St Pius X College Newsletter

Student Matters

  • From the Head of Student Services
  • EREA School Leaders Conference
  • Year 7 Parent Information Evening
  • Student Travel Updates

From the Head of Student Services

At this the commencement of the 2017 academic school year it is timely to remind all students of their responsibility to ensure that their reputation, presentation and conduct, as well as that of the College, is of the highest order in travelling safely to and from school.

 

Uniform and conduct standards need to be maintained and safety and consideration of all members of the public, kept at the forefront of our actions.

 

Loitering in the Chatswood shopping precinct is not condoned with students expected to go straight to and from the College and their place of study and home.

 

Student wellbeing and Boys Education research inform us that connectedness with the school and community/organisation is an imperative for positive educational outcomes. As is working productively in a team with your peers, colleagues and teachers. To this end St Pius X College offers a diverse range of opportunities to connect through studies, co and extra curricula activities, sport, peer mentoring, music, drama, debating, public speaking, outdoor education, service, training, robotics and camps, to name a few. Students are required to fulfil at least two Terms of extra curricula College representation, with many students completing much more.

 

Our recognised MindMatters and Peer Mentoring and Support Programs provide a great opportunity to develop skills for life in working positively and providing role models for others. Boxercise is starting this week on Thursday and Friday mornings, and the Year 7 Induction Day, Swimming carnivals and upcoming National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence, Harmony Day, Ride to School Day, all provide further opportunities to participate and contribute.

 

Later in the year there will be opportunities for connection with other Edmund Rice Schools both in Australia and overseas. 

 

So whatever your goals, aspirations and choices, get training, make a positive contribution, and be the best you can be through Faith and Hard work.

 

Mr S Brannan - Head of Student Services

EREA School Leaders Conference

During the January School Holidays the Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) Student Leaders Conference was held at Mary Mackillop Place, North Sydney with 46 EREA School Captains and Leaders attending, including our own School Captain Joe Unwin.

 

One of the highlights of the four day Leadership Conference was the Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders (EREBB) initiative which involved groups of EREA School Leaders making Skype conference calls to Edmund Rice School Student Leaders in England Ireland and Canada. The Northern Hemisphere Edmund Rice Student Leaders offered great leadership insight, being half way through their school year, and tenure as leaders, but were also interested in the many student initiatives our school leaders were able to communicate.

 

Three of the Northern Hemisphere Schools: St Anselms, Birkenhead England, St Marys, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and St Thomas More Collegiate, Vancouver, Canada were schools with which our Year 7 RE students had email and skype contact in 2016 to explain our Australian interpretation of the lived values of Edmund Rice and the EREA Touchstones. Our students were able to eloquently communicate what it means to be an Edmund Rice student at St Pius X College, Chatswood.

 

The BERT (Blessed Edmund Rice Team) Leaders from St Thomas More Collegiate, Vancouver, were particularly taken aback to hear our Bindoon Agricultural (boarding) College School Captain from WA, describing the responsibilities of transporting livestock to shows and markets. Sarah went on to describe her aspirations of becoming a helicopter pilot on her family’s Northern Territory Cattle Station where mustering 20,000 Brahmin and Water Buffalo is the norm.

 

EREA is a broad community of schools.

Mr S Brannan - Head of Student Services

Year 7 Parent Information Evening

Dear Year 7 Parents,

 

You are all invited to attend an information evening on Monday 6th February in the College Gym commencing at 7:00pm.  Limited parking will be available in the yard, but please note that it will be a busy evening in the College with Junior School information sessions running prior to this event.

 

I look forward to seeing you there.

Mr S Yue - Year 7 Coordinator

Student Travel Updates

OPAL CARDS

Please note that ALL Opal Card enquiries are handled by Transport NSW.  Information for parents, guardians and students can be found online at www.transportnsw.info/school-students.

Electronic copies of brochures and flyers are also available to download from the Useful Forms and Information pages on the school transport scheme website at https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/usefulFormsAndInformation.

 

To report a lost, stolen or damaged School Opal card, please go to https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/reportPass. The card will be cancelled immediately and a new card will be sent within 8 to 10 working days.

 

Behaviour matters

Students are reminded to:

  • be mindful of safety
  • respect transport staff, transport property and fellow travellers
  • offer their seat to paying customers
  • always travel with a valid ticket
  • tap on and tap off every time if they are travelling in Opal areas.

Student Codes of Conduct are available at  http://www.transportnsw.info/school-students

 

 

FOREST COACHLINES: New departure time for Route 278S

A recent timetable adjustment has seen a minor change to Route 278S.

  • Route 278S to Killarney Heights is now departing Chatswood 5 minutes later, at 15:40pm.

Ms R Gaston