Junior School News
- From the Head of the Junior School
- Junior School Sport
- From the Junior Resource Centre
- IPSHA Debating
- Junior Chess
From the Head of the Junior School
REFLECTION
Think of the last time you witnessed an act of selfless love in your family. Parents and caregivers of all kinds are called upon to act selflessly every day. Family life calls us to share selfless love with one another.
God is the model for us of selfless love. There was no need for God to create our planet or the creatures that inhabit it; it was an act of selfless love. There was also no need for God to send his only Son to save us. That too was an act of selfless love.
As we draw closer to God and the mystery of the Trinity, we learn about God's love. God has lavished us with love in the persons of the Son and the Spirit, who in turn nurture in us the desire to do the same. When we open ourselves to be filled with an awareness of the divine life within us, we participate in the endless spiral of love that leads to eternal life. Whenever we share selfless love in the family, we are sharing in the life of the Trinity.
Ref: Sunday Connection
Selfless love has been put to the test in the Greenwood house over the last week as my husband and boys have been called upon to look after me as I battled a week of flu and laryngitis. I thank them for their efforts. I also thank Mrs Iwatani and Mr Carroll for helping to keep everything in order in the Junior School while I’ve been away. I look forward to returning tomorrow.
YEAR 6 EXCURSION TO NSW PARLIAMENT HOUSE
Last Wednesday, Year 6 took visited the NSW Parliament House. Thank you to Mrs Iwatani for this fantastic review of the day:
The boys began the excursion by visiting the Legislative Assembly where they learnt about the roles of the members and the differences between the government and the opposition. The boys were challenged to find the 6 cameras that record everything that goes on in Parliament so that members of the public can watch Parliament sitting live. We also learnt that there is an opportunity to attend a live sitting or nowadays, even read about what is going on in Parliament on social media! You can also read about what was said in Hansard. We also found out that if you can write at 200 words/minute you could be a Hansard reporter!
A new bill was introduced: Extension of School Hours 2022. The boys were eager to become Members of Parliament to help debate the bill and some lucky students were chosen to take on roles like: the Speaker, Sergeant at Arms, Prime Minister, Minister and Shadow Minister for Education, the Clerk and the Leader of the Opposition.
Once the bill had been debated and passed in the Legislative Assembly, it was time to move to the Legislative Council to see what happens to the bill there. Our guide explained the purpose of this house - to review the bills - and explained the roles of the Members in this house. The boys had lots of questions about what they could see in this room!
The bill continued to be debated in the Legislative Council, the opposition agreed with the government that reading and maths were important but didn’t think that Saturday classes were needed. They proposed that the school day should just be extended by an hour. This amendment was approved, and the bill was set to become a law!
It was a very educational excursion and I believe that many boys came away eager to take up their place as a Member of Parliament.
MERIT AWARD WINNERS
Congratulations to our Merit Award winners last week:
SAVE THE DATE! DANCE CONCERT
THURSDAY 23 JUNE 12:45 PM – 1.20 PM
REDed (Raw Energy Dance Education) have your boys up and dancing every Thursday at Oxford Falls as they prepare a performance using the elements of dance: formation, directions, sound effects, feature moments and choreography. Dance lessons started last week and will culminate in a final performance on Thursday 23 June from 12.45 pm – 1.20 pm. Everyone is welcome to come and see the boys perform and then stay for …
SAVE THE DATE! MID-YEAR 'FIDE' AWARDS
THURSDAY 23 JUNE 1.30 PM – 2.00 PM
After the Dance Concert, we will present Blue 'Fide' Awards to those boys who have shown “Consistent effort leading to improvement” in Semester One. Following the awards, the boys will be free to go home with parents or come back to the College at 2.20 pm for a normal dismissal.
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
Details and results from today’s Athletics Carnival will be in Mr Carroll’s sport’s wrap next week. I thank all the teachers and parent helpers who worked so hard to make today a success. A special thanks to Mr Carroll for all his hard work preparing for what is a logistically-complex day and congratulations to those boys who got out of their comfort zones, gave everything a go, and helped heap on the points for their Colour House. The winning House will be announced next week in Woodchatta.
We congratulate Treacy on their win at the Senior Athletics Carnival yesterday.
YEAR 5 CAMP
MONDAY 20 – WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE
Preparations are almost complete for the Year 5 camp. Cabins and activity groups have been sorted, a WHAT TO PACK list went out today, and I will send further information out early next week. If you have any questions, or updated information in relation to medication, please contact with your classroom teacher as soon as possible.
ST PIUS X COLLEGE 1ST XI FOOTBALL
SATURDAY 18 JUNE 9.00 AM
Junior School boys and their families are warmly invited to Walsh Oval (bottom oval), Oxford Falls on Saturday 18 June for a 9.00 am kick-off as SPX take on St Patrick’s College. For details on how to win an SPX prize pack, make sure you head over to Mr Carroll’s Sports information below for all the details.
PARENT/TEACHER/STUDENT INTERVIEWS
Mrs Fileman’s class (6 Red) will have their interviews in Week 8, the remaining classes will meet on Friday of Week 9 (pupil-free day).
Interviews will be online and details on how to book will be sent out in the next few weeks.
FUN FACT
How many Queenslanders can you fit into a NSW Junior School? Four! That’s right! Four Junior School staff are loud and proud Queenslanders (well, some of us are louder than others!) and there is no better time to be a Queenslander than during State of Origin. Mr Ure, Mr Carroll, Mrs Iwatani and I (all from Brisbane) wish everyone the best of luck, no matter who you support tonight*.
*as long as it’s Queensland!
Saturday 11 June – No IPSHA Sport
Monday 13 June – Public Holiday
Monday 20 – Wednesday 22 June – Year 5 Camp to Point Wolstoncroft
Thursday 23 June – Dance Concert at Oxford Falls at 12.45 pm
Thursday 23 June – Blue 'Fide' Awards at Oxford Falls at 1.20 pm
Friday 24 June – Parent/Teacher/Student interviews
Friday 24 June – First day of three-week holiday
Tuesday 19 July – First day of Term 3 (Bring them back, we miss them now)
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Junior School.
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School
Maths Drop-In Years 5-6
Junior Maths Drop-In sessions will run on Friday mornings from 7.40 am - 8.30 am in The Learning Enrichment Room in the Junior School.
This is an ideal place for extra revision or taking the time to get support if need. Come along and be part of the team.
Mrs Amanda Fileman - Year 6 Teacher
Junior School Sport
Winter Sport Round 6 - Results:
Long Weekend: Enjoy the sleep in this Saturday, with no IPSHA sport fixtures occurring over the long weekend. The season will resume with Round 7 on Saturday, 18 June. All fixture details will be confirmed next week and be available in the Woodchatta due to be published on Wednesday, 15 June.
Thursday Sport: Our Dance program got off to a great start last week and will continue as per the schedule below. Over the next two weeks, boys will need to bring their Rugby/Football/AFL training gear, as well as their recess and lunch for the day as they will not be able to access the canteen.
CIS RUGBY: Well done to Year 6 students Finn Burton, Zach Fourie and Lachlan Renshaw for representing SPX at the CIS Trials last week, see picture below. I am proud to announce that Zach Fourie was selected in the CIS team, a fantastic achievement given the number of players who he trialled against. We wish Zach all the best in the next stages of the representative pathway for Rugby.
Come and support our SPX First XI: Our mighty First XI Football team are due to take on St Patrick’s College on Saturday, 18 June at 9.00 am on Walsh Oval, Oxford Falls. Any Junior School students who attend the game to support our First XI dressed in their Blue and Gold SPX winter sport gear can find Mr Carroll near the grandstand during the halftime break to go in the draw to win an SPX Prize pack. Given that there will be 6 Junior Football teams and 1 Junior Rugby team already at Oxford Falls at this time, it is hoped we get a good representation from the Junior School in the grandstand.
Cricket Holiday Clinic: Mr Ash Doolan, who trains our SPX Junior Cricket boys in the Summer season, is offering a Cricket clinic on the upcoming holidays. Please click on the link below for more information.
Mr Glen Carroll - Junior School Sports Coordinator
Junior Rugby: Round 6 was a great round for Junior Rugby at St Pius X. We finished with 1 Draw and the 5 Wins. The Prep Firsts fought hard against an evenly matched Trinity Grammar side ending the game in a 17 all draw. The 11A’s continued their great form and came away with another strong (and muddy) win against Knox. The Rugby 7 teams were short on numbers in Round 6 due to illness and other absences, however that did not stop them from putting in a valiant effort against their opposition. The Rugby 7s teams finished with 4 wins from 4 games. Excellent results all around!
Mr Antonio Morris - Junior School Rugby Convenor
SPX Rugby Suppoter's Club
Save the Dates! - Rugby Club Dinner & Rugby Club Golf Day
- Rugby Club Dinner - Saturday, 30 July - Roseville Golf Club - from 7.00 pm – (bookings via TryBooking will be provided next week – more detailed information to be provided next week).
- Rugby Club Golf Day - Wednesday, 23 November - Roseville Golf Club - from 1.00 pm.
Mr Paul O’Neill - President
SPX Rugby Supporters’ Club
Tel: 0418-634750
Email: paoneill21@gmail.com
Junior Football
Our 11s got their first taste of playing our archrivals St Patrick’s last weekend. They are always very strong in the Juniors from the As though to the Es. We had more success with our Preps who played Grammar St Ives. Thanks to the parents who have been sending in phots from the games each week. Keep sending them through! As the mornings continue to get colder a reminder that boys are to only wear their SPX tracksuit to and from the games.
Training resumes this Thursday at Oxford Falls for all teams. Once again the boys will be put through their paces with a Coerver session and a game play session. The Coerver session focuses on individual skills with maximum player involvement. The players can then practise the skill at home and are encouraged to view the link showing the skill from different angles. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V6MBhqjnozg
Mr Paul Cummins - Junior Football Convenor
From the Football Supporters Club
Book now for the SPX Football Holiday Camp at Oxford Falls Campus
Monday 27 June 2022 to Wednesday 29 June 2022
Improve your football skills at the SPC Football Holiday Camp with Coerver Coaching.
Coerver Coaching holiday camps offer a fun-filled football experience. Each day will include Coerver Super Skills competitions and challenges, Ball Mastery, Coaching sessions focusing on developing effective use of skill, small sided Coerver Games, and a mini Coerver Cup Tournament.
Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/UPLP
When: Monday 27 June 2022 to Wednesday 29 June 2022, 9.00 am to 12.00 pm
Where: SPX Oxford Falls Campus
Cost: $60 per day, single or multi-day tickets available
Transport Options:
- Parents to drop off and pick up boys from Oxford Falls
OR
- Bus transport available from SPX Chatswood Campus (for up to 53 students per day only - please book early)
- 8.15 am drop off at Anderson St, front of school. Bus to depart 8.30 am sharp.
- 12.10 pm depart from Oxford Falls. Arrive at Anderson St SPX Chatswood Campus at 12.40 pm subject to traffic conditions
Bring:
- Football boots, shin pads, football training clothes (SPX sports uniform not required)
- Water bottle with name clearly marked
- Sunscreen, cap and rain gear and sneakers (for indoor football play for wet weather)
- Food for snacks and lunch
- A football for skills practice
- Coerver footballs are available for optional purchase for $20 on the Trybooking link
You can also bring a football from or use one of the SPX training footballs
- Years 5 to 7 to bring a Size 4 Football
- Years 8 and above to bring a Size 5 Football
Mrs Lorna Hammond - SPX Football Supporters Club President
footballclub@pandf.spx.nsw.edu.au
From the Junior Resource Centre
This week's highlights: Books build empathy and libraries create community. Come down and visit the library and ask Mrs Martin for some great book recommendations.
Where time allows, I always try to ask students why they have chosen to borrow a particular library book – it helps them to develop skills in self- selection of books such as being able to articulate what they first noticed about a book and why they think it will interest them.
Ask your child this week about why they chose a particular book. The answers can be insightful, a shrug of “I don’t know!” (In which case you could ask them to think about what books might interest them.)
#libarieschangelives#libariesareawesome
Book Week 2022 – Term 3
Theme: Dreaming with Eyes Open. #CBCA2022
FIND YOUR BOOK WEEK PARADE COSTUME
Get ready, Term Three is almost upon us and Book Week is coming!!!! (20 - 26 August, 2022). You have two choices when it comes to your Book Week parade costume – wing it at the last moment and hope for the best, or plan weeks (or months) in advance and win ‘Most Awesome-est Book Week Costume Ever’ award. My suggestion is… go for the latter.
Some ideas to help you are:
- Read as many books as you can get your hands on.
- Make a list of your favourite characters.
- Gather your supplies and do a costume run-through to make sure it all works.
- If you’re struggling for ideas, the CBCA has partnered exclusively with Spotlight for costume parade inspiration, so you could check out their site and DIY suggestions.
Harry Potter – Anniversary Workshops and Events at Chatswood Library
Celebrate 25 years since the magical world of Harry Potter was unleashed with workshops and events that will have you spell-bound!
8 July: A Day At Hogwarts, (8 - 11yrs)
12 July: A Magic Crafternoon (6 - 9 yrs)
12 July: Knotting Magic (10+ yrs)
14 July: Coding Magic (8 - 11 yrs)
The Junior School JRC will also have an exciting program to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the release of the first Harry Potter Book in Week 9. Watch this space! “When in doubt, go to the library” Ron Weasley
A big thank you to Oliver Shoudra who really enjoyed working on the Harry Potter 3D puzzle.
Author Visit – Nat Amoore and Mike Barry.
Thanks to kids’ author extraordinaire Nat Amoore and Mike Barry who dropped into St Pius X yesterday to discuss their new novel “We Run Tomorrow”. It was great meeting this dynamic duo! #weruntomorrow
If you want a copy signed by both authors link on the link below.
https://www.thechildrensbookshopspeakersagency.com.au/person/amoore-nat-barry-mike-speaker/
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail: We Run Tomorrow by Nat Amoore and Mike Barry
It is a postmodern, multimodal, hybrid mashup. While that sounds complicated ….relax. This is a page turning novel written by Nat Amoore that incorporates comic book sections created by Mike Barry. It is fantastic!
‘Sticks, Macki, Jed and Tommy live on the same street. But the adults around them are making decisions that could tear the four friends apart. When they discover their favourite comic book series is being made into a blockbuster movie, they know what they have to do. Get to the audition. Get the parts. Stay together. Four kids and four superheroes – who are taking their future into their own hands.'#mrsmartinsbooktrail2022
Mrs Elena Martin – Teacher Librarian
IPSHA Debating
Congratulations to our debaters on their efforts on their first away debate in Round 2 of the IPSHA Competition last Friday where we travelled to Newington College, Lindfield. The boys won the negative and were defeated in the affirmative. Both teams were very well prepared, presented very convincing, well researched arguments and great teamwork. A special mention to the Year 5 Debaters: Lachlan Yu, Dylan Gleeson, Charlie Wilcox and Lachlan Thompson it was their first debate. Well done to all the boys for their efforts on both debates and the commitment to debating training sessions.
Mrs Bettina Spanyik - Learning Enrichment Teacher
Junior School Chess Club
Teams A, B and C will be playing at HOME this week, 10 June.
Mrs Elena Martin - Junior School Chess Convenor