From the Acting Head of the Junior School
Junior School Sport
From the Junior Resource Centre
Junior School Chess

From the Acting Head of the Junior School

As we come to the end of very busy semester, I would like to thank the teachers who have provided a wonderful start to the year for our Junior School students. We look forward to seeing your sons back at the College for the start of Term 3 on Tuesday, 23 July.

The Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews for Years 5 and 6 are being held tomorrow, Friday 28 June, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, ONLINE on Microsoft Teams. If you haven’t been able to make an interview appointment but would still like to meet with your son’s classroom teacher, please contact them via email to arrange an alternate time.

IMPORTANT DATES

SEMESTER ONE ACADEMIC AWARDS

The Junior School is an exciting place to be and to walk around. The classrooms are always a hive of activity and the teachers are constantly looking for stimulating learning opportunities to engage the students.

This afternoon we acknowledged 3 students in each class who were awarded a Blue Fide Award. These awards are given to students who have shown ‘consistent effort leading to improvement.’ A special congratulations to the following boys:

AFTERNOON OF THE ACHIEVERS

Yesterday afternoon the St Pius X College Junior School was very lucky to have been visited by some notable Australian immigrants as Year 6 presented the Afternoon of the Achievers.

The Afternoon of the Achievers is a program in which students engage in an in-depth study of one notable person. The students have been involved in comprehensive research which has facilitated skills of independent learning as well as higher level thinking skills. Yesterday afternoon the students showcased their product of deep personal study. They presented themselves in character as their Notable, displayed the Learning Centre they had created and engaged with the audience in a short question and answer session at each booth.

The afternoon highlighted the hard work that has been carried out by the students and they are to be commended on their excellent participation in this project.

UNSW PROGRAMMING COMPETITION

On Friday 14 June 35 Students from Year 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12 took part in the annual UNSW Programming Competition. UNSW ProgComp stands for the UNSW High Schools Programming Competition. It's an initiative run by the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia. The competition aims to encourage and develop programming skills among high school students. It provides a platform for students to test their problem-solving abilities and compete against other teams.

This year some of the best results we have achieved in all the years of our participation. In fact, 10 out of 12 teams managed to reach the Leader Board, considering there were 249 teams taking part in the competition, and exceeding other school teams from James Ruse, Knox Grammar, North Sydney Boys, Sydney Boys High, Barker College, and more. This is a wonderful achievement.

Congratulations specifically to the one Junior School team that represented the College, made up of three of our Year 6 students: Micah Chan, Angus Rands and James Ulevik. Our Year 6 students managed to achieve a higher score than some of the more senior students in the whole competition.

CREATIVE QUILLS

Mrs Greenwood’s Creative Quills have been very busy creating pieces that engage the audience in imaginative, interpretive, emotive or creative ways. This week the students chose three pieces of work to enter in the WriteOn Competition – congratulations to Nick Belov, Michael Capra and Dante Mirenzi on having your writing selected by your peers. Please see their pieces attached.

ACADEMIC ANNEXE

The Academic Annexe is open for student study Monday to Thursday in the Senior Resource Centre (Senior library) from 3:20 pm – 5:20 pm. The students do not have to stay the whole time and they can leave when they need to. Teachers and past graduates of the college are on hand each day to help students with homework or additional study.

Mrs Samantha Iwatani - Acting Head of the Junior School

Junior School Sport

As we wrap up a wonderful term filled with plenty of memorable moments, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made it possible. To the parents, thank you for your unwavering support and encouragement. To the boys, your hard work and commitment have been truly inspiring. To the staff, your efforts in guiding and mentoring the teams have been invaluable. Wishing all families a safe and enjoyable break, and we look forward to another exciting term ahead.

Round 7 Results:

Junior AFL

Washed out

Junior Football

Thank you to all the parents, players, and coaches who braved the conditions last weekend. The positivity and resilience of the boys were infectious, creating an uplifting atmosphere despite the weather. A special mention to the players that volunteered to help Barker in teams where they were short players. To everyone involved in Junior Football this year, you support and commitment are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to many more exciting matches ahead.

**Reminder: No Saturday sport until we return in Term 3 (Saturday, 27 July)

Thursday Sport: A summary of today's Dance Performance will be shared in in Term 3.

Looking ahead to Term 3: In Week 5 of Term 3, the trials for the summer season will commence. Students will take up the same sport that they played in Term 1; either Basketball, Touch Football, Softball, Tennis or Cricket. We conduct the trial process again to ensure your son is placed in a team befitting his skill and ability level, in time for the summer season/Saturday games that will resume in Term 4. If you have any questions or issues, please make contact ASAP as the Term 4 summer draw will be arranged and finalised with our IPSHA colleagues in the coming weeks.

Term 3 Schedule

IPSHA Athletics: Training will commence in Week 2 of Term 3 for a selected squad of track and field athletes chosen based on their results at the recent Junior House Athletics Carnival. If your son does not make the initial squad and would like to, then I am more than happy to discuss this with them. A letter will be sent to all those who are chosen outlining the key dates for training and a list of the invitational carnivals that will be held in the lead up to the IPSHA Carnival, which will be held on Wednesday 28 August at SOPAC.

SPX Football Supporters Club

Supporter's Day - The SPX Football Supporters Club (FSC) will be hosting BBQ, bake sales, and organising a coffee cart on Saturday, 27 July and 3 August. Join us for a delicious selection of food and beverages while supporting our College community. We invite parents, students, and friends to volunteer for this event by signing up. A link will be shared in the coming weeks. Your participation and support are greatly appreciated. Let's make this event a success together!

Annual Social Function - A reminder about the highly anticipated Football Social! The final details are coming together, and while we’re still finalising the venue, please mark your calendars for 14 September. This fantastic celebration will honour the incredible contributions to football made over the years by Steve Quilty. Stay tuned for more details, including fun raffles and activities that are sure to make this event unforgettable!

SPX Football Supporters Committee

spxfsc@gmail.com

Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sports Coordinator

Junior Rugby

This past weekend, our Prep firsts faced a depleted but determined Mosman Prep squad under challenging conditions. Despite the rain, cold, and slippery field, our students displayed exceptional teamwork and sportsmanship, embodying the true spirit of rugby.

The adverse weather made for a tough game, but our Pius boys rose to the occasion. They not only competed fiercely but also demonstrated the spirit of rugby by assisting Mosman Prep, some of our players joining their team to ensure a fair and enjoyable match for all. Thank you to Vincent, Orlando, Lachlan, Luca, Oliver, Paddy, William and Alex for helping out Mosman Prep. Their willingness to support their opponents in the face of difficulty is a testament to their character and understanding of what rugby is all about.

Congratulations to all the players for their hard work and dedication. Let’s carry this spirit forward into the next term!

Notice: No Rugby Training This Week

Please note that there will be no rugby training sessions this week as we wrap up the term. We believe the students have earned a well-deserved break and some time to rest and recharge over the school holidays. Rugby training will resume in Week 1 of Term 3, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone back on the field, refreshed and ready to continue the great work.

Tickets are now available for purchase for the Rugby Gala Dinner. It is a great evening, and I can’t wait to attend again this year. Please see below for more information and a link to purchase tickets.

SPX Rugby Club

Rugby Gala Dinner - please note change of venue

Saturday, 27 July | Dockside - Cockle Bay Wharf | 6:30 pm – 11:30 pm

With the Kirribilli Club going into unexpected administration, the Rugby Committee has swiftly secured a new venue. We are pleased to advise that the Gala Dinner will now be held at Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Harbour.

All other details remain the same:

Saturday 27 July

6:30 pm - 11:30 pm

Leave the car at home as this venue is easily accessible via bus, train and uber.

Now is the time to SHOW YOUR SUPPORT and BOOK YOUR TICKETS. This will definitely be a night to remember!

** TICKET SALES NOW OPEN **

BUY TICKETS HERE

$150 per ticket including a delicious 3-course meal and drinks package. We are excited to advise that Nick Farr-Jones is our key-note speaker on the night. We will also have live entertainment by Dow Jones and the All Ordinaries, and the chance to participate in raffles and auctions. This will be a night full of surprises! Your attendance plays a crucial role in helping raise funds to support the growth and development of our young men.

BUY TICKETS HERE

Galabid – Silent Auction

We are busy loading items into Galabid and will share the link within the next week through the various WhatsApp groups. Watch out and be ready to bid on the great items we have acquired from parents and business sponsors.

Supporters Day

Although it was a washout, the Committee thanks our many parents who supported our fundraising activities. I am pleased to announce the following winners:

Firepit Hamper: Emily Hill (son Yr 8),

Gala Dinner Ticket Refunded: Sophie Bacic (son Yr 5) and Trent Aldons (son Yr 5),

Jelly Bean Jar Guess: Lukas Majer (Yr 12).

Cake Bake Supporters Pack

The Committee has located our winner! Bill Harnett collected his prize and looks set for supporting SPX sport.

Please direct any enquiries to spxrugby@gmail.com

Mr Antonio Morris - Junior School Rugby Convenor

From the Junior Resource Centre

This week’s Highlights are:

Happy Holiday reading! Students have been encouraged to borrow books to help with holiday reading, and with the Premier’s Reading Challenge. Remember that your local library is another great place to visit.

Mopoke By Philip Bunting – Final Owls from Year 5.

Mrs Martin’s Book Trail

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. And the Harry Potter reread is back on track! Goblet of Fire has always been a favourite of mine, so I knew I was going to love it. Though I will say that this time round I actually liked Prisoner of Azkaban a liiiiittle better, which I’m surprised by. For those of you who have reread the series, do your favourites change every time, or is it always the same? #MrsMartinsbooktrail2024

Mrs Elena Martin - Teacher Librarian

Junior School Chess Club

Chess Competition resumes in Term 3 Friday 26 July. – HOME game for all players.

Chess training has finished for the season. A big thank you to all the Chess participants who braved the early morning start for chess training on a Tuesday.

Mrs Elena Martin - Junior Chess Convenor

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