Parent & Student Matters
- The 2023 Premier's Reading Challenge is Officially Open
- da Vinci Decathlon
- Drama
- Science
- Visual Arts
- Duke of Edinburgh Award
- Peer Support
- Diverse Learning
- Maths Drop In and Homework Help
- Online Workshop for Supervisors of Learner Drivers
The 2023 Premier's Reading Challenge is Officially Open
Over the next few weeks, library classes will focus on the PRC, which encourages students to read more, read widely, and develop their love for books.
The challenge requires students to read 20 books between 27 February and 18 August. This year the rules have been updated to allow students to choose 10 books of their own preference rather than 5. This change corresponds to research that identifies ‘personal choice’ as a key factor in reading success.
All students will receive their PRC passwords in the next week via the College email so they can start recording the books they have read since the 2022 PRC ended in late August. Some of our students are so enthusiastic that they complete their PRC on the first day of the Challenge.
So, get your bookmarks ready and support your son with the PRC as it helps to develop their literacy skills and encourages a love for reading.
Mrs Karen Keighery - Library and Information Services Coordinator
da Vinci Decathlon
St Pius X College has been a regular participant of the Da Vinci Decathlon hosted by Knox Grammar. This is an academic competition that challenges students ability to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively across 10 different disciplines. Participating in this competition has provided students with a unique opportunity to showcase their talents and develop a diverse range of skills.
The 10 different disciplines are
- Art and Poetry
- Cartography
- Code Breaking
- Creative Producers – Drama
- Engineering
- English
- Ideation – generating developing and creating new ideas
- Legacy – General Knowledge
- Maths
- Science
The competition is held in Week 3 of Term 3.
This year the College is committed to ensuring that our participants are well prepared for this engaging and fulfilling event. Therefore, preparation will commence after school on Monday 20 March - Week 8 of this term. Each training session will begin at 3:30 pm and finish at 4:30 pm.
All students are welcome to attend an information session so they can be aware of the commitment required.
Suitable candidates will enjoy high level problem solving, critical and creative thinking, and must be able to work collaboratively in a team environment. Final team selection will take all these factors into account.
More information about the event can be found here. https://www.davincidecathlon.com/
If you feel your son may be suitable for this programme, please encourage him to register his interest at St Pius X College da Vinci Decathlon 2023 Nomination Form
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the College
Mr Paul Cummins - Diverse Learning Teacher
Drama
Drama Production - Save the Date
See the Performing Arts Page for more information on this great production!
Science
Science Club
This week our Science Club students made lava lamps by mixing oil, water and food colouring and then adding an Alka-Seltzer tablet. The boys made different coloured lava lamps and experimented with different volumes of substances.
The Science behind this? The water and oil do not mix and the oil doesn’t change colour because the food colouring is water soluble. The Alka Seltzer reacts with the water to make bubbles of carbon dioxide. The bubbles attach themselves to the blobs of coloured water and bring them to the top of the glass. When the bubbles pop the blobs of coloured water fall back to the bottom of the glass.
Thank you to the Year 11 and 12 helpers who ran the session.
A reminder to students attending that Science Club starts at 1:00 pm and the doors will be shut before 1:10 pm.
Science Club welcomes all students who are interested in Science, but we expect sensible behaviour at all times.
International Science School
The International Science School is back in-person at the University of Sydney in 2023!
From 2 - 15 July, 120 top science students from across Australia and around the world will gather for nine days of inspiring, enthralling science. Applications are now open. If you're in Year 11 or 12 and enthusiastic about science, get your application in.
For more information and to apply, please use the link below.
Mrs Joanne Schuster - Science Coordinator
Visual Arts
“Kookaburras and Watercolours”
Kookaburras chirped in the morning breeze, as two SPX minibuses pulled up for a day of nature and artistry. On 28 February, Year 9 Visual Art classes went out to Harold Reid Reserve in Middle Cove, to observe nature and create their own artworks influenced by artists such as Margaret Flockton and Andy Goldsworthy. These artworks included sculptures, drawings, and watercolour paintings.
I had a lot of fun walking around the reserve and viewing many different plants and trees. We created sculptures out of sticks and stones, and others utilized charcoal with leaves or pieces of bark to make their own unique artworks on paper. Additionally, many made use of watercolours and paintbrushes designated to the students to produce vibrant paintings of plants, flowers, landscapes, and even animals seen throughout the day.
Thomas Zammit (Year 9 Student)
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Bronze Award 2023
Congratulations Jarred Lam (Class of 2022) and William Grant, Year 10 for being awarded the Bronze Award.
William Grant completed all aspects of the award and has attained a Bronze Certificate; an outstanding achievement and well deserved for consistent commitment to completing his goals for learning a new skill, serving the community, and committing to a physical activity, as well as a practice and qualifying adventurous journey.
New Registrations
The College has approximately 40 new registrations for the Award Scheme in 2023. You may join by registering on https://dukeofed.com.au/ and attending our weekly meetings.
Our next steps for new recruits are to provide support in setting goals and finding appropriate assessors for the skill, service, and physical activity. The boys are thinking broadly and viewing the Scheme as an opportunity to formalise their commitment to ‘life’. The ability to ‘give to others’, nurture oneself through a hobby and a skill and connect with others on a similar basis is the very foundation for a young man to evolve seamlessly into a responsible and dependable young adult.
We continue to meet each Monday morning in B3 at 8:15am to provide clarity and guidance on the achieving the outcomes for the Award.
We are grateful for Mr de Silva joining us at these meetings as his role in preparation and undertaking of the Adventurous Journeys is a major component of the Scheme.
Mrs Annabel Gunns - Duke of Edinburgh Convenor
Peer Support
Peer Support Session 4
This week in Peer Support, the groups continued to work through their programs, Year 5, Keeping Friends – focusing on relationships, and Year 7, Rethinking Challenges – a focus on resilience.
Year 5
This week in the Peer Support session, students will be focusing on the importance of support networks and the role that friends play in each other’s lives. The Year 5’s will construct a visual representation of this during the session.
Year 7
The focus of this week’s session is Wellbeing. Students will discuss the need to enhance their wellbeing so they are mentally and emotionally fit to face obstacles and setbacks they encounter. They consider the positive effects of elements such as eating well, getting sufficient sleep and regular exercise.
Achievements are redefined as the skills and attitudes learned in reaching a set goal rather than the final product. Students are encouraged to identify their strengths. These strengths could be their achievements, activities they enjoy, their aspirations and the opportunities and people they have to support them.
Ms Janelle Dempsey and Ms Veronica Bamber - Peer Support Leaders
Diverse Learning
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) 2023
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2023).
Please refer to the attached letter for further details.
Year 12 NESA Applications for HSC Disability Provisions
Applications are due for submission by the end of March. A number of students have submitted their Student Declaration and supporting documentation and already received their decision letter from NESA.
Please contact Annabel Gunns for advice on the NESA Disability Provisions applications or appeals. agunns@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Individual Learning Plans
All students from Year 5 – 12 who have a physical, emotional, cognitive or sensory matter which affects their learning have been contacted by Diverse Learning in order to create collaborative individual learning plans for Semester 1. If you have any questions regarding disclosure of information or relevant supports please contact the Diverse Learning Team.
NAPLAN 2023 Provisions
Parental consent forms for students in Year 5, 7 and 9 who may require rest breaks or extra time to complete NAPLAN testing have been issued.
Should an unexpected injury occur prior to the NAPLAN testing please contact Diverse Learning.
Positive Partnerships
https://www.positivepartnerships.com.au/all-about-autism
The current research suggests that within a group of 100 people, 1 or 2 of them will be on the autism spectrum. Autism can be diagnosed in people in all areas from all cultural and economic backgrounds. The characteristics of autism appear in early childhood, but it may be difficult to recognise them in infants and very young children.
All young people are unique. In order to support them effectively, it is important to get to know them.
For autistic individuals there are some key areas that are particularly important to understand in relation to an individual’s strengths and support needs.
Our Diversity Wheel covers areas including Strengths and Interests, Connections to Community and Culture, Social and Communication Skills, Sensory Processing, Self Care and Independence Skills, and Executive Functioning.
Students on the spectrum may have a scattered profile of strengths and support needs. They may behave and learn very differently in different environments. What we may see young people doing at home may be different to what they do at school.
Take a look at this Diversity Wheel graphic. Where you might position someone on the Diversity Wheel will change throughout the day, depending on who they are with and what environment they are in.
The outside of the circle indicates the individual may need less support in that area.
The middle of the circle indicates the individual may need more support in that area.
Mrs Annabel Gunns - Diverse Learning Coordinator
Maths Drop-In
MATHS DROP-IN YEARS 7 - 12
TUESDAY AND THURSDAY MORNINGS 7:40 am - 8:30 am in C1
These sessions are open to all students from Years 7-12 and are an ideal way to receive extra help, to do additional study or to complete homework. It is a great way to study with a friend and get ahead. Just simply turn up with your Maths books. Come along and be a part of the team in C1.
MATHS DROP-IN AND HOMEWORK HELP FOR YEARS 5 - 6
FRIDAYS 8.00 am – 8.40 am
Drop-in for help with difficult mathematics concepts or general homework. This is an ideal place where students can come and feel comfortable to ask questions. Students are encouraged to bring along specific queries, tasks, assessments, homework, general revision and problems to work on, with Mrs Fileman on hand, ready to help.
Starting Friday 17 February, with Mrs Fileman in 5 Gold classroom.
Mrs Amanda Fileman - Mathematics Teacher
Online workshop for Supervisors of Learner Drivers
Willoughby City Council is hosting a FREE online workshop for supervisors of learners drivers. The purpose of this workshop is to educate driving supervisors and ultimately help learner drivers become safer drivers. An expert facilitator will present the workshop on the night.
Details:
Cost – Free
Date – 30 March 2023
Time – 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Where – Online
How to register? Please click on the link to register for more information. Then click on the ‘Register on Eventbrite’ button for the online link for the workshop.