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
FOUNDER’S WEEK
It was a very busy week across the College last week as we celebrated our founder, Blessed Edmund Rice. All the details can be found in Mr Petrie and Mr Gillogly’s sections this week.
MATHS OLYMPIAD
Last Thursday saw a record number of our students competing in the first of four Maths Olympiads. The Junior Division Olympiad is specifically designed to stimulate and challenge students at primary school level. It teaches major problem-solving strategies and strengthens students’ mathematical intuition prior to starting high school.
Maths Olympiad host, Mr Makhoul, reported that: 'Having hosted Maths Olympiad before, I can say it was a very challenging test. It was great to see so many Junior School students eager to participate. There were quite a few 1s and 2s (out of 5). I completed the paper myself and found the last two questions quite challenging. The first 3 questions were still challenging, but with a good grasp of the Stage 3 outcomes, achievable. A number of students (especially in Year 6) scored 4/5 which is a great result.'
Mr Makhoul has shared the solutions on CANVAS and encourages students to make use of the practice tests on the Maths Olympiad CANVAS page before the next competition in June.
LABELLING STUDENT ITEMS
Just a reminder to please label your son’s clothing, drink bottle, lunchbox, shoes – anything you are keen to see again needs to be labelled. Last Thursday at Oxford Falls there were complete sets of clothing, more than a dozen rain jackets and countless lunchboxes and drink bottles left behind in the grandstands. It took teachers nearly 20 minutes to return the items to the students because hardly any of the items were labelled. As this process made us late for buses and parent pick-up, we won’t be doing it in future. Unlabelled items that are left behind will be placed in the Lost Property bin at Oxford Falls.
PRAC TEACHERS
This week, we welcomed 7 student teachers who are completing 10 days of practicum experience as part of their studies to be School Learning Support Officers. Students and teachers have loved having an extra pair of hands helping in the classroom.
DEBATING
Debating tomorrow (Friday 17 May) is at Masada College (Link Road, St Ives) from 12:30 pm. We wish our undefeated team the very best of luck!
FATHER AND SON CAMPING TRIP – A message from the Year 6 Parent Group
Please note that the Father and Son Camping trip is organised by the Year 6 Parent Group – not St Pius X. Please direct any enquiries to Mr Michael Koruga at spxclassof2030@gmail.com
The Year 6 parents’ group are organising a father or special person/son camping overnighter at the NRMA Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park, North Narrabeen on Saturday September 7th. Details can be found in last week’s Woodchatta (click here: https://newsletters.naavi.com/i/MLro3KN/issue-13/page/9).
IPSHA WINTER SPORT
Huge Pius AFL fan, Guy Sebastian, was there to congratulate the team after their win against St Ignatius' on Saturday! More details about this exciting win and all our other results in Mr Bourke’s Sport Report below.
Special mention to the Year 6 rugby team for their incredible improvement over the week to give St Aloysius' a run for their money on Saturday morning at Oxford Falls, and another special mention to injured player Sean Goaley who turns up each week to support his team while he waits for the broken bone in his hand to heal.
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 continue to travel to and from school in your SPX PE uniform and bring along a change of clothes to train in.
Important Notice: Could I please ask that all student clothing and personal items are labelled, this will assist with returning said items at the end of sport. Apologies to all families that were affected last week with our later than normal departure due to the efforts taken to ensure all items were returned.
Term 2 Schedule:
Football:
It has been unfortunate that the weather has prevented the start of our Tuesday training. A reminder the optional session will be on at Beauchamp Oval on Tuesday afternoon, 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm. This session is open to all players and has been set up to provide additional training. If your son has an external commitment or another cocurricular activity, please prioritise these. Non-attendance to these sessions will not impact on team selection.
Last weekend's games were unfortunately all washed out. We look to better weather this weekend.
AFL:
After the disappointment of a wash-out in Round 1 the Junior AFL team weren't going to let a bit of wet weather dampen their enthusiasm as they warmed up with good energy and focus for the first game of the season. With none other than music legend Guy Sebastian watching on, St Pius X were obviously eager to impress and flew out of the gates with two early goals in the first quarter. St Ignatius' were up for challenge however and worked their way back into the game in a hard-fought second quarter where the ball was mainly confined to the midfield in a seesawing battle.
By the time the second half started the ball was resembling a cake of soap with control of possession being particularly difficult. Despite these conditions, St Pius X managed to string together some several clean hand passes and marks as the team started to get to know each other and really click into gear. In a battle of attrition the weight of possession eventually converted into points but St Ignatius' managed a couple of late goals to set up an exciting final quarter. With a number of Pius team members playing their first ever game of AFL it was great to see them grow in confidence throughout the game and win some valuable possessions. St Pius X eventually ran out winners in a great first outing that was played in excellent spirits by both teams. Final score St Pius 47 - St Ignatius' 30.
Junior Rugby:
Round 2 was exciting for the Junior Rugby teams. It was great to have both Junior School teams playing at Oxford Falls in front of a home crowd. The Prep Firsts are congratulated on their determination, perseverance and courage shown in their match against St Aloysius'. A classic game of two halves. The St Pius X boys had a dominant second half displaying excellent teamwork and skill. The U11 team continued to impress across the Rugby field with a very strong win over Grammar St Ives. The boys played well together as one unit and there is strength across the field. There were numerous try scorers which highlights the depth and versatility of U11 teams' attacking capabilities. Outstanding effort from all players in Round 2.
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. If students are unable to attend training sessions, please log the absence via Clipboard and send an email to Mr Antonio Morris (AMorris@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au).
NSWPSSA AFL Championship
Next week Oliver Mackinley will represent CIS at the AFL NSWPSSA championships to be held at Albury from Wed 22 May — Fri 24 May. This is a tremendous opportunity for Oliver to represent the College at a significant level of competition. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to hearing about his experience on his return.
Cross Country:
The Cross-Country training sessions are continuing at Beauchamp Park this term. The sessions serve as a great opportunity for anyone hoping to increase their fitness for the upcoming Winter Sport season. Please feel more than welcome to join in.
When: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings
Where: Beauchamp Park, Chatswood
Time: 7:15 am – 8:15 am
Student Success
NSW State Baseball Championships
Over the recent school holidays, Joshua Calacouras showcased his talent by representing Manly White at the NSW State Baseball Championships. Demonstrating remarkable skill, the team advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament, narrowly falling in a tense quarter-final match against Ryde. Despite this loss, the exciting development is that their performance has secured them a spot in the upcoming National Championships in June, where they will compete against top teams from across the nation. This achievement speaks volumes about Joshua and his team's dedication and prowess on the baseball field. We wish him all the best for the tournament in June.
Football Tour to the UK
During the April school holidays, Beau King participated in a three-day football showcase in Cronulla, where he underwent training sessions and trials in front of talent scouts from the English Premier League and the English Football League, also known as the Championship. This showcase was also conducted in Brisbane and Adelaide. From these events, the standout players were identified for inclusion in an elite squad set to tour England in late October this year.
Beau's exceptional performance earned him a spot on the U12s team, which will compete in up to eight matches over two weeks against prestigious Pro-Club Academies such as Manchester City, Liverpool, and Aston Villa. As part of this incredible opportunity, Beau will also have the chance to train with a Pro-Club and measure his skills against some of the finest young footballers in England.
Congratulations, Beau, on this remarkable achievement and the exciting journey ahead!
CIS Rugby League Trials
On Monday 13 May, Ethan Gilio put forth his utmost effort at the CIS trials, yet, regrettably, did not secure a spot on this occasion. Out of 120 participants, only 17 were chosen for the final squad, all demonstrating remarkable skill and delivering stellar performances. Ethan was fully immersed in his element, devoting five hours to non-stop rugby league, showcasing his passion for the sport. He even managed to score a try.
Congratulations, Ethan, on your dedication and outstanding performance!
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sports Coordinator
From the Junior Resource Centre
Literature Promotion in the JRC
This week Year 5 read and discussed the picture book Midnight by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Frane Lessac.
The story of Lieutenant Guy Haydon and his beloved mare, is beautifully told in the story Midnight. The tale of the Australian Light Horse regiments that took part in ‘one of the last great cavalry charges in history’.
This book was inspired by the folklore of the Haydon family from “Bloomfield”, in the Hunter Valley, NSW. PRC = 5873
Year 6 read and discussed the Picture book Memorial by Gary Crew and Illustrated by Shaun Tan. Follow the heartfelt journey of a young boy as he narrates the touching story of a tree, planted in remembrance of Australian soldiers lost in World War I. Through the voices of his great grandfather, who have all experienced the ravages of war, the tree becomes a symbol of resilience and hope. PRC – ID 254
Mrs Martin’s book Trail: For 60,000 Years by Marlee Silva and Rhys Paddick.
This is the story of strength and the importance of community told by Marlee Silva and Rhys Paddick, great for upper primary focusing on indigenous perspective.
'For 60,000 years, as sure as the sun rises and rests, our people have thrived and survived. Originally penned as a poetic response to January 26th, this is an empowering story of truth, strength and community told by Gamilaroi and Dunghutti woman Marlee Silva and illustrated by Yamatji man Rhys Paddick.’
#mrsmartinsbooktrail2024
Mrs Elena Martin - Teacher Librarian
Junior School Chess Club
Thank you to all the students who attended Chess training on Tuesday 14 May. A reminder that the NSW Junior Chess Competition continues this week. Team A at HOME vs Northbridge A, Team B at HOME vs St Pius X Team C, Team C at HOME vs St Pius X Team B and Team D will be AWAY vs Mosman Prep B. 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/
Alternatively, the updated draw is attached
Mrs Elena Martin and Ms Raelene Boyle - Junior Chess Convenors