Friday 9th July 2021

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus sends out his friends on an urgent mission with the instruction to heal and to share his message with all who will listen. Jesus wants us to listen closely to his words. Regularly listening to Jesus reminds us what is really important in life and how much we are loved by God. St Benedict reminds us, “Listen carefully to the Master’s instructions.” This coming Sunday is also the feast of St Benedict, who introduced a special way of reading the Bible to Europe in the 6th Century. The Wednesday Word Family Time is based on St Benedict’s way of praying and seeks to help you listen, with love, to God and to each other.

Thank you to Miss Lawson, Mr Peniket, Mrs Faux-Conduit and our IT team for organising this year's special awards event for Year 6.  This was shared across the school with our other children and also with our Year 6 parents.  We thank these children for their hard-work, dedication, kindness and support to one another over the last seven years.  It has been an honour as the Principal of St. Joseph's to watch these children grow and develop into the well-rounded young people they have become.  May God support and strengthen them as they prepare to embark on the next stage in their education journey.  We wish them every success for their bright futures ahead.

We wish the England football team every success on Sunday evening as they face Italy at Wembley at 8pm.  This will be their biggest challenge facing a team who have been undefeated in 33 matches. It has been a wonderful opportunity to unite our country together in support of the national team during these difficult times. If we are successful and win the Euros, then the children can come into school on Monday wearing, red, white or blue to mark this special occasion. Otherwise they will wear their school uniform or PE kits if it is their designated day as usual.  

A huge thank you to the members of the PTA for your support this year. They have organised a number of fundraising events, including: Non-Uniform Day, Easter Egg Raffle, Plant Sale & Father's Day Sale. In total the PTA have raised £1097.80. The funds will be used to support every child at school.  The latest PTA newsletter will be circulated to parents shortly.

It is with great pleasure to announce that the Virtual Pyramid Concert will be made available for Year 5 parents to watch from Monday 12th July for one week only.  Parents will receive an 'access code' in order to watch the event.  Further details to follow.

The weekly Wednesday Word is available via the following link:  The Wednesday Word Primary School Resource | Catholic Church

Parents and carers can also visit www.dudley.gov.uk/coronavirusparents for more information on both symptom and symptom-free testing and the other symptoms residents are now being encouraged to take a precautionary test if they display.

Accessing symptom-free tests

Parents and carers and anyone else living with a school age child or young person are among the priority groups being given access to free home lateral flow testing kits to test themselves.

Information on how to access these can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

All are strongly encouraged to have a lateral flow test at a local testing site prior to starting home testing, to know how a test is undertaken. 

Twice weekly testing will help detect hidden asymptomatic cases and help keep pupils and staff safer in school.

Anyone unable to do home testing can go to one of the Dudley lateral flow testing centres. These are at Dudley Leisure Centre, Saltwells Education Centre, with pop-up sessions at Holy Trinity Church Community Centre in Wordsley, Lifecentral Church in Halesowen, St Andrews Church in Sedgley, St James Church in Wollaston and the Salvation Army Church in Lye.There is also testing at more than 30 pharmacies across the borough. For details on where you can get a lateral flow test and to book visit www.dudley.gov.uk/symptom-free-testing

Information and support for parents and carers of children who are learning at home. Supporting your children's remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Click on the following link to the NHS website for information on what to do if you or your child/ren show the main symptoms of Coronavirus. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms

We have all experienced challenges and difficulties during this pandemic, but sometimes we may need support from someone else or know of someone who may need additional help.  Dudley MBC have created a 'Support for Families' leaflet which signposts local services to parents. We have also included an updated list of support for parents via a range of local and national agencies.  These documents can be found within the Covid 19 tab on the school website landing page.

Dear God, Thank you for these children and for providing them with the skills they need to continue their education and faith journey. Thank you for family members, friends and staff who have supported them during their time at St. Joseph’s School. Thank you for creating us all with the capacity to think, speak, discover and reason. We rejoice in the good gifts that you bring and honour and glory you for them. We ask this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Children at St. Joseph's are growing to be: Faith-filled in their beliefs and
hopeful for the future.

Universal intention -Social Friendship

We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship.