St Pius X College Newsletter

From the Principal

Even our own statue of Edmund Rice is staying safe at this time

  • Prayer
  • Online Flexible Learning to continue for a further two weeks
  • Welcome to Term 3 and Special Thanks
  • Livestream Assembly Friday morning
  • Achievements and Activities during the Holidays
  • College Building Improvements - Your Building Fund in Action!
  • Major Building Plans
  • Year 11 and Year 12 Coordinators - Term 3, Weeks 4 - 10
  • School Fees and Financial Assistance
  • COVID-19 Protocols

Prayer

PRAYER OF JOY AND HAPPINESS

God of generosity and joy, who gifts us with open minds and gentle hearts,

Deepen our hope during these ever changing and challenging times.

Help us to:

Delight in the beauty of creation, affirm the goodness in all people, create a community of kindness and lead with empathy and courage.

May we serve God with great love and liberty of mind and trust in God’s grace and goodness.

May eternal joy and gratitude brighten the lives of people everywhere.

We make this prayer in the name of Jesus who inspires us with Good News, and the Holy Spirit who moves us ever outwards.

Amen

Blessed Edmund Rice – Pray for Us

St. Pius X – Pray for Us

 

Live Jesus in our Hearts – Forever!

 

Today’s prayer has been shared with us from Mrs Dickinson, the Principal of Loreto Kirribilli. This prayer was developed by the Year 12 school leaders of Loreto Colleges across Australia and inspires us to work together and is especially relevant in these difficult times of lockdown as we support each other.

Online Flexible Learning to Continue for a further two weeks

As the NSW Government has today advised a continuation of the current lockdown procedures for another two weeks, our online flexible learning will continue at this time until the end of Week 3 (30 July).  When we receive further updates of recommendations from the NSW Government, NESA and Catholic Schools NSW I will advise the College community through email communications.  

One of the major camps that has now been impacted due to this extension is our Year 8 Ski Trip. Unfortunately at this time, we have had to cancel this trip and I know that our Year 8 students will be extremely disappointed.  The College has also postponed the Academic Awards Ceremony scheduled for Friday 30 July, with a new date to be determined.

Further revisions of the College Calendar are currently under consideration and these will be communicated in the coming days.

As this situation is concerning for all, I wish to reiterate that if you have any concerns about your son's wellbeing, please do not hesitate to contact the College Counselling team.

Welcome to Term 3 and Special Thanks

Welcome back to all students, parents and staff for Term 3 and my sincere thanks to everyone for the outstanding way that we have adapted to online learning from the very first roll call yesterday. I am so proud of the agility of our students and the expertise of staff who are continuing to develop their online craft in teaching. Amazing! I appreciate the many messages of appreciation and encouragement that we have received. 

During Term 2 I was very fortunate to have Long Service Leave and during that time I visited South Australia, Uluru, and joined our own Red Dirt Tour to north western NSW. 

My gratitude list is so long, and I do particularly want to thank everyone who made it possible for my leave. In a special way I thank Mr Casey who has now taken leave for Weeks 1-5. He led the school expertly and I sincerely thank him for his partnership in leading the school along with our strong Leadership Team. I also thank Mr Brannan who continues as Deputy Principal during Mr Casey’s leave and Mr Ticli who continues as Assistant Principal Pastoral Care.

Livestream Assembly

This Friday morning at 8.55 am the College will be holding a livestream Assembly for all students. It will be a short 15 minute Assembly with an update from myself, Mr Mulheron and Mr Brannan.  Parents are also welcome to join in and view this Assembly via the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BygRZimHV0

Achievements and Activities during the Holidays

  • The Red Dirt Tour was an enriching Immersion experience for all those 60 students and staff who attended. I thankMr Brannan, Mr Di Sano, Ms Fryar, Mr Mulheron, Mr Mendez and Mr Stollery who gave up their holidays to give the boys this unique experience. A fuller report is available on the Pastoral Care page of this week's Woodchatta.
  • I thank the Year 12 teachers who ran seminars both at school and online during the holidays.
  • I offer our commiserations to our First XV Rugby and Junior Football tour parties who were unable to tour but I thank all staff and parents for the organisation which was all completed but sadly unable to come to fruition. Similarly a number of sports clinics at Oxford Falls needed to be cancelled.

College Building Improvements - Your Building Fund in Action!

So much work has been done through Facilities and Maintenance during the break. I mention the following highlights for you with a few photos:

  • Relocation of the Statue of Edmund Rice
  • Re-establishment of the Prayer Garden which is almost complete
  • The Music classrooms have been remodelled with new windows, doors and storage areas. They look brilliant!
  • Installation of a new lift in A Block
  • The courtyard next to Drama has been modified with improved area for students
  • Painting to the Sarto Centre and other areas of the school
  • Major plumbing improvements at Oxford Falls

I sincerely thank Mr David Reay, Mr Nick Carson, Mr Andrew Darbin and our Maintenance and Grounds Team for these improvements.

Major Building Plans

The College has progressed its plans for further building works and upgrades as we have communicated earlier this year. I am pleased to report the following:

  • Tenders for the new building, The Learning Hub on 39-41 Anderson St have closed this week and the College Council Property Committee will now undertake a discernment of the tenders received and I hope to announce in a few weeks who our builders will be for this project. The timeline is for work to commence in Term 4 and be completed for the start of the 2023 school year.
  • Through our architects Tanner Kibble Denton Architects (TKD), we are currently finalising the plans for the upgrade of B Wing during the Christmas vacation.

All this is very exciting for the future of our school. I will keep the College community informed through a separate Building Bulletin in a few weeks when the details are clearer.

Year 11 and 12 Coordinators for Term 3, Weeks 4 to 10

In other staffing news, I share with you that Ms Donna Janes has been scheduled for long-awaited hip surgery and will leave us at the end of Week 3 of this term. As a result, I have appointed Mr Joe Lynch to continue as Year 12 Coordinator until the end of Term 3. Mr Paul Ticli will become the Year 11 Coordinator for Weeks 4-10. We have appointed appropriate teaching staff to Ms Janes' classes, and I thank Mrs Annie Bryant who will join us full-time during that time.

School Fees and Financial Assistance

Throughout the pandemic, the College has continued to offer financial support through an extension of time or fees assistance to those families in need. I again offer our understanding and support to families who need help. This is a very confidential process and I encourage parents to contact our Business Manager, Mr Nick Carson, to discuss any financial matters.

Parents are also always welcome to contact me if they wish.

COVID-19 Protocols

The College’s COVID-19 Protocols are very clear and remain in place throughout this period of lockdown. 

 

I emphasise the following specifically:

 

Students should not attend school if unwell, even with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Any person with any COVID-19 symptoms should be sent home and should not return to school until they have received a negative test result and are symptom-free. 

 

Masks to be worn by all students (Year 5-12) and Staff

The College has decided that all students Year 5-12 must wear a mask indoors. This is to make uniform the procedures at school and keep everyone safe. It is therefore mandatory for all staff and students to wear a mask indoors. Students must bring their own mask. Masks are compulsory on public transport.

 

Some exemptions apply: 

  • Staff are not required to wear a mask or face covering where it may affect the ability of a student or students to hear or engage with them, such as where students are hard of hearing
  • However, staff are recommended to wear masks or face coverings otherwise, whenever indoors
  • Masks or face coverings are not required to be worn by a staff member or student who has a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, that makes wearing a mask unsuitable. For example, if they have a skin condition, an intellectual disability, autism or trauma, they are not required to wear a mask. Refer to face mask rules on the NSW Government website External link

Masks remain mandatory on public transport. 

 

For the College, this applies to all students and staff when travelling to and from school and during school excursions by public transport or by chartered or private transport services. 

 

Visitors 

Non-essential visitors are not permitted on school sites.

Parents and carers must follow their school’s advice regarding changes to student drop off and pick up. This includes staying in the car when dropping off and picking up children if it is safe to do so.

 

Parents should 

  • follow the physical distancing advice for their local government area and avoid gathering outside of school gates
  • remain outside of school grounds (some exceptions may exist re SSP, vulnerable students or students with disabilities)
  • adhere to mask-wearing requirements and sign in using the Service NSW QR code when entering the school

QR code sign-in process for all staff and visitors 

The NSW Government have introduced mandatory QR codes across a range of additional settings, including schools. All staff and visitors permitted on school sites will be required to check in and check out using the QR codes. 

 

School operations 

  • Families to be encouraged to keep their children at home wherever possible but no child will be turned away from school
  • Canteens and uniform stores are not to operate

Continued enhanced cleaning and hygiene supply arrangements.

Mr John Couani - Principal