Pastoral Care and Old Boys' News
- Year 9 Camps
- Year 10 Peer Support Training, Peer Mentoring and Cultural Pastoral Care Camps
- Edmund Rice Beyond Borders
- Speechcraft Dinner Presentation
- Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion
Year 9 Camps
The Year 9 Camps continue at Workul Koo in Wamberal this week. The groups have bonded, listen to the story of others and gained a greater understanding of the parable of the Good Samaritan. It has been a great time of reflection and going outside comfort zones to grow and develop as a young man. The behaviour and co-operation of the boys has been outstanding and we look forward to the other homerooms continuing this trend.
Year 10 Peer Support Training, Peer Mentoring and Cultural Pastoral Care Camps
As we commence a period of orientation and transition support to new students to the school next year, our Year 10 students will be trained as Peer Support Leaders on Monday 5 December by James Cummins from the Positivity Project.
Students are also challenged to consider joining Mr Russo’s Peer Mentoring Program which incorporates our Buddies Bushwalk from the Spit to Manly on Sunday 6 November. See Mr Brannan, Mr Russo, Mr Ticli or Mr Stollery for details.
Additionally, we are investigating the possibility of linking our RAP Reconciliation Action Plan to some Pastoral Care initiatives in December with a visit to Uncle Mark Smith, Aboriginal Education Officer at our partner school at St Mary's Bowraville. See Mr Brannan for more details.
Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders
Our next connection with our EREBB partner school St Dominic’s in South Africa is scheduled for 5.00 pm Wednesday 26 October with our respective Student Leadership Teams following up with a proposed meeting on Friday 28 October. The sharing of ideas, stories and experience of being an Edmund Rice student in two very diverse parts of the world is a rich learning experience for all involved and fosters the links which our Christian Brother forebears provided through their lives of service in the past.
Student Leadership Team and Parents Speechcraft Presentation dinner
Parents of our 2023 Student Leadership Team are invited to attend the Graduation Dinner on Monday 7 November from 6.00 pm at Chatswood RSL Auditorium. The Dinner in the culmination of the student Speechcraft Presentation Course which is sponsored by our Old Boys' Association. The dinner, at which the students showcase their presentation skills, is a valuable opportunity to practice skills in front of a live audience, so we thank the parents of the students in attendance. A Trybooking link will be circulated next week so please save the date.
Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion
Year 5 students were presented this week with the story of Lt Colonel Ralph Honner DCM, Pte Jacob de Sisto, and Sgt Bede Tongs MM. Three servicemen connected to St Pius who served in the SW Pacific Theatre of WWII.
All Year 5 will now research the service and stories of our servicemen and women then participate in an excursion on Tuesday 8 November to follow Kokoda Day on 3 November and Remembrance Day 11 November to the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway at Concord. We look forward to learning about the rich stories and service of men such as the Manusu brothers (2/1st Bn) from Bowraville, Conn Vapp, and the “Kokoda Wallaby” Stan Bissett and his brother Butch Bissett. As well as hearing from the sole surviving sister of Jacob de Sisto, Maria Barrett on Remembrance Day.
The College Bugle, provided by Mr Anthony Timmins RIP, will be a centrepiece of our commemoration, sounding the Last Post and Reveille in company with the Ode on our excursion.
Fide et Labore
Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Mission and Identity