Parent & Student Matters  

What's happening in the College? 

Tuition Statements for Term 2, 2019

Year 11 Parent/Teacher interviews

From the History Department

Gold Duke of Edinburgh Hike

Kokoda Track Information Night

• Debating
• Year 10 News
• Science:  The ConocoPhillips Science Experience - STEM Outreach Program for Students
• From the SRC:  NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and the Sydney Writer’s Festivals

Tuition Statements for Term 2, 2019

Tuition Statements for Term 2, 2019 were emailed to all families at the end of last term.  If you did not receive your statement, please contact the Finance Office urgently at fees@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

 Payment of Term 2 fees was due on Monday 29 April 2019 (unless a payment arrangement is in place with the College).

 Mr Nick Carson - Business Manager

Year 11 Parent/Teacher interviews

The Year 11 Parent/Teacher interviews will take place on Monday 13 May from 4.00 - 7.00pm in the College Gymnasium.

An email was sent out to parents with the online booking instructions earlier this week. Bookings will open this Friday 3 May at 9.00am.

Students must attend in Full College uniform. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Ms Donna Janes - Year 11 Coordinator and Careers Adviser

From the History Department

In Term 1 the two Year 9 Elective History classes have been studying both Ancient Roman and Ancient Egyptian societies.

For many of us, we have not studied History since Year 7, while some of us were lucky enough to do History last year, but regardless we have really enjoyed these two topics, exploring the nitty-gritty of Ancient Egyptian mummification and Ancient Roman Gladiators – any excuse to watch “The Mummy”! 

Our first task required us to build a replica model and construct a report on an artefact from either Ancient Roman or Egyptian society and explain its significance, legacy and its features. We also had to complete a short source analysis. I chose to construct an Ancient Roman aqueduct (the Pont du Gard, Nîmes Aqueduct, France). My aqueduct was made of wood and foam, and a cut plastic cup and bottle! I chose an aqueduct as I have always thought of Roman engineering as a particularly major part of Rome’s legacy – considering that several Ancient Roman aqueducts are STILL in use!

I was amazed at some of the detailed, well designed, highly researched artefacts that my peers produced. Special mention must go to Elliot Cook’s spectacular Ancient Egyptian shrine with all 172 hieroglyphics, William Robinson’s working Ballista and Frank Houlihan’s staring Eye of Horus.

Ben Cullen - Year 9

Gold Duke of Edinburgh Hike

Kanangra-Boyd World Heritage Area

During the holiday period 8 students and two staff completed a Gold level Adventurous Journey in the World Heritage listed Kanangra-Boyd National Park. A Gold level Adventurous Journey requires the participants to undertake “meaningful” activity for 8 hours a day over 4 days. The College focus for these Journeys is bushwalking.

After a night drive down through the Jenolan Caves Road the group spent their first night at the Boyd River crossing. From Kanangra Walls the group hiked out over Mt Cloudmaker, crossed Ti Willa Plateau and descended to the Kowmung river via the Compagnoni Pass. From here the group hiked back up the Gingra range returning to Kanangra Tops via the Coal Seam. After a short swim in Kalong Falls the group returned to the College via the pie shop in Oberon.

Congratulations to all the boys for their endurance, preparation, planning and positive involvement in this activity. A special congratulations to Matthew Bradley for his completion of this Journey for his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. Thanks must also go to Mr Donnelly for his assistance with this hike.

Any student in Year 9 or above that would like to be part of the College Duke of Edinburgh Award needs to speak with Mrs Manga or Mr de Silva. Information can be found on the Duke of Edinburgh website.

https://dukeofed.com.au/

Mr Paul de Silva - Outdoor Education Coordinator

Kokoda Track Information Night

The Kokoda Track Expedition occurs every two years at the College. We are at the point of taking Expressions of Interest for participation in our 2020 Expedition and anticipate training to begin later in the year. The dates for the Expedition are Monday 29 June 2020 – Thursday 9 July 2020.  The Expedition is open to all students who will be in Years 9 to 11 in 2020 and their families.  In the past we have had fathers and sons, mothers and sons, uncles and brothers and sons, sisters and brothers and fathers, Old Boys and fathers - in other words, a St Pius student and a significant adult in their lives.

An information night will be held on Tuesday 14 May starting at 6.00pm and will go for approximately one hour.  Parking will be available in the College grounds.  For more information please contact Mr Paul de Silva pdesilva@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Mr Paul de Silva - Outdoor Education Coordinator

Debating

Please see the information from Ms Waterson below.

Ms M Waterson - Public Speaking & Debating Convenor

Year 10 News

Meals on Wheels:  During the Easter holidays 30 Year 10 boys made their way to the Chatswood Dougherty Community Centre to assist Willoughby and Chatswood residents who are temporarily or permanently unable to shop, prepare or cook for themselves. We were met by friendly Meals on Wheels volunteers who drove us to deliver the hot or cold meals to those in need and have a brief conversation with them to see how they were going. Overall, we all had a great day helping and providing support for those in need in our community.

Riley Kennedy  -Year 10

Australian Combined High School Sailing Championships  

Congratulations to Alex Hart Year Ten on his success in the recent  Australian Combined High School Sailing Championships. Alex and two other students competed in eight races over four days against ninety three boats and won the Overall National Championship. The boys also won the State Championship, the 16ft Skiff Division and Division 1.

Mr M Pawlak - Year 10 Coordinator

STEM Outreach Program for Students

Please see information in the flyer below or see Mrs Schuster for further information.

Mrs Joanne Schuster - Science Coordinator

NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and the Sydney Writer’s Festivals

On Monday night the 40th NSW PLAs were held in the magnificent Reading Room of the Mitchell Library with Premier Gladys Berejiklian presenting awards.  I was disappointed that my friend Mark Reid’s book, Blindside, missed out on the $30,000 Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. However, there was much to celebrate with so many authors, their works and the richness in our literary culture recognised by this prestigious award.

My shortlist of highlights include:

* Hearing the Kurdish-Iranian journalist, Behrouz Boochani accept via phone from Manus his Special Award ($10,000) for his book No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison. Boochani said: "I wrote this book because what is important for us is that we share this story with people around the world….Honestly, I feel sad because these awards didn't bring change yet, and still we are here. People are suffering."

* Meeting and congratulating Claire Atkins for her book, Between Us, which tackles the issue of refugees and the Border Force Act in a page-turning romance for young adults.

* Reflecting on the difficulties of being a judge. This year there were two tied categories, including the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non Fiction ($40,000). For this category, the judges' Shortlist was drawn from over 150 entries!

* The incredible Trent Dalton! Dalton won the UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing for his book, Boy Swallows Universe. Dalton’s semi-autobiographical urban fantasy is highly recommended as it won the Peoples’ Choice Award.

* Being inspired to read Billy Griffiths’ Book of the Year, Deep Time Dreaming: Uncovering Ancient Australia. Griffiths’ book charts the development of Aboriginal archaeology to help change the conversation on Australian history in the context of reconciliation.

The NSW PLAs is the first event on the Sydney Writers Festival program which runs from the 29 April to 5 May 2019. Be entertained and inspired at this year’s festival with the full program available at www.swf.org.au

Ms Karen Keighery - Senior Teacher Librarian

Senior Resource Centre