Learning Support

& Enrichment

• ​Applied Philosophy 
• Thank you to our Exam-Provision Parent-Helpers

October Holiday Workshops at Lane Cove Youth Centre

Dougherty Centre Chatswood offers local community courses to enrich all age groups

Years 10 & 11 Maths Drop-in Centre

• Junior Maths Drop-in Centre will resume in Week 2 next term as ‘JS Homework Club’​
• Years 7-9 Maths Drop-in Centre
• Years 7-9 Enrichment Club ​
• After-School Study Program
• A note about extra-curricular LSE opportunities 

Applied Philosophy 

Excursion to the UNSW Wallace Wurth Lecture: Daniel Dennett on Consciousness

Well done to Mrs Waterson and the Year 9 Philosophy class who attended at UNSW on Monday evening to listen to eminent American philosopher, Professor Daniel Dennett.  Here’s what she and the boys had to say: 

Mrs Waterson: Philosopher Daniel Dennett sees himself as a philosophical troublemaker.  His lecture on Consciousness: What we have learnt in the last 50 years was a very high-order lecture.  Our Applied Philosophy students: Alex Hassan, Ashley Johnson and Aidan Lonsdale attended this lecture with Mrs Waterson and Ashley’s dad.  This was a significant experience for the boys, firstly because they have experienced their first post-graduate standard lecture; they have also sat in a 5,000 seat lecture theatre at UNSW for almost two hours listening to a most eminent modern philosopher explore and share his perspective on human consciousness.

Ashley Johnson:  On Monday night, a few students from the Year 9 Philosophy class went to the University of NSW to see a lecture presented by the American philosopher, Professor Daniel Dennett. This lecture was based around the idea of consciousness and what we have learnt in the last 50 years. The topic was very interesting and thought provoking as he opened our eyes to news that we have not seen before from different perspectives. An extremely fascinating topic was led by a very interesting man making a wonderful experience for our philosophy learning.

Thank you to our Exam-Provision Parent-Helpers, Mrs Kate Porteous and Mrs Kathy Bradford

LSE Staff extend our thanks to Mrs Kathy Bradford (Mum of Andrew Bradford, Year 7) and to Mrs Kate Porteous (Mum of Keegan Aikin, Year 10 and Brendan Aikin, Year 12)  on behalf of our Year 11 Students who have approved provisions. These wonderful and talented SPX Mums supported the work of the LSE Department over the last two weeks by providing vital reader and supervision assistance to our Year 11 boys during their Preliminary Exam block. The boys involved have expressed their particular thanks for the expert help received. We are very grateful for your assistance, thank you.

If other parents and carers are able to volunteer their time, and are interested in being an Exam Provision Parent-helper during the Year 7-10 Exam Block in Term 4, please visit the SPX Volunteers page on the SPX website:   http://spx.nsw.edu.au/community/dsp-default.cfm?loadref=2266

or contact Joanne Raheb-Mol, LSE Coordinator, via email : JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

October Holiday Workshops at Lane Cove Youth Centre

See the attached flyer for holiday activity ideas, many of which are FREE! There are device-free activities such as Zombie face painting, and indigenous culture camp experience (for up to age 16).

For further information and registration forms, please contact the Lane Cove Youth Team:

Youth Centre: 02 9428 2033 - 3pm-6pm (Tues- Thus) 3:00pm-8:00 pm (Friday) 12:00pm-5:00pm (Saturday)

Dougherty Centre Chatswood offers local community courses to enrich all age groups

In the lead up to the holidays, families may find something of interest from the HUGE range of community courses available locally in Chatswood, for their boys. See the 2018 brochure below, detailing courses such as the Maths Brain Builder course for students up to Year 10, offered as a weekly after-school course, or as a holiday intensive. Students are assessed on their maths skills, and provided with an individualised program  Other opportunities to get involved and improve your well-being, for students or families, include conversational languages groups, chess classes, public speaking, cooking, and martial arts for children, adolescents and adults.

Maths Drop-In Centre – for Years 10 & 11, with Mr Garvey

Mr Garvey is available to support our Years 10 and 11 students in Mathematics. The sessions will run on Tuesday and Friday mornings, each week, from 7:45am to 8.30am in Room C1. With exams fast approaching, come along and get the Maths help you need! Contact Mr Garvey for details via TGarvey@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Junior Maths Drop-in Centre will resume in Week 2 next term as ‘JS Homework Club’

The Junior School Homework Club will run each Friday morning from 8:10 – 8:45am. Boys may choose to bring along their maths questions, problems or homework. Alternatively boys can simply attend and work on set tasks provided by the teacher.

All Junior School boys are welcome to attend, on a regular or occasional basis, as it operates from Week 2 of each term. Please meet Mrs Barrett outside the Junior School Learning Enrichment Room at 8:10am on Friday mornings. Parents are encouraged to motivate your sons to attend and make good use of this resource.

For any queries about the Junior School Homework Club, please contact Mrs Barrett at BBarrett@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

Years 7-9 Maths Drop-in Centre

Years 7-9 Enrichment Club

For all interested Year 7, 8 and 9 –  Day 10 Friday Lunchtime in LC1

7-9 Enrichment Club is on each Day 10 Friday lunchtime in LC1. Its aims are to promote opportunities for interested students who want to extend their thinking skills, enjoy learning and research challenges, and making new mates in other classes and year groups, as they engage in trivia quizzes, games, drama, online activities and more.

This is an informal and open club that will provide opportunities for students to practise up on creative thinking, problem-solving strategies and coding skills. Boys are encouraged to develop critical thinking, general knowledge and leadership skills through bringing in ideas and running projects or activities, in an area of personal strength or skill, and many activities will be geared to skilling boys up for competition entry opportunities (optional), including the annual Da Vinci Decathlon Competition. These may include vocabulary games, maths problems, lateral thinking puzzles, catchphrases, as well as self-generated research questions or sharing of topics of interest.

There is no cost for joining or attending at Enrichment Club, except for any solo competition entry fees which selected students may choose to participate in, and students will be well advised about these and parent permission notes sent home before time, whenever these opportunities arise.

If interested, just bring along your lunch and your imagination each Day 10 Friday Lunchtime in LC1. Ms Raheb-Mol looks forward to seeing you there. For further information or queries, please see or contact Ms Raheb-Mol at JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

After-School Study Program Years 5-10

A note about extra-curricular LSE opportunities 

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please note that teacher absences, or other school-based events including calendar items (see Page 1 of Woodchatta), may cause occasional clashes or cancellations in relation to the above LSE initiatives.

Ms J Raheb-Mol - Coordinator, Learning Support and Enrichment