From the Acting Principal
- Prayer
- Welcome back to Term 3
- Year 5 - 10 parent/teacher/student interviews
- Holiday Activities and Tours
- 2024 EREA Teaching and Learning Conference
- Staffing Update
- Your Building Fund in Action
- New Directors and Members to the EREA NSW Board and committees
- P&F Trivia Night
- Date Claimers
Prayer
Dear Lord
As we return to our school for a new term,
We lift our hearts in prayer,
Grateful for the opportunity
To embark on a new term with care.
We thank you for the students,
For their eager minds and curious hearts.
Grant them wisdom and understanding
As they embark on new learning and opportunities.
Bless our teachers and staff
Who tirelessly give their best.
May they inspire and guide
All those in their care.
We pray for our parents.
For their endless support and love.
Bless them with patience and strength
As they continue their journey with their children.
Lord, watch over our school community as the new term begins.
Keep us safe in mind and soul.
May we grow in knowledge and grace
And always strive to do what is right.
Blessed Edmund Rice, Pray for Us
St Pius X, Pray for Us
Live Jesus in our Hearts, Forever
Welcome back to Term 3
A very warm welcome back for Term 3! We are thrilled about the term ahead and have already made a strong start. Our focus remains on enriching students' learning, offering valuable cultural and social justice opportunities, supporting overall well-being, and engaging in a wide range of co-curricular activities. We look forward to sharing these experiences and any new initiatives with you throughout the term.
Year 5 - 10 parent/teacher/student interviews
A big thank you to parents, students, and staff for your positive engagement with the parent/teacher/student interviews held on Thursday, 29 June and Friday, 30 June. These meetings play a crucial role in the learning cycle. They not only provide students with commendations and recommendations but also empower them by fostering voice and agency in their learning journey. Constructive feedback helps students reflect on their progress, asking themselves 'How am I going?' and determining 'where to next?' By using class, report and interview feedback, students can develop their goals for the semester ahead.
Goals provide clarity and direction, helping us focus on what is important and what we want to achieve. Research shows that people who set goals (and use them effectively) not only perform better but also experience less stress and anxiety, leading to greater happiness and life satisfaction.
Our Semester 1 Academic Awards Ceremony, ‘A Celebration of Learning’, will be held on Friday 9 August in The Concourse from 11:00 am. Invitations will be extended to parents and carers of those students who will be presented their award at the ceremony.
Holiday Activities and Tours
During the term break there were many activities available to students and I acknowledge and thank all involved in the following:
- The classes, seminars and workshops held for our HSC students
- The Red Dirt Immersion across Coonabarabran, Warrumbungles, Brewarrina, Bourke and Dubbo
- The First XV Rugby tour to Queensland
2024 EREA NSW Teaching and Learning Conference - Connected Community: Growing Excellence in Practice
On Monday’s staff professional learning day, teaching and counselling staff attended the EREA NSW Teaching and Learning Conference at Waverley College.
The day provided a wonderful opportunity for our staff to come together to collaborate and learn from our peers across seven of the NSW EREA schools and engage in rich professional dialogue and practice. We came away with a strong sense of what we have in common with our EREA network, a renewed sense of hope about the education we provide our students, and some new and innovative teaching and learning strategies for Boys Education. Please read Mr Davidson’s (Assistant Principal, Teaching and Learning) article to learn more.
I would like to extend my gratitude to the St Pius X staff members who presented workshops at the conference: Ms Raelene Boyle, Mr Matthew Buda, Mr Sam Di Sano, Mr Neil Gibson, Mrs Annabel Gunns, Mrs Samantha Iwatani, Mr Matthew Makhoul, Mr David Reay, Mr Pat Rodgers, Mrs Joanne Schuster, Mr Paul Ticli and Mr Matthew Wall. The feedback from these sessions has been overwhelmingly positive.
Staffing Update
We extend a warm welcome to the college for our new staff who commenced with us this week.
Ms Belinda Hodges : Junior School teacher
Ms Leisa O'Connor : Junior School teacher's aide
Mr Ben Serone : Visual Arts teacher
Dr Lesley Gissane : English teacher
Ms Lilanya D'Silva : Science teacher
We also welcome back Mr Dan Quilty from his leave last term.
Your Building Fund in Action
Over the holiday break, the college continued the further upgrade of its facilities. I thank the college maintenance and resources team and the contractors who completed the work in a short time.
I highlight the following for your interest:
- Painting of exterior areas through the Chatswood campus
- Installation of new gates on Ferguson Lane
- Painting of change rooms in college gymnasium
- Installation of new chilled water stations throughout the college
- Installation of new windows in C Wing
- Continuation of work on the Waterford Learning Centre
- Routine maintenance and cleaning throughout internal and external areas of Chatswood and Oxford Falls campuses
New Directors and Members to the EREA NSW Board and committees
Please see the attached letter from Mr Sam Hardjono, Chair of EREA NSW Colleges Board, announcing new directors and members to the EREA NSW Board and committees.
Trivia Night 2024: Saturday 17 August
Come and join in the fun at this year’s P&F Trivia Night on Saturday 17 August in the Chatswood gym. Doors will open at 6:45 pm and trivia will start at 7:15 pm.
This year’s trivia night is an Olympic themed night.
All funds raised will directly benefit the Performing Arts, Rugby, Cricket, Football, Basketball, Tennis and Robotics Clubs so please come along and support your son’s club.
More information can be found in the P&F page of the Woodchatta.
Date Claimers
Sunday 28 July: Year 12 Drama Trials
Monday 29 July: Year 8 Ski Trip
Monday 5 August: Trial HSC Examinations commence
Tuesday 6 August: Year 9 2025 subject selection evening
Friday 9 August: Celebration of Learning
Wednesday 15 August: Junior School Grandparent's Day and Walkathon
Saturday 17 August: P&F Trivia Night
Monday 19 August: P&F Meeting (rescheduled date)
Monday 2 September: St Pius X Feast Day holiday
Please also review the Upcoming Events page of this week’s Woodchatta for information on other events during the coming weeks.
Fide et Labore
By Faith and hard work
Live Jesus in Our Hearts - Forever
Ms Elizabeth Watson - Acting Principal