Junior School News

• From the Head of the Junior School 
• Junior School Sport
• Junior Resource Centre News

From the Head of the Junior School 

PRAYER

This prayer was written against the backdrop of the release of Pope Francis’s third encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,“ on Oct 4, 2020, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi. The focus of this encyclical is “fraternity” and “social friendship.” In his encyclical, where the Good Samaritan is a key figure, Pope Francis decries violence and war, saying: “Never again War!” (FT, 258). 

"Fratelli Tutti" means  "We are all brothers and sisters".

Fratelli Tutti: A prayer to the Creator

Lord, Father of our human family,

you created all human beings equal in dignity:

pour forth into our hearts a fraternal spirit

and inspire in us a dream of renewed encounter,

dialogue, justice and peace.

Move us to create healthier societies

and a more dignified world,

a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war.

May our hearts be open to all the peoples and nations of the earth.

May we recognize the goodness and beauty

that you have sown in each of us,

and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects,

and shared dreams. Amen.

Blessed Edmund Rice - Pray for Us

St Pius X - Pray for Us

Live Jesus in our hearts - Forever

This prayer is from Pope Francis' new encylical Fratelli Tutti, which was published on 4 October 2020.

WELCOME BACK

Welcome back to Term 4.  It is a short but busy term that will conclude with an end of year Mass and prizegiving ceremonies.  Please remember that assessment schedules are on the Portal; it is a busy term so make sure they are printed out and that the boys are preparing for assessments. The boys will all receive a comprehensive Semester 2 Report near the conclusion of the term.  It was good to see all the smiling faces; well they were smiling until the homework was mentioned.

With Year 12 having finished and with an easing of restrictions, we have reverted back to the normal, pre-COVID lesson/period timings.  We will have 2 periods, then recess, 2 periods and then lunch and then 2 periods to conclude the day.

FILMING AT THE COLLEGE 

The College will have a professional videographer filming at Chatswood over the next two weeks and at Oxford Falls tomorrow, Thursday 15 October. This footage will be used as part of a virtual tour and orientation video for new and prospective families as they are unable to attend the College in person. There will be some general group learning shots as well as a focus on a  few individual students. Parental permission will be sought for any individual students being filmed in a leading / talking role.

If you do not want your son to be filmed please email me today at TLong@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.  These emails will then be forwarded on to our Privacy Officer. 

THURSDAY - SUMMER SPORTS TRAINING

The boys will leave after recess and if you wish to collect your son it will be in front of the Christian Brothers Centre (CBC gym) at the bottom of the carpark at 2.10 pm - 2.20 pm.

UNIFORM

The boys look very impressive in their summer uniforms with good haircuts. Thank you for your support.

FUTURE EVENTS

Book Week Parade will be held on Friday 23 October in the Junior School playground at 9:00 am.  The theme is curious creatures, wild minds!  Please get started on working out a Book Week costume.  It is really your last or second last chance as this won’t happen in the secondary school!

We are planning to record the event so that you can look at your son all dressed up.  If you have any issue with this please email privacy@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au to advise you do not wish your son to be filmed.

THOUGHT TO PONDER

Reminder:

While our lives may have increasing boundaries, our minds remain infinite.

Stay Safe as we are all in this together

Thank you for your support

Mr Tim Long - Head of the Junior School 

Junior School Sport

Junior School Sport News:  Saturday fixtures resume this weekend.  Please ensure you are at your venue 30 minutes prior to the start of your match.

Thursday Sport: 

At Thursday Sport this week there will be a film crew capturing footage for an orientation video. Can all boys please wear SPX Sports Uniforms that they would wear for games on Saturday? This is also a chance to check that everyone’s uniform fits for Saturday. Please see Mr Long's section of this Woodchatta for further information if you have any concerns with your son being filmed.  

Training for Basketball, Cricket, Tennis & Touch. Pick-up time from Oxford Falls of 2.10 pm - 2.20pm. 

Weekend Sport:

We begin the Summer under revised COVID-19 restrictions.  I draw your particular attention to the protocols pertaining to Attendance.  

A full copy of our COVID protocols for sport can be found below. Please familiarise yourselves with this document.  In addition to the COVID protocols, I also attach the latest SPX Risk Warning document for your consideration.

Basketball:

Swimming Squad Training 2020/21:

Those that were part of Swimming Squad in Term 1 are invited to resume training starting Week 2, Term 4. There is some room available for additional swimmers. Please email me by Friday 16 October if you would like to be included. Please commit to at least one session per week, as part of training is building relationships and squad culture. 

Location: Fitness First, Chatswood (24 Endeavour St, Chatswood)

Requirements: Suitable swimwear, goggles and swim cap

• Students wear PE/ Pius Sports Uniform to the sessions. They then shower and change into school uniform at 8.15 am before returning to school. A snack/breakfast is also recommended at this point.

Monday mornings (7.15 am – 8.15 am) starting 19 Oct until 23 Nov (6 sessions)

Resuming 8 Feb until 8 March (5 sessions)

Tuesday mornings (7.15 am – 8.15 am) starting 20 Oct until 24 Nov (6 sessions)

Resuming 9 Feb until 9 March (5 sessions)

Friday Mornings - *Term 1 only* (7.15 am – 8.15 am)

Starting 12 Feb until 12 March (5 sessions)

Touch Football:

Mr Benn McBrearty - Junior School Sports Master

NSTA Tennis

The NSTA competition starts this Saturday 17 October, please ensure that you have the correct uniform to play, as outlined in the email sent home in the holidays, including a hat! A team list has already been sent through to all players and parents, please ensure that you check this carefully. If you cannot find it, a copy of the team list and rules will be linked to this report.

COVID-19 rules (full list attached)

• We will have a 'play and go' strategy, so once all of your games have been played you will then leave the venue. We will start with doubles, then play the singles. Please ensure that your score has been recorded on the scoresheet before you leave.
• At this stage you are allowed only one spectator, if required, for supervision during the matches.
• All pens and folders will be cleaned between 8.00 am and 10.00 am matches.
• New balls will be used for each match, so once you have finished playing you may keep the balls that you have used and just return the yellow bag to the teachers with the score sheet and folder.

Start Times – 8.00 am and 10.00 am. 2hrs match time. Please be at the venue at least 10 - 15 mins prior to your match. Matches should start promptly on time. 5 min warm up. 

Supervision – All home venues are required to supply supervision from the school. This person is to have a WWCC and must remain for the duration of the match with a first aid kit. 

Balls and Scoresheets – Are the responsibility of the home team. School Convenors have access to scoresheets via xpoint. Please make sure the correct players are listed with first initial and last names in full, as reserves may be playing. 

3-point Deuce – When the score reaches deuce (40-40) the players will play the next point to advantage (either server or receiver depending on who won the point). If the team that had the advantage does not win the point it score goes back to deuce. The NEXT POINT WINS. There are no further advantage points played after the 1st advantage.

Tiebreak – Played at 5 – 5 games. First to 7 points. If the score gets to 6-6 in tiebreak team must win by 2 points i.e 8-6.

Finals – ALL TEAMS PLAY IN THE FINALS. 1 v 2 Winner and runner playoff 3 v 4 and 5 v 6 play off for placings.

Wet Weather – Home team is responsible for checking court conditions. Please contact Twitter for any updates. 

Mrs Samantha Iwatani, NSTA Convenor

Junior Resource Centre News

This week's Highlights: 

We’re back!! Term 4 means we hit the ground running with students and staff all returning. This week we are getting excited for Book Week, reading a selection of books from the shortlist, and discussing our parade costume choices. Only 10 sleeps until the fun begins. Time to get started on your Book Week Parade Costume.

Book Parade will be held on Friday 23 October in the Junior School playground at 9:00 am. Hopefully we will be able to live stream this event for parents. #bookweek2020#bookparade#funinthelibrary.

If you do not want your son to be filmed please email privacy@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

Searching for Cicadas

This week Years 5 and 6 enjoyed reading the book Searching For Cicadas by Leslie Gibbs. The boys researched the Black Prince Cicada. 

Building a Book Buzz with Book Snaps in Year 5

Last term Year 5 worked on creating a book snap using CANVA. Essentially, a book snap is about grabbing a short quote from a book and creating a shareable image about it. Book snaps are fun, and an excellent way to communicate visually. Here are a selection of book snaps from Year 5.

New Books have arrived in the JRC

New book goodness greeted me on Monday.  So excited for some of these new titles that I have been seeing pop up around the place.

Book Week Guessing Competition for Term 3.... And the Winners are:

The Book in the Jar was....... The Twits by Roald Dahl.

Congratulations to Sean C, Joshua P, Dan C, Tristan S, Edward M, Regan Y and Cameron P.

Book Week Celebrations continue - another Guessing Competition

Book In a Jar Number Two!

Inside this jar there is an actual book (damaged) that has been torn up and squashed inside this jar.  There are many clues within the text that can be seen for a keen book-sleuth to discover the title. Pop into the library, take a guess and the winner will get an awesome book prize during our Book Week Activities.  Don't spoil the fun if you can guess!!

#bookweek #bookweek2020

Where Am I? - Competition Number 2

This week I have travelled to Australia's fourth largest state and I'm visiting an area which is one of the most remote in Australia.  I have had to fly to Coober Pedy and then driven in a 4WD for two hours to William Creek where I've joined a tour to take me to this desert landscape.

Usually I could stand and see nothing but glittering salt crystals with their strange pink hue as far as my eyes can see but, sometimes this place comes to life with hundreds of thousands of water birds, such as pelicans, sliver gulls, red-necked avocets, banded stilts and gull-billed terns because it is a breeding ground for these species.  I have to be lucky though, for there has to have been enough rain in the region to flood the water channels and that only happens every few years.  Even though the area is the catchment for three states and the Northern Territory it has only been filled to capacity three times in the last 160 years!

Covering 11,088 square km altogether, it comprises two main areas one 64km long and 24km wide and the other 144km long and 77km wide, which, at 15.2 metres below sea level, is the lowest point in Australia. The two areas are joined by the Goyder Channel. Because it is so shallow, any water evaporates in the desert heat leaving only salt making a flat surface ideal for trying to create world land-speed records.

The place was named after the European explorer who first saw it in 1840 but its official indigenous name is Kati-Thanda.

Where am I?

Where am I? If You Know where I am, Pop into the library and drop your answer in the gold box, located on my desk. Prizes on offer.

Library Monitor’s Book Reviews.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Book 1

The Hunger Games is about 12 boys and 12 girls who are forced to play in what is known as the Hunger Games. One boy and One girl are chosen to compete in the Games, and remember MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR. I really liked this book because it had so much action in it after every chapter of the book, but it does lose me in the middle of one of the chapters as it mainly explains little details and can be a bit hard to follow.  I recommend this book for people who like The Maze Runner series.

By Benjamin F

Mrs Martin’s Book Trail: Little People Big Dreams Series

Young and old readers at the moment have an appetite for real stories, real lives. I love the Little People Big Dreams series – beautifully designed and focusing on such a diverse list of people who have achieved in a range of fields. Two of the latest in the series focus on Bob Dylan and Evonne Goolagong. Interested? Pop into the library for a sneak peek.

 #mrsmartinsbooktrail2020

Mrs Elena Martin - Teacher Librarian, Junior Resource Centre