WELCOME HOME

At the Front door, you will be aware of our controlled access for visitors. All other doors operate on a self-closing and alarmed system for the security of pupils. The security and alarm system for the school has been extended and upgraded. Outside improvements have been made to pathways, lighting, and the security fence to the rear of the school. We benefit from well-maintained grounds and extensive playing fields at the back of the school.

SCHOOL CHAPEL

The School Chapel has been re furbished. Holy Mass is celebrated here once a week and more frequently during Advent and Lent; classes take their turn to assist with the Mass. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the Chapel and it is a beautiful place of prayer for individuals and groups. Whole-school celebrations of the Liturgy take place in the Main Hall.

GAMES HALL AND GYMNASIA

The two gymnasia and changing rooms have clearly benefited from a significant up- grade. The Main Hall has a superb sports floor of the highest quality. We really need to take great ' care of this! The Dining Hall next-door is re-floored and re-decorated. Our catering staffs provide meals of a high quality.

The Main Hall is multipurpose and provides a venue for school celebrations of the Liturgy. It is also used for Theatre productions, the Pantomime, Talent Concerts and Charity fund- raising as well as for Discos, Ceilidhs and our Burns Supper. It is also used for Prizegiving and Examinations.

SCHOOL LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTRE

This was doubled in size a few years ago and continues to expand with two areas provided for the use of ICT technology. Ask our Librarian about the extent of school, Council and government support for new books. The new shelving provides for further expansion.

The Library is fully in use at class-times and break-times. It is also actively used by our younger pupils after school through the Homework Club. Our older pupils benefit from the after school tutorial groups in a wide range of subjects through Supported Study.

NATIONAL GRID FOR LEARNING

The Education Department agreed to fully wire network all rooms to provide a framework for a revolution in the Use of ICT technology. The St John's model is being used by the Council to extend computer networks in all secondary schools. We are the Pilot school for the National Grid for Learning project in the city. Files for all pupils, staff, and subjects, as well as secure Internet access are being introduced in phases between now and December and then by Easter 2000.

MELROSE

The classrooms on the ground floor are for Religious Education, Physical Education, and Personal Social Education/Guidance. Upstairs, you will find an up-graded Science lab. The Art Departments has been given new facilities: a photographic dark room, computing work areas in each room, and a kiln room for ceramics. Art is now very wide-ranging!

JEDBURGH

This is where you will really see our new colour scheme come into its own! The four Modem Languages rooms have been re-furbished.

Upstairs, the splitting of the former Home Economics room has been very successful and houses Modem Languages and Classics. The Science lab and base have been re- designed.

Above all, the two brand new computing laboratories with new equipment are a major step forward in our provision. New PCs have taken the department forward significantly.

LINDORES

A change of use for this block gives us very effective accommodation for the English department. This includes a very suitable room for Drama, which is now strongly established as a subject in St John's.

DUNKELD

This block has been fully refurbished and provides accommodation for Mathematics, with another split room upstairs next to the re-located Geography department.

BALMERINO

This block which opened in 1997 has modern classrooms and now houses History and Modern Studies as well as a joint English/Mathematics classroom.

PUPIL FACILITIES

Pupil toilets have been redecorated and facilities improved; more improvements are planned. Space has limited our scope to introduce pupil lockers, but this issue will still be under consideration in the Pupil Council. Our Sixth Year are able to make use of the dining hall as a social area when not in class.

IONA

On the ground floor, we have the School Office and caretakers' base. The Reprographics facility was developed a few years ago, as was the Guidance base for our Guidance team. There are offices for Senior Management, and nearby staff-room and Staff Technology and Resource room. School administration uses the Phoenix System.

You will already have noticed the carpeting and re-flooring, the re-painting, the electrical work, and the blinds, which enhance every part of the school. Below the surface, of course, a lot of essential maintenance work has greatly improved the fabric of the building.

On the first floor, the standard of our main Science laboratories has been visibly improved and provision is made for computers in every room. A new Technicians' store and base has been created.

On the second floor, you see evidence of the completely new roof and ceilings, as well as the re- roofing of neighbouring buildings.

Our two new Science laboratories on this floor are state-of-the-art!

The new Home Economies department is likewise of the highest standard with two brand new practical rooms, a theory room storage and base

KELSO

The new Business Studies Department with its two multi-purpose rooms opened in 1997 when the Terrapin building was removed. The Council has given us the latest computers in Business Studies.

The Music Department opened in 1992 and provides two rooms, one of which is larger to accommodate the Orchestra, Choir or Brass band; there are practice rooms and a staff base.

In Technical, you should see the brand new Graphics Communication suite, which previously housed two smaller computing labs. The layout of the Technological Studies lab has been completely modernised. The staff base is new.

You will be made welcome in our newly designed Support for Learning Department, which includes the Resource Location. This multi-purpose environment should serve a range of pupil needs.

All that has been achieved has been for the benefit of our young people. They now have a modernised, "state-of-the-art" school to take education In St John's into the twenty-first century! Truly, "A new St John's for the new Millennium"!

The response of our pupils since we re-opened has been greatly encouraging to staff. They have really shown their appreciation in so many ways. The standards of uniform, timekeeping, and attendance have been a credit to their families. Above all, they have shown that they are ready to take full advantage of the first-class educational opportunities that we now have available.

The challenging year in Lawton Road proved that a school is not a building!

Visitors to Lawton road regularly commented on how successfully St John's was operating during the decant. The strengths which staff, pupils, and the community showed In our year of decant will really help us grow and Improve In Harefield Road.

We are grateful to the residents of the Lawton Road area for the welcome and support they gave us and to our neighbours at Harefield Road for their tolerance and support. Through our "Good Neighbour" policy we work hard to be a positive asset to the local community.

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