Student & Parent Matters

• Year 9 PLD Administration Rights and Curfew Trial
• ​From the Head of Student Services

                 -   Orientation Day for Year 7, 2018

                 -   Year 8 PDHPE Lifelong Physical Activities Unit

                 -   Brigidine College – St Pius X College Year 9 Ceroc Dance Workshop

                  -   Australian Catholic Youth Festival

Year 9 PLD Administration Rights and Curfew Trial

In Term 3 and early Term 4 we undertook a trial with Year 9 students, removing their administration rights and enforcing a log out curfew on their PLDs. This was to limit distractions such as gaming and to help develop more positive sleep habits.

At the end of the Trial we consulted with students, teachers and staff to see what they thought. The students’ responses were very insightful. Many (over 70%) said that they understood and agreed with the reasons behind the Trial.  However, as one student commented, “The responsibility of a curfew should not be forced upon the students, it should be taught in a way that the responsibility is ours, and how it is our choice to do the right thing.”  Many students commented on how it affected their stress levels in trying to balance school, work, training and other commitments which was not the intention of the Trial.

Parents were divided in their responses to the Trial with roughly a three-way split on all questions between ‘agree’, ‘disagree’ and ‘neutral’, with the exception being the response to the “switching distractions”. The majority of parents agreed that students switched to using their phones or home computers instead. Some parents were supportive of the Trial continuing but others remarked:

As with most homes these days, there are computers and devices everywhere, so controlling the PLD didn't lead to less screen time or more sleep time. So neutral overall. I don't think it's worth the angst and annoyance caused by the curfew. The boys need to be trusted to work out their own schedule, they are old enough to be responsible for that. Sure we can, as parents, encourage them to go to bed earlier or get some fresh air, but their world is very different to the one we grew up with and to a degree we do have to accept that.

The response from the staff was also mixed. There seemed to be little data to suggest homework or achievement rates improved or that students had more energy due to more sleep. One staff member commented that “the problem is that they have to want to change their habits and at the moment they do not want to change.”

So where to from here? As a school our priority is education and that includes life skills such as self-management and self-restraint. We as adults know we can’t spend our workdays on Facebook or Candy Crush so it’s about instilling that same sense of responsibility in our students.

In 2018 the College will be working on educating students and supporting parents in managing their PLD use. We want to work in partnership to develop ethical, critical, creative thinkers who can use the powerful tool of technology wisely.

Ms A Gripton - Innovation and Knowledge Management Coordinator

From the Head of Student Services

St Pius X Student Leaders Represent the College at Chatswood RSL Garden of Remembrance Commemoration 11/11/2017

The College was well represented at the Chatswood RSL Remembrance Day Ceremony last Saturday 11th November. Although many of our Junior Class and House Captains were on ISA/IPSHAA Saturday Sporting Duties the wreath was solemnly laid by 5 Gold Class Captain Max Forbes, Year 8 Rice House Vice Captain Alex Hannam, Year 9 MindMatters Team member Daniel Fileman, Year 10 Barron House Vice Captain Kieran Zucconi and College Vice Captain Nikita Papastamatis who joined Mr Coauni at the beautiful Chatswood Garden of Remembrance.

The ceremony was a significant one led by Mr Garry Brigden and Mr Barney Flanagan of Chatswood RSL and attended by Willoughby Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney. Also in attendance was Daphne Dunne whose first husband Albert Chowne was a local boy awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest British and Australian army award for valour, for his actions in Papua New Guinea. He is buried in Lae Cemetery, PNG, and the Willoughby Park Memorial Hall is named after him.

After the ceremony we were able to chat with Mrs Daphne Dunne who although well into her nineties, was able to recount her and Albert’s stories to the students. Recently she met Prince Harry on his visit to Sydney.  Like the De Sisto sisters who attend our College Remembrance Day Ceremonies, she was also very excited to learn that we will again visit and pay our respects at the Bomana War Cemetery next June on our Biannual Kokoda Expedition. Prior to hiking the Track in 2018 we are planning an SPX Kokoda Expedition Advance Party Immersion to the Christian Brothers run Callan Services Disabled Education Schools in Port Moresby. 

Fittingly the SPX Kokoda Track Expedition 2016 party included as one of its strongest members Declan Langreiter (Year 10) whose Great Uncle Flt Sgt Anthony Gillespie lost his life in WWII, and to whom our College Foyer Honour Board is dedicated. Pte Jacob De Sisto is honoured by a plaque in the Junior Playground and the Flagpole beside our Lone Pine. Such tangible links commemorating the past and educating our students to the tragedy of war are important and are testimony to the work of our College Historian Mr Tony Cunneen.

Wellbeing Prefects and MindMatters students welcome Year 7 2018 on Orientation Day

The welcome afforded our 160 strong Year 7 2018 cohort last Tuesday was testament to the MindMatters work of the College through our newly appointed Year 7 Coordinator, Mr Joe Lynch, and Wellbeing Teams.

The day featured a welcome delegation on the verandah for students and parents before a brief information session in the Senior Resource Centre for those parents wishing to attend. The information disseminated by Mr Lynch, Mr Couani, College Sportsmaster Mr Stearn, Performing Arts Coordinator Ms Bates, Learning innovation Coordinator Ms Gripton and Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning Mr Alex Damo can also be obtained by contacting Ms King or Ms Jennings in the College Enrolments office.

Year 6 – 7 Transition meetings and Allwell diagnostic testing then preceded lunch at Beauchamp Park and in the playground before our Year 7 Pastoral care staff, Wellbeing Prefects and Year 9 MindMatters students led a student information session in the Year 7 homerooms followed by tours of the school in student groups before dismissal from the Junior Playground around Melbourne Cup time.

Thanks to our Year 7 PC staff:  Ms Foord, Ms Alington, Ms Dempsey, Mr McBrearty and Mr Formosa;  Wellbeing Prefects:  Cooper Alan, Sam Massey, Carlo Obegosa-Jordan, and James Brown;  Vice Captains Jack Moran and Nikita Papastamatis and Year 9 MindMatters students: Tyson MaCallum, Dom Greenwood, Duncan Dingley, Lachlan Mathie and Gregor Dingley for what was a very successful day of integration for our 2018 Year 7 cohort.

Year 8 PDHPE Lifelong Physical Activities Unit

It was great to see the high levels and quality of participation in the Year 8 PDHPE Physical Activity Options for Life unit. On Tuesday one third of the cohort respectively participated in rockclimbing with Mr O’Byrne, surfing with Mr Lynch and Mr McBrearty and bushwalking the Carroll Creek/Lyrebird Track in Davidson Park with Mr Cogan,  Mr Russo and Mr de Silva leading along the Middle Harbour track.

Brigidine College – St Pius X College Ceroc Dance Workshop - Monday 20th November

All Year 9 students are reminded that as an important part of their PDHPE and Pastoral Care Curricula they will participate in a CEROC Modern Dance Workshop at Oxford Falls next Monday 20th November with students from Brigidine College .

The event was highly successful last year when our students rose to the occasion, hosting our guests in a responsible and inclusive manner and working particularly well to include students from Brigidine’s Caroline Chisolm program for students with disability.

While Angus Growden was our “best on ground” in 2015, Gregor Dingley, standing in for a Year 9 History excursion, took the title in 2016. The book is open for the 2017 Best and Fairest title.  However we do know that our students will give a good account of themselves as ambassadors for the College both on and off the dance floor.

Students need to wear correct sports uniform, travel from school as normal and bring their recess and lunch on the day.

l Preparation unites Pius and Mercy students in dramatic performance of Biblical proportions.

Dedicated preparation continues for the combined Mercy College – St Pius X College drama performance “Mary Now” which will feature at the Australian Bishops’ Catholic Youth Festival at Homebush and the Domain from 7th to 9th December.

The SPX representation in the performance features Sam Schyvens, Lachlan Donlevy, James Bleasdale, Tim McLachlan (all Year 10) and Taylor Alan (Year 9). Under the guidance of Mercy College Drama teacher Ms Gill our students are levitating to new heights following the recent full dress rehearsal at the Mercy Performing Arts Evening.

A belated apology to Tim McLachlan whose great performance I attributed in last week’s Woodchatta to his brother Nic. Sorry Tim, I failed 101 Method Acting, and you were really great in character!

Mr S Brannan - Head of Student Services