(The 2nd Sunday of Advent - Year A )

The Work of John the Baptist

“About that time John the Baptist came and began preaching in the desert area of Judea. John said, “Change your hearts and lives because the kingdom of heaven is coming soon.” John the Baptist is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about. Isaiah said:

“This is a voice of a man

who calls out in the desert:

‘Prepare the way for the Lord.

Make the road straight for him.’”

Isaiah 40:3

John’s clothes were made from camel’s hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey. Many people went to hear John preach. They came from Jerusalem and all Judea and all the area around the Jordan River. They told of the sins they had done, and John baptized them in the Jordan River.

Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to the place where John was baptizing people. When John saw them, he said: “You are snakes! Who warned you to run away from God’s anger that is coming? You must do the things that show that you have really changed your hearts and lives. And don’t think that you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks. The axe is now ready to cut down the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water to show that your hearts and lives have changed. But there is one coming later who is greater than I am. I am not good enough to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. And he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out.”

Matthew 3:1-12

Please be considerate and polite while you are in and around the school premises. All of our staff and pupils deserve and have the right to work and learn in a school where they are treated with respect and politeness at all times. Anyone who engages in threatening, violent or abusive conduct, whether physically or verbally will run the risk of being asked to stay away from the school for a period of time.

Please speak to our staff in a polite and courteous manner, there is no need for raised or angry voices at any time while visitors are on the school premises and its surroundings.

If you need to come into school to meet with any member of staff please remember to remain calm and polite at all times. If any member of staff feels they are being spoken to in a way that is unacceptable to them they will ask you to re-book an appointment at a later date, when everyone will have a chance to conduct the meeting in a calm and considered way. We appreciate that it may be daunting coming into school to speak to members of staff but everyone has the right to feel safe and secure.

On Monday all of the staff at st Winefride's will be taking part in a training session on how to utilise the 'Sumdog' programme to the best of its capability! Once this has been signed off the children will begin to receive their maths homework via 'Sumdog'. Sumdog also have an app available on both android at play store or Amazon and Apple at the App store.

We received a visit from Portia of the Nurture Academy who have set up a centre in Stratford. They are working with schools to offer up to ten vouchers a month for free hair appointments for children, beginning in December. If you would like to apply for one of these vouchers please leave your child's name and class at the Reception Desk.

The Nurture Academy is holding its grand opening on Saturday 14th December, so if you would like to be considered for one of the TEN FREE VOUCHERS, please drop a note in to the Reception Desk, for the attention of Mr Savin.

Here is the up to date totals of Gold Letters per class:

Class RP - 58

Class RW - 44

Class 1D - 65

Class 1/2H - 69

Class 2B - 71

Class 3G - 40

Class 3/4P - 106

Class 4H - 76

Class 5F - 49

Class 5/6M - 61

Class 6H - 57

The Winter Reading Challenge launched in all Newham libraries on Saturday 1st December. The aim of the challenge is to read three books of your choice between the 1st December and 11th January 2019. Visit Manor Park library to pick up your special Christmas card reading log where you can collect stickers as you complete the challenge. You can also complete online book reviews at: www.winterreadingchallenge.org.uk. When you have completed the challenge, you can collect a certificate from the library or print it off from the Winter Reading Challenge website. The school with the highest number of finishers will be awarded a trophy so it would be great if lots of children from our school take part in the challenge.

Our annual Christmas Jumper Day and Christmas Meal will be on Wednesday 18th December. Please come to school wearing a Christmas jumper or red, white or green. The children will also have their Christmas meal on this day and most of the staff will be sharing their lunch time with the children. There is no contribution required for this day

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