Friday 7th September 2018

Welcome Back

Welcome back to our pupils, parents and staff to a new school year here at St. Joseph's School. We hope you have all enjoyed the Summer break and we look forward to working in partnership once again to support in the education of your child/ren. This coming Sunday is Education Sunday. This is a special time of year when our Catholic community comes together to celebrate and support the work of our Catholic schools across the country. Coinciding with the start of the academic term it is an opportunity for us to give thanks for the important work our schools perform. On Education Sunday we would like the children who will be attending Mass to wear their school uniform. We also use this opportunity to thank the thousands of teachers, support staff, volunteers and diocesan education officials (including our Academy Committee members) who play such a crucial role in making our schools some of the most successful in the country.

This year's theme is 'Ephphatha: Be Opened',which comes from Mark's Gospel reading on Education Sunday. It symbolises that Catholic schools are open and welcoming places for all, and that in our schools, young people's minds are opened to the revelation of Christ's teaching and his love for us all. Catholic schools could not exist without the support of the Catholic community. This has been the case for the last 170 years. The money raised from collections on Education Sunday goes directly towards the provision of Catholic schools towards essential work they provide. Please come along to support our school and parish this coming Sunday. Thank you.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Archbishop Bernard

On Tuesday 11th September at 2pm, the children along with thousands of other young people from across the Birmingham Diocese will spend an afternoon of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with the Archbishop. Through the wonders of modern technology, the Archbishop will be streamed live from his private chapel at Archbishop's House in Birmingham. You may be aware of the National Eucharistic Congress which is taking place this weekend in Liverpool where 10,000 pilgrims are due to gather together to promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Church. This Adoration experience for the children is part of the diocesan response to the call to rediscover the beauty of praying before the Blessed Sacrament.

What's On

Friday 7th - Sunday 9th September Adoremus - National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress
Sunday 9th September Education Sunday Mass at OLAS - children in school uniform 10.30am
Monday 10th September Reception Class in full time
Tuesday 11th September Key Stage 2 Gym Club begins 8am
Tuesday 11th September Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Archbishop Bernard (Live stream) 1.50pm
Wednesday 12th September Whole School Mass 9.10am
Friday 14th September Swimming sessions start for Years 3 and 4
Wednesday 19th September School Nurse Drop In 8.30am
Thursday 20th September Feast Day of St. Matthew - children come into school in house colour (purple)
Thursday 20th September PTA AGM at St. Joseph's - all welcome 7.30pm
Monday 24th to Thursday 27th September School Book Fair 3.15pm
Tuesday 25th September Wecome Assembly for Reception (with Year 6) 9.10am
Wednesday 26th September Read Write Inc. Parents' Session 6.30pm
Friday 28th September Macmillan Coffee Morning 9.15am-10.30am
Friday 28th September Dahlicious Dress Up Day
Sunday 30th September Reception Welcome Mass at OLAS 10.30am

Macmillan Coffee Morning and Dahlicious Dress Up Day

On Friday 28th September we will be holding a coffee morning for Macmillan Cancer from 9.15am until 10.30am. Please bring any donations of cakes/biscuits during the latter part of this week. The children will be able to purchase a cake at break time on this day too. Also on this day we will be holding a 'Dahlicious Dress Up Day' in support of Macmillan. Children wearing a costume of their favourite Roald Dahl character are asked to bring in £1. For ideas on costumes please refer to the following link: http://www.roalddahl.com/charity/fundraising-and-events/dahlicious-dress-up-day.

Reception 2019 Open Morning for Parents

On Tuesday 16th October we will be holding an Open Morning for parents of Reception children for September 2019. This will take place in the school hall from 9.30am until 10.30am. Please encourage any friends and family members with children who are due to start Reception in September to come along. Thank you.

Sepsis Awareness Day - Thursday 13th September

Dudley Health protection team as part of World Sepsis day on the 13th September are continue to raise public awareness of Sepsis within Children of primary school years. Sepsis which is sometimes referred to as blood poisoning or septicaemia is a reaction to an infection in which the body attacks its own organs and tissues. It can affect anyone at any age. Sepsis affects over 25,000 children in the UK every year. Sepsis can occur following any infection and there is no one sign of sepsis. So if your child is unwell, with either a fever or a very low temperature or has had a fever within the last 24 hours; Just ask: Could it be Sepsis? For further information please refer to the following links: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Blood-poisoning/Pages/Treatment.aspx and http://sepsistrust.org/

Out of School Hours Activities

Day Activity Year Group Time
Monday Multi-skills Years 1 to 3 8am
Tuesday Gymnastics Years 3 to 6 8am
Tuesday Irish Dancing Years 1 to 6 3.15pm-4.15pm
Wednesday Multi-skills Years 4 to 6 8am
Wednesday Football (mixed) Years 3 and 4 12.45pm
Thursday Gymnastics Years 1 and 2 8am
Thursday School Football Team Years 4 to 6 12.45pm
Thursday High 5 Netball (mixed) Years 4 to 6 3.15pm-4.15pm
Friday Football (mixed) Years 5 and 6 12.45pm
Friday Football (mixed) Years 1 to 6 3.15pm-4.45pm

Access to School Life App

Next week a letter will be sent to parents with instructions on how to upload an App to access the School website via the platform School Life. This will allow parents to read notifications and newsletters via a smart phone in addition to a PC or tablet.

Virtues Focus - Compassionate and Loving

Pupils at St. Joseph's are compassionate towards others, near and far, especially the less fortunate; and loving by their just actions and forgiving words.

Prayer of the Week

For all pupils, especially those starting at a new school. May their minds be opened to learning and their hearts opened to the love of Jesus Christ, our Lord and saviour. Amen.

Pope's Intentions for September

Universal: Young People in Africa. That young people in Africa may have access to education and work in their own countries.

Emmaus CMAC
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Ofsted

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