From the Head of Junior School

WELCOME BACK TO TERM 4

We were thrilled to welcome everyone back from holidays this week and have enjoyed hearing stories of overseas trips, marriage proposals (congratulations Mr Montgomerie!), fishing adventures, seaside sojourns and wonderful NRL Grand Final results! I hope you were able to spend some enjoyable and restful time with your son/s and that he is well-rested for the busy term ahead.

Term 4 brings a number of important events, so please ensure you take note of those that apply to your son.

WOODCHAT – For busy families who want the facts – fast!

QUICK REMINDERS

Summer uniform

Students should now be wearing their full summer uniform: grey short-sleeved shirt, shorts, long socks, tie, black belt, and polished black school shoes. Haircuts are to be neatly blended and no shorter than a number 2 (including sideburns). Please note that the popular “Edgar” hairstyle is not acceptable at St Pius X College.

School time appointments

Students in the Junior School who need to leave the college early for an appointment must be collected from the Junior School. For their safety, they are not permitted to make their own way home or their own way to an appointment.

WELCOME 2026 STUDENTS

On Thursday 30 October, the Junior School will welcome our 2026 Year 5 cohort and a small number of new Year 6 students to the College for an orientation and assessment day. The new Year 5s will start their day with an assessment that will provide teachers with valuable information to assist teaching and learning in 2026. Because of the number of students who will be on-site, current students will leave for Oxford Falls at 8:35 am.

PERFORMING ARTS

Our Junior School students are preparing to share their creativity and passion for performance in two special events:

JUNIOR DRAMA ENSEMBLE | THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER | 5:00 pm

On Thursday 30 October, the Junior Drama Ensemble will perform in the Drama Cocurricular Showcase at the Sarto Centre from 5:00 pm, sharing an evening of imagination, teamwork, and confidence alongside the Intermediate and Senior Drama Ensembles.

JUNIOR SCHOOL CONCERT | FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER | 1:30 pm

The celebrations continue on Friday 31 October with our inaugural Junior School Concert in the College Gym at 1:30 pm. Every Year 5 and 6 student will take part, highlighting their musical learning from the semester. Performances by the Junior Concert Band, Chorale, and Guitar Ensemble will add to an afternoon of energy, creativity, and community spirit.

Families and friends are warmly invited to celebrate the talent and joy of our young performers as we conclude another vibrant year in the Performing Arts.

SURF/SWIM PROGRAM

Our four-week Surf Education and Swim programs begin on Thursday 6 November with the Year 5s headed to the Macquarie Aquatic Centre for swimming lessons and Year 6 headed to Dee Why Beach.

NEW PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT

We’re excited to highlight everything St Pius X Junior School has to offer during our New Parent Information Night on Tuesday 4 November. The event will begin at 6:00 pm and will be held online. I’m reaching out to see if there’s a courageous Year 5 parent who might be willing to share their experiences as a new family at St Pius X. It would be fantastic for our new parents to hear from someone who has experienced it all! If you’re interested, please let me know by emailing Mrs Hawthorne:

bhawthorne@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

BOOK LAUNCH

Congratulations to Josh Wroblewski, Lachlan Swadling, Luke De Lucia, Aedan Taylor and Yannick Amith in Year 5 whose work has been published in the Chatswood Library’s Wildlife Storybook. The Wildlife Storybook is a culmination of a Council-led program that sees Willoughby primary schools learn about the local environment and the creatures within it. The students work with their teachers to research a particular animal and share stories with their classmates.

Our talented students will be presented with an award by the Mayor of Willoughby, Cr Tanya Taylor on Thursday 13 November from 1:30 pm.

YEAR 6 GRADUATION LITURGY AND AFTERNOON TEA

Friday 21 November | 12:15 pm at Oxford Falls

Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School.

Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of Junior School

Junior School Sport

Term 4 News

We’ve hit the ground running this term with Round 7 of our IPSHA Summer Sport competitions, the launch of Round 1 of NSTA Tennis, and the continuation of our MWJCA Cricket season. It’s shaping up to be a busy and exciting term of sport.

All fixtures can be found on Clipboard or in the Fixture Card. Please ensure your son arrives at least 20 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. This allows time for a proper warm-up, accounts for limited or distant parking, and helps avoid delays due to traffic.

If your son is unable to attend a fixture, we ask that you provide as much notice as possible. This allows us to make any necessary adjustments to teams. Please ensure the absence is logged in Clipboard, and if possible, a courtesy email is appreciated.

A few important reminders:

Uniform: All students must wear their SPX sport uniform to and from fixtures. Casual clothing, including crocs, is not permitted.

IPSHA Code of Conduct

We’d like to remind all players, families, and spectators of the IPSHA Code of Conduct.

Our sporting fixtures are designed to be a positive and enjoyable experience for all involved. While competition is part of the journey, the focus is not on winning or losing, but rather on the growth and development of our young athletes. Every game is an opportunity to learn, improve, and build character, both on and off the field.

We ask that:

Players demonstrate respect, teamwork, and sportsmanship at all times.
Spectators encourage all participants, support fair play, and model respectful behaviour.
Coaches and staff continue to foster an environment where effort, learning, and enjoyment are valued above results.

Let’s work together to ensure our the SPX community reflects the IPSHA values of respect, inclusion, and personal growth. Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our boys thrive through sport.

Unform for the season:

Basketball – Playing singlet is loaned out for the season. Students to wear their own PE shorts (Distributed Term 4 Week 1)
Softball – Playing shirt is loaned out for the season. Students to wear their own PE shorts (Distributed Term 4 Week 1)
Tennis – Playing shirt and hat is purchased from the College Uniform Shop. Students to wear their own PE shorts
Touch Football – Playing singlet is loaned out for the season. Students to wear their own PE shorts (Distributed Term 4 Week 1)
Cricket – Playing uniform is purchased from the College Uniform Shop

Link for College Uniform Shop: https://www.spx.nsw.edu.au/parent-community/uniform-shop/

Thank you again for your continued support — we’re looking forward to another term of teamwork, development, and sporting success!

Term 4 Sport Calendar

Student Success…

Chess

We’re proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Mason in chess over the recent school holidays. Mason participated in several tournaments and delivered exceptional performances across both junior and adult competitions.

U12 City of Sydney Junior Championships – 1st Place.

Mason remained undefeated throughout this three-day event, finishing with an impressive score of 8.5/10 and securing first place.

Sydney Academy of Chess Burwood ACF Tournament (Classical) – 1st Place.

Competing in an adult division, Mason scored a perfect 8/8, finishing two points ahead of second place in this two-day, eight-round event.

Sydney Academy of Chess Burwood ACF Tournament (Quick) – 2nd Place.

Mason continued his strong form, finishing unbeaten with 6.5/8, drawing three games and placing second overall.

These results reflect Mason’s dedication, strategic thinking, and love for the game. His trophies from these events.

Congratulations, Mason! We look forward to seeing your continued growth and success in the chess arena.

NSWPSSA Golf Championships

We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Cuba Nicholas, who recently represented SPX in the CIS team at the NSWPSSA Primary Golf Championships.

Cuba delivered an impressive performance, finishing 13th out of 86 competitors in the individual stroke event. His consistent play and focus across the tournament were a testament to his dedication and skill.

In addition to his individual success, Cuba played a key role in the team Ambrose format, contributing significantly to the team’s overall performance. His ability to work collaboratively, demonstrate perseverance, and uphold the values of sportsmanship and integrity stood out throughout the championship.

Congratulations, Cuba, the SPX community is proud of you!

Sport Convenors

Cricket – Mr Balboa rbalboa@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Touch Football – Mr Bourke jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Basketball – Mr Bourke jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
NSTA Tennis – Mr Nouragas cnouragas@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Football News Update

Annual SPX Football Information Night & AGM

Welcome back to Term 4, football families,

We hope to see you at school on Tuesday night next week . . .

6.30pm, Tuesday 21 October 2025 - Sarto Centre

Come and hear from the school's Football and cocurricular leaders regarding the season that was and the plans for 2026. . .

- Michael Ronchetti - Principal

- Matt Stearn - Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

- Richard Lacey - Head of Football Development – Senior School

- James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator

- The Football Supporters Committee reps

It was a great turn out at our last Football Information Night and we hope to see as many of you there as possible with your questions and suggestions for football in 2026.

Best regards,

Mr Matt Zanello - Football Committee

Sydney FC Football Opportunities – Term 4

Our Sydney FC Morning Coaching Program is well underway this week, with a fantastic turnout at the first session. It’s great to see so many students engaging with professional coaching and starting the term strong!

There are still places available for the Thursday sessions at Gore Hill Oval (7:00 am – 8:00 am) for Years 5 & 6. Don’t miss this chance to train with Sydney FC Academy coaches and build your skills in a high-quality environment.

Please note, Mr Lacey will be travelling with the students at the conclusion of the session via the train to Chatswood.

Program Details:

Years 5/6 & 10: Thursdays – 16, 23, 30 October; 6, 13 November
Years 7–9: Tuesdays – 14, 21, 28 October; 4, 11 November
Cost: $75 (includes an A-League match ticket)
Register via Clipboard – spots are limited!

Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator

Careers