From the Acting Deputy Principal

School Year Group, Class and Group photographs were completed with cooperation and coordination from our students along with Ms Proc, Mr Yue, Ms Bates, Year Coordinators and Pastoral Care Teachers. Photo order forms for the group photos (including Music ensembles, Sons of Old Boys, etc) are available below or from the front office and will be forwarded to Melba studios by Ms Proc. 

Friday also marked the conclusion to the home and away season of our Catholic Schools Debating Association (as opposed to the Sydney Debating Network competition in Term 3).

I commend our dedicated Debating Teams and Coaches for their work over Term 2. Worthy of note are the 7a, 8b, 9b, 8b, and 10b teams who won their final round. The 11c team featuring Hamish Alexander, Leo Lovesy and Oliver Tysoe debated the season as part of the Mercy College team, and were also part of a clean sweep of wins vs St Leos, Wahroonga on Friday. We wish our Year 8 and 10 Teams well in their elimination finals this week.

Two weeks ago with Year 12 on HSC Assessment tasks we were represented by Year 11 student Nick MacLachlan at NSW Parliament House, as a guest of our Federal House of Representatives Member Trent Zimmerman MP. Tim reports that he participated with student leaders in an insightful discussion of contemporary issues affecting young people in our electorate.

Kokoda Immersion undergoes Pidgin English Training

Today our Kokoda Expedition and Callan Disability Services Immersion students were trained in Pidgin English and Papua New Guinean customs by Mr Andrew Viney of St Pats Strathfield, long time advocate for Callan Services social justice work in Rabaul.

Our final training preparations for the Kokoda Expedition and Callan Services Immersion are being finalised. After returning from Kokoda Village by Twin Otter flight on 7th July our expedition will visit Bomana War Cemetery and the grave of ex-student Jacob De Sisto of Roseville, KIA on Bougainville in 1944. He is buried alongside 6000 allied service men and women of the 1939-45 war, each with their own story.  We will then attend Mass at Boroko, and while our main group will return to Sydney on Sunday 8th July, eight of our group will remain to participate in an educational social justice immersion in Port Moresby. Their itinerary includes working with Callan Services Special Education (Disability) Resource Centre at Gerehu, Port Moresby, visiting Cardinal John Ribat’s social justice initiative for street children, Jubilee Catholic Secondary School, and the Papua New Guinean National Parliament. Coinciding with State of Origin Match 3, we are guaranteed a colourful time as the locals impress us with their passion for both life and their national game.

Best wishes for a safe and rewarding experience for all 30 of our students and parent participants and families.

Our Year 12 Physics students had the opportunity on Monday last week to access the Kickstart program at Sydney University thanks to Mr de Silva and Mr ten Seldam while on Thursday Year 12 History students benefitted from the Sydney University lecture program, accompanied by Mr Rodgers, Ms Gripton and Mr Batchelor.

Year 12 Chemistry students, along with Ms Schuster and Ms Black, visited the Maritime Museum last Thursday and received a Merit Certificate after their very successful excursion. The museum staff had expressed that they enjoyed the day with the boys, but they were all a bit chuffed to receive the certificate! This could possibly be the final time the boys go to the museum, pending HSC syllabus changes.

Year 11 Drama students similarly benefitted from a visit to the National Institute of Dramatic Arts on Tuesday under Ms Lindley’s guidance.

These opportunities for our students to engage in higher order thinking and learning are only possible through the dedication of staff who we thank on behalf of our students. 

In Rick Russo’s recent absence Boxercise has continued through the supervision of our College Counsellor Ms Joe McCarthy and students leaders such as Chris Pelle  of Year 11.

This Friday after school we will hold the Mr Rick Russo Handball World Series across our Peer Mentor program students. I am reliably informed by the organising committee of College Vice Captains, Jack Moran and Nikita Papastamatis along with our Wellbeing Prefects and Mindmatters Student Empowerment Team, that it will rival the World Cup in excitement! See Mr Brannan, Nikita or Jack for details.

On Monday night Dr Prue Salter from Enhanced Learning Educational Services (www.enhanced-learning.net) ran a study skills evening with Year 7 parents and students.  The evening helped families assess what changes could be made to help students work towards achieving their personal best in an efficient and effective way. Students examined their home study environment, the way they organise and manage their resources, how to work effectively at home and deal with distractions, how to manage the workload in high school, and the steps to studying in high school: making study notes, learning the notes by testing yourself and doing as much practise as possible.

Parents are encouraged to review the handout from the session with students and discuss the main areas identified where changes need to be made. Students can also collect a hard copy of the handout from the Year 7 Office. Parents can find extra study skills tips on the following website: http://studyskillstoptipsparents.com/.  However, to access the slides from the Year 7 presentation please go to:

• www.enhanced-learning.net
• click on Parents and Students
• Click on 7. Download Slides
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and find your school
• You have 3 WEEKS to download the slides to your computer.
• PASSWORD FOR SLIDES:  achieve

All secondary students at our school also have access to a great study skills website to help students develop their skills. Go to www.studyskillshandbook.com.au and enter the username: spx and the password: 25success and start improving your results today!

Tonight Mr Damo, Ms Janes, Mr Bell, our Subject Coordinators and Mr Pawlak will coordinate the Year 11 2019 Subject Selection Information Evening for the benefit of our Year 10 students and parents. The process of selecting Stage 6 subjects is an ongoing one and it is important students and parents make well informed choices. Recent adjustments to the program should promote this goal and, as always, your input and feedback is highly valued in refining the process for the benefit of all involved. 

Year 7 Ski Expedition preparations continue with thanks to Mr Lynch and the Year 7 Pastoral Care Team. There will be an information note distributed to students this week in which parents will be called upon to nominate their son's skiing experience and ability level. Our Year 7 parents and students are encouraged to prepare well and positively for this greatly valued rite of passage through the St Pius X College Pastoral Care journey.

Congratulations to our 1st XI soccer who registered an outstanding five goal win vs 2nd Place Spyridons at Home.

Our Rugby teams had their annual Away trip to Orange and there were some great performances in the face of adversity and a very cold Western Plains day. Our B Grade Rugby teams are contesting the ISA B Comp for the first time in three years.  Our 16Bs and 13Bs led the way with great wins, while our 14Bs were commendably led by Nick Lough, Harry O’Brien and a hard running James Morten. The 2nds match featured a great fightback in the 2nd half with cudos to Jonathon Stewart who played his heart out.  The 1st XV also provided a gutsy performance bested only by the 16A's 10–5 win with players struggling to back up from the ravages of last weekend's State Championship Cup. Well done.