St Pius X College Newsletter

Pastoral Care and Old Boys' News

  • House Vice Captains
  • Reconciliation Action Plan
  • Year 7 Premier's Reading Challenge Gold Award Winners
  • ANZAC Commemorations student participation
  • IFTAR Dinner
  • Red Dirt Immersion

House Vice Captains 

Congratulations to the following students who were appointed House Vice Captains last Friday at assembly.  They join our Student Leadership Team in running a student representative council of our House Vice Captains and Class Captains from Years 5 to 10 through the rest of the year.

Treacy – PJ Marren

Purton – Jake Brown

Rice – Luke Haldane

Barron – Christopher Harris

The House Vice Captains will have a role in representing the College at upcoming commemorative events such as ANZAC Day, and including joining our student RAP Team in teaching Reconciliation Week lessons and ensuring we are as informed as possible around the Uluru Statement From The Heart and the issue of Voice in the context of the upcoming Referendum.

They will be joined by representatives from other year groups in the role of House Vice Captain early in Term 2.

Reconciliation Action Plan

Susan Coombes Moylan member of the stolen generation having been born in Darwin and then infancy on the Tiwi Islands, Susan was then the adopted Granddaughter of iconic Australian formative social justice statesman ”Nugget Coombes”. As an ABC journalist Susan bookended her career broadcasting Paul Keating’s “Redfern Speech” in 1997 and then the “National Apology Speech” in 2007!

Those present at the Willoughby Council were glowing in their admiration of the manner in which our students represented the principles of St Pius X College Reconciliation Actions and Plan and their vision for reconciliation within and beyond our Local Government Area. Well done to Pat Frost, Eliot Sanders and Lachlan Staber who will now report back to our Student RAP team in preparation for their lessons to the Junior School in the lead up to Reconciliation Week, our Red Dirt Expedition and informing our community around the Uluru Statement of From The Heart as we approach the National Referendum.

Year 7 Premier's Reading Challenge Gold Award Winners

Congratulations to the students pictured below, and several more who were absent sick who received their certificates this week. Our Library and Information Services Coordinator, Mrs Karen Keighery, and Year 7 Coordinator Mrs Loughman recognised these young men at form meeting last Thursday for achieving seven consecutive years (since Kindergarten) successfully completing the Annual Premier's Reading Challenge. Reading practice is a great indicator of learning success, and all students and members of our community are encouraged to take up the opportunity over the coming Easter Break to increase their reading breadth, depth and interests. Happy reading to all.

ANZAC Commemoration student representation

Thank you to those students who have registered their interest and ability to attend and represent the school in full winter uniform at the following ANZAC Day commemorations:

Saturday 22 April at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway Concord, 

Tuesday 25 April at the Chatswood Garden of Remembrance from 5:30 am and Willoughby Park from 6:45 am

Preparation for our ANZAC Commemorations are now in full swing. Our premier trumpeter Sam Cummins has been practicing on the College bugle which is now dedicated to the memory and contribution of our good friend and colleague Anthony “Herbie” Timmins who would have celebrated a birthday last week. 

Please contact Mr Brannan if you are able to represent the college appropriately in these or the various other commemorative events within our local communities, and please feel free to follow up with photos if you are able, so that we can celebrate our students engagement and support of these important community events and opportunities for reflection.

Lest we forget  

IFTAR Dinner

We were privileged to join our good friends from Amity College Prestons and 11 other schools in acknowledging the Ramadan fast with an IFTAR Dinner last Monday evening. It was empowering to see Kiefer O’Brien (Class of 2020) who joined the youth panel several years ago being followed up by Hugo Kalcher (Class of 2024) who spoke eloquently on his views on being a young leader and advocate for inclusive communities as he joined a panel of student leaders at the event. A full report is provided by Ms Guerrera in the Parent and Student Matters page this week. 

Red Dirt Immersion

Thank you to all students and staff who have expressed interest in the 2023 Red Dirt Immersion which will visit and interact with cultural sites, schools and aboriginal communities of Baradine, Warrumbungles, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Walgett, Brewarrina, Bourke and Dubbo in Western NSW.

A reconnaissance trip over the Easter break will occur to review the state of our planned itinerary and address contingencies for risk mitigation and opportunities for engagement with the people, events and communities involved.

Early in Term 2, travel, tent, and activity groups will be finalised and a form distributed for final consent, meal orders etc to all students participating. Please contact Mr Brannan if you need to withdraw as there is an extensive waitlist of hopeful participants.

We look forward to reaching out and connecting with our friends in some of the more remote communities across our great land in celebration of history, heritage and culture.

 

Fide et Labore

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing