Tuesday 24 March 2015

Fry released into the Meikle Water




On Wednesday 18th March, it was Stronsay pupils’ turn to set their fry free into the Meikle Water.
Earlier on, a thick blanket of fog was rolling over the islands but it was gone by mid-morning and just like last year, the sun was shining, the daffodils glowing in the spring light and spending some time outdoors seemed a much better idea than being stuck inside, in a classroom…
The group was composed of 13 upper primary pupils and their teachers Mrs Dennison reinforced by our 4 AFYD (Angling For Youth Development) pupils Ieuan, Jack, James and Thomas.
Once we reached the bottom of the field, it didn’t take long for the older pupils to transfer the fragile fry into small plastic pouches so that every younger pupil would have the chance to release “their” troot!
Then, we looked at the predators our young fish would need to hide from, such as herons, mergansers, big trout and in the years to come, their biggest enemy the otter…
We also studied some samples gathered from the bottom of the loch and discovered some worms, caddis larvae, freshwater shrimps and Erik even managed to catch two water-boatmen (Corixa).
A big thank you to Morris and Sheila for the transport to and from the loch.

Tor more photos and posts regarding "Troot in the Shed", you can visit:
 https://trootintheshed.wordpress.com/

Mr P.

Saturday 21 March 2015

Solar eclipse





“”I loved the solar eclipse because it was my first time seeing the eclipse. It was good weather to see the eclipse” Matthew
The eclipse was amazing. It was my first time seeing it. It was a fabulous sight. The masks worked and looked really cool. Thanks Mr Pietri for the awesome pictures. I’m glad I saw it . My pinhole telescope worked, Yey!” Joshua
“I enjoyed it because it was the first time I saw a solar eclipse” Louis

I loved the solar  eclipse because it was  a mind-blowing sight” Philip
I really liked the eclipse because it was my first time” Fraser
I  enjoyed it because it was the first time I saw a solar eclipse”Lewis
I was really proud because my pin-hole telescope worked!” Aimee
 “I thought it was good because it was the first time I’d seen one” Mikie
I thought the eclipse was scary” Owen
It was great because it was my first time” Tony
I loved the solar eclipse because it was my first time seeing the eclipse. It was good weather to see the eclipse” Matthew
The eclipse was good with glasses” Aiden
The eclipse was awesome and interesting” Erik
The solar eclipse was epic!” Melvin
When I looked through my special glasses at first I  couldn’t see but then I could. It was quite small. Thhe solar eclipse looked very, very cool”. Millie
I think the solar eclipse was amazing” Sam

When I looked through the mask, the sun looked like the moon.” Dan
Steve gave us a mask to look through. Everything was green!” Rowan and Amber

Seen through a welding mask, with a reflection on the mask filter!








Wednesday 11 March 2015

Stronsay panto: Cinderella



Cinderella
The Stronsay Pantomime January 2015
By Ian Cooper


With the excitement of Christmas well past, what can be done to lift the gloom of a dreich and windy January? Well, the easy answer in Stronsay was clearly ‘Go to the Pantomime’ and this Norman Robbins adaptation of ‘Cinderella’ undoubtedly soon dispelled any gloom! Produced by Gaynor Smith and Sarah Evans under the direction of Rosalind Neville-Smith, this age-old favourite was moved along at a cracking pace and soon enthused the audience in the packed hall to participate with the customary cheers, boos, hisses and the essential ‘Oh yes he is, Oh no he isn’t’ debate! 
Prince Charming’s squire Dandini (Andy Rose) set the scene well, portraying a self-assured servant who was a peedie bit too aware of his own importance!  Earl Hardupp (Andy Whiteman) soon gained the sympathy of the audience as he struggled to cope with his fearsome new bride (Shirley Whiteman) and her two daughters Thistle and Nettle (Mike Erdman and Roger Neville-Smith). The latter two had numerous costume changes through the performance, each more outrageous than the last, and played their parts throughout with the extravagance and flamboyance expected of the sisters, the occasional meander off script only adding to the audience enjoyment! The Stepmother’s feisty temperament and determination to impose her will on all around was handled to perfection by Shirley, and her pursuit of her daughter Nettle with a huge axe was real class! Celebrating her sixteenth birthday, Josephine De Geer gave a very polished performance as Prince Charming, conveying the poise and regal bearing expected of a prince while also letting his wish to lead an ‘ordinary’ life and to find love shine through. There was an assured performance from Rebecca Fish as Buttons, commanding the stage with her presence and singing with confidence and clarity – a star of the future for sure! For one so young, ten year old Elizabeth Miller gave a truly outstanding performance as Cinderella, conveying her various emotions with poise and conviction. One scene in particular that brought lumps to more than a few throats was her misery as she was consoled by her father for not being able to go to the dance. Thomas Fish and James Macleod enacted Fetch and Carry, the broker’s men, with flair and impeccable timing as they struggled firstly to remove items from Stoneybroke Farm and latterly to evade the clutches of the Ugly Sisters. The lovely Fairy Godmother (Molly Shearer) gave a sparkling and convincing performance as she ensured that Cinderella could get to the dance despite her magic wand having something of an off day.  Oh, and the environmentalists among us were well pleased to see the Fairy Godmother’s  emphasis on reducing Food Miles by the use of a neep instead of a pumpkin for Cinder’s coach!
The younger cast members also all contributed well to the performance as they played their parts with confidence and enthusiasm – Charlie as Major-domo, Millie and Melvin as the children comforting poor Cinders, Charlie and Jude as the footmen and Johnny as the grandfather clock. Stronsay’s young songsters Millie, Melvin, Sam, Dan and Toni-Anne all sang their hearts out in ‘Old Macdonald’ and also formed part of the Chorus, their numbers there being swelled by the addition of  Erynn, Charlie, Molly and Marion.
No pantomime would be complete without the obligatory Pantomime Horse (or in this instance Cow) and, courtesy of Mike Holland and William Caithness, it too made an appearance during the singing of ‘Old MacDonald’s Farm. Having been cooped up in the byre for the last two years, the cow was quite lively and at one point, while having a frolic among the audience, lost the heid completely!
In a fitting finale, the whole cast appeared on stage to round off the evening with a rousing rendition of Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’ before taking their final bows and curtain calls to rapturous applause from their appreciative audience.
The meticulous care and attention to detail that had obviously gone into the preparation of costumes, scenery and props was a tribute to all concerned, while the effective use of lighting enhanced the mood and setting of each and every scene. Under the musical direction of David Hudson, the songs and musical accompaniment all flowed together magnificently, contributing to the sensation of a real ‘big theatre’ atmosphere in such a small and cosy venue.
Overall, this was a highly polished performance by the entire cast with the interaction between characters and their obvious enthusiasm and enjoyment in what they were doing making this a joy to watch. It isn’t possible to name all the cast, backstage crew and helpers individually but suffice to say that upwards of fifty people were listed on the programme and, in addition, there were numerous others who did what they could to help – a true community effort. As for a star rating for this pantomime – well, all I can say is “stars one and all!” Well done.
This production was staged by the ‘Support Our School’ committee and they would like to say a huge ‘Thank you’ to all the Stronsay folk  who came together to ensure ‘Cinderella’ was such a success! They are also deeply indebted to the ‘Palace Players’ for so willingly loaning the superb costumes and to Stewart Shearer for the use of his sound and lighting equipment, all of which came together to help bring the show to life. Grateful thanks are expressed also to WRC Construction for cheerfully acting as piano movers. They are delighted to report that ‘Cinderella’ has raised approximately £1000.

Friday 6 March 2015

Film club news!

Stronsay School Film Club Presents…


“ I have got a name for my pain, and that name is Batman.”
Tim Burton directs the caped crusader.
Tuesday March 17th on Screen One
(the English/History room).
Two hours.
Parents to pick up just before 5.30 pm.
“Skittles” welcome.