Pastoral Care

Anti-bullying Week Poster Competition
Year 8 Ski Trip
School FIFA Cup 2026

Anti-bullying Week Poster Competition

Bullying No Way Week 5 2026 (Monday 17 – Friday 21 August)

In Week 5, as part of Bullying No Way Week 2026, we join schools across Australia in promoting kindness, respect, and inclusion. This year's theme, 'Small Acts, Big Impact', reminds us that even the smallest acts of kindness, support, and respect can make a significant difference in someone's life and help create a positive school culture.

At St Pius X College, we are committed to our Touchstone of Inclusive Community, where all students feel safe, accepted, and supported. Creating a culture of belonging is everyone's responsibility. Through our words, actions, and attitudes, we can ensure that bullying has no place in our school.

We can all reflect on the power of small, positive actions. Something as simple as inviting someone to join your group, letting them in the handball line, offering words of encouragement, checking in on a classmate, or standing up for someone who feels excluded can have a lasting impact. These everyday acts help build a community where everyone feels valued, respected, and connected.

As a Catholic community, we are called to treat one another with dignity, compassion, and kindness. By choosing to make small positive contributions each day, we can create a safer, more inclusive environment.

Each year it has become a tradition to encourage students to participate in the Bullying No Way Poster Competition. Students are invited to create a poster that promotes this year's theme, 'Small Acts, Big Impact', and highlights the importance of kindness, inclusion, and standing up against bullying.

Prizes: The top two posters in each year group will receive a $10 McDonald's voucher.
Special Recognition: Winning posters will be laminated and displayed around the College, showcasing students' creativity and their commitment to making a positive difference in our community.

We look forward to seeing your ideas and artwork as we work together to make St Pius X College a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and included.

Year 8 Ski Trip

Year 8 had the incredible privilege of heading down to Perisher last week for a week of skiing and some snowboarding. It was a great opportunity for us, with all levels of skiers able to enjoy Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons with our mates. I was placed in Group 13, a beginner level group along with a handful other students. The first day conditions were brutal, especially for us beginners: harsh winds, zero visibility and an icy ground were thrown at us as we struggled to even stay balanced on the slippery surface. But we managed. Many of us were nervous, but as we learned how to stop on our skis amidst the weather, a sense of excitement came. The second day (Wednesday) was great, with snow falling throughout the day, meaning we could practice some turns on a Green Run. We made great progress and after 4 hours of skiing each day, we were experienced enough to go down the breathtaking Pleasant Valley run, which provided great views and scenery. After using the chairlifts and quad-chairs to move back and forth, we had a great time. The sky was pristine, not a cloud to be seen.

Overall, the Ski Camp was an experience that I, and I'm sure all of Year 8, will cherish throughout our lives. It was a great time, with the accommodation and food being amazing at Alpine Adventist Village. We returned home exhausted but incredibly grateful to our teachers and instructors for making this unforgettable trip possible.

By Vihaan Kadam - Year 8 student

Looking back on our Year 8 Ski Camp, I realise it was about more than just skiing. It brought us closer as a year group, helped us build new friendships, and taught us important lessons about resilience, teamwork, and stepping outside our comfort zones. We created memories that we'll never forget, and no matter who we were before camp, we now all share something special. Ski Camp has given us a connection that will always be part of our Year 8 journey.

By Will Orth - Year 8 student

School FIFA Cup 2026

'R U OK? Day' Week Competition - Donation

1. Overview

Format: single-elimination knockout, starting at the Round of 16 and running through Quarterfinals, Semi-Finals and the Final.
Entry fee: $5 per player. All money raised is donated to the Mental Muscle Initiative, the school's mental health initiative.
Qualifiers are played at home on players' own Xbox or PlayStation - SRC reps coordinate these matches; they are not played at school.
From the Round of 16 onward, all matches are played at school in the gym during Recess and Lunch.
Two SRC reps from each year group run their year group's qualifier. Year 5 & 6 qualifier is run by an SRC rep from a different year group.
SRC reps announce the competition to their year group during a year meeting.
Prizes to be awarded to the winner and the bragging rights of the best FIFA/EAFC competition in the school.

2. Key Dates

3. Match Rules

Qualifier rounds (at home): 6-minute halves.
Round of 16 onward (in the gym and assorted classrooms): 3-minute halves.
Semi-Final and Final (in the gym): 6-minute halves
Draws at full time go to extra time, then a penalty shootout if still level.
Qualifiers: a player who doesn't play their match by the round deadline set by their rep forfeits. In the gym: a player not present and ready within 5 minutes of their scheduled match forfeits.
Disputes are first handled by the SRC reps for that year group; anything unresolved is escalated to the organisers and respective house patrons and year coordinators.

4. Entry Fee & Payment

Every player pays $5 to enter, with the student name section outlining their full first and second name (Nicknames = Automatic disqualification). All money raised is donated to the Mental Muscle Initiative - let players know this when registering them, as it's a good hook for entries.
How to pay: VIA the link on year group CANVAS pages.

Mr Martin Gillogly - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care