Junior School News
From the Head of the Junior School
WOODCHAT | For busy families who just want the facts, fast!
- Friday 21 March | NAPLAN Numeracy assessment & Catch-up
- Friday 21 March | Year 5 Planetarium experience
- Saturday 22 March | Open Day
- Monday 24 March | NAPLAN Catch-up assessment
- Tuesday 25 March | Junior School Bible Liturgy (9:45 am College Gymnasium)
- Parent workshop: National eSmart Week 2025: Parenting in the digital world Tickets | TryBooking Australia
WOODCHATTA
FRIDAY GARDENING CLUB
The new Junior School Gardening Club kicked off last Friday with a busy (and very hot!) session in the Sarto Centre garden, led by Mrs Doheny, Mr Makhoul and Javien Foo (Year 8). Students harvested tomatoes and basil before readying the garden beds for new crops. Their teamwork and enthusiasm set the stage for next week’s planting. A big thank you to our staff and keen participants – we are very much looking forward to seeing what you are able to grow!
MINECRAFT CUBEEZ SWAP MEET
On Tuesday, enthusiastic Minecraft fans gathered in the WLC for an exciting Cubeez swap meet. Students eagerly traded their extras, helping one another complete their collections. Thanks to the generosity of those who brought spare Cubeez, everyone had the chance to secure those last elusive pieces. It was fantastic to see students making fair trades, working together, and celebrating each other’s completed sets. The event was a great display of teamwork, excitement, and community spirit!
SOCIAL MEDIA: ARE YOUR CHILDREN READY?
In today’s digital world, social media is more accessible than ever - but at what cost? Many students are engaging with social platforms before they are emotionally mature enough to handle the risks. From cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content to the pressures of online validation, social media can have a significant impact on a child’s mental well-being and self-esteem.
Is your son ready for social media? Is he able to handle online conflicts appropriately? Does he understand the permanence of what he shares? Can he identify and respond to online threats?
To support parents in navigating this complex issue, we encourage you to attend the Parenting in the Digital World workshop. This free online session will provide practical strategies to help protect your child while fostering responsible digital habits.
Wednesday 2 April from 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm
National eSmart Week 2025: Parenting in the digital world Tickets | TryBooking Australia
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Junior School
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of Junior School
Junior School Sport
Fixtures
Thursday Sport
Winter Sport Transition – Important Information
A reminder to all families that from Thursday, 27 March, our focus will shift to winter sports, including Football, Rugby, and AFL.
Registrations:
Clipboard registrations initially opened in Week 1 and closed on 7 March. However, due to a high number of late requests, we have reopened registrations in Activity Selections. These will now remain open until 9:00 am on Wednesday, 26 March. This will be the final opportunity to register.
Winter Sports Uniform Requirements:
To ensure students are ready for the season, families are encouraged to arrange the purchase of the required winter sports uniform from the College Uniform Shop:
Football – SPX jersey, SPX shorts, football socks
Rugby – SPX jersey, SPX shorts, rugby socks
AFL – The College provides a loaned uniform (singlet and shorts), but students will need to purchase football socks
Additional Requirements:
Mouthguards are compulsory for both Rugby and AFL
Players should also check that they have appropriate footwear (football boots)
Sydney Grammar Cup Team Announcement
Following last week’s trial, we are pleased to announce that a team has been selected for the Sydney Grammar Cup, and all selected students and their families have been notified.
A huge thank you to all 63 players who attended the trial. Your effort, enthusiasm, and skill level were fantastic to see. While we would have loved to select more players, the good news is that the IPSHA season is just around the corner, providing another great opportunity for students to showcase their skills and proudly represent St Pius X.
Well done to everyone who participated, we’re looking forward to an exciting season ahead.
Cross Country Training Squads
Next Wednesday the squad will be running a time trial to help athletes gauge where they are at. Details for the training times are below:
All IPSHA Squad members will now see the sessions in their Clipboard.
When: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings
Where: Beauchamp Park, Chatswood
Time: 7:15 am – 8:15 am
Who: All Senior and Junior School students are welcome
Note : Meet at the Beauchamp Oval Grandstand in comfortable running gear and with a water bottle. Bring your school uniform to change into afterwards back at The College.
You don’t have to aspire to run in the IPSHA Carnival - all students and abilities are welcome.
If you son plans to join the sessions, please send me an email
Accessing Fixture Information via Clipboard
To stay up-to-date with training schedules and game fixtures, please ensure you regularly check the Clipboard app. Training and fixtures are accessible directly within the app, and any changes will be updated there as well.
Important Reminder:
To receive timely updates and notifications regarding changes to fixtures or training sessions, please ensure:
Notifications are enabled both within the Clipboard app settings and on your mobile device. The have the option to receive push notifications and/or email prompts.
Please regularly review the app for any schedule updates.
Fixtures will be initially entered as UNCONFIRMED, by Thursday each week they will be CONFIRMED by opposition schools and a notification will be sent to families.
Please check clipboard regularly for any changes to the schedule.
Some fixtures are subject to weather, on occasion this can lead to cancellations. This will occur via the Clipboard app, you should receive a notification if a fixture is cancelled, but please check the app on the morning before leave to ensure you are up to date with any changes.
Logging an Absence
If your son is unable to attend a Saturday fixture due to sickness or injury, you can log his absence directly through Clipboard by following these steps:
Log in to Clipboard using your parent account.
Navigate to the Calendar page.
Click on 'Log an Absence' and follow the prompts to submit.
As a courtesy, please email Mr Bourke at Jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au prior to the fixture, if possible, by Thursday. For all other absences a request needs to be sent to Mr Bourke for approval.
For normal school day absences, please continue to follow the standard school process.
SPX App
If you haven’t already, please download and familiarise yourself with the SPX App.
SPX Football Season Launch – Save the Date!
We are excited to kick off the 2025 SPX Football Season with a Pre-Season Social Event on Saturday, 6 April, from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
This will be a fantastic opportunity for players, families, and supporters to come together, connect, and celebrate the start of the season in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. With plenty of space to kick a ball around, it’s the perfect afternoon for both players and parents to get into the football spirit.
A special highlight of the event will be the 1st XI jersey presentation, a proud and memorable moment for our senior players as they receive their Firsts jerseys. See below the flyer for booking details.
Holiday Football Clinic
ST PIUS X APRIL HOLIDAY CAMPS – THE PERFECT PRE-SEASON PREPARATION!
Looking to sharpen your skills before the season kicks off? The St Pius X April Holiday Camps, in partnership with Coerver Coaching, offer an exciting and structured program designed to develop technical ability, confidence, teamwork, and sportsmanship—all while having a blast!
📅 Dates: Monday 14 – Thursday 17 April⏰ Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 noon daily
🎟️ Options: 2, 3, or 4-day participation⚽ New Feature: 5v5 Tournament running each day!
Who can attend?
Students from Year 3 to Year 10.
Transport:
A bus is available for the first 60 players registered, departing from Chatswood Campus at 8:30 am and returning at 12:40 pm.
What to Expect:
✅ Technical Skill Development – Using the Coerver® Method to enhance ball mastery and tactical play.
✅ Confidence Building – Encouraging creativity, risk-taking, and success in a fun, challenging environment.
✅ Teamwork & Sportsmanship – Learning key principles of attack and defense while fostering respect and effort.
✅ Loads of Footballing Fun!
This is the perfect opportunity to fine-tune your skills before the season, meet new teammates, and enjoy fast-paced football action. Don’t miss out!
🔗 For more details and to register, click here: Coerver course | Coerver Coaching
Holiday Rugby Clinic
Get Ready for the SPX Rugby Season at Our Easter Holiday Rugby Clinic
Give your son the best start to the rugby season with our April School Holiday Rugby Clinic! This is the perfect opportunity for players to sharpen their skills, boost their confidence, and get game-ready for ISA season.
When: Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 April
Where: Oxford Falls Campus - 1 Dreadnought Rd, Oxford Falls
Why Sign Up?
✅ Expert coaching from Trytime coaches & special guest coaches
✅ Position-specific training + team play development
✅ A great way to build confidence & prepare for the season
✅ Trial Games on Thursday Afternoon! (from 12:00 noon)👉 Face off against Redfield College in Years 5, 6, 7, 8 & Opens
Don’t miss out on this exciting pre-season opportunity! Register now via Clipboard:
🔗 https://portal.clipboard.app/stpiusx
Secure your spot today and get ready to hit the ground running!
Basketball
Touch Football
Softball
Mrs Jenny Williams - Softball Convenor
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator
NSTA Tennis
Last Saturday saw some very competitive matches as many players were vying for a place in the finals and 7 amazing teams have made it! We wish all players the best as they play in the finals and play-offs this weekend. Please refer to the draw below but also please check the website for any late changes before the matches on Saturday.
https://www.xpointsports.com/region/325/currentEvents
NSTA FINALS AND PLAY OFFS DRAW
FINALS
PLAY OFFS
NSTA TRAINING TEAMS
By the time that these matches were being played it was very hot but these students did their best out on the courts to play the best games they could. Josh Wilson, SPX 2 and Liam Bau SPX 3 played an exciting singles fighting it out in a tie-break with Liam taking out the win in the tie-break 9-7. Aiden Tan and Carter Dryland, SPX 4 displayed their skills in the singles winning 6-2 and 6-5 respectively.
Oliver Hayward, SPX 5 was out for the win and took it out in 6 games to 1. This weekend is an exciting one with the finals and play-offs being played in both divisions.
Allocation of points: One point will be awarded for each set won, half a point for each set unplayed or unfinished and 2 points for the winning team.
Mrs Samantha Iwatani - NSTA Covenor
From the Junior Resource Centre
This week’s Highlights are:
International IDEAS Month
Happy International Ideas Month! Celebrate the power of creativity and innovation in the month of March! Whether it’s a groundbreaking invention, a simple life hack, or a new way of thinking, every idea has the potential to make a difference, and the best place to find and insire ideas? Libraries of course!
Á wee bit of Irish fun’
Saint Patrick’s Day, or the feast of Saint Patrick, celebrates the life of Ireland’s patron saint, St Patrick. It is a religious and cultural day where Irish heritage and culture are celebrated with themed parties, parades and amazing book displays in the JRC. Find out more in our 'Who we are – culture’ section.
World Poetry Day 21 March
UNESCO declared World Poetry Day at their 30th meeting in Paris in 1999 to 'support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increase the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard'. Their goal is to recognise the uniquesness of poetry to capture the human spirit.
POETRY provides a huge range of structured WAYS WITH WORDS. Discover the magic of ACROSTIC POEMS, BUSH BALLADS, HAIKU, LIMERICKS, RAP, SONG LYRICS, SONNETS, VERSE NOVELS, and more in the JRC.
Our Genre of the Week is Sport Stories!
Always nice to see students enjoying a good book at lunch time. Pop into the JRC, pick up a new book or just enjoy the ambience!
Harmony Week 2025
Harmony Day which is observed each year on 21 March, celebrates this diversity, aiming to foster inclusiveness, respect and the idea that people of all different cultures can make a valuable contribution to society. We all have something interesting and authentic to bring to the table. Books are one of the best ways I know to support objectives of Harmony Day.
Looking for your next read? Pop into the JRC and see our selection (pictured are just a few) of the books we have for Harmony Week 2025.
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail: Seekers of the Lost Cavern by Thomas Duncan-Watt illustrated by Suren Perera.
I adore adventures, humour and snacks! And TOMB OF THE ZOMBIE KING has all the in spades! I enjoyed many things about the first instalment of the SEEKERS OF THE LOST CAVERN series: Davern’s determination to find his missing father. The dynamic trio – What made this group of friends work well was their shared love of video games. The problem solving as they endeavoured to make their way to the tomb. The 12/10 illustrations. I found it hilarious. A great middle grade read. Pop into the JRC and pick up your copy.
#Mrs Martinsbooktrail2025
Ms Elena Martin – Teacher Librarian
Junior School Chess
St Pius X College participates in the Sydney Metropolitan Primary Schools Chess competition, which takes place on Friday afternoons from 4:00 pm, during Term 2.
Students compete in the North Shore Zone. Parents are required to transport their sons to the various schools within this zone. Students are also required to attend training provided by Sydney Academy of Chess on Tuesday morning, throughout Terms 1 and 2 beginning on Tuesday 25 March at 7:00 am in the JRC.
Thank you to the students who have registered their interest. Registration is now closed. Clipboard is currently open to students who have registered to play Chess in 2025.
Ms Elena Martin - Junior Chess Convenor