Kilgraston’s Cor Unum 2020 to 2021 - what a year!
Lockdown learning
Cor Unum - Kilgraston School’s annual magazine, chronicling myriad activities, experiences, subjects studied and fun times had by the entire school community - has just been published.
Wonderfully curated by English teacher, Margaret Saunders, this year’s magazine details the trials and tribulations of learning through lockdown, an academic year like no other: “An extraordinary year and a half,” reiterates Head teacher Dorothy MacGinty, “one we never could have anticipated!”
Community
Kilgraston is all about community, with the pulling-together of every part of the School evident in several staff interviews. “The past year has been very different,” explains Admissions Manager, Ali Gibb, “but the feedback from tours is always so positive.” Meanwhile, ICT guru, Gavin Muirhead, details the rapid response needed to ensure learning from home was seamless, “investigating and deploying new solutions to support the school’s remote operation.”
Summer School Course Director, Donna Douglas, offers a positive spin to Covid restrictions, detailing the School’s “valued service for local children in the holidays,” while Head of Finance Moira Mackie and her small team’s swift response to the Scottish Government’s introduction of isolation arrangement for international pupils, is highlighted.
Of course, it’s really all about the pupils, their resilience and fortitude shining through.
All together now
Everything from biomedical engineering achievements to Junior Years‘ construction of fairy houses in the woods: Inter House Speech making, glamorous balls, paddle-boarding, computer science, speaking English as a second language (speaking English as a first language) while enjoying a difficult game of Pride and Prejudice Quotation bingo. A full picture of Kilgraston life.
Cor Unum fulfills Kilgraston’s ongoing environmental ethose by being printed on Forest Stewardship Council approved sources, from sustainable, well managed, forests and is fully recyclable, having no coatings or lamination.
Alumna stories; those who have sadly left us; visitors; sporting achievement; ponies; STEM subjects, special FX workshops and superb academic results. It’s all there, shrouded in U6s India B’s beautiful, on-trend, painting of bees on iris.
“Every pupil and staff member wants to do their best,” explains Head of Mathematics, Stephanie Speed, a stickler for detail, declaring her pet hates as “bad manners and unpolished shoes!”
Quite right, Mrs Speed, but fear not, this edition shines from cover to cover.
Copies can be collected from Main School Reception or electronically, here.
15.12.21
Kilgraston’s school magazine 2019-2020 Cor Unum
The 2019 - 2020 edition of Kilgraston’s school magazine, Cor Unum, has just arrived in school – and it’s certainly been a 12 months like no other!
In a year in which Kilgraston celebrated its 90th birthday amidst a global pandemic, Cor Unum rejoices in all the wonderful activities the Kilgraston family has taken part in both pre- and post COVID.
This year’s front cover by Lower Sixth’s, Sana, is a stunning painting of a swan and her signets. The painting was the overall winner of this year’s Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Schools’ art competition.
With 2020 being Kilgraston’s 90th year as a school, you can read about the early years of the school, as well as some alumnae memories. The school magazine also looks at 2020 and our summer 90th anniversary picnic.
Fantastic pupil contributions fill the pages with a brilliant article on page 16 on ‘Forgotten Heroines’ by 2019-2020 History Prefect, Julie Chainey.
Our academic departments such as Computing Science and Mathematics give us updates on pre-COVID events, visits and competitions.
This year, Kilgraston’s traditional musical activities have had to be altered with the restrictions of COVID but that has not stopped Kilgraston’s Director of Music, Mr McAuley, keeping music as an integral part of our community.
In his article on page 22 of the school magazine, he looks at the importance of music and how it can impact on pupil wellbeing.
He said: “It is our desire that the music department is a happy place, a safe place, a creative place and a place where our young people could be themselves, take risks and flourish.”
Copies can be found at the School’s Reception or you can read it here.