Junior School News
- From the Head of the Junior School
- Junior School Sport
- From the Junior Resource Centre
From the Head of the Junior School
WELCOME BACK TO TERM 4
We were thrilled to welcome everyone back from holidays this week and have enjoyed hearing stories of overseas trips, fishing adventures, seaside sojourns and special stays at Grandma and Grandad’s. I hope you were able to spend some enjoyable and restful time with your son/s and that he is well-rested for the busy term ahead.
Term 4 brings us a number of important events, so please ensure you take note of those that apply to your son.
YEAR 5 TERM 4 INTRODUCTORY ROBOTICS CLUB WORKSHOPS
Please speak to your son to see if he is interested in our Introductory Robotics Club Workshops. These 4 workshops will take place in Weeks 2, 3, 4 and5 of Term 4.
WHEN: Thursdays 3:20 pm – 4:30 pm (Weeks 2, 3, 4, and 5 of Term 4)
COST: $60
BRING: PLDs
REGISTER: Via Clipboard
Places are limited, and workshops begin on Tuesday next week, so please ensure you register as soon as possible. Any enquiries regarding Robotics should be directed to Mr de Silva pdesilva@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.
INAUGURAL YEAR 5 PERFORMANCE
Parents and special guests are welcome to join us in the College Gymnasium for a concert performed by our Year 5 students, with support from some of our talented Year 6 musicians, on Friday 25 October from 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm. Please note – this is not a performance by the choir, it is a performance by all of Year 5 of the skills they have learnt as part of the Performing Arts curriculum.
NEW PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT
We’re excited to highlight everything St Pius X Junior School has to offer during our New Parent Information Night on Wednesday 6 November. The event will begin at 6:00 pm and will be held online. I’m reaching out to see if there’s a courageous Year 5 parent who might be willing to share their experiences as a new family at St Pius X. It would be fantastic for our new parents to hear from someone who has experienced it all! If you’re interested, please let me know by emailing Mrs Hawthorne
WELCOME 2025 STUDENTS
On Thursday of Week 3, the Junior School will welcome 112 new students (our 2025 Year 5 cohort) and, for the final time, our new Year 6 students to the College for an orientation and assessment day. The new Year 5s will start their day with an assessment that will provide teachers with valuable information to assist teaching and learning in 2025. The new Year 6s will spend the morning with the current Year 5s, engaging in a range of 'Getting to Know You' activities in the College gym. The afternoon will be spent getting to know the College through an adventure-filled Scavenger Hunt. Because of the number of students who will be on-site, current students will leave for Oxford Falls at the end of Period 2.
SURF/SWIM PROGRAM
Our four-week Surf Education and Swim programs begin on Thursday in Week 4 with the Year 5s headed to the Macquarie Aquatic Centre for swimming lessons and Year 6 headed to Dee Why Beach.
YEAR 6 GRADUATION LITURGY AND AFTERNOON TEA
Monday 25 November | 12:45 pm at Oxford Falls
BOOK LAUNCH
Congratulations to Jacob Wilson, Cristian Guerra, Max Karcher and Vincenzo Abbattista in Year 5 whose work has been published in the Chatswood Library’s Wildlife Storybook. The Wildlife Storybook is a culmination of a Council-led program that sees each Willoughby primary schools learn about the local environment and the creatures within it. The students work with their teachers to research a particular animal and share stories with their classmates.
STAFFING UPDATE
This term, we welcome Mrs Samantha van Jaarsveld to the Junior School. 'Mrs Van', as the students are calling her (with her permission!), has made an immediate and positive impact on the students in 5 Gold and we all look forward to working alongside her for the remainder of the year and into the future.
Mr Morris and Mr Montgomerie have been appointed as the Leaders of Learning for Year 5 and Year 6 respectfully for the remainder of the term. We wish them both well in these important roles.
Just a reminder that if you have any questions regarding your son’s academic progress or wellbeing, please contact your son’s teacher in the first instance.
EREBB PILGRIMAGE
St Pius X College is one of more than 280 Edmund Rice institutions around the globe. Mr Di Sano and I have recently returned from a two-week pilgrimage with teachers from EREA schools, journeying through India and Ireland as part of the Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders (EREBB) community. This experience has reinforced the vast network of the Edmund Rice family and the common mission that connects us all.
Our journey started in India, where we explored Kolkata, Varanasi, and Delhi. One of the most impactful moments was in Kolkata, where we visited the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, established by Mother Teresa. Participating in the 6:00 am Mass and paying our respects at her tombstone was unforgettable, providing a deep insight into her enduring legacy of love and service to those most in need. We also had the chance to visit other EREA schools, including St Joseph’s, St George’s, and St Mary’s in Kolkata.
Varanasi, recognised as one of the oldest cities on the planet, was another remarkable destination on our pilgrimage. The spiritual importance of the Ganges River, where devotees come every day to cleanse themselves in its holy waters, made a profound impact on me. Observing the rituals along the ghats and contemplating the universal quest for a connection with the divine served as a powerful reminder of the sacredness inherent in all human life.
In Delhi, we visited St Columba’s, an EREA school with 3,100 students. We were inspired by the same commitment to a liberating education that we see in our own communities. Despite the different cultural contexts, the values of presence, compassion, and liberation were evident.
In Cork, we continued to follow in Edmund Rice’s footsteps. We visited Nano Nagle’s tombstone, honouring the woman whose vision for education led to the foundation of the Presentation Sisters. We met with the Presentation Brothers; the first order founded by Edmund Rice, went to the place of Edmund’s birth and celebrated Mass in the church that is home to his eternal rest.
It was an honour to explore the origins of the Edmund Rice story and witness how his legacy has flourished worldwide.
This pilgrimage has deepened my appreciation for the global Edmund Rice network. Meeting fellow educators and students, hearing their stories, and sharing in prayer has been an enriching experience. It’s a reminder that the spirit of Edmund Rice lives on not only at St Pius X and in the formation of our students, but also in communities worldwide, all working towards the shared mission of an Edmund Rice Education.
Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School.
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School
Junior School Sport
Term 4 Program
Term 4 Swim Program: All students will take part in a specialised program, as per the schedule above in lieu of regular Thursday Sport. Year 5 will attend Macquarie Uni Aquatic Centre for a pool-based program and Year 6 will attend Dee Why Beach for a Surf Skills program. I will send a separate letter to families for each year group that outlines logistics and most importantly a swim grading form for Year 5 students and a SEA Australia Waiver for the Year 6 students.
Swimming Squad Training – Term 4, 2024: Those that were part of Swimming Squads that attend carnivals earlier this year are invited to commence training starting Week 2, Term 4. I also encourage any students looking to improve their fitness or striving to represent at IPSHA level in 2025. Students wishing to take part are expected to attend majority of the 10 sessions, as we strive to build a strong squad culture. Either Ms Proc (Senior Swimming Coordinator) or myself will be in attendance during each session.
Training details:
- 7:10 am at Fitness First, Chatswood (24 Endeavour St, Chatswood)
- Suitable swimwear, goggles and swim cap are all essential (no cap, no swim)
- Students wear PE/ Pius Sports Uniform to the sessions. At 8.15 am the boys are walked back to school by staff. They then change into school uniform. A snack/breakfast is also recommended at this point.
- Training days/dates:
Registration for the Term 4 squad program can be found below.
SPX Term 4 Swim Squad Registration
Any questions please email, Mr Bourke jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Junior School IPSHA Term 4 Competitions
All updates and changes to training and/or fixtures can be found via Clipboard. Please ensure you have notifications turned on, so you can receive fixture confirmations and any changes that may occur. Wet Weather notification will also be posted via Clipboard.
Basketball: The first game of the 6-week, Term 4 season begins this Saturday 19 October. Please ensure boys are correctly attired in College-only uniform and at their venue 20 minutes prior to tip-off. All singlets were distributed today at Oxford Falls. If your son was away, please have your son come and see me before Friday 18 October.
A reminder that training has now commenced for all Basketball teams at Chatswood Campus from 7:30 am.
- Monday – Teams A, B, C, D
- Tuesday – Teams E, F, G, H
- Wednesday – Teams Blue 1, Blue 2, Gold 1, Gold 2
Softball: The first game of the 6-week, Term 4 season begins this Saturday 19 October. Wet weather procedures will be in place if required. Please ensure boys are correctly attired in College-only uniform, which was distributed to the players today. They also need to ensure they have protective equipment and are at the venue 20 minutes prior to commencement time. A special note, for the first time since joining in the IPSHA competition, St Pius X has two Softball teams competing in the competition.
Touch Football: The first game of the 6-week, Term 4 season begins this Saturday 19 October. Wet weather procedures will be in place. Please ensure boys are correctly attired in College-only uniform and at their venue 20 minutes prior to game commencement. Boys new to Touch Football will have already received a singlet. If this is not the case, please have your son to see Mrs Williams on Friday 18 October.
Please also note that team and venue information has been published on the Clipboard app. All fixtures are entered as draft and each week they are confirmed by Thursday afternoon. Please be aware that times, venues and teams can be adjusted from time to time.
District Cricket
Match report Saturday 21st
SPX U13 Match Report
Our team batted first in their clash with Seaforth Hawks. We scored 3/158 off our allotted 30 overs with all batsmen contributing. We restricted Seaforth to 7/115 winning the match by 43 runs. Connor Koruga received man of the match for an excellent catch diving forward off his own bowling. Thank you to Cameron Cheah and Max Bower for helping out in the holidays.
Andrew Ward
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator
Summer Tennis
Junior School tennis training will commence this Thursday at Queenwood during Sport time under the supervision of Mrs Hodges.
Senior School training starts next Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the group your son has been placed into. The students will need to meet the teachers at the podium as soon as school ends to have their names marked off before catching the bus to the Queenwood Tennis Centre. Training will conclude at 5pm and the students will then return to school by bus. If you wish to collect your son from the Tennis Centre, please be there on time as we can’t hold up the return of the buses.
Please make sure that your son has a College tennis shirt and cap for the commencement of the competition on Saturday, 26 October. These are available to be purchased from the uniform shop. The draw should be available early next week.
Mrs Samantha Iwatani - Summer Tennis Convenor
From the Junior Resource Centre
This week’s highlights are:
Life in the Library – A busy start to the term.
Welcome back to Term 4, 2024. During the school holidays I participated in a number of webinars held by ASLA. A highlighted one was Community Engagement 101. This webinar covered ways you can engage the school community in all things library. I was able to walk away with a toolbox of community engagement ideas and ways to showcase library events, watch this space!
Daily happenings here in the JRC, lots of reading and Chess games occurring at lunch time and before school in the JRC.
Spooky Season Book Recommendations
October is almost halfway over, but the horror vibes and books are here to stay! I prepared a little sample platter, a charcuterie if you will, of the best scary reads to pick up this month. Do you see any favourites? Any recommendations to share?
I hope you sink your fangs into one or more of these stellar reads.
October New Releases in the JRC
Find the new release books here in the JRC. The perfect book is waiting for you.
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail – Horror calls you! Yes YOU!
Hunter and Collector by S Carey –
Are you looking for something a little scary to read? Look no further! In the Junior Library, you will find some of the creepiest thrillers. As your wander further into each terrible tale, fear will grip you, fright will freeze your brain and you will not want to turn the page. But you must! Because the horror will call irresistibly to you. It will say, 'Come, see how petrifying I am! Imagine the ghastliness of what is about to happen! Turn the page! Turn the page!
Yours sinscarily
Ms Elena Martin – Teacher Librarian