MindMatters for Families
- Counselling Support for Students & Families
- Details of Counselling Team
- MindMatters: Boxercise & Mentoring
Counselling Support for Students and Families
The school year has started smoothly for most students with pleasing reports and feedback from many parents that their sons are settling back into their routines and school studies. It is particularly pleasing to witness the new students in Years 5, 6 and 7 adjusting to their new surroundings with a minimum of anxiety or stress.
Parents should make contact with the counselling team if they have any concerns about the first few weeks at school, particularly if your son is struggling to re-adjust back to school. It is a fact that early intervention of a student's mental health issue is a major positive strategy in helping to minimise a potential, deeper problem such as depression or anxiety, into the future.
The counselling team are committed to providing confidential support and advice to students and their families. Please feel free to make contact with one of the counsellors if you think that your son would benefit from an opportunity to talk with us.
St Pius X College is committed to providing a safe and inclusive school community which enables every student to be the best student that they can. Positive mental health and wellbeing is an essential protective factor in enabling your son to flourish within our caring, Catholic school environment. Once again, please do not hesitate to contact us should the need arise.
Counselling Team contacts:
Mr Rick Russo
Counsellor (Full Time, Monday to Friday) working with students across all year groups.
Email: rrusso@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Direct Phone: 9414 4359
School Mobile (in case of emergency): 0418 438 325
Mrs Joe McCarthy
Psychologist (2 days a week, Wednesday and Thursday) working with students across all years.
Email: jmccarthy@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Direct Phone: 9414 4322
Mrs Judy Gill
Psychologist (2 days a week, Monday and Tuesday) working with students across all years.
Email: jgill@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Direct Phone: 9414 4322
MindMatters
'BUILDING CONNECTIONS THAT PROMOTE HAPPINESS AND WELLBEING'
Boxercise
Boxercise is held every Thursday and Friday morning at 7.30am in the Junior School playground. This MindMatters initiative provides friendship, fun and fitness to strengthen students’ resilience and general sense of wellbeing. Classes are free to all students.
Mentoring
This one-on-one student support program is now in its sixth year at SPX. It is a wonderful buddy program where a senior student (Year 11 or 12) volunteers to provide a younger student (Year 5, 6 or 8) with a listening ear and a close supportive relationship built up over time. Students meet weekly at lunchtime and are given the additional opportunity to participate in the teacher led activities of rock climbing, trampolining, kayaking, beach/bush walks, paddle-boarding at Balmoral. Limited spaces are available and preference is given to students who are new to the College.
Please note that the first mentoring activity is Rock Climbing at Climb Fit at Artarmon and will be held on Friday 3rd March.
For further details on either Boxercise or Mentoring, please contact Mr Russo by either phone or email as per details above.
Mr R Russo - College Counsellor