From the Principal
St Pius X College students break World Record
- Prayer
- Founder's Day
- St Pius makes a World Record
- C Block Renovations continue
- 2019 Fund Raising
- Our Giving Tree
- Staff Recognition
- 2020 Year Co-ordinators
- Year 10 Immersions and Australian Business Week (ABW)
- St Pius X Christmas Cards
- Volunteers' Christmas Gathering
- Twilight Concert
- STOP PRESS: Rugby Golf Day Postponed due to storm damage
- Prayers for Fr Barry Nobbs - RIP
- Early Leave Requests
- Snowy Hike
- End Of Year Mass
- Upcoming Events
Prayer:
Next Sunday, 1 December is the First Sunday of Advent which is the start of a new Church year. We are watching, waiting and wondering for the arrival of the Christ Jesus.
Dearest Lord,
We thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ:
He is the wisdom that teaches and guides us,
He is the hope of the peoples.
Help us walk in that hope during the weeks of Advent,
as we wait and prepare for his coming.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, our Saviour.
Amen.
We thank Our Lady of Dolours Parish for the loan of their beautiful Nativity display that is helping us to focus on the true importance of Christmas.
Founder's Day - Friday 22 November
The College enjoyed one of the best ever Founder’s Day last Friday where we welcomed Johanna Griggs to speak about her amazing career and as a Director of Beyond Blue, Johanna shared the importance of positive mental health behaviours and working as a community to support each other. We thank her for spending most of the day with us. Johanna is such an extraordinary Australian and role model. It is also great to note that her father, uncles and brother are also ex-students of St Pius X College!
I sincerely thank and acknowledge the P & F who cooked lunch for the entire school including our visitors form St Edmund's Wahroonga who performed in the concert after lunch. They were brilliant. Also at the concert, Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance. You just never know what will happen at Founder’s Day!
Special thanks to Mr Nathan Mulheron, Assistant Principal Mission and Identity for organising the day and to Ms Donna Janes and the Year11/12 students who lead and conducted the whole day. A super effort.
Pius Makes a World Record!
On Founder's Day we recorded a world record for the most number of people tying their shoelaces at the one time. Have a look at the world record breaking photos to prove it!
C Block Renovations
Progress on C Block continues and I share with you some shots of the work being undertaken at present. We are on track for the completion of these rooms by the beginning of the 2020 school year.
2019 Fund Raising
Thank you to the families, staff and students of the College community who have generously contributed this year through Founder’s Day, Junior School Walkathon and Market Day. The College has raised $37,900 which will be dispersed as follows:
ERAF - Callan Services $10,000.00
St Joseph's Walgett $9,000.00
St Mary's Bowraville $9,000.00
Edmund Rice Centre $2,000.00
World Vision $900.00
Beyond Blue $2000.00
St Gabriel's $2,000.00
St Edmunds $3,000.00
Total Donations $37,900.00
The above does not include the $10,000 raised for Project Compassion in Lent.
Our Giving Tree
The College is presently collecting goods for Christmas Hampers for Sydney’s Homeless including non-perishable food as well as toiletries.
There is also a Christmas Giving Tree for toys and gifts which will go to Bowraville this year.
Please give generously.
Staff Recognition
At the Founder's Day celebration this year the College recognised long serving staff members who have completed more than 20 years to the College. This year we have recognised Ms Donna Janes and Mr Sean Brannan on their 20 years’ service to the College. We also gave appreciation to Mrs Marianne Erickson, our Canteen Manager for over 20 years who is retiring this year and to Mr Masters who is taking 2020 as a year’s leave and stepping down from his role as Year 11/12 Coordinator. It is anticipated that Mr Masters will return in a part-time capacity in 2021.
Last Saturday, Mr Sean Brannan was presented with the EREA National Award for the Touchstone of Inclusive Community. I am sure that all the St Pius X College community will join with me in thanking and congratulating Mr Sean Brannan.
Attached is the citation which was read by the EREA Deputy Executive Director Mr Peter Leuenberger and the President of EREA Council Br Paul Oakley.
I also wish to acknowledge with appreciation the service of Mr Adrian Brannan who has held the role of Youth Minister at the College for the past 3 years. Mr Adrian Brannan has accepted a parish role in Coffs Harbour next year. He leaves the College this week with our thanks and prayers for his future Ministry.
2020 Year Co-ordinators
Below are the Year Co-ordinators for 2020
Year 7: Mr Greg Virgona
Year 8: Mr Phil Stollery
Year 9: Ms Denise Ramsey
Year 10: Mr Mark Pawlak
Year 11: Mr Paul Ticli
Year 12: Ms Donna Janes
Year 10 Immersions and Australian Business Week (ABW)
There are several groups of Year 10 students who are on Immersions this week. Groups are visiting Walgett and the Central Coast. We also have students visiting St Gabriel's at Castle Hill and St Edmund's at Wahroonga. By all accounts the students are having a good time and learning much about lives different from our own while at the same time, helping those less fortunate than themselves.
Those Year 10 students not attending Immersions are spending this week learning how to run a business at ABW. We have had mentors from the business community assist the groups in how to run a business, including making decisions such as product, marketing and financial requirements as occurs in running a real business. At the end of the week, students will learn how much profit or loss they have made based on their decisions during the week.
St Pius X Christmas Cards
This year’s Christmas Cards feature Year 7 RE students and baby Lara Formosa. They were inspired by a biblical passage from Luke’s Gospel which describes the reaction of the shepherds to the news of the birth of Jesus. The boys participated in a photoshoot which recreated scenes painted by seventeenth century artists Carravaggio and Josefa de Obidos.
The cards come in packs of 8 will be for sale for $10 a pack at Friday's Twilight Concert and also at the Student Services Desk.
Volunteers' Christmas Gathering
Tuesday 3 December from 5.00pm - 6.30pm in the Junior Library
Please see invitation below for details:
Twilight Concert
Everyone is welcome to this Friday evening's Twilight Concert at Chatswood. The festivities will commence at 5.00pm and it looks to be a wonderful evening. Please come along and enjoy the program, which will include a visit from Santa.
Rugby Golf Day - Postponed
STOP PRESS!!
The Rugby Club Golf Day this Friday has been postponed due to damage incurred during Tuesday’s storm and ongoing safety risks. The golf course is closed. More details to come.
Prayers for Fr Barry Nobbs - RIP
The College was saddened to hear of the passing of Fr Barry Nobbs (former Assistant priest at OLD) last Saturday, 23 November. A Vigil Mass will be held to celebrate his life at Our Lady of Dolours Church on Monday 2 December at 7.30pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will then be held at St Felix Church, 550 Chapel Rd, Bankstown on Tuesday 3 December at 11.00am followed by Internment at Rookwood Cemetary in the plot with Fr Barry's parents.
Early Leave Requests
The last day for students Year 5 - 10 is Thursday 5 December. All students must attend up until that final day and as we have very generous holiday periods I strongly discourage any requests for early leave.
Year 11 conclude on Tuesday 2 December.
Snowy Hike
Best wishes to our Year11/12 students who are undertaking the Snowy Mountains Hike commencing next Tuesday evening. I thank Mr Paul de Silva, the College’s Outdoor Education Coordinator who will be leading this Hike and the staff who will be leading this Hike with him Matt Stearn, Greg Virgona, Veronica Kugananthan, Justin Varjavandi, Phil Stollery and Jim Olson.
They will also be accompanied by some very experienced hikers who have undertaken this hike previously: Zac de Silva, Ben Cunneen, Nikita Papastamatis and Daniel Butler.
End of Year Mass
Parents are welcome to join us for the end of year Mass on Thursday 5 December at 10.00am in Our Lady of Dolours Parish Church. The boys will be dismissed at the end of the school day.
Upcoming Events
Please refer to the 'Upcoming Events' page of this Newsletter for the 2019 College Calendar and Term Dates. Information on how to download the College App is also included so you can stay up-to-date.
Term Dates for 2020 are also available on this page.
Mr John Couani - Principal