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

From the Head of the Junior School

As another term draws to a close, I would like to celebrate the hard work and dedication of our students. They lead very busy lives, and I am always impressed with how they handle the challenges of what life in 2024 demands of them.

As we head into the holiday break, I hope you all have an opportunity to relax and recharge and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 4.

YEAR 5

Year 5 are having a busy and enjoyable week – on Tuesday they headed off for a private screening of the film The Wild Robot at Hoyts and tomorrow they will be showcasing their Science projects. Everyone is welcome from 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm in the College gym for an out-of-this-world experience at the Planetary Parade! This exciting event will introduce visitors to the incredible tours they can take of the planets in our solar system. From the scorching surface of Mercury to the icy rings of Saturn, our Year 5 students have been hard at work creating fun, interactive exhibits that will transport you across the cosmos. Discover what it would be like to skydive through the clouds of Jupiter, hike on Mars, or explore the mysterious depths of Neptune. Don’t miss this stellar adventure - your interplanetary passport awaits!

YEAR 6

This week, Year 6 students showcased their creativity and ingenuity with a fantastic array of natural disaster models. The displays, which included everything from volcanic eruptions to earthquake simulations, provided a hands-on learning experience that captivated and impressed both students and staff. The models not only demonstrated scientific principles but also sparked engaging discussions about the impact of natural disasters on our planet.

While our students took the lead in presenting their projects, we know many of these impressive models were the result of teamwork with parents. Thank you to all the families who supported their children in bringing these incredible projects to life.

SAVE THE DATE: MONDAY 25 NOVEMBER – YEAR 6 GRADUATION

Please save this date to come along to Oxford Falls and celebrate with your Year 6 son as he graduates from primary school and looks forward to starting his senior years at the college in 2025. Year 6 students will travel to Oxford Falls early in the day and participate in a morning of reflection. Year 6 parents and special guests are invited to arrive for the Graduation liturgy at 12:45 pm in the Christian Brothers Centre. Year 5 students will be joining us for the Graduation liturgy and can be picked up from Oxford Falls from 2:30 pm. Any students who aren’t collected from Oxford Falls will return to the College as per usual on Thursday after sport.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Friday 27 September | Year 5 Planetary Parade 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Term 3 concludes
Monday 14 October | Staff Professional Learning Day (Pupil-free day)
Tuesday 15 October | Students return for Term 4
Monday 25 November | Year 6 Graduation Liturgy and Afternoon tea

Have a wonderful break.

Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School

Junior School Sport

Thursday Sport: Training for Basketball, Touch Football, Cricket, Softball and Tennis continued this week.

Return of SPX Uniforms:

Thank you to everyone who has already returned their borrowed sport uniforms by the due date last week. If your son no longer requires a uniform for the sport they participated in, please ensure it’s returned asap. This includes uniforms from Term 1 sports like basketball singlets and touch football tops, as well as those from the recent Term 2/3 winter season.

Uniforms are needed for boys joining new sports in Term 4. Please also remember to return any athletics or AFL gear. Any outstanding uniforms will be charged on the final school fees later in the year. An audit of this will be completed this week and sent to finance.

Your cooperation helps us prepare for the upcoming season.

Term 4 summer sports: Once again I thank the students and coaching staff for their commitment to trials and training this past month and I look forward to seeing all compete for the college in their respective activities when we resume in Term 4.

Term 4 basketball, softball, and touch football: Now that squads/teams have been settled for the start of Term 4, you will have received correspondence related to either basketball, softball or touch football, and I kindly ask that you read this to ensure clarity around requirements and logistics. Any concerns please reach out to me at the College. Draft draws for Term 4 sport will be uploaded to Clipboard.

Term 4 IPSHA summer season

The Term 4 summer season commences in Week 1 of Term 4. Please see below a list of fixture dates. Times and venues will be shared in Clipboard once confirmed with opposition schools.

Round 7: Saturday 19 October
Round 8: Saturday 26 October
Round 9: Saturday 2 November
Round 10: Saturday 9 November
Round 11: Saturday 16 November
Round 12 Saturday 23 November

Looking ahead

Term 4 Swim Program: All students will take part in a specialised program, as per the schedule above in lieu of regular Thursday Sport. Year 5 will attend Macquarie Uni Aquatic Centre for a pool-based program and Year 6 will attend Dee Why Beach for a Surf Skills program. I will send a separate letter to families for each year group that outlines logistics and most importantly a swim grading form for Year 5 students and a SEA Australia Waiver for the Year 6 students.

Players Needed

The Senior Squash program is on the lookout for players. If there are any students that would be keen to join the Squash program, please contact Mr Joseph Madani

jmadani@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

District Cricket

SPX U12 Blue Match Report - Saturday 21 September

The U11 team had a great win on the weekend. While fire loomed in the distance (parents keeping a watchful eye).....the team bowled out the opposition for 75 runs. Samuel S, Archer L and Daniel T all with 2 wickets each. Ronan O and Jacob J opened the SPX batting with an incredible partnership of over 50 runs - SPX 0/76. Well done boys!

Therese Watson

SPX U13 Black Match Report - Saturday 21 September

Pius bowled first on a beautiful morning at Oxford Falls. Seaforth notched up a solid total of 6/170 from their 30 overs. We started our chase brightly but failed to bat out the full 30 overs going down by 37 runs. All of the boys contributed with bat or ball on the day and the ground fielding was excellent. Oscar Haigh finished not out on 31 and was well supported by Gianluca Spillane with 26. Gianluca received man of the match for his mature batting and captaincy.

Andrew Ward

Junior Rugby

Although the Rugby season has come to a close, it’s fantastic to celebrate success stories from our players. Congratulations to Noah Solomon, who plays for Norths Pirates, on receiving the prestigious Darcy Henry All Rounder Award. This honour is given to a player who embodies the values of selflessness, tenacity, dedication, and a true love for rugby - just like Darcy had. Well done, Noah!

Upcoming Events

Rugby

Holiday Rugby Camp

Hey everyone!

With the holidays just around the corner, we’re excited to offer some fantastic rugby camps that will keep your kids active, engaged, and having a blast! The camps are being held in Mosman and Belrose. More information can be found in the link below.

Why Join Our Rugby Camps?

Fun and Engaging: We know it’s the end of the rugby season, so we’ll make sure our camps are all about fun and skill-building.
Active Play: Let’s get kids off the couch and onto the field, honing their rugby skills and staying active.
Future Stars: More kids playing rugby means more talent for clubs and maybe even future Wallabies!

Check Out Our Camps:

Club Camps: Great for all skill levels!
School Camps: Convenient and exciting!
Social Camps: Fun for friends and teammates!

Spread the Word! Help us reach more families by sharing our new video that showcases the excitement and enjoyment of our camps: Watch Our Video

For more details and to register, visit our website: Try Time Rugby Camps

Let’s make this holiday season one to remember for our young rugby stars!

Trytime Rugby

Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator

Cricket School Holiday Camp

Mr Ryan Balboa - MWJCA Cricket Convenor

From the Junior Resource Centre

This week’s highlights are:

Literature Promotion in the JRC

This term I choose a book, Scar Town, by Tristan Bancks (CBCA Winner for Younger Readers 2024) to share with Year 5 and 6 students as a read aloud. There is great value in having the students sit on the carpet or at their desks listening to their teacher read aloud. There is value to the fellowship that comes with the gathering of the classroom community coming together. There is value in the stillness that comes when students are entranced by the musical rhythm of reading; there is value in the vocabulary that ripples off the page and flows from the teachers lips; there is value in the synapses firing and electricity pulsing through the imagination to build images from those words; there is value in the showmanship that comes in reading aloud – a nuanced performance of character voices mixed with gestures both wild and subtle giving a breath and a heartbeat to a book; there is value in the advertisement of books and authors and illustrators you present to your audience – a world you unlock; the gift of discovering all of the other books from that author or that series have disappeared off the shelves because the students found a connection with them. There is value in taking a break with a good book. So, lets go ahead and read aloud to our students, trust me they will LOVE it! AND LOVE YOU !

September New Books in the JRC

Lunch Time reads in the JRC

Mrs Martin’s Book Trail: Bravepaw by L M Wilkinson, art by Lavanya Naidu

This exciting new fiction for Year 7 plus is a beautifully illustrated and very readable adventure full of magic, heroism and more. A great book for reluctant readers and a family read aloud.

‘Fitch has always longed for adventure – just like the gallant mouse hero Bravepaw in all her favourite stories. But she is the smallest mouse in her family, living in a peaceful little village where nothing exciting ever happens… until DIRE TROUBLE comes to the Plateau! Titch and her best friend Huckleberry must set out on a DANGEROUS QUEST to take the Heartstone to repair the crack in the heart of Alluria before the whole world breaks apart. Can Titch ever hope to live up to the legend of Bravepaw?’

#mrsmartinsbooktrail2024

Ms Elena Martin – Teacher Librarian

Careers