Worry-free in Christ
We looked ahead to the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) this week. We heard about the famous encounter between Jesus, Mary and Martha. Martha is furious at her sister (who is sat at the Lord's feet, soaking up his words while Martha manages the house by herself). When she petitions Jesus to intervene, he rebukes her! "You worry and fret about so many things...it is Mary who has chosen the better part."
I can't imagine Martha immediately saw the wisdom in these words! - She must have felt furious! However, the message for us today is very clear: we spend too much of our time obsessing over the finer details of our lives, getting our own affairs in order. But Jesus doesn't want us worrying about these things. He wants us to be fussing over his Kingdom: are we listening to his words and busying ourselves by living out the Good News?
An important point to remember this week is that we shouldn't tell children, "Don't worry about that." It doesn't help and it doesn't stop the worry. However, we can help children to bring a little more perspective to their worries and to support with practical actions that can manage our worries in a healthy way - we used Worry Monster as an example in worship.
You can find more advise from our fantastic Pastoral Team opposite:
Amazing Mason!
In March this year Mason became seriously unwell and was taken into the Royal Surrey Hospital - he had been struggling with tiredness and stomach problems for some time but took a huge decline in the first few weeks of March. He was transferred the next day to Southampton General hospital where he was diagnosed with Crohns disease.
He spent a week in hospital and spent a month off school. Mason has responded well to his mediation and takes his the blood tests and appointments in his stride; this will always be a part of this lifestyle now. Mason has returned to school and continues to enjoy his lessons as well as getting back to football, gymnastics and swimming, and his family couldn’t be more proud of him!
Having Crohns is a life-long disease but Mason is under the most fantastic care of the consultants in Southampton Hospital.
Mason's condition is not something his family want him to be ashamed or embarrassed about. They are happy to share Mason's story with the community and are ready and willing to support other families who find themselves in the same situation in the future.
The following link has the most useful and up to date information about Crohns if you wish to share this as it also includes more information on the condition including symptoms, diagnosis and treatment:
Printing Progress
Year 3 had a wonderful day building on their printing skills from a few weeks ago. The session began with the children looking closely at leaves and trying out a few sketches on paper. They then chose a leaf to etch into the polystyrene tile. With the assistance of our visitor - Georgie, a sixth form art teacher - the children then used rollers and block printing ink to print their tile on to tissue paper. Children then worked with Georgie to create a screen print which they were very proud of. It was a very enjoyable day.
Everybody needs good neighbours...
Year One have loved thinking about their neighbours in RE and it linked beautifully to our Gospel theme last week.
The children listened carefully to a Godly play parable of the Good Samaritan and then made some puppets and re-enacted the story.
Maths Monday
On Monday, the school delved into a whole range of problem solving activities for 'Maths Monday'. Problem Solving is something that children participate in regularly through their Maths lessons, however Monday's aim was to focus purely on the skills of problem solving, rather than the teaching behind it. Children were stretched to think outside of the box and apply their prior mathematical knowledge to different concepts and practical scenarios. The school came alive with all sorts of activities...building shapes out of different equipment, orienteering, sudoku, escape rooms, card games, capacity investigations, shape challenges, and much, much more!
Royal Worries
In Witness Worship this week, Mrs Richardson helped us to understand that, no matter who we are, worries are a normal part of life. She even explained how her witnesses this week - Princes William and Harry - have also suffered from worries in their lives, despite being royal.
Mrs Richardson helped us to see that we all need to find our own strategies for managing our worries; putting them into perspective and helping us to move forward positively and with courage. Some children in Year 2 gave some excellent advice about the ways they successfully manage their worries: taking deep breaths, talking to an adult and saying a prayer.
Fun and games at Bocketts Farm
Reception enjoyed a fun-packed day of animal antics at Bocketts Farm Park this week. As well as enjoying the world-famous piglet racing, there was animal handling, feeding time, fact finding, trailer rides and, of course, plenty of time to cool off in the adventure park!
Witness Awards
Very well done to this week's Witness Award Winners for their inspirational effort with managing worries and supporting those around them with their worries. They have been role models of how we should share our worries with a trusted adult and look out for those around us who may need our help. Congratulations!
All eyes on Year 2
Year 2 have been practising their drawing skills this week, with a focus on animals (linking to William Huggins) and their eyes. The detail on some of these pieces in incredible!
Our next challenge is to create animal eyes out of clay...
Praying with Christ
In our final Gospel Worship of the year, we looked ahead to the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, where Jesus' disciples ask, "Lord, teach us to pray." The words he offers them are the foundation of the Our Father that we still say today (and some children in Infants can even sign!)
With the help of Year 6, we explored how there are many different ways to cultivate a healthy prayer life: there are many positions and postures that can help us to pray but there are also many different forms prayer can take. Maisie and Andrea told us all about their reflection day last week, which involved water play, origami, scripture reflections, decorative trees and dustbins! They explained how many different and creative activities can help us develop a rich conversation with God.
Celebrating Communion
After three years of disrupted celebrations, it was a joy to gather together as a school this morning to mark the First Holy Communion of our children from Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 over the last few years.
The children were presented with gifts from the school's Governing Body: a Mass book, to help them follow the liturgy and Eucharist prayers and a pin badge to wear with pride. These small tokens will be a great source of encouragement to the children as they continue to engage in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
God bless you all as you continue this precious journey of prayer.
Poets and we know it!
For the past few weeks, Year 5 have been reading Cloud Busting by Malorie Blackman which is a story told through poems. Pupils have been using the different types of poems in the text to write their own. These have included simile poems, haikus and repetition poems. Here are a selection of haikus...
The beach by Benedetta
Laying in the sand
The sun is shining on me
I like relaxing
Winter by Benedetta
Snow falling softly
The water is glittering
Making icicles
Storm by Benedetta
The sea is angry
Getting ready to rumble
Screaming in fury
Winter by Alex
Cold air, snow around
Finally, ‘tis the season
Be jolly tonight
Long Grass by Adela
The bunnies arrive
Hopping happily, playing
Running through the grass
Run in the Sun by Casper
I go for a run
As the trees dance in the breeze
In the sun I run
Summer by Natalia
From Malibu Beach
To ice cream and lollipops
Summer is now here
In Summer by Matilde
In summer, birds chirp
In summer, the flowers bloom
In summer, sun shines
FISCH Food Summer July 2022.pdf
FISCH Fundraising
Last Friday, 15th July, the school community participated in FISCH Fundraising Friday, raising money for 'FISCH - Future for Iringa Street Children' in Tanzania.
The whole school dressed up in the colours of the Tanzanian flag and took part in the challenge of a 'Stationery Sacrifice', only using one pen or pencil for the entire school day!
The community was a sea of green, blue, yellow and black and had to use their initiative to overcome barriers with limited stationery supplies. We had edges of whiteboards being used as rulers, re-creations of lessons to avoid needing a glue stick and brave steps forward with remembering mistakes help us to learn and we don't need to always rub them out.
As a result of all of this, we are incredibly proud to announce that St Joseph's has raised a grand total of £1110 for FISCH, with the money going directly to the children of Iringa, Tanzania to fund their school supplies. What a success!
Keep an eye on the Blog in the autumn term as we hope to receive direct communication from the children in Iringa as we develop our partnership with FISCH.
Thank you to the Gercke family for sharing their founded charity with us and thank you to you all, our very generous and caring community, for donating this money to those in need.
Congratulations Canterbury!
It was a hard fought race throughout the year: spelling bees, music competitions, sports days, as well as multitude of opportunities for children to earn house points each week. The final totals for the year were:
Canterbury - 26,851
Lindisfarne - 26,467
Walsingham - 26,112
Iona - 24,982
Congratulations to all the children for their commitment and service to their House Team - well done!
Summer Holidays!
KOOSA Kids.pdf