Pastoral Care
- Year 7 Study Skills Evening
- Year 9 PASS Excursion to HMAS Penguin
- Year 9 Grid Iron Day
- Red Dirt Expedition
- Kieran's Creek Landcare Volunteers
- Old Boys News
- Vale John Quirk
Year 7 Study Skills Evening
In an initiative developed by our inspirational school Counsellor Mr Rick Russo we were pleased to be able to host 300 Parents and their sons from Year 7, 8 and 9 to our Study Skills Seminar on Monday evening. Distinguished former teacher, year coordinator, and now researcher: Dr Prue Salter of Enhanced Learning presented a thoroughly worthwhile battery of strategies developed to optimise students and families’ organisation and planning. Dr Salter’s research and resources are designed to support achievement of the best academic results possible, with minimum of stress. In doing so they empower students to enhance their wellbeing and sense of meaning, purpose and connection to learning.
Dr Salter works with our students and families throughout their learning journey. Her interactive presentation is supported by St Pius X College’s access to her study skills website, linked below, on which there is a plethora of resources and prompts to complement our Learning Management systems such as the Student Diary and Canvas.
www.studyskillshandbook.com.au
Username: spx Password: 25success
We encourage all stakeholders to use this resource to support the son’s learning and preparation for assessments, and to engage and communicate early and often with teachers, pastoral care staff and the school, to enhance the learning culture and sense of shared purpose across our community. It was great to see the positive interaction between students and their parents in this context on Monday evening.
Year 9 Physical Activity and Sport Science Excursion to HMAS Penguin Clearance Diver and Underwater Medicine Unit
St Pius X College Year 9 Sport Science students enjoyed the fantastic opportunity to visit HMAS Penguin Navy Base on Wednesday to study the physiological, technological and human performance components of Clearance Diver training.
After a welcome from Commander Niperess, Royal Australian Navy Physical Training Instructor (PTI) specialists defined and demonstrated the fitness parameters and opportunities for RAN personnel. Commander McDevitt of the Clearance Diver School outlined the physiological components specific to training and clearance diving.
Lt Commander Dr Rebecca Byrne, leader of the Submarine Underwater Medical Unit SUMU then outlined the work and research of her team of Navy Doctors and Medics in supporting the Clearance Divers and operating equipment such as the Recompression Chambers.
The opportunity to watch a bomb disposal robot in training and understand the role of clearance divers was of great interest to the students.
We are indebted to the Royal Australian Navy and particularly to Lt Caldwell for supporting this rich real world learning experience from which the students will develop their understanding immensely.
Coincidentally this week recent ex student and 2014 SPX Kokoda Track Expedition participant (hiking the track in Year 9 with his dad Grahame) Tim Abbott (Class of 2017) graduated from HMAS Cresswell & ADFA as an officer and an engineer. Both Tim’s family and the College are very proud! Another source of great pride and a student who experienced the 2018 Kokoda Track Expedition with his Dad, Alex, another distinguished Old Boy is Sam Barrell (Class of 2020). This week Sam graduates from the historical Duntroon Military Academy in Canberra and will be posted to highly respected 3rd Royal Australian Regiment in Townsville.
Year 9 Grid Iron Day
On a sunny and mild Wednesday, Year 9 were given the opportunity to learn about the game of Grid-Iron at Oxford Falls. ‘Bring it on Sports’ former University of Hawaii College player Paul Manera taught us the simple rules, tactics, strategies and terminology in a short whiteboard session to begin the day. Once learning and taking in the intricacies of the game, we headed straight out onto the fields where we began to play Flag Grid-Iron, a non-contact version of the sport. This was well led by the coaches and staff of the college. It taught us the importance of working as a team as we quickly learnt that each player depended on the next and the need to have clear communication between people. With learning this game and having a run around outside, we were able to all have fun as a group and learn things we are unable to learn in a classroom. Soon after, we were treated to a BBQ kindly cooked by staff and then continuing with our triple PE session. Thanks to Mr Brannan and Mr Gillogly for organising and Mr Perry, Mr Stearn and Mr Kovacic for helping run the day. All of Year 9 really appreciated the opportunity given to us.
Year 9 Students - Euan Sproule & Liam Gallager
Red Dirt Expedition to Coonabarabran, Baradine, The Warrumbungles and Pilliga scrub, Coonamble, Walgett, Brewarrina and Bourke
Plans continue for our 5.00 am Sunday 26 June departure. Our 40 students and 10 staff are excited at the opportunity to engage with interact and learn respectfully from the remote rural and aboriginal communities and cultural sites of north western NSW.
Thanks to our Maintenance and Support Staff teams who are preparing the vehicles and materials to keep us safe and learning throughout the journey.
The students from Year 9 – 11 are conducting final briefings and looking forward to contributing to the ongoing Reconciliation Action Plan of the College in respect of the shared history and culture of Aboriginal Australia as well as connecting with our many friends and partner schools across the state.
Kieran's Creek Landcare Volunteers - Eddie Rice Hours for Years 9 - 11
Frenchs Forest Parish St Anthony in the Fields, Terrey Hills are holding a tree planting session for their land care project on Kieran’s Creek which Cammeraygal man Dennis Foley has identified as a significant First Nations pathway between the Cowan/ Hawkesbury / Dakinjung and Northern Beaches First Nation Peoples.
The next 2 hour planting session is planned for Sunday 24 July, 11.00 am - till 1.00 pm for the planting, and then the sausage sizzle.
The event has been named "Planting With Purpose".
Please see Mr Brannan if you would like to attend on the first Sunday of Term 3 and to sign off on your CIP Eddie Rice hours.
Fide et Labore
Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing
Old Boys News
The St Pius X College and Old Boys Association is proud to have supported Class of 2021 Old Boy Dominic Panozzo.
Dominic has qualified to represent Australia in the 400m hurdles at the World U/20 Athletic Championships in Cali, Columbia beginning 1 August. Last week he competed at the Oceania Championships in Mackay QLD alongside recent old boy Tom Hunt (400m and Class of 2020).
Dominic’s brother, Nathaniel, recently played for Italy’s Emerging Rugby XV, courtesy of his dual nationality, defeating the Netherlands 50-5!
Another Class of 2020 graduate, Lucas Wareham, continues to set the 1500m speed ice skating rink alight with top 3 Australian times!
In the legal profession we celebrate the recent graduations of ex-students Ben John, who last year was selected to work as an associate to Justice Fabian Gleeson of the NSW Court of Appeal and has now commenced work with Allens Linklaters Law Firm, and also James Brannan (both Class of 2015) who won the University Medal for Law at Macquarie University last year and now works with Corrs, Westgarth and Chambers who sponsor his studies through the College of Law.
There are some talented and determined recent old boys out there, adding to a great culture and story of humble, understated and unentitled examples of rising to the highest occasion. Bugling well above the call of duty and without the need for pretense or fanfare! Let’s celebrate our students continuing to do and achieve through action.
After representing St Pius X 1st XV Rugby in their 33-0 win over Joeys 4ths last Saturday morning, Year 12 outside centre Oscar Macdonald demonstrated the skills learned within Mr Sam DiSano’s refereeing squad to officiate a Rugby Match between the Brother’s (Christian Brother Old Boys – CBOBs) colts against local rivals and 2nd division club Lindfield. The Brothers colts - who this year are made up of many EREA Waverley Old Boys recruited by St Pius Old Boy and former Military Attache to the UAE, and currently Lowy Institute expert on Middle Eastern Affairs Colonel Rodger Shanahan (Class of 82).
For the record a strong Lindfield XV featuring several SPX connections prevailed on the day, but both teams lauded Oscar as the best referee they had experienced this year. Brother’s Rugby offers free registration and kit to new colts players, and hopes to add more St Pius X players to the colts ranks to join our Waverley cousins next season.
Later in the day First Grade Brothers team had a big win over Alexandria in a match played to commemorate the life and passion of former player Charlie O’Connor, RIP!
Vale John Quirk
The College was saddened to hear of the passing last week of a highly regarded Old Boy of the College, Mr John Quirk. John is the father of Michael (Class of 1970) and Greg (Class of 1976). Mr Peter Snowden, a highly respected former teacher and Old Boy (1976) reports that John Quirk was always active in the College P&F, a proud father, loving husband and man of great faith. John was a happy character and people enjoyed his warm personality, enthusiasm and love of life. John was also an avid North Sydney Bears fan, with one of his grandchildren to place a Bears jumper on his casket.
Rest in Peace, Mr John Quirk. Longstanding and highly respected member of the St Pius X College Community.
Fide et Labore
Mr Sean Brannan - Old Boys Association