impact on people’s health we also needed to train up local people who could help people right through the year. So we set up a Community Health Worker Training Programme. This year we’re training 15 local Zambian volunteers for this role.”

“And those local volunteers also help educate their communities about health issues” added Simon.

“So every time our team is in these villages the local kids are getting classes in healthy eating, hygiene and sex education.”

A good year On Call Africa has now been running clinics for five years. Gavin and Simon are both still committed to making a difference to the Zambian communities they’ve come to know so well, regularly visiting the villages to maintain their hands-on approach.

The charity’s training programme for the community health workers has been scaled up over the last year. Gavin has been studying a Masters degree at the UCL Institute of Education to enable him to continually develop the training sessions.

Last year the charity was thrilled to receive a new Landcruiser ambulance donated by Rotary Clubs from Kilsyth and surrounding areas. Getting to villages where the roads are often little more than tracks is difficult, but the new vehicle has meant the team of doctors has been able to keep accessing the villages even in bad weather.

Simon, Gavin and the other trustees of the charity have been able to spread their enthusiasm for their work so that there’s been a full team of volunteer doctors working for the charity since the new vehicle arrive last April. Those doctors were able to diagnose and treat nearly 7,000 individual patient conditions during 2015, including over 2,000 little children under the age of five.

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SPRING 2016 Simon, along with his wife Kirsty, another of the trustees of On Call Africa, were delighted in December to visit 10 Downing Street to accept a Point of Light Award from the Prime Minister, in recognition of the inspiring work of the On Call Africa’s founding trustees.

Prime Minister David Cameron, 1 December 2015 “Kirsty and Simon are carrying on a strong Scottish tradition of being a force for good around the world. With On Call Africa they are helping people in some of the most rural areas of Zambia to access vital health care and in some cases saving lives. By inspiring and training local people as well as their UK supporters they are enabling the people of Zambia to make a difference in their own communities. I am delighted to recognise their service as we mark St Andrew’s Day.”

What’s Next?

Gavin and Simon are committed to continuing the work of the charity so that a lasting impact is made.

They are currently planning the next stages of the charity’s development that will see continued expansion of the training programme. Along with the other trustees, they’re exploring new sources of funding for the ever-growing demand for medicines and equipment to enable the clinics to continue to deliver effective care. With doctors lining up to

join the team right through 2016 they’re looking forward to maintaining the mobile clinics and enabling even more patient consultations this year.

And like Gavin and Simon, perhaps some of the next generation of volunteers will also come from Kelvinside?

On Call Africa is always pleased to hear from people who can offer practical or financial support – the need to procure medicines is a key need – and they can be contacted at info@oncallafrica.org.uk More details can be found at www.oncallafrica.org. uk www.Facebook.com/OnCallAfrica Douglas Park Golf Club are running a Pro-Am event on 18th August, sponsored by DM Hall with On Call Africa as the chosen charity.

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MINERVA Iain Buchanan Anderson (1972) Congratulations to Iain on being inducted into the Scottish Traditional Hall of Fame for his services to Traditional Music.

Laura Baxendale (2003) Congratulations to Laura on her recent marriage to Dr Mark Speed and to brother James (2006) on his recent engagement.

Scott Cummings (2014) Congratulations to Scott on being selected to Captain the Under 20 Scotland Squad and his recent 3 year contract with the Glasgow Warriors.

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Boyd Muir (1977) Boyd, who is now based in California, is Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group. Universal Music Group (UMG) is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a roster of artists including global best-selling acts such as Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber, breakout artists such as James Bay and The Weeknd and catalogue legends such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, among many others.

Boyd is responsible for overseeing UMG’s global finance operations, including asset management, information technology, accounting, supply chain, and human resources. He also oversees Bravado, UMG’s global merchandising company and Eagle Rock Entertainment, a UK-based producer and distributor of music video programming. Working seamlessly across the corporate and creative aspects of UMG’s operations, Boyd has played a central role in the physical-to-digital reshaping of the music industry. He has also been involved in a number of acquisitions, including Sanctuary Group and V2 Music Group, as well as the company’s successful acquisition of EMI. Boyd was appointed to his current post in November 2010. Previously, he was CFO for Universal Music Group International, the division which manages UMG’s businesses in more than 50 countries.

From 1984 to 1991, Boyd worked for Ernst & Young, including at its entertainment media division in London, and for EMI from 1991 to 1994. At the latter group, he was head of internal audit, spending considerable time working in Los Angeles and New York. He was also closely involved in EMI’s acquisition of Virgin Music and Chrysalis Records.

SPRING 2016 Ronan Scolard (2008) Someone pointed singer Adele to a video shared by Ronan and his friend Glen Murphy, who performed a mashup of four of her biggest songs.

Their original video went viral and received coverage from media outlets all over the world. As a result Adele decided to spring a little surprise.

After arranging for the boys to be at her show, halfway through the set Adele called on them. She beckoned the boys to the stage where, without previously informing them, she’d arranged for all the equipment to be made ready so they could sing. Ronan and Glen received a standing ovation Ronan is a Film Composer, Arranger and Songwriter who has studied under the tutelage of world renowned film and game composers and industry experts such as Christopher Young (Hellraiser, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Spiderman 3), Conrad Pope (The Hobbit, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

pt 1), Gary Schyman (BioShock game series), Richard Bellis, Andy Hill and Derek Gleeson.

Ronan’s qualifications include a Masters in Scoring for Film and Visual Media, as well as a BMus in Classical Music from UCD, a UCD Choral Scholarship as Tenor, and a diploma in Music and Media Technology from TCD.

Gary Smith (1979) Congratulations to Gary on being appointed Head of News for BBC Scotland.

Gary’s previous roles have included the following: Head of the Home Newsgathering Team across the UK. Editor - Political News for the BBC Assistant Editor on the BBC’s Nine O’Clock news Programme Editor and Senior Political Producer at Channel Four News.

Gary has worked on many major stories, including the fall of Mrs Thatcher; the bringing down of the Berlin Wall; the Dunblane shooting; Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK; the hunt for Raoul Moat and last year’s Scottish independence referendum.

George Stewart (1939) George, at the age of 96, is one of our oldest Academicals and Scotland’s oldest skier. George has been skiing for over 70 years since taking it up while serving in Italy during World War II. A fantastic video appeared on Epic TV showing George Skiing in France.

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MINERVA Simon Storrie, Paul McMillan and Oliver Shields from the Class of 2001 gave us the following update:“2016 brings us an exciting new Bar & Restaurant called Merchants Yarn in Beith.

It all started when, British world cup skier, Paul, spotted the opportunity and had the vision of what the property could be. Since leaving school, Paul has owned several successful ventures primarily in the hospitality industry both in Glasgow as well as Oban. Paul believes that his wealth of business experience will stand him in good stead.

When describing the property to Simon and stating what he wanted it to be, Simon suggested using BSD Associates, the family design practice, which is run by their former classmate and friend Oliver and his father Brian, who have designed many bars, restaurants, hotels, and retail units throughout the UK.

Having returned to the UK after many years working around the world managing boutique hotels such as One Devonshire Gardens to latterly running Super Yachts in the Mediterranean, Simon has joined Paul on his quest to create a fantastic venue in the Ayrshire town”.

Other former pupils involved in the project include Russell Jenkins (1999) providing tea & coffee from his company Thomson’s Coffee- Scotland’s original coffee roasters, Scott Gardner (1999) whom has organised and supplied specialist insurance packages via Kelvin Smith Insurance Brokers, and Simon Hannah (1988) Managing Director at J W Filshill and CEO at Craft Beer Clan supplying a broad range of beverages and sundries.

Simon, Paul and Oliver would be delighted to welcome all members of the KA Family to Merchants Yarn.

David Swinbanks (1971) I moved to Australia to take up the role of Managing Director of Macmillan Science & Education ANZ bringing together our science and higher education businesses in Australia and New Zealand. But as a result of the recent merger of Springer with Macmillan in 2015, my role is now refocused back on science as Managing Director for Springer Nature in Australia, Managing Director for Nature Research (part of Springer Nature), Middle East, and founder and global head of Nature Index (a database that tracks high quality research output worldwide).

We live by the sea in Manly (view from our living room below) and I commute to work in Sydney by ferry to Circular Quay next to Sydney Opera house. Not a bad life! Our daughter Lisa who went to Sydney University (2010-2013) was indirectly influential in us ending up down under. She has since done a course in fashion and design and held her first successful marketing of her dresses at a market next to Sydney Harbour Bridge.

I do come fairly regularly to our headquarters in London (4 times a year) and we have a timeshare in Scotland (Kenmore) in June, where I have met up with a couple of academicals from year of 71 – Iain Mcdonald and David Macdonald.

I do find Minerva a fascinating read and you are to be congratulated on its layout and presentation. The school has clearly transformed from what it was in the 1960s/early 70s.

Over 70’s Helensburgh Lunch Seven Academicals came together to form the Over 70’s Helensburgh Lunch. The gentlemen would like to make contact with other Academicals, of a certain vintage, who live in the area. If you would like to attend a lunch in the future please contact elaine.solman@kelvinsideacademy.org.uk who will put you in touch with the group.

The following Academicals appear in the photograph below and the second photograph is of Chas Batchelor (1963) with his full coloured Academical blazer on!

Iain Birrell (1960), Ralph Risk (1950), Chas Batchelor (1963) (standing), Donald McLaren (1961), Brian Aitken (1963), Alan Dundas (1959), Kenneth Speirs (1960).

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SPRING 2016 Dates for your Diary For additional information on any of the following events or to reserve tickets please contact Elaine Solman, Development Manager (elaine.solman@kelvinsideacademy.org.uk) M8’s “Back to their Roots” 10th Anniversary Tour Donald Wilson (1980) and his band M8’s will be playing at Milngavie Town Hall on Friday 13 May (7.00pm). They are raising funds for Hearts & Balls and the Robert Karling Memorial Project. Tickets will cost £25.00 per person and is being catered for by Posh Tarts. A fantastic night in aid of two really worthwhile causes and your support will be greatly appreciated.

Academical Club AGM will be held on Thursday 5 May at 6.00pm in the main school building. The President, Colin Neill (1972) and Secretary, Ian Nairn (1978) would be delighted if you were able to join then. Please enter the School by the main door.

Annual Family BBQ The PTA family day will be held on Sunday 4 September at Balgray from 2.00pm – 4.00pm .

Class Reunions Our new format of holding reunions for several year groups together proved popular last year and we have decided to continue with this format for the time being.

The date set for the next Reunions will be Friday 30 September for the Classes of 1956, 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996 and 2001.

London Section Dinner This year the London Section Dinner will be held on Thursday 17 November in the Caldonian Club, Halkin Street, London. Further details and ticket reservations can be obtained by contacting David McGill (1972) scotlandend@btinternet.com.

KA Celebration This year our Celebration will be held in Oran Mor on Friday 18 November. Tickets will cost £35.00 per person and dress is lounge suits. This will be a great time for all members of the KA family to come together for some great food, fine wine and excellent company.

Ladies Day Out A great day has been arranged at Oran Mor on Sunday 22 May (1.00pm – 5.00pm) for our lady members and current parents with a welcome drink and finger buffet at 1.00pm followed by make-up and colours presentations. Also joining us will be nail technicians, hairdressers, a masseuse and much more. Tickets cost £20.00 per person (£10.00 for our 2012-2016 Leavers).

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Don’t Miss The Bus! A new school bus service from Kilmacolm is being launched from August 2016. Watch out for the KA mini bus picking up pupils every morning from Kilmacolm, Bridge of Weir, Brookfield and the surrounding area.

To find out more about this service please email kerry. bottomley@kelvinsideacademy.org.uk.

Deaths It is with great sadness that we report the deaths of the following Academicals and Staff Member. Our thoughts and condolences are with their families during this difficult time.

Roderick H M Alexander (1978) died on 11 February 2016 at home on his 56th birthday after a long and painful illness.

Andrew Sommerville Fleming (1972) (son of former Principal Chemistry teacher, Andrew Fleming) died on 25 January 2016 in Carlisle.

David Keddie, former teacher of religious education, died on 20 February 2016. Rector, Allan Gilliland, Development Manager, Elaine Solman, Vice Captains Oliver Hamilton and Jodie Baird along with the Chairman, Norrie Fyfe represented the School and Club.

Harold Alastair Mackinlay (1956) died on the 10 October 2015 in St. George’s Hospital, London following an accident.

Malcolm John Niven (1978) died peacefully, after a short illness, on 26 January 2016, Malcolm, much loved husband of Alison, adored father of Catriona and Andrew, son of Marion and Douglas, brother of Lyndsay and Gavin.

Robert G Shaw (1981) died on 13 December 2015. The Rector, Allan Gilliland, Development Manager, Elaine Solman, Mel Scott (1979) and School Captain Louis Green, represented the School and Club at Robert’s memorial service. The Rector and Louis Green spoke about Robert’s time at KA. Lewis Thomas Wilson (1970) died suddenly, at home in Milngavie, Lewis, beloved father to Mhairi and Ewan, proud grandpa to Daniel and Matthew and loving son of the late Richard and Helen Wilson.

Loyalty Card Next month we will be launching our very first KA Loyalty Card to both our Academicals and Associate Academicals. Details of promotions will be accessible through the School website and special offers will be highlighted by email on a monthly basis.

The Academical Club changed their constitution giving all our current parents the opportunity to become an Associate Academical. Last year the Club President, Colin Neill (1972), wrote to all parents, inviting them to join the Academical Club. If you would like to take up this offer and receive a Loyalty Card please email loyalty@kelvinsideacademy.org.uk.

You will receive your personalised card by post along with details on how to access the promotions on offer. All Loyalty Card Members will also have the

Loyalty Card

opportunity to promote their companies by offering special promotions to the KA Family.

Data Protection Academicals sometimes contact the School requesting addresses for other Academicals and the School is pleased to provide such information. Academicals who do not wish their address to be given to another Academical should inform the School.

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