Junior School News
From the Head of the Junior School
Another very busy week at the college this week with our Mother’s Day Mass and Morning Tea yesterday and Founder’s Day tomorrow. Please note the details for Founder’s Day below.
FOUNDERS DAY | FRIDAY 8 MAY
Students are to:
wear their sport uniform
come to school and travel to Oxford Falls on the bus
bring lunch to share (if your son has a food allergy, please remind him NOT to share food)
return to school on the bus (or be collected from Oxford Falls from 2:00 pm)
be dismissed early (will depend on travel time back to the college) but should not be earlier than 2:30pm
RAINCOAT OR RAIN JACKET
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.
THURSDAY LUNCH ORDERS
Junior School students are not able to order recess or lunch from the Canteen on a Thursday as we go straight to Oxford Falls at the end of Period 2.
Please send recess and lunch with your son on Thursdays.
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Junior School
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of Junior School
Fixtures
Junior School Sport
It was fantastic to see our Junior School players proudly wearing their SPX jerseys and representing the College with enthusiasm and sportsmanship in Round 1 of the winter season. The sense of team pride and commitment on display across all games was a wonderful way to kick off the year.
A friendly reminder to parents: if your son is unable to attend a weekend fixture due to illness, injury, or any other reason, please log the absence via Clipboard and send a quick email to Mr Bourke at jbourke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au. As much notice as possible is greatly appreciated, as it allows us to adjust team lineups and ensure each team takes the field with enough players.
Also, if you happen to capture any great photos during the matches, feel free to send them through. We’d love to share these moments with our wider community where possible.
Term 2 Weekly Sport Calendar
Winter Results
SPX Junior Football – Season Kick-Off
The 2025 Junior Football season is officially underway, with our teams taking to the field for their first round of matches over the weekend against Barker and Knox. While results on the scoreboard were mixed, what stood out most was the attitude and effort shown by all players. Regardless of the score, the boys approached every contest with determination and heart, a great reflection of their character and team spirit.
There has been a noticeable lift in both skill level and confidence, no doubt influenced by the positive impact of our ongoing training partnership with Sydney FC. The boys are responding enthusiastically to the sessions, and it’s translating into their gameplay.
Another highlight this week was the outstanding turnout at our optional training session at Beauchamp Oval. With over 60 players in attendance, it was fantastic to see such strong commitment from our students, all eager to develop their skills and contribute to a growing and competitive Football culture at St Pius X.
These are very encouraging signs for the season ahead. Well done to all involved!
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Football Convenor
SPX Junior AFL – Round 1 Wrap-Up
It was a challenging but character-building start to the season for our Junior AFL team, who faced a strong Newington side. This marks the team’s first defeat in three seasons, a testament to their consistent effort and success in previous years.
Despite going down by 7 goals, the boys showed great resilience and improvement as the match progressed. After a tough first quarter, the team lifted their intensity and matched Newington more closely in the following terms.
Standout performances came from Oliver M, Xander, Alex B, and Robbie, who led the way with determination and effort.
With many of our players in Year 5 and relatively new to AFL, we’re continuing to focus on skill development and game understanding. We’ll monitor how the season unfolds, and if a regrade becomes possible, we’ll explore the best option to ensure the boys enjoy competitive and balanced matchups each week.
Well done to all players for their sportsmanship and positivity, plenty to build on for Round 2!
Mr Stuart Mackinlay - Junior School AFL Coach
SPX Junior Rugby First Round Report
In Round 1 of the IPSHA competition, the U11 A's faced Riverview, while the Prep 1st XV went up against Mosman Prep. Both matches were highly physical, with many stand out performances as well as some players making their rugby debuts. The Prep 1st XV secured a 22-14 victory, while the U11 A's narrowly missed out with a 21-22 loss. As we head into Supporter's Round this weekend, we encourage everyone to come along and show their support from the Junior School all the way to the 1st XV. Junior School rugby players have been invited, and are welcome to, run out with the 1st XV on Saturday at 3:15 pm. Please wear your training jersey if you would like to participate in this.
Upcoming rugby events:
🍰 Cake Bake & Supporter’s Day – This Saturday!
📅 Saturday, 10 May 2025
🕗 8:30 am – 2:30 pm (or until SOLD OUT)
📍Oxford Falls, Chaplin Oval (Top Oval)
We’re asking all rugby families (Years 7 to 12) to contribute to this important day by donating baked goods—sweet or savoury. Please package items ready for sale, and drop them off at the stall throughout the day based on your game time.
🎉 SPX Rugby Club – Rugby Gala Dinner
📅 Saturday, 14 June
📍 Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf
🕡 6:30 pm – 11:30 pm
This special evening brings together the entire SPX rugby community - from Year 5 to Year 12 - to celebrate, connect, and support our players. It’s a highlight on the rugby calendar and not to be missed.
🎟️ TICKET SALES NOW OPEN 👉 BUY TICKETS HERE
To keep in touch with our rugby community, we invite you to 👉 Join the 2025 Rugby WhatsApp Group
Mr Callum Montgomerie - Rugby Convenor- Junior School
Information via Clipboard
To stay up-to-date with training schedules and game fixtures, please ensure you regularly check the Clipboard app. Training and 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. The have the option to receive push notifications and/or email prompts.
Please 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 and a notification will be sent to families.
Please check clipboard regularly for any changes to the schedule.
Some fixtures are subject to weather, on occasion this can lead to cancellations. This will occur via the Clipboard app, you should receive a notification if a fixture is cancelled, but please check the app on the morning before leave to ensure you are up to date with any changes.
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.
For normal school day absences, please continue to follow the standard school process.
SPX App
If you haven’t already, please download and familiarise yourself with the SPX App.
Mr James Bourke - Junior School Sport Coordinator
Junior School Chess
Thank you to all the students who attended Chess training on Tuesday 6 May. A reminder that the NSW Junior Chess Competition begins this Friday 9 May.
All teams will be playing at HOME this week, held in the JRC.
Division LN1 - Team A vs Mosman Prep A
Division LN2 - Team B vs Mosman Prep B
Division LN2 - Team C vs Redlands
Thank you to Ms Boyle for supervising the competition on Friday.
Ms Elena Martin - Junior Chess Convenor