Pastoral Care

Student Wellbeing Anecdote from the Diary

“I can’t change the direction of the wind,

but I can adjust my sails.”  - Louise May Alcott

Leadership Quote:

• Year 9 Camps
• Manly Jazz Festival
• Catholic Schools NSW Law Symposium
• Student Diary
• Old Boys Sponsored Speechcraft
• Old Boys 
• Rugby Tour to Fiji

Year 9 Camps

As Woodchatta goes to print we are conducting our first and second 3-day Year 9 Pastoral Care and Outdoor Education small group camps at Workul Koo, the College's Central Coast Retreat Centre. This is an opportunity to facilitate the students’ engagement with their Year 9 Pastoral Care theme  'Respectful Men of Honour' in an outdoor educational context. Our Year 9 Gospel Spirituality theme from the parable of the Good Samaritan, “Go and do likewise…..” Luke 10:25-37, encourages our young men to become “men of action” who will make a positive difference for themselves and others in this context.

On the Year 9 Camp students engage in paddle boarding, surfing, bushwalking and insights into Aboriginal History, Culture, Heritage and Spirituality offered by local man Stuart McMinn.

The camp promotes the skills of active listening to the story of others in a curious, non-judgemental, empathetic, humble, respectful and hopeful manner. Evening sessions include a strengths based personality reflection and an environmental sustainability and viability awareness.

Students are encouraged to see themselves as central representatives of St Pius X College, and to be proud of their school and the growth they have achieved both through the Camps process and Year 9 more broadly.

Thanks go to the dedicated Year 9 Pastoral Care Team led by Mr Yue and including Ms McCormack, Mr Cummins, Mr Mendez, Ms Loughman, Ms Waters, Mr O’Byrne, Ms Ramsay, Mr Kovac, Mr Cogan and Mr Anderson supported by Mr Russo, Mr Olson and Mr Adrian Brannan, who facilitate this rich learning experience for the students of St Pius. 

Fide et Labore

Manly Jazz Festival

It was great to see Mr Geoff Power leading our Senior Jazz Band to great effect at their annual Manly Jazz Festival “gig” on Monday of the Long Weekend. The talent showcased in an entertaining set brilliantly compered by Mr Power was exceptional, featuring in particular our departing Year 12 leaders - Daniel Mooney, Ollie Osborne, Hamish Alexander, John McKinnon Tom Jamieson and Nick Bendall.

At the other end of the spectrum Tom Goodwin-Barlow from Year 9 joined some illustrious musicians from Years 10 and 11 to ensure that the future of St Pius X College Music representation at the festival is in promising hands.

Jazz and the appreciative festive Manly audience were the real winners.

Catholic Schools NSW Law Symposium

Congratulations to Miguel Alvarez who took time out from his HSC Study prep on the first Monday of the holidays to add some culture in the form of his HSC Piano recital to the inaugural Catholic Schools NSW Law Symposium. Former staff member of the College and Catholic Schools Office was the chief organiser, and provided glowing feedback for the Miguel's performance.  He was well supported by Mr Primrose-Heaney (Cello), Mr Cummins (Double Bass) and Ms Waters (Performing Arts Coordinator).

Student Diary

With the developing implementation of our Mobile Phone ICT Policy over Term 4 it is timely that we review the format of the College Student Diary Planner for the 2020 school year. Our 2020 Student Leadership Team has had some input already; however, if there are further ideas for integrating student work samples etc. or consolidating components of the diary please contact Mr Brannan (sbrannan@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au) over the coming weeks as we source student feedback and ideas from cross sectional representatives of students and staff.

Old Boys Sponsored Speechcraft

This Friday 18 October members of the 2020 Student Leadership Team will continue their Old Boys Sponsored Speechcraft Course in preparation for the upcoming Prefect Investiture Assembly, before taking a Friday off for the HSC Maths Accelerants Examination in Week 2.

The Week 3 session will then focus on preparation for our practice of Occasional Dinner Speaking at our Graduation Dinner on Wednesday 13 November.

Student Leadership Team Parents will be invited to register as a dinner audience for this event in the near future.

Old Boys - Vale Brad Irvine

Vale Brad Irvine:  The College Old Boys community was saddened to hear over the holidays of the passing of Brad Irvine, a strong swimmer and good friend to all from the Class of ’85. Brad passed away after a battle with brain cancer and is survived by his wife and young family. Rest in Peace Brad, as our prayers go out to your family and friends.

Mark Egger:  A memorial service is planned for 2.00pm this Friday in Our Lady of Dolours Church for Mark Egger, Class of ’82. Mark was a talented musician, sportsman and teacher. He worked at Kings, Riverview, St Mary’s Cathedral and St John’s Dubbo over his career as a teacher of English, History and Music. A small group of sons of Old Boys from Mark’s era will represent the College at Mark’s memorial service this Friday. Please contact Mr Sean Brannan and place a permission note in your son’s Diary if you would like your son to attend in this capacity.

Rugby Tour to Fiji

In the spirit of The World Cup and International Rugby we were pleased to hear that St Pius X College members of the Wakehurst Rugby Club including Thomas Cleary (Year 8) celebrated their tour to Fiji in the holidays by gifting St Pius X College Rugby Indigenous Art adorned Touring Jerseys to some local players who they played against. The list of EREA connected countries with whom we have exchanged jerseys grows to include New Zealand, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Ireland, South Africa and England.  Well done Tom.

Fide et Labore

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal Pastoral Care