Junior School News
From the Head of Junior School
WOODCHAT (For busy families who just want the facts, fast!)
Please ensure your son has a raincoat. Students are arriving at school soaking wet. As you can imagine, it is difficult to learn when you are wet and cold.
GRANPARENT’S DAY | RSVP
If you haven’t already had an opportunity, can you please RSVP on behalf of any grandparents or 'grandfriends': https://www.trybooking.com/DECZG
GRANDPARENT'S DAY | WALK-A-THON
Over 122,000 Australians are homeless on any given night; many are escaping domestic and family violence, and nearly one in four is a young person aged 12 to 24 years. Vinnies provides a wide range of housing and accommodation options across every state and territory, including specialist homelessness services, short-term crisis accommodation, transitional housing, medium to longer-term community housing, and accessible housing for people with disability.
This year, the Junior School students are walking to raise awareness and funds for the important work being done by Vinnies for those experiencing homelessness. If every family was able to collect donations totalling $70, we will reach our goal of $15,000.
We’re off to a bit of a slow start and with only a week to go, we would be grateful if you could share this link with your networks:
https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/spxjnrwalkathon
DANCE VIDEO
Please enjoy an encore performance of the Junior School Dance Concert:
BOOK WEEK PARADE | WED 20 AUGUST | 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm | College Gymnasium
By now, you've probably been recruited to help pull together a costume for the upcoming Book Week parade, our annual celebration of book characters who’ve leapt off the page and onto the stage! Students have been reminded to choose a character from a book (not the screen) and to steer clear of costumes with weapons (mainly to prevent spontaneous lightsabre duels on the train). There’s no need to go overboard: some of the best costumes begin with a cardboard box, a bedsheet, and a strategically placed cable tie. Creativity beats cost – every time!
Congratulations to our clever mathematicians who took on what Mr Makhoul said was a very tricky Maths Olympiad recently. Special congratulations to Jake Perich from Year 5 who top-scored with 4 out of the 5 questions correct.
RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Year 5 students were super excited to be able to watch their classmate and buddy Nate playing rugby for the CIS team in the NSWPSSA - Primary Boys Rugby Championship in Newcastle this week. At the time of writing, the CIS team had won all three of their games with one to go.
Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School.
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of Junior School
Fixtures
Junior School Sport
Winter Sport – Round 10 Preview
This weekend marks Round 10 and the final round of our IPSHA Winter Sport season. It has been a fantastic term of competition, and we are looking forward to finishing on a high across all codes.
In Rugby, our teams will be playing at home against long-time rivals St Patrick’s, in what promises to be a spirited and competitive round. Meanwhile, our Rugby 7s squad will once again take the field at Koola Park, looking to close out their season with another strong performance.
Prep Football will also be at home, hosting Knox Grammar, while our Year 5 Football teams will travel to Queens Park to take on our EREA brothers, Waverley College. These matches are a great opportunity to showcase the progress made throughout the season and celebrate the camaraderie between schools.
Last but certainly not least, our AFL team continues their impressive run and will be aiming to keep their winning going with a 10:00 am match at ELS Hall, also against Waverley College.
We encourage all players to attend and give their best effort as we wrap up the season. Thank you to all staff, coaches, and families for your support and commitment throughout Term 2 and so far in Term 3.
Key Events Coming Up
- Athletics Squad Training begins next week at Dunbar Park - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday afternoons
- Summer Sport Grading will take place later this term to shape our Term 4 teams.
- Walkathon Week 4
- Father-Son Day Week 7
- Athletics Invitational 16 August, Barker College
- Athletics Invitational 22 August, St Ignatius' College, Riverview
- Athletics Invitational 23 August, SOPAC
- IPSHA Athletics Carnival 27 August, SOPAC
Junior Athletics
We managed to run our 1,500m race today. As a result, we will not be able to finalise the tally of the Age Champions, and this will be announced in line with the Senior School.
The first Invitational Carnival will take place on Saturday 16 August at Barker College. Details will be shared to the squad members that have been invited to attend.
St Gabriel’s Visit
Today we had the privilege of hosting St Gabriel’s School at Oxford Falls for a special day of sport and connection. It was a wonderful opportunity to engage with a fellow Christian Brothers school, and we truly valued the spirit of inclusion, collaboration, and community that defined the day.
A heartfelt thank you to Sydney FC and Try Time Rugby for facilitating engaging and inclusive sessions that brought students together in meaningful ways. We were especially proud to see our football and rugby students step up as mentors and partners, helping foster a sense of fellowship and support.
We hope this relationship with St Gabriel’s continues to grow and blossom into the future, as we work together to build stronger connections across our schools.
Clipboard Registrations Open
Registrations for Term 4 summer sports will open tomorrow via Clipboard.
Already Registered in Term 1 2025?
If your son participated in Basketball or Touch Football during Term 1, his registration automatically carries over to Term 4.
There is no need to re-register, even if he is switching between Basketball and Touch Football.
New to Basketball or Touch Football?
If your son did not participate in Term 1 and would like to join Basketball or Touch Football for Term 4, please complete the registration via Clipboard.
Signing Up for NSTA Tennis?
The Tennis season run from Term 4 2025 through to Term 1 2026. Students wishing to join Tennis must complete their registration as soon as practicably possible to assist with team’s organisation and grading planning.
By ensuring registrations are completed promptly, we can provide the best possible experience for all students involved.
CRICKET SEASON STARTS 13 SEPTEMBER
We are excited to announce that registrations are now open for the upcoming MWJCA cricket season, which begins on Saturday, 13 September. The season will feature 3 rounds before the school holidays, followed by the continuation of the competition in Term 4.
To ensure your son's participation, registration is required on both Clipboard and PlayHQ:
Clipboard – for internal College registration and team coordination. The College fee for cricket is paid via the app.
PlayHQ – for official MWJCA registration. There is a $17.50 fee payable directly to Cricket Australia for player insurance. This will be available via the Clipboard app.
Please ensure both registrations are completed by Friday, 22 August to secure a place in a team.
Ryan Balboa MWJCA Cricket Convenor
Stay Updated with Clipboard Notifications
To ensure you receive the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding fixtures, events, and registrations, please make sure notifications are enabled on your device.
This involves two quick steps:
Approving permissions within the Clipboard app
Allowing notifications through your device settings (Apple or Android)
For iPhone Users:
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap Clipboard (you may need to open the app first for it to appear).
Tap Notifications.
Toggle Allow Notifications to ON.
Choose your preferred alert style (Lock Screen, Notification Centre, Banners).
Ensure Sounds and Badges are also enabled if desired.
For Android Users:
Open the Settings app.
Tap Apps or Apps & Notifications.
Find and tap Clipboard.
Tap Notifications.
Toggle notifications ON.
By enabling notifications, you’ll never miss an important update again!
Term 3 Weekly Sport Calendar
Winter Sport Results
AFL
Game washed out.
Football
Round 9 was unfortunately washed out, but with Round 10, our final round of the Winter season approaching this weekend, it would be fantastic to see 100% attendance across all teams. Let’s finish the season on a high note and make the most of this final opportunity to compete together.
With further rain on the radar, please ensure you’re checking Clipboard on Friday night and again Saturday morning for any updates or changes to fixtures.
Mr James Bourke SPX Junior Football Convenor
Rugby
After an unfortunate rainout of fixtures, this weekend is our final round of fixtures for the rugby season, with two big games against St Patrick's at Oxford Falls, as well as 4 terrific fixtures for our 7's teams. I wish all players the best of luck for the final round of rugby for 2025.
Student Success:
This week, Nate F participated in the 2025 NSWPSSA Primary Boys Rugby Championship in Newcastle, representing CIS. CIS recorded some terrific results over the first day of fixtures, including a 26-7 win over North Coast, a 38-5 win over North West, and a close 12-7 defeat to Sydney West.
SPX Rugby Golf Day – Sponsor a Hole!
Friday 17 October 2025
The SPX Rugby community warmly invites all SPX families and the wider community to join us for our Annual Rugby Club Golf Day - a perfect way to mix business with pleasure while supporting one of our key fundraisers.
This year, you can choose your lucky number between 1 and 18 to secure sponsorship of a hole - but be quick, as numbers will go fast!
Why Sponsor?
Sponsorship offers fantastic exposure for your business within our passionate rugby community, including:
A professionally printed banner displayed on course (see example below).
Advertising in the official Golf Day program booklet.
Mentions via WhatsApp, the College newsletter & direct email communications.
Event Highlights
Ambrose team event
Exciting hole prizes, including a Volvo Hole-in-One!
Sponsorship Packages
Package 1 – $550: Hole sponsorship only
Package 2 – $800: Hole sponsorship + 1 player ticket
Package 3 – $1,050: Hole sponsorship + 2 player tickets
Package 4 – $1,550: Hole sponsorship + 4 player tickets
📩 Interested in sponsoring? Email wibke@iinet.net.au to secure your hole and join us for this fantastic day on the green!
Mr Callum Montgomerie - Junior School Rugby Convenor
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.
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator
Chess
What an exciting season it has been for our Year 5 and Year 6 Chess players!
The 2025 Chess season ended last week with great energy, sharp strategies, and a fantastic sense of sportsmanship.
A special congratulations to Team A, who finished their season on a high with a hard-fought victory against Neutral Bay Primary School. Every match was a true test of focus and resilience, and they rose to the challenge with confidence and skill. Well done on representing our school so proudly!
Across the season, our players have shown incredible growth - not just in their chess tactics, but in their teamwork, problem-solving, and respectful play. Whether you won, lost, or drew a match, every move was a chance to learn and improve.
We enjoyed a celebratory Chess Pizza Party for the team on Wednesday to celebrate the end of the season.
Thank you to all students who participated in Chess this year - you've made it a success. A big thank you also goes to our coach Anmol, and families who supported our players each week. Year 6 players moving into the Senior competition next year – keep an eye out for Woodchatta as training commences in early Term 1.
We can’t wait to see even more clever moves and checkmates in 2026!
Ms Raelene Boyle - Chess Coach