Bishop Douglass Catholic School Parent Newsletter

Transcription

1 Bishop Douglass Catholic School Parent Newsletter In Pursuit of Excellence 24 March January 2016 INTRODUCTION Mrs Nelson is leaving at the end of this term to become a Deputy Headteacher at St Aloysius School. She has had a marked impact on the progress of the children during her 15 years of dedicated service. We will miss her experience and contribution and wish her all the best in the future. A huge well done to the Year 7 basketball team who won the Barnet Cup defeating Christ College by 28 points to 21 in the final. Congratulations to MVP Ajani Giscombe. The Year 9 boys football team have progressed to the semi finals of the Barnet League defeating Totteridge Academy 6-2 in the quarter finals and the Year 11 boys football team have progressed to the final of the Barnet League defeating JCOSS 4-2 in the semi final. A reminder to parents that the last day of term is next Friday, March 31st. This will be a non uniform day and pupils will be asked to make a 1 donation to our Lenten Charity, The Catholic Children s Society. Pupils will be dismissed from 12:30pm. We wish everyone a safe and holy Easter break and look forward to seeing everyone back on Wednesday 19th April. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Friday 31st March last day of term. Pupils dismissed during module 4 from 12:30pm. Easter Break Tuesday 18th April INSET Day (staff training day). School closed to pupils. Wednesday 19th April Start of term for all pupils. Wednesday 26th April Year 10 Parents Evening Wednesday 17th May Year 9 Parents Evening Wednesday 7th June Year 8 Parents Evening Wednesday 14th June Year 7 Parents Evening YEAR 9 FOOTBALL QUARTER FINALS The Year 9s celebrating their 6-2 victory over Totteridge Academy

2 RYAN S RAMBLINGS EASTER 2017 When we take a serious look at ourselves, we understand that there are things that keep us from being the persons and the people we wish we were. We can feel sometimes that we are not free to be our true selves. At the beginning of his mission Jesus looked at himself and saw the temptations that would keep him from carrying out his mission. The Season of Lent is for us the time to look into ourselves and to see what keeps us from being free to serve and love God and all the people who make up our world in the way we should love them. Taking Jesus as our example we can go into the desert, the place of aloneness, a place of dryness and look into the depth of ourselves; into the core of our being and with Jesus reject what imprisons us, what keeps us lukewarm and indifferent, so that like him and with him we can serve all those who make up our world and the God who made us. There are six weeks in Lent so it really is a journey of discovery. We are the people of the forty days: the people of God in the Old Testament needed forty years in the desert to grow through their trials and mistakes into the People of God ready for the Promised Land. Jesus spent forty days in the desert in fasting and prayer to prepare himself to make his choice to be the kind of Messiah God wanted. Today we are given our own forty days, too, to re -examine ourselves before God whether we want to be and are the kind of children God wants us to be. We look up to Jesus as our example to see if with him and by his power we are willing to reject the temptations that try to divert us from the task God has given us. He was able to overcome every temptation the Devil could throw at him: The devil had exhausted every way of tempting Jesus (Lk 4:13). Jesus s temptations included every possible category of temptation a human being could encounter: material (turning stones into bread), psychological (impressing people and winning fame), and spiritual (false worship). In which area are you most tempted? This Lent perhaps we can all pray together; Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Let us take the time to sit with Jesus in the desert of our own hearts and minds and invite Jesus to share his experience of overcoming temptations. Then perhaps we might try and identify our core temptations and decide that with God s help we are going to do something about them. Shall we? Whatever our faith, whatever our belief we have the resources through our Holy Scriptures which help to challenge us on the best way forward so that the real you, the real me can actually make a difference. So, what difference do you want to make this Lent? You know as well as I do that we can make a difference! However, am I prepared to make the effort in making a difference? I sure hope so! In that way the tragedy of last Wednesday here in London might be a thing of the past and that each and everyone can see only God s presence in those around us as we build a community of peace and love. Every blessing to you and yours, Fr. Kevin S.X.

3 SCIENCE WEEK STEM WEEK Estefatania Henao-Pardo, Victoria Kus, Franklin Wilson and Gabriella Dzienis STEM week was truly launched on Tuesday with the Year 7 STEM club entertaining lunch-goers by demonstrating and explaining various experiments such as how to make a teabag fly without touching it and how to make slime from borax and PVA glue. Students from 8 Campion produced a water purification system out of household items with the help of Ms Siva. In doing so, they were able to achieve their CREST Bronze award. Year 9 students were treated to a visit from the Tropical Zoo roadshow brought by Hounslow Urban Farm. They looked at and touched a variety of strange and scary animals, which included a tarantula, a salamander, a scorpion, two cockroaches and three slithering snakes! Staff and students were petrified, but some were brave enough to hold a frog and drape the snake around their necks! Andrea Osawam, Manuella, Andrea Opoku-Afena and Rishahb Tiwari Rachel Ogunnino and Aminah Allen Matthew Milan and Anuk Weerawardana

4 WORDS OF THE WEEK Monday: Debilitating (Adjective): Tending to weaken something/ (of a disease or condition) make someone very weak and powerless. Molly s influenza was a debilitating illness and left her without energy. Tuesday: Febrile (Adjective): Having or showing the symptoms of a fever, characterised by a great deal of nervous excitement or energy. THIS WEEK S TOP E-PRAISE ACHIEVERS: Year 7: Ilea Dehghan (7 Campion) (+45) Year 8: Paul Cusack (8 Campion) (+45) Year 9: David-Oliver Barouh (9 More) Ali Pasha Dehghan (9 More) (+45) Year 10: Kuba Demko (10 Fisher) (+60) Year 11: Sahira Khadery (11 Fisher) (+45) Year 12: Jaydine Joseph (12 Line) (+40) Year 13: Charlotte Moore (13 All Saints) (+90) The nurse touched my forehead to see if I had a febrile sickness. Wednesday: Flaunt (Verb): Display (something) ostentatiously, especially in order to provoke envy or admiration or to show defiance. It really was unnecessary for the successful businessman to flaunt his wealth. Thursday: Narcissistic (Adjective): Having or showing an excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical appearance. Since the King is narcissistic, he ignores his citizens and focuses his time on satisfying his own pleasures. Ilea Dehghan Paul Cusack David-Oliver Barouh Ali Pasha Dehghan Friday: Ostracise (Verb): Exclude from a society or group: banish (from ancient Greek banish from a city for 5 or 10 years). Sometimes is it necessary to ostracise certain people who make life difficult. Kuba Demko Sahira Khadery Jaydine Joseph Charlotte Moore

5 THIS WEEK S MATHS CHALLENGE SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK S CHALLENGE SPIRITUALIT Y MATTERS If only you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you water The water which Jesus spoke of symbolised the Holy Spirit and his work of recreating us in God s image and sustaining in us the new life which comes from God. The life of the Holy spirt produces in us and makes us a new creation in Jesus Christ. As we continue our pilgrimage through Lent, God is calling us to thirst for Him and for the life of the Holy Spirit within us.

6 EXTRA-CURRICULAR AND STUDY SUPPORT Before School am Lunchtime pm After School pm Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday before 8.20am Evening before 8.20am Evening before 8.20am Year 7 Science Club Science Department Evening EXTRA-CURRICULAR CLUBS WHOLE SCHOOL: Lunchtime pm After School pm before 8.20am Evening Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Fixture: Table Tennis (Away) Bishop Douglass Youth Club (BDYC) Sports Hall *Runs until 5:30pm Rock School E0.5 Debate Mate Room C3.2 Fixture: Year 8 Girls Tournament at East Barnet (Mr Lenane & Ms Merrett) Orchestra Gospel Choir Fixture: Year 9 Football v Compton at Compton (Mr Hadjisava)