From the Head of Junior School

WOODCHAT

For busy families who want the facts, fast!

YEAR 5 FORMATION DAY

Last Friday, our Year 5 students and staff joined the Mission and Identity team at Oxford Falls for the annual Year 5 Formation Day. Students took part in a range of engaging activities, learning about the life of Saint Pius X, deepening their understanding of the Edmund Rice Education Australia Touchstones, exploring the theme 'From Little Things, Big Things Grow,' and reflecting on our connection to the land.

LOCKDOWN & EVACUATION

On Tuesday, Junior School students participated in a very successful Lockdown and Evacuation drill. In the event of an emergency, students and staff follow clear procedures and make their way to the main playground.

The boys approached the drill with maturity and focus, showing they understand that everyone’s safety depends on listening carefully and following instructions. Regular practice like this helps ensure our community is prepared to respond calmly and safely if ever needed.

YEAR 5 CAMP | 4 - 6 MARCH

All is in readiness for our Year 5 Camp to Point Wolstoncroft. If you need to send in medication, please do so by this Friday so that Mrs Hawthorne can log it and distribute to the supervising teachers. For safety reasons, students are not permitted to carry their own medication (this includes cough lollies, Panadol etc). If you have any questions regarding the Year 5 Camp, please contact your son’s classroom teacher or Mr Montgomerie (Year 5 Leader of Learning) who will be leading the camp

cmontgomerie@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Buses will leave from the Junior School playground (main campus) at 8:30 am sharp. Students are to arrive at school no later than 8:15am and not earlier than 8:00 am as we will be farewelling our Canberra Tour prior to our departure.

YEAR 6 CANBERRA TOUR | 4 - 6 MARCH

All is in readiness for our Year 6 Canberra Tour – if you need to send in medication, please do so by this Friday so that Mrs Hawthorne can log it all and distribute to the supervising teachers. For safety reasons, students are not permitted to carry their own medication. If you have any questions regarding the Canberra Tour, please contact your son’s classroom teacher or Mr Nouragas (Year 6 Leader of Learning) who will be leading the tour

cnouragas@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

The tour to Canberra will leave from the Junior School playground (main campus) at 7:00 am sharp. Students are to arrive at school no later than 6:45 am and not earlier than 6:30 am. As we have events scheduled on our first day, we will be leaving at 7:00 am, so please don’t be late.

TECHNOLOGY-FREE CAMP AND TOUR

Our camps and tours are intentionally technology-free experiences. Students are not permitted to bring mobile phones, smartwatches, or other internet-enabled devices.

This policy is in place to:

Support full engagement in camp activities
Promote positive peer relationships
Protect student wellbeing and privacy
Ensure a safe environment in shared accommodation

As staff do not supervise inside student bedrooms, we must be confident that no devices capable of recording, messaging, or accessing online content are present.

We ask parents to support us by ensuring that devices are left at home and by not encouraging students to bring them, even discreetly. Any device brought to camp will be confiscated and returned at the end of the trip.

If a student breaches this rule, parents will be required to collect their son up from the Year 5 Camp in Point Wolstoncroft or from the tour in Canberra. A meeting with the Head of Junior School and the Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care will then be arranged to determine whether further sanctions are necessary.

Thank you for your support in helping us provide a safe and positive camp experience for all students.

NAPLAN will take place later this term for students in Year 5. At St Pius X, we focus on high-quality teaching and learning every day, rather than ;teaching to the test.' That said, we ensure students are familiar with the format of the assessments, so they feel confident and comfortable on the day.

Families can best support their children by keeping routines calm and positive, ensuring a good night’s sleep, and reinforcing that NAPLAN is just one snapshot of a child’s learning. Our message to students is simple: do your best, take your time, and remember that one set of tests does not define you.

The College OPEN DAY is on Saturday, 14 March. The Chatswood campus will be open for tours from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The Oxford Falls Campus will be open from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

This event is a significant moment in the life of our College, offering a welcoming and immersive experience for prospective students and their families. It provides us with a chance to highlight our dynamic learning environment, the dedication of our staff, and the wide range of academic, cultural, and sporting opportunities available at St Pius X College.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Junior School students are warmly invited to volunteer an hour or two to welcome new families to the Junior School at the College Open Day on Saturday 14 March. Please volunteer by clicking the image above.

OPEN DAY CAKE STALL

We are preparing for our much-loved cake stall for Open Day. It is always a highlight of the day, thanks to the generosity of our community.

We warmly invite families to bake or cook something for the day - cakes, slices, brownies, biscuits, or any homemade treats are most welcome.

Boxes will be sent home in the week of 9 March for those who register. Please ensure all items are clearly labelled with ingredients.

Your support makes this special tradition possible. Please Register here if you would like to contribute to the cake stall and we will send a box home with your son.

Your treats can be sent to school on the Friday 13 March - please leave at Student Reception. If delivering on the day, please go straight to the Cake stall.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Christine Jennings - cjennings@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Thank you for your support of the Junior School.

Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of Junior School

Junior School Sport News

Fixtures

Thank you to all our parents and staff for your ongoing support and patience as we navigate a very busy and exciting start to Term 1.

In just a few short weeks, we have completed our Summer Sport grading process, launched our IPSHA Summer season, and successfully run both our Junior Swimming Carnival and Cross Country event. Our Swim Squad and Cross Country Squad have also been training with great commitment as they work toward their upcoming IPSHA competitions.

Looking ahead, we will soon begin our Winter Sport trials and commence our Tour training sessions. It’s a busy period, but an exciting one, and the boys have approached everything with enthusiasm and great spirit.

I want to sincerely thank all the parents who have reached out with questions or clarifications. I appreciate your communication, your patience, and your partnership. I am working through messages as quickly as I can, and I apologise to those I have been slow to respond to.

Finally, a special thank you to our Junior School staff, coaches, convenors, and teachers, whose support behind the scenes ensures our boys can enjoy such a wide and rich sporting program. Their commitment makes all of this possible.

Thank you once again for your continued support. I’m looking forward to a fantastic remainder of the term.

Thursday Sport Term 1

Term 1 Summer Season Dates

Round 3: 28 February
Round 4: 7 March
Round 5: 14 March
Round 6: 21 March

Summer Sport Results

Why Do We Play and What Are We Trying to Teach our students?

At St Pius X College, our Junior School sports program is about far more than just winning and losing. As members of IPSHA (Independent Primary School Heads of Australia), we align with a philosophy that prioritises skill development, game awareness, teamwork, and mateship. While competition is a valuable aspect of sport, our focus is on developing the whole student, helping each boy grow in confidence, resilience, and respect for others, both on and off the field.

Different schools may take different approaches to sport, but at SPX, we are committed to teaching lifelong lessons through sport. With the importance of perseverance, playing with integrity, and supporting teammates. The IPSHA Code of Conduct reinforces these values, encouraging players, coaches, and parents to uphold a positive sporting culture built on respect and enjoyment of the game.

A huge thank you to our parents for your ongoing support, your encouragement from the sidelines and commitment to the students' development is invaluable. Let’s continue to foster a love for sport that will stay with them well beyond their school years!

Basketball

Touch Football

Softball

In our second matchup against Grammar St Ives, we went down 12–2 in a competitive contest that challenged us in all phases of the game. Despite the scoreline, we executed several quality defensive plays in the infield, showed improved communication on fly balls to the outfield, and applied pressure on the base paths with aggressive running. Our hitters made solid contact through the middle of the order and worked deeper counts, demonstrating better pitch selection and situational awareness at the plate. Grammar St Ives were a disciplined and well-structured side who capitalised on scoring opportunities, making them a strong opponent to test our game strategy and resilience. Overall, the match provided valuable learning moments that we can build on as we continue to develop our consistency and execution.

Mrs Jennifer Williams - Softball Coach

Team Movement

To ensure all teams remain balanced and have adequate numbers each week, there may continue to be some movement of students across Basketball and Touch Football teams. These adjustments follow two weeks of training and games and reflect a range of factors, including team dynamics, player combinations, and the positive leadership many students have shown.

For a player to move up a team, there will naturally be a corresponding movement down. This is not a reflection of poor performance; rather, it ensures all students are placed in environments where they can succeed, grow in confidence, and enjoy their sport.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through these changes.

Uniform Expectations

Students must wear their SPX sport uniform and/or playing uniform to and from Saturday fixtures. This helps us represent the College with pride and ensures students are properly equipped for their games.

The following items are not permitted at Saturday sport:

Crocs
Casual clothes
Hoodies

Students must also wear enclosed shoes.

Basketball- Students should now have purchased the Basketball shorts from the College Uniform Shop.

Arrival Time

Players are required to arrive 20 minutes before their scheduled game. This allows time for a proper warm‑up and helps families secure parking at away venues, where parking may be limited.

Information for Families New to SPX Sport

Communication & Fixtures

– All weekly fixtures, venues, and any late changes are published in the Clipboard app. Woodchatta will also contain a fixtures card each week as a point of reference.

– Please ensure notifications are enabled so you do not miss updates.

– Fixtures appear as UNCONFIRMED early in the week and will be updated to CONFIRMED once opposition schools finalise details. This can be as late as Thursday.

Absences

If your son is unable to attend a Saturday fixture due to illness or injury, please log the absence through Clipboard and email Mr Bourke as a courtesy by Thursday where possible.

IPSHA Swimming Championships

Families have now been notified regarding their sons’ nomination for the IPSHA Swimming Carnival, taking place next Tuesday at SOPAC. We are incredibly proud to be sending one of the largest and strongest SPX teams in many years, a reflection of the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm shown by our swimmers in swim squads and at our recent carnival.

We wish all our athletes the very best of luck as they compete against some of the strongest school swimming programs in Australia. We know they will represent the College with pride and determination. Junior School Age Champions will be announced at an upcoming Assembly this term.

Equipment & Preparation

– Students should bring a labelled drink bottle, hat (where relevant), and their playing gear.

– Please ensure all items are named, our lost property grows quickly during sport season.

– A healthy breakfast on Saturday mornings makes a noticeable difference to performance and wellbeing.

Winter Sport Registration

Clipboard will open tomorrow afternoon for families to access the Winter Sport Activity Selection portal, allowing them to nominate their preferred winter sport options. This aligns with our Week 4 schedule, where the portal is set to open for all families. The portal will remain available until Week 7, after which registrations will close so we can prepare for Winter Sport Grading in Week 9.

Winter Sports Uniform

AFL
- Students are loaned a playing singlet and shorts
- They need to purchase the SPX socks from the College Uniform Shop
FOOTBALL
- Students need to purchase the shorts, jersey and socks from the College Uniform Shop
RUGBY
- Students need to purchase the shorts, jersey and socks from the College Uniform Shop

Accessing Fixture Information via Clipboard

To stay up to date with training schedules and game fixtures, please ensure you regularly check the Clipboard app. Fixtures are accessible directly within the app, and any changes will be updated there as well.

Important Reminder

To receive timely updates and notifications regarding changes to fixtures or training sessions, please ensure:

Notifications are enabled both within the Clipboard app settings and on your mobile device.
You regularly review the app for any schedule updates.
Fixtures will be initially entered as UNCONFIRMED, by Thursday each week they will be CONFIRMED by opposition schools.

Logging an Absence

If your son is unable to attend a Saturday Fixture due to sickness or injury, you can log his absence directly through Clipboard by following these steps:

Log in to Clipboard using your parent account.
Navigate to the Calendar page.
Click on “Log an Absence” and follow the prompts to submit.

As a courtesy, please email Mr Bourke at Jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au prior to the fixture, if possible by Thursday. For all other absences a request needs to be sent to Mr Bourke for approval. Holidays are not a reason to be missing games.

For normal school day absences, please continue to follow the standard school process via Sentral.

SPX App

If you haven’t already, please download and familiarise yourself with the SPX App.

The college app has been updated this week. To ensure you continue to receive all notifications from the college, please update the app via your regular app store. The app is free.

Chess – Junior School Update

Clipboard will open from tomorrow for families to complete their Chess registration. Please note that we carry a maximum of 20 players into the season; if registrations exceed this number, we will hold a short grading process to ensure selections are made fairly and transparently. Please stay tuned for more updates as we finalise arrangements for the 2026 season.

Football Club Announcement

Hello Football families and welcome to a new season!

First things first, if football is not on your radar any longer and you would like to opt out of this email communication, please just reply to this message and I will take you off the list.

The 2026 Season Launch and Social is coming

Once again, we will kick-off the season with a social for parents/carers, our sons and staff at Willoughby Bowling Club. Come and join us on Sunday afternoon 29th March. It's a great way to get to know everyone and watch the presentation of jerseys to the First XI.

Word to the wise... last year's Season Launch & Social was a sell-out so please get your tickets early using the link or QR code below. Further details are included in the link -

https://events.humanitix.com/2026-st-pius-x-football-season-launch

Swimming Squad Training – Term 1, 2026:

Training Details

Start Time: Training begins tomorrow at 7:00 am
Days: Every Tuesday and Thursday morning
Location: Fitness First, Chatswood
Supervision: Students meet Ms Proc (Senior Swimming Coordinator) or Mr Bourke (Junior School Sport Coordinator).
Equipment:
- Suitable swimwear
- Goggles
- Swim cap (required – no cap, no swim)
Uniform: Students attend in PE / Pius Sports Uniform, and at 8:00 am are walked back to school by staff, where they change into school uniform. A snack or breakfast afterwards is recommended.

Training Dates – Term 1

Tue 3/3
Thu 5/3
Thu 10/3
Thu 12/3

For anyone that would like to join the squad. Please email Mr Bourke.

Cross Country Squad Training

Clipboard Activity Selection – Cross Country

To ensure we have accurate student rolls and can update parents promptly about any changes to training sessions, we ask all families to please complete the Clipboard Activity Selection for Cross Country (found under Summer Sports).

There is no payment required. Completing the activity simply places your son on the official attendance list, allowing us to notify families of any updates, cancellations, or important information.

We kindly ask that this is completed before next week’s training sessions.This applies to any student who may attend at least one session, even if it is just a one‑off.

Cross Country Training continued this week following our successful event at Oxford Falls. Families have now been sent invitations for their sons to attend upcoming sessions as we work towards nominations for the IPSHA Carnival, which will take place in Week 10 at King’s School.

Any student wishing to improve their fitness, develop stronger running technique, or simply make new friends is warmly encouraged to join the training squad. Students are welcome to attend even one morning per week, every bit of training helps, and all levels of experience are welcome.

Training Details

Where: Beauchamp Oval (meet at the grandstand)
When: 7:10 am – 8:10 am (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday)
Who: Open to all students in Years 5–12
What to wear: PE uniform or SPX athletics singlet, with appropriate running shoes
After training: Students are to return to school to change into their regular school uniform
What to bring: Water bottle

Run2Cure 5k Fun Run

The Run2Cure Fun Run, in support of neuroblastoma cancer research, will take place on Sunday, 29 March 2026.

An early bird discount of 25% on registration fees is currently available and closes on 13 February. We encourage families to take advantage of this offer.

Please note that registrations completed by 10 March will also receive free bib postage.

Join our SPX Runners team upon registration:

https://sydney.run2cure.org.au/signup?parentId=spx-runners

Pricing details can be found here:

https://sydney.run2cure.org.au/event-info#sydneyeventpricing

Further information will be shared closer to the event. Please notify me via email once you have registered.

We look forward to seeing you all and kicking off a great season together!

Tour Updates Football & Rugby

Due to the Year 5 and 6 Camp next week, our Beauchamp Tuesday training sessions will now commence in Week 7. This adjustment ensures all players are available and able to begin their preparation together.

We also have a trial fixture scheduled for Saturday, 28 March against St Aloysius’ College. Further details regarding timings, venue, and team lists will be shared with families shortly.

Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator

NSTA Tennis

Round 3 Recap

It was another excellent weekend of tennis from our Pius students. We are now officially halfway through the season, and I want to thank all our families for your continued support and encouragement.

EPC Sports App

Thank you to the parents who have already submitted their child’s information through the EPC Sports website. I understand that some families experienced difficulties with the process, and I appreciate your patience.

For those who still need to complete the registration, please use the following link https://app.epcsports.au/event/get-event-details?eventId=325

If you have already submitted your information, please disregard this reminder.

As we enter the final three weeks of competition, please be prepared for possible last‑minute changes due to the weather forecast as we move into Round 4 this weekend. Any cancellations will be communicated on Clipboard as soon as possible, which may be as close as 20 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Mr Christopher Nouragas - NSTA Tennis Convenor

Careers