Parent & Student Matters  

What's happening in the College? 

• Online Learning At St Pius X College
• International Women's Day
• Summer Sports Photos
• Science Club
• Year 9 Assembly - RFS Visit
• Our Lady of Dolours Primary School Maths Helpers
• Pi Day 2020
• The Premier's Reading Challenge 2020
• Old Boy, John Davie, speaks to Year 12
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Information
• Senior Maths Drop-In

Online Learning At St Pius X College

Dear Parents

Please see the attached document below outlining the rich and diverse range of online learning that St Pius X College provides for our students.

Mr Alex Damo - Assistant Principal, Teaching and Learning

International Women's Day

Staff and students held an Assembly on Monday morning in recognition of International Women's Day.

Due to the rain, the Assembly was held in Homerooms.  Year 5 students read the prayer. 

Year 9 Art students, Tom Murray, Braden Lockyer, Rowan Roomie and Jerome Pickering prepared a poster in recognition of the day.

Tom Murray prepared a short statement, below:

"Hey boys,

We should be building a gender equal world because gender equality is essential for this world to thrive.

The race is for a gender equal government, equal media coverage, equal sports coverage.

So boys I ask you to get amongst it."    Tom Murray - Year 9 Student

Ms Annie Bryant - Art Teacher

Summer Sports Photos

Summer Sports Photos (Junior and Senior) will be taken on Wednesday 18 March during Periods 1, 2 and 3 in the Junior School Yard. Sports involved are Cricket, Basketball, Swimming, Squash, Softball and NSTA Tennis (Summer Comp only). All students are required to wear their full kits for their sports except Swimming and Squash who will be required to wear their Summer uniform. 1st XI and 2nd XI Cricketers must wear their Cricket Cap and the College Blazer over their whites. If a student does not have the correct uniform they will not be allowed in the photo.

All students must bring their ID card to the photos. Students will be given an order form on the day of the photos. See attachment for the running order of photos being taken.

Attached is the running order for the morning.

Ms Leisa Proc - General Coordinator

Science Club

At our last Science Club meeting, we looked at some different models used in Science. Different groups looked at the human torso, eye, kidney, heart, skeleton and ear, which are often used in Biology. They examined each of the parts, pulled the models apart and put them back together again. One group tried to label most of the bones on the skeleton. The boys also used some MolyMod models which are used in Chemistry. They made different molecules and looked at how the different coloured balls represent different atoms. One of the groups made a glucose molecule, whilst another made carbonic acid found in soft drinks. Most of the boys tried a variety of the activities.

STOP PRESS!    SCIENCE CLUB POSTPONED THIS WEEK

As Year 8 are on camp this week, Science Club has been postponed until NEXT Thursday - 19 March.

Mrs Joanne Schuster  - Science Coordinator

Year 9 Assembly - RFS Visit

The overarching theme for Pastoral Care in Year 9 is “Honour” and the aim is to develop student understanding of what constitutes honour as well as encouraging honourable respectful relationships. On Monday Year 9 were very fortunate to have Sam Lo Ricco of the Terry Hills Rural Fire Service (and old boy of the College) come to speak. Sam was asked to represent the RFS which had been chosen as an exemplar of “honourable actions and giving back to the community”. Year 9 wish to thank Sam for his time and the inspiring and frank presentation he gave. Below are comments from a few students:

"The RFS volunteer told us about who he was and what he does. He told us that volunteers do not get paid but that it doesn’t matter because it’s about making people feel safe in the community. He also told us how to join the RFS and how rewarding it is to give back to his community. The message he gave us to take away from his talk was that it doesn’t take a hero with superpowers to make a difference."

"The volunteer firefighter's talk was inspiring and encouraged us to become more active in the community. He also seemed relatable through his time at the college and showed that it doesn’t take a hero to make a change."

"The RFS discussion today in our Year 9 Assembly was very factual and helped us to understand the hard work that these men and women do for us for no money and not for pride. 10/10 very useful information."

"Today we learnt from a man about the RFS, why he joined, and his experience.  It was very interesting and I learnt a lot."

"The talk we received from the RFS volunteer was very informative and I enjoyed it a lot."

Ms Denise Ramsey - Year 9 Coordinator

Our Lady of Dolours Primary School Maths Helpers

Twenty seven of our Year Ten boys have offered to go across to Our Lady of Dolours (OLD) Primary School each Friday morning before school during the first term to assist in playing Maths based games with the OLD Year Four/Five students. A tremendous learning experience for all. Thank you to Ms Meredith Leedham for taking the boys. 

Mr Mark Pawlak - Year Ten Coordinator

“….Every Friday morning, the Year 10’s make their way down to OLD to play maths games with the OLD students, from across their age groups. So far, the Year 10’s have been introduced to the games and students of OLD, making lasting relationships along the way. The game we have played is the Combo maths game, challenging the OLD students and helping them figure out how to play. We’re looking forward to continue working with them…..”

Bailey Littrich

Year Ten Student

Pi Day 2020

In recent years students have enjoyed celebrating the intricacies of the number Pi, which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.

At Pius we have used 14 March, which Americans write as 3/14, as our day to celebrate Pi. Often this has involved memorising or reciting many of the digits of Pi, or singing digits of Pi to a well known tune. Students who have participated strongly have been rewarded with a pie from the canteen. This year, students are asked to celebrate Pi through art.  As 14 March occurs on Saturday this year, the school’s open day, our celebration of Pi will occur on Friday 13 March AKA “Black Pi Day”.  Students who win a pie will be advised on Friday 13 March.

The school bell will ring at 3.13 since it is Black Pi Day and all secondary students will celebrate Pi by being happy to be let out a bit early.

Because Pi is a number whose decimal never repeats, every boy’s birthday (or any sequence of 6 digits) can be found in Pi. Just search for "My Birthday in Pi" with your favourite search engine.

If you have any queries about Pi Day at St Pius, please direct them to Mr Garvey.

The Premier's Reading Challenge 2020

The Premier’s Reading Challenge or PRC as it’s popularly known is an opportunity for all boys from Years Five through to Nine to read more and to read more widely. The Challenge is to read 20 books from March to August.  

The PRC is an important component of our reading program as it supports our goal to increase literacy through reading skill development. Just like any skill, practice is critical for improvement. Consequently, in every library class providing time to read is a priority.

Clocking up reading mileage in a preferred genre is necessary for many boys before they can read more widely. Library classes this week are supporting this reading predilection by exploring how-to find books like your last favourite book.

All students have received an email from the library with their PRC passwords to help in logging their reading to the PRC website. Please contact me, if you have any questions about your son’s PRC or reading.

Old Boy, John Davie, speaks to Year 12

Today Year 12 were fortunate to have Old Boy, John Davie, speak to Year 12 students about his volunteer work with the Rural Fire Service.  Students were very pleased to learn more about volunteering with such a worthwhile organisation and helping their community in times of need.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award with Outward Bound

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is up and running for 2020, with many students in Year 9 seeking forms to join the program. Enrolment forms are available from Mrs Manga or at the Student Office. The enrolment paperwork contains a tick-a-box of all of the paperwork and a guide to help students enrol and map out their planned activities. Initially, the paperwork is a challenge; however, the benefits of involvement in the program are lifelong.

Mr de Silva runs the College Outdoor Education program, which students completing the Duke of Edinburgh program are encouraged to join. Mr de Silva runs Bronze level Practice and Qualifying hikes each year to assist students meet the Adventurous Journey component of the Award requirements.

At times, for personal reasons, some students may not be able to attend the College hikes. Should your son need to make up a hike, or complete a Silver or Gold Hike, there are a number of organisations such as Outward Bound Australia, that offer these opportunities. Opportunities to participate fill fast, so it is important to book in when your child is unable to participate in a College run hike.

Please consider that any involvement in a Hike run externally to the College ones, must be discussed with Mrs Manga and set up and approved on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award website, prior to any participation. This is not negotiable and students risk any unendorsed participation not counting towards their Award completion.

For more information on the Duke of Edinburgh's Award with Outward Bound Australia, please click on the link below.

https://mailchi.mp/outwardbound/last-chance-for-bronze?e=4cba4cc0cb

Mrs Kara  Manga - Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Coordinator

Senior Maths Drop-In

Senior maths drop in sessions run each Tuesday & Thursday morning 7.40 am - 8.40 am in C1.

With assessments approaching fast, concepts are taught, practice papers are completed and problems are solved all with the company of your mates.

This is the ideal place where students can come and feel comfortable to ask questions and nut out some challenging problems. Rewards are given, laughs are heard and words of encouragement are shared. Come along and be a part of the team in C1.

Mrs Amanda Fileman - Mathematics and English Teacher