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St. Joseph's recently held its open night. The attendance was excellent. Prospective pupils and
parents were treated to musical delights from the students. Mr. Scally (Principal) addressed the hall, and
clearly outlined what St.
Joseph's has to offer not only academically but also
holistically.
He highlighted the school's great strides in its academic
results and also highlighted achievements in sport
and the many trips that occur in the school year. Also identified were the many and varied extra -curricular
activities that the school has to offer. Mr. Scally outlined that at St. Joseph's each child is nurtured to achieve
his or her true potential.
Mr. Scally said "Whatever the ability of the child this is
the school for you. In this school we do expect
high academic standards and our standards are well above the NI Average. On every count we perform
well above the N Ireland
average. Our A Level results confirm that. Our GCSE results
confirm that.
But school education is not just about exam results
We aim to do 3 things
• to provide an excellent education. Our school is in the
top 10% in N Ireland with 88% of our pupils achieving
at least five grade A* to C.
• Build commitment to the Catholic faith
• Care for all
In order to do this we provide a secure, stable and well
ordered environment which is based on traditional
values and genuine
care and concern for everyone.
St. Joseph's is a school for everyone in the family.
To us each child is important.
Each child has many different talents and we aim to identify
and allow these to flourish.
St. Joseph's is a happy school.
Students are expected to work hard ; but they will find
friendship and support
We pride ourselves that former pupils have very fond
memories of the school.
Our past students are to be found in every walk of life
They have fond memories of their time here"
Prospective parents and pupils were ably guided around the
school and were afforded the opportunity to
experience the school first
hand. The event was a great success.
Young men taking action in St. Joseph's
Young men
from St Joseph's recently participated in a 7 week
programme, promoting awareness and understanding of Mental
Health. The programme was facilitated by Youth Action NI'S
'Young Men Talking,' Project.
For seven weeks young men from Year 10 in the school
attended developmental group work sessions with a team of
youth workers. Each week, the young men explored issues and
topics relevant to their own mental health and emotional
well being such as masculinity; self esteem; dealing with
anger in your life; Mental Health Awareness; relaxation and
resilience building techniques.
Commenting on the success of the programme, Bernard O'Shea,
Young Men's Development Worker with Youth Action NI said "Although
young men are more conscious of their physical health there
still remains a stigma attached to Mental Health". He
added, "The young men who participated recorded that they
felt more focused in school, more relaxed and better able to
deal with stressful situations in their lives. More
importantly the young men now have a greater understanding
of the differences between Mental Health and Mental Illness.
I would hope this goes some way to breaking the taboo of
Mental Health and educating young men that seeking support
and guidance to deal with issues in their life is actually a
sign of strength."
Upon completion of the programme, young men were awarded
with certificates for their participation. The Young Men
Talking Programme will return to St Joseph's later in the
year.
The Young Men Talking Project is a partnership between Youth
Action NI, East Belfast Community Development Agency and the
Rural Health Partnership and funded by The Big Lottery Fund.
The project aims to prevent despair, depression, low
self-esteem and self harm in both urban and rural young men
aged 14-25 years.
If you would like more information on the Young Men Talking
Project then contact Bernard O'Shea (Young Men's Development
Worker) in the Armagh Office on 028 37511624 Email: Bernard@youthaction.org
STUDENTS
SHOWCASE THEIR ARTISTIC TALENTS FOR CREDIT UNION POSTER
COMPETITION
The Irish League of Credit Unions recently ran its
annual competition for local schools, in order to select
art work for its calendar. The Crossmaglen Branch also
has a special category for pupils in 'The Learning
Support Centre' at St. Joseph's.
On Thursday last, the 26th January, a special
Presentation Evening was held in 'The Cross Square
Hotel' in Crossmaglen. Attending the Prizegiving
were pupils form the local primary schools along with
students from St. Joseph's L.S.C.. Prizes were presented
by the Directors of Crossmaglen Credit Union. The night
was a great success and enjoyed by all who attended.
Students Raise Money for Oxfam.
The pupils from The Learning Support Centre
of St. Joseph's, were very busy with a fund-raising
project,
in the weeks before Christmas.
They launched a 'Brown Money Appeal', both within the
school and the local community encouraging people
to donate their small change. The campaign was a great success and far exceeded last year's target, by
raising over £1,000, for Oxfam Ireland.
This money will be used to buy tools, materials and
livestock for people in the developing countries, so
that
they may help themselves towards a better standard of
living.
The pupils and teachers in the L.S.C would like to thank
all who donated for making such a difference to the
lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.
.