Pastoral Care

From the Assistant Principal Pastoral Care

Wellbeing Anecdotes from the Student Diary Planner:

“A great position when meeting people is to start with curiosity not certainty.” Anon.

 

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind in the present moment.” Buddha

Bourke Red Dirt Expedition

Edmund Rice Beyond Borders - student visit from Cardinal Newman College in Argentina:  *Host Families required 16-21 August

Willoughby Council – Bingara Youth Exchange Immersion

Bourke Red Dirt Expedition

After much preparation and planning as well as support from the SPX Maintenance, Leadership, Outdoor Education, Mission and Identity and Pastoral Care teams, the Bourke Red Dirt Expedition in the first week of the holidays was an unqualified success.

The students from Years 7 – 11 who self-selected to participate in this Social Justice and Pastoral Care outreach to some of the most rural, remote and unique communities and locations in Western NSW, were exemplary in their representation of the values of our College. They received high commendation from the Schools, National Parks, Visitors centres, Museums and towns we visited.

The expedition included:

• Three stunning days and two sub-zero nights in the picturesque Warrumbungles National Park during which we climbed the igneous Breadknife and Grand High Tops geological features.
• A visit to the Sandstone Caves, Dandry Gorge and Sculptues in the scrub Aboriginal archaeological sites guided by Gomeroi NPWS Leader Jill Norton followed by Baradine Local Area Land Council, Discovery Centre and Baradine Hotel.
• School visits to run sports days with St Lawrence’s Coonabarabran, Coonabarabran High, St Joseph’s Walgett, St Patrick's Brewarrina, and St Ignatius Bourke.
• Study of the 30,000 year old Brewarrina Fish Traps site and Aboriginal Cultural Museum.
• A Bourke Rugby Club training, Bourke PCYC Disco, and bike ride around Dubbo Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

On behalf of the students involved I thank the amazing people we met on our journey who will all receive gratitude letters from our students, and the team of staff who gave up the first week of their holidays to facilitate experiences and learning which will live long in the memory of all involved.

The staff included Mr James Quinn, Mr Fernando Mendez, Mr Ryan Balboa, Ms Kate Ryder (of Brigidine College), Mr Adrian Brannan, Ms Bettina Spanyik, Mr Nathan Mulheron, Mr Tim Long and Mr Phil Stollery.

Edmund Rice Beyond Borders

Once again this year, five students and a staff member from our fellow Edmund Rice Beyond Borders lead school, Cardinal Newman College from Buenos Aires in Argentina, will visit our school from 16 to 21 August to build our network of Edmund Rice Schools worldwide.  

If you are able to offer a homestay to one or two of the Year 10/11 students please contact Mr Brannan:  sbrannan@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

The home stay would entail:

• Receiving 1 - 2 of the Year 10 / 11 Cardinal Newman College students into your home - students to be dropped off Friday evening 16 August after dinner.
• Breakfast Saturday 17 August before Mr Brannan picks them up to take them to ISA Soccer Semis and then a Drop off after Dinner BBQ TBC.
• Breakfast Sunday 18 August and Dinner (the students' itinerary will include a Sydney tourism day here.)
• Breakfast Monday 19 August before students head to school and then to Workul Koo / Huntington House at Terrigal with our Year 12 Retreat team.
• On Monday and Tuesday the students will attend Workul Koo Retreat, St Edward's Gosford and St Edmund’s Wahroonga.
• Receiving students home for Tuesday Dinner and Wednesday Breakfast before the students head to school and depart.

Please contact Mr Sean Brannan with any questions.

Willoughby Council – Bingara Youth Exchange Immersion

We were well represented on this invaluable Willoughby Council exchange program by Dom Panozzo, Nick Ward and James Baldock of Year 10 . The brainchild of St Pius X College Old Boy and long serving Mayor of Willoughby Alderman Pat Reilly, the exchange immersed our students in the Bingara Orange festival and included horse riding, dances and visits to historical sites in the Bingara region.

Our students will now form the nucleus of a Willoughby Council Youth Advisory Action Team and host a reciprocal visit from Bingara youth to the Willougby Council Fair in September.

We look forward to hearing more from Dom, Nick and James about their learning from what was by all accounts a very worthwhile experience.

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal Pastoral Care