From the Principal

• Reflection
• Welcome Back Correspondence
• New parents to the College
• 2024 College Theme
• Welcome to new staff
• Special Welcome back
• Key Dates
• Positions of Responsibility
• Thank you to Mrs Deb Muirhead
• Changes for 2024
• Improvements to the College
• Update on the Waterford Learning Centre

Reflection

I know a school…

I know a school where learning is celebrated,

where there is laughter and loving,

where there is celebration in the joy of living and learning.

I know a school where risks can be taken, mistakes made

and successes built upon.

I know a school where the community prays and grows together each day,

in faith, hope and love and respect for each other.

I know a school where new and better ways of teaching and learning are sought after,

and where each person’s needs are met.

I know a school where anything can happen through discovery

and the beauty of ordered learning is open to innovation and spontaneity

I know a school where each person is valued and accepted for who he or she is

I know a school where each member gives God the first place in all that happens and everyone uses their talents for others.

I know a school where what I read in the Gospels comes alive.

I know a school that is curriculum-focussed, student-centred, community oriented and culturally rich.

I know a school where children are recognised as thinkers, feelers and doers and the whole person is educated.

I know a school where education is for all and there is enough freedom and enough pragmatism to make it work.

I know a school where the poor, the disabled, the lonely and those with problems will find themselves helped, not by anything said, but by everything done.

I know a school that is freed from past injustices and is open to the future.

I know a school embracing the future with the words: ‘All are welcome here’.

I share this prayer with you as we start the new school year.  Hopefully, St Pius X can continue being the school shared above.  May we all get to know St Pius X as a school filled with laughter and learning; a school where faith, hope, love and respect for each other is evident daily; a school that fosters learning, encourages innovation and allows students to explore; a school that promotes the uniqueness of every individual; a school that is inclusive and all are welcome.  Let us embrace this school and the St Pius X way.

Blessed Edmund Rice - Pray for Us

St Pius X - Pray for Us

Live Jesus in our Hearts - Forever!

Welcome Back Correspondence

Please find a link to my recent correspondence to the community welcoming everyone to the 2024 school year.

New parents to the College

It was great to meet so many parents yesterday morning as we welcomed our Year 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12 students.  The Year 5 parents, yes, the parents, were nervous but excited about their young man commencing at St Pius X College.  The smiles and joy on the faces on both students and parents underpins how important our lovely and caring community is in welcoming families to the Pius way.  I look forward to walking with students and their parents throughout their journey at St Pius X College.

Please see below a link to the photos taken yesterday.

2024 College Theme

The College Theme ‘Seek to Serve, Stronger Together’ encourages all members of the St Pius X community to serve others as Jesus served his community during his time on earth.  By serving others we as individuals become stronger, but together, we become even more united. 

The College theme was developed by the College Student Leaders who were inspired by the gospel passage Mark10:45 ‘…even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve’.

There are so many different opportunities that we can seek to serve but ultimately the responsibility lies within each one of us to truly be of service to others.  It is only then that we can be ‘Stronger ‘Together’.

Welcome to the New Staff

There are sixteen new staff members who commence their journey as members of this community in 2024.  I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new staff to the College and may your time at St Pius X be rewarding to you professionally, spiritually and personally. 

A special welcome to our new Deputy Principal, Ms Elizabeth Watson, who has transitioned into the Pius way so smoothly over the past week.

I look forward to our new staff sharing their experiences, talents and abilities with the St Pius X community. I hope they have a wonderful experience as their journey with us in 2024. 

Special welcome back 

I would like to acknowledge and welcome back staff members who have returned from extended leave. To Mrs Samantha Iwatani, Mr Phil Stollery, Mrs Kara Manga, Mr Jim Olson, Ms Denise Ramsey, Ms Frances Doyle and Mrs Michele Waterson welcome back and we look forward to your valued contribution to the learning environment of the College.

Key Dates

Monday 5 February                   Welcome Celebration Evening       

The evening includes Mass followed by a P&F welcome BBQ. After that, the Year 7 Information Evening along with Year 5 and new Year 6 students meet the teachers will be held.

• Welcome Mass for Year 5 and 7 students and families, as well as Year 6 new students and families commences at 5:00 pm in Our Lady of Dolour’s Church.
• Following the Mass, there will be a P & F Welcome BBQ in the College grounds. 
• The Year 5 and 6 students and families will meet their sons’ teachers in the Junior School classrooms while Year 7 students and families will move to an Information Session in the College Gym following the BBQ.

Wednesday 7 February             Year 10 and Year 11 Information Evenings

Friday 9 February                        Commencement Mass

2024 Positions of Responsibility

In 2024, the College welcomes a number of staff to new positions of responsibility.  Some of key changes include:

College Leadership Team

College Deputy                                                                     Ms Elizabeth Watson

Acting Assistant Principal Pastoral Care                      Mr Martin Gillogly

Acting Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning    Mr Stephen Davidson

Pastoral Leaders

Year 7                          Mr Ben Ryan

Year 8                          Mr Jack Kovacic

Year 11                        Mr James Maloney

Year 12                        Mr Anthony Tassone

Leaders of Learning 

Religious Education                        Mr Sam Di Sano

PDHPE                                                Mr Richard Lacey

Assistant English                             Ms Stefania Taddio

Assistant Science                            Mr Paul Ticli

House Leaders

Barron                                                 Mr Anesh Naidoo

Purton                                                 Mr Dennis Lee

Rice                                                     Mrs Leigha Zervakos

Treacy                                                 Mr Jonathan Dawson

Junior Sports Coordinator          Mr James Bourke

Please find a link to a document with all positions of responsibility within the College.

Thank you to Deb Muirhead - Uniform Shop Manager

It is with great sadness that after 23 years Mrs Deb Muirhead has resigned from her position as Uniform Shop Manager.  Mrs Muirhead’s departure marks the end of an era. Her dedication to St Pius X, especially as the face of the uniform shop, has undoubtedly left a lasting impact for all the community. We express our gratitude to Mrs Muirhead for her loyal service and dedication and wish her joy and fulfillment in her future endeavours.

Changes for 2024

2024 brings some exciting changes such as:

Homeroom Structure

Students in Year 7 to Year 11 have been placed in new homerooms that are based on their House.  There will be two homerooms per House per Year e.g. 7 Barron A and 7 Barron B. Therefore, there will be eight homerooms per House with only an average of 24 students per Homeroom.  These smaller homerooms will allow for more appropriate pastoral care opportunities.  Each homeroom will have one homeroom teacher.  It is our hope that this homeroom teacher will follow the year group through until they graduate.

Bell times

The College will commence at 8:30 am when a movement bell will sound. This bell is for students to move from the yard, collect their equipment and move to their homeroom by 8:35 am.  All period bell times have been adjusted with no loss of period time from the previous year.  However, the College will finish at 3:10 pm.

College Assembly

The formal College Assembly will be held on a Wednesday morning rather than a Monday morning.  This will commence at 8:35 am.

Waterford Wednesday

Each Wednesday, following the College Assembly each year group will alternate between the Waterford Program and year group meetings.  The Waterford Program is when the College can focus on specific areas to support the wellbeing, pastoral, academic and faith life of the students.  Term 1 has a strong emphasis on student wellbeing through a new online program called Wellio.

Communication

Woodchatta will now be distributed on Thursdays.

Improvements to the College

Over the course of the holiday period there have been several improvements to the physical environment of the College. 

• The new garden bed in the middle of the yard has softened the yard bringing more green to our concrete world.
• A, B, C and S Blocks have been painted externally.  Significant repairs to the roof and fascia.
• New signage on Kirk Street and at our Oxford Falls campus.
• Renovation of the Junior School Library and adjunct classrooms.

I would to thank Mr Lachlan Skeen (Business Manager) and Mr David Reay (Resources and Facilities Coordinator) for their coordination of the works over the holiday.  A special thanks to Mr Stuart Munday, Mr Ben Williams and Mr Petar Pasatovic for their management of the all the work during the holidays.

Update on the new Waterford Learning Centre

From the outside looking in there doesn’t seem to be any real development with the new Waterford Learning Centre.  However, internally there has been significant development with most of the top floor completed.  Our construction company Novati are working tirelessly to ensuring our Junior School can move into these wonderful facilities during Term 2.  Hopefully, all continues to progress well and we will be able to see some development happening to the front of the building soon.

Fide et Labore

By Faith and hard work

Live Jesus in Our Hearts - Forever

Mr Michael Ronchetti - Principal