ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY Weekly Newsletter

Ben Davis, Acting Headteacher

Grassyards RdKilmarnock KA3 7SL

01563 526144

www.saintjosephsacademy.co.ukTwitter: @StJoAcad

ISSUE 17.3

MARCH 5TH2015

FOR PARENTS, CARERS, FAMILIES & PARISHES

INSPIRE AND TRANSFORM:

NURTURING FAITH-FILLED WORLD CLASS LEARNING

S3 pupils make the most of the FireReach project at

Kilmarnock Fire Station

May’s Medal

Talented S1 pupil May Stirling proved just

what an amazing competitor she is last

weekend when she secured the Silver

Medal (pictured left) at the British

Weightlifting Championships in

Birmingham. This was a phenomenal

effort from May in a national competition

that saw her undertaking lifts of over

forty kilos. Well done May!

S3 pupils Justin Murphy, Kieran Orr, Andrew Gaughan, Shaun Brady and Paul Mears all

spent a week with local fire crews learning the ropes and the hoses and picking up a whole

range of skills and confidence in the process. According to the boys they even performed

well in the traditional ‘breakfast roll eating competition.’ The boys graduated from the

programme on Friday.

Charity Talent Show

S6 Personal Development pupils Alan Sneddon and Andrew Barr

pulled of a very successful and entertaining charity talent show

this week. For the past few months they have been organising,

planning and auditioning for the event as part of their certificated

Personal Development qualification. The event, which raised

hundreds of pounds for good causes, saw over 200 pupils pack

into the Assembly Hall on Friday afternoon to watch seven acts

battle it out for the big prize. Alan and Andrew compered the

show and had arranged for staff to be guest judges, chaired by

Mrs. Nutt from the School Office. The eventual winner was S3

pupil Sarah Stewart who, against stiff competition, impressed the

panel with her confidence, poise and clear voice. Well done to all

who took part and to Alan and Andrew for arranging it.

Engaged

Learners

OUR CHARITY

TALENT SHOW

Ross Szumlakowski on

drums

Donald Jessop and Conor

McNamara perform

Shannon McPartland

Katie Cameron

WINNER:

Sarah Stewart

The whole team of performers, stage crew and the

leaders, Alan and Andrew in the middle.

Morven Campbell

Gemma McIvor

Gabrielle Maberley

Abby McClelland

WEEKLY HOME ROOM REFLECTION: A DEEPER MEANING TO LENT From the time we were children, our first question for Lent was often, “What are you giving up for Lent?” Giving something up for these 40 days is a custom that, when we were younger, helped us enter into the season with a sense of purpose and a greater awareness. As we get older we might want to consider looking at Lent in a deeper way. We become settled into our behaviours and patterns of life and sometimes giving up something is where we begin -- and end -- our reflections on Lent. It can be tempting to say “I am giving up chocolate”, but without more reflection, it can become simply a way of showing willpower rather than a deeper reflection on faith. It is more about me than any conversation with God. Asking what we would like to change about ourselves this Lent requires a little reflection. What pattern of behaviour in my life needs changing? What do I need more of in my life? Patience? Unselfishness? More loving behaviour toward my family? Each of us can think of something that gets in the way of our being loving and self-sacrificing. Too often the ordinary conflicts, divisions and difficulties in our family life result from simple selfishness on our part. We choose to fight. We choose to defend our opinion. We choose to use things we know about our friends and family against them. We choose to hurt them. So perhaps one the best things we could do this Lent is not give something up, but start something: start saying,’ Sorry.’ This would bring more unity and peace to our lives. Doing this requires courage, it asks for forgiveness from others and it means that we need to think about the kind of people we are and facing up to that. We can ask: ‘what would it cost me to change my behaviour? What would it mean if I didn’t walk around my acting crabbit all the time? What if I decided to be much more loving and patient with my friends? What if I did decide to “give up” something really destructive in my life? That way Lent can mean much more than giving up chocolate. 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

Kezia Dugdale Visit

We were delighted to host a visit

by the Deputy Leader of the

Scottish Labour Party, Kezia

Dugdale and local MP and Shadow

Treasury Spokesperson Cathy

Jamieson last week. They came

after school on Friday and, after a

quick tour of the school, settled

down to debate and discuss with

senior pupils. S6 pupil Ramsey

Heron Cunningham chaired the

discussion which covered a very

wide range of topics including

women in politics, American politics,

and the views of young people on a

number of issues.

SCOTHOT!!

A group of Senior Phase Home

Economics pupils travelled to

Glasgow this week to participate in

the SCOTHOT food, hospitality and

tourism trade show. As well as

learning more about the art and

skills of cooking the pupils

considered in more detail the career

opportunities on offer to them in

this industry and managed to enjoy

all the hospitality on offer at the

venue.