Junior School News
YEAR 12 GRADUATION – WEDNESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER
On Wednesday of next week, all students in the college will travel to Oxford Falls for the Year 12 Graduation Ceremony. After the Mass, students will enjoy a BBQ before heading back to Chatswood, leaving Oxford Falls at 1:00 pm.
Students are expected to arrive back at the College at approximately 1:30 pm at which time they will be dismissed for the day. Please note that all students will be required to leave the College grounds upon dismissal, as no supervision will be available after this time.
Wear: Full college uniform (including blazer and polished shoes)
Do not bring: School bag, recess, lunch, water
Recess and lunch will be provided, and water is available at the bubblers both at school and at Oxford Falls.
If your son has specific dietary or medical requirements and needs a bag, he is, of course, able to bring a bag.
If your son needs to bring his phone, can you please ensure that he has it turned to silent before leaving home.
If you would prefer to collect your son at Oxford Falls, please let your classroom teacher know and please ensure you arrive at Oxford Falls prior to 1:00 pm.
If you have any questions about Wednesday, please contact your son’s classroom teacher.
GALA DEBATING with Ms Shaba
On Friday 11 September, our team of Year 5 and 6 students proudly represented the College at the annual IPSHA Debating Gala Day hosted by St Ignatius' College, Riverview. The event provided students with the opportunity to test their debating skills against a range of schools, while developing their confidence, critical thinking and public speaking abilities.
The team achieved a strong result, winning two of their four debates. While narrowly falling to Danebank and Coogee Prep in the morning, the squad secured impressive victories against Mosman Prep and St Ignatius' College, Riverview in the afternoon.
Congratulations to Tom Selby, Liam Cha, Lachlan Boa, Aedan Taylor, Max Yuen, Harry Kerr, Sebastian Francis and Isaac Haddad for representing the College with distinction. We are incredibly proud of the way they embraced every challenge, supported one another and showcased their developing debating skills.
A special thank you to the students and families whose commitment and support helped make this wonderful opportunity possible. The experience was both rewarding and enjoyable, and the boys returned with valuable skills and memories that will serve them well in future debating competitions.
AUSTRALIAN MATHEMATICS COMPETITION with Ms Shaba
Congratulations to all students who participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition earlier this term. This year saw a record 95 students represent our school, an increase from 85 participants in 2025. The results were outstanding and reflected both the dedication of our students and the commitment they showed throughout their preparation.
2026 Results: 6 Distinctions, 30 Credits, 59 Proficiency Awards
Particularly pleasing was the significant improvement in performance on the competition's most challenging questions. The final questions on the AMC paper are designed to stretch even the strongest mathematicians. This year, students recorded almost three times as many successful attempts on the final three questions compared with 2025. Notably, while no student successfully answered the final question in 2025, four students solved it correctly this year. These achievements are a credit to our students and the many weeks of hard work, perseverance and problem-solving practice they undertook in preparation for the competition.
We congratulate the following students who achieved a Distinction in 2026: Rory Slack-Smith, Sam Wang, Jake Perich, James Rowlands, Leonardo Calcarao, Andrew Mousa.
A special congratulations goes to Rory Slack-Smith, who achieved the highest score in the school with an outstanding 111 points. Of the 30 questions in the competition, Rory answered 27 correctly, an exceptional achievement.
Certificates for all participants will be distributed once they are received from the Australian Mathematics Trust.
MATHS OLYMPIAD with Mr Makhoul
Congratulations to the 66 Junior School students who participated the in final Maths Olympiad for 2026. Special congratulations to Owen Kwok, Andrew He, Diran Ahuja, Sam Wang and Rory Slack-Smith for achieving 5 out of 5 in this very difficult mathematics competition.
Students will receive their awards during Term 4 once we receive them from APSMO.
If you’d like to give the questions a go yourself, the papers are on the 2026 Maths Megaminds CANVAS page. Good luck!
UPSTANDERS MORNING TEA
Thank you to Ms Watson and Mr Ronchetti for hosting the St Pius X College Upstanders Morning Tea on Tuesday. This special event recognises students nominated for doing the right thing, standing up for others, and setting a strong example of what it means to be a St Pius X College student. Congratulations to this term’s recipient, Kent Sobey. Kent’s actions last week are best summed up in the email we received from a member of the public:
Dear Principal and Staff,
I wanted to let you know how incredibly impressed I was by one of your students recently.
I witnessed this young student stop to help a lady who was in need of medical assistance near Woolworths this week.
Appallingly, several adults walked past without stopping, however your young student showed genuine concern, kindness and compassion (the Catholic way).
He didn’t hesitate to step in and make sure she got the help she needed by calling the ambulance, hanging around until other adults (such as police and security guards arrived) and even offered to hang around to flag the ambulance down and show the ambulance officers where the lady was. However, we did not want him to be late for school and reassured him that she was in good hands with the police.
It was such a wonderful reminder (bringing tears to my eyes and making another bystander cry her eyes out) that the values we teach our young people in this community really do make a difference. You should be incredibly proud of this student. His actions demonstrated empathy, courage and respect for others, and he deserves to be recognised for it.
Please pass on my sincere commendations to him.
They represented your school and Catholicism beautifully.
Kind regards
Trish
NIGHT OF THE NOTABLES & DAY OF THE DISASTERS
Thank you to the hundreds of parents, grandparents, siblings and friends who joined us for two remarkable showcase events this week: Year 5s Night of the Notables and Year 6s Day of the Disasters. Both were resounding successes, made all the more special by you - our parents and friends - who not only supported your own son’s presentation but also showed such generosity, encouragement, and enthusiasm in celebrating the achievements of all our students.
Night of the Notables photos here: Night of the Notables
Day of the Disaster photos here: Day of the Disasters
FALLS GIFT
In 2025, we introduced the Falls Gift. Inspired by the famous Stawell Gift, but without the handicaps or prize money, this father-and-son relay race has quickly become the highlight and grand finale of our Father and Son Sports Day. This year, Jack and Mike Cross once again powered their way to victory, successfully defending the title they first claimed in 2025. As back-to-back champions, they remain the only winners in the event's history and have every right to enjoy the bragging rights that come with it! Congratulations to Jack and Mike on another outstanding performance.
Thank you for your continuing support of the Junior School.
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of Junior School
PAPA COMEDY NIGHT
Buy your ticket today – https://events.humanitix.com/spx-papa-comedy-night-2026
PLEASE NOTE – This event is for attendees aged 18+ and current SPX students are not eligible to attend.
Junior School Sport News
Connection continues
This week, we were delighted to welcome St Gabriel's for a wonderful day of connection, sport and friendship. Students enjoyed plenty of smiles, laughter and memorable experiences as they participated in a range of activities together.
It was a fantastic occasion that highlighted the value of community and inclusion within our schools. Further photos and acknowledgements will be shared with families next week.
Next week we will be welcoming St Pius X Primary school from Dubbo.
Summer Sport Grading
Summer Sport grading sessions continue this week and will be conducted across Weeks 8, 9 and 10.
Please see the information below for each sport, including grading dates, times and any equipment required.
Students are to wear their House Shirt and bring the items specific to their sport as outlined below.
Please note: Basketball grading may take a little longer than usual this year as approximately 10 teams will be selected using one court. Team selections and training information will be communicated once grading has been completed.
Term 4 Calendar
Term 4 IPSHA Summer Sport
The Term 4 IPSHA Summer Sport season commences in Week 1 of Term 4. Families are asked to note the following fixtures dates for Basketball, Touch Football and Softball:
17 October
24 October
31 October
7 November
14 November
21 November
Information regarding the Tennis and Cricket seasons will be communicated directly to students and families by the respective convenors.
Player Commitment and Attendance
Participation in Junior sport is a valued part of the cocurricular program and relies on every player contributing to their team throughout the season. By registering for a sport, students are making a commitment to attend all scheduled matches and represent their team each week.
It is understood that illness and injury can occur during the season. Should a student be unable to attend a match for these reasons, families are asked to record the absence in Clipboard and notify the relevant convenor via email as early as possible. Early communication allows teams to make alternative arrangements and ensures the best experience for all players.
As team sports depend on the availability and commitment of every squad member, families are encouraged to consider the season schedule carefully. Absences for holidays or family events can significantly impact team participation, preparation and competitiveness throughout the season.
Summer Sport Convenors
Ryan Balboa: MWJCA Cricket Convenor rbalboa@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Paul Cummins: NSTA Tennis Convenor pcummins@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
James Bourke: Touch Football, Basketball & Softball Convenor
Merryn Dodd: Cocurricular Administrator mdodd@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Matt Stearn: Assistant Principal, Cocurricular mstearn@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Term 4 Swim Squads
With the summer season approaching, Term 4 Swim Squad registrations will open next week. Families are encouraged to keep an eye on Clipboard over the coming weeks for registration information and further details.
Swim Squads are open to all students, regardless of experience level, and provide a fantastic opportunity to develop fitness, refine swimming skills and prepare for the Representative Swimming Carnival. We encourage all keen swimmers, from beginners through to experienced competitors, to get involved and make the most of the program.
Training is scheduled to commence in Week 1 and will run Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Chatswood Fitness First from 7:00 am till 8:15 am.
Junior School Age Champions 2026
Now that the Athletics season has ended, we would like to take the opportunity to recognise our Junior School Age Champions for 2026. These students demonstrated high levels of skill, talent and effort at their respective carnivals. They will be formally acknowledged at a future school assembly.
I would also like to acknowledge that I was remiss earlier in the year in not recognising our Swimming Age Champions. These students achieved outstanding results at the College Swimming Carnival and deserve equal recognition for their efforts. They too will be celebrated at an upcoming assembly.
Congratulations to the following students:
Swimming Age Champions
U12: Andrew He
U11: Tadhg Burton
U10: Stephane Delterme
Athletics Age Champions
U12: Tommy Kay
U11: Theo Gonsalves
U10: Enrique Jacome
Congratulations to all six students on their achievements.
Basketball Supporters Club
Welcome to the 2026 SPX Basketball Season
Dear SPX Basketball Parents and Families,
On behalf of the SPX Basketball Committee, I'd like to welcome all new and returning players and families to the 2026 season.
With team trials underway, we're looking forward to another great year of basketball at St Pius X.
Exciting News for 2026
We're excited to announce a new partnership with Asensi Elite Team (AET), who will support player development and coaching across the program. This partnership will bring enhanced training opportunities, specialist coaching, holiday camps and development pathways for our players.
Building Our Basketball Community
We're also exploring a SPX Basketball Season Launch Event, providing an opportunity for players, parents, coaches and supporters to come together, connect and celebrate the season ahead.
As a community-driven program, we welcome parent involvement. Whether you'd like to help on the Basketball Committee, support events, assist with fundraising, sponsorship, communications or game-day activities, we'd love to hear from you.
Get Involved
If you would like to:
Receive SPX Basketball updates and communications
Volunteer or support the program
Register interest in the Season Launch Event
For any questions, please contact: milsy45@gmail.com
Thank you for your support. We look forward to an exciting season ahead and continuing to build a strong and connected SPX Basketball community.
Miled Sawakid - President, SPX Basketball
Basketball Holiday Camp - Save the Date
Clipboard registrations will open on Friday afternoon for the upcoming St Pius X Basketball Holiday Camp, led by James Asensi and the AET Basketball coaching team.
Due to the College's major works program, the camp is expected to be held at Oxford Falls, subject to facility availability.
Proposed Camp Dates (TBC)
Week 1
Monday 28 September
Wednesday 30 September
Thursday 1 October
Week 2
Tuesday 6 October
Wednesday 7 October
We encourage families to save these dates. Session times, venue details and registration information will be available via Clipboard from Friday afternoon.
Summer Seasons Reports and Results
The cricket season commenced on Saturday with a fantastic start from our junior teams, delivering two matches and two impressive victories.
Please see the attached for match reports from Mr Brady and Lachie Boa, highlighting an excellent opening round and some outstanding performances from our young cricketers.
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator
Rugby Golf Day
Link to purchase tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/spx-2026-golf-day
or use the QR code:
Mr Ted Webster - SPX Rugby Supporters' Club President