Junior School News

From the Head of the Junior School
Junior School Sport
From the Junior Resource Centre
Junior School Chess

From the Head of the Junior School

I hope Woodchatta this week finds you and your loved ones happy and healthy – the winter woes are winding their way through the Junior School staff and students – Mycoplasma (“Walking Pneumonia”) seems to have quite a few of us in its grip as well as the latest COVID strain. Please ensure that you keep your son at home if he is coughing or sneezing so that we can protect others as best as possible.

CREATIVE QUILLS WRITING SKILLS

On Wednesday evening, two of our authors – Sebastian C and Isaac R attended the Nan Manefield Young Writer’s Award ceremony. Sebastian was pleasantly surprised to discover that the judge for the 11-12 year category was Jaclyn Moriarty. Sebastian had read her Kingdoms and Empires series of books in the past and had the opportunity to speak with her about the upcoming 6th novel, even hearing a sneak peek about which character will feature!

Encouraged by our recent success in the Nan Manefield Writing Competition, students in our Writing Skills group have started working on their submissions to the WriteOn 2024 competition. This year, the competition is held in association with the Art Gallery of NSW with 'The Railway Station, Redfern' (1893) by Arthur Streeton acting as a stimulus. Sadly, we are only able to enter three pieces of writing, but the students have agreed to send in the best three, as voted by the group.

ROAD SAFETY

This week, I received an email from a concerned driver who was nearly involved in a collision with Junior School students who were crossing Ferguson Lane whilst completely absorbed in their mobile phones. Could I please ask that you speak with your son and remind him to put his phone away whilst crossing the road.

I recently attended a conference where we learnt about the impact living in a digital age is having on our children. It was staggering to hear that the average 8-year-old today has already spent 1 year of their life on a digital device. By the time they reach 88, they will have spent 17 years on their mobile phone alone.

STUDENT BEHAVIOUR

In the Junior School, we are blessed with 224 young men who, whilst finding their way in this challenging world, try very hard to be the best people they can be. Periodically, we can observe some inappropriate behaviours starting to creep in and teachers are starting to see an increase in disrespectful behaviours such as repeatedly ignoring teacher instructions and talking back to staff amongst other, relatively normal, but unacceptable behaviours. Starting Monday, teachers in the Junior School – and specialist teachers - will – along with their usual behaviour management strategies that reward positive behaviours – be asking students who have repeated inappropriate behaviours to take home a Reflection sheet to be completed at home, signed by parents and returned to the classroom teacher the next day. If your son comes home with a Reflection sheet, please be aware that it is the result of at least three warnings in one day and that he will have acknowledged his behaviour in discussions with the relevant teacher. We thank you in advance for your support as we work together to support our young students.

ST PIUS X WINTER APPEAL

This term we are once again supporting St Vincent de Paul and the Jesuit Refugee Service through the St Pius X Winter Appeal. Collections will run across Weeks 6 – 8.

St Vincents are reporting that the inflation of basic food prices, as well as the recent resurgence of Covid-19 are having serious knock-on effects to communities that they serve.

If you are able to donate any of the following, it would be most appreciated:

FOOD: basmati rice, cooking oil, long life milk, tinned tuna, red kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, fruit, muesli bars, biscuits, oats and cereal.

TOILETRIES: nappies (large), toothpaste and toothbrushes, shampoo, sanitary pads, razors, shaving foam, deodorant (male and female) and soap.

CLOTHING: any good quality clothing or blankets in new or near new condition.

IPSHA Indigenous Round

Before the excitement of the Round 5, 8:00 am Prep Rugby match at Oxford Falls this coming Saturday, a traditional smoking ceremony will take place to honour the land, foster unity, and prepare the players for battle. Led by Indigenous elders, the ceremony will commence with the lighting of sacred native plants, releasing their aromatic smoke to cleanse the surroundings and bless the participants. Through ancient rituals, the ceremony will seek to instil a sense of reverence for the game, gratitude for the land, and camaraderie among rivals. It will serve as a poignant reminder of the deeper connections that bind us all, transcending boundaries and differences, as the players prepare to take to the field with renewed spirit and purpose. This ceremony holds special significance as it coincides with the inaugural IPSHA Indigenous Round. We invite all families and friends within our St Pius X community to join us for this sacred traditional event.

Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sports Coordinator

FATHER AND SON CAMPING WEEKEND

The Year 6 parent group are organising a father or special person/son camping overnighter at the NRMA Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park, North Narrabeen on Saturday September 7.

If you are interested in joining the fun, you will need to call reception at the Park and mention the group name ‘St Pius X Father and Sons Weekend’ as soon as possible to secure a campsite with the group.

Once you’ve booked, please email Michael Koruga with your email, mobile and names to spxclassof2030@gamil.com

SAVE THE DATE:

Wednesday 26 June (Week 9) 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm – Year 6 Afternoon of the Achievers presentation in the College Gymnasium.

Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School.

Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School

Junior School Sport

Thursday Sport: Winter sessions continue this week for Rugby, Football and AFL. Please travel to and from school in your SPX PE uniform and bring along a change of clothes to train in.

Term 2 Schedule:

Saturday Sport Photos: It has been great to see some of the photos taken by our SPX parents over the first few rounds of the Winter season. Can I encourage you to continue sharing any Saturday sport photos with the following staff members responsible for each Junior School sport:

Football and AFL- Mr James Bourke jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Rugby – Mr Antonio Morris amorris@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

I would like to thank all families and especially your sons for the commitment you and they have shown so far this year across a range of sports and activities. Consistently I witness the great sportsmanship and respect for the opposition and officials each week. It is tremendous to be a part of the Junior Sport program and am sincere when I say Pius boys win humbly and lose gracefully. Equally I thank families for their preparedness to travel distances to ensure their son can be a significant participant of the team they are in.

Sharing stories: Within the next few weeks I intend to interview one or more boys who are currently playing sport for the College. There are 3 main purposes behind this initiative:

To hear exactly what sport is like for a Junior School student at the College
To share with the community the insights of our Junior sportsmen when it comes to playing for Pius
To share highlights from a cross-section of sports that students participate in

Junior School House Athletics Carnival – Wednesday 12 June (SOPAC Homebush)

Expressions of Interest for Parental Assistance: Thank you to the parents who have volunteered their time for the upcoming carnival. We still require some assistance from parents to help with scoring, ribbons and potentially a field event. Should you be attending the Carnival and are able to help, please complete the following form https://forms.office.com/AthleticsCarnivalHelper. Further information will be sent to volunteers in the week leading up to the Carnival.

Junior AFL: I'm delighted to shine a spotlight on our outstanding Junior School SPX AFL team and their recent stellar performance! With each match, they continue to impress with their exceptional teamwork, skilful distribution of the ball, and clinical precision in front of goal. Their cohesive play on the field not only showcases their individual talents but also highlights their ability to work seamlessly as a unit. It's truly inspiring to witness the camaraderie and determination displayed by these young athletes as they strive for excellence and uphold the values of sportsmanship. Keep up the fantastic work lads, your dedication and passion are truly admirable!

CIS AFL: A huge congratulations to Oliver Mackinlay for his remarkable achievement in being selected to represent our school and CIS at the recent NSWPSSA AFL Championship! Oliver's dedication to his craft and his unwavering commitment to excellence have truly paid off. His participation in such a prestigious event not only reflects his talent and skill but also serves as an inspiration to his teammates and peers. Well done, Oliver – your hard work and determination have truly paid off, and we couldn't be prouder!

Junior Football:

Coerver Holiday Camp

The July school holidays are fast approaching. Please see the following link to the St Pius X holiday programs Coerver course | Coerver Coaching showing 2, 3 & 4 day options. Coerver are offering an early bird discount for the 4-day camp of 10% off. This is for the first 50 players. ($260 down to $234 per player).

Players can also use Active Kids vouchers for a further $50 off.

Illness/Injury: Thank you to all parents and carers who have emailed me and are logging absences via Clipboard in lead up to games to indicate their unavailability due to illness or injury. Whilst I know for some boys, they are desperate to play no matter their condition, I would ask that if your son is too ill for school on Friday, then he should not be playing on the Saturday, especially if showing signs/symptoms of flu, Covid, or any other respiratory infection. It would be at that point on Thursday evening or Friday at the latest, I ask you to email me and complete the Clipboard form, so I can plan for ensuring team numbers are as suitable as possible for the Saturday fixture.

Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sports Coordinator

Junior Rugby:

Round 4 for Junior Rugby highlighted the resilience and positive attitude that the players demonstrate during their matches. The Prep Firsts took on Barker College at home. With multiple injuries and illness, the boys played without any reserves. It was great to see a close contest for most of the first half. Fatigue set in during the second half, but it was pleasing to see most players never giving up until the final whistle was blown.

Mr Montgomerie reports: 'The U11's had a physical weekend, going down 26-0 against Knox Grammar. Although the result went against us, the effort, teamwork and attitude the boys displayed cannot be questioned; they have done themselves, and their school, proud. After Knox scored two quick tries to start the game, our captain, Angus, rallied the boys to tackle hard and to win the breakdown. The boys were then locked in an arm wrestle for the rest of the half, with the game being played in the middle of the field.

After being held out by Knox for the first 10 minutes of the second half, Knox were able to make it down to our try line and score, and then finished the game by scoring on full time. A special mention goes to man of the match Dan for leading the attack at flyhalf, and to Angus, who demonstrated his leadership throughout the match. I look forward to our next fixture versus Tudor House.'

Looking ahead to Round 5, the U11s will make the long journey down to The King's School (Tudor House) located in Moss Vale. We wish Mr Montgomerie, parents and students a safe trip and good luck for their game.

Indigenous Round - Saturday 1 June

Please see Mrs Greenwood's 'From the Principal' section above for information on this Saturday's Indigenous Round at Oxford Falls and the smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country, which will start from 7:50 am with the lighting of the leaves by Elders, and then the ceremony commencing at 8:00 am.

IPSHA Rugby: On Thursday 23 May, Ethan G, Lukas G and Benjamin P represented to college at the IPSHA Rugby Trials. We are proud of our three students who competed. They all trialled very well amongst many talented Under 12 rugby players from the IPSHA Competition. Lukas and Ethan have secured a place in the next round of trials. Ben, who is an exceptional leader within the school team narrowly missed out, but his effort was outstanding. We wish our boys the best of luck in the next trials for the CIS Rugby Team.

Rugby Training: A reminder of compulsory after school training at Beauchamp Oval every Wednesday from 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm for ALL Junior School Rugby players. In addition to bringing rugby boots, can players also bring a spare pair of sneakers to training each week.

Mr Antonio Morris - Junior School Rugby Convenor

From the Junior Resource Centre

RECONCILIATION WEEK:

Reconciliation Week is an opportunity to learn about our shared histories and cultures and to establish a relationship with each other based on truth. It is a week about having challenging conversations and taking the time to listen. In support of this important week the JRC is shining a spotlight on some of our favourite Indigenous authors and stories, beginning with ‘Took the Children Away' by Archie Roach. Welcome to Mrs Martin’s virtual Library! Let’s celebrate Reconciliation Week through stories! Click on a book for a read aloud. A bonus is that the books are on the PRC! The PDF link is attached. #national reconciliationweek2024

#reconciliationweek2022#nowmorethanever

Reading in the JRC

Keen students borrowing this week. I am always pleased to note that many young people do read despite what others say!

Mrs Martin’s Book Trail: Tweet by Morris Gleitzman

Tweet, a fabulous new book by the incomparable Morris Gleitzman who has returned to his roots as a writer of humorous fiction. Follow the exciting adventure that explores the environmental conservation through the eyes of Jay and his pet budgie, Clyde.

#mrsmartinsbooktrail2024

Mrs Elena Martin - Teacher Librarian

Junior School Chess Club

Thank you to all the students who attended Chess training on Tuesday 28 May. A reminder that the NSW Junior Chess Competition continues this week. Team A HOME V’s St Ignatius Riverview A, Team B HOME V’s St Ignatius Riverview B, Team C HOME St Pius X D and Team D will be AWAY V’s St Pius X c, the games will be held in the JRC with Ms Boyle straight after school. The draw can be found here: https://www.nswjcl.org.au/.

Mrs Elena Martin - Junior Chess Convenor