St Pius X College Newsletter

Junior School News 

  • From the Head of the Junior School 
  • Junior School Sport
  • From the Junior Resource Centre
  • Junior Chess

From the Head of the Junior School

REFLECTION

Every family has special moments that they remember and share. In sharing these stories, the meaning and importance of these events develop and deepen over time. This is how it was with the disciples' remembrance of Jesus' Transfiguration. The full significance of what they had seen and experienced could only be understood after Jesus' death and Resurrection. As they told other believers about this event and recorded the story for us in the Bible, our understanding of what it means to call Jesus God's own Son has also deepened.

You might like to gather as a family and think about some special family memories that your family tells over and over again. Talk about why these memories are important to you. Recall that in the Bible we find many important memories about Jesus that have been recorded for us so that we can believe that Jesus is God's Son. Read today's Gospel, Luke 9:28–36. What do we learn about Jesus from this Gospel?

                Reference:  Sunday Connection

 

TEACHING AND LEARNING

MATHEMATICS

On Monday, students in Year 5 and Year 6 in the Mrs Doheny/Mrs Greenwood Mathematics class were learning to use new language to describe the transformations undertaken by a two-dimensional shape when it is rotated, translated, or reflected.  If your son is in our Mathematics class, you might like to ask him why it was so hard to work out whether the strawberries were rotated, translated, or reflected and what we did to make the decision easier (Answer: We looked at the direction of the stem).

 

Here is a photo of some of us working with our peers to justify our answers:

 

LITERACY

I enjoyed spending time in Mrs Doheny and Mrs Schiller’s Literacy class on Tuesday.  The boys were learning about how to use noun groups, adjectives, and adjectival phrases to improve their descriptive writing.  I’m looking forward to reading their poems about Gastropods and other mini beasts.

 

MUSIC

It was wonderful to watch Year 6 Red learning how to play the violin with our new Music teacher, Ms Chen.  In the time I was there, the boys progressed from plucking the strings with their fingers to create a series of notes, to using the bow. It takes a special kind of person to teach music, and we are thrilled to have Ms Chen as part of the Performing Arts team at St Pius X College.

 

MONDAY MORNING ASSEMBLY

5 Red presented prayer at our whole-school assembly on Monday morning. Whilst it might not look like a daunting task when you look at the first photo, the second photo shows why I am so proud that our boys can speak so confidently in front of such a large audience.

 

CLASS CAPTAINS

Congratulations to those boys who have been voted Term 3 Class Captain by their peers.

 

RUGBY CLUB ANNUAL DINNER

A great night was had by all at the Rugby Club Annual Dinner at the Roseville Golf Club on Saturday night.  It was lovely to run into old friends and to have the opportunity to make some new connections.  I managed to secure one of the signed (John Eales, George Gregan and Michael Hooper) footballs on the night, and it is currently doing the rounds of classrooms.

 

 

WALK-A-THON FOR CHARITY

Students in the Junior School will be participating in our annual Walkathon for Charity at Oxford Falls on Thursday, 11 August 2022. The boys will walk a course at Oxford Falls for 1.5 hours, during their normal sport time.  By earning the money through their own efforts, the boys learn an important lesson about doing something for others less fortunate than themselves. 

 

There will be no change to our normal Thursday routine with the exception that we will have the Walkathon in place of other sporting activities.  Boys will come to school in their sports uniform, and it would be a good idea to pack an extra drink and snack.   

 

If you collect your son from Oxford Falls, it will be at the usual time of 2.20 pm. 

 

Your son will bring home a Walkathon Donation Record form.  This document explains the purpose of the Walkathon to anyone who wishes to make a donation.  We are not seeking sponsorship (ie “I’ll give you a dollar per lap”), just donations. If you could please supervise your son’s efforts in collecting donations, it would be greatly appreciated. The boys will be told not to approach strangers - please reinforce this message at home.  We ask that the boys bring back their Donation Record form on Thursday 27 August with their collected donations.

 

Money raised will be distributed to St Joseph’s Primary School, Walgett, St Mary’s Primary School, Bowraville, and World Vision Child Sponsorship.

 

Thank you for your continued support of the Junior School and our social justice initiatives.

 

SPECIAL EVENT! BOOK WEEK | BOOK WEEK PARADE

Each year since 1945, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has brought children and books together across Australia through CBCA Book Week. During this time schools and public libraries spend one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators. 

 

This year sees a return of the much-loved St Pius X Junior School Book Parade. Students are encouraged to dress as their favourite book character or to find another way to reflect the theme: DREAMING WITH EYES OPEN.

 

Students wear their full uniform to school and change into their costumes for the parade.

 

VERY SPECIAL EVENT! FATHER AND SON DAY

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

I am looking for 6 – 8 mums to help me with the Father and Son Day BBQ on Thursday 1 September.   Jobs include food prep (sausage sizzle with onions), cooking, serving, and cleaning up on the day.  It’s a great way to meet other parents whilst watching your son/s enjoying Oxford Falls with their dads or the other special men in their lives.

 

Help is needed from around 9.30 am until 2.20 pm, but if you are only able to help for part of the day, you are still most welcome to come along.  Please use this Google Doc to add your name to the list and you will be contacted closer to the date to confirm details: 

Sign up to help at the Father/Son Day BBQ

 

UNIFORM REMINDERS

Hats and Buttons

Thank you to those families who found, or bought, hats for their sons.  Thank you also to those of you who bought buttons for blazers and sewed them on.  Caps, bucket hats, and buttons for blazers can be purchased at the Uniform Shop.

 

Thank you for supporting the college’s uniform requirements.

https://spxchatswood.formstack.com/forms/uniformshop

 

APPLICATIONS FOR LEAVE

A reminder that if you are applying for leave of any duration (including one day), please complete this form:

https://www.spx.nsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Applicaton-for-Leave.pdf

 

DATES FOR THE DIARY:

  • Thursday 4 August | Author Visit [Oliver Phommavanh] Year 6
  • Friday 5 August | Debating at Masada College
  • Wednesday 10 August | Junior School uniform and diary check
  • Thursday 11 August | Walkathon for Charity
  • Friday 19 August | Debating at SPX vs Ravenswood
  • Friday 26 August | BOOK WEEK PARADE
  • Monday 29 August | St Pius X Feast Day Holiday
  • Monday 29 August | IPSHA Athletics Carnival 
  • Thursday 1 September | Father and Son Day at Oxford Falls
  • Friday 2 September | Debating vs PLC
  • Saturday 10 September | St Pius X Trivia Night 

Thank you for your support of the Junior School

Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School 

Junior Maths Drop-In 

Junior Maths Drop-In sessions will run on Friday mornings from 7.40 am - 8.30 am in The Learning Enrichment Room in the Junior School.

This is an ideal place for extra revision or taking the time to get support if needed. Come along and be part of the team.

Mrs Amanda Fileman - Junior School Teacher

Junior School Sport

Thursday Sport:  Our final Winter Sport training session for AFL, Football and Rugby will occur this Thursday. An online attendance form for our upcoming Father & Son Sports Day will be distributed in the next issue of Woodchatta. This will help us plan activities, as well as arrange catering.  

Round 9 Results

 

Athletics - Training: Training continues this week for all athletes, taking place on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons at Rotary Athletics Field, Mowbray Rd West, Lane Cove. After school dismissal, the College will transport the students to the venue by private bus, and the sessions will run until 4.55 pm where a bus will return the students to Chatswood. If you wish to collect your son from the venue, please be there no later than 4.50 pm. 

 

Athletics - 1500m Event: Anyone wishing to join the athletics squad in the 1500m event can attend training where a time trial will be held. Please consider the following minimum standards used for qualifying:

10’s: 5m 37s

11’s: 5m 22s

12’s: 5m 14s

 

Round 10 Fixtures - Saturday 6 August

Mr Glen Carroll - Junior School Sports Coordinator

From the Junior Resource Centre

This week's highlights: 

SAVE THE DATE – Friday 26 August  – 9:00 am Junior School Book Week Parade.

 

Preparations have started in the JRC for CBCA (Children’s Book Council Australia) Book Week 2022, ‘Dreaming with eyes open…” I am underway with my first of many displays for shortlisted books and our author visit. My favourite event in the library calendar!

Thank you to Mr Dennis Lee from the Art Department for his amazing art work. 

 

“You’ve got to follow that dream, wherever that dream may lead.” Elvis Presley

Not sure Elvis needs an introduction. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll” or simply “the King”.

 

Vale Archie Roach – 1956 - 2022

Archie Roach – a supreme storyteller and advocate for First Nations people who were part of the Stolen Generation. Through his music everyday Australians became aware of the part of Australia’s history that until recently was not taught in schools or spoken about. The JRC has a copy of ‘Took the Children Away’ – it is a story that must be told to all our students.

https://www.archieroach.com/about-the-foundation

 

FIND YOUR BOOK WEEK PARADE COSTUME

Term Three has arrived, Book Week is coming!!!! (20 – 26 August). You have two choices when it comes to your Book Week Parade costume – wing it at the last moment and hope for the best, or plan weeks (or months) in advance and win ‘Most Awesome-est Book Week Costume Ever’ Award. My suggestion is go for the latter.

Some ideas to help you are:

  • Read as many books as you can get your hands on.
  • Make a list of your favourite characters. 
  • Gather your supplies and do a costume run-through to make sure it all works. 
  • If you’re struggling for ideas, the CBCA has partnered exclusively with Spotlight for costume parade inspiration, so you could check out their site and DIY suggestions.

Below are the winners from our 2021 virtual Online Book Week Parade.

 

Book Week Activity – Dream Catchers.

People mostly use them for decoration today but dream catchers have a long history among First Nations people. They were given to children to hang over their beds to ward off bad dreams.

Where did dream catchers come from?

Explorers reported that the Ojibwa people were using dream catchers to protect children while they slept — they were sometimes called “Sacred Hoops.” Dream catchers have also been used by Cree and other First Nations people. 

Dreamcatchers are round. Inside the loop, the thread is arranged in such a way it resembles a spider’s web.Feathers are attached to the bottom. Beads are often used. Some choose to have one bead in the middle representing the spider. Dream catchers are placed in the bedroom. When a person goes to sleep the dreamcatcher will attract all the dreams.

 

Handcrafted with love by 6 Blue. This is just the first stage, next week we will add feathers and more beads. 

Watch this space as more classes will begin their Dream Catchers in the coming weeks.

 

Library Monitors – Semester Two 

Introducing Paolo M, Matthew H and Nate L, our new library monitors.  Welcome to the team!

NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge.

Have you checked out the new books added to the NSW PRC booklist? Don’t forget to finish your student reading record before 19 August.

NSW Premier's Reading Challenge website

 

 

 

 

6 Blue PRC Winners

A big thank you to Mrs Iwatani, helping read books to Year 6 Blue.

Author Tour celebrating the release of What about THAO? by the bestselling author of Thai-riffic Oliver Phommavanh.

 

SAVE THE DATE – 4 August at 9.00 am. Year 6 will have the opportunity to purchase signed books- books are all pre-signed and will be forwarded to the students BEFORE and AFTER the presentation - students are welcome to order at any time and books will be delivered to the school in a bag with their name on the bag.

The fabulously diverse and heartfelt duo, Thao and Kadir face sometimes hilarious and sometimes heart-wrenching dilemmas of culture and belonging in a remote rural community.

 

The link for purchasing is below. 

https://www.thechildrensbookshopspeakersagency.com.au/person/phommavanh-oliver-speaker/

 

Mrs Martin’s Book Trail:   

Cop and Robber by Tristan Bancks. Delivers action and gripping pace as Nash is caught between his policewoman mum and caught – up – in crime dad, forcing him to make some difficult choices. If you like explosive action and packs of suspense - come and get your hands on a copy now!

#MrsMartinsbooktrail2022

Mrs Elena Martin – Teacher Librarian