A Time to Celebrate

Happy Half Term (and Feast Day) Year 9!

That's right, you made it through yet another half-term of home schooling. It's pretty unbelievable how quickly time has gone. I wouldn't go as far as to say time flies when you're having fun, but I'm almost forgetting what normal life used to be like and I'm becoming ever more used to my days being focused on when I can get outside to top up my failing tan (girls, you might know what I'm talking about!). 

I wanted to start this blog post by telling you all how immensely proud I am of you all. I know you haven't heard this half as much as you usually would have if we were at school and I know that some of you are lacking motivation without the daily reassurance from your teachers, but trust me when I say that you are doing an amazing job. I speak for all of the staff at Salesian School when I say that we have been blown away at how you have all coped and adapted to the situation we find ourselves in. Your resilience and constant positivity has been what's kept me going through the harder days when getting up before 8am is a struggle! Your parents have been updating us all this week on how you are and it's been uplifting to hear them talk so highly of you and the work you have been doing. It seems that some of you have nailed the work load and are racing through, and some are finding it a little difficult to stick to deadlines- this is normal! Remember that everyone works differently, so you shouldn't be comparing yourselves to others. Set realistic goals for yourself and work towards them at a pace that suits you. 

Kindness is King 👑

Whilst I know how many of you are coping very well at the moment, there are still so many in our community, be that students, staff or parents, who are extremely anxious and are struggling with the uncertainty. At a time like this, it is more important than ever to show kindness to one another. We clap for our NHS carers on a Thursday evening, but sometimes we forget that those closest to us need our support as well. 

You are lucky that you can stay in touch with friends via your phones and social media, but please make sure you are keeping things kind. If you are worried about anything you have seen online, or if you feel you have been a victim of unkind comments, don't hesitate to get in touch with me. You are a wonderful Year group and I know that you have a lot of love to give one another, but I also know that some of us forget ourselves when we have a phone in our hands to hide behind. Keep it kind, Year 9 and we'll get through this together. 

In case you need any more motivation, take a look at one of my favourite books 'The Boy, the mole, the fox and Horse'- it's full of great life lessons (not to mention wonderful illustrations for all of you budding artists out there!)

So, what's the plan moving forward? 

Well, funny you ask. All staff have just had a briefing with Mr Kibble and Mr Gower this morning to tell us what our last half-term will look like. For you, as Year 9s, it will be slightly different to what it has been so far. You will NOT be expected to complete work for subjects that you are not taking for GCSE. Instead, you should continue to work on core subjects from SMHW and will be sent information about course content for the subjects you are starting in September. You will have the opportunity to join video sessions with your teachers on Microsoft Teams, so look out for invites to these meetings via your school email address. This will hopefully make a difference to those of you who are lacking interaction from your teachers and will give you a chance to get some extra help on the things your parents are struggling to get their head around. Please take advantage of these meetings- they have been put in place to help you and to give you something to structure your day around (this means getting out of your pyjamas too!) Similarly, if you have any questions about this, please do get in touch. 

Remember to keep checking the school youtube channel for updates. Teachers are still going to be posting lesson content on here, as well as running sessions on Teams. In the meantime, here's a recent update from Mr Kibble and this week's assembly from Mr Gower to keep you occupied over half-term...

Now, over to you...

I want to finish this half term (and feast day for Mary help of Christians) on a high, by celebrating you and all of the wonderful things you have been doing. So enjoy the showcase of work below- you really are talented bunch of individuals and I am so proud to be your Head of Year!

Sascha Paurine's incredible 'Still Life'

Tyler Wright's detailed RE project

Amazing artwork from Millie Hopkins

AJ Oblena's very impressive Eagle

Brent Oba is still just as dedicated to his Judo every day of the week! 

A wonderful, creative RE project from Oliver Davis

Nancy Cruickshank's stunning digital still life

And to those who have been recognised by your teachers..

Cristiano E Silva for completing three parts of the Great French Language challenge, well done! - Mr Delaney

Thomas Stokes for always answering his emails and staying positive while working from home. And being brave enough when he has a problem to ask for help. - Mrs Belbin

Niall O’Shea, Joe Carney and Carraghan Hibbert for their model set boxes for Blood Brothers.- Mrs Garbett

Liam Harte, Sascha-Nicole Paurine, Ceatie Riches and Katherine Vaughan for producing such fantastic science work in a brand new topic! - Miss Cozens

Daisy Hind, Sam Clark, Maeve Lawrence, Emily Spink, Rebecca Jones and Oliver Salamone have all produced amazing Drama sets. They have thought about ensuring suitability for the time period and been really creative with how they work for performance! - Miss Cella

Owen Christmas and Megan Bristow for building their sets using cardboard and things found in the house! They look amazing and their hard work has definitely paid off!  -Miss Cella

I just had a really great music project from Owen Christmas. He made a really detailed brochure advertising an evening celebrating Minimalist music, art and drama. Definitely worth a mention! - Miss Wynter

Liam Harte  for getting 100% on his history knowledge check-up quiz! - Mr McDowell

Ewan Johnson for his mature approach to work, his support to others and positivity- Miss Moore 

Caitlin Eastham for her thorough note taking in English for a task on non-fiction speeches- Miss Moore

Findley Taylor-Wyborne for his consistency and resilience, ensuring all of his work is submitted by the deadlines, but also for looking out for his friends -Miss Moore

Amongst all of the names above, there are no doubt people I have missed who have been producing amazing work behind the scenes. If you haven't yet had your name, or work displayed, there is still plenty of time to get recognised. 

For now, STOP work! 

Have a wonderful half-term. Stay safe, enjoy the sun (if it continues to shine for us) and rest up for the next journey of home learning that we will embark upon together.

Saint John Bosco (and Mother Mary), pray for us. 

Miss M x

I heard it through the grapevine...

Happy Friday Year 9, 

Despite lockdown seeming never-ending at the moment, the weeks are definitely flying by and it's hard to believe that it's already been 53 days since school closed. I'm definitely starting to get a strong case of cabin fever despite the new rules about 'unlimited exercise' and in the last week I've been craving a hug from my parents...although, you might not agree with me if you're a teenager who is opposed to physical contact. 

If you haven't guessed the reason for this blog post's title, this week's theme of the week is 'True Vine'. So, if you haven't checked out the Salesian youtube channel, here's Mr Kibble's reflection this week and below is the link to our assembly by our very own, Mr Keeling.  

Mr Keeling's assembly:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxD6c26tnjA

Maybe slightly off the 'True Vine' topic, with our current situation, I'm hearing a lot of things 'through the grapevine' and unfortunately, a lot is just speculation. The government announcement by Boris Johnson at the beginning of this week came as a bit of a blow to many, as I know how many of us were hoping to get back to some sense of normality. It seems that even the officials aren't sure about a lot of things at the moment and only time will tell when this will all be over. 

Another thing that seems to have been passed 'through the grapevine' over the last few weeks, is the idea that you don't have to complete all the work for your subjects that you are not taking for GCSE. Instead of me emailing you all individually, here's some clarification:

• Up until May half term, you should be continuing to work on all of your subjects. 
• If you are feeling overwhelmed, prioritise your time on core/options subjects and then work on the rest with the time you have left.
• After May half term, things will be changing slightly, so read on for more information on this...

If you are having trouble with any work, whether that is with a particular task, or whether that is understanding how to upload/submit work, please get in touch with myself or your specific subject teachers. We are all here to help! Teachers are monitoring who is submitting work and who isn't, so please don't get caught out on this. Your parents would probably prefer not to receive an email, or phone call from us and I know that you will want to avoid being nagged at all costs. Selfishly, I also want everyone to know that Year 9 is the best year group- so do me proud!

"So, what have you been up to, Miss?"

... Well, thanks for asking!

Amongst planning, marking, calling, meeting with teachers and running around after an energetic puppy, the Polish lessons are continuing at a slower than normal pace. We've now started sticking verbs to the mirror so that we see them every day. If any of you linguists out there have got any language learning tips, then let me know as I'd love to hear from you. 

Meanwhile in 'Puppy World', Lola is getting HUGE. She turned 13 weeks yesterday and she is growing at an outrageous pace. We're hoping the fur on the three legs she had shaved by the vet grows back fully soon- she's getting some odd looks from passers-by thinking we have given her a shoddy lock-down hair-cut. 

She also loves running between us both in the park...it can get quite repetitive after a while.

"Enough about the puppy, what else is new?"

Now you ask, I was actually lucky enough to go into school this week to see some of your lovely faces (albeit there were only 7 of you). Whilst it felt amazing to be back in the school buildings, it felt incredibly strange to see you all spaced out and the emptiness and absence of others was definitely felt by us all. I found out how many of you are shamelessly going to bed in the early hours of the morning and sleeping in until the late hours of the afternoon...Fraizer Edwards I'm looking at you! "Call of Duty" procrastination also seems to be a firm favourite with the likes of Adam Sweetman and I know that a lot of you are now hanging your heads in 'video game shame'. Aside from getting the down-low on work excuses, it was a pleasure to teach some of you again and I was really impressed at the engagement you gave. If you weren't one of the lucky few who got to attend an English and Maths session, fear not! After half term, I believe you may start to see some changes...

"I wish I could see my teacher's faces, I miss them all so much!"

I know, I know. I bet you've all been saying the same thing to your parents. Well, you lucky people, you might be interested in the news I have for you. Having just come from a meeting with all of the middle leaders in the school, we are currently putting plans in place to ensure that after half term, you will all get a virtual lesson with each of your subject teachers every week and this will include starting work on your options subjects for next year. This might look slightly different depending on subject and teacher, but it will give you the opportunity to ask questions and more importantly interact with your teacher and class-mates again (even if it is only virtually). 

Things are still very uncertain, but one thing is looking more likely and that is that all of KS3 will not be back in school until September at the earliest. As much as that might seem crazy, it is our reality and now we must think about how to manage that. This is also why it is so important that you continue to stay motivated with your online learning. Starting your GCSE courses is hard enough when you're in school, let alone if you are going to be left to your own devices using resources that we provide you with. If you're feeling worried, or overwhelmed by this, remember that you just need to get in touch with me, or your teachers to let them know how you are feeling. We are all here to support you and are muddling through together. 

Now, on to the important stuff...

MOORE'S TOP FOUR

Miss Cella and I have been overwhelmed with nominations this week, so it is my pleasure to give a shout-out to the students below for their amazing efforts:

Hollie Driscoll for the care and attention she put into the 'Learning Sport Remotely' work that the PE dept set. Her answers were thorough, well researched and well explained. Top stuff! - Miss Gallagher

Jack O'Leary, Sam Clark and Alex Kurjarta have been smashing their Drama work from home! Please see attached some of the fab set designs that they have created for Blood Brothers!

Maeve Lawrence, Louise Tack and Joe Lawless have also stood out for their efforts and use of Drama Terminology! - Miss Cella

Tom Bellwood and Emily Spink have produced some truly remarkable maths work during this lockdown. Emily has gone beyond expected and completed grade 9 questions which A level students struggle with. While Tom is doing very well on the maths website 'parallel' completing tasks and getting the same score as myself.

Marco has consistently sent me all the work he has completed. Very impressed with his work and obviously spending a lot of time and care in work. - Mr Weedon

Elizabeth Syder for her amazing effort in Music project

Carraghan Hibbert for her consistently excellent effort to theory and practical work - Mr Goldberg

Carraghan Hibbert (again!) for completing all SMHW and working really hard - for example, she will retake a quiz to see if she can improve her score. I have been impressed with her diligence and determination to improve throughout this period - Mrs Spice

 A huge congratulations to all of you. Virtual fruit is on its way...

As you can see, even though your teachers aren't with you in person, we are still recognising your work and commitment to learning. So, if you are particularly proud of some work you have completed, stay in touch 'through the grapevine' and drop me an email. You all deserve recognition!

Before I go, I'd like to leave you with a little gem I stumbled upon when reading Mr Matthew's Year 12 Blog. Aside from being a cute example of rhyming poetry, it gave me some hope for our future, which is perhaps what we all need right now. 

Enjoy the sun when work is over today and have a relaxing weekend of 'unlimited exercise'. 

Take care,

Miss M x

Vocation, Vocation, Vocation

Yes, I know- I wish my title read Vacation, Vacation, Vacation too. At this point (as much as you love them dearly) I'm sure some of you are itching for a break away from your parents and siblings...and if that is the case, then I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

Unfortunately, holidays are not our theme for this week, but instead The 'Shepherd'. This theme seems to have come at a great time considering that you have all just been allocated your subjects for GCSE Options and these choices are going to help mould your future. 

Whilst at school, it is our job as teachers to support you to find your vocation. As a Catholic community, we believe that your vocation is the way you choose to use your gifts, talents and passions to serve God and others. Your vocation describes both the way you lead your life and what you “do for a living” or put another way, what we dedicate our lives to.

I know that some of you are fortunate enough to have a very clear idea of how you are being called to live your lives and you already have an ideal career path planned out. Many others, however, still haven’t worked this out and that's more than OK. After all, you're only in Year 9! Trust me, a lot of people still don't know even when they're well into adulthood.

Whilst I might class myself as one of your 'Shepherds', there are many people out there who I'm sure you rely on for love, care and support on a daily basis. Don't be fooled though, although you're still young, you too can be some sort of Shepherd; so let's use this time to reflect about who you might be a Shepherd for during the current lockdown and more importantly what needs doing in our world...remember that you are the next generation!

Some reflections for this week:

• What are your gifts and talents?
• What are you passionate about?
• How might you make a difference in our world?
• How might your vocation help to build the Kingdom?

I want to spend less time talking about me this week, and more time celebrating what you've all been up to. After the second round of phone calls it's clear to see that so many of you have been working your socks off and I promise this is going to pay off. 

Before I move on to celebrate your successes, I have some plugging to do....

Whilst we're not quite internet sensations yet, the effort is definitely there, so remember to subscribe to the Salesian youtube channel if you haven't already. There's new material going up every day for video lesson content in different subjects, so keep your eyes peeled. 

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfS4k8NLuBL9USQymg4x-g

Mr Kibble's Reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9huyxCd4yQM

Options Information

Last week, you should have received a letter confirming your Option Subjects for next year. How exciting is that?! This marks the start of your GCSE journey into Year 10 and ultimately a time of change. For some, this will be a fresh start and for others it will be a continuation of the path that you are already on. Whilst being back at school will allow you to strengthen existing relationships that you have with your peers, I also hope to see some new friendships forming. After all, you will be sharing classes with those who share similar interests to you.

If you have any questions about your options (that doesn't involve requesting to change the subjects you have been allocated) feel free to get in touch with me, or your subject teacher. I have been so impressed at how many of you want to 'get ahead' by reading up on your subjects and purchasing GCSE study guides in preparation. 

Remember, there are also some GCSE lesson videos being posted on the youtube channel, so feel free to take a look at those to get an idea of what you will be doing next year, too. 

⭐Let's Celebrate Success! ⭐

So many of you have started getting in touch with me to share your work and various projects that you have been completing. Your teachers have also been very impressed at how hard some of you are working. 

Mrs Kilby would like to give a special mention to the following students for 'Top Work' in Maths:

  

• Amelie Huet
• Toby Dickinson
• Victoria Hodkin-Martinez
• Aiden Miller
• Sophia Swindell
• Alex McLean
• Caitllin Eastham
• Lorenzo Gavioli
• Henry Corrigan
• Melissa Hopkins

Keep up the fantastic work you lot!

Owen Christmas and his younger brother have been busy making postcards to send to the local care home and they received a lovely thank you email letting them know how much their kind thoughts were appreciated by the residents. A huge well done, Owen, for demonstrating what it is to be a Salesian. 

Menawhile, Rosie King has been busy practising her drawing skills and has produced some fantastic pieces of art work. Below are just a couple of my favourites from her extensive collection...

Maxim has also been putting his creativity to good use by entering his diary design for the Salesian7Challenge. This model comes in all house colours. A superb effort, Maxim- well done!

Last but not least, here's Roman with his very own 'hand-built' computer! He ordered all the parts online and got it up and running in a matter of days. To be honest, I'm astounded at how he managed to produce the final product. I definitely know who to call upon if I'm ever having issues with technology in the classroom. An awesome job Roman, congratulations!

Fruits of your Labour

During these strange times, it's more important than ever that we're staying connected and helping each other out (i.e. being shepherds). With that in mind, I've had some requests for special mentions for individuals who are going above and beyond to support their friends. 

Alex Kurjata a virtual fruit is coming your way, as you have been nominated as someone who is going the extra mile to support others with work and well-being. 

If you'd like to nominate someone for a 'Fruits of your Labour' award, please do get in touch. I love hearing how you're all supporting one another through all of this. 

My fruits of your labour nomination goes to Miss Cella, who surprised a few of us last week by dropping round (from a safe distance of course) a bag of goodies to enjoy during our weekly quiz. Here she is enjoying a hug from Lola before she left!

She's also the queen of sending funny videos to get us all through. Here's a cheeky TikTok that I've now been tasked at re-creating...

That's all for today folks. Keep up the great work, positivity and remember that you are all a shepherd to someone, even if you don't realise it yet!

Miss M x