From the Principal

• Prayer
• Congratulations to Year 12
• End of Term 3
• Year 9 Term 4 Activities Days

Prayer

The following prayer was written by one of our current Year 12 students, Oliver Bowers, when he was in Year 8, 2016, to recognise our Touchstone of "Inclusive Community"!

Inclusive Community by Oliver Bowers

I didn't have to come up here.  Well... I didn't really have to write this at all.

There is no election I'm running for, this wasn't sir's call.

An Inclusive Community - What does that mean?

Many don't know, but I'm sure you're keen.

Maybe it's something we need to learn

Maybe it's the life that some might yearn.

Well fellow St Pius, here my attempt goes

A poem about our goals to forget about our foes.

Today I will teach you about this topic I bring

This year's touchstone - what an interesting thing.

If someone asked you to join your game

Would you say yes? Would that be your aim?

Now community, it's a group of people

Everyone here, we are all equal.

We are all friends, at least that's what I hear

If that's not you, try this year.

We are all human, like I said before

And to no one should we shut the door.

So put them together, what a wonderful thought

Of an inclusive community - that's what we ought.

This type of community can be elusive

But it's seriously not hard to be inclusive.

Congratulations to Year 12

I congratulate Year 12 on their Graduation from the College this week. We have enjoyed an excellent week of classes and the climax to the week for Year 12 is their Graduation Mass and Presentation of Awards at Oxford Falls on Thursday 24 September. I congratulate every Year 12 student on this major achievement in achieving their HSC. The Mass and Graduation will be “live-streamed” and Year 12 parents will receive an email at 8.00 am tomorrow which can then be shared with other family members.

On Tuesday we held a very significant Year 12 Academic Awards Ceremony with the whole school. Below is the list of Award recipients and in my address to the College I paid tribute to Year 12 for their resilience and dedication to their studies. Above all their achievements this year has been their academic commitment and I pray for their success in the HSC and life beyond.

Academic Excellence

Keegan Aikin, Matthew Bradley, Duncan Dingley, Cameron Fernandopulle, Nicholas Fusca, Daniel Halverson, Willoughby Hay, Caelan Hearne, Elliot Inman, Austin Lowick, Tyson McCallum, John McDonald, Luke McManus, Christian Santelli, Michael Setiawan, Oliver Sheather, Laurence Sheehan, Matthew Starr, Ethan Tat, Benjamin Taylor and Harrison Wallace.

Academic Honours

Willem Falzon, Ethan Field, Daniel Fileman, Matthew Hogan, Daniel Hoy, Kiefer O'Brien, Rory O'Connell and Connor Ohtaras.

Academic Colour Awards

Academic Blue

Ethan Field

John McDonald

Academic Silver

Daniel Fileman

Mathew Hogan

Daniel Hoy

Kiefer O’Brien

Connor Ohtaras

Harrison Wallace

Louis Wellard

Academic Gold

Matthew Bradley

Cameron Fernandopulle

Daniel Halverson

Riad Lahoud

Lachlan Mathie

Matthew Weir

I also congratulate College Captain, Lachlan Mathie on his beautiful address to the College.  The text of his address is below.

At Graduation tomorrow we will present the following major awards.  These are the highest Awards that the College presents and I look forward to presenting these outstanding young men at their Graduation tomorrow.

Academic Honours First Class

Riad Lahoud, Oliver Lenehan, Lachlan Mathie, Liam Vinci, Louis Wellard

Major Awards

The Australian Olympic Change-Maker Award – Tyson McCallum and Kiefer O’Brien

The Simon D’Arcy Trophy – Charlie Aylmer 

The Theo Scarf Shield – Stuart Dingley

The Keith Kellet Award – Daniel Hoy

The Alan Ward Memorial Prize – William Turner

The Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award - Elliot Inman

The New Street Medal – Tyson McCallum

The Br Coll MacDonald Award – Luke McManus

The St Pius X Old Boys’ Association Shield – Kiefer O’Brien

The Macquarie University Prize – Duncan Dingley

The Br J R Killian Award – William Chen

The Br MM O’Connor Prize – Lachlan Mathie 

End of Term 3

I am grateful and appreciative of the efforts of all students, parents and staff to ensure the smooth running of term 3. We began the term under the cloud of COVID-19  and at certain points the NSW Government added further restrictions but we have been able to conduct an excellent and full educational program throughout and I sincerely thank the whole community for a great term.

We look forward to Term 4 with classes commencing again on Monday 12 October with students in Summer uniform.  The Uniform Shop will be open on Thursday 8 October from 9.00 am - 1.00 pm for any last minute uniform requirements.

Year 9 Term 4 Activities Days

This year the Year 9 camps will operate a day program run from Oxford Falls and Year 9 parents have received a separate communication from Mr Brannan and Mrs Ramsey regarding these activities.

The program will be held on the following days:

Mr John Couani - Principal