The Eco Team travelled to Antrim Castle Gardens for the Garden Show Ireland 2022 and the judging of the scarecrows which we had delivered  on Thursday.  The sun was shining and a great days fun was had by all those in attendance.  To top the day off our Year 4 scarecrow won 2nd place overall.  

We were presented with a number of prizes including:

- £200 Voucher for Creative Gardens

- Trophy

- Tree donated by CAFRE Greenmount College

- Our school will also have the opportunity to take part in a fun half day workshop at CAFRE Greenmount College in the autumn term.

Congratulations Year 4 and well done to all Year Groups for taking part.  Our scarecrows will now take pride of place in our new forest school garden.

Congratulations to the Girls' Gaelic Football Team who travelled to St Comgall's Antrim to take part in the SW Antrim 7-a-side Football Tournament.  There was great team work and skill displayed and the girls did St Joseph's proud and won the Football Shield.  Well done girls!

And off our scarecrows go the Garden Show Ireland 2022 in the Castle Grounds,  Antrim.  Each Year Group sent off their collective scarecrow  entry for judging in the School Scarecrow Challenge.  Our Eco Team will be heading to the Garden Show this Friday - let's hope our scarecrows do us proud and the Eco Team get to bring home a prize!

On Monday 25th April the mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey visited St Joseph's to make a presentation to our Primary 6 pupils Lexi McGuinness and Daisey Reynold. The girls were both runners up in the recent Primary School Business Masterclass Competition for their fantastic juice carton designs and each win a £25 voucher!  Congratulation girls on such a wonderful achievement and thank you to the mayor for visiting our school and presenting the girls with their awards  and prizes. 

We launched our Trocaire Charity Campaign at the beginning of Lent with our Copper Coin Challenge.  Throughout Lent all classes were collecting 1p and 2p coins.  We have been amazed at the response with a fantanstic £984 being raised in coppers in only five weeks.  Congratulations to all the classes on such a sterling effort.  A special congratulations to Miss Haughian/Miss Keenan's Year 2 class and Mrs Campbell's Year 6 classes who were the highest collectors in the school and were awarded with a class party supplied by Mr Traynor.

During Holy Week our charity campaign continued.  There were lots of activities organised to include Colouring Competitions, Bring a Toy Day, Name the Duck and an Easter Bun Sale.  Our Year 7 pupils were amazing and organised a host of stalls making, decorating and selling a variety of products.

We look forward to announcing our final total after the Easter Break - we think this could be out highest total yet! 

Many congratulations to all the boys and girls who received Subject, Accelerated Reading, Pupil of the Month and Principal Awards at our virtual Easter Awards Assembly. You are all superstars - Well done everyone!

Our Year 6 children prepared and recorded a wonderful Easter Passion Assembly. They spent time learning lines, choosing costumes and practising in the Assembly Hall. It was a lovely assembly to share with the school community at the start of Holy Week. Well done to everyone involved. Thanks also to the Year 6 staff who guided the children in what was a very poignant and reflective ceremony.

Congratulations to Mr McCullagh's Year 6 class for coming top of the leader board in our latest accelerated reading competition.  It was a closely fought contest with Mrs Campbell's Year 6 class narrowly missing out on the top spot.  We are delighted with how the children are using the programme and are amazed at the number of children who have achieved awards for 100,000 words and 500,000 words read.  We even have AR Word Millionnaires and our first Triple AR Word Millionnaire this term.

Congratulations boys and girls - keep up the great effort!