Pastoral Care 

• Year 7 and 8 Study Skills Evening
• Bingara Exchange
• Red Dirt Expedition 2021
• 200 Years of Catholic Schools in Australia Anniversary Mass
• Reconciliation Week assembly - Reconciliation Takes Action
• Monday Assembly
• Singing Up Country - Music Festival

Year 7 and 8 Study Skills Evening with Dr Prue Salter

This invaluable learning activity is open to students and parents from Year 7 and 8. Please book on the Trybooking site provided so that we can monitor attendee numbers and other considerations for our COVID-safe plan.

It will be held on Monday 7 June from 6.30 pm to 8.00 pm.  This is a free event.

This is a highly recommended study skills evening which should be attended by parent/s with their son. In lieu of the cancellation last year due to COVID-19 we are inviting both Year 7 and Year 8 families, and parents are asked to book. The event will be held in the gym and parking will be available in the school yard.  

Please use the following Trybooking link to book:  https://www.trybooking.com/758453

Bingara Exchange

An opportunity exists for several students in Years 10 and 11 to join a youth delegation and engage in a student exchange on 24 – 28 June between Willoughby City Council and Bingara Gwydir Shire Council 600km NW of Sydney. In the past this has been an invaluable experience for St Pius X students who have participated. The program is free, sponsored by Willoughby Council and the group will experience a program of rural activities including horse riding, farm and agricultural activities and attend the Bingara Orange Festival.

Students selected to participate would be expected to participate in the reciprocal visit Thursday 9 – 13 September (No billeting required). The exchange program is a part of an induction to membership in Willoughby Council Youth Advisory Group  (WYAG).

Please see Mr Brannan for further information and application forms. Applications close Friday 28 May.

Red Dirt

Preparations for our Red Dirt Expedition are in full swing and over the coming weeks, prior to our 20 June departure we have a number of guest speakers and preparatory tasks to prepare the students as Ambassadors for Reconciliation. In November we hope to be able to host The Goodooga Central School at the Treacy Centre Oxford Falls as they come to Sydney to connect with us.

On The Red Dirt Expedition:

Students will travel by school minibus to the Warrumbungles National Park, Coonabarabran and subsequently to Baradine, Dubbo, Walgett, Brewarrina, and Bourke to:

• Visit the Siding Springs Australian Astronomical Telescope (Coonabarabran).
• Set up camp for 2 night overnight stay (Warrumbungle National Park).
• Bushwalk the renowned Grand High Tops Walk / Visit Sandstone Caves and Reconciliation Sculptures in the Pilliga Scrub and/or Baradine Land Council and cultural sites with an Aboriginal guide from the Kamilaroi people.
• Drive to Dubbo to bike tour the Western Plains Zoo and stay overnight in Dubbo Caravan Park.
• Visit St Lawrence's and Coonabarabran High, St John’s Baradine, St Brigid's Coonamble,  St Joesph's Walgett, St Patrick’s Brewarrina and Brewarrina Fish Traps, one of the oldest man-made intact archeological sites in the world - COVID-19 restrictions dependent.
• Visit St Ignatius Primary School Bourke to take reading groups, literacy, numeracy or sport sessions - COVID-19 restrictions dependent.
• Return to school camping overnight in Dubbo for afternoon dismissal from Chatswood on Saturday 26 June.

If there are any donations of stationery or sporting equipment or other ideas / materials we could share with the remote rural and Aboriginal communities we visit, please contact Mr Brannan.

200 Years of Catholic Schools in Australia, Anniversary Mass

Next Monday all Catholic schools across NSW will engage with this event. Our students will attend a celebratory Mass from 10.30 am – 11.30 am live-streamed to Homerooms from Our Lady of Dolours Church, where Mercy College and St Pius Year 12 students and OLD Primary Year 5 and 6 students will be in attendance. Students will have normal lessons Period 1, then a Recess session before and after Mass, after which we will resume normal classes from Period 4 to 6.

Reconciliation Week Assembly – Reconciliation Takes Action

On Monday 31 May the College will celebrate Reconciliation Week with an Assembly commemorating both the Mabo High Court ruling (3 June) and the 1967 Referendum (27 May).

Local Aboriginal man Mr Phillip Goods will welcome our partners from The Glen Centre from the Central Coast, reflecting on the tradition of Aboriginal people welcoming and being responsible for the conduct of other people visiting their land in terms of where to camp, hunt, fish, collect resources, and generally show respect for the environment and people.

Students who will act as ambassadors for reconciliation on behalf of the College, are asked to bring their College Indigenous Jersey to the Assembly to have them ceremonially endorsed before our upcoming respective tours and immersions.

Monday Assembly

At Assembly on Monday, Year 11 students Harrison Melloy and Tom Marren reported on their successful Study Day last Wednesday at which Dr Prue Salter prepared the cohort for the rigours of Senior HSC Study. A session on HSC verbs focussed on the need to ensure assessment responses address the question fully, and then Mr Russo consolidated the day with a session on reflective meditation for wellbeing, relaxation and focus.

Year 10 students Mitch McGrath and Caleb Hanrahan similarly reflected on their Friday Reflection Day at which Mr di Sano and Mr Mulheron addressed the theme of relationships which was then consolidated by the performance of guest speaker Mr Brett Hunt who relayed through story the importance of connecting through relationships throughout life.

The Assembly also gave the opportunity to celebrate the recent appointment of Performing Arts Captain, James Baldock, who was Master of Ceremonies at our return to live Twilight Concerts last Thursday evening. We also recognised Ms Lindley’s Climate Change Movie-making Team, who have been working diligently over recent holidays and weekends to prepare their series of short films for the benefit of the school community. We eagerly await their highly anticipated Movie release! Watch this space.

Singing Up Country

Frenchs Forest Catholic Parish are promoting an outdoor mini music festival featuring Aboriginal music from Sydney which is very synonymous with the College’s Reconciliation Action Plan and initiatives such as our June Red Dirt Expedition. As well as to connect with and support local First Nations entities such as our local Gawura Aboriginal Education Consultation Group . This Dry event will be held on 23 May at St Anthony in the Fields Church grounds at 46 Myoora Rd Terrey Hills. It features a fantastic line up of talent from Sydney's Aboriginal music scene.Tickets can be obtained at www.trybooking.com/BQNBD

Sausage sizzle and tea coffee and water included. 

Its fundraising band raffle boasts $2500 worth in prizes.

Mr Sean Brannan - Acting Deputy Principal

St Pius X College acknowledges our First Nations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and particularly the Cammeraygal people, 

whose interconnection with this land sustained and 

fulfilled them mentally, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually, 

over thousands of years. 

May we learn from their wisdom.

Fide et Labore