Junior School News

• From the Head of the Junior School
• Junior School Sport
• Junior Resource Centre News

From the Head of the Junior School

The month of May is the Month of Mary.  Edmund Rice often prayed to Mary, he opened his heart to Christ.  With this in mind we pray:

God of love,

You lead us on life’s journey.

As we gather here in Your name,

Open our minds to know Your voice.

Open our hands to do Your work.

And open our hearts to hold Your Spirit. Amen

WELCOME BACK  

The boys look very smart in their winter uniform.  I hope you took a photo!  It is good to see their smiling faces. We have begun our transition to full time schooling.  We had 91 out of 96  Year 5 students and 119 out of 128 Year 6 students.  The boys seem very happy to be back and the online learning for those at home is working well.   We are encouraging good hygiene practices and every teacher is carrying a bottle of hand sanitiser to their lessons plus there is hand sanitiser in various places around the school.  If your son is exhibiting sickness please keep him at home until he is better.  I know 2 teachers in the senior school had a head cold so they didn’t come to school on the Monday.  We all need to play our part.

It is important that your son brings a water bottle or two.  If you are collecting your son could you please wait outside or arrange a good pick up spot.  It might be a good idea to choose a place away from the school that your son could walk to safely (ie crossing at lights) and collect him from there.  If I suggest a spot then it will be overcrowded so I will let you decide.  On Monday afternoon it was very busy in Kirk Street and I noticed a large 4WD blocking, for a short period of time, the turning circle at the end of the street.  Please remember that this end of Kirk Street, with the entrance into the College, is a NO STANDING zone.  You should also be aware that there are often parking police/rangers in Kirk Street. Please be mindful of others and that there are children about.

NEXT WEEK ON THURSDAY

In Week 4 on the Thursday we will have a new arrangement.  Year 6 are going to be bussed down to Oxford Falls at the beginning of the day.  Mr Simpson will be at Oxford Falls from 8.30 am in the morning so if your son is in Year 6, you can drop him off from that time onwards and he will be supervised on the top oval.  The Year 6 boys who come to school will be bussed down to Oxford Falls at 9.00 am and will do two lessons as per usual, but at Oxford Falls.  We will have 3 buses to transport Year 6 to Oxford Falls.  Year 5 will stay at school, have their two lessons and recess and then they will be bussed down.  We will start Sport at the usual time.  At the conclusion of the day parents can collect their sons from Oxford Falls, if they wish, at 2.15 pm but we are going to initiate a pick up zone.  We will have teachers with the boys being picked up and they will stand in Dreadnought Road near the Manager's residence.  If you could have you family name on the passenger side visor or window, we will have the boys ready to get into the car.  The remainder of the boys will be bussed back to school for their normal dismissal.

BIRTHDAYS

Congratulations to the following boys who celebrate or celebrated their birthdays in May:

Noah Baxter, Joshua Borg, Alex Burke, Ben Fogale, Xavier Hill, Samuel Koudsy, Toby Moran, Joshua Pratt, EJ Sacre, Jordan Valenzuela, Logan Van Katwyk, Oliver Wilkowski and Kieran Yu.

Enjoy!

A THOUGHT TO PONDER

Maybe I should change the following quote to one computer with the TEAMS App.

Stay Safe.

Thanking you for your support,

Mr Tim Long, Head of Junior School

Junior School Sport

It is with much pleasure that I can share with you the plan for Thursday Sport for the remainder of Term 2 below.

Whilst Saturday sport is on hold, we will start at the shallow end and work our way back, starting with individual skills for each sport in addition to some “gentle” fitness and generic “FUN-damentals”.

For your information the following precautions are being implemented:

• Additional coaches in attendance to provide small group interaction
• Additional buses to ensure maximum physical distancing during travel to and from
• A drive through pick up/drop off  at Oxford Falls

Mr Benn McBrearty, Junior School Sports Master

SPX FOOTBALL 2020

Virtual SPX Football Training Sessions on Microsoft Teams

A virtual SPX Football skills and fitness training program is available at the SPX Football Folder on Microsoft Teams to all boys who attended the SPX Senior School Football trials in February 2020.  Huge thanks to Mr Lacey for establishing this SPX Football Development program based on the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) curriculum.  SPX Football boys, please use this program to develop and maintain your football skills.

SPX Football Online Referee Course – Prize Draw & Paid Referee Games at Oxford Falls

SPX boys are also encouraged to register and complete the online and free preliminary referee course offered by FFA.  See web-link (also at the SPX Football Folder on Microsoft Teams):  https://www.playfootball.com.au/referee/laws-of-the-game?_ga=2.255398154.385912815.1586174178-586563975.1586174178

The SPX Football Supporters Club (FSC) is offering a prize draw for SPX boys who complete the referee course and obtain their preliminary referee certificate.  To enter the prize draw, please send your certificate to the SPX FSC at email:  footballclub@pandf.spx.nsw.edu.au

The prize draw includes football kit items donated by the SPX FSC to be drawn at a SPX Football social event later in 2020.  We are starting to see entries for the prize draw by SPX boys who have completed the referee course.  Please join in.

Your preliminary referee certificate can also be presented to Paul Cummins, SPX Junior School Football Convenor, to join SPX boys referee team for SPX Junior School football games at Oxford Falls on Saturday mornings during future football seasons.

Mrs Cathy Thomson, SPX Football Supporters Club

Junior Resource Centre News

This week's highlights:

As we start our transition back to school, I ask that you please start bringing your library books with you. At present, we have 1002 + overdue books. There is a bit of a process that we must follow to get these books ready for shelving. If you could please drop your books into the return chute on the day/s that you’re next in, I would really appreciate it.

Please note: the JRC are still processing loans! You can order these by finding the book on the Destiny Catalogue, then emailing me directly (emartin@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au) and then notifying me of the day that you’d like to collect them (the day you’re next in at school)#bookreturns  #teacherlibrarian

Mrs Martin's Book Trail:  We need to encourage reading for pleasure! Three fun titles at the moment are Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Pierce, the latest Squidge Dibley by Aussie author Mick Elliott and Slime by David Walliams. These are all illustrated texts that are great for readers 9 plus and great read alouds for younger readers too. Have fun reading! #mrsmartinsbooktrail2020

Mrs Elena Martin, Teacher Librarian, Junior Resource Centre