Petition for a new Wick High School

[justine]

let's hope this meeting is standing room only!! It should be in the interest of all parents sending their children to school now and in the future to be there.If you care for your child's future please attend or send someone to represent you. Let us show Peter Peacock that we mean business!!

Its just a pity that it has to be a meeting, and not just action..The school is in need of repair and it seems all want to talk about it and show it off but it is taking a long time to fix....I hope that the meeting is a success and the school gets the face lift it needs....

[KCI]

Its just a pity that it has to be a meeting, and not just action..The school is in need of repair and it seems all want to talk about it and show it off but it is taking a long time to fix....I hope that the meeting is a success and the school gets the face lift it needs....

The problem is that it will take a long time to fix though. It's not just a case of everyone talking about it, and not actually doing anything about it - a campaign has been started. The petition was a start, getting the media involved is essential, and making sure that everyone knows, and sees for themselves, what state the school is in, is also important.

The Parents Council need to get as much support behind them as possible, which will take time. We're talking about a new school, or a renovated school, which is a huge job, and could end up costing millions. For that reason, I think it's important to have meetings, and plan the campaign carefully, because it's going to be difficult to get hold of that kind of money!

[Venture]

Its just a pity that it has to be a meeting, and not just action..The school is in need of repair and it seems all want to talk about it and show it off but it is taking a long time to fix....I hope that the meeting is a success and the school gets the face lift it needs....

Of course we want to show it off. The more that see it the better. How many people in Wick with children at the school or who will be attending the school in the near future, have actually seen for themselves just how bad things are. Im not talking about looking at a presentation or photgraphs. Have you as a parent been able to visit the school to see the state of the swimming pool, gym, the stairs at the maths block or the ceilings with gaping holes and damaged tiles? I dont imagine you have because when parents attend parents' nights they don't have access to all areas of the school. If anything these occasions are usually held in the best part of the school.

The open night will give everyone in Wick the chance to come along and judge for themselves if we are right in campaigning for a NEW school and then to hopefully give us their support.

There are health and safety issues which are a major concern one in particular has been highlighted by one of the ex teachers in his comments on the petition. Another teacher comments how she left the school because of the conditions she had to teach her pupils in.

The action you talk about is a long way off and one which we will have to fight tooth and nail for, competing along the way with other schools who feel theirs is just as bad as Wick. Whether the open night is a success or not depends on people like you turning up. Hopefully you and many others will be shocked into helping us to do something about it.

[justine]

I agree with all the sentiments. it should be shown off, what i was saying its a pity it has to take so long for it to all happen, getting it fixed i mean..My children go to wick high and i hate to think of the conditions that they have to be in each day, and i hope this can be sorted quickly.
Is there no chance of lottery funding as a help...You have probably alread applied and if so i hope that it comes through. I am in no way pulling anyone down for it taking so long i just hope you have your success quickly....

[Venture]

I agree with all the sentiments. it should be shown off, what i was saying its a pity it has to take so long for it to all happen, getting it fixed i mean..My children go to wick high and i hate to think of the conditions that they have to be in each day, and i hope this can be sorted quickly.
Is there no chance of lottery funding as a help...You have probably alread applied and if so i hope that it comes through. I am in no way pulling anyone down for it taking so long i just hope you have your success quickly....

Im afraid it dosent work like that Justine. The Highland Council is the landlord of the school and owns the property therefore they are responsible for the fabric of the building. In other words they musy pay. They maintain that they have not enough money in their budget for the school this is why we are aiming our campaign at the Scottish Executive who at the end of the day control all the finances. We can't apply for lottery funding to build another school. It it was as easy as that everyone would be applying for money to build new schools.

[dirdyweeker]

must be going the right way. Just got a mention on the BBC news re the condition of Wick High School. What great publicity!

[justine]

Im afraid it dosent work like that Justine. The Highland Council is the landlord of the school and owns the property therefore they are responsible for the fabric of the building. In other words they musy pay. They maintain that they have not enough money in their budget for the school this is why we are aiming our campaign at the Scottish Executive who at the end of the day control all the finances. We can't apply for lottery funding to build another school. It it was as easy as that everyone would be applying for money to build new schools.

I wish i could even start to understand this, as i went to private schools and have never come across anything like this before.Maybe i am naive with the systems in the uk..With growing up miltitary and everything always being done i suppose i still reckon that it works this way in civilian street..My dughter that goes to wick high has mentioned the state of the school and i have seen some of the mess when i have been to parents evening, but i still have to remember that things in civilian street take longer to get off the drawing board.

I think you and others are doing a great job and have my full following with this, i just need to stop thinking army life....

If it was down to my judgement i would rather give lottery funding for the needs of education than some of the silly things that get lottery funding...

[Sapphire2803]

The latest news coverage:
BBC News

[Venture]

Thanks for the link Sapphire. We also had a slot on the North Tonight programme again at 6 o'clock and stv spent over an hour and a half at the school this afternoon. Footage will be shown in a programme before our Open Night on the 22nd of April. Ill post on here when I have details of the day and time.

Our petition is approaching the 600 mark but we still need more names. The community needs to get behind this campaign and show their support. We need more people to help us run the campaign. I dont mean only parents and pupils, anyone can help. Ex pupils, ex teachers, anyone retired, anyone with skills that could help us organise events for fundraising etc. If you think you can help us in any way please PM me.

The same goes for the Open Night. The invitation is open to everyone. You dont have to live in Wick to attend or to even have children at the school. Come along and see just what the pupils and teachers have to put up with every day. Then you will realise why we MUST have a new school.

OPEN EVENING AT WICK HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday 22nd April
at 7pm
All Welcome