St Pius X College Newsletter

Pastoral Care 

  • PLDs and Mobile Phone Policy
  • Buddies Not Bullies Beachwalk
  • Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion
  • Baradine Gamilaroi Immersion
  • Year 9 Ceroc Dance Workshop
  • Bill James History Lecture
  • Old Boys Network Meeting
  • Farewell

PLDs and Mobile Phone Policy

A timely reminder to all members of the school community at this stage of the year that learning continues right to the end of term, and that students' Personal Learning Devices are for the purposes of learning and should not have any games downloaded on them.

Just as the Phone Away All Day policy exists to support the integrity of student learning, we expect all students to adhere to the school protocols to ensure that students and educational learning are at the centre of all that we do.  

Buddies Not Bullies Beachwalk

Members of the Peer Mentoring Program (Year 5 – 7 and their Year 9 – 12 buddies) are reminded to return their permission notes to Mr Brannan as soon as possible and then meet Mr Russo, Mr Ticli and Mr Brannan at the mini-buses early (stay tuned for confirmation time) in the afternoon this Friday 24 November. We will walk the length of Dee Why Beach, swim, have afternoon tea and return to school approximately 6:00 pm.

Heya Hoya Hiya – looking forward to reuniting the program with Mr Russo.

Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion

In the wake of Remembrance Day, a highlight of the Year 5 calendar took place last week when our Year 5 students met with 100-years-young Reg Chard, veteran of the Kokoda Track 2/33rd Bn, whose motto 'Strike Hard' has been adopted by our 1st XI cricket.

After a moving ceremony at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway Concord cenotaph, where our class captains laid wreaths and recited The Ode to the Fallen, Reg and his team led tours of the Walkway from the Lt Col Ralph Honner Education Centre.

Lt Col Ralph Honner’s son John Honner was chair of the EREA Advisory Board until recently and visited our school several times to speak with our History students and Kokoda Track Expedition group to enrich our learning on the story of the 1942 Defence of Australia and his father who attended EREA’s CBC Freemantle for a time and is referred to by historian Peter Brune as the 'Kokoda Hero'.

It was a great opportunity to learn from those who have served to give us the privileges we enjoy today!

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them……

Lest we forget.

Baradine Gamilaroi Country Immersion 5:00 am Sunday 26 November – Thursday 30 November

We look forward to the opportunity to be on Country with our friends at Baradine and Coonabarabran next week. The communities are excited to welcome us and our 20 Year 10 Immersion students, Mrs Fileman and myself. The students will run sports tabloids, support language lessons and the end of Year Drama productions at St John's and St Lawrence's respectively, as well as join students for lessons in Baradine and Coonabarabran High Schools. 

Students are required to meet Mrs Fileman and Mr Brannan in the Chapel at Monday 8:00 am Mass as well as Recess Monday and Friday to prepare for this adventure.

Year 9 Ceroc Dance Workshop with Brigidine College

Year 9 had a great day consolidating our Respectful Relationships program with a Ceroc Dance workshop in good company with Brigidine College St Ives.

Sean O’Donnell, George Wesson, and Jonathan Armatas did a fine job acknowledging country, welcoming our guests and leading prayer with the Brigidine student leaders, before a significant day of learning and interaction both on the dance floor and at our spectacular Oxford Falls facilities.

Ceroc Dance Champion on the day was Angus Gibson who, with dance partner Annie M, took out the coveted Ceroc Dance Champion Award following in the footsteps of Angus Growden Class of 2018!

Social emotional learning and Ceroc Dance were the real winners.

Bill James History Lecture to Year 10 Elective History

Today, Mr Bill James (Old Boy 1968), spoke with Year 10 Elective History students in the Sarto Centre on his study and writings from the Kokoda Campaign in WWII. Class teachers of Year 10 Base classes 4, 5 and 6 attended along with interested staff and students. Bill has been a great friend of the College over many years donating the James Fellowship for staff professional development and supporting our Kokoda Track Expedition in many ways. 

St Pius X College Old Boys Business Network Group

On Tuesday evening the St Pius X College Old Boys Association launched its Business Network Group with around 30 Old Boys from a range of fields of industry.

The group is the brainchild of former SPX OBA President David Bullard (Class of '82) and Sam Loricco (Class of '86) and aims to provide advice, support and mentorship for students and recent Old Boys as they move into the careers around which their predecessors will have learned invaluable lessons.

The group will meet twice yearly and provide details through the college’s career support networks and affiliated structures. OBA President Mr Barry Wong, Principal Michael Ronchetti, Business Manager Mr Lachlan Skeen and Careers Advisor Mr Joe Madani were all in attendance to support a great initiative from which the college’s students and community can benefit greatly.

Farewell

It is with mixed emotions that I inform the College community, that after 24 years serving the College between as Junior School Sportsmaster, PDHPE Coordinator, Curriculum Coordinator, WHS and Facilities Coordinator, Head of Student Services, and Assistant Principal Pastoral Care and Wellbeing, 2000 and 2023. I have accepted a year’s sabbatical leave for 2024 to serve as Director of Learning at Mater Maria Catholic College, Warriewood. 

The opportunity to fully re-engage in an exciting and innovative co-educational environment for the first time since I taught English and Physics in Chile, earlier in my career, was too good to ignore and I am excited and grateful for the opportunities for change in a new environment.

I will, however, greatly miss the students, staff, parents, and school community, with whom I have shared so much, overcome great adversity, and celebrated so many great times over the years. I’ve been Blessed by the opportunities St Pius X College has given me: including Supervising the Beach Volleyball at the Sydney Olympics, coaching future Wallaby Captains and players, International Basketball Players, leading 12 Snowy Hikes, Kokoda Immersions, Red Dirt, RAP, Sports and Cultural Tours. It has been a great pleasure and privilege to teach and interact with so many outstanding students, musicians, sportsmen, entrepreneurs, physicists, and outdoor educational enthusiasts. Having my own two sons and daughter thrive in the St Pius X and Mercy College learning environments in so many ways, has made it easy for me to be as involved and engaged as I have been.

I, like so many students and families, treasure the times I have enjoyed at St Pius X College. 

Goodbye for now, farewell and God bless.

Fide et Labore

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care