Pastoral Care and Old Boys News
- Year 8 Ski Trip
- Brad Marshall Managing Screens and Teens Presentation
- Red Dirt Expedition Presentation
- Fred's Big Run
- Rugby Club Dinner - this Saturday
- Planting with a Purpose
- GPs in Schools
- Old Boys News
Year 8 Ski Trip
St Pius X College was pleased this week to be able to resume a longstanding tradition and what is regarded by many Old Boys as a landmark rite of passage through the Pastoral Care Programs of the school.
160 Year 8 students have enjoyed their week-long Ski Trip Excursion with fresh snow falling on their 3 ski/snowboard lessons and supervised skiing at Blue Cow Ski Resort between Perisher Valley and Guthega.
The four students unable to ski due to injury are commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Kokoda Track Campaign and Australia’s first Academy Award Winner: Cinematographer Damien Parer with the Documentary: “Kokoda Front Line”. They will photograph and document our excursion to Blue Cow in the footsteps of Charles Bean, Hubert Wilkins and Frank Hurley.
The Year 8 students, parents and school are grateful for the dedication of Year 8 Coordinator Mr Scott Steinman, Sportsmaster Mr Matt Stearn, PDHPE Coordinator Mr Greg Virgona and Year 8 staff: Mr Fernando Mendez, Mrs Emma Fryar, Mr Marcel Kennedy, Ms Felicity Van Riet, Mr Paul Formosa, Mr Mario Phasie, Ms Leigha Zervakos, and Mrs Jacqui Loughman for making this experience available to the students who are challenged to rise to this great opportunity, be organised and optimise their time on the slopes with good mates.
Brad Marshall - Managing Screens and Teens
Please use the link below to register for this seminar, being held in the College gym on Wednesday 10 August commencing at 7.00 pm. Parents and friends of the College from Years 7 - 10 are warmly invited. Brad Marshall's presentations are always useful, contemporary and very informative. For more information on the presentation, please see the Counselling page of this Woodchatta.
I look forward to seeing you on the evening, after Year 7 and 8 students have the opportunity to hear from Brad that afternoon.
Red Dirt Expedition Presentation
In addition to the very generous letter of praise for the work of our students on the Red Dirt Expedition to the remote communities of Baradine, Coonabarabran, Walgett, Brewarrina and Bourke from George Dickson Manager of Bourke PCYC, we have received some great symbols of connection with the Baradine community and Land Council.
Next Thursday, 4 August (Year 10 Excursion Day), our Year 9 Red Dirt advocacy team of Lachlan Staber, Rob Oner, Christian Chen, Christian Wong and Jack Fairbanks will present to Our Lady of Dolours Parish Senior Social Justice Team.
Best wishes, gentlemen, in presenting the great work of our expedition in terms of connections made with the amazing people of western NSW.
Fred Hollows' Big Run Challenge
As a follow up to our Red Dirt Expedition a group of staff and students are committing to the Fred’s Big Run Challenge through the month of August. Proceeds from this fund and awareness raiser go to Fred Hollows' Foundation work of restoring eyesight to disadvantaged people and communities. See Mr Brannan if you are interested in participating.
Rugby Club Dinner Roseville Golf Club this weekend
Call for photos for Rugby Teams.
With the aim of having every age groups Rugby teams represented in a photo slideshow on Saturday please send good photos you may have of your sons/ other teams to Mr Sean Brannan at school by this Friday at the latest: sbrannan@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Thank you in anticipation.
Planting with a purpose
Congratulations to the six Year 10 and two Year 8 SPX students who joined our new PDHPE teacher Mr Ben Ryan as well as the students from Brigidine, Mater Maria and Monte Colleges and St Anthony’s Terrey Hills Frenchs Forest Parish Land Care group led by Anne Lanyon last Sunday. The native tree planting project regenerated the Kierans Ck Stations of the Cross precinct at Myoora Rd Terrey Hills, which Cammeraygal man Dennis Foley identifies as a significant Bora site and songline initiation path between the Cowan and Cammeraygal beaches clans.
The Terrey Hills community was highly impressed with the work of our students as they were with the BBQ following.
Well done to Mr Ryan, Chris Mander, Sean Tutaan, Pat Frost, Dom Mitchell, Harrison Morton and Will Lyall (Year 10 CIP team) and Sean O’Donnell and Lucas Gleeson from the Year 8 SET (Student Empowerment Team).
There will be another Land Care Sunday in the coming months. See Mr Brannan if you are interested in joining it.
GPs in schools Northern Sydney Health Network program
At late notice we have had to transfer our GPs in schools program on Friday 5 August from our Year 11s at Oxford Falls to Year 10 at the Chatswood Campus. Hopefully there will be opportunity for Year 11 to catch up with this highly valued program we have run to great effect in the recent past.
Fide et Labore
Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing
Old Boys News
Sam Barrell (Class of 2020)
Congratulations to Old Boy Sam Barrell 2020 (pictured above with his brother Year 7 student Joshua Barrell) Sam recently graduated as a lieutenant from the Royal Military College Duntroon and has been posted to 2RAR (Royal Air Regiment) in Townsville, an amphibious light infantry regiment. He is currently in Singleton undertaking Officer regiment specific training before heading to Townsville in December/January.
Liz Clay
Our thoughts and best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to Liz Clay, Australia’s number one ranked hurdler, and sister of SPX Class of 2016 Old Boy: Harry Clay. Liz injured her foot in the heats of the World Championships in the US over the weekend, putting her in doubt for next week’s Commonwealth Games. After a stellar 12 months, including a PB at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Liz faces a race against the clock to compete next week. Good luck and best wishes to Liz who has worked long and hard to reach and attain this amazing level of performance!
Fide et Labore
Mr Sean Brannan - Old Boys Association