Student & Parent

Matters

Tuition Statements for Term 3, 2018

From the Assistant Principal - Teaching & Learning

-  Years 5 to 10 Mid-Year Academic Reports

-  Years 5 to 10 Parent/Teacher/Student Meetings - Monday 23rd July

-  Learning Posters

Game On!  Children & Technology

Performing Arts and Other Group Photo Order Forms

• Public Speaking & Debating
• Hunter Valley Accommodation Opportunity during the Winter Break
• Chess - No Chess this week
• Chatswood Parish:  Catechists & Helpers Required​
• General Notices:
• -  LIFELINE - Sydney's Biggest Book Fair

• -  NSW Government Sport & Recreation - School Holiday Programs
• -  School Holiday Programs Directory

Tuition Statements for Term 3, 2018

Tuition Statements for Term 3, 2018 will be emailed to all families next week.  If you do not receive your statement, please contact the Finance Office urgently at fees@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

Unless you have a payment arrangement in place with the College, payment is due by 24 July 2018.

Mr N Carson - Business Manager

Years 5 to 10 Mid-Year Academic Reports

Dear Parents and Carers,

Teachers are well in the process of finalising grades for the Mid-Year Academic Reports for students in Years 5 to 10.  Evidence of student's learning has been collated and used to determine levels of achievement.

As stipulated by NESA, a standards-referenced approach is used for assessing and determining student achievement in Years 5 through to 11.  In standards-referenced assessment, the achievements of a student are reported using the A to E Common Grade Scale as shown below.

Year 5 to 10 Reports will be available on the Parent Portal on Thursday 28th June in the later stages of the day.

Please take the opportunity to check your access to the Portal by using the link on the College webpage. If you do have difficulties, in the first instance please use the 'forgot password' facility.  When you log onto your Portal page, please click the blue 'MORE' icon which appears next to your son’s photo. This will take you to the page containing his report.

If problems persist, please email Ms Leonie Millar   lmillar@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Years 5-10 Parent/Teacher/Student Meetings

Mid-Course reports can discussed at Parent Teacher Student meetings that are scheduled for Monday 23rd July from 8.00 am until 6.00 pm. Bookings are open and login details have been emailed to all parents.  They are provided again below.  If you have any booking issues please call Hilary Fromager at the Student Office on  9411 4733.

Learning Posters

Around the College, parents and students will notice an array of stimulating and thought provoking posters that align with our College’s Learning Statement. These posters were inspired by our Learning Prefects, Daniel Aposhian, Oliver Stewart and Isaac Fong under the leadership of our Innovative Learning Coordinator Mrs Anne Gripton.

Below is the third in a series of five posters.

We want our students to develop their personal capability and have a sense of self-worth that enables them to manage their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing.

We strive for our students to be self-motivated in their learning so as to satisfy their own curiosity and understand the importance of being a lifelong learner. This intrinsic motivation creates positive emotions within the individual rather than extrinsic motivation driven by a desire to gain some type of external rewards such as prizes or acclaim.

What aligns with motivation is discipline and setting positive habits that develop into productive routines. Completing homework at the same time each night for a set period of time is an example of a positive habit.

Our St Pius X Community consists of critical and creative thinkers who are resilient and passionate about learning. The Touchstones and Values provide the foundation for our learning.

Mr A Damo - Assistant Principal Teaching & Learning

Game On!

There has a barrage in the media recently about gaming addiction, Fortnite, cyberbullying and banning of phones that would bring despair to most of us. However, things are not what they seem. With a bit of patience and a few strategies we can turn this conversation around.

Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation claimed that gaming addiction was a disease, based on “impaired control over gaming (frequency, intensity, duration), increased priority given to gaming, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite negative consequences” (WHO, 2018). Sounds scary, right? But even the researcher behind the claims has stated such a diagnosis could lead to confusion in parents whose children are just “enthusiastic gamers” rather than actual addicts. Recent research from the University of Oxford has stated that “"People think that children are addicted to technology and in front of these screens 24/7, to the exclusion of other activities - and we now know that is not the case…Just like we adults do, children spread their digital tech use throughout the day, while doing other things." (Mullan, 2017)

The thing is, that playing games isn’t even that bad. In fact, a lot of research has shown that it is pretty good. Playing video games can improve concentration and ability to multi-task, improve visual processing capabilities and have even been shown to reduce crime rates and acts of violence (you can read about that here and here).

According to the Entertainment Software Association’s (ESA) 2017 survey:

• 65% of households have at least one member who plays games three hours a week or more, and the average gamer is 35 years old.
• Of the “gaming” population, there are more adult women (31%) than boys under 18 (18%). Remember, gaming includes “Love Island” and “Words with Friends” as much as “Fortnite”.
• Of people who play video games, 59% are male and 41% are female.

These statistics show that it’s not just a “young male” thing. We are all engaging with games and screens more.

There’s also cyberbullying. There is a review underway to look at banning phones in primary schools. Is that the way to go? It seems an easy fix; stop the phones. But as with all “easy fixes”, there are often more complex questions which undermine them. What makes a child bully another child? How can we encourage more empathy and compassion for others so that bullying (real or cyber) is a thing of the past? And what do we, as parents and adults, model to our children? Are we so glued to our phones that they turn to theirs? I often make the comparison that banning phones is like swimming against a rip – you can do it for a while, but sooner or later you’ll drown.

With the holidays coming up, perhaps taking a proactive approach might work.

• Negotiate with your son at the start of the break how much screen time is appropriate. Let him help make the rules – chances are he might actually follow them if he feels they’re fair.
• Challenge yourself to think about what you model to your children – maybe agree that there will be a “no screens” day for all.
• Arrange some activities to do together so he has a concrete alternative to his screens.
• Realise that he is socialising when playing games, it’s not just him locked away in a dark room!
• Play the game WITH your son (a sure way to turn him off, I guarantee!) It might help you understand what he’s doing, and help him understand how this is all new for you.

Ms A Gripton - Knowledge Innovation Coordinator

Performing Arts and Other Group Photo Order Forms

All Order Forms must be back at the College by Friday 29th June.  There is an order form attached below or students can collect one from the Student Office desk. 

Photos that weren’t taken last Friday will be added to the Winter Sports Photo Day in Term 3.

Ms L Proc - General Coordinator

Public Speaking & Debating

Details for Friday’s debate for Year 10:  St Andrews College Junior Campus, 116 Quakers Road, Marayong.     Ph: 02 9626 4000       e: standrewscollege@parra.catholic.edu.au   

Photo:  Year 8 & 10 Debating Teams

Further information from Mrs Waterson can be found in the document below.

Mrs M Waterson - Debating and Public Speaking Convener

Hunter Valley Accommodation Opportunity during the Winter Break

The Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley (one of the contributors to our Rugby Club Dinner) are offering St Pius X College families up to 50% off accommodation and breakfasts over this school holiday period.  See the flyer below for details.

Mr P O'Neill - SPX Rugby Club

Chatswood Parish:  Catechists & Helpers Required

We are looking for people who enjoy being with children, lives their faith, enjoys a laugh and cares for others.  If this is you – have you ever considered becoming a catechist or helper?  You do not need to be a teacher to share your faith with children.  All you need is the desire and are willing to give up to 1 hour a week of your time.  They say “Faith is Caught – Not Taught!”   All resources and training are provided.  If you think this could be you please see the information in the flyer below.

General Notices

• LIFELINE - SYDNEY'S BIGGEST BOOK FAIR

Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury's major book fair will again be held at Knox  Grammar School, Wahroonga on Thursday and Friday July 19th and 20th from 9:00am to 9.00pm and Saturday and Sunday July 21st  and 22nd from  9:00am to 5.00pm. ​

• NSW GOVERNMENT SPORT & RECREATION - SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

• SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

SchoolHolidayPrograms.com.au is a directory resource jam-packed with holiday programs for kids.  You can search by category or location,  even share and review the programs.

Proud to be an Australian-based company, School Holiday Programs is passionate about providing quality school holiday care options to parents of school aged children.  Filled with hundreds of unique experiences, sports clinics, educational workshops and overnight camps, ‘School Holiday Programs’ provides parents of school aged children, a comprehensive choice of school holiday care and activities.

Check us out on facebook and instagram!

https://www.facebook.com/schoolholidayprograms.com.au/

@schoolholidayprograms