Junior School News & Sport

• Junior School News
• Learning Enrichment Notices​
• White Knight Foundation Gala Dinner Friday 1st June 2018​
• Junior School Sport

Junior School News

Welcome back to Term 2:  The boys are now in their winter uniforms and they look very impressive.  If you haven’t done so it is good to get a photo of them, especially in their first year at the school in the Winter uniform. 

Prayer/Reflection:   Blessed Edmund Rice’s Feast Day is 5th May and we will celebrate with a College Assembly on Monday 6th May.  He was an inspirational man who was a wealthy business man but also saw a need for education for the poor so he did something about it.  In his honour we pray:

Creator God, we thank you for the life of Edmund Rice.

He opened his heart to you present in those

oppressed by poverty and injustice.

May we follow his example of faith and generosity.

Grant us the courage and compassion of Edmund

As we seek to live lives of love and service. Amen

Year 5 are on an excursion to the Rocks and the Observatory today so this is a great opportunity for a conversation at the dinner table tonight.  Who knows, you might learn something!  I usually learn something new each time I go on this excursion.

International Star Wars Day will be celebrated in the Junior School Library this Friday May the 4th (be with you!)  

Junior School Communication:  Thank you to those who completed the Junior School Survey.  80 % of participants said they would be happy with the Woodchatta being the sole source of Junior News with the exception of the occasional email.  The majority asked for many of the items that were in the old Junior School Newsletter to be included so that is the plan for the future. 

At the end of last term a Junior School Newsletter was emailed to you with all the information for Term 2.  Towards the end of this term I will email a Junior School Newsletter for Term 3. 

To the 20% of people who wanted the Junior School Newsletter maintained in its fortnightly format, I hope you will be happy with this change to our communication.  I will do my best to include all the parts that were requested.

Mother’s/Grandmother’s Day Liturgy for the whole school:  On Friday 11th May there will be a Mothers' Day liturgy and a cup of tea and snack. Refreshments are available from 7.00am and the liturgy commences at 8.00am. If you can make this liturgy and/or the Junior School Mothers' Day Mass, I’m sure your son would appreciate seeing you there.

Junior School Mother’s/ Grandmother’s Day Mass:  On the Friday before Mothers’ Day, 11th May 2018, the Junior School will be having a Mothers’ and Grandmothers’ Day Mass at 10.30 am at Our Lady of Dolours Church, Chatswood.  All the boys’ mothers and grandmothers are invited.  At the conclusion of Mass we will have a morning tea for all the mothers and grandmothers - not the boys.  There will also be a Mothers' Day stall if you would like your son to buy you something.  All the goods are made by the ladies of Candela, a shanty town in Peru, and all proceeds are returned to them. 

We need to know numbers so we can plan accordingly.  A wonderful day of celebration of motherhood has been planned so if you intend to come to the Mass, please complete the link below by Monday 7th May.   Mass Link

To all Dads/Grandfathers:  if you have some time off to help serve tea and coffee for the Mothers' Day morning tea at approximately 11.30am – 12.30pm that would be appreciated.  The mums do a great job of barbequing later in the year!  If you can assist please place your name in the question included in the link.   Mass Link

Mother’s Day Stall – the stall that gives twice!  

Candela Mission Peru:  Mrs Mary Rajca will visit on Tuesday 8th May to speak to the students about the work of the Sisters of Mercy in the shanty town of Candela in Lima, Peru.    The mission in Candela supports women through a program that teaches them to make beautiful handicrafts.  The sale of these crafts give the women an income  so they can provide for their families.

There will be a sale of the beautiful handicrafts that the women have made after the Mothers' Day Mass on Friday 11th May. Boys will have the opportunity to buy a special gift for their mothers and parents  are invited to buy an unique gift for that significant person in their lives.

All funds raised go back to the women who have made the goods. This money is used by the women to buy basic necessities  for their families.  Much has been done over the past few years to improve the lives of these women and their families. Your support of the mission is greatly appreciated.

Rugby Tour:  Once again thank you to Mr Virgona and Mr Carroll who spent part of their holiday to enable the rugby tour to occur.  I trust that the boys learnt from the experience and have improved on their team work for the upcoming season which begin this Saturday.

Sport:  By Thursday afternoon, please ensure that your son knows what team he is in and where he is playing.  If he doesn’t get him to write it in his diary on Friday. You should have purchased the college sporting uniform for your son.  Remember that your son must have a mouth guard for rugby and AFL and shin pads for Football.  All the code of conduct and draws can be found on the college website under beyond the classroom. AFL can be found in the sports section of this document.

UBUNTU Choir Concert - Monday 21st May at 7.00pm in the College Gymnasium

Tickets are available on the Trybooking Link https://www.trybooking.com/UZOO  with proceeds going to support the Choir and its educational initiatives in Africa. 

Please see full details on the 'Students and Parents' and 'MindMatters' pages of this newsletter. 

Upcoming events/activities

• Thursday 3rd May – Year 5 Mums' dinner (see invitation below)
• Saturday 5th May – IPSHA Round 1 – Winter Sport – Rugby, Football and AFL
• Monday 7th May – Edmund Rice Day Assembly
• Tuesday 8th May – Mrs Rajca to talk to the boys about Candela in Peru – Mothers' Day Stall
• Friday 11th May – Junior School Mothers' Day Mass followed by a late morning tea and the Mothers' Day Stall for Candela Peru.
• Monday 14th May – Year 6 State Parliament excursion
• Monday 21st May - UBUNTO African Concert, 7pm in the College Gym

Year 5 Mums' Dinner

Please see the flyer below for details:

Thanking you for your support.

Mr T Long - Head of Junior School

Learning Enrichment Notices

Compass Club Term 2: Compass Club has started again for Term 2 with many new competitions to enter. You can join Compass Club at any time if you are interested in submitting an entry for a competition or participating in any of the events held this term.

Don’t forget the following due dates for competitions. Remember you can attend Compass Club when you are interested in participating in a particular competition.

• Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Competition  
• Optional Theme: I have Promises to Keep 
• Due Friday 30th June - http://www.dorothea.com.au/
• Mosman Youth Awards in literature 2018 Prose and Poetry Competition 
• Due Friday 31st May -  https://mosman.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/03/06/youth-awards-in-literature/
• Da Vinci Decathlon training begins every Wednesday at lunchtime in the JSR leading up to the competition on Thursday 24th May. Good luck boys in your preparation.

Junior Debating:  Well done to the boys on their enthusiasm as training as begun for the season. These sessions are every Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes in the JSR. Our first debate is on Friday 11th May at Wahroonga Preparatory School at 1pm, parents are most welcome to attend.                                        

Mrs B Spanyik - Learning Enrichment Teacher

White Knight Foundation Gala Dinner Friday 1st June 2018

Tickets are now on sale and tables are selling fast to this Gala Dinner to be held at The Concourse on Friday 1st June 2018.  Please go to the website for further details and to purchase tickets:   http://www.thewhiteknightfoundation.com/events

St Pius X College would like to continue its ongoing support for Liam and his White Knight Foundation. If you are able to assist with any SUITABLE DONATIONS FOR PRIZES for this evening, or perhaps consider arranging your own company/family/friends table then please advise by return email to Rick Russo on rrusso@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au   

The White Knight Foundation was founded by Old Boy Liam Knight who, while a Year 12 student at the College, was a victim of a vicious attack where a 2.8 metre steel pole was thrown by a perpetrator and subsequently pierced Liam through his skull.  The Foundation raises vital funds to assist young victims of violence and their families on their path to recovery. The WKF is also keen to continue its work in raising awareness of the outcomes and effects that random acts of violence can have, with a particular emphasis on the dangers of teenage recklessness. 

Liam deserves our ongoing support, so please get on board if you can. Thank you!

Mr R Russo - College Counsellor

Junior School Sport

Thursday Sport:  at Oxford Falls as per normal. Winter training continues for Rugby, Football and AFL. Players require full training gear (does not have to be St Pius gear). Below is the schedule for Term 2 Sport:

Rugby: Round 1 commences this Saturday. All relevant information, including an information letter, season draw and Code of Conduct document have been uploaded to the App and emailed to parents. Please ensure your son is kitted out in the correct St Pius X gear for the season commencement next term.

Junior Football

Mr G Virgona - Junior Sportsmaster

AFL

The Year 5/6 AFL season commences this Saturday with St Pius X v Barker at Barker Oval at 8:00am.  Players are to be at the venue 45 minutes before the game starting time so that we have a suitable warm up.

Venue Map: http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?a=FIXTURE&compID=478064&c=1-10806-0-0-0

Uniform requirements:

• Boots: must be moulded (eg. blades)
• Mouthguards are compulsory for training and games.
• Clothing:  School AFL jersey and shorts will be provided for hire. These will be distributed at sport training this Thursday.
• Socks (same as Rugby/ Football/ Softball) are available from the uniform shop.

In case of wet weather the AFL will notify me by 7.00am on the Saturday morning.  Notification will be on Twitter Feed – @SPXJuniorSport - Sign up details in Woodchatta and on the College website.

St Pius Website update - http://www.spx.nsw.edu.au/beyond-classroom/ (wet weather details)

Season Draw

Ms D Cummins - Junior AFL Coach