Pastoral Care and Old Boys' News
- College Access
- Uniform and Presentation
- Attendance
- Red Dirt Immersion
- St Pius X College Community and students supporting Jesuit Social Services
- Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders Congress, Dublin, Ireland
- Year 7 Cross Country
- Year 9 Cross Country
- Study Skills Sessions
- Old Boys' News
College Access: Secure Gate installation to our Chatswood Campus
Please be informed that in the interests of the safety of all community members and visitors on our site, remotely controlled access gates on both our Kirk Street and Ferguson Lane entrances have been installed. These gates will be closed and secured during school hours.
Students and parents are encouraged to sign in and out through our main Anderson Street entry.
Uniform and Presentation
A reminder that winter uniform is now required for all students. Please ensure your son has his fitted blazer, long grey trousers, tie, grey/white shirt, dark socks and polished shoes. Blazers are a long term order so please see the Uniform Shop ASAP if your son's blazer needs replacing, to ensure all students are well presented.
Attendance
As a protective factor for both wellbeing and learning success parameters, being present and attentive is unparalleled in its positive effect.
Please reinforce the College’s priorities of timely attendance and attention to all learning activities including cocurricular programs.
Your son has been told to check the Portal each day to ensure his attendance has been accurately recorded, preferably before the 11:00 am absentee emails are distributed. He should also be aware of his responsilibity to correct any anomalies throughout the day with his teachers and the front office.
Where an exit pass is required, please allow 24 hours processing lead time wherever possible, and complete any absentee / leave notices in as timely a manner as possible.
Please also reinforce appropriate hygiene and good health practises so that we can minimise absenteeism due to COVID and other sickness concerns across our community.
Red Dirt Immersion
As we prepare and distribute our student team list this evening, we are also considering what resources we can share with the remote communities and schools we will visit in June. If you have any sporting equipment, balls, boots, jerseys etc which you can donate to the cause within the bounds of space and efficiency, please deliver them to school marked to the attention of the Student RAP Team, and we will ensure they go to a good home either in remote NSW or Papua New Guinea Callan Services – Kokoda Track areas.
St Pius X College Community and students supporting Jesuit Social Services
It was pleasing to note the positive affirmative action of Year 12 student Declan Fitzgerald, who last Saturday evening volunteered his time at Riverview’s Regis Campus, to support a fundraiser for Jesuit Social Services Ignite Foodstore in Wilmot, Mt Druitt. Keynote speakers included Mercy-educated award-winning journalist Geraldine Doogue, interviewing the CEO of Jesuit Social Services, and the great women of Western Sydney who lead this program.
After an Acknowledgement of Country by our good friend Kaleb Taylor, referring to our own College’s Angophora grandmother tree, and the Matriarchal nature of Cammeraygal culture, it was noted how strongly women influence and lead many affirmative actions through our Church. We are pleased to also recognise Declan's mother, Fiona, who was part of the committee which organised this event.
Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders Congress, Dublin, Ireland
As the college celebrated Edmund Rice Feast Day at our Assembly last Friday, we note that this week the Congress of Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders, of which St Pius X College has been a lead school since Mr Couani’s immersion to Kenya in 2014, begins in Dublin with a mission to reconnect all Edmund Rice schools now that the influence of the Christian Brothers is fading in human terms.
We pray for the work of our school leaders, students, staff and communities in continuing the mission of Edmund Rice in bringing dignity and education to those at the margins in the spirit of our touchstones and the example of Edmund Rice.
As the congress commences, I received this photo from our former Principal Mr Couani, who joins Mr Ronchetti at the Conference. Mr Coauni and his wife Maree visited Belfast in Northern Ireland where he is pictured at the “Peace Wall” between the Republican and Loyalist sections of Belfast. Mr Cormac McCourt (pictured with Mr Coauni) leads an Edmund Rice funded education and support centre in the centre of Belfast, not far from St Mary’s Grammar ER school.
Year 7 Cross Country
Congratulations to Year 7 who completed their cross country event last week. Special congratulations to Jenson Whitby, Matthew Castorina and Ben Hair for their first, second and third places.
The following students (alphabetical) also placed in the top group:
Max Barnett, Jono Battishall, Zach Brazier, Sam Carden (U12), Connor Chitterer, Marcus Cicero, Flynn Clulow (U12), Aston Cortis-Jones, Sam Ford, Leo Hecimovic (U12), Austin Judd, Julian Kuang, Will McKechnie, Lachlan Mirabello, Miles Moran, Oliver Pavely (U12), Albie Peasland, Lucas Rolfe, Anthony Sawakid, Hamish Sullivan and Adrian Yip.
The house points from the event are as follows:
Year 9 Cross Country
Congratulations to James Patchett, Joel Fieldus and Josh Booth who placed first, second and third in last week's Year 9 cross country event.
Congratulations also to the following students (alphabetical) who also placed in the top group: Antony Autore, Alex Baldock, Enrique Basso, Oliver Butler, Michael Cheah, Sam Crawley, Hamish Dewhurst, Jack English, Ethan Fajemisin, Niall Jaffrey, Nick Kachel, Evan Littler, Jack McSweeney, Sam Millar, Toby Moran, Sean O'Donnell, Ethan Sacre, Chris Schuller, Connor Staude and Tom Zammit.
The house points from the event are as follows:
Study Skills Sessions
A reminder of the upcoming study skill sessions for our students and families:
- Wednesday 17 May - Year 11 Study Day at Oxford Falls
- Monday 19 June from 6:30 pm in the Gym - students and their parents from Year 7, and others who may have missed this valuable session during COVID years.
Old Boys' News
Honorary Doctorate for Old Boy, former NSW deputy premier, John Watkins
A Doctor of Education was conferred on Dr Watkins by the University of Notre Dame this month, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to health, education and the Catholic community. Dr Watkins started his working life as a secondary school teacher and was elected to the NSW State Parliament in 1995.
He held the positions of Minister for Finance, Police, State Development, Education and Training, Corrective Services, Fair Trading, Sport and Recreation, and also served as Deputy Premier in the NSW Labor Government.
The university's Chancellor, The Honourable Christopher Ellison, said it is an honour to recognise Dr Watkins' exceptional leadership in health and education in Australia and his devotion to the Catholic community.
Photo of Dr Watkins from CathNews.com
Fide et Labore
Mr Sean Brannan - Acting Deputy Principal