From the Principal

• Prayer
• “TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL” - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
• Message from EREA Executive Director, Dr Wayne Tinsey
• New Staff
• Thank you to the College Community
• Swimming Carnivals
• HSC Success
• P&F Opening School Mass - Saturday 16 February
• Major Upcoming Events in Term 1, 2019

Prayer Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated,

it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,

it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

“TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL” - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

At the parent Information Evenings this week I have shared with parents some of the inspirational words from the Senior Australian of the Year, Dr Suzanne Packer, a paediatrician who has worked to prevent child abuse. Dr Packer gives great emphasis to parents and adults being attentive and present to their children.

"Plants and children need appropriate environments to flourish. When I plant seedlings and things go wrong I don’t blame the seedlings. From our families to our governments so often we blame the children – with things such as ‘shows no respect’ ‘eats too much junk food’ and so on. We need to remember that we adults are the drivers for the world our children experience every day.

We adults need to be the ones who need to change. We need to notice children. Be curious about their lives. We need to think about our interactions with children in 3 ways. What we do to children, what we do for children and what we do with children. The last is pure gold. It could be anything and everything. Giggling with a baby or working on a project together. We need to value ALL children regardless of their circumstances. My dream is that one day Australia will be recognised as the best place in the world to be a child.”

We truly know as parents that our children are at their best when we are interested in them, present at their activities and challenging and affirming them. This does not mean giving in to them, or being worried that if you limit their screen time or say “NO” to their requests that they’ll be really angry. Getting them involved and knowing what they are doing is a key. They will accept what you do, especially when you stay close to them and when they know that you love them even when you have to set out the boundaries. We can’t always be their best friend but we will always be their parent.

Message from EREA Executive Director, Dr Wayne Tinsey

I share with you the attached letter from the Executive Director of EREA, Dr Wayne Tinsey to all schools and staff welcoming them to the start of the new school year and emphasising the mission of Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition.

New Staff

I welcome staff new to the College and we are indeed blessed with a very qualified, experienced and dynamic group joining the College.  I wish them every success and offer the support of staff, students and parents for their time at St Pius X College.

• Mr Nathan Mulheron - Assistant Principal, Mission & Identity
• Mr Paul Ticli - Year 8 Coordinator
• Mr Justin Varjavandi - Science Teacher
• Mr Paul Donovan - PD/H/PE and RE teacher
• Mrs Jacqueline Loughman - English, HSIE
• Mr Antony Horan - Mathematics, Science & STEM
• Mr James Quinn - TAS
• Mr Fernando Mendez - TAS
• Ms Felicity van Riet - HSIE
• Mrs Annabel Gunns - Learning Support Coordinator
• Mr Nathanael Primrose-Heaney - Music
• Mr Chris Ure - Year 6 Teacher
• Mrs Sarah Panozzo - Student Office
• Mr Jack Gruber - ICT Trainee

Thank you to the College Community

Last year the College supported our various partner schools and associations as part of our Social Justice in Action.  I share with you the many expressions of appreciation from those communities - St Vincent de Paul for our Christmas Appeal, St Joseph’s Walgett, St Edmund’s Wahroonga, the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice at Homebush and St Mary’s at Bowraville who received the toys.  I pass on to you their thanks to our community and add my appreciation as well.

Swimming Carnivals

Our two swimming carnivals have been great successes and I thank Mr Stearn and Mr Virgona along with all staff for these great community events. Congratulations to the House captains and all the competitors.  Full results will be published in a future Woodchatta but in short, the results were:

• SENIOR CARNIVAL:  The winning house was RICE, followed by Treacy, Purton and Barron.  The staff relay team, after three years in the wilderness, charged to victory and won the Staff/Student relay!
• JUNIOR CARNIVAL:  BARRON was the winning house, with Purton 2nd, Rice 3rd and Treacy 4th. A full report with age champions and photos will be in next week's Woodchatta.

HSC Success

Hunter Clarke (Class of 2018) delighted the St Pius Board and new parents with his performance of “Afro Blue” by Mongo Santamaria, in preparation of his Encore performance at the Sydney Opera House on 18 February. Encore is NESA’s Showcase Concert of exemplary HSC Music candidates.

Our sincere thanks to Mr Ian Talati, Mr Stephen Cummins and Mrs Stella Waddington for supporting Hunter’s journey through the College. 

P&F Opening School Mass - Saturday 16 February

Come and meet new parents at the P&F Welcome Mass and Light Supper beginning at 5.30pm on Saturday 16 February.  Mass begins at 5.30pm in Our Lady of Dolours Church followed by refreshments in the College playground.

Please click on the invitation below for details and for catering purposes, please reply via the Trybooking link:  https://www.trybooking.com/GNOU

Major Upcoming Events in Term 1, 2019

• Years 10 & 11 Parent Information Evening 6.30pm Thursday 7 February
• Opening School Mass Tuesday 12 February
• P & F Commencement Mass 5.30pm Saturday 16 February
• Junior School Parent/Teacher Meetings Monday 18 February
• Ash Wednesday 6 March
• First P & F Meeting Monday 18 March

Please refer to the 'Upcoming Events' page of this Newsletter for the 2019 College Calendar and Term Dates. 

Detailed information on how to download the College App is also included so that you can stay up to date with College news and events.

Mr John Couani - Principal