From the Principal
- Prayer
- Year 8 Academic Awards Recipients
- P&F Meeting - 24 August - You're Invited!
- COVID-19 Update
- Year 12 Major Works Exhibition - Splinters, Splashes, Sounds and Stage
- Internal Extra-Curricula Activities
- EREA Statement of Child Safeguarding
- News From Around EREA Schools
- Retirement of an SPX Legend - Mr Ross Masters
Prayer
It is the quotes of St Pius X that truly provide an insight into his faith and desire to seek social justice:
- My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His divine help; I can do all in Him who strengthens me!
- For the salvation of others I must bear weariness, face dangers, suffer offences, confront storms, fight against evil.
St Pius X’s lasting legacy was his strong encouragement for the world’s Catholics to receive Holy Communion, to encounter Christ in The Eucharist. He also wished for children to be able to do so, it was for this reason that he lowered the age for First Holy Communion, an innovation of his Papacy.
And so we pray…..
Lord I pray for the courage and conviction of St Pius X,
May I always look towards you as the centre of my strength and world.
Help me to realise that I can do great deeds with you by side.
I pray that just as St Pius X and Blessed Edmund Rice had a strong sense of social justice,
I too can focus my attention on others, ensuring that my day is spent raising the dignity of those I meet.
I pray to Lord with the knowledge that you will hear and grant my prayers.
Blessed Edmund Rice... Pray for Us
St Pius X ... Pray for Us
Live Jesus in Our Hearts... Forever
On Friday 21 August the Church will celebrate the Feast of St Pius X. Pope Pius X was an extraordinary and popular Pope who left a beautiful legacy of enabling young people to take the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Attached is an article written by Mr Tony Cunneen about St Pius X and it is very interesting reading. We will mark his Feast Day with prayer and we also acknowledge this through the Feast Day holiday on Monday 31 August.
Year 8 Academic Awards Semester 1
Last Monday 17 August, the College live-streamed, within the school, the Academic Awards for Year 8 Semester 1 achievements. There were many Awards presented and most pleasingly a significant Growth in Learning Award to many for their improvements. Congratulations to all our Year 8 Award winners, listed below. Next Monday we will present Year 9.
Video footage of the Year 7 and 8 Academic Award Assemblies can now be viewed on the St Pius Portal.
View of the Awards link within the Portal below
Cooper Anderson, Spencer Anderson, Liam Boswell, Nathan Bund, John Carroll, Joseph Cooper, Quinton Crispe, Samuel Cummins, Alexander Dixon, Billy Dunstan, Harry Feehan, Zavier Ferreira, Raffaele Fiore, Maxwell Forbes, Ferus Fung, Christopher Harris, Jack Harrison, Jonathan Hartry, Andrew Hill, Jordan Hill, James Kassis, Michael Krizan, Max Lenton, Ethan Li, Joe Lonergan, Thomas Lough, Lukas Majer, Chris Mander, Cameron Masters, Darcy Mills, Luke Mooney, Harrison Morton, Ewan Murphy, James Ormsby, Massimo Papallo, Benedict Pham, Angus Pratt, Thomas Reay, Marcus Salama, Lucas Spinetti, Christian Tierney and Connor Williams.
P & F MEETING - 24 August - You're Invited!
Please see the P&F Update Page of this Woodchatta for the Agenda, which can also be found on the College App.
COVID-19 UPDATE
Our College supports all efforts from NSW Department of Health and all Government Agencies in our collective efforts to reduce COVID-19 and to keep the community safe and healthy.
As you would be aware, the NSW Government issued further health restrictions on schools earlier this week and as a result, we have implemented a range of restrictions including suspending inter-school sports and some Performing Arts activities.
Attached is the SPX COVID-19 update published to the school community on Monday evening.
YEAR 12 MAJOR WORKS EXHIBITION – SPLINTERS SPLASHES SOUNDS AND STAGE
The College annually exhibits the major works from Year 12 entitled “SPLINTERS, SPLASHES, SOUNDS AND STAGE”. The event was due to be held next week but we have modified the event due to COVID-19 restrictions and changes to the timeline for Year 12 Trial examinations which are currently underway.
We are preparing an online exhibition which will become available from approximately 14 September. More details closer to the date.
INTERNAL EXTRA-CURRICULA ACTIVITIES
While we have had to suspend all inter-school competition, the College Sports Masters Mr McBrearty (Junior) and Mr Stearn (Senior) and the Sports Convenors have prepared an Internal Sports Program for the next few weeks. I am grateful to the staff for providing this program to assist the students' physical well-being and keep them active.
In the Performing Arts, Mr Timmins and the Performing Arts staff are seeking to modify opportunities to enable students to maintain their musical and drama skills.
In Debating we have enjoyed an enormously successful season and I thank Mrs Waterson for her leadership of this program. Congratulations to our undefeated 12A and 7B teams. All debates are now conducted online.
The Robotics program continues (in-school) as does Boxercise.
For further details please see the Senior School Sport and Extra -curricula Section.
EREA STATEMENT OF CHILD SAFEGUARDING – FROM DR WAYNE TINSEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EREA
Dr Tinsey, the Executive Director of EREA has sent the following to school communities for publication.
“In July, we shared with our community the EREA Statement of Commitment to Child Safety reviewed and endorsed by the EREA Board at its June meeting. Following additional feedback, the statement has been further amended to more closely reflect the wording in the EREA Safeguarding Standards Framework in relation to inclusion.”
The amended version (attached) is available on our school website.
It has been updated in the EREA website https://www.erea.edu.au/commitment-statement-to-child-safety/
St Pius X College is committed to safeguarding all children and we have very prescriptive policies and procedures in place to ensure this is our highest priority. The link to our policies on the website is https://www.spx.nsw.edu.au/about/policies-and-reports/
NEWS FROM AROUND EREA SCHOOLS
I am very pleased to share the latest eNews around EREA schools. St Pius X College is featured for our newly gazetted Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Congratulations to Mr Sean Brannan who led this process and the following students and staff who were involved.
Students: Caleb Hanrahan, Cavan Ryan, Connor Ryan, Ashley Johnson, Ronan Crispe and Ben Cullen
Staff: Mr Ryan Balboa, Mrs Jenny Williams, Mr James Quinn, Mr Fernando Mendez, Mr Phil Stollery, Mr Tim Long, Mr Nathan Mulheron and Ms Bettina Spanyik, ie The Red Dirt Expedition contingent and supporters of the RAP Teamwork.
We commit ourselves to work for National reconciliation with the First Nations People.
RETIREMENT OF AN SPX LEGEND -
MR ROSS MASTERS
It is with enormous admiration and appreciation for Mr Masters' many years of service that I advise the community of his decision to retire at the end of the 2020 school year. Mr Masters has shared with me that his journey at SPX commenced as a student in the 1960s and then as a teacher from 1979. Generations of students will attest to his outstanding teaching with his HSC results being acclaimed by students and parents alike. Mr Masters' 42 years’ service on staff as teacher, Year Coordinator, Facilities Coordinator, WHS Coordinator and Sports Coach and most notably as Rugby Coach gives some indication of the scope that Mr Masters has provided to the school. The redevelopment of school facilities in the 1980s and 1990s was managed and led by Mr Masters. He is 'Pius to his bootlaces' and as he described, Pius is a major part of his identity as a person.
In accepting Mr Masters retirement I wrote to him: “I have always admired your genuine care for the students, your desire for the best in their learning and well-being, your personal integrity and deep sincerity. You put the school first again and we are the richer for everything you have given to the community”.
Thank you Mr Masters for your incredible contribution to St Pius X College.
Mr John Couani - Principal