Pastoral Care 

• Wellbeing Anecdote from the Student Diary
• Student Leader Summit Meeting
• Red Dirt Immersion 2021
• Old Boys vs Students Gala Day
• Aboriginal Children's Service, Redfern
• KYDS Ku-ring-gai Community Fun Run
• Bully Zero eSafety Webinar
• Student Sporting Achievements

Wellbeing Anecdote from the Student Diary

“ I aim to do the very best I know how, the very best I can, 

and I mean to keep doing it to the end.” 

Abraham Lincoln 

Student Leader Summit Meeting

Last Friday afternoon, supported by Mr Couani and the newly appointed Mercy College Principal Ms Brenda Timp, the St Pius X College Student Leadership Team led by Liam Chang, Nick Ward and Alec Ramsbottom hosted the Mercy Senior Student Leadership Team to a summit round table meeting at the Sarto Centre. Their important discussions reinforced the close, supportive and respectful relationships between our two Colleges, and particularly addressed the need for students to be supported in leading the discussions advocating for a respectful, tolerant and supportive community. Our students insightfully expressed the need to raise the standards for our expectations and behaviours, to the point where we look to support and protect the humanity, dignity, reputation and safety of others, be they female or male, in any situation. 

As a close prelude to International Women’s Day (Monday 8 March) and Harmony Day/ National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (Friday 19 March), the initiative of our student leaders could not be better timed and should lead to cross communication on these important topics at upcoming Assemblies and Form Meetings as well as co-educational Year Social Justice and PD/H/PE days at Oxford Falls along the lines of our November Year 9 CEROC Dance Workshop with Brigidine College.  

It is encouraging to reflect that the students our young men attended kindergarten with, and the sisters of so many of our students, are the leaders and students of Mercy College. And crucially that these articulate, intelligent and informed young women, assertively hold the respect of our young men. I know that Ms Timp expressed the high degree to which she was impressed by the conduct and insights of our young leaders, and I impress upon all of our students the need to uphold the high regard in which St Pius X students are generally held, at all times, and in all situations.

Red Dirt Immersion 2021

Expressions of interest are called from students in Years 9, 10 and 11 in particular, who are motivated to participate in the 2021 Red Dirt Expedition from Sunday 20 to Saturday 26 June. We will spend several days camping and visiting Aboriginal Cultural sites and communities around the Warrumbungles region. Including the Reconciliation Sculptures in the Pilliga Scrub, Dandry Gorge, before moving on to Walgett, Brewarrina (Fish Traps, Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Hospital Creek Massacre memorial), Bourke and Dubbo cultural centres of NW NSW.

Our COVID safety contingency planning is evolving, as we hope restrictions will continue to ease, and it may be possible to connect with some of the school communities we visited in 2019! A visit to Dubbo Zoo during our return trip might then be possible to allow us to consider our observations and learning experiences from a culturally rich, remote and beautiful part of Australia.

See Mr Brannan to register your interest by the end of Term 1 so that we can prepare some guest visit experiences in Term 2. 

Old Boys vs Students Gala Day Sunday 7 March

After an interrupted 2020 it was reassuring to witness the high enthusiasm with which our Senior Students and recent Old Boys reconnected at the SPX Old Boys Association Gala Day on Sunday.

Thank you to Mr Quilty and Mr Yue’s 1st XI Football squad who kicked things off against a star studded Old Boys XI including Diego Cuadros-Garrett, Chris Semaan and Daniel Guerrononi to name a few. Youth, however won out in a close contest with Ben Giles’ 1st XI winning 4 – 3, thanks significantly to a 4 goal haul to Oscar Martin. The 1sts are due to play their first CIS Cup knockout match this Wednesday and we wish them continued good form! Their upcoming April Tour to the EREA competition at Brisbane’s St Joseph's College, Nudgee will be partially subsidised by the Old Boys' Association. 

On the Christian Brothers' Centre Basketball Court 1 our 1st V Basketball Coach Danny Garrett led Christian Fleming, Jack Garrett, Oscar Jacobsen, Zach Wylie and Tom Courtney to a 68 – 50 victory over a gallant St Pius V including Geordie Coulits, 1st V Captain: Nick Biefeld, Joel Chand, Jacob Goad and Matt Watts.    

Thanks go to Mr Lynch who hosted the Brothers' Rugby Club and SPX Opens Squad to a combined training session and Touch tournament on Watkins Oval, with recent Old Boys including Club Captain Jayden Wall and Declan Ward leading the contingent against Senior students Zach Davidson, Lachlan Onslow, Mihir Mathur and Olly Aylmer.

It should be noted that Matt Watts of Year 12, whose late uncle and 2nd generation Old Boy, Mr Bryan Hoy was a long serving member of our staff, played both 1st V Basketball and 1st XI Football on the day! This was after he, like many of our Year 12 Basketball and Cricket players, and their families, nostalgically, played their last Summer Sport matches on the Chaplin Oval complex over the weekend.

We also remembered the very recent passing of Old Boy Mr Phil Chaplin, after whose family our Number 1 Oval is named, and reflected on the countless St Pius X Old Boys who have enjoyed our sports fields at Oxford Falls, Lane Cove, and Chatswood. SPX Old Boys Association president Mr Jeff Clarke and Patron Br Carl Sherrin, challenged us to celebrate the memories, friendships and connections which will carry our students through University, TAFE, careers and life with “Fide et Labore”.

For the record Mr Lynch reports that the touch game concluded 14 – 14! The Trophies are therefore shared for 2021, while all interested parties are invited to the SPX Old Boys Association AGM later this Term, and to the 10 September Annual Dinner, where our “COVID" Classes of 2019 and 2020 will be honoured!

Aboriginal Children’s Service Redfern

The College was delighted to hear glowing reports of the pastoral service of some of our students who selflessly gave of their Christmas Holiday time to support. Mrs Natalie Cordukes reports that "through a partnership with the Aboriginal Children’s Service (ACS) in Redfern which supports a Playgroup and weekly Food Run for vulnerable community members, Stefan Senicic (Year 11), Max Katchadourian, Darcy Carlson and Luca Senicic (Year 7), made a fantastic contribution, working tirelessly, supporting many vulnerable families to enjoy Christmas". The Christmas Drive prepared over 200 food hampers, 25 Elder Bags, 135 children’s gift bags, supporting local families and as far reaching as Darwin!

The connections these students made will provide excellent context and contacts in preparation for our Red Dirt Expedition, which is part of our Reconciliation Action Plan for 2021. By all accounts Stefan Senecic showed not only an impressive positive attitude, but also a willingness to help and great leadership. “He was able to engage sensitively and maturely with the many other volunteers and Aboriginal Elders and community, during his voluntary hours”. 

Great examples of how our students can and do rise to the occasion and challenge as they arise. 

KYDS Ku-Ring-Gai Community Fun Run

Ku-Ring-Gai Youth Development Service Fun Run and major fundraiser is approaching on Sunday 18 April which is the last weekend of our School Holidays. As such there is an urgent call for assistance for this in-demand health service. It would be great if we could recruit a contingent of both runners and support officials to support this Health and Wellbeing Service and local community event. If you would like to assist our Student Empowerment Teams in supporting this event or contribute directly please contact Mr Brannan sbrannan@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au or Mrs Cathy Thomson through the College.

Bully Zero “It takes a Village” eSafety 

Thank you to those parents who participated in our informative eSafety webinar focusing on safe prevention of bullying and other online “risk behaviours” last Thursday evening. The College’s online protection strategies including, our netalert and cyberhound vetting of all searches on College PLDs both on and off our network, for harmful, illegal or offensive content, are part of an overall education of our young men which occurs in partnership with our parents and wider community. Over recent years we have hosted the Office of the eSafety Commissioner and Carly Ryan Foundation presenting to students, staff and parents. If you have any feedback from the Bully Zero webinar or suggestions for further opportunities to support our students and College community, I welcome your input: sbrannan@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

Student Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to those students who contested the State Surf Carnivals at Swansea Belmont in challenging conditions as well as those who contested the NSW Athletics Championships over the weekend. By all reports Dylan Mackenzie (Year 10) performed competitively. 

Congratulations also go to Treacy House Captain, Dom Pannozzo, and James Hunt (Year 12) who both posted fast times in the 400m and 400m hurdles over the weekend.

St Pius X College acknowledges our First Nations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and particularly the Cammeraygal people, 

whose interconnection with this land sustained and 

fulfilled them mentally, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually, 

over thousands of years. 

May we learn from their wisdom.

Fide et Labore

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care