From the Head of Junior School

WOODCHAT – for busy families who just want the facts, fast!

DATES FOR THE DIARY IN TERM 2

WELCOME BACK TO TERM 2

It was a pleasure to welcome all our students, staff and families back to the Junior School for Term 2. I hope the break provided everyone with a chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy time together.

It was lovely to see the students arriving at school on Tuesday, resplendent - and looking very grown up - in their winter uniform and blazers. Wonderful also to see so many students complying with the College’s hair policy. Our hair and uniform guidelines aid in cultivating a culture of discipline, respect and pride so thank you for supporting the high standards of the College.

We were delighted to welcome two new students – Leo and Avyan - to the Junior School on Tuesday. Leo and Avyan have joined 5 Red with Mr Makhoul and we look forward to making them a part of our wonderful community.

STAFFING NEWS

This term, we also welcome Mrs Natalie Tateossian and Mrs Wendy Taylor to the Junior School. Mrs Tateossian (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) and Mrs Taylor (Tuesday) will be teaching 6 Green for the remainder of the year.

Congratulations to Ms Lana Shaba and Mrs Bridie Barrett, who will share the Year 6 Leader of Learning role for the rest of the year.

Mrs Jenny Williams will be on long service leave throughout Term 2. Her role will be filled by Dr Joanna Molloy, who will work with the SEED department from Monday to Wednesday, teach 6 Gold on Thursdays, and cover Leaders of Learning release time on Fridays.

TEACHING AND LEARNING IN TERM 2

Year 5

This term, Year 5 students are engaged in a rich and varied program across all key learning areas. In English, students are exploring the novel August and Jones, a multi-award-winning book from the CBCA Award-winning author of The Little Wave. It’s a story of two extraordinary kids who discover the life-changing power of friendship and teamwork. In Science, the focus is on Adaptations, where students are learning how living things survive and thrive in different environments, and how physical and behavioural features support their survival. Religious Education lessons centre on God’s Big Plan, helping students deepen their understanding of faith, purpose, and the broader narrative of salvation history. In History, students are investigating life in early 1800s Australia, gaining insight into the experiences of people during this formative period and how it has shaped modern Australian society. In Personal Development and Health, students are studying Nutrition, learning about healthy food choices, balanced diets, and how nutrition supports overall wellbeing.

In Year 6, students are studying the novel Scar Town, using it as a springboard to develop their skills in comprehension, analysis, and creative and persuasive writing. In Science, the focus is on electricity, where students are investigating how electrical circuits work and exploring the role of electricity in everyday life. Religious Education lessons centre on the Beatitudes, encouraging students to reflect on these teachings and consider how they can be applied in their own lives. In Geography, students are exploring Australia’s connection to Asia, developing an understanding of cultural, economic, and geographical links with our neighbouring region. In Personal Development and Health, the topic of Cyber-safety will support students in building the knowledge and skills needed to stay safe and responsible in online environments.

We look forward to a productive and enriching term for all our students.

STATIONERY SUPPLIES

If you didn’t get a chance over the holidays, can you please speak with your son and ask if he needs to replenish any of the following: glue stick, sharpener, ruler, pencils, eraser, pens.

RAINCOAT OR RAIN JACKET

Whilst we await the design and delivery of our new rain jackets, please purchase a simple raincoat for your son to wear over his uniform on his way to and from school or to and from the main campus.

A REMINDER ABOUT WALKING SAFELY TO TRANSPORT

We continue to observe students running through Chatswood to catch buses and trains, despite repeated reminders to walk. Please help us reinforce the importance of safety by encouraging your son to take his time, even if it means waiting for the next service. It's far better to arrive a little later than to risk injury to themselves or others. Thank you for taking the time to have this conversation with your son if he catches public transport.

BRISBANE FOOTBALL TOUR

At the start of the second week of holidays, our Junior School footballers embarked on an inaugural Football Tour to Brisbane. This experience provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to further develop their skills while representing the school with enthusiasm and excellent sportsmanship. We are very grateful to St Joseph's College Nudgee for their generous hospitality and organisation, which ensured a memorable and rewarding tour for all involved. Special thanks to Mr Bourke and Mr Buda for organising the tour as well as coaching and caring for the students whilst away.

ARMIDALE RUGBY TOUR

On the last weekend of the holidays, our rugby team headed to Armidale to compete in the annual Armidale Rugby Tour. The tournament took place at the picturesque campus of The Armidale School (TAS), which was, as always at this time of year, bathed in the stunning colours of autumn.

Thank you to Mr Bourke for his organisation and to Mr Montgomerie for his coaching, assistance on tour, and for this report:

During the holidays, the Prep Rugby Team competed in the Armidale School Rugby Carnival, the largest residential junior rugby carnival in Australia. Competing in Division 1 for the first time in the College’s history, the students demonstrated exceptional determination, spirit and teamwork, working tirelessly for one another and leaving nothing in the tank.

The team recorded 5 wins from 6 matches, including a gutsy 7–0 victory over Riverview, and conceded just four tries across the carnival. They finished an incredibly impressive and well-deserved equal first (runners-up overall on points differential), marking the College’s highest-ever placing.

Beyond the results, what impressed me most was the way the students conducted themselves throughout the weekend. The respect shown to opponents and the support they demonstrated for one another are what make this carnival, and the sport itself, so special. The students represented themselves, their families and the College with distinction, truly embodying the meaning of 'Fide et Labore' - Through Faith and Hard Work.

I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to Mrs Greenwood and the families for their support over the weekend, the SPX Rugby Club and Old Boys’ Association for their behind-the-scenes contributions, Mr Cross for his coaching, motivation and dedication, and Mr Bourke for his ongoing guidance and commitment, not only to this tour, but to Junior School sport more broadly.

MOTHER’S DAY MASS

We are looking forward to welcoming our mothers and women with special places in our students' lives to our Mother's Day Mass at Oxford Falls on Wednesday 6 May.

The Mass commences at 9:00 am in the Christian Bros Centre at Oxford Falls.

To assist with catering, please would you RSVP by Thursday 30 April (link below). This link also contains an opportunity for you to upload an image for the presentation during the Mass.

Please note that there is NO option for students to be transported to Oxford Falls from Chatswood on the morning (except those involved in music for the Mass who do not have a parent attending the event). Students attending the Mass should be taken straight to Oxford Falls by a parent / grandparent attending the Mass.

There will be buses to return students to Chatswood after the morning's event.

The bus taking musicians only to the Mass will leave the college at 7:15 am.

The link to RSVP to attend the Mother's Day Mass and Morning Tea is below:

You can also make a donation to the Biggest Morning Tea via the link below:

FOUNDER’S DAY

Our Founder's Day celebration will be held at Oxford Falls on Friday 8 May. Students are to wear their sports uniform and will need to bring their hat and food and drink for the day. The day will commence with students having their recess before they head to Oxford Falls for Mass and then a shared lunch. After lunch is the much-enjoyed Year 12 performance lip sync and then students return to Chatswood. Students will be dismissed upon return to Chatswood.

If you wish to pick up your son from Oxford Falls after the event, please email your son's classroom teacher to advise. Students being collected from Oxford Falls should be collected from 1:50 pm. Buses will commence transporting students back to Chatswood at 2:00 pm.

Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School.

ENROLMENTS FOR YEAR 5 & 7 2028 NOW OPEN

Golfing for Gabe's

St Gabriel’s School, Castle Hill warmly invites the St Pius X community to our annual Golfing for Gabe's Charity Day, to be held at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club on Friday 15 May 2026.

As a K–12 school supporting students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and additional needs, this event is our major fundraiser and has brought together businesses, community organisations and friends from all over Sydney since 1997.

The day includes 18 holes of Ambrose golf, golf cart hire, breakfast on arrival and a two-course lunch, along with raffles, auctions and prize presentations.

Pricing:

$210 - Single Player
$840 - Team of Four
$1,300 - Corporate Team Sponsorship (includes Team of 4)
$75 - Lunch only - 2-course sit-down meal

Players can register individually (and will be placed in a team) or enter as a team of four.

Register now: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1542584

More information: https://stgabriels.nsw.edu.au/golfing-for-gabes

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Junior School.

Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of Junior School

Junior School Sport News

Around the Grounds

IPSHA Cross Country

In the final week of Term 1, our students took part in the eagerly awaited IPSHA Cross Country at The King’s School in Western Sydney. The warm conditions made the course even more demanding, but our Junior School runners rose to the challenge with determination and great school spirit.

A special congratulations to Lachlan Swadling, who has earned a place on the IPSHA team and will now compete at the upcoming CIS Championships. A fantastic achievement.

CIS Rugby League Trials – Congratulations Tommy

Tommy Kay represented SPX with distinction at the CIS Rugby League trials yesterday. He progressed through every stage of the selection process, advancing through each cut to reach the final possibles and probables group. After more than three hours of high‑intensity trials, Tommy narrowly missed final selection. Regardless of the outcome, we are incredibly proud of his performance, especially coming off the back of his outstanding efforts at the Armidale event last weekend.

Tommy’s attitude, resilience, and commitment continue to set a strong example for all SPX students.

IPSHA Rugby Trials

Information regarding the IPSHA Rugby trials will be shared later this term. Each IPSHA School has seven positions to nominate players for the trial. Further details will be communicated to families once confirmed.

Holiday Camps

A big thank you to all the students who joined us for the Holiday Camps. Our coaches shared some great feedback. Players threw themselves into each session, picked up new skills along the way, and most importantly, had a lot of fun doing it.

We’re already looking ahead to the winter school holidays, where more camp opportunities will be on offer. Stay tuned for details.

Football & Rugby Tours

Congratulations to both our Football and Rugby tour groups on their outstanding achievements. So much has already been said about the incredible experiences shared by players and their families, and it’s clear these tours will be remembered for a long time.

I want to extend my sincere thanks to all the families who supported this year’s events. For our football squad, this was our first time taking on the opportunity to compete in Brisbane, and it proved to be a fantastic start. We look forward to many more chances to build on this experience in the years ahead.

For our rugby group, the students left everything on the field and set a genuine benchmark for future teams. Their efforts have created a legacy that others will aspire to.

As Sport Coordinator, what stands out most to me is the learning that happens beyond the scoreboard, the friendships formed, the memories created, and the personal growth that takes place off the field. These are the moments that stay with students long after the final whistle.

Our rugby students achieved the highest possible finish for a Junior School rugby team in Australia, while our football squad secured 5th place overall among the 12 EREA school teams, results they should be incredibly proud of.

A heartfelt thank you to Mrs Greenwood for her unwavering support in making these tours possible and for being there to capture plenty of smiles and special moments, and to Mr Buda, Mr Montgomerie and Mr Cross for their leadership and guidance throughout the tours.

Term 2 Thursday Sport Dates and Events

Term 2 Winter ISPHA Season Dates

Round 1: 2 May
Round 2: 9 May
Round 3: 16 May
Round 4: 23 May
Round 5: 30 May
Round 6: 13 June
Round 7: 20 June
Round 8: 25 July
Round 9: 1 August
Round 10: 8 August

Tuesday Afternoon Training Sessions for Football and Rugby

Tuesday afternoon training sessions will begin next Tuesday and will run each week until the end of the IPSHA winter season. All sessions will take place at Beauchamp Oval and will be delivered by a combination of internal and external coaches.

As Beauchamp is a council‑managed ground, we are subject to weather‑related closures. The council provides updates throughout the day, and cancellations can occur as late as 2:30 pm. If a session is cancelled, a notification will be sent via Clipboard. Please assume training will proceed unless you receive this notification.

Students are required to attend in SPX training or playing gear, or alternatively their SPX PE/House shirt.

Rugby: Attendance is compulsory for all rugby players. These sessions will focus on fitness, tackle technique, breakdown work, and overall preparation for the season.

Football: These sessions are optional and are designed to support students who may not already be training with an external club or representative team. If your son is already training two to four times per week, there is no expectation that he attend. A Microsoft Form has been shared with families to pre‑register for football training so we can plan coaching numbers and session content. See below a link if needed. Please only complete the link once.

Junior Football- Tuesday Afternoon session – Fill out form

Further information will continue to be communicated directly to registered families.

Team Grading & Season Fixtures – Rugby and Football

Grading for rugby and football took place last term, and players have now been placed into tentative teams. As previously communicated, these teams are fluid and may change before the first match and throughout the season. Adjustments may be made based on coach feedback, training work ethic, team balance, player development, and overall squad needs.

Our aim is always to place each student where we believe they will experience the greatest success and growth as an individual. We understand that not all students will begin the season in the team they had hoped for. However, approaching this with a fixed mindset limits their ability to improve and move upward. With an open, growth‑focused mindset, students show they are willing to learn, commit to improving, and work hard to earn a place in a higher team if that is their goal. Please note that for a player to move up, another player may need to move down, this is a normal part of team sport.

Fixtures:

Season fixtures will be uploaded to Clipboard, and families will be able to view them as early as tomorrow. These fixtures will initially appear as unconfirmed and remain subject to change until they are finalised by the opposition school. Confirmation can occur as late as Thursday each week, although we aim to have all details updated by Tuesday afternoon wherever possible.

For Year 5 football, we currently have lower‑than‑expected player numbers as previously communicated. As a result, some students will be asked to back up and play a second match each week to ensure all teams can take the field.

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

SPX Rugby Club

Rugby Gala Dinner 2026

Save the Date. The date and the venue are now locked in! Mark your calendar for Saturday, 1 August at Dockside. The Rugby Committee are excited to once again be hosting a fun filled evening.

Stay tuned for further details, and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to spxrugby@gmail.com.

Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator

Parent and Student Matters

Touchstone Portrait Prize

Maths Drop-In