Friday 27 April 2007

28th March 2007

The S3 exams begin after the Easter holidays on Wednesday 18th April.
Doon Academy’s staff and pupils bid farewell to Mr. Shevlin, ICT Department, who leaves the school at the end of this term.
The GOALS S6 Top-Up programme has now finished. Well done to all those who took part in the programme.
A group of twelve Doon Academy pupils, accompanied by Mrs McLatchie and Mr Taylor, attended the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Challenge. There were four teams from the three local authorities and they undertook a series of activities to come up with an idea to encourage teenagers to visit Ayrshire. The group then had to present their idea to an audience of 150 people. Doon Academy’s pupils had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The S1 girls’ netball team played Queen Margaret Academy recently and although everyone played well they lost the game. Better luck next time, girls!
Senior students took part in the Ayr Senior Seven-A-Side rugby tournament on Wednesday, March 28 at Marr College in Troon. Watch this space for the results next week! Meanwhile, the S2 rugby team had a successful first tournament and out of three games, they won one, lost one and drew one. Well done boys!
Miss McMenemy is organising a badminton tournament for pupils in S1 and S2. See the P.E. department for more information!
On Tuesday, March 27 Bradan won the S1 Reader’s Cup Quiz in what was a very closely fought competition! The previous week, Finlas won the S2 Quiz. Both contests were very close and exciting, so well done to the teams who won!
The Eco-Group has now completed the building of the plastic bottle greenhouse. It is situated in the quadrangle outside Mr O’Rourke’s office. The Eco-group is now hoping to grow flowers and vegetables in the greenhouse for the summer. Well done to everyone who participated in the building of the greenhouse and a huge thank you to everyone who brought in plastic bottles!

20th March 2007


History has been made by the S1/2 Rugby team as this is the first time Doon Academy has been represented in an official rugby tournament. The tournament had been organised at the Maress in Irvine. The team should be very proud of their achievement as they won one game, drew one and lost one. Well done boys and we look forward to your ever increasing confidence and skill level.
At the World Federation of Burns Club Ayrshire Schools’ competition Lesley Baird in S2 gained 1st place in S1/2 singing and Marie Reid gained 3rd place in S1/2 recitation. Kyle McCormick gained a Certificate of Achievement. Well done and congratulations to all the competitors.
On Tuesday, March 20, a group of S1 pupils, as part of the East Ayrshire Reading Programme went to Cumnock Academy to listen to the storyteller and author of “Love, Dad”; “Yo Diary” and “Yo Dot UK”, Jonathan Meres. Another group of S1 pupils went to Auchinleck Academy on Tuesday, March 13 to listen to the very amusing storyteller Michael Kerrins. All pupils found these visits very entertaining and humorous and eagerly await more author visits.
The S2 Readers Cup Quiz took place on Wednesday, March 21 and was won by the Finlas team. All the pupils who took part in the quiz had great fun and cannot wait for next years’ competition!
As part of the S3 Mentor Parents’ Evening, there will be a Mathematics workshop to show parents how they can help their children prepare for the upcoming SQA exams.
The Languages Dept. at Doon has a new blog site: Linguadoon. You can access this via French page.
S1 and S3 have also been given revision to do online over the Easter holidays - in preparation for their exams in mid April. These online links are all listed under the French Department link in the school website. Mrs Neilson will also run a languages technology club - one lunchtime a week. Students will learn new skills - they will be able to make podcasts (radio shows), videos and animations Ewan the Community Link Worker will help us. If you are interested in being a member of this club, speak to Mrs Neilson or Mrs Smith.
The Easter School programme has now been finalised and will run on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of both weeks from 10.30 – 12.noon and 12.30-2.30 each day. The Art Department has tutorials and study support for S4/6 on each of the days. The Science Department will be available the first week. The English Department has study support from Tuesday 10th – Thursday 12th April. In Mathematics, study support for Higher, Intermediate and Standard Grade pupils will be on Thursday, 12th. Also in the 2nd week there are music and drama rehearsals based on the rock musical Hooked! Pupils have been given a leaflet with details of staff and times. If you need more information please speak to Mrs. McCormick DHT.

15th March 2007

Recently a group of 50 2nd year pupils from Doon Academy attended a 'U can do it 2' Roadshow at the Park Hotel Kilmarnock. At the event pupils undertook various vocational workshops, provided by local industry and colleges. Mrs Stewart, Principal Teacher of Business Education & ICT said "pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being able to sample activities from the various occupations represented at the event". The group was accompanied by Mrs MacKenzie, Mr Taylor, Mrs Strachan and Mrs Stewart.
Maths FLaT Project Update! Miss Walker has now been working with Primary 7 pupils for a six week block in all of our partnership primary schools. After Easter, the Doon Academy Mathematics staff will be visiting all primaries for one hour a week to assist in getting to know the pupils to ensure that the transition from primary to secondary is a positive experience.
The girls’ netball team have had mixed fortunes over the last week! The girls lost the first game 11-6 to Stewarton Academy, but then won the second game 6-4. Well done girls!
The school rugby team are playing in a seven-a-side tournament this week. Watch this space next week for news about their results.
The Science Department have had Promethean boards fitted in the classrooms. Teachers and pupil are looking forward to their lessons using this new and innovative technology. Next departments to receive the boards will be English and Social Subjects.
The Waterstones Book Fair, as part of the World Book Day programme, was in school on Thursday, March 15. Pupils and staff were able to browse the wide choice of books and purchase books for their own personal reading.
Doon Academy Easter School will have a revision programme for many subjects and an S1 and S2 Drama programme based on the musical ‘Hooked’. More details next week!
On Wednesday 28th March there will be a Parents Evening 5.30pm – 7.30pm for S1 to S3 Mentor Groups. All parents are invited to attend and speak to the mentor teacher for their children who will inform them of their child’s progress in all their subjects. There will also be, for S3 parents, a workshop and presentation by Mrs Lake Principal Teacher of Maths on the Higher Still Maths programme.

8th March 2007


Cathy Cassidy, author of “Dizzy”, “Driftwood”, “Scarlet” and “Indigo Blue” visited the school to talk to S1 girls as well as girls from Auchinleck Academy and Cumnock Academy. She proved to be very popular and everyone found her talk interesting and informative.
Netball training with Miss McMenemy is ongoing on Tuesdays between 3.45pm and 4.30pm so come along if you’re interested or ask at PE for more information!
The junior girls’ netball team play Queen Margaret Academy on Wednesday 14 March. Watch this space for information about the game coming soon!
Senior girls PE classes are taking an interesting twist in the next few weeks with pupils taking part in aerobics, yoga, salsa and pilates. All S5/6 girls are welcome to come along, or see Miss McMenemy for more information!
S2 pupils are playing in a seven-a-side rugby tournament on Thursday, 15 March. Keep your eyes peeled for more information coming soon!
Artist Eoghann MacColl will be in school helping the Art department with their joint project with English about the history of the Doon Valley.
The Senior Yearbook will shortly be available so look out for it in school soon!
Students from S1, S2 and S5 took part in the East Ayrshire Choir Concert at the Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock on Friday, 2 March. Well done to everyone who took part!

1st March 2007

Miss McMenemy will be taking a group of girls to Stewarton Academy on Thursday, March 8 for a netball game. Good luck girls! Watch this space next week for news on the game!
World Book Day took place on Thursday, March 1 and was a great success within the school. Teachers took part on the “Get Caught Reading” theme and brought in the books they were currently reading to show pupils.
S6 GOALS Top-Up pupils had a campus visit to the University of Glasgow on Friday, March 2. Everyone enjoyed the day and found it very interesting and informative.
Doon Academy’s student teachers are finishing their second placement, Miss Borthwick and Mrs Paterson, who were in the English department, and Ms Sheppard, who was in the Art department leave the school on Friday, March 9. We thank them all and look forward to May when they will be returning for their last placement.
Senior students sat their Higher Still English prelims on Monday, March 5.
Both the English and Art departments will be taking part in an exciting project on the history of the Doon Valley. A variety of artwork will be produced as well as films, photography and written work. Watch this space for more information coming soon!
At the recent “U Can Do It 2” road show, held in the Park Hotel, Kilmarnock, Caitlin Downie won a prize for entering the most correct quiz answers. The road show involved Doon Academy, Auchinleck Academy, Cumnock Academy and Woodstock School. Well done, Caitlin!
The school has recently purchased Inquisitive software to help pupils raise attainment through a combination of subject quizzes and games.