Junior School News
From the Head of the Junior School
It was with great excitement that we welcomed students in the Junior School back for another year of learning, growth, and community building.
At St Pius X, we believe that education is a partnership between families, teachers, and students. With your support, we are confident that this school year will be filled with meaningful experiences and opportunities for your sons.
We have been hard at work preparing for the new school year and are eager to share some of the exciting initiatives and events we have planned. Our teachers have been collaborating and planning engaging lessons and preparing classrooms to provide the best possible learning environment for your boys.
Please take some time to familiarise yourself with the school’s policies, procedures, and events for the year. Our website, https://www.spx.nsw.edu.au/ is an excellent resource for this information. You can also follow us on Facebook for updates and highlights from the school: https://www.facebook.com/spxchatswood. Please ensure that you have download the College App as this is where you will receive timely notifications regarding our Sport program (for example, games cancelled due to rain). When in doubt, please consult the Parent Information Guide that you received at the Orientation Day.
We are looking forward to working together to make this a successful and fulfilling school year for your sons. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your son’s teacher.
Photos from our first morning photo booth can be found at this link:
STAFFING
The Junior School welcomes new and returning staff in 2022. Please direct any questions to your son’s teacher:
Mrs Samantha Iwatani | 5 Gold | siwatani@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mr Glen Carroll | 5 Red | gcarroll@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mrs Bridie Barrett | 5 Blue | bbarrett@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mr. Antonio Morris | 6 Green | amorris@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mrs Jenny Williams | 6 Red | jwilliams@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mr Chris Ure | 6 Gold | cure@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Ms Vanessa Burke | 6 Blue | vburke@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mrs Elena Martin | Junior Resource Centre | emartin@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mrs Mary Doheny | Junior School Learning Support (Tu, Wed, Fri)
Mr Paul Cummins | 5 Blue (Th) / Diverse Learning
(Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri) pcummins@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Ms Raelene Boyle | 5 Gold (Fri) rboyle@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mrs Antonella Schiller | Diverse Learning (Mon, Tue, Wed) aschiller@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Mrs Jill Greenwood | Head of Junior School | jgreenwood@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
I thank all the teachers for their hard work over the holidays, preparing classrooms and programs for their students.
BOYS CATCHING THE TRAIN
If you son catches a train, can you please explain to him that he should not be aiming to catch a train that leaves prior to 3.15 pm. We already have boys trying to catch a 3.06 pm train. We cannot have students running across driveways and through the Mall in a rush to get to a train. It is dangerous for our students and is also unsafe for members of the public.
PERSONAL LEARNING DEVICES (PLDs)
Please ensure you have read, understood, and co-signed the CODE OF CONDUCT and ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY FOR STUDENTS AND TECHNOLOGY in the diary. This might also be an opportunity to explain expectations around the use of the boys’ PLDs both at school, and at home.
SPORT TRIALS | OXFORD FALLS
Everyone is very much looking forward to two days of sport on Thursday and Friday at the Treacy Education Complex and Sporting Fields at Oxford Falls. Mr Ryan will have more details in Sport.
Boys are to wear their Sports uniform to school and should bring recess, lunch and a drink.
If you would like to collect your son from Oxford Falls, please do so by 2.10 pm, as the rest of us will be heading back to school on the buses at 2.15 pm. A reminder that you can’t take another person’s child from Oxford Falls unless we have written permission from that child’s parent.
To enable us to keep our boys, staff, and community safe, if you are collecting your son from Oxford Falls, please wait in the area in front of the main doors (shown below). Returning families, please note that this is a change from last year.
Students who have not been collected by 2.15 pm will return to the college on the bus and make their way home from there.
SPORTS UNIFORM
Please note that students are only to wear their sport’s uniform to school on:
- Thursday 2 February for Sports Trials
- Friday 3 February for Sports Trials
- Every Thursday from then on.
When students have PE at school, they are to wear their school uniform to school and then change into their sports uniform. After PE they will change back into their summer uniform. For this reason, it is imperative that you label EVERYTHING – including shoes and socks.
PE Lessons occur once every 10-day cycle:
- 6 Red – Day 1
- 6 Gold – Day 1
- 6 Blue - Day 3
- 6 Green – Day 3
- 5 Gold – Day 6
- 5 Red – Day 6
- 5 Blue – Day 10
PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT | MONDAY FEBRUARY 6 (WEEK 2) | Online
Later in the week, you will receive Team links for the Junior School Parent Information Night on Monday, February 7 at 6.00 pm. This is the perfect time to ask your son’s teacher any questions about the routines and events at school. This is not, however, the time to ask questions specific to your own son. Those discussions take place during Getting To Know You Meetings in Week 4.
STUDENT DIARY
Please ensure that you check your son’s diary regularly and sign it at the end of each week.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Regular school attendance is essential to ensure that educational outcomes for students are met. Attendance Rolls are marked in morning administration or assembly time 8.42 am – 8.57 am.
Students are marked absent or present by their Homeroom teachers. An email to the nominated parent’s address is generated if the absence has not been explained by mid-morning.
Sick Leave and short-term non-attendance
Parents should contact the College to explain any student absence, at their earliest opportunity, and preferably before roll call, by emailing
studentmanagement@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au and copying your son’s teacher.
Application for Leave/Exemption from Attendance at School
When a student is planning to be absent from the College for three or more days, please complete the following Application for Leave/Exemption from Attendance at School Form and email to Mrs Greenwood.
MERIT AWARDS
Congratulations to these boys in Years 5 and 6 who made a great impression in the first two days of school! (6 Green Awards will be presented next week).
VISITOR TO OUR ASSEMBLY THIS MORNING!
Great excitement on assembly this morning as we watched a possum, with baby on board, make her way across the thin wire and into their home in the ceiling of our assembly area. There were a few nervous moments as Mum negotiated the thin tightrope, but a large round of applause rang out once Mum and baby were safe inside!
DATES FOR THE DIARY:
WEEK 1
Thursday 2 Feb Junior School Sport Trials #1
Friday 3 Feb Junior School Sport Trials #2
WEEK 2
Monday 6 Feb 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm Parent Information Night (via Teams)
Thursday 9 Feb Junior School Sports Trials #3
Saturday 11 Feb IPSHA Sport Round 1
WEEK 3
Tuesday 14 Feb Junior School Blazer Fittings
Wednesday 15 Feb Swimming Carnival (Macquarie Aquatic Centre)
WEEK 4
Monday 20 Feb Getting to Know You Meetings (online via Teams)
Tuesday 21 Feb Getting to Know You Meetings (online via Teams)
Commencement Mass (Oxford Falls)
Cyberbullying Presentation
Wednesday 22 Feb Ash Wednesday Liturgy
Thursday 23 Feb Cross Country
Friday 24 Feb Year 5 Reflection Day at Oxford Falls
Saturday 25 Feb P&F Commencement Mass and Social (from 5.30 pm)
CLASS PARENTS
If you are interested in becoming a Class Parent in 2023, please email your interest to rlmensforth@gmail.com by Friday 17 February.
No experience needed! If you are new to the school, you are very welcome to volunteer, and we have some very experienced Class Parents who can show you the ropes.
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Junior School.
Mrs Jill Greenwood - Head of the Junior School
Junior School Sport
Welcome to Junior Sport for 2023. 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. Our Saturday Sport commitments will commence on 11 February. More details will be available in next week’s issue of Woodchatta.
Thursday Sport: We will be having Sport Days on Thursday and Friday this week. Both days will be full days at Oxford Falls for trials and students are to wear their sports uniform.
Mr Ben Ryan - Junior School Sports Coordinator
From the Junior Resource Centre
School is back for 2023! A big welcome back to the JRC. It’s been great to spend quiet time relaxing and ‘refilling the well’ so that we have the energy for the year ahead.
THEY SAY IN EVERY LIBRARY THERE IS A SINGE BOOK THAT CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT BURNS LIKE A FIRE IN THE MIND.
Lemony Snicket
New Parents and Students
Welcome!The JRC is such a popular place at lunchtime that we are open for: Year 6s on Mondays & Wednesdays, Year 5s on Tuesdays & Fridays. (The Library is closed on Thursdays as students are at Oxford Falls.)
We would appreciate that students bring a library bag for borrowed books. A SPX Library bag is available from the School Uniform Shop.
This year’s stimulating library program is designed to develop students’ digital and information literacies and literacy generally. Much of this learning is connected to classroom studies.
Promoting recreational reading is a big part of our program. The Junior Resource Centre offers a range of opportunities for every student to enjoy reading and to develop their appreciation of literature.
This Year’s reading is promoted in a number of ways:
- Weekly reading’s from “Book of the Term” and Mrs Martin’s Book Trail.
- The Premier’s Reading Challenge: March to August.
- Author visits and promotions
- Book Week celebrations – ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’ with studies of short-listed contenders for the ‘Children’s Book of the Year’ 2023.
- A visit to our next-door neighbours, Willoughby Library with memberships on offer and the chance for our students to borrow from this world class collection.
- Students will be able to join online, State Library of New South Wales. It is open every day and has amazing resources online or visit in person. Nothing beats a day at the library!
Position Vacant - Library Monitors
Are you in Year 5 or 6? Are you responsible, helpful and like putting things in order?
Express your interest in this exciting position by letter to the JRC.
Applications close Friday 17 February
Read, Grow, Inspire
Avid Readers with new books to read in 2023.
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail – Toodle the Cavoodle: Sniffle Snuffle by Richard Tulloch and Heidi Cooper-Smith.
Toodle the Cavoodle: Sniffle Snuffle is a fun read-aloud picture book the whole family will love. Filled with loads of sound words, alliteration, and some internal rhyme thrown in for good measure. Toodle is a cute, friendly, and adventurous dog. He loves living in Lillipilly Lane where there are many people to see and lots of things to do……including sometimes getting into a spot of bother! Hope you enjoy this review and consider purchasing a copy of the book as Petbarn Foundation will donate $1 for every Toodle the Cavoodle book sold to Story Dogs assisting in the cost of training and placement of more dogs and handlers in more Australian schools. #MrsMartinsBooktrail2023
Ms Elena Martin - Teacher Librarian
Junior Chess
The NSW Junior Chess Competition is pleased to invite the SPX Junior School to take part in the 2023 Primary Schools Chess Teams Competition.
WHY CHESS? There are tremendous benefits for children involved in the competition – new outlook, new friends, intellectual stimulation, improved concentration, a new reason to develop self-esteem. Registration closes Monday 27th February 2023. Attached is a Chess Newsletter with all the relevant information if your son is interested, please complete the form, detach and hand it to Mrs Martin by Week 4, Monday 27 February. Training begins Week 8, Tuesday 21 March at 7.30 am in the Junior Resource Centre.
Mrs Elena Martin - Junior School Chess Convenor