Junior School News
Congratulations to Merit Award Winners last week
- From the Head of the Junior School
- Junior School Sport
- IPSHA Junior Debating
- From the Junior Resource Centre
- Junior Chess
From the Head of the Junior School
This is a prayer for our busy lives and something to contemplate over the holidays. Maybe take the time to appreciate creation.
The peace of quiet hours
The peace of might powers
The peace of the rising sun
The peace of the deepest sea
The peace of the day that’s done
The peace of God’s prosperity
The peace of God’s dwelling in you
The peace of Christ and Spirit too
Mighty Father
In time of stress
Grant us your peacefulness.
In time of weakness
Grant us your hopefulness.
In time of sadness
Grant us your joyfulness
And give us awareness.
David Adam
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Although this was the last week of school for Term 2 the boys were kept busy each day. In Science, Year 5 have been busy discovering what it would be like to become an astronaut, investigating the use of robots in space. They even made their own ‘robotic’ hand!
In Year 6 Science, classes have been investigating difference forces. The boys have been busy conducting experiments, looking at buoyancy and magnetism in the last week. Some of the boys are even using their new-found knowledge to create Rube Goldberg machines.
Both Year 5 and 6 took part in the REACH English online Assessments. These tests are part of some of the standardised testing that take place in the Junior School throughout the year. The next event on the testing calendar is the Australian Mathematics Competition that is being held in early August.
Congratulations to those boys who were awarded the merit cards and blue awards last week, again it was great to see so many boys receiving awards.
CHANGES TO DANCE AND AWARDS PRESENTATION
Thursday 17/6 - The Dance Finale & Awards Presentation.
This event will be held at Oxford Falls. The performance and presentation will run from 12:45 pm – 1:20 pm and will be LIVE-STREAMED ONLY (it will also be available to watch later if you miss it). Unfortunately, due to issues with the plumbing at Oxford Falls, parents are not able to attend. As the event is being live-streamed, if you do not want your son to be filmed, please email privacy@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.
Please use this link to access the live-stream and recording: https://youtu.be/JJSpIiFnjGA Parents are able to collect their sons from Oxford Falls as usual in the carpark from 1:30 pm. Other students will return to the College and be dismissed upon arrival at the end of the day.
PORTFOLIOS COMING HOME
Your sons should be bringing their portfolios home this week, if they haven’t done this already. Please take some time to look over the assessments with your son. This should give you an understanding of the grades that your son has been awarded on his report, including areas for improvement.
REPORTING AND PARENT INTERVIEWS
Today the reports are being published to the College Portal, your can access them via your parent login.
Parent/Teacher/Student meetings will be conducted ONLINE on: Friday 18 June from 8.00 am to 5.30 pm. It is expected that your son also be present for the interview. The meetings will run for approximately 6 minutes.
THE UPCOMING WEEK
Thursday 17/6 –– Dance Performance and Awards Presentation – Oxford Falls LIVE-STREAMED ONLY, parents are not able to attend.
Friday 18/6 – Parent/Teacher/Student interviews. The teachers look forward to talking with you and your son this Friday about his progress this Semester and goals for Semester 2.
A DATE TO SAVE
Tuesday 13/7 – Students return for Term 3
WARNING – SCHOOL ZONES
Please remember that school zones apply next week and on the Staff Day next term. Please be safe on the roads over the holidays, you have precious cargo on board.
Photos
Please see below links to some great photos taken of both our Year 5 Camp and the Junior School Athletics Carnival.
Year 5 Camp
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Gw6yn5trl2GkmtkpjzpWMCS03jujUy9h
JS Athletics Carnival
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kERWRQyxc0hn5RrmVLeHVUCdckbE0hWG?usp=sharing
A THOUGHT TO PONDER
If you have good thoughts
they will shine out of your face like sunbeams
and you will always look lovely.
Roald Dahl
Thanking you for your support.
Mrs Sam Iwatani - Acting Junior School Principal
Junior School Sport
Junior School Sport News: No Saturday Sport until we return in Term 3 (Saturday July 17th).
Thursday: This week our Dance Program concludes with a performance. This will be live streamed from 12.45 pm. At the conclusion of the Dance Performance there will be a presentation to conclude the term. Parents can then collect their sons from Oxford Falls as usual from 1.30 pm. Any student not collected from Oxford Falls will be returned to Chatswood as usual.
Looking ahead to Term 3:
Athletics:
Congratulations to all involved in the Athletics Carnival last week. A huge thank you to the teachers, parents and Year 11 helpers who all made the day possible. For the first time in years not a raindrop was seen.
CHAMPION HOUSE - TREACY
Athletics Squad for 2021:
Congratulations to the following boys who gained selection to the SPX Junior School Athletics Squad. In order to gain selection each boy has met the qualifying time for the IPSHA Carnival to be held on 16 August. The Athletics squad will also compete at 2 invitational carnivals in the leadup to IPSHA.
10’s: A Wragge, L Hecimovic, O Pavely, O Byrne, P Cornes
11’s: A Floridia, J Whitby, J Hourigan, M Castorina, R East, Z Fourie
12’s: H Arnold, K McNeilly, L Fazzari, M Webster, X Davidson
1500m
Anyone wishing to join the athletics squad in the 1500m can attend training where a time trial will be held.
Qualifying times are:
10’s: 5m 59s
11’s: 5m 22s
12’s: 5m 14s
Training
Training begins again in Week 1 of Term 3 (Wednesday 14 July) and will run for 8 weeks on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons (until Thursday 2 September). We have scheduled 3 days of training so boys can train around their winter sporting commitments for the month or so where the seasons crossover.
When: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons in Term 3
Time: 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm
Where: Rotary Athletics Track – Mowbray Rd West, Lane Cove
Who: All students welcome
What: Sprint, Distance and Field disciplines
Coaching: Professional coaches are employed to train our athletes in their respective disciplines.
Transport: Bus to and from Chatswood campus provided. Bus returns to Chatswood around 5.20 pm
TryTime Holiday Rugby Camps
Please see below for holiday rugby camp information. For further information and registration please go to www.trytimerugby.com/camps.
Mr Benn McBrearty - Junior School Sports Master
From the SPX Football Supporters Club
SPX Football Holiday Camp At Oxford Falls – Monday 5 July 2021 To Tuesday 6 July 2021
Pack away your technology and improve your football skills ahead of the 2021 SPX football season.
Have fun with our highly qualified external football coaching team led by Richard Lacey for cost effective football training in the holidays.
The sessions are conducted in age-based squads and include skills and game-play.
Single or multi-day tickets can be purchased.
Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/UPLP
When: Monday 5 July 2021 to Tuesday 6 July 2021, 9.00 am to 1.00 pm
Where: SPX Oxford Falls Campus
Transport: Parents to drop off and pick up boys from Oxford Falls per COVID safe
guidelines
Bus transport available from SPX Chatswood Campus
- 8.15 am drop off at Kirk Street, boys walked to bus by Mr Lacey on Archer Street Bus to depart 8.30 am sharp
- 1.10 pm depart from Oxford Falls, arrive at SPX Chatswood Campus at 1.30 pm subject to traffic conditions
Cost: $50 per day (single or multi-day tickets available)
Bring: Football boots, shin pads, football training clothes (SPX sports uniform not required), Water bottle with name clearly marked per COVID safe guidelines, Sunscreen, cap and rain gear and sneakers (for indoor football play for wet weather), Food for snacks and lunch.
Mrs Cathy Thomson - SPX Football Supporters' Club
From the Junior Resource Centre
This Week's Highlights are:
The best thing about school holidays is more time to read! Our Winter Reading display is full of great book inspiration. From ‘chilling’ detective mysteries and thrillers, to series to binge read and the sought-after top pick books to read right now! Come in and make sure you are all set to cosy up on those cool, Winter days.
Where time allows, I always try to ask students why they have chosen to borrow a particular library book – it helps them to develop skills in self-selection of books such as being able to articulate what they first noticed about a book and why they think it will interest them.
Ask your child this week about why they chose a particular book. The answers can be insightful, a shrug of “I don’t know!” (In which case you could ask them to think about what books might interest them)
#libarieschangelives#libariesareawesome
BOOK WEEK PARADE
Theme: Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. #CBCA2021
KEEP SEARCHING FOR YOUR BOOK WEEK PARADE COSTUME
Lunch time Activities in the JRC
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail
Ginger Meggs by Tristan Bancks. 100th Birthday ‘The great-great nephew of creator Jimmy Bancks, and illustrated in full colour by the current Ginger Meggs comic-strip cartoonist, Jason Chaterfield.’
‘He doesn’t look a day over 11 but Ginger Meggs is turning 100.’
A great book for parents and grandparents to read with their 6-11-year-olds, introducing them to Ginger. Hardback and full cover, it’s a beautiful object for booklovers.
Read the SMH article here.
#mrsmartinsbooktrail2021
Mrs Elena Martin – Teacher Librarian
JUNIOR SCHOOL CHESS CLUB
Junior School Chess training has finished for this term. The Competition will resume in Term 3 Week 1. This will be a HOME game. Please check the updated draw for more details. A big thank you to all the boys who braved the early morning starts for training. We also want to thank our chess coach Praveen Kumar for his guidance, expertise and skill.
Mrs Elena Martin - Junior School Chess Convenor