Pastoral Care 

Wellbeing tip

"Shared sorrow is sorrow halved. Shared joy is joy doubled.”   

Swedish Proverb

Vale Eddie Jaku and his life as a celebration of: “The Greatest Miracle of All”

This week, along with Remembrance Day, as students of History, we commemorate “Kristallnacht”: The Night of the Broken Glass, which was a precursor to the Holocaust or “Shoah” of World War II. Eddie Jaku witnessed “Kristallnacht”, survived the Shoah and migrated to Australia to begin a family which now includes his sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Eddie passed away last month aged 101.

Among his writings Eddie suggests “with a simple act of kindness, you can save another person from despair, and that might just save their life. And this is the greatest miracle of all.”

He valued: “Family first, Family second, and Family third”

Vale Eddie Jaku OAM Holocaust Survivor, author of “The Happiest man on Earth”, educator and good friend to St Pius X College students over many visits to the Sydney Holocaust Museum. 

Mathematics Accelerants

Our Year 11 Mathematics Accelerants will join Year 12 albeit under physical distance and other COVID-Safety protocols at Oxford Falls next Monday and Friday for the HSC Mathematics Advanced and Extension I Exams respectively. Mr Kennedy has prepared these students well for the challenge and we look forward to the learning and growth they will achieve in taking on this opportunity to make an early start to their HSC Journey.

School Attendance 

The recent Year 12 and Year 11 graduations, and upcoming Year 5-10 conclusion to Semester 2 reinforces the ideal of students maintaining high attendance rates at school. Invariably, and despite a long period of online learning this year, student wellbeing underpins academic success. Unsurprisingly this is linked to students developing high positive patterns of attendance at ALL school activities. A regular routine of getting up, arriving at school early / on time, and engaging with the challenges of the day, including study and homework builds success and satisfaction for all students. 

Working collaboratively with staff and students, using a team approach, Positive Education, Growth Mindset, and contributing positively in class are our ideals at St Pius X College. We do not allow small obstacles or challenges to interrupt your engagement with the school, your learning or your friends. There are many support networks to help, starting with friends, homeroom teachers and support staff, so all students should make sure they communicate and share any difficulties with others.

There is a high correlation between being in the right place, working well with the right mindset and succeeding! Be that person!

Prefect Investiture

Congratulations to our Year 11 Student Leaders who consolidated their 8 session Old Boys Association Speechcraft Presentation Course with their Theme and Logo for 2022 which was designed by Rufus Ashford of Year 11.  

Well being Wednesday

This week as a part of Wellbeing Wednesday Student Empowerment Team initiatives, the Year 11 Student Leaders returned to introduce themselves and visit the Junior School classrooms to meet and listen to the Year 5 and 6 students now learning there. 

Remembrance Day Ceremonies

In a long held tradition we will be well represented by College Vice Captain Ronan Crispe and Prefect Elliot Cook at the Chatswood RSL Willoughby Council Remembrance Ceremony this Thursday in Chatswood. Ronan and Elliot will lay a wreath during the ceremony.

Simultaneously House Captain Harrison O’Brien and Cultural Prefect Anthony Elliot will lead the College’s Remembrance Day Ceremony and sound the Last Post and Reveille respectively at our onsite Remembrance Day Ceremony. Anthony is our lead trumpet currently and was highly sought after for Commemorative Ceremonies and Battalion reunions last ANZAC Day.

Lest we forget 

Founder's Day PDHPE Days at Oxford Falls

As we commence a round of COVID-safe Year Group Founder's Days at Oxford Falls over the coming weeks, Mr Virgona will lead Year 8 next Wednesday 17 November in a day which will feature an address on Mental Fitness by Olympic Athlete and good friend of the College Jo Brigden-Jones. Jo is a local Kayaker who represented Australia at the London and Tokyo Olympics and will be interviewed by our Year 8 students to better understand the lessons we can learn from her experiences overcoming adversity to perform at the highest level.

Years 7, 9 and 5 & 6 will follow on with PDHPE Pastoral Care Founder's Days in Week 8 which will highlight the partnerships and social justice outreaches which are a feature of the Curriculum of Story which we engage with as a school as each student makes their journey through the College from Year 5 to Year 12.

Year 9 will have the benefit of Jo Brigden-Jones’ presentation on Thursday 25 November after celebrating their Founder's Day activities with our Positivity Project Educator and Year 9 Camp Facilitator: James Cummins the previous day at Oxford Falls.

James will also be a key facilitator at Year 10 Term 5 Peer Support Training in Week 10 as Mr Pawlak leads Year 10 through their consolidation of the year and preparations for 2022 and beyond.

We look forward to hearing student reports form these invaluable Pastoral Care learning experiences for Opportunity and Growth.

House Cup Competition

Our College Vice Captains Ben Cullen and Ronan Crispe have commenced their adjudication of the 2022 House Cup.

House points have recently been earned and allocated through House Competition at each of the PDHPE Days with the last fortnight seeing points awarded as follows:

House points can be earned in numerous ways throughout the life of the College and we look forward to allocating points throughout the coming year.

Fide et Labore

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing