Junior School News
- From the Head of the Junior School
- Junior School Sport
- From the Junior Resource Centre
From the Head of the Junior School
TEACHING AND LEARNING
This week in Maths Megaminds, students were engaged with all things investing! Boys were given an imaginary $100,000 and tasked with choosing 5 investment options to grow their money. They learnt about stocks, index funds, commodities, crypto and dividends. Over the next few weeks, they will use their mathematical skills to calculate the percentage profit, loss and any dividends gained. They will also learn the value of compounding when compared to linear growth.
POTATO OLYMPICS
When Mrs Iwatani first proposed the idea of a Potato Olympics a few weeks ago, I must admit I was a bit skeptical. However, this week's Year 5 Potato Olympics turned out to be a fantastic event! The students thoroughly enjoyed participating in a variety of activities, having fun, and picking up some valuable mathematics skills in the process. The event kicked off with a lively procession of the 'potathletes' and the ceremonial lighting of the cauldron. Although a few 'potathletes' didn't make it past the gruelling Spudput competition, everyone had a wonderful time. Thank you to Mrs Iwatani and the Year 5 staff for organising and running this memorable event.
Here are some photos of the exciting event:
WINTER SPORT
Thank you to Mr Bourke and the Junior School teachers for their commitment to the Junior School Saturday Sport Program. Thank you also to all of you who came out every Saturday morning, rain or shine, to support your son and his team. I would also like to thank those parents who have taken the time to reach out to their teacher/coach to thank them for giving up their Saturday mornings to support the sport program – your acknowledgement of their commitment has been much appreciated.
GRANDPARENTS LITURGY AND WALK-A-THON
Today, the Junior School welcomed grandparents and other special guests to a very special liturgy at Oxford Falls. Following the liturgy, students – and some keen grandparents - participated in our annual major fundraiser, the Walkathon.
Please see the link below for the photos of our beautiful grandparents with their grandsons.
If you haven’t had an opportunity to donate as yet, you are warmly invited to donate as you are able via this link:
https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/jnrschoolwalkathon
All contributions go towards helping many people. In the past, your generous contributions have supported vital nutrition programs at our partner schools, St Joseph’s Walgett and St Mary’s Bowraville. For many students, these programs provide their only meal of the day. Additionally, our donations benefit Gloria and her community in Zambia through our partnership with World Vision. Thank you for your continued support!
BOOK WEEK PARADE | Wednesday 21 August from 1:30 pm in the College Gym
This year's Book Week theme is 'Reading is Magic', and we can't wait to celebrate with you! Join us for a spectacular celebration where each class will showcase their creativity in a costume parade. Students will transform into wizards, mythical creatures, and characters from their favourite books. This enchanting event promises to be a highlight of our Book Week festivities.
Please rsvp to this event using the following link:
FATHER’S DAY LITURGY AND FATHER & SON SPORTS DAY
Start warming up those hamstrings and stocking up on Dencorub for one of the biggest days in the Junior School calendar. We begin our day with a liturgy at 9:45 am (not 10:45 am as previously advised) in the Christian Brothers Centre at Oxford Falls.
For catering purposes, would you please rsvp using the following link:
CHESS CLUB
Congratulations to those students who have recently completed their Chess competitions for 2024. Big thanks to Mrs Martin and Ms Boyle for their coordination and supervision of Chess. Students celebrated the end of Chess season with a pizza party last Friday.
DATES FOR THE DIARY
- Saturday 17 August | P & F Trivia Night
- Wednesday 21 August | Book Week Parade
- Thursday 29 August | Father's Day Liturgy and Sports Day at Oxford Falls
- Friday 30 August | P&F Father's Day Mass and Breakfast
- Monday 2 September | St Pius X Feast Day holiday (Pupil- and Staff-free day)
- Wednesday 4 September | Winter Sports photos
- Friday 27 September | Year 5 Science Fair 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Term 3 concludes
Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School.
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School
Junior School Sport
Following the conclusion of the Winter Season, we reflect on a period filled with remarkable achievements and memorable moments. Our students have shown exceptional dedication and sportsmanship, participating in a range of sports and competitions. As we transition into the new season, we look forward to building on these successes and embracing fresh opportunities for growth and engagement. Stay tuned for exciting updates as we continue to support and celebrate our students' progress and accomplishments.
Summer Sport
Return of singlets: Thank you to everyone who has registered their son for Term 4 Sports. Selections will be open via Clipboard until Friday 16 August at 5:00 pm (tomorrow). Please email Mr Bourke jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions or need assistance.
Summer Trials will commence in Week 5, please ensure your son has all necessary equipment next week to actively take part in the trials.
If your son played Basketball or Touch Football in Term 1 and is playing a different sport in Term 4, can you please return your singlets to Mr Bourke asap.
Hand them back in person is ideal so that we can accurately record that your son has returned his singlet. If we have any singlets outstanding at the end of the year, a replacement fee will be charged to individual students. Students continuing with Basketball and Touch Football will return their singlets at the end of the season in Term 4.
Thursday Sport: Congratulations to all the students who took part in the Walkathon this week, further details will be shared in next week’s Woodchatta.
Upcoming events:
WEEK 6 (Thursday 29 August) – Junior School Father’s Day Liturgy and Father & Son Sports Day
A reminder to compete the rsvp form via the link below if you have yet to do so. Thank you in advance for completing the form, as the information it provides is essential in planning the event.
It is a day where sport will be the winner and competition will take a supporting role. I am very much looking forward to witnessing our dads and sons coming together for an important community building event following on from the Liturgy that will commence promptly at 9:45 am.
Athletics Invitationals:
- 17 August – Barker Carnival: Our first carnival is this Saturday at Barker College. All relevant information has been emailed to those involved and will also be made available via Clipboard.
- 23 August – Riverview Carnival: Riverview – (9:00 am – 2:00 pm)
- 24 August – SHORE Carnival: Narrabeen (8:00 am -11:45 am)
- IPSHA Athletics – 28 August (SOPAC) – details to come for those selected (8:00 am – 2:30 pm approx.)
Athletics Training: Training continued this week for all athletes, taking place on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons at Rotary Athletics Field, Mowbray Rd West, Lane Cove. Each session will run until 4:55 pm for parents to collect their son. All remaining students return to school via the bus.
Round 10 Results
Junior AFL
The Junior AFL team has achieved an outstanding feat by remaining undefeated for two consecutive years, triumphing in both 2023 and 2024. This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to their dedication, teamwork, and skill on the field. A special thank you goes out to Scott and Stuart for their exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment in guiding the team to success. Their efforts have been instrumental in fostering a winning spirit and achieving back-to-back victories. Congratulations to all the players and coaches for this impressive achievement!
Junior Football
As we wrap up the Junior Football season, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the parents for their incredible support throughout the year. Your enthusiasm and commitment have been instrumental in making the season a success. It was truly inspiring to see so many students participating each week, displaying passion and teamwork on the field. The vibrant energy and dedication of our young players have made this season memorable and rewarding. We appreciate all the encouragement and look forward to another fantastic season ahead next year! A special mention also goes to the SPX Football Committee for their tireless support across all our games at Oxford Falls this year.
Prep 1st
Prep 2nd
Prep 3rd
Prep 4th
Prep 5th
11A
11B
11C
11D
11E
CIS Football: Next week, on Tuesday 27 August, Ryan Volpato and Ethan Suleman will be heading to Tamworth as members of the CIS Football team to take part in the NSWPSSA Primary Boys Football Championships. Held from 27 - 30 August, the competition draws players from across the many regions of NSW. We wish both boys the best of luck and know they will do SPX proud.
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator
SPX Football Social Night, 14 September - GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!
As we continue to build our football community, let's come together with school staff, old boys and each other to have a great night out. Socceroo legends Robbie Slater and Dave Mitchell will be our guests on the night - come and hear some fantastic football stories from across their careers.
To get your tickets ... just scan the QR code below.
Getting in early guarantees your place and allows us to plan catering accordingly. Why not get a group of parents from your son's team to come along!
SPX Football Supporters' Committee
Junior Rugby
The final games for the 2024 Rugby season were played on the weekend, and there were many positives. The Prep firsts travelled to Moss Vale to take on Tudor House in a cold and foggy final match for the rugby season. It was a tough game for the boys, but I cannot fault their commitment, dedication and heart that they showed throughout the game. Despite the tough loss, the boys walked off the field with their heads held high after clinching a try right on the full-time buzzer.
The 11As finished their great season with a very strong win over Trinity. Mr Montgomerie reports:
The U11A rugby team rounded off the season with a dominant performance vs Trinity, winning 43-0; a solid team performance where tries were shared around, and all players made strong tackles and runs. St Pius X enjoyed lots of possession all game, and were very creative in their attack, with lots of support play allowing for plenty of offloads and slick passing. The team was also very solid in defence, defending on their tryline for 5 minutes, managing to keep Trinity out for the whole game. Man of the match went to Haarlem and Darcy, who both ran hard all game, supported breaks and tackled strongly. All players should be very proud of a fantastic season, where everyone has improved throughout, and played strongly as a team, representing St Pius X College to a high level. It has been a privilege to coach such a great group of boys, and a big thank you also goes to all of the parents who have supported the team throughout the season.
Thank you to everyone who has made this rugby season possible. Thank you to the Try time coaches for their hard work. Thank you to Mr Montgomerie for his dedication to the junior rugby program and U11 team. Thank you to all the boys for putting in the effort at training and game days. It is great to see individuals and the whole team improve as the season has progressed.
Finally, a big thank you to all the parents for your support each week. This would not be possible without you!
Mr Antonio Morris - Junior School Rugby Convenor
Summer Tennis - Registrations
Registrations for the Summer Tennis for Term 4, 2024/Term 1, 2025 season will take place on Clipboard. The enrolments window is now open. All Junior and Senior students must enrol via Clipboard. Please note that enrolments will close on Friday 16 August at 5:00 pm.
Please note the changes to the competition and training below:
Enrolment in tennis means that you will be available to:
- play all matches
- attend all training sessions
- attend the grading session
YEAR 5 STUDENTS – you will be enrolling for only the Term 4, 2024 competition and Thursday trainings. Any Year 5 students who wish to continue playing tennis for the College in Term 1, 2025 will need to re-enrol at a later date.
YEAR 6 - 12 STUDENTS – you will be enrolling for BOTH Term 4, 2024 and Term 1, 2025.
COMPETITION TIMES: Please note also that from Term 4, the GREEN BALL competition will take place on Saturdays at the Queenwood Tennis Centre from 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm. All other games will either be played at 8:00 am – 10:00 am or 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, depending on which team your son is placed. These matches will be played at various North Shore locations.
GRADING DAY FOR SENIOR STUDENTS: For the SENIOR STUDENTS you MUST be available to attend the grading day being held on 31 August at Queenwood Tennis Centre, Oxford Falls. The students in the lower levels will be graded in the first session and those in the upper levels will be graded in the second session. If any of the students do very well in the early group they could stay on and trial with the stronger second group.
Group 1 : 8:00 am - 10:30 am
Group 2 : 10:30 am - 1:00 pm
TRAINING FOR SENIOR STUDENTS: Starting from Week 1, Term 4, all SENIOR SCHOOL SUMMER TENNIS players will be required to attend training one afternoon a week, either a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, this will be dependent on your level of play. The training will take place at Queenwood Tennis Centre and a bus will be provided there and back to the College.
Mrs Samantha Iwatani - Summer Tennis Convenor
Cricket - Registrations
Mr Ryan Balboa - MWJCA Cricket Convenor
From the Junior Resource Centre
This week’s Highlights are:
Year 5 Chatswood Library Visit. Year 5 Gold, Green and Red were able to attend the Book Week Celebration Activities this week at Chatswood Library. Here they read and discussed Picture books. A highlighted one was ‘The World’s Most Atrocious* Animals (*or are they?) I’ve never met a Philip Bunting book I haven’t liked and this one is no exception! The boys enjoyed the witty, quirky, colourfully illustrated fact-filled book and the quiz at the end of the session. 5 Blue will attend Chatswood Library next Tuesday.
SAVE THE DATE – Book Week 2024
SAVE THE DATE - BOOK WEEK PARADE
WEDNESDAY 21 August
Guessing Competitions for Book Week 2024
Book Week is coming! I’ve planned the ‘Most Awesome-est Book Week Costumes Ever’. Can you guess who I am?
Clue Number 1 for Monday’s Character: I am the spirit of the forest
Clue Number 1 for Tuesday’s Character: A particular talent for the Cruciatus Curse.
Prizes for the student who can guess who I am!
BOOK IN A JAR COMPETITION
Part of Book Week celebrations will include a guessing competition – BOOK IN A JAR! Inside this jar there is an actual book (damaged one) that has been torn up and squashed inside this jar. There are many clues within the text that can be seen for a keen book sleuth to discover the title. Pop into the JRC, take a guess and the winner will get an awesome prize during our Book Week activities. Don’t spoil the fun if you can guess.
Book Worms Guessing Competition
Our most popular guessing competition will be in the JRC from Week 4.
Check out the Jar of Book Worms, work out how many are in the jar. The prize is the jar of book worms! Maximum of 2 guesses per student. Winner will be announced at the Book Week Character Parade.
NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge
Have you checked out the new books added to the NSW PRC booklist? Don’t forget to finish your student reading record before 23 August.
https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html
Year 5 Author Talk – Friday 16 August
Solli Raphael
Solli Raphael is Australia’s youngest ever slam poet champion. His first anthology, Limelight is a unique collection of slam poetry paired with inspirational writing techniques. With over 30 original poems in different forms, the book features the viral video sensation 'Australian Air', which has been viewed 3.5 million times via Facebook. Following on from the success of Limelight, this new collection of poetry Spotlight illuminates the social interests of Solli's generation Solli's work tackles current social concerns for his generation, such as sustainability and social equality, all the while amplifying his uplifting message of hope.
Book Week Author Talk 28 August – Mick Elliott
Mick Elliott will be visiting St Pius X College Junior School as part of our Book Week Celebrations for 2024.
Attached is a digital order form from Larrikin House.
Larrikin House are offering to run easy, cashless book sales for the event where students get to purchase their books of choice and have them signed by the Author at the event.
Parents simply need to follow the instructions on the landing page when they click the link on the form or scan the QR code. I will also have printed copies in the JRC for the boys to collect.
Library Monitor
Introducing Vinnie Abbattista who has joined our Library Monitors Team for this semester.
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail: Survivors – Inspiring True Stories of Survival by Ben Hubbard.
The book focuses on 15 amazing stories of survival against the odds, focussing on positive outcomes of natural disasters and accidents from recent history. A mentor text that the department has designated as a recommended read for Stage 3.
‘From the much-anticipated 2018 rescue of the 13 Thai boys who were trapped in a cave, to Steve Callahan, who was adrift at sea for 76 days, you’ll be astonished by these thrilling stories of survival.’
#MrsMartinsbooktrail2024
Mrs Elena Martin - Teacher Librarian