Today two firefighters visited our Year 5 children to complete our annual Fire Safety Talk.  The children participated in discussions and educational conversations about how to prevent fire in the home.  In addition, they discussed with the Fire service, what measures to take in the event of an emergency fire situation.

The firefighters gave the children TWO challenges:

• To make sure they could remember their home address incase they had to make a 999 call and request the help of the Fire Service.
• To make sure all smoke alarms were tested at home and were working properly.

All children received a ‘Safety Team’ pack to discuss with adults at home.

It is also possible to organise a Home Fire Safety Check.  A Home Fire Safety Check is a visit to the home to provide advice on how to stay safe from fire.  Each visit will be carried out by at least two staff from NIFRS who will be wearing NIFRS uniform and will carry a NIFRS photographic identification card.

During the visit they will either fit a smoke alarm or show you how to test your existing smoke alarm, explain the potential fire risks in your home, provide fire safety advice and explain the importance of having a night time fire safety routine and a fire escape plan.

The visit will take up to 40 minutes. Sometimes it is useful for a family member, friend, neighbour or care worker to also be present so that they can assist with the advice.

To apply for a Home Fire Safety Check please follow the link below to complete the form.

https://www.nifrs.org/home/staying-safe/community-safety/home-fire-safety/home-fire-safety/

Year 5 were very lucky to participate in an online Art Project for 'World Book Day'.  Artist Sinead Mc Dermott lead the online workshop based on the Harry Potter novels.  This was a wonderful opportunity to engage the pupils in the magic of literature through art. 

Using pastels, pencils and paint, Sinead helped the children to shade, design and blend colour and effect.  It was a wonderful experience which was full of joy, imagination and inspiration.  The end result - some absolutely amazing works of art on Hedwig the Owl.

On Thursday 6th March we celebrated World Book Day in St. Joseph's.  For us in St. Joseph's, EVERY DAY is World Book Day.  We have been so busy this Term with our Silent and Accelerated Reading, pairing up with Reading Partners in Primary 3 and Primary 7 and reading with our teachers in class.  

On World Book Day, the children from Nursery to Year 7 participated in a variety of events and activities to celebrate a love of books and reading.

We hope the children enjoy spending their World Book Day tokens and treat themselves to a new book.  Tokens are valid until Sunday 23rd March.

Congratulations to our girls who travelled to Tir na Og in Randalstown to take part in the SW Antrim Cumann na mBunscoil Indoor County Final today. 

The girls showed great strength, skill, teamwork and determination and were a delight to watch.  It was a privilege to share this wonderful experience with such a talented bunch of young footballers and we were delighted that they finished as Runner-Up, beaten by a very strong St. Anne's PS Belfast team.  We extend congratulation to St. Anne's.  The girls look forward to many more achievements on the gaelic pitch!

Congratulations to our Year 7 pupils who celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation in Mater Dei Church on Thursday 6th March. 

We pray that the Holy Spirit will bless and guide them today and in the days and weeks ahead as they continue on their educational and spiritual journey. 

Many thanks to the Year 7 team for ensuring the children were so well prepared for today, to the boys and girls in the Year 5 and 6 choir for the beautiful singing, to Mrs. McDonnell and Mrs. Lawlor for the wonderful music and to Canon Colm for delivering the service. 

Well done everyone!

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you will renew the face of the earth

As part of Engineering Week Year 6AW travelled to Lely Farm in Lisburn to visit a milk production farm to learn about modern agricultural practices and the latest engineering technology in the dairy industry.

During the visit, pupils got an up-close look at how the farm utilises advanced engineering solutions to enhance milk production efficiency, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.

The children finished off their visit with a delicious ice-cream treat; courtesy of Lely Farm and the cows of course!

Thank you for a very enjoyable and informative visit!

Today was Ash Wednesday.  It signals the beginning of Lent.  In order to mark this special season Canon Colm held a Prayer Service in the school hall for pupils in Year Groups 4 - 7.  Pupils had an opportunity to reflect on how best they were going to prepare for Lent and Canon Colm then distributed ashes to the pupils and staff.  We welcome this period of Lent to help us best prepare for the season of Easter.

Last week we hosting Healthy Eating Week in school.  This provided us with a focused opportunity to explore the benefits of healthy eating with all classes across the school.

Indeed all schools are encouraged to promote a consistent message about healthy eating, as per the Education Authority's Food in Schools Policy. This means food and drink provided and consumed within the education setting should be nutritious and of good quality. School meals are a great choice, however if parents decide to provide a packed lunch, or morning break or snack, the following guidance may be useful for healthy eating tips and ideas:

https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/de/Healthy%20Breaks%20for%20Schools%20A5%20Leaflet%20ENGLISH.pdf

Public Health Dietitians N.Ireland - YouTube Channel: Tips & Tricks to Healthy Eating

Have a look at our whole school Healthy Eating display - We hope we've 'cooked up' and reinforced some very important messages!

Congratulations and well done to our girls and boys who qualified to represent St. Joseph's at the SW Antrim Cuman na mBunscol Cross Country event held at St. Benedict's College, Randalstown. This event is now to be included as part of the annual programme of activities.  Everyone ran superbly with many of the children setting PBs for the 1.2km challenging course!  

Today we were delighted to receive our GYOP (Grow Your Own Potatoes) pack.

Grow Your Own Potatoes is a valuable educational tool that supports key curriculum objectives.  Through hands-on learning, GYOP helps pupils understand essential topics such as healthy eating, sustainability, science, and the environment. Whether it's exploring plant life cycles, developing practical skills in the garden, or encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, GYOP provides an engaging way to bring the curriculum to life, reinforcing learning outcomes while inspiring curiosity and a deeper connection to the natural world.

We look forward to the learning opportunities which this project will provide and to seeing our potatoes develop and grow.  We may even dish up a tasty treat at the end of the growing season!