Junior School News
- From the Head of the Junior School
- Junior School Sport
- From the Junior Resource Centre
- Junior School Chess
From the Head of the Junior School
TEACHING AND LEARNING
It’s Week 2 and the students have already found a rhythm to their day and have adjusted to the way the Junior School timetable works. Recess and lunchtime handball games are well-organised and the site of excellent sportsmanship while the Junior Resource Centre (Library) has been a cool and calming sanctuary for others.
Students are engaged in a variety of learning activities as teachers roll out the new English and Mathematics syllabuses. In Science, Year 5 have begun to explore Adaptations while Year 6 began their unit of study looking at Forces. In History, Year 5 are learning about Australian history to 1901 and Year 6 continue from there in their study of how Australia developed as a nation. In Personal Development and Health (PDH), Year 5 are looking at how to manage relationships while Year 6 are learning how to keep themselves safe online.
All students have begun their Religious Education units and will be introduced to the College’s Social Justice initiative: Project Compassion, in the coming weeks.
Your sons are a delight. We are all enjoying getting to know them better with each passing day. Thank you for entrusting them, and their education to us; it is a privilege.
SPORT TRIALS AT OXFORD FALLS
It was wonderful to see the students in the Junior School enjoying our magnificent facilities at our Oxford Falls campus last Thursday and Friday. The first two days of Junior School Sports trials certainly set the tone for a thrilling season ahead. Our final trial day is today. Next week, we will have two lessons at school on Thursday morning before heading to Oxford Falls for the remainder of the day. If you are collecting your son from Oxford Falls – please make your way up to Walsh Oval to collect him at 2:30 pm. For safety reasons, students are not allowed to make their own way down into the carpark.
Please ensure that your son has his College cap or bucket hat with him when he leaves for school at the beginning of the day. With the heat, and UV index regularly climbing into the “extreme” range recently, we are not able to allow students to play in the sun if they aren’t wearing a hat.
At Oxford Falls, students get regular reminders to apply the sunscreen provided. Teachers are not permitted to apply sunscreen, so we rely on students to listen to the instructions given and take responsibility for applying sunscreen when reminded to do so. If you could reinforce this message at home, it would be appreciated.
You might like to consider purchasing a College bucket hat. The bucket hat provides more adequate cover that the College cap.
WELCOME EVENING
Thank you to the 200+ parents who took the time to join the Junior School teachers on Monday night. We hope you found the evening informative, but if you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your son’s classroom teachers via email.
YEAR 5 Ms Burke vburke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Mrs Iwatani siwatani@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Mrs Williams (Fridays for Mrs Iwatani) jwilliams@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Mr Makhoul mmakhoul@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Mr Montgomerie cmontgomerie@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
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YEAR 6 Mrs Barrett bbarrett@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Mrs Williams (Thursdays for Mrs Barrett) jwilliams@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Mr Buda mbuda@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Mr Morris amorris@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au Ms Shaba lshaba@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
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BOXERCISE - COMMENCING THIS WEEK
Keep fit and meet new friends in Mr Naidoo’s Boxercise classes. All equipment is supplied at no cost. Classes from 7:30 am – 8:00 am on Thursday and Friday mornings and commenced this morning. No bookings necessary – just turn up. Students learn boxing combinations, together with a variety of cardio/strength exercises which promote self-esteem, confidence, and mateship across the years from Years 5 to 11. For further details, contact Mr Anesh Naidoo at anaidoo@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au. Note: Junior School students tend to attend the Thursday session as they are already in their sport uniform.
HOMEWORK HELP | Lunchtime Tuesday from Week 3
Starting Tuesday in Week 3, Mrs Barrett will be offering Homework Help in the 6 Green classroom from 12:45 pm – 1:15 pm. Please let your son know that he is welcome to come along – with his lunch – each Tuesday for help with Homework … or anything at all!
HAIR CUTS AND HAIR COLOUR
I refer you to the College policy that states that hair must be 'clean, tidy, gel-less, of natural colour and of an even grade.' A number of students have begun the year with coloured streaks in their hair and/or hair cuts that are not of an even grade. Hair that is shaved on the side and long on the top is not acceptable and students will be required to wear their hats at all times until their hair cut/colour has been corrected or grows out. Thank you for your assistance in ensuring that the students adhere to College policy.
MATHS MEGAMINDS | Lunchtime Wednesdays from Week 3
Students who are interested in being challenged by complex mathematical concepts, are keen to develop flexibility in problem-solving and who would like to participate in the Maths Olympiad competition are welcome to join Mr Makhoul’s Maths Megaminds group on Wednesdays from 12:45 pm – 1:15 pm in the 5 Red classroom.
SMART WATCHES
Smart watches are a significant source of distraction for our young learners. Students wearing smart watches will be asked to place them in the classroom safe with their mobile phones at the beginning of the day and they will be returned at the end of the day. This includes smart watches that aren’t linked to a SIM card and those that are on School Mode. We thank you for your support.
DATES FOR THE DIARY:
WEEK 2
Friday 9 February Commencement Mass (Oxford Falls)
Saturday 10 February IPSHA Sport Round 1
WEEK 3
Wednesday 14 February Ash Wednesday Liturgy
Wednesday 14 February Swimming Carnival (Macquarie Aquatic Centre)
WEEK 4
Monday 19 February Get to Know You Meetings (online)
Tuesday 20 February Get to Know You Meetings (online)
Friday 23 February Year 5 Reflection Day (Oxford Falls) sports uniform
WEEK 5
Monday 26 February Year 5 Debating team trials (Ms Shaba)
Wednesday 28 February Chinese New Year incursion
WEEK 6
Monday 4 March Year 6 Debating team trials (Ms Shaba)
Wednesday 6 March Year 6 Canberra Tour until Friday 8 March
WEEK 7
Wednesday 13 March NAPLAN starts
Saturday 16 March College Open Day (Junior School volunteers needed)
WEEK 9
Monday 25 March Year 5 Camp to Broken Bay until Wednesday 27 March
Friday 29 March Good Friday Public Holiday
WEEK 10
Monday 1 April Easter Monday
WEEK 11
Wednesday 10 April Interim Reports issued
Friday 12 April End of Term 1
Friday 12 April The Armidale School Rugby Carnival until Sunday 14 April
CLASS PARENTS
Thank you to those who have already volunteered to be a Class Parent. If you are new to the school, you are very welcome to volunteer, and we have some very experienced Class Parents who can show you the ropes. No experience needed! Please email
ATTENDANCE / ABSENCES
Thank you to everyone for ensuring that you email
studentmanagement@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au if your son is absent.
WHATSAPP GROUPS
The Year 5 and Year 6 WhatsApp groups are created and moderated by parents. They are not connected to St Pius X College. Please do not use the group to raise grievances or concerns about the school or teaching staff – these should be raised directly with the school.
Year 5 WhatsApp chat:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/KLIZU0tsDViGhbKH26frVu
Year 6 WhatsApp chat: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LTquBsgkT2sLxYNWmG7Nol
COLLEGE APPS AND COMMUNICATION
There are a number of Apps and modes of communication used by the College. I appreciate that it can be overwhelming, particularly if you are part of more than one school community. I am hoping this ready reckoner will help in some way to explain how the Junior School uses our communication channels (this may be different from the Senior School):
| College Website | You should not need to refer to the College website very often. |
| Pius App | In the Junior School, we use the Pius App to send out last minute/urgent notifications (eg “The bus from Canberra will be arriving half an hour late”). Junior School sport is currently still using the App to push out team lists and draws and this is where you should continue to look over the coming weeks until we transition to our new co-curricular program: Clipboard. Details on how to download the App are found here: https://www.spx.nsw.edu.au/parent-community/portals/college-app/ |
| Woodchatta | Woodchatta is our weekly newsletter. It is emailed to parents on Thursday mornings and is also placed on the Pius App. If you are reading this – you’ve found Woodchatta! It is the source of all truth for what has happened, and is happening, in the Junior School. |
| Sentral | Is the College Student Management System. It is being rolled out in 2024, and at the moment we are using it for student enrolment information, rolls and group emails. Sentral is replacing a program called iWise – so you may hear both terms being used. |
| CANVAS | Is the College’s Student Learning Platform. CANVAS is where teachers communicate with students and upload Homework and other announcements. |
| The Portal | The Junior School don’t use the portal. |
| Clipboard | Clipboard is a co-curricular management system. It’s where you will register and pay for most co-curricular activities (eg Sport, Chess etc). |
| Flexischools | Flexischools is where you register so that you can pre-order food from the canteen. Students can also use pre-loaded funds to purchase snacks. The canteen no longer accepts cash, so Flexischools links to his student card. |
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Junior School.
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School
Junior School Sport
Thursday Sport
Saturday Sport
- Team Lists will be posted via the College App on Thursday evening.
- Softball, Basketball and Touch Football jerseys will be provided to students on Friday.
- If you son is injured or sick please contact jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Round 1 Fixtures
Junior School Swimming Carnival
The Junior School Swimming Carnival is scheduled to be held in Week 3, on Wednesday 14 February at Macquarie University Pool. Further details regarding the event will be sent to families later this week.
Basketball
Canteen at Oxford Falls
Volunteers are needed to help run the canteen at Oxford Falls. Money raised goes toward supporting basketball for our boys. We suggest doing a shift the hour prior to your boys game, so you can still watch them play.
Please
- Please arrive on time for your shift, or a few minutes early if you can - the people waiting to end their shift will greatly appreciate it!
- Please sign up here: (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ijw8qqsuz6-brjIXq3NiHMDxB5O62e6XWdWjEIcH62w/edit?usp=sharing)
Note: Junior teams at Oxford Falls this week are teams G, H, Blue & Gold
Congratulations to Dominik Playle
In January this year Dominik Playle (6 Green) competed in the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships in Brisbane. Dominik competed for Sydney Northern Beaches Breakers Under 12s team. Dominik and his team were Silver Medallists and he scored 14 goals throughout the tournament which was an amazing individual achievement. He also had the chance to meet other waterpolo players from all around Australia. He had a great time and looks forward to the chance of competing again next year, with the aim of taking the Gold medal. Congratulations to Dominik!
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sports Coordinator
NSTA Tennis
Please note that the start date for NSTA is Saturday 17 February. The draw will be out next week. I will also email the teams, divisions and an information letter early next week. Please keep an eye out for it.
Mrs Samantha Iwatani - NSTA Convenor
From the Junior Resource Centre
Welcome to the 2024 school year. Library lessons began this week in the JRC for Year 5 and 6 classes. We all look forward to a great year of reading and learning.
With the mercury continuing to rise outside. There are lots of students taking advantage of our air conditioning. What a welcome back! Is it really the heat or were they missing me? #loveourlibrary #welcometo2024
The JRC is abuzz with excitement as we welcome students into the newly refurbished JRC. A big thank you to Mr Michael Ronchetti, our College Principal, Mrs Jill Greenwood, Head of the Junior School, Mr Lachlan Skeen and all the amazing builders onsite. Now to get all the books back on the shelves!!
This year’s stimulating library program is designed to develop students’ digital and information literacies and literacy generally. Much of this learning is connected to classroom studies.
I love reading and sharing this passion and promoting reading is a key focus of the library program. Research shows that free-voluntary reading is a critical factor in reading success and building literacy. Our collection offers plenty of choice to tempt the fussiest reader, along with themed displays and a constant supply of exciting, new books promoting recreational reading is a big part of our program.
This Year’s reading is promoted in a number of ways:
- Weekly readings from 'Book of the Term' and Mrs Martin’s Book Trail.
- The Premier’s Reading Challenge: February to August.
- Book Week celebrations – ‘READING IS MAGIC’ with studies of short-listed contenders for the ‘Children’s Book of the Year’. 17 - 24 August.
- A visit to our next-door neighbours, Willoughby Library with memberships on offer and the chance for our students to borrow from this world class collection.
- Premier’s Reading Challenge 2024
Lunch in the library was super busy on the extremely hot days this week (the air con may have had something to do with it). Chess games, UNO, and reading were all on the agenda with loads of students playing and relaxing.
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail 2024. Spotlight by Solli Raphael
Spotlight by Solli Raphael. ‘Following on from the success of Limelight, this new collection of poetry illuminates the social interests of Solli's generation in a thought-provoking style, including a mix of traditional poems and brand-new performance poems.’ A text that Year 5 will enjoy as it is one that aligns with the new Stage 3 English curriculum for Year 5. I also thought I would include a quick excerpt from Soli’s visit in 2018 to St Pius X Junior School. Let’s hope we can get him back!
Australian Slam Poetry Champion Solli Raphael
On Tuesday September 4, 2018 Solli Raphael a young spoken word / slam poet (aged 13) visited St Pius X Junior School. He put out the call: ‘Be a game changer with me’. What a brilliant performance, voicing current social concerns for his generation. We were all very excited to meet such an inspirational and talented young man. The boys were very fortunate to hear Solli share his experiences and tips for writing and performing.
‘The FUTURE NEEDS YOU and ME
to CREATE EQUALITY ACROSS ALL LEVELS of HUMANITY’ Solli
Ms Elena Martin - Teacher Librarian
Junior School Chess
The NSW Junior Chess Competition is pleased to invite Junior School students to take part in the 2024 Primary Schools Chess Teams Competition.
WHY CHESS? There are tremendous benefits for children involved in the competition – new outlook, new friends, intellectual stimulation, improved concentration, a new reason to develop self-esteem. Registration closes Monday 19 February.
Attached is a Chess Newsletter with all the relevant information. If your son is interested in order to POSSIBLY REPRESENT the school in the New South Wales Junior Chess League Competition please complete the form on the letter, detach and hand it to Ms Martin by Week 4, Monday 19 February.
Ms Elena Martin - Junior School Chess Convenor