Reading the signs

So what is that reminds me that we are now only one day away from our annual weekend to Alltnacriche?
Is it that I haven't been to bed before 2am every night this week? No. I'm remarkably prepared and my ActionScript programming worked first time for the quiz on Saturday evening. It's not pretty but it's functional, so job done.
Is the steady stream of questions from young people about all the things that were in the letter they all received two weeks ago? No. Maybe it helped that I've been away for a week, but I think all those going have a fair idea of when to meet and what to bring.
Is it the sudden increase in email traffic between a dozen different people to talk about catering, red tape, silly games, adventurous activities and active diseases? Well, I've certainly had those, but there is a stronger reminder...
Yes, this is the week that my computer, with all the details for the weekend, decides to take a week off! Not a murmur from the power pack and subsequently no access to the numerous hard drives full of admin, videos, music and pictures.
Thankfully I hadn't prepared many materials and the iPad has come into its own for email access, so a big thanks to Jackie for reentering all the kid's details; what they all owe will have to wait until next week. Other than that, rewriting all the room lists, program's and various forms, though tedious, hasn't put me back to much.
And the sun is out! So it seems a fine day to drive the road to Lochcarron for the first time since before Christmas, along the temporary surface on the railway whilst strengthening work to prevent further landslides continue.



Still only a daytime service so a good job we had organised separate transport from Lochcarron to Aviemore for tomorrow, and a full service would be of great benefit to our work. We've particularly missed the Friday night contingent from across the loch.
So here I am sat outside Applecross Primary half an hour early! That's normally unheard of, and that includes the brief breakdown at the convoy on the lochside, which held me back another 10 minutes. Break time... Best go and get set up.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Concert night

Almost at the end of a great week working alongside Taste from Viz a Viz and Foolproof, the theatre company from Edinburgh. It's been great to go into lessons and get to know some of the kids, and see how ready they are to chat. So a full week of music, English, PE, and Soc Ed lessons. Taken a bit by surprise this morning to arrive to the news that I was leading the S1 and 2 Soc Ed classes, but as it turned out it was a shared responsibility and we had more than enough material, and great support from the guidance staff. The highlight for me today was the chance to get together some of the churched kids to chat about what will happen next week. Sarah Strang gave a good account of her experiences as the only Christian in her year at Plockton, and the support she found the clubs we ran. So the outcome of the meeting is that BHS is going to start a 60 Second Club on Wednesday break time as PHS runs our own. Be fantastic to create some sort of link between the two schools. And following that, they're hoping to get some sort 'space' to gather on a Wednesday lunchtime.







So concert time this evening brought out around 80 kids to see more of Taste and Foolproof and consider the choices that we have in life. A lively and kid set was well received, and about 9 kids left their name wanting to find out more about following Jesus, so answers to prayer and an encouraging conclusion.
Last day tomorrow sees more music and PE, as well as the first of my S3 lessons in the morning with half the year group, and then the other half last lesson of the day. And back in the Highlands before Saturday with a good refreshment, lots of excitement in catching up with, encouraging and being encouraged by Sarah, and one or two ideas to follow up in once home.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Berwickshire High School

Welcome to Duns

So February turned out to be a mixture of quieter and non stop madness! One of the drawbacks of having times of less intensity is that, while they are a gratefully received times to recover, it is easy to forget about other deadlines which loom on the horizon. Point in case: it was a complete shock to discover that we only have two weeks before our weekend away to Alltnacriche, having planned out in my head a week away, then an extra fortnight to finalise the program for the week away.
So, it just means a bit of mental readjustment, and much more than panned to look forward to next week. For the time being, the week away has been in the diary for several months as I visit Mark, the Associate Worker in Berwickshire, to help out with his Christian Focus Week. Great to see another high school, working as I do only in Plockton, and see how other Trusts operate. But of course the biggest draw for me was the chance not only to see, but also to work with Sarah Strang who left S6 last year is now working with Viz a Viz ministries working in schools across the UK. As the work in Plockton perhaps is beginning to enter a new tough phase it is just brilliant to see one of our young people so ably exercising and discovering her gifts. The girl who left us six months ago stands before me on stage as I type, a young woman fully committed to working out her faith as God has allowed her.




Of course, although I was coming for all those reasons as part of my staff development, and being able to show our continued support to students beyond their time in Plockton, as well as sharing in the blessing of experiencing the fruit coming partly from the work of COOL, I'm not allowed to get off without doing any work. An easy start this morning sitting in on an S1 assembly followed by an S1 social education class led by someone else, but I have to look forward to leading Soc. Ed. for 100 S6 on Wednesday. Whilst I can be thankful that I wasn't in at the deep and today, it has been disappointing that all our input to the S4 and 5 students has been curtailed due to curriculum pressures. So two lessons I had prepared were missed today but well hopefully be able to work with the other years throughout the week.
Although twice the size, I'm struck over the similarities with Plockton, especially at how open the kids are to talking, and also their engagement with the lessons we've been in so far. All good, but we're currently praying for the success of the planned concert on Thursday evening, as there has been some doubt over whether it will go ahead.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Berwickshire High School