ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY Weekly Newsletter
ISSUE 12.2 DECEMBER 2ND
2013 FOR PARENTS, CARERS, FAMILIES & PARISHES
Ben Davis, Acting Headteacher Grassyards Rd Kilmarnock KA3 7SL 01563 526144 www.saintjosephsacademy.co.uk Twitter: @StJoAcad
CHRISTMAS FAIR Last Thursday the school held its first Christmas Fair since we moved into the new building. Mrs McInally's S5 Literacy for Life class decided, way back in September, to host an event which would bring the school community together. Fast forward almost three months and Thursday saw a hive of activity as the pupils decorated the Street area, arranged stalls for local businesses and even staged a welcoming Santa's Grotto! 13 very nervous pupils were working right up until doors opened at 7pm. Like waiting for the start of a birthday party, they were worried no-one would come. There was no need to worry! As doors opened a flood of enthusiastic pupils (old and new), parents and staff poured into the Street. Major successes on the night included the 3D Art Stall staffed by Mrs Gabriel (a full page of orders was taken and will keep the class very busy in the coming weeks) and the Tombola where Michael Kirk managed to keep the busy hoards happy - with the help of Mrs Green from the office. Funds are still being totalled but early counts show that the evening made at least £600 for school funds. At the end of the night, Mrs McInally and her merry band of pupils were delighted that their first enterprise had been such a success. They would like to extend special thanks to classroom assistant, Mrs Wright, without whom the night would never have been so successful. Thanks too to the many pupils, members of staff and parents/carers
INSPIRE AND TRANSFORM: THE S3 ENSPIRE DAY who kindly donated very generously to the Tombola and by coming along to support the class.
S3 PUPILS ‘ENSPIRED’! The third years were the second year group to benefit from our new programme of pupil-led and planned health and wellbeing days. On Friday, November 22nd the whole year group assembled for a day focused on developing positive emotional and mental health and resilience. The day began with a performance by Shania Wilson, reprising her performance at the S2 Awards, and then moved on to a series of inspiring workshops and talks from former pupils Kris Kimmett, Jodie McEwan, Alex McConnell and Niall O’Flaherty. They shared their stories of overcoming challenges and achieving extraordinary things and in doing so explored issues of confidence, self-harm, planning a flexible career path, dealing with conflict, taking control, leadership, body image, self-worth and self-esteem and much more besides. Once this was complete the pupils then heard from senior pupils who had recently been in Ecuador and participated in the newly-formed Pupil Parliament where they began the process of drafting a Charter for Kindness and discussed their ideas for improving the school. The day ended with a performance from Ross Szumlakowski and Natchaya Boonsong, before the physical activities began including bouldering and, the now infamous bouncy castle.