St. Joseph's Academy Weekly Newsletter Issue 19.3
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Transcript of St. Joseph's Academy Weekly Newsletter Issue 19.3
ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY Weekly Newsletter
Ben Davis, Acting Headteacher
Grassyards RdKilmarnock KA3 7SL
01563 526144
www.saintjosephsacademy.co.ukTwitter: @StJoAcad
ISSUE 19.3
APRIL 24TH2015
FOR PARENTS, CARERS, FAMILIES & PARISHES
INSPIRE AND TRANSFORM:
NURTURING FAITH-FILLED WORLD CLASS LEARNING
Mr. Yemm, Super-Janitor In the Christmas edition of redblack we focused on character, featuring contributions from Home Rooms across the school. One Home Room described how Mr. Yemm was an inspiration for them and, as a result, our janitor received not one, but two honours from Mitie, the school’s Facilities Managers. Well done Mr. Yemm and thank you for all you do!
S2 No Knives Better Lives
This week’s S2 Enspire Day saw the year group examining the serious
issue of knife crime. The pupils watched a challenging, entertaining and
hard-hitting drama production that examined the experiences of those
affected by knife crime. They then went into discussion groups and
workshops to explore the issues in greater depth. The following day in
Home Room, S2 were challenged to discuss what they had learnt with
their fellow pupils.
S1 Enspire Day
S1 also enjoyed a challenging Enspire Day, focussing for some of it on
developing their ICT skills. All pupils logged on to GLOW and learnt
how to use its various functions, included email. In addition, they
accessed their e-profiles on Learner Journey, allowing them to record
their learning and development. Parents and carers can now view both
GLOW and Learner Journey at home allowing them to share their
childs' learning better and discuss issues such as the safe use of the
internet.
Study Leave & Study Days
The programme of study days for study leave has now been published
and accompanies this newsletter email. Pupils are expected to attend
in school for these days. We have also introduced twice-weekly
wellbeing drop-in sessions throughout the exam diet. These take place
on Mondays and Thursdays in the Oratory and are for all S4 - S6
pupils who are anxious, worried, stressed or need some breathing
space.
SQA Exams and results
Parents, carers and pupils can download a range of advice and
support from the SQA during their exams.
Revision guides: tinyurl.com/lwxh8ez
Specimen papers: http://tinyurl.com/ob4qqlu
Register to receive your results by text or email on August 4th:
tinyurl.com/klpyub2
Check the exam timetable: tinyurl.com/nyr2dko
Miss Woodward and S6 pupils
raising money with a bake sale
this week.
Advanced Higher Art Exhibition
We are delighted that Veneer Gallery in Glasgow
has kindly agreed to host an exhibition of work
by four Advanced Higher pupils. ‘Diverse Unity’
is a collection of portraits by four young artists
illustrating how they see themselves in the world
they live in.
The work explores themes of personal and
cultural identities, relationships, individual
development and existence. It demonstrates a
personal journey that each respective artist has
accomplished and in some means still living.
Declan McCluskey, Jennifer O’Rourke, Tatenda
Tapatapa and Nadia King are four young adults
from Kilmarnock all currently completing their
advanced higher art qualification. Their work
displays a fresh distinctive and emerging
selfhood. It is a bold body of work illustrating
the uniqueness of these four characters. The
exhibition opens on May 1st and runs until May
10th. Veneer Gallery, 1184 Arglye Street,
Glasgow, G3 8TE
www.veneergalleryglasgow.com
Community Planning Awards
Pictured on the right of this page are six S1 - S3
pupils who performed at the East Ayrshire
Community Planning Awards over the Easter
holidays.
Talk About It
Just before the Easter holidays we launched our
pupil-led mental health initiative, Talk About It.
This offers an online forum for pupils to
promote positive mental health and to discuss
and address their concerns and challenges. The
pupils leading the initiative are also appointing
Positive Mental Health ambassadors in each
year group and have designed an aspect of the
primary 7 transition programme.
Twitter: @SJAtalkaboutit
www.sjatalkaboutit.tumblr.com
Isla Grant (S2) is walking 420 this summer to
raise money for SAMH. You can sponsor her
here: justgiving.com/IslaGrant
WEEKLY HOME ROOM REFLECTION: Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was an American diplomat, but also a scientist, becoming the inventor of the lightning conductor. After the War of Independence between Britain and the American colonies, Franklin was one of those who wrote the Constitution for the newly independent United States of America. He died on this day in 1790.
One day, Benjamin Franklin gave some- one a list of practical suggestions about getting along with others. This is what he wrote: “The best thing to give your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your ear; to your child, good example; to your father, reverence; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; - to all people, love.”
Let us pray: Lord, give me patience and tolerance with everyone. Lord, show me how to be kind and generous to everyone. Lord, help me to live positively and cheerfully for everyone. Amen.
PARISH MASS TIMES St. Matthew’s: 9.30 am, Fr. Chambers St. Joseph’s: 6.00 pm (vigil), 11.00 am Fr. Latham St. Francis Xavier, Patna: 5.00 pm (vigil)St. John the Evangelist: 10.45 am, Fr. McGrattan Our Lady of Mount Carmel: 9.30 am, Fr. McGhee St. Michael’s: 4.30 pm (vigil)St. Paul’s: 11.30 am, Fr. Chambers Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Patrick: 6.00 pm (vigil), Fr. McGrattanSt. Sophia’s: 6.00 pm (vigil) Fr. Chambers St. Thomas the Apostle: 9.00 am, Fr. McGrattan
IMPORTANT DATES…………………………………………………
April 24th Study Leave for S5/6 begins
April 28th SQA exams begin
May 1st Study Leave for S4 begins
May 1st Advanced Higher Art & Design
exhibition opens in Glasgow
May 4th Public holiday
May 18th Planned change of timetable
POSITIVE ASPECTS SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
• Easy to sign in by welcoming pupils • Lovely pupils at coffee/tea bar, very welcoming • Good to see pupils welcome parents to school• warm friendly atmosphere • Lovely warm welcome and coffee from the Parent• Council • Very nice to put a face to a name and teachers knew • my child very well • Teachers knew my child well (x5) • Teachers very helpful and gave us plenty of• feedback (x2) • Teachers are very helpful and informative as always• well done and thanks • Teachers all very professional and knowledgeable• about my child, a pleasant time • Teachers all very friendly and approachable, lots of• information regarding new Curriculum for Excellence • Teachers very informative and enthusiastic, very• impressed, thank you • Good parents’ evening, all teachers very pleasant• and well informed • Well organised and flowed well, teachers were• interested, enthusiastic and prepared to discuss and• answer questions• Very well laid out, very welcoming, teachers all very• accommodating• Information well mapped out • Well organised • Well organised evening, only issue with daughter• organising times! • Good comments, running on schedule
• No need for a schedule as teachers were busy at allocated• times and others were available• Floor plan confusing, time slots mix up as one slot runs into• another• Clearer labels for teachers – having to read the table is• ridiculous• Coat stands to make it easier to spot teachers• Please cover the dotted wall behind the teachers, it is awful• and starts off my visual migraine – sheets of paper etc. will do• the job• The room was too hot!
School’s response:
Thank you for your feedback. It does not seem to be the case
that most parents and carers find that the teachers they have
booked to see are busy at the allocated time. However, this
can happen (and is unavoidable) if parents or carers are running
late. We do try to take account of this by reorganising some
appointments as the night progresses and by asking all
participants to stick to five minutes per appointment. We are
endeavouring to improve the quality of the signage in the hall at
Parents’ Evenings and are aware that it can be unclear or
confusing. There is not an easy solution to the appearance of
the walls in the hall, but as this matter has been raised several
times we will endeavour to find a solutions. We will also raise
the temperature of the hall with the facilities managers.Thanks to the Parent Council for running the refreshments
stall and gathering feedback at the evening.
S2 Parents’ Evening Feedback
Here are the comments from parents and carers as gathered by the
Parent Council. The attendance was 60%.