Junior School News 

• From the Head of the Junior School 
• Junior School Sport

From the Head of the Junior School 

PRAYER

A Student's Prayer for a New School Year 

Lord Jesus, I ask for Your help as I begin this new school year. 

Allow me to experience Your presence in the many blessings You put before me. 

Open my eyes to the new challenges and exciting opportunities 

that this new school year brings. 

Open my heart and mind to new friends and new teachers. 

Give me a generous spirit to be enthusiastic with 

my studies and courage to accept new opportunities. 

Help me to be attentive to my teachers and 

let me experience Your presence in my new friends. 

Jesus, inspire me to do my best this year! 

Amen

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Welcome to a new and exciting year in the Junior School. I hope you have had a wonderful holiday and your son is ready to come to St Pius X College in either Year 5 or Year 6. You should have received a welcome letter via email. If you haven’t received this email please check your junk emails.

Tomorrow, Thursday 28 January, we will begin by lining the boys up in the Junior School playground and we will go into the College gymnasium.  As stated in Mr Couani’s email parents of new students can come into the playground to ensure their son is safe but then you will have to leave.  We will be lining the boys up at 2.30 pm in the playground and we will be walking them up to their transport stops at 2.45 pm.

On Friday 29 January, we have a whole day of Sport at Oxford Falls where the boys trial for their sports.  The boys attend in their sports uniform and bring morning, tea, lunch, a hat. We bus the boys to and from Oxford Falls.  If you are collecting your son from Oxford Falls please arrive between 2:10 pm and 2:20 pm. Obviously, if you are late we will have to put your son on a bus back to the College. Once again the boys will be walked to their transport stops. Please note that all the boys will require a mask for all travel on Chartered buses, including to Oxford Falls.

On Monday 1 February, the boys will be lined up in the playground and walked to their bus stops.  For the remainder of Week 2 the boys will be dismissed at 3.00 pm as normal and they will walk up to their transport stops.  The teachers will follow to ensure everything is fine.

We will also have a Parent /Teacher Information night which will be online.  This is a chance to meet the teachers and listen to the educative processes that will occur this year.

Wednesday 3 February, is the Junior School Swimming Carnival at Macquarie University outdoor pool.  Boys will require their Colour House shirt, a hat, morning tea, lunch and a water bottle.  Some boys choose  to get dressed up once they arrive at school with wigs, hats, coloured zinc, coloured food (green food looks revolting!)  Please note that the boys travel in the correct sports uniform and get changed into their wigs etc once at the College.  Boys are not allowed to change in the change rooms so are required to be wearing their swimmers. Please do not forget a mask for travel to and from the pool.

Swimming gear is ‘speedo’ style swimmers or the tight ‘skin’ style of swimmers not board shorts.  We do supply sunscreen but please have your son put ample on before school and if he requires a particular brand please pack it in his bag.  Rash vests at the swimming carnival, especially for novelty events are a good idea.  Please remember a plastic bag for a wet towel on Wednesday. Leaving the Carnival early is discouraged as we promote the value of belonging to a team and supporting your team mates even if your events have concluded.  Unfortunately, parents will not be able to attend the carnival. At the conclusion of the swimming carnival, at approximately 2.00 pm, those parents wishing to pick up their son from Macquarie University can do so from the main car park area.  A member of staff will supervise the boys and walk them to this area.  Please remain in your car.  Your son will come to you.  Those not picked up by 2.15 pm can be collected from Chatswood at 3.00 pm.  

Obviously, your son needs to know you are collecting him. If you are taking another person’s son home, the teacher needs a written letter of permission from that boy’s parent.  I’m sure you can appreciate that this is a basic legal requirement because if a parent is expecting the boy to be driven in a bus by a professional driver and another parent takes them without written permission and has an accident, we have a problem.

Thursday 6 February, is again a full day of sport and trials so they require morning tea and lunch, a drink bottle and a hat.

We have Class Parents who act as liaisons between the P & F and the other parents.  The Class Parents in a year level will often get together and organise various events. If you would like to volunteer to be a Class Parent please email me (tlong@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au) by Monday 1 February.

This is a synopsis of the letter I sent via email. Remember that it is important that you reassure your son that everything will be fine and I’ll do the same tomorrow.

See you tomorrow.

Mr Tim Long - Head of the Junior School 

Junior School Sport

Junior School Sport News:  Welcome to Junior Sport 2021. The year kicks off at a snappy pace, so please make sure you are across details in Woodchatta each week as well as The College App, where draws and team lists will be published as soon as they are finalised. 

Thursday Sport: Our Sport Day in Week 1 is Friday and will be a whole day at Oxford Falls for trials. Week 2 sees how House Swimming Carnival on Wednesday followed by another full day at Oxford Falls for more trials/ team selections. Please make sure you have all the necessary gear for you to participate in for Friday. 

COVID-19 Protocols:

Swimming Carnival Spectators:

Due to current restrictions we will unfortunately not be having spectators at the House Swimming Carnival Wednesday 3 February. 

Swimming Carnival Parent Volunteers

Like our parent volunteers that help run the school canteen, we will need a handful of Parent Volunteers to help with the running of the Swimming Carnival. This is an important part of the day as it centres around the calculating of points and the recording of results. If you are available to help, please let me know. My email is bmcbrearty@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au 

Swimming Carnival Pick up

At the conclusion of the swimming carnival on Wednesday 3 February, at approximately 2.00 pm, those parents wishing to pick up their son from Macquarie University can do so from the main car park area.  A member of staff will supervise the boys and walk them to this area.  Please remain in your car.  Your son will come to you.  Those not picked up by 2.15 pm can be collected from Chatswood at 3.00 pm.

Bus Protocol - MASKS

Whilst on Chartered buses all boys MUST wear a face mask at all times. Please ensure your son has one to comply with this.

Oxford Falls Pick-up Protocol:

• Pick up between 2.10 pm - 2.20 pm
• Drive through car park and remain in your car
• Boys will be supervised by the teacher on duty and dismissed one by one as you come to the front of the pick-up line
• Any boy not picked up by 2.20 pm will be available for collection from Chatswood at 3.00 pm.

Mr Benn McBrearty - Junior School Sports Master