MindMatters
for Students & Families
Buddies Bushwalk
- Year 10 Pastoral Care
- Buddies Bushwalk
- The White Knight Foundation Walk Against Youth Violence - Sunday 24th September
- Morning Boxercise at SPX
A good life is when you smile often,
dream big, laugh a lot
and realise just how blessed you are
for what you have.
Year 10 Pastoral Care
On Tuesday 12th September Nick Papastamatis (College Captain 2005) gave an insightful talk on leadership and how to run a successful business. The students were led through a 40 minute tutorial on personality traits of a leader, examples of successful businesses as well as Nick’s own company 'Balance Health and Performance'.
Nick gave examples and reflections on the feedback he received from Mr Pawlak and Mr Masters as being instrumental in being the determined and accomplished man he has become. He reminded Year 10 of the valuable personal lessons he learned at school, university and in the workforce. He reflected on the meaning of excellence, hard work and looking for support.
We valued his time and the students gained a greater understanding of what it means to be a Pius Man in the 21st century.
Miss A Foord - Stage 5 Wellbeing Coordinator
Buddies Bushwalk
Over 62 members of the College Community, including buddy members of Mr Russo’s Mindmatters Peer Mentoring Program, engaged in the Annual St Pius X College Buddies Bushwalk last Sunday. With the route adjusted on NPWS advice, instead of the usual Acron Oval to Davidson Park route, we hiked the Currie Road, Magazine and Killarney Heights Tracks along the Middle Harbour waterline, around the Sydney Harbour Trust WWII ammunition stores to Roseville Bridge Picnic Area where we ended our hike with a BBQ hosted by SPX parents including Mr Frank and Mrs Kate Vaccher, Mr Ian Fong and Mr Mark Monico.
The hike provided an opportunity for the group to thank those Year 12 students in attendance in their final Mentors commitment before their HSC: College Captain Joe Unwin, Brandon Jubian, Tom Gazey, Jack Schyvens, Nick Slack, Joshua Thompson, Sean Gomez, Matt Staal and Andrew Jackson.
No less deserving of praise were our Year 11 Mentors who enjoyed a few hours respite from study before their Preliminary Course Exams this week: Oliver Stewart, Jonathan Stewart, James Spencer, Adrian Currrington, Michael Currington, Jack Moran, Matthew Murphy, Lachlan Gauci, Lewis Handy, Josh Smith and Alistair Wright.
The hope is that some more of our Years 9, 10 and 11 students will step into the void to mentor the sometimes challenging tradition of our Junior students into and through the College and that in turn some of our current junior “Mentees” will step up to empathetically mentor Junior students in the years to come.
Thanks are due also to the staff who attended this initiative: our inspirational College Counsellor Mr Rick Russo, Ms Amanda Fileman - a new addition to our Mindmatters and Learning Support Teams - and long-serving role model of the College Mr Jim Olson. They were well supported on the walk by parents and grandparents including Mrs Mary Thompson, Mr Wayne Crispe, Mr Stuart Mirabello, Mr Greg Spencer and several generous others who requested anonymity. Like those from the 1798 Irish Uprising we will respect their wishes only once until freedom is achieved!
Fide et Labore: Through Faith and Hard Work
Mr S Brannan - Head of Student Services
The White Knight Foundation
Walk Against Youth Violence
Liam Knight, an ex-student of St Pius X College, invites all SPX families to get involved again with the 2017 Walk Against Youth Violence.This event will take place on 24th September beginning at 8.00am. The walk will be from the Spit to Manly, a 10km picturesque walk. For more information please see the Social Justice page of this newsletter or visit the website:
http://www.thewhiteknightfoundation.com/events
Mr R Russo - College Counsellor
Boxercise
A reminder that Boxercise is held every Thursday and Friday morning at 7.30am in the Junior School playground. This MindMatters initiative provides friendship, fun and fitness to strengthen students’ resilience and general sense of wellbeing. Classes are free to all students.
Mr R Russo - College Counsellor