Management day at St. Joseph's, Wadala

PILLARS OF ST. JOSEPH'S

- Casiola Fernandes and Sunita D’Souza

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

5^th October 2012

            ‘Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone’, so goes the beautiful quote.  A resounding ‘Thank you’ was all that we wished to say to the five members of the management team of St. Joseph’s High School, Wadala.  Chiming with the sentiments of the assembly of staff and students, we can describe the team comprising of Fr. Godfrey D’Sa, our Rector, Fr. Bernard Fernandes, our Principal, Fr. Vivian D’Souza, the Counsellor, Fr. Sanjay Lopes, Administrator, and the Vice-Principal/Headmistress, Ms. Nicole Britto, as magical, awesome, noble, appreciative, generous, encouraging, meticulous, enthusiastic, talented and nurturing.  All this and much more, was attributed to the wonderful management team on the occasion of the Management Day celebrated on 26^th September 2012.

At. 9:00 am the Pre-Primary and Primary students assembled in the school hall to warmly welcome our Management Team, our Chief Guests for the day. The backdrop on the stage said it succinctly:  IN COMMUNION WITH THE LORD IN HIS VINEYARD. A prayer dance invoking God's blessings on every member of the Management set the tone for the items to follow.  The students then addressed each member of the Management Team highlighting the unique contribution and role played by them in our lives. Cute handmade cards shaped in the form of flowers – and matched by the attractive and pleasing tiny tots - were presented to our esteemed guests by the students of the Pre-Primary Section. The rainbow dance by the students of Std.I compared the colours of the rainbow to the members of the Management, who add beauty to the school and our lives! The Pre-Primary students charmed us with their melodious song WE LOVE YOU combined with a dance expressive of gratitude and joy. The teachers of the Pre-Primary and the Primary sections arrested our attention as they moved up stage to give a wonderful rendition of their own composition ‘Thank you’. In a grand finale, the students of the Primary section dressed in colourful outfits – girls and boys! – representing dance forms from the different states of India foot tapped and swayed to the rhythm of a remix of Indo-Western songs.

In the latter half of the morning, it was the turn of the secondary section to felicitate our management team.  Having being escorted by the school leaders to the hall, the guests were then treated to some entertaining program.  The students of Std. V amazed us with their cat walk to an Indo-Western fashion theme, while Std. VI danced to a similar theme of fusion music. Appreciative words were addressed to each member of the management team by the students of Std. X, while Std. IX enacted a skit, with a touch of humor, elucidating the importance of a good guide and motivator in our lives. Bollywood songs still rule the stage, and this was evident in the final item by our Std. VII students who danced energetically to some Hindi tunes.

At both the programs – Primary and the Secondary - Fr. Rector enlightened everyone with his words of wisdom and thanked the supervisors of the two sections, Mrs. Matilda and Mrs. Sangita,  together with all the teachers for the efforts taken to make this day happen in a special manner. He thanked Fr. Bernard and Ms. Nicole for their unstinted efforts in running the school efficiently!

           The staff of the school then got together in the hall at 1:00 pm.  Ms. Chitra welcomed the Management team on behalf of everyone, and these were later presented with a token of love and appreciation by the representative members of the staff.  After a short address by Fr. Godrey, and the thanksgiving prayer by Fr. Bernard, a sumptuous meal followed for the gathering.