Pastoral Care

From the Assistant Principal Pastoral Care

“You are not born with resilience, you develop it through choice, effort and practice.”   MW

Staff Meeting and Student Community Wellbeing

Peer Support

Mercy Chapel Mass Tuesday 7 May

• Pastoral Care Red Dirt Social Justice Expedition and CIP Hours
• Old Boys News

Staff Meeting and Student Community Wellbeing

Mr Codsi directed a meaningful and interactive Staff Meeting on Monday afternoon featuring staff training in Complispace - our new safety, governance and compliance system - from Mr Reay and Ms Black; input on our collaborative literacy-focused teaching developments from Ms O’Brien, and on use of Office 365 technology as a learning delivery platform modelled by Ms Van Riet.

In the Pastoral Care and Wellbeing sphere Mr Masters reiterated the ongoing wellbeing, care, teaching and learning needs of our Year 12 students as they approach the HSC Trials. Ms Janes and Mr Ticli introduced elements of the new National “Be You” framework for enhancing student wellbeing and mental health. This program supersedes our school’s ground-breaking earlier work as a lighthouse MindMatters school and is definitely worth applying as a whole school approach to the benefit and interests of students, parents, staff and the holistic school community wellbeing. 

Finally, and still in this context, Mr Russo highlighted some contemporary literature in David Gillespie’s book “Teenage Brain”. Gillespie topically presents some contemporary discussion and theories which bear significant consideration from both parents and teachers. For a thought provoking snapshot of his thinking, refer to the ABC podcast of Richard Fidler’s  “Conversations” interview with him on ABC Radio Sydney last week. It is a topic and contemporary issue we need to address in an informed and considered manner, and complements our presentation early Term 1 from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. The resources that each presents, and the need for supervision of child and adolescent technology use, are the major findings.

For more discussion you can attend next Monday's P&F meeting at which Mr Russo will present as guest speaker. 

Peer Support

Our Peer Support program including Year 5 and 7 students and their Year 11 leaders came to an initial conclusion with a Monday Period 4/lunchtime session at Beauchamp Oval. The “vertical” program aims to support the transition and familiarisation of students into what we hope is their new safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment. As always any feedback or observations regarding the program are warmly received as we seek to evolve and enhance the quality of our practices.

I particularly commend the Year 5 and 7 students for their engagement with the program, and our Year 11 leaders for their dedication and guidance to our younger students. Thank you to the many staff who have supported the program including those who gave up their lunch break on Monday, and particularly to Ms Dempsey and Ms Kugananthan who so capably directed the program, from the training of our leaders last year to the weekly briefing and planning sessions for the leaders and supervision of each and every session.

St Pius X College is a highly regarded and rewarding pastoral care and wellbeing focused community largely through the work and quality of leaders such as these.

Mercy Chapel Mass Tuesday 7 May

To celebrate the week of the Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice, and Br Carl Sherrin’s assertion that the beatification of Edmund Rice should have coincided with that of both Nano Nagel (founder of the Presentation Sisters) and Catherine McAuley (Founder of the Sisters of Mercy), we were proudly represented at Fr Jim’s Mercy Chapel Mass on Tuesday by Year 5 students Ethan Fajemesin (5 Blue) and Lucas Robson (5 Red) as well as Tom Connaghan and Robbie Sappupo (Year 8).

Pastoral Care Red Dirt Social Justice Expedition and CIP Hours

St Pius X College Coonabarabran, Walgett and Bourke Pastoral Care and Social Justice July Expedition

Preparations are being consolidated for the July Pastoral Care Expedition when a team of our students will consolidate our links and connections with the schools and partnerships we have developed in rural, remote and indigenous Australia.

The expedition will take place on the first week of our (Saturday sport playing schools) July holidays when the Schools we will visit are still in Term time. We aim to depart Chatswood very early (5.30am) on Sunday 30 June and return Saturday 6 July mid-afternoon.

Given the rich learning, social justice, and cultural activities planned on this expedition, Community Involvement (CIP) Hours required by Year 10 and 11 students who participate will be completed on the expedition.

Please see Mr Brannan or Mr Mulheron ASAP to get on board or consider further. Numbers are limited.

Fide et Labore

Old Boys' News

The Old Boys' Dinner will be held on Friday 13 September.  The AGM is upcoming soon with details to be confirmed.

Please feel free to assist on the Old Boys' BBQ any given Saturday, and stay tuned for our Orchard Tavern get together in Term 4.

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal Pastoral Care