To all Parents,
On behalf of Duncan Beckwith, Chair, I would like to invite you to the next meeting of the Parent Council. This will take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday 2nd March 2016 in the staff room in the new building.  
The meeting will begin with a tour of the new building, so if everyone could please meet in the Rotunda around 7.20pm, we can all walk over together. Please find the agenda here.

Any items for AOCB will be considered but, due to time constraints, may not be included.  Past minutes and reports can be found on the Parent Council page.

We look forward to welcoming you, 

Kind regards
Hilary
Secretary of Parent Council

The Business Education Department is delighted that one of the Higher Accounting teams competing in the Investor Challenge have made it through to the semi-finals, a fantastic achievement as at the end of Round One they finished number 50 out of over 10,000 teams . Trading starts from scratch on the 22nd February, with the best 500 teams competing.  They need to finish top 8 to make it to the finals to win the cash prize and trip to New York.
 
Students have been working in teams to invest £100,000 of virtual money in stocks and investment instruments that fluctuate in line with the real stock exchange. They have worked together very well as a team and have managed to beat some of the top schools in the UK. First prize includes £2,000 prize money for their school and £200 for each team member. The trip to New York would include excursions to the financial district as well as some of the famous landmarks – so obviously students are excited at the opportunity. Keep your fingers crossed for the boys:

• Donald Matthews
  
• Ross Wylie
• Scott Nelson

 
An extra congratulations to Donald Matthews who is also part of the Accounting team to make it through to the National finals of the ICAEW BASE Challenge in Birmingham this summer.

Today is Safer Internet Day 2016.  The theme this year is Play your Part for a Better Internet.  The above video highlights one aspect of keeping safe online.  How can you play your part?

More information for parents/carers can be accessed on the website Internet Matters.  We would encourage all parents and carers to have a chat to their child about their digital life, and work together to ensure the internet does become a better, safer place for everyone.

Pupils can have a look a the CEOP website thinkuknow for advice and help.  Support is in school to help should they encounter anything online that makes them feel unsafe.  In the first instance pupils should speak to their guidance teacher. 

Half of our S1 and S2 pupils were recently invited to attend The Junkfood Roadshow staged by Foodlab Demonstrations. The youngsters were given an insight into the perils of making junk food the mainstay of their diet.

Presenter and chef Ross Muir reinforced the dietary targets and attitudes towards healthy eating and outlined the truth about some junk food ingredients, illustrating the amounts of fat in all types of fast food. He then demonstrated how easy it is to create healthy fast food alternatives which will help the pupils reach their dietary targets.

The Foodlab will be back in school tomorrow to speak to the rest of the pupils.

The update from Keir Construction can be read here. 

Sixth Year Student Karen Reid was representing Marr in the Scottish Schools Swimming Championships on Saturday 30th January at Tollcross. Karen achieved 1st place in the girls 17-19 100m backstroke and 2nd place in the 200m backstroke. This is an excellent achievement from an outstanding student who continually demonstrates determination and hard work in all aspects of her swimming and schooling.

Congratulations must also go to Megan Niven (S4) and Erin Moore (S4) who were also representing Marr and performed admirably in their individual events.

January 27th saw pupils and staff here at Marr College mark Holocaust Memorial Day, along with the rest of the world.  The theme this year was Don't Stand By.  Mr Moncrieff (history) and Mrs Clelland (RMPS) had devised a focused lesson for tutor time.  All pupils were shown a video about Sir Nicholas Winton and
were given time to consider two important statements:  It is important people did not stand by during the Holocause because.... and It is important I do not stand by today because... The answers to both these questions were noted down on yellow stars, for the past, and human silhouettes for today. 

Two of our senior pupils, Luke Light and Rebekah Jack, have progressed to the next round of the Donald Dewar Debating Tournament, which is the largest in Scotland.
 
They fought off some tough competition from Mearns Castle and St Columba’s School and have now made the final 16!  This is  particularly impressive considering 128 teams entered the first round.
 
We are now awaiting details of the third round and will post them when we know.

Well done to both pupils.

 S1, S2 and S3 HOCKEY PRACTICES ARE CANCELLED TONIGHT DUE TO HIGH WINDS.