It's Christmas time!

PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS

St. Joseph's High School,
Wadala,
16 Dec 2013

It's that time of the year that is eagerly awaited - for the Christmas tree, the Christmas crib, the festivities; above all the Christmas spirit of giving.  A detailed program has been planned for the entire school beginning from today - our little way of welcoming the baby Jesus at our place and into our hearts.

Christmas Celebrations 2013   (16^th - 20^th December, 2013 )

Teachers in charge: Ms. Joanna, Ms. Rina, Mrs. Pavita, Mrs. Cressieda

Christmas Message – all classes from (I –X) will prepare 2 Christmas messages on chart paper. These will be displayed on the notice boards and other places in the school. This should be submitted in the science lab in the 1^st period on Tuesday, December 17^th, 2013.

Christmas Spirit of Giving – Two standards will work together to support a different social work organization or activity through interaction and/or collection of materials required by them. I & II – A home for the destitute; III & IV – An Orphanage; V & VI – Mrs. Aranha’s Anganwadi; VII & VIII – CSA project against hunger and disease; IX & X – Study Class children

Prayer Partners – Prayer partners will be decided by drawing of lots in each class on Friday, December 13^th in the afternoon. Students will pray for the concerned classmate throughout the week.

Christmas bookmarks – These have to be prepared on Wednesday 18^th December, in the 6^th and 7^th periods using eco-friendly materials only. The size of the bookmark shouldn’t be more than 2 inches wide and 5 inches long. These will be judged, who will select the best 5. Class teachers may then return these to the students as they have to gift the bookmark to their respective prayer partners.

Good Deed Nosegays - Every student will have to pick out a flower from the Good Deed Nosegay kept near the class crib. The nosegay will be passed around each morning for students to pick a flower and read the good deed attached to it. After reading the suggested good deed for the day, the flower should be replaced in the nosegay. The student should attempt to practice that good deed during the day as his gift to Baby Jesus. This practice will continue throughout the week.

 

Star (Secondary – 6 students per class. Sticks will be provided.) Other eco-friendly materials have to be arranged by the class. Only eco-friendly materials and waste materials should be used. Time will be given from Monday to Wednesday, i.e. Dec. 16^th to 18^th for the preparation of stars. These will be judged for prizes.

Crib – This should be prepared in class on Monday, December 16^th and displayed on the class cupboard. The crib should be kept in the class cupboard every evening. The crib has to be made in a well lined plastic mesh tray which will be lent to the class for this purpose. Statues will be given to each class. 5 boys may be chosen for the same.

Christmas Party - On Friday, December 20^th each Class (I-X) will have its Christmas Party for about 1 hour in the classroom. In the spirit of sharing, arrange for small groups of students to bring in items (cake/chocolate/snack) that will be shared with the whole class thus, all will be contributing to the party in kind.

There are a few restrictions: Benches may not be shifted around in the classrooms. Cello-tape and double-sided sticking tape should not be used to fix decorations on the walls (or painted/polished surfaces). After the party, the class must be cleaned and restored to its normal state by the students.

As coloured clothes are permitted for the Christmas function, Students of Std. IX and X should wear long pants.  suitable shirts/t-shirts in any of the Christmas colors - red, white, green.

Carol Singing Competition -   Students are invited to form groups of 9 to 15 students across Std. V - X. Since this is an open competition students will form their own groups and conduct practices themselves. A rehearsal will be held on 17^th December. The group entries should be submitted to one of the teachers in charge by 13^th December. (List out on a sheet of paper, the names of the participants, name one student as the group leader and give the group a name.) The group name has to be selected in keeping with the spirit of Christmas. Students may select 3 to 5 carols. Each group will get a total of 2¹/₂ mins. to perform on stage

Dance Competition -   Students are invited to form groups of  6 to 10 students across Std. V - X. Since this is an open competition students will form their own groups and conduct practices themselves. A rehearsal will be held on 17^th December. The group entries should be submitted to one of the teachers in charge by 13^th December. (List out on a sheet of paper, the names of the participants, name one student as the group leader and give the group a name.) The group name has to be selected in keeping with the spirit of Christmas. Students may select a single song or a medley of Christmas related songs. Each group will get a total of 2¹/₂ mins. to perform on stage.

HERE'S TO A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS PREPARATION!

A research based project

Researching to find solutions for problems in society

-Dvig Butkar (Std. IX A)

St. Joseph's High School,
Wadala
11th December 2013

Our team (Vismit Chavan, Atharva Chaturvedi, Mubarak Khalife, Dvig Butkar) worked on a project for the inter-school annual Science Exhibition that had two important aspects in consideration: (1) Mosquito menace and (2) Slums. The diseases spread by mosquitoes are well known - malaria and the dangerous dengue - which at times can be fatal.

We conducted a small research to find the conditions suitable for the laying of eggs by the mosquitoes.  We took white, red and green colored containers and on observation, noticed that the the mosquitoes avoided the green and were most attracted to red, and less to white. Bubbling air through the container to increase the oxygen content, we observed that no eggs were laid.

We arrived at the conclusion that well lit,  effectively ventilated and green colored areas were avoided by the mosquitoes (More research however has to be done on this).

In the slums, the houses are very close to each other, thus increasing the heat in the atmosphere and surroundings. We came upon the idea to cover the roof with a mat (which is easily available) with seeds sown in them.  This has two advantages: (1) The room is kept cool. (2) The plants grown could be sold thus increasing the meager income of the people.  Besides, being a green top, probably the mosquitoes will not be attracted to the place!

A 'zeer' refrigerator

A POT IN A POT

- Master Kshitij Kadam (Std. VII A)

St. Joseph's High School,
Wadala,
11th December 2013


The Science Exhibition held annually by the Education Department presents an opportunity to our budding scientists to create, experiment and innovate. Four of our students from Std. VII (Kshitij Kadam, Ayush Kamble, Yohan Mhatre, Anirudh Bhattacharya) have designed a 'pot in pot' refrigerator or 'zeer' (in Arabic) pot fridge.   It is an evaporative cooling refrigeration device which does not use electricity. It uses a porous outer earthernware pot, lined with wet sand, and an inner pot (which can be glazed to prevent penetration by the liquid) within which the food is placed - the evaporation of the outer liquid draws heat from the liquid. The device can be used to cool any substance.

The 'pot in a pot' cooling system, a kind of 'desert refrigerator', helps subsistence farmers by reducing the food spoilage and waste, and thus increasing their income and limiting the health hazards of decaying food. This device consists of two eartherware pots of different diameters, one placed inside the other.  The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand that is kept constantly moist, thereby keeping both pots damp. Fruits, vegetables and aerated drinks are put in the smaller inner pot, which is covered with a damp cloth.

A few examples of its effectivity:

- Tomatoes and apples lasted for three weeks or more.
- Green plants stayed fresh for 27 days instead of three.
- African spinach that usually spoils after a day, remained edible after 12 days when placed in the 'zeer' pot fridge.

Harvesting today means selling today:

1. Lack of electricity in most of the northern rural communities - without electricity there can be no           refrigerator.

2. The towns and cities too have erratic power supply that affects the refrigerator.

3. In an agriculture based populated area, the majority of people live in abject poverty to afford a refrigerator.

Hence a 'pot in pot' can grow popular and be marketed judiciously for its huge benefits:

1. Simple and effective use of the laws of thermodynamics.

2. Cheap and easy to build.

3. Needs simple innovation that can drastically change the lives of the poor.

4. It is a great way for those of us looking to live off the grid to keep some of the organic foods fresh for longer periods.

Time to innovate and live simple!

ONE NATION READING 2013

BRINGING BACK THE JOYS OF READING

St. Joseph’s High School

Wadala

03rd December 2013

One  Nation reading was launched by Scholastic in 2008 to celebrate the joys of  reading among students. They invited schools from all over India to spend a specific amount of time reading for fun and engaging in book-related activities.  Though the date for this event this year was fixed for 29th November 2013, our school got this organized a day prior to the scheduled date on account of the school Sports Festival on 29th Nov 2013.  The entire school (from Std. I to X) was immersed in this engaging activity from 12 noon to 12.45 pm.  The task was made simple through some meticulous planning and a detailed program for each of the classes.  This was how the program looked like:

Std. I      -              AV-aided Reading

The Class Teachers will get suitable stories in AV form for the students to read from the screen while viewing.

Std. II    -              Read A Story Book

The children may bring their own books or books may be taken from the library for individual reading in a soft voice. 

Std. III   -              Read A Short Story and Draw A Picture related to it

Children will be given books with short stories for them to read and then illustrate. 

Std. IV   -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it

The children may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Std. V    -              Reading A Story In Unison

Books of the same kind should be borrowed from the library for the students to read aloud in unison. 

Std. VI   -              Reading A Story In Unison

Books of the same kind should be borrowed from the library for the students to read aloud in unison. 

Std. VII -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it

The children may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Std. VIII                -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it The children may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Std. IX   -              Chorus Recitation and Enactment of a Poem, Making a Bookmark

A poem will be given to the class for group recitation and enactment. The students should then design a bookmark based on it. Students must carry with them materials needed for the bookmark. 

Std. X    -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it

The students may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Points to write about:

A new word I learnt from the story is ….  It means ….

This book is about ….

My favourite character is …. because….

The part I liked the best is ….. because ….

Now isn’t this a fabulous activity! Surely an idea worth emulating not only for a day, but most of the days of the week!  

A sports fest to remember!

A MEMORABLE SPORTS FESTIVAL 2013

- Ms. Sunita D’Souza

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

29^th November 2013

29^th November.  8 a.m.  St. Joseph's High School, Wadala witnesses an awesome display of colour, creativity and charm! The 'sound' of water echoes in the air as the students participating in the class floats from the K.G., Primary and Secondary sections assemble on the school basketball court.  It’s the annual Sports Festival and through our theme, we have chosen to give thanks to God for His precious gift of water on this special day.

The Opening Ceremony began with the Guard of Honour welcoming the Chief Guest, Mr. Ramesh Dound (retired teacher of St. Joseph's, Wadala), who was accompanied by the Members of the Management, Rev. Fr. Godfrey D’Sa (Rector), Rev. Fr. Bernard Fernandes (Principal), Rev. Fr. Vivian D'Souza (counselor), Ms. Nicole Britto (Vice-Principal), Mrs. Sangita Bhattacharya (Secondary Supervisor) and Mrs. Matilda Fernandes (Primary Head teacher).  A warm welcome was accorded to the honoured guests by the comperes who goaded everyone into effecting the 'rain clap' applause.  Once the distinguished dignitaries took their places on the dais, the morning prayer was recited and the National Anthem sung with due reverence. The School Flag was then hoisted by the Chief Guest. The four house squads - blue, green, red and yellow marched past the audience in unison and gave a smart salute to the Chief Guest. This was followed by the recital of the Sportsman's Oath by the School Head boy, Master Moksh Jain and the Sportsman's Prayer by the Assistant Head boy, Master Nihar Chothani.

The Sports Festival Flame was then ceremoniously lit and carried around the stadium by the champion state representatives of St. Joseph's, Wadala in various sports - basketball, football, handball and gymnastics – together with student representatives from the Pre-Primary and Primary sections. The Chief Guest, Mr. Ramesh Dound then addressed the gathering. He expressed his happiness at coming back to school to witness and be a part of the Sports Festival.  Stating that 'Health Is Wealth' he reiterated that sport is a reminder that we need to take good care of our health.

The most attractive, impressive and significant part of the program was up next - the presentation of the class floats by the K.G., Primary and the Secondary sections. The little children from the Pre-Primary and the Primary kept all present spellbound through their unique and innovative styles of the display of their class floats. Every class float was briefly and eloquently introduced by the comperes. The students demonstrated the sources of water and focused on the need to save water, exhibited the water-cycle in action, basic sanitation, freshwater sources in North India and South India respectively. Each class float depicted ideas to convey the message that each one of us must do our bit to save water and use it carefully. The breathtaking secondary section class floats that followed the drill, yoga and karate displays continued with the theme of the day, ALL FOR WATER, WATER FOR ALL.  Their presentation was through drama, dances and beautiful banners.

The finalists of a few select events then took the field for the competition. The races began with the tiny tots from the K.G. Section and Primary Section and continued with the finals in football, basketball and handball finals for the Secondary Section. The much awaited event between the staff and the students – this time, a game of basketball – lived up to its billing as an exciting top drawer match. The staff prevailed! As the events of the day progressed, the prize winners from every category were felicitated simultaneously with medals and certificates by our staff members.

Before long, it was time for the Closing Ceremony. It began with the Prize Distribution where the champions in the midgets, sub-juniors and seniors categories were awarded their championship prizes.  The Green House outscored the other houses by an overwhelming margin to bag the prestigious trophy for the day - the winners for the Sports Festival!  The creative display by the students (and teachers) of Std. IV won them the best class float award in the I-IV category, while the joy of the students of Std. X knew no bounds when their class reps and teachers marched to the stage to receive their prize in the VIII-X section. The Blue house won the prize for the March past Display that was smart and elegant.  The vote of thanks was proposed by Fr. Bernard (Principal). He thanked everyone for contributing to the grand success of the school Sports Festival. A respectful silence descended upon the grounds as the torch bearers carried the Sports Festival Flame for one last time across the field and then had it extinguished to mark the solemn end of the sports extravaganza. The School Flag was then lowered and handed over to the Principal by the school head boy, Master Moksh Jain.

This brought to an end the Sports Festival that witnessed solemn occasions, exhilarating and emotional moments, hollering supporters, and impressionable class floats. The Sports Festival 2013 will live on in the minds and hearts of everyone present with the message 'All For Water For All' reverberating and causing a ripple effect in every home!