Alford Academy

Clan Ramsay are running a Christmas collection for the Foodbank. We would really appreciate your help! Any donations can be dropped off to D1-41 (Miss Allen’s classroom). Please see the Wish List for ideas of ways to help, every tin/packet makes a huge difference. Last day for donating: Thursday 14th December. Thank-you 🙂 🎅 🎄

Wish List for Alford Academy Christmas Collection 2023 

Litre boxes of long life fruit juice

UHT milk (full cream/semi-skimmed, please)

Tinned vegetables/ Tinned potatoes/Tinned fruit/Tinned meat/Tinned fish

Diluting juice

Jars/packets of cooking sauce

Jam/marmalade

Tinned spaghetti/ravioli/ beans & sausages

Sponge puddings

Peanut butter/choc spread

Jellies/instant whips/instant custard

Tinned custard/rice pudding

Tinned tomatoes

Biscuits

Cereal bars (not crisps, please)

Boxes of cereal (not huge ones!)

Toiletries: shampoo, shower gel, deodorants, shaving kit, toothpaste, tooth brushes

Bars of chocolate

Toilet Roll

Aberdeenshire North Foodbank is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC045884

Science Club 

The Science Club takes place every Monday in B1-24 from 1:30 to 1:50. In the next Science Club, our senior pupils will use lasers to show you how light can act both like a wave and a particle. All S1 to S3 pupils are welcomed to watch this experiment.

Christmas Concert Rehearsals.  All pupils involved in tonight’s concert should check the time for their rehearsal slot below and go to the theatre with their instruments and music.  The schedule is also pinned to the music department noticeboard.  All pupils participating tonight should arrive in school by 6.30pm.

THURSDAY

08:45 – 09:20 – S3 Music

09:20 – 09:30 – Fiddle Trio

09:35 – 09:50 – Folk Band

09:50 – 10:20 – Vocal Group

10:40 – 11:30  – Drama Club

11:35 – 11:50 – Higher Music Class

12:00 – 13:00 – Pipe Band

13:55 – 14:50 – Orchestra

 

Winter Dances : Pre-Loved Formal Wear

The dress code for the Winter dances is ‘smart clothing with appropriate footwear’ e.g. dresses, smart trousers, kilts, shirts etc.  In order to promote sustainable living we have a small amount of pre-loved formal wear that can be borrowed, at no cost, by any young person, these can be viewed / borrowed during lunchtime on Wednesday 6th December in C1-30 (Mrs Taylor’s room). If you are unable to make this time then please come and speak with Mrs Taylor or Mrs Munro to make alternative arrangements.

Borrowed items should be returned to Mrs Taylor or Mrs Munro by Thursday 21st December.

Christmas Lunch

Christmas Lunch will be on Friday 8th December 2023 in the Canteen. 

Roast Turkey, (DF) (SF) (GF)

Mealie, (DF) (SF) (V)

Chipolata sausages,

Roast Potatoes, (DF) (SF) (GF) (V)

Sliced Carrots, (DF) (SF) (GF) (V)

Brussel Sprouts  (DF) (SF) (GF) (V)

Vegetarian Sausage (V)

Spiced Apple Crumble (V) (DF) served with Ice Cream (GF)

All dietary requirements will be catered for.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all the staff in the kitchen

 

The S2 Study and Organisation class have been working hard to create Christmas ornaments all from natural materials. All money raised from selling these ornaments will go back into supporting future projects for the community garden.

Pupils will be selling ornaments at different times:

Thursday 7th December (break time from 10.45am at the pupil entrance)

At the school Christmas concert (prior to the concert starting from 6.30pm – 7.00pm)

Friday 8th December (lunch time from 1.25pm at the pupil entrance)

Candy Cones

Candy cones will be sold at lunch times, costing a donation or you can request a candy cone to be sent to someone with a note for £1.  The candy cones will be sold on Thursdays and Fridays.  (7th, 8th, 14th, 15th Dec) and delivered during the last week of term.  All profits will be donated to charity.

Christmas Jumper Day

Christmas jumper day will be held on Friday 22nd December.  Please dress festive!

Chaplain Chats

‘Drop-In’ Session’s to be held in the Library on the following date

Friday 15th Dec

 

Creative Writing Club

“Every clock had stopped…”

“We buried it but it was back…”

“The sun hadn’t risen for five years…”

You have 100 words to describe the glitch…

Come along and exercise your imagination in D1-46 from 1.30pm every Thursday.

Watersports Trip May ‘24

Could all pupils who have signed up to the water sports trip next year, please attend a short meeting on Thursday 30th November, at morning break, in D0-69.  Trip letters and other information will be handed out at this time.  Any pupil who would be keen to attend and has not yet signed up, please attend the meeting and we can answer any questions you have.

 

 

 

 

 

Alford Bulls Basketball Club

The newly reformed Alford Bulls basketball club will hold a fundraising table at the Side entrance next to D wing each break and lunchtime this week.  There are various activities to take part in and prizes to be won. This is to help raise money for the basketball club’s new club kit and much-needed equipment.

Christmas Selection Box Donations

Interact are looking for donations of selection boxes to go in the Christmas hampers that get delivered to some families.  We are also hoping to deliver to the Alford Sheltered Housing and surrounding care homes.  Please give any selection box donations to Mrs Munro / Mrs Rees-Jenkins or Mrs Fraser.

Girls Basketball Club

Girls after school basketball club. Basketball training will start this Friday from 3pm – 4pm in the sports hall.  This is a girls-only training session. Please sign up with the school’s sports coordinators as well as Mrs Niven.

Christmas Concert

Our Christmas Concert this year has been rebranded as a “Christmas Celebration and Review of 2023”.  This event will take place in the theatre at 7pm on Thursday 7th December.  Tickets priced £5 (£2.50 for a concession) will be on sale every lunchtime between 1.30pm and 1.50pm inside the pupil entrance.  There will be an initial limit of 4 tickets per pupil and those who are taking part should try to purchase tickets as soon as possible.

 

 

Interact Club are happy to announce that we have raised £500.65 for Children in Need this year.  Thank you for dressing up and for your donations.  Well done everyone.

Chaplain Chats

‘Drop-In’ Session’s to be held in the Library on the following dates

Friday 24th Nov

Friday 1st Dec

Friday 15th Dec

Iceland trip meeting

Could pupils coming on the 2024 Iceland trip please attend a meeting in D061 on Wednesday 29th November at 1:35.

Edinburgh Residential Trip

All pupils going on the Edinburgh Residential Trip in May 2024 need to attend a very short meeting on Wednesday 22th November at 1.35 pm in B1-18. Important documents will be issued.

Chill and Spill Group – D0-65 – 1.10-1.50pm Starting on 23rd November

Exciting New Lunchtime Club for all year groups, chill out space to have your lunch and play games.

 

Children in Need 2023

Next Wed is our Children in Need event (15th November); we are going to partner with World Book Week 🙂

The theme for the dress down day on Wednesday is: Adventure character or genre.  So please dress up as your favourite adventurous character or book.

Interact will be round classes P1 and at break on Wednesday so please donate if you can.

School Christmas Dances

We are looking for a small team of S4/5 pupils to help our S6 team with the organisation of the school Christmas Dances.

If you would be interested in helping please see Mrs Wotherspoon by Friday to pass on your name.

Interhouse

There will be a Halloween themed inter-house competition (called mummification) on Friday 1.30pm onwards in D0-69.  Come along and earn some house points!

Rotary Shoeboxes

Interact club is bringing rotary shoeboxes back.  We need donations to be able to send these out next week.  The boxes are going to Eastern Europe to less fortunate children.  The deadline for donations is Wednesday 8th November.

Basketball

Girls-only basketball club for all abilities and ages. Friday Lunchtimes in the sports hall 1.20-2.50 pm.  Starting Friday 10th November.  Sign up with Mrs Niven so that I have an idea of the numbers.

Friday 13th: End Polio Now day

We are holding a ‘wear purple for polio’ day on Friday 13th October.  We will come round classes collecting donations which will be donated to the End Polio Now cause.

In addition we are also selling raffle tickets for a pupil and staff raffle which will finally be drawn on Friday break time.

Shoebox Appeal

Hi all, we need your help.

It’s that time of year again for the Rotary Shoebox Appeal.  This year the boxes are now £3 per box so when you donate items we would be really grateful for the £3 donation too.

The shoeboxes are open to all staff or pupils to contribute too and we will be filling the boxes every Thursday lunchtime in B1-23 after the holidays.

We have 50 boxes to fill this year and would be delighted if we can send all of them away.  Please direct any donations to Mrs Rees-Jenkins or the Interact club.

Suggested items to fill your Shoebox :

Child  (For young children)

Cars, trucks, etc, balls, complete jigsaws, action figures, colouring books, pens, crayons,  yo-yo, bubble blowers, wooden and plastic toys, pencil case, pencil sharpener, dominoes, play-doh / plasticine & cutters, fluffy toys, dolls, stickers, writing pads, skipping rope, scarf, mittens / gloves, hat, harmonica, games, cards…

Teenagers (For young people up to 18 years age)

Sportswear, scarf, gloves, socks, hat, football memorabilia, writing materials, games, playing cards, tennis ball, tooth brush & paste, roll-on deodorants, comb, mirror, costume jewellery, make-up, hair brush, toiletries, school stationery, clothing repair kits, sketch pad, coloured pens / pencils…

Household Goods  (For older folk & families)

Scarves, gloves, hats, wrapped soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, disposable razors, shampoo, soap flakes, pan scourers, antiseptic cream, bandages, face or body creams, cosmetics, pens, writing pad & envelopes, T lights, candles, sewing kit, scissors…

Baby (Age up to 12 months)

This is given to new mothers and can include baby wipes, baby shampoo, baby oil, talc powder, bonnet, bootees and mitts, baby grow, baby blanket, small soft toy or plastic rattle…

WHAT NOT TO INCLUDE IN ANY BOX

Do not include any sweets, chocolate, drinks or food of any kind

(They are against Customs regulations at country borders)

LGBTQ+ Group

LGBTQ+ Group will be in D0-67 on Wednesday lunchtime, bring your lunch along.

All welcome.

Christmas Dances

Save the Date

This year’s Christmas Dances will be on Monday 18th (Junior) and Tuesday 19th (Senior) December 2023. More information will follow after the October holidays and consent forms will be sent out as well.