Student Wellbeing

• From the Head of Student Services:  Current & Upcoming Events
• MindMatters for Families: Buddies Bush Walk & Parenting Courses
• Boxercise Terms 3 & 4
• Advance Notice:  Boxing for Fathers/Uncles/Grandfathers!
• Teaching Someone to Drive - FREE workshop for parents

From the Head of Student Services

STUDENT WELLBEING - CURRENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Year 12:  Congratulations on the manner in which Year 12 have conducted themselves throughout their HSC Trial Examinations under the leadership of Mr Bachelor and Mr Cunneen.  We look forward also to their Retreats next week at both Mulgoa and Tallows Beach which provide a welcome pause to reflect before the lead up to Graduation from the College and the HSC in October.

The upcoming Buddies Bushwalk on Saturday 3rd September is a great opportunity for all Year 11 students to support the Peer Mentors-Mentees program and get a qualifying Snowy Hike in so contact Mr Brannan or Mr Russo to collect a note.

With Year 11 on Preliminary Course Assessment Exams in Weeks 9 and 10, our Years 10 and 12 Student Mindmatters Teams will lead the celebration of RUOK Day on September 9th, and support the Running for Rowie Carnival on September 18th under the guidance of Ms Kugananthan and Ms Allington. These events and the upcoming Liam Knight Walk/Run around Sydney Harbour are opportunities for other students to  complete their CIP hours as well so contact Mr Brannan or Mr Russo in the Student Well Being Team if you would like to participate.

For Years 7–10 the Student Leadership Development Program includes a Leadership Forum focussing on those students who were elected as House-Vice Captains in Semester 1 and, over the coming weeks, in Semester 2. House Vice Captains please stay tuned for information from Mr McBrearty.

Over 240 members of our Year 7 and 8 cohorts and families attended Prue Salter’s ELES Study Skills Evening on Monday evening to support the quality of their learning and take the stress out of assessment performance preparation. Prue will work with our staff to support this message further over 2017.

The return of the Year 7 Ski Trip last Thursday highlighted the great opportunities afforded our students through the St Pius X College Pastoral Care program. We can be grateful to the staff who attended including Mr Stollery, Mr Stearn, Mr Russo and members of the Year 7 Pastoral Care Team for the expert level of care and support they afforded our boys through these invaluable experiences.

Similarly our Year 10 students have benefitted enormously from Mr Pawlak’s work in organising the Australian History and Geography Excursions this week and next week will learn from the BStreetwise road user education initiative. This is very fitting given the Safety and Responsible Decision Making content of the PDHPE Curriculum and contemporary issues in our news cycle, around which our students need to be encouraged to be aware and take heed.

And finally, with the grip of winter taking hold, I encourage all families to continue to provide notice of any absences either by phoning or emailing Mrs McHugh at Student Management or sending a dated signed note, with the reason for absence, to homeroom Pastoral Care staff.  Punctual attendance to school and lessons is of the greatest reinforcement to effective and productive student learning.

Mr Sean Brannan - Head of Student Services

MindMatters for Families

Buddies Bush Walk

All Junior/Senior students involved in our mentoring program are invited to attend our annual 'Buddies Bush Walk' on Saturday 3rd September from Acron Park, St Ives to the Roseville Bridge - a leisurely 8km walk.  Parents are welcome to join us on the walk too!  Further details will be distributed early next week.  For further details please contact Mr Sean Brannan or Mr Rick Russo. 

Raising Mighty Boys

http://parentingideasschools.com.au/raisingmightyboys

All parents might wish to consider enrolling in this 3-week online course.  The program, entitled 'Raising Mighty Boys' will enable parents to be further educated in some of the key understandings to help nurture our young boys into fine young men who are able to become emotionally well adjusted and successful young adults.

Topics such as those mentioned below will be explored over the duration of the course.  Michael Grose is a highly regarded educator and facilitator of parent educational programs.

• How strong mothering makes boys strong and how to be a strong mum
• The keys to communicating with boys including how to get behind the mask many of them wear
• Practical ways to manage boys' anger and aggresion (which are on the rise)

Northern Beaches Parent Support Group - ADHD​

On Tuesday 23rd August at 7pm, at Pittwater RSL in Mona Vale, Carolyn Ledowsky will lead a session offering practical ideas and collective support for parents of children/teenagers with ADHD.  The group, which meets monthly, provides a safe and supportive environment to discuss and learn more about ADHD.  

The topic of Carolyn's talk is 'Could ADHD Be Genetic?' and may be of interest to some of our parents.  Please click on the flyer below for further details.

Mr R Russo - College Counsellor

Boxercise Terms 3 & 4

With the conclusion of the Rugby and Football seasons, what better way to keep fit than to join our fast-growing Boxercise team!  All gear is supplied free (mitts/gloves). The classes start at 7.30am on Thursday and Friday mornings and are led by an experienced group of Year 10 and 11 students under my watchful supervision.

Students learn boxing combinations together with a variety of cardio/strength exercises which promotes self-esteem, confidence and mateship across the years from Years 5 to 11.  For further details contact Mr Rick Russo on 9414 4359 or email rrusso@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Come along and join the team and get fit for Spring/Summer.

Advance Notice:  Boxing for Fathers/Uncles/Grandfathers!

A 'Fathers/Uncles/Grandfathers Boxing Morning' will be held on 1st and 2nd September at 7.30am.  Please keep the morning free (either Thursday or Friday) to learn to box with your son - it will be a great connecting activity!

Mr R Russo - College Counsellor

Teaching Someone to Drive can be a Happy Experience

Please click on the flyer below for information on a FREE two-hour workshop for parents.