Pastoral Care
- Buddies Peer Mentoring Bushwalk
- Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion
- Year 8 PDHPE Outdoor Education Program
- Office of the eSafety Commissioner
- Year 9 Ceroc Dance Workshop
- Performing Arts Festival
- St Martin de Porres' Church Feast Day
Buddies Peer Mentoring Bushwalk
Our Buddies bushwalk departs Chatswood Kirk St gate this Sunday 6 November, meeting at 8.00 am, for a bushwalk from the Spit to Manly and finishing with a swim and morning tea at Forty Baskets netted beach before returning to school. (Students maybe picked up from Forty Baskets or return to school as per the permission note. Bring a small daypack with:
- 1L water
- Snacks/Lunch
- Hat, suncreen, swimmers, towel
We still have a few spots available so please see Mr Russo, Mr Ticli, Mr Stollery, Ms Fileman or Mr Brannan if you would like to participate.
Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion
Next Tuesday 8 November Year 5 students will honour our veteran service men and women with an excursion to the Kokoda Walkway at Brays Bay Reserve Concord. In preparation for Remembrance Day the Year 5 students have been researching stories of the veterans who served our country and will lay a poppy at the plaques dedicated to them in the Concord Hospital Garden of Remembrance.
A Remembrance Ceremony will be conducted at the Memorial there and we hope to play the Last Post and Reveille on the Bugle sourced by Mr Anthony Timmins in tribute.
The veterans who guide us around the Walkway and tell the stories of the Kokoda campaign provide an eloquent prelude to Remembrance Day and follow up to Kokoda Day (3 November). The students will develop a great respect for listening to their stories and have the opportunity to meet Mrs Maria Barrett the sole surviving sister of Pte Jacob de Sisto St Pius X College Old Boy KIA December 18 1944.
Later in the week will hear from Year 5 students, Rory Rapa, Charles Wilcox and Jack Munro who will recount their research of the stories of veterans: Lt Col Ralph Honner, Capt Bede Tongs and Pte Jacob De Sisto at school and at the Chatswood RSL Garden of Remembrance Ceremony.
Lest we forget.
Year 8 PDHPE Outdoor Education Program
Last Wednesday the Year 8 students began their Outdoor Education rotation with 2 classes each participating in Kayaking at Narrabeen Lake, Bushwalking in Garigal National Park at Forestville, and Rockclimbing at Artarmon Climbfit. The program continues next week and we look forward to continuing the high rates of student attendance, participation and engagement of our students in cooperation with their PDHPE staff.
Office of the eSafety Commissioner
At this time of Term 4, as our students consolidate their learning for the school year and prepare for the summer, families are reminded of the need to maintain healthy patterns of use of technology and limiting screentime to keep it positive and functional. Catholic Schools NSW recently shared their concerns for some patterns of student socialisation throughout the state. Please access the website: www.esafety.gov.au for resources and advice on safeguarding wellbeing and activity online.
Year 9 Ceroc Dance Workshop Friday 18 November
After the great success of our Year 9 Pastoral Care Camps living out our theme as “Respectful Men of Honour” Year 9 will be hosting Brigidine College St Ives at our Oxford Falls Campus on Friday 18 November. Students should wear sports uniform, bring their lunch and a positive attitude to host, learn and connect with all the girls from Brigidine importantly including members of their Caroline Chisholm program.
Members of Year 9 who would be prepared to assist with welcome, prayer, acknowledgement of country and leading other hosting duties should see Mr Brannan.
Performing Arts Festival
The fine tradition of excellent Music Performance at the College continues this week and next with our Performing Arts Festival conducted through Mr Anthony Timmin's (RIP) vision and in his honour.
Congratulations to the 30 students who performed their piano pieces in front of a live audience of parents and their dedicated tutors Ms Gan, Ms Waddington and Mr Thomson on Monday night. Year 10 student Michael Krizan did a great job as MC.
On Tuesday night Mr Blunt and Mr Sismey led their trumpet teams who played with great distinction.
Vale Mr Anthony “Herbie” Timmins who organised the Festival, and to whom it is dedicated!
St Martin de Porres’, Davidson Church of Frenchs Forest Parish, Feast Day
St Pius X College was well represented at the St Martin de Porres' Church Feast Day Outdoor Vigil Mass of celebration on Saturday evening with Daniel Formosa (Year 10), Simon Ellis (Year 9) and Oliver Ryder and Joseph Wilson (Year 5) leading the way under the leadership of Mr Biefeld, St Martin’s Catholic School Acting Principal, and Mrs Suzanne Bragge, Parish Liaison.
The Mass was a celebration of culture with Fr Roger celebrating his anniversary of Ordination as lead celebrant, Deacon Peter’s homily relaying the life and times of St Martin of Lima in the context of Zachariah’s story in the Gospel of Luke, and Fr Satheesh and Fr Biju leading the cooking for the post vigil feast.
St Martin’s has long been closely linked to St Pius through the many students and families from that Parish, and the tradition continues with a strong connection to the Forest Garigal Cammeraygal country.
Fide et Labore
Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Mission and Identity