Christmas concert

The annual Christmas Concert, held in the school hall which was packed with parents and other members of the local community, was a tremendous success with superb performances from our pupils. The school band, conducted by Gary Paterson, delighted the audience with traditional Christmas carols. Nicky Fairbairn in S2 sang two sensational solos. There were energetic extracts from Chicago, High School Musical, Oliver, Sleeping Beauty and South Pacific performed with panache by S1, S3 and S4 pupils. The clarinet duet of Claire Boyd and Annabel McTaggart charmed the crowds with their Winter Wonderland and our ‘Oasis’ tribute band performed their winning song from the talent show ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. Thank you to Mrs Rae, Principal Teacher of Music, music instructors Mr. Paterson, Mrs. Lee and Mr. O’Sullivan for their expertise and congratulations to everyone who helped and took part in this excellent event.

Panto stars

A group of S1 pupils were involved with the FiB Company in a production of Sleeping Beauty at Elmbank Theatre, Ayr. The pupils performed for Dalmellington P7s and Doon Academy’s S1 pupils and also gave an evening performance for parents and visitors. All the pupils thoroughly enjoyed their theatrical experience and the pantomime was a sensation.

Geography trip to Patna

S4 Geography pupils, accompanied by Mrs. Elder, recently visited the BDF factory in Patna as part of their Standard Grade course. Pupils received a tour of the factory which manufactures single use surgical drapes for the NHS and a range of other companies. They then had the opportunity to interview the Production Manager, Andy Nightingale who provided an insight into the day to day operations. We would like to thank Andy and the rest of the staff at BDF for accommodating our visit.

School closure

Doon Academy was forced to close on Monday 13th December due to problems with our heating system. Pupils left the school at 10.45am but engineers were able to fix the problem and everyone was able to return as normal on the Tuesday.

Gingerbread Chef

Hospitality pupils were delighted that John Fowler the Head Chef of the Horizon Hotel in Ayr visited the school to teach them the art of preparing a gingerbread house. John held a competition and the winner with the best made house was S6 pupil Gordon Copeland. Congratulation to Gordon and thank you to John for his continued support for the school.

Burns Competition Winners

Congratulations to Josh Black who was runner-up and Kirsty McCormick who was the winner in the S1/2 Burns Verse Speaking Competition. They will both represent the school in the Ayrshire Schools Burns Competition and at the school’s Burns Supper to be held on Thursday 10th February 2010. Thank you to our Burns judges Mrs. Jean Kerr from Alloway Burns Club, Dr Tom Morrall from Ayr Burns Club and S3 pupil Raegan Heggie last year’s winner. All the finalists in the competition will be visiting the new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in February to support their studies of the life and works of Burns.

Coffee Morning

The Supported Learning Centre held a Community Coffee Morning which was very well attended by parents who were generous in their support. There were home baking goods, crafts and gifts made by the pupils, ginger wine, quiz sheets, bingo and a raffle. The event raised the magnificent sum of £380. All SLC pupils had a specific task for the morning which they carried out admirably and a thank you to them all, from SLC staff, for their support. This was an excellent example of pupil learning through all four capacities of a Curriculum for Excellence.

P E Pupils of the month

In P.E the Pupils of the Month for November are Morgan Davis and Josh Taylor. Well done to both of them for all their hard work and excellent participation in health and well-being activities.

Christmas lunch

The school Christmas Lunch will be served on Thursday 16th December in the dining hall. Rena Riggins and her team are busy preparing a wonderful feast for pupils and staff.

Peer Education

12 S3 pupils will be participating in a Peer Education Programme from January to March. The pupils will prepare a presentation of their choice based on a relevant community issue such as vandalism or binge drinking. When completed they will deliver their presentation to all primary and secondary schools in East Ayrshire. It is hoped the pupils will gain confidence and self esteem from their involvement with the programme. A bronze community award will be presented to all pupils who complete the project.

Carers Christmas Lunch

Zoe Ritchie, Amie Donnelly, Dara Murphy and Leigh Brown from the Asdan Employability Group, who are currently on work experience at Dalmellington House, have been selected to help at the Dalmellington Carers Christmas Lunch Well done girls!

Art Exhibition opening

The official opening of our annual Art Exhibition is on Thursday 16th December at 6.30pm at the Doon Valley Museum in Dalmellington. Pupils and staff artwork will be on view from Thursday 9th December. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Readers' Cup Quiz

The first round of the annual Readers’ Cup Quiz will be held, in school, for S1 and S2 in the week leading up to Christmas. There will be prizes for the winning pupils in each class. The quiz is a fun event aimed at encouraging pupils to read. The winners from the Doon Academy heats will go on to the East Ayrshire final.

Burns Competition

The final of the S1/2 Burns Verse Speaking Competition will take place in school on Wednesday 15th December. The judges for the event are Mrs Skilling from Alloway Burns Club, Dr. Tom Morrall from Ayr Burns Club and last year’s winner Raegan Heggie. The winner and runner up will be reciting their poems at our annual Burns Supper to be held on Thursday 10th February 2011.

Christmas Service

Doon Academy’s Christmas Church Service will be held in Dalmellington Church on Monday 20th December. There will be readings by pupils and music from the band.

Netball

On Tuesday 30th November, Doon Academy made the trip to Cumnock across the snow capped hills. Fifteen girls were there to take part in a mixed year group tournament. Five games were played with teams that were made up from 1st to 6th year. Our first year’s experienced their first netball games and all did extremely well. The first game ended in a tight 2-1 loss to Doon. The second game saw an inexperienced Doon team take on an older Cumnock team and lose 3-0. An excellent score line for our first time players. The third game allowed Doon to gain a draw and the following 2 games saw two very close score lines. Doon 1 came 2nd in the tournament with Doon 2 taking 4th place. Well done to all girls taking part in the friendly tournament, in particular Varri Murdoch and Connie Hose who received Players of the Tournament. Special mention to Savannah McMahon, Carla Strachan, Charelle Boyce, Sarah Murdoch, Nicole Millar and Robyn Mitchell who played for Doon Academy for the first time.

SLC Boccia Competition

The Supported Learning Centre pupils had a busy week when they all took part in a Boccia Competition, swimming gala and a visit to Sorn Estate learning about willow coppicing and willow crafts. In the Boccia, Conar Currie received a gold medal and Derrick Dews a bronze medal. Robbie Drynan, Robbie Jones, Conar Currie, Martin McCreath, Derrick Dews, Ryan Cranford, Josh Zakaszewski, Paul Andresen, Connar McKinley, Shannon Renwick and Kieran Scott all received medals in the swimming gala.

BBC School News reporters interviewed

BBC School News Reporters Danni Cullen, Aaron Gilmore, Shania Brown, Elleis Peters and Gareth Kerr were interviewed on the radio by BBC producers in London about their school news report on First Click. The reporters are now inspired to do more reporting with Elleis keen to do a behind-the-scenes report on the Christmas concert and Shania writing to some famous authors for an interview.

Christmas Concert

Doon Academy’s Christmas Concert will be held in the school hall on Thursday 9th December 7pm – 9.30pm. Tickets are priced at £3.00 for adults, £1.50 for children and are available from the school office or Ms. McClue in the Maths department. The evening promises to be a splendid occasion with music, singing, dancing, Christmas raffle and a pantomime. Donations for the raffle may be handed into the school office.

Art Exhibition

The official opening of our annual Art Exhibition is on Thursday 16th December at 6.30pm at the Doon Valley Museum in Dalmellington. Pupils and staff artwork will be on view from Thursday 9th December. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Accelerated Reader

The Accelerated Reader programme for S1/2 encourages pupils to read books and then to take a quiz to gain points. Every month there is a prize winner. Mrs Bax the librarian has added new books which should interest all pupils.

Kilmarnock's Hospitality

Mr Kelly and Mrs Gillespie visited the hospitality department at Kilmarnock College to gain an insight into the courses and opportunities available to our school leavers.

Leadership Course

The new S5/6 SQA Leadership Course is progressing well and pupils are undertaking various leadership activities in the school and community. Nathan Allison organised a pool competition at the Zone and Fraser Cameron had a ‘Beat the Goalie’ competition for S2 pupils in the school.

Leadership Course

The new S5/6 SQA Leadership Course is progressing well and pupils are undertaking various leadership activities in the school and community. Nathan Allison organised a pool competition at the Zone and Fraser Cameron had a ‘Beat the Goalie’ competition for S2 pupils in the school.

Health4Life Flascards

In Modern Languages pupils are working on their ‘Literacy Flashcards’ for the Comenius ‘Health4Life’ project. The flashcards will be produced in French, Greek, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish, the languages of the project, and will be used to enhance learning of these languages in classes.

Children In Need Talent Show

Congratulations to our own Oasis tribute band, Gavin McFadzean, Darren McLelland and Connor Adam, who were the winners of the Children in Need Talent Show. The show featured some very talented pupils and we were delighted that Elvis, also known as guidance teacher Steven Kelly, was in the building and available to compere the event. The tremendous sum of £388.55 was raised at the show. The staff versus pupils football match was closely contested by all taking part with the final score 6-3 to staff. Well done to everyone who took part in our Children in Need activities.

Chef's Demonstration

S5/6 Hospitality pupils were delighted that John Fowler the Head Chef of the Horizon Hotel in Ayr visited the school. The pupils worked with John to make Béchamel sauce, chicken and fish veloute sauces. John brought in a range of equipment from the hotel to show the pupils what he used in the kitchen. He also did a demonstration of cutting up vegetables using different cuts; these are skills the students will have to use in their exam. John finished off by cooking a smoked fish dish and a chicken dish, using the sauces the students had prepared. He plated the food up to showing the students how to make the food look attractive by using different cuts of vegetables, and different garnish techniques. John will be returning to the school in a few weeks.

Higher Photography

Mr MacKenzie’s Higher Photography class enjoyed a visit from Ayr photographer, Mr Graham Pollock. Mr Pollock spent time with the photography students and gave advice on camera techniques and studio lighting. Several of the students also had their work reviewed by our expert visitor. The event was arranged through Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce who is supporting improvements to the school's links with employers and businesses. We look forward to Graham's next visit, later in the course.

Poppy Collection

All pupils in the SLC have been very busy over the remembrance period distributing and collecting Poppy Scotland collection cans to local business and community venues throughout the Doon Valley area. Pupils and staff would like to express their thanks to the outlets that have helped us to raise money through Poppy Scotland. Thank you as well to all the local residents who donated so generously especially those who frequent Drongan Spar who raised the single highest amount in excess of £150. The SLC pupils have been learning about enterprise and community participation during this project and have worked well with Mr. Ellis recording and counting the £1300 that has been raised. Well done to all staff and pupils involved in this worthy cause.

Shoebox Appeal

S3 Asdan pupils, Zoe Gibson, Demi McCreadie, Amy Fulton and Rachel Maxey together with Mrs Woods delivered 18 shoe boxes to St Leonard’s Church in Ayr for the Operation Child Appeal. The area coordinator, Anne Parnaby, told them some very interesting information about the recipient countries for the shoe boxes and how much they are appreciated by the children who receive them.

Employability Group

The S4 Employability Group working with Tammy Borthwick had a visit from Lynsay Hewittson, Wedding Coordinator, from Lochside House Hotel, New Cumnock. Lynsay spoke to the group about her role within the busy hotel and then answered the many questions put to her concerning her career.

Christmas Concert

Doon Academy’s Christmas Concert will be held in the school hall on Thursday 9th December from 7pm. Tickets are priced at £3.00 for adults and £1.50 for children and are available from the school office or Ms. McClue in the Maths department. The evening promises to be a splendid occasion with music, singing, dancing, Christmas raffle and a pantomime.

Assemblies

Our pupils were pleased to listen to assembly addresses from Mrs Stewart and Mr Ellis. Mrs Stewart's topic was an inspiring person, Nick Vujicic. Pupils watched a brief and touching DVD sequence about this young Australian who has overcome severe disabilities to become an amazing role model for young people - and everyone. Naomi Allan (S2) said, "Even though Nick doesn't have arms or legs he still lives his life as best he can". Alistair Paton of S4 thought that Nick's example "makes you realise that your life is really good when he [Nick] can be so positive despite his disabilities".

Mr Ellis led our assemblies in the week leading up to Remembrance Day. As a sailor in the Royal Naval Reserve Mr Ellis has recently served as a driver, attached to the Royal Marines, in Iraq and Afghanistan. His presentations highlighted the effects of these conflicts on the lives of ordinary people and especially the injured servicemen who require care and support for the rest of their lives. Kirsty McCormick (S2) said, "Mr Ellis described an incident that he witnessed and which affected his friends. It was quite upsetting". Dillan Dunn (S4) said of the assembly, "It makes you think about the folk that are over there - especially when you know some of them". Collections for Poppy Scotland were supported by pupils and staff after the assemblies.

Netball success

S3 netball team played against Kyle Academy. Having been beaten to the cup by Kyle at the end of last season, Doon was fired up and ready to go on their rival’s arrival. The game got off to a flying start with both teams scoring quickly after the first whistle. Paige McMahon showed great skill by getting in front of her opposition and intercepting several passes. Claire Boyd also showed talent and enthusiasm by preventing several of Kyle’s attackers getting to a position to score. Sophie Dobbie and Jade Scott managed to get several more shots on target and took our team to a 5-4 win at half time. With Annabel McTaggart taking Tammy Reid’s bib and Lauren Shaw moving into Goal Keeper, the second half saw Kyle quickly draw. Varri Murdoch did a sterling job of controlling play in her centre position and managed to get the ball to our attackers allowing them to score twice. Kyle made an attempt to catch up by scoring another goal but could not get any more. Final score ended at 7-6 to Doon. Well done to all.

SLC Coffe Morning

The Supported Learning Centre is hosting a Community Coffee Morning on Friday 3rd December 10am – 12 noon. There will be a nearly new sale, arts and crafts, raffle and a game of Bingo at 11.15am. All are welcome to attend and entry is by donation.

Parent's evening

Parents evening for S4/5/6 pupils will be held on Wednesday 1st December 5pm to 7.30pm. This is an opportunity for parents to visit class teachers and discuss their child’s progress before prelim examinations for some Standard Grades in December and Intermediates/Highers beginning at the end of January. If you wish to make an appointment please contact the school office 01292 – 550521.

Scholar sessions for S5/6

Brian Dickson from Scholar visited the school and presented an introduction to Scholar to S5 and a more advanced session to S6 pupils. Scholar is an online revision programme which is very relevant to pupils undertaking Highers in Art and Design, Business Management, French, Maths and all the Sciences.

Art Gallery Bus

The travelling art gallery bus and artists visited the school and was an outstanding success. Classes from Art and Social Subjects boarded the bus and everyone enjoyed viewing the exhibition which was very bright and colourful. Meanwhile, 14 senior pupils worked in the Art department with Rabi, one of the featured artists. Their work was influenced by what they had seen on board the gallery and at the end of the day everyone had produced a very individual piece of work.

Christmas Concert

Doon Academy’s Christmas Concert will be held in the school hall on Thursday 9th December from 7pm. Tickets are priced at £3.00 for adults and £1.50 for children and are available from the school office or Ms. McClue in the Maths department. The evening promises to be a jubilant occasion with music, singing, dancing, Christmas raffle and a pantomime.

Supported study

Supported study for S4/5/6 pupils is on Wednesday and Thursday after school and some lunchtimes. Please see class teachers for details.

Shoebox Appeal

The shoeboxes for the Christmas appeal have now been completed and will be delivered to St. Leonard’s church. Thank you to everyone who supported this worthwhile appeal and to Mrs. Wood, Ms. McClue, Mrs Murray and the S3 Asdan group for organising the boxes.

Netball against Cumnock

Doon kicked off their netball season with two games against Cumnock 1 and Cumnock 2. Our girls started off strong against Cumnock 1, with Sophie Dobbie scoring 2 amazing points from the circle edge. Jade Scott helped with another few points and together they had earned Doon 6 points against Cumnock 1’s 4 points. Our girls came back on to court in high spirits but unfortunately our defence system consisting of Claire Boyd, Lauren Shaw and Paige McMahon were unable to stop 8 more goals coming in from the opposition. With the help of Annabel McTaggart and Tammy Reid, our attackers, managed to score another two nets, which brought our final score to 12-8. A narrow defeat but a well played game. With only 5 minutes rest, our girls were back on court for their second game that day against Cumnock 2. The game started off in a scrappy manner, and even resulted in an injury that meant Reagan Heggie had to come on as a substitute. Fortunately our girls were in the way of the game by this time and Sophie and Jade scored several nets in quick succession, taking the score to 7-3 by the first half. By the second half, our girls were on fire, scoring goal after goal. Cumnock managed another goal but this could not hold against Doon’s 13 points. Final score ended at 13-4 to Doon. Special thanks go to Tammy Reid and Raegan Heggie for standing in at the last minute and congratulations goes to Lauren Shaw and Jade Scott for receiving Players of the Match!

Art Exhibition

The opening of the school’s annual art exhibition at the Doon Valley Museum will be held on the evening of the 16th December although the exhibition may be viewed from the 9th December.

S5/6 Parents' Evening

Parents evening for S4/5/6 pupils will be held on Wednesday 1st December 5pm to 7.30pm. This is an opportunity for parents to visit class teachers and discuss their child’s progress before prelim examinations for some Standard Grades in December and Intermediates/Highers beginning at the end of January. If you wish to make an appointment please contact the school office 01292 – 550521.

Cricket training

Cricket winter training is now in session every Monday evening 6.30pm to 8pm with coach Mr. White. All pupils are welcome to attend.

Chef visit

John Fowler the Head Chef of the Horizon Hotel in Ayr will be visiting the school on Tuesday 23rd November to demonstrate cooking skills to S5/6 Hospitality students.

Skills Scotland

80 S4-S6 pupils attended the Skills Scotland Careers Event at the SECC Glasgow. Pupils had the opportunity to research and explore over 150 career areas and participated in interactive workshops. The event proved to be very successful and a worthwhile experience for the pupils.

East Ayrshire Learning Festival

Six of our senior pupils attended the East Ayrshire Learning Festival at Cumnock Academy on Saturday 1 November Nathan Gilmore and Jordan Kane of S4 manned a display which featured pupils' involvement in leadership activities such as the Ocean Youth Trust and the Citizenship programme. They also spoke to visitors about their work in the school's engineering department. Heather Dunn of S4 and Leanne Waugh of S5 delivered a presentation to the audience on the Dark Skies observatory project at Craigengillan Estate. Doon pupils have been involved in planning and securing funding for this exciting project which will attract star gazers to a new visitor centre and educational facility near Loch Doon. The area is officially classified as one of the best places in the world for studying planets in the night sky. Doon pupils are also developing the area’s reputation as a centre for art lovers. The school and working artists are creating an art trail which will link existing and new sculptures at the school, the town and in Craigengillan Estate. This project was presented to the audience by Megan McCleary of S4 and Gordon Copeland of S6. The pupils said the project would soon be attracting art lovers, families and walkers to the lovely landscape in and around Dalmellington.
The pupils were accompanied by DHT Mr MacKenzie, Mr Ellis, and Mr Tomlinson who is a Kilmarnock College engineering lecturer.

Asdan Bronze Awards

Congratulations to S4 pupils Dara Murphy and Craig McInnes who have completed their Bronze Awards for Asdan. They will receive their awards in December.

Match Fit 2010

Congratulations to S2 pupils who completed Match Fit 2010 with Kilmarnock Football Club. The pupils attended the club every Monday for 6 weeks and completed activities designed around Health and Well-Being.

MicMacs

S3 and S4 French pupils visited the Odeon Cinema Ayr to see a free showing of the film MicMacs as part of Film Education Week. The film is a satire on the world arms trade and was directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Although the film deals with a serious issue, the story has many hilarious and bizarre episodes. The visit was a great success and enjoyed very much by pupils and staff.

Remembrance Day Assemblies

Mr. Ellis has been holding year group assemblies to inform pupils about the significance of Remembrance Day and the Poppy Appeal.

Marines visit

The Royal Marines Commando Unit was in the school working with pupils on team building exercises. Amongst the many activities was bridge building and rugby.

Love Music

Pupils in S3 to S6 music classes visited the Love Music event at the Grand Hall Kilmarnock for the Electric Loops concert.

SkillsScotland visit

S4/5/6 pupils will be visiting the Skills Scotland careers event at the SECC in Glasgow. There will be hands on interactive features to give pupils a taste of different future career options.

"Routes for All" workshops

S6 pupils took part in the FOCUS West ‘Routes for all’ workshops. The activities are designed to be challenging but fun and they provide pupils with important skills for education and employment. Lecturers and university students from the University of Strathclyde also gave information; advice and guidance on practical issues relating to Further and Higher Education. The pupils really enjoyed their day and found it very interesting and informative.

Halloween Disco

The Halloween Disco was a raving success with pupils and staff dressed in an eclectic range of outfits from Dracula to Snow White. Well done to the 6th year prefects and school captains for arranging the event.

Cricket success

Congratulations to the Doon Academy Cricket Team who are the winners of the West of Scotland Schools Plate competition with their victory over Alloa Academy. Well done and thank you to Mr. White for his coaching of the team. The trophy will be presented to the cricket team captain S5 pupil Robert McDowall at a prize giving event at the Ayr Cricket Club on Thursday 2nd December.

Toy Story 3

All S1 pupils visited the Odeon Cinema in Ayr to see Toy Story 3 as part of the Film Education week. The film reinforces the themes of friendship and belonging which have been the focus of their PSE classes.

S5 Routes for All workshop

S5 pupils took part in the FOCUS West ‘Routes for all’ workshops. The activities are designed to be challenging but fun and they provide pupils with important skills for education and employment. Lecturers and university students from the University of Strathclyde also gave information; advice and guidance on practical issues relating to Further and Higher Education. The pupils really enjoyed their day and found it very interesting and informative.

S3 Campus Day

The FOCUS West Campus Day for S3 pupils will be held on 7th December at the University of West of Scotland (Paisley Campus). 30 S3 pupils will tour the campus and learn about life at university.

Christmas

The Christmas Concert will be held on the evening of Thursday 16th December. More details in the coming weeks.

Burns Competition

S1/2 pupils are busy learning their Burns poems for the Burns Verse Speaking Competition. The Grand Final will take place in the school in December. Good Luck to everyone taking part.

Shoebox Appeal

Thank you to everyone who has donated items for the Shoebox Appeal. Ms. McClue and Mrs Woods still need stationery items, hats, scarves and gloves, non-chocolate sweets, soap, facecloths, toothpaste, toothbrushes and toys. Pupils may give donated items to maths teachers at the start of their lessons.

Willow Workshops

Local artist Geoff Forrest has been teaching pupils the art of willow weaving during workshops in the school. The pupils’ designs will be used as part of the ‘Art Trail’ to be established in Dalmellington.

Ayrshire Netball success

Congratulations to S3 pupil Lauren Shaw who was selected to play for the Ayrshire Netball Team and has played in 4 games for the team. Lauren helped the team to winning success in 3 of the games.

New Chemistry teacher

Doon Academy staff and pupils bid a warm welcome to our new chemistry teacher Mrs Grey.

Travelling Art Gallery

The travelling Art Gallery will be visiting the school on Thursday 11th November. Alongside other activities there will be a workshop for senior pupils with one of the visiting artists.

Work Experience week

S4 pupils had an excellent week on work experience placement with the school receiving very favourable reports about the pupils from local businesses. Staff and pupils would like to thank Suzanne Murdoch at the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and all the companies who provided placements ensuring that our pupils had a successful and productive work experience. Thank you to Mr. Kelly, Mrs. McLay and Tammy Borthwick for organising the event.

Army work experience

Doon Academy has successfully secured 8 places on the Army work experience week in February 2011.

Barnado's Drop In Club

Barnado’s Drop In club will resume on the 5th November and will be available for pupils every 2 weeks. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Seasons for Growth

Kate MacLeod from Seasons for Growth will be visiting the school in November to provide in-service training on bereavement counselling to the core support team.

Construction course

Ayr College staff will be delivering a 12 week construction course, in school, to 8 S5 pupils. The old SFL base will be transformed into a construction site for the course beginning in February 2011.

Health4Life Comenius project meeting

As part of Doon Academy’s Comenius ‘Health4Life’ project Mrs Dorans and Mrs Ferrie attended a project meeting at the IES Alcarrras High School in Spain. Together with teachers from our partnership schools in Belgium, Poland, Greece, Portugal and Spain they finalised the arrangements for the project programme. Amongst the many activities at the meeting was a ‘Health4Life’ logo competition where the logo designed by our S3 pupils Cameron Smith and Varri Murdoch gained 2nd place. The next project meeting will be in Belgium in March attended by pupils and staff with the main focus being a health debate.

Student teachers

Staff and pupils bid a warm welcome to our returning student teachers, Suzanne Fraser in the English department and Ruth MacCallum in Biology, who will be in school for a 5 week placement until the 3rd December. We wish them every success.

Romania visit

During the October holiday week a team of twelve Doon Academy students, part of the Lazer Group from Bellsbank Church, visited Romania on a mission trip.
The team worked on projects with the Romanian based charity ‘The Smiles Foundation’. The group were involved in working on eleven of the nineteen projects that Smiles is currently developing in Romania. These activities included: working on a farm by cutting back hedges and painting pens; delivering aid to poor, deprived families: taking aid in the form of food, soap and sleeping bags to the homeless; visiting Tileagd school and village; delivering a container into Salard; visiting the emergency housing unit and helping at the crèche with children who need love and attention. Throughout the week the students were able to see ‘how the other half live’ and this proved to be an emotional journey for them. On return, the group hope to spread awareness about the Smiles Foundation and continue fund-raising in the school and the community to help to make a difference to the Romanian people.

Supported Study

Supported Study sessions after school on Wednesdays and Thursdays are now underway. All pupils in S4 to S6 are welcome to attend to gain extra help and support from their teachers.

"Wear it Pink"

The S4 Care Group organised a fundraising event for ‘Wear it Pink’ to raised money for Breast Cancer Research. They held a non-uniform pink day, cake sale and raffle which raised over £190. A special mention to Mr. Paton who deservedly won Best ‘Pink’ Dressed Male with his pink shirt, pink belt and pink furry boots!

Poppy Scotland Project

S1 and S2 Support for Learning pupils visited the War Memorials in Ayr as part of the Poppy Scotland project. The visit helped the pupils to understand how much the community contributed to the defence of the country during the two World Wars and how much it is still supporting the service personnel today with projects such as Combat Stress in Hollybush.

Doon on BBC

The BBC came into school and filmed some S1 pupils with Mr Gilmore and Ms Joss talking about their lives and researching on the Internet.
Here is the link to BBC School News Report website where you can see the finished report and film.

BBC First Click Campaign

Here is a link to a report on the First Click Campaign. Doon is mentioned at the bottom of the page.

Y dance display at SLF

On Thursday 23rd September, 13 S3 pupils travelled to the SECC in Glasgow to take part in the Learning Festival. All the pupils had been involved with East Ayrshire’s pilot scheme which highlighted the dangers of smoking, drinking and taking drugs alongside encouraging the pupils to take part in exercise, in particular dance. The pupils had learned a dance routine which they performed in front of an audience at the SECC and some spoke about their experiences. Well done to the following pupils who had a great day out and represented their school and district in a very positive manner: Hope Stark, Zoe Gibson, Demi McCreadie, Varri Murdoch, Tammy Reid, Tami McLelland, Hazel Murdoch, Raegan Heggie, Blair McCrone, Carly Hay, Fiona Kennedy, Rachel Maxey, Kody Nutt and Alex Dearie.

Maths Challenge 2010

Well done to S3 pupils Connor Strang and Hayley Mitchell and S4 pupils Heather Dunn and Rosie Coles who represented Doon Academy at the Maths Challenge 2010. The team performed well in a closely contested competition which was narrowly won by Loudoun Academy. Thank you to Mr. Dunlop from the Maths department who accompanied the pupils to the event.

Under 15s netball success

The following pupils have been picked to represent Ayrshire in the Under 15s netball league: Lauren Shaw; Claire Boyd; and Jade Scott. The girls had to endure 2 gruelling trials at Queen Margaret Academy and beat off competition from another 55 girls who came from all over Ayrshire. Well done girls Doon Academy’s staff and pupils are very proud of you!

European Day of Languages

Doon Academy celebrated the European Day of Languages by learning new words in as many different languages as possible ranging from Arabic to Swahili. Pupils made puppets and filmed sketches in French, as well as singing songs and playing games. A great day was had by all!

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) visited the school and conducted workshops with pupils to help them extend their musical talent. The pupils then attended a performance by the SCO which was described by pupils as magical.

Wear it Pink

The S4 Care Group working with Tammy Borthwick had a visit from Wendy the community midwife. Wendy spoke about her work and the group asked many questions. They have also been busy organising fund raising activities for this year’s ‘Wear it Pink’ Day on Friday 22nd October in aid of breast cancer research. The group have arranged for face painting, a pink wearing non-uniform day and two raffles. All donations are welcome for this worthy cause and well done to the care group for your excellent enterprising attitude.

Board Games for Alzheimer's Scotland

In the Art department a group of S3 pupils are working with Enterprise Officer Linda Paterson and Jennifer McKeand from Alzheimer’s Scotland to produce board games for people with dementia. The group already have some good ideas and they could make history as nothing like this has been made before. We wish them every success.

Hospital visit

Principal Teacher of Guidance Steven Kelly accompanied a group of 10 S5/6 students to Ayr Hospital for a NHS Awareness Day to find out about possible careers relating in the health industry.

Student Teachers

Our student teachers, Suzanne Frazer and Ruth MacCallum, have now returned to university following their two week observation placement. We look forward to their return at the beginning of November.

Art Trail Workshops

Local Loch Doon artist Geoff Forrest visited the school and held workshops with pupils in preparation for the forthcoming Art Trail.

New School Captains

Congratulations to Marie Reid and Kyle Stewart who have been selected to serve as School Captains.
They will be ably assisted by Vice Captains Lesley Baird, Tazmyn Hearton, Alistair Dunn, Gordon Copeland and prefects Caitlin Downie, Nicolle Edmonds, Connie Hose, Sophie McFarlane, Aimee McKnight, Megan Stark, Megan Freel, Paula Glancy, Chelsea Maitland, Natalie Millar, Andrea Miller, Sheryl Murray, Stephanie Smith, Larissa Stirling, Lisa Teasdale and Conner Weir. We wish them all every success in performing their duties.

Sponsored Walk

Doon Academy's Sponsored Walk will take place on the afternoon of Friday 1st October. The pupils and staff will undertake a 5k walk leaving from the school, along Bellsbank Brae and through the Craigengillan Estate. This event will help pupils and teachers raise money for the school. Funds will go towards educational trips and outings to help broaden our pupils’ curriculum.

Science Museum trip

The S3 Doon Academy/Kilmarnock College engineering class with be visiting the Science Museum in Glasgow with college staff Billy Tomlinson and Keith Johnstone. The pupils will be undertaking a series of challenges relating to the interactive exhibits.

BBC Local News project

Doon Academy’s BBC School News Reporters were delighted to welcome local community members Miss Annie Joss MBE and Mr James Gilmore to the school. Miss Joss and Mr. Gilmore spoke to the reporters about their work and lives particularly relating to living in the Doon Valley area. They then worked with the reporters on the internet to research information. Laura Simpson from the BBC recorded the event for possible broadcasting on the BBC.

Ayrshire Under 15 Netball Trials

Congratulations to S3 pupils Claire Boyd, Lauren Shaw and Jade Scott who have reached the 2nd round of the Ayrshire under 15 Netball Trials. Good luck in the next round girls!

Skills for Work

In PSE all S3 have begun their first assessment for ‘Skills for Work’ this programme is to prepare them for their work experience and Workit in 4th year.

Work Experience

S4 pupils will be on work experience placements the week of the 4th to 8th October.

The Nine Lives of Roddy Hogg

The Baldy Bane theatre company visited the school to perform, for all S1, their road safety play ‘The Nine Lives of Roddy Hogg'. The play introduces a rich variety of characters as Roddy’s way through life sees him using up his nine lives, one by one. The consequences of his actions are fatal.

Sheepdog Trials success

Congratulations to S4 pupil Robbie Welsh who came 19th out of 60 representing the Scotland team at the International Sheepdog Trials in Ireland. This is a tremendous achievement for Robbie as he is the youngest person ever to qualify for the Scotland Team.

Dracula trip

Higher and Intermediate 2 English pupils will be visiting the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock on the evening of Thursday 7th October to see a production of Liz Lochead’s ‘Dracula’. The cost is £11 which includes ticket and transport. Please see Mrs. Murray or Miss. Borthwick for more details.

Young Musician of the Year

Doon Academy’s ‘Young Musician of the Year’ competition was a tremendous success and everyone really enjoyed the evening. The Master of Ceremonies was former pupil Lorna Dempsey and the adjudicator was East Ayrshire’s Instrumental Service Manager Paul Wood. Guest artistes were the Dalmellington Senior and Junior bands conducted by Ian Taylor. Thank you to Band Leader Hugh Johnstone MBE who donated the winning trophies. This musical extravaganza featured outstanding competitors: Leanne Waugh, Michael Harvey, Robbie Uriarte, Claire Boyd, Stephanie Carrick, Paul Jamieson, Annabel McTaggart, Darren McLelland, Nicky Fairbairn, Kirsty McCormick, Fiona Kennedy, Frazer Buchanan, Lisa Chalmers, Lauren Young and Hazel Limond. The winner was Tazmyn Hearton with her rendition of Valerie and runner-up was Gail Limond playing How Great Thou Art on the Eb Horn. Congratulations to everyone who took part in the event which will be an annual feature in the school calendar for years to come. . Thank you to Mrs. Rae Principal Teacher of Music and Music Instructors David Sullivan, Barbara Lee and Gary Patterson for all their hard work, dedication and expertise.

The Music department will be hosting a fundraising event on Friday 21st October.

Activate

We welcome back Nancy Law from Careers Scotland who will take the ACTIVATE group for S5/6 students. ACTIVATE helps students develop skills, and obtain the knowledge, to assist them in moving on from Doon Academy to further education or into employment.

Coalfields Art Competition

In the Art department pupils have once again been taking part in the Coalfields Art Competition. The theme this year is ‘Toys of Yesteryear’. Doon has won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in this competition for the past 2 years and there are high hopes for this year’s entries.

Spring Read 2011

East Ayrshire school librarians are putting together a bid for Spring Read 2011. The authors they are going to ask for are Keith Gray, Gillian Philip, Cathy Forde and another.

Student Teachers

Two student teachers from the University of the West of Scotland are on placement in the school. Ruth MacCullum is in Biology and Susanne Frazer in English. We wish them every success and hope they enjoy their time at Doon.

Sponsored Walk

Doon Academy's Sponsored Walk will take place on the afternoon of Friday 1st October. The pupils and staff will undertake a 5k walk leaving from the school, along Bellsbank Brae and through the Craigengillan Estate. This event will help pupils and teachers raise money for the school. Funds will go towards educational trips and outings to help broaden our pupils’ curriculum.

Cambridge University visitor

Doon Academy staff, parents and pupils were delighted to welcome Cambridge University’s Schools Liaison Officer Joshua Jowitt to the school. Joshua spoke to pupils and parents about the entrance requirements for Cambridge and about university life.

Scotland team place

Congratulations to S4 pupil Robbie Welsh who is in the Scotland Team to go to the International Sheepdog Trials in Ireland on the 15th and 16th September. This is a tremendous achievement for Robbie as he is the youngest person ever to qualify for the Scotland Team. Also, we believe no other national team has had anyone as young as Robbie in their team. Good Luck Robbie from everyone at Doon Academy.

Summer Reading Challenge winner

Mrs. Bax our librarian ran a summer reading competition where she asked S1 and S2 to read a book during the summer holidays in an interesting or humorous place and to submit a short review to the Doon Reads blog. Frazer Buchanan read Theresa Breslin’s book ‘Prisoner of the Inquisition’ in a cupboard and under his bed! He submitted his review and made Mrs Bax laugh on a dull Monday morning and so he won! Congratulations to Frazer who won a signed copy of the book.

Business Challenge

The S3 Business management class are busy working on their projects for the Coca-Cola Challenge.

New Peer Mediators

Congratulations to S6 pupils who received their Peer Mediation training and have now qualified as Peer Mediators. The mediators will help junior pupils with any problems they encounter in school.

Theatre trip

Higher and Intermediate 2 English pupils will be visiting the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock on the evening of Thursday 7th October to see a production of Liz Lochead’s ‘Dracula’. The cost is £11 which includes ticket and transport. Please see Mrs. Murray or Miss. Borthwick for more details.

BBC project

Doon Academy’s BBC School News Reporters have been selected by the BBC to be one of 10 schools in Scotland to work with the BBC on a Media Literacy/First Click project. The reporters will work with older family and community members to learn together whilst researching a topic of their choice. The participants will have access to BBC archives and the chosen topics may be commissioned by the BBC for broadcasting on television and radio.

Ayrshire Netball Trials

S3 pupils Jane Scott, Lauren Shaw and Claire Boyd will attend the Ayrshire Netball Team trials to be held at Queen Margaret Academy on the 15th September. We wish them every success.

Art Attack Club

The Art Attack Club is held every Wednesday 2.45pm to 4.15pm. All budding artistes are welcome to attend.

PE Pupils of the Month

In the PE department the S1 pupils of the month are Cheryl Allison and Sam McCrorie. Congratulations to them both.

Netball training

Netball training for the girls’ teams is held on Tuesday lunchtime and after school on Thursdays. All girls are welcome to attend please see Mrs. Ferrie for details.

BBC Blast

The S3 Media Group had a really interesting and informative day when they visited the BBC Blast event which was held at the Low Green Ayr. The group worked with BBC staff to write and record ‘Sketching Britain’ a radio comedy sketch show which was broadcast on the BBC Blast Out Loud radio programme. Lauren said ‘It was a great day and I really enjoyed recording the show in the sound booth’.
Here is their recording



See more Audio at TeacherTube.com.

ASDAN Bronze Award

Congratulations to S4 pupil Liam Haining who has completed six modules of the ASDAN course and will be presented for a Bronze Award. The modules Liam has worked are Home Management 1 and 2, Number Handling; The Environment, Expressive Arts and the Wider World. Liam is now working towards his Silver Award and, if successful, will be the first pupil from Doon Academy to achieve such an award.

Ski Trip 2011

Mrs McLay is organising the annual ski weekend to Aviemore. The trip will take place after school Friday 4th to Sunday 6th February and the cost is £175. Please see Mrs. McLay in Guidance for further details.

Young Musician of the Year

Doon Academy’s Young Musician of the Year Competition will be held in the school hall on Friday 10th September 2010 from 6.40pm to 9pm. This musical extravaganza will also feature the Dalmellington Senior Band. Tickets are £3.50 for adults and £2 for children and are available from the school office 01292 550521. The ticket cost includes refreshments and a finger-buffet.

West FM School of the Week

Well done to S4 pupil Dara Murphy who applied for the school to be West FM’s School of the Week and was accepted. Songs dedicated to Doon Academy were played on the radio at 8.30am and 3.30pm for a week.

Under 13 Footlball

Mr. Kelly was pleased with the turnout for the Under 13 Boys Football Trials. A squad of 15 will be selected to compete in the Ayrshire League and Ayrshire Cup competitions. Good Luck Boys.

DAFT

Former pupil Shayla Tullis visited the school to tell pupils about her new drama groups which have begin in Dalmellington and Patna. The sessions are based around learning about acting techniques in theatre and film. We wish her every success.

Targeted Support

The school launched its Targeted Support Programme on the 1st September. This after school group meets to give pupils a chance to catch up with class work and homework which proves tricky or has been missed.

School photographer visit

The school photographer has taken individual and class photographs of S1, S3 and S5 pupils. These will be available shortly for purchase.

Health4Life logo competition

In the Art and Business and ICT departments S1 to S3 pupils are designing a logo for our new Comenius ‘Health4Life’ Project. There are 4 prizes to be won for the best designs and the overall winning logo will be entered for the international competition with our partner schools in Belgium, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Spain. Good luck to all the pupils taking part in the competition.

Signed for Rangers

Congratulations to 5th year pupil Marc Dyer who has signed for the Rangers Football Team. Marc will still be attending school one day a week to complete his academic studies.

Under 18 Football trials

Mr. Kelly was pleased with the turnout for the Under 18 Boys Football Trials. A squad of 15 will be selected to compete in the Ayrshire League and Ayrshire Cup competitions. The team’s first league match is home to Girvan Academy. Good Luck Boys.

Summer activities

Congratulations to Tyla Crocket, Dara Murphy and Stephen Crossan who successfully completed the East Ayrshire Youth Award at Bronze level by taking part in the transitional summer programme. They completed sections of skills, physical recreation, outdoor activity and an expedition. Well done to them all for working so hard over the summer.

New S1 pupils

Head Teacher Mr. O’Rourke is delighted that the term is off to a good start. The 1st years are settling well into school life and everyone is looking very smart in their school uniform.

Visit to Coca-Cola

Arrangements have been made by the Business Education and ICT Department for the S3 Business Management pupils to visit Coca-Cola in East Kilbride.

New Teachers

There are a number of new staff members in the school. Two probationer teachers, Emma Cooke and Angela Mendy together with Callum Dunlop who has transferred from Loudoun Academy are now in the maths Department. In Geography Lorna Devin is covering classes whilst Mrs. Elder is on maternity leave. Joanne Thomson is our new chemistry teacher. Pupils and staff wish them a warm welcome to the school.

Cricket success

Congratulations to the under 15 cricket team who are in the final of the Under 15 Plate Competition against Kelvinside Academy.

Southern Upland Way

During the summer holidays, Art teacher Justine Fuller walked the Southern Upland Way, with her father John, and raised over £540 for the local Ayrshire charity Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA). The walk is 212 miles from Portpatrick on the South-West coast to Cockburnspath on the East coast and despite, at times, some appalling weather conditions they completed the walk in 16 days. Well done to them both for this tremendous achievement.

RREC video

This is a short video of S2 pupils participating in the Rapid Response Engineering Challenge in May 2010.

Prize Giving

Our Prize giving was held on Friday 25th June 2010 in the Assembly Hall. The guest of honour was Mr Jack Paterson, ex-Headteacher of Dalmellington Primary School.

Prize List 2009-2010


1st Year Prizes

General Excellence
John Anderson
Halle Fitzsimmons
Kirsty McCormick
Stephanie Carrick
Progress Prize
Christine Flemming
Iain McWilliam
Accelerated Reader
Lauren Kennedy

2nd Year Prizes
General Excellence
Lauren Young
Varri Murdoch
Lauren Shaw
Fraser Buchanan
Robbie Uriarte
Hazel Limond
Progress Prize
Tammy Reid
Accelerated Reader
Mark McLean

3rd Year Prizes
General Excellence
Lisa McTaggart
Hayley Bone
Rosie Coles
Paige Collins
Alistair Paton
Kirstie Millar
Progress Prize
Mark Wilson
Gavin Memorial Prize
Heather Dunn

4th Year Prizes
General Excellence
Lauren Mitchell
Rhianne Jones
Progress Prize
Jennifer Phillips
Graeme Davis
Gavin Memorial Prize
Kyle McCormick
5th and 6th Year Prizes

George Barnes Prize for General Excellence
Lisa Teasdale
Melissa Napier

Bequest Awards
Robert Brown Memorial Prize for Art
Aimee McKnight
Larissa Stirling
James Weir Memorial Shield for French
Kyle McCormick
Mrs Anderson's Home Economics Prize
Kieran Mullen
Stephen Roos Memorial Prize for Physical Education
David Burrell
Cecil Oughton Cup for Technical Education
Lisa Teasdale
Cecil Oughton Cup for Music
Claire Connell
The Gordon Douglas Memorial Prize for Science
Claire Connell
Excellence in Social Subjects
Claire Connell
Excellence in Maths
Claire Connell
Excellence in Higher English
Claire Connell
Excellence in Intermediate 2 English
Marie Reid
Excellence in Intermediate 1 English
Paula Glancy
Excellence in ICT
Gail Johnstone

Special Awards
The Michelle Murray Prize for Special Achievement
Joseph Wagstaff
Vocational Education Prize
S3 Jordan Kane
S4 Nathan Gilmore
Stephen McClymont

John Muir Award
Caroline Crosby
Tammi Drynan

Award for Services to School

S6 Prom Committee
Lee Orr
Sarah Reid
Ashleigh Thomson
Stephanie Roberts
Chloe Wallace
Amy Fairbairn
Jake Bunyan
Kelsey Dunn
Laura Sym
Melissa Napier
Jennifer Pettigrew

Craigengillan Art Prize
Tazmyn Hearton

Dux – Hunter Stewart Memorial Prize
Claire Connell


The BBC Radio Scotland Community Cup (Trophy donated by the Royal Bank of Scotland)
S4 ASDAN/College Group
Kevin Meechan
raser Cameron
Kieran Mullen
Christopher Murray
Thomas Jones
Conner Boyle
Logan Collins
Jack White
Lee Miller


Sports Trophies – Athletics Championships

The Thomson Trophy for Junior Boys
Robert Brown
Runner Up
Jamie McLatchie

The McIntosh Trophy for Junior Girls
Rachel Boyce
Runner Up
Paige Fleming

The Royal Bank of Scotland Trophy for Intermediate Boys
Michael Harvey
Runner Up
Mark McLean

The Alpine Trophy for Intermediate Girls
Lauren Shaw
Runner Up
Claire Boyd

The Joseph Kirkland Trophy for Senior Boys
Stewart Steele
Runner Up
Dillan Dunn

Doon Valley Athletics Trophy for Senior Girls
Connie Hose
Runner Up
Stacey Chalmers

David Stevenson Sprint Trophy
Dillan Dunn

Sean Carson Senior Boys Javelin Champion
Stewart Steele

Cricket Player Of The Year
James McCreath

Netball Player of the Year
Lauren Shaw
Jade Scott

Doon Academy Rugby Trophy
Connor Halbert

Golf Champion
James Mulholland

Swimming Champions
Junior Girls
Alex’s Dearie
Junior Boys
Rory Dempsey
Senior Girls
Bronwynn Dempsey
Senior Boys
Kyle McCormick

Interhouse Shield
Doon

Barcelona

The school visit to Barcelona was a great success – all staff and pupils involved had a fantastic time and staff commented that the pupils were a credit to the school. Amongst the wonderful sights they visited was the Sagrada Familia, a giant cathedral designed by the master architect Antonio Gaudi, the famous Nou Camp home to the Barcelona Football Team. Other attractions were the Picasso Museum and Marine Land. Everyone is already looking forward to the next trip in 2 years time!

Goodbye to Mr Kavanagh

Doon Academy staff and pupils bid a fond farewell to our History probationer teacher Jamie Kavanagh. Mr. Kavanagh fully embraced Doon life, including coaching the pupil football team, accompanying the visit to Alton Towers and playing in the staff Friday evening football matches. He will be missed by everyone at the school and we wish him every success for the future.

Chef's Apprentice competition

Congratulations to Jack Allsop who came 4th in the East Ayrshire Chef’s Apprentice Competition. Jack prepared a home made pizza with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, sweetcorn and peppers.

UWS Computing trip

Mr. Richardson in Physics and Mr. Power in Computing accompanied senior pupils on a visit to the Computing and Science departments at the University of West of Scotland Paisley Campus. The pupils took part in workshops and were able to see what courses are on offer at the university.

Under 18 football trials

The Under 18 Football Team Trials will take place after the school holidays on Thursday 19th August 3pm to 4.30pm.

Biology field trip to Culzean

Standard Grade and Intermediate 2 Biology students had a very interesting and informative day at Culzean Castle. They worked on activities on shoreline woodland ecologies linked to the Biosphere Topic.

New Teachers

Two new probationer teachers, Emma Cooke and Angela Mendy, will begin teaching, in August, in the Maths Department. Also joining the Maths department is Callum Dunlop who is transferring from Cumnock Academy. We warmly welcome them all to the school.

Alton Towers

The annual visit to Alton Towers took place in blazing sunshine and everyone had a terrific time visiting the park and experiencing the enthralling and exhilarating rides.

Inter-House Sports Challenge

The school Inter-House Sports Challenge was hotly contested with Finlas winning the junior football, Bradan the netball and Raecar the cricket.

The overall winners were Doon house and Paige Collins and Bradley Kirkwood received the trophy on their behalf. Well done to all pupils and staff who took part in the afternoon.

Wider Achievement assemblies

Congratulation to all pupils who achieved their Wider Achievement Certificate at a special school assembly to recognise their success. Their reward was an ‘Inflatable Day‘ where they took part in activities including Gladiator Duel, Pole Jousting, 2 Lane Bungee and the Special Cage.
Thank you to Mr. Richardson and his Wider Achievement committee for organising the event.