Student & Parent Matters

• Year 9 Christmas Hamper Appeal
• Year 7 Christmas Giving Tree
• 'Lights Camera Pius!'  Film Festival
• ​From the Head of Student Services

                 -   Strictly Year 9 Ceroc Dance Workshop with Brigidine College St Ives

                 -   Year 9 Christmas Hamper Appeal:  request for student assistance with distribution

                 -   Pastoral Care Reports in Progress

                 -   MindMatters Involvement

                 -   Peer Support Training

                 -   Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion

• General Notices:  Lower North Shore Youth Group for Years 5 to 7

Year 9 Christmas Hamper Appeal

Dear Parents and Carers,

It is time again to think of others for our St Pius X College Christmas Hamper Appeal. This year students are asked to bring in quality Christmas foodstuffs to make Christmas hampers for needy families in our communities. Our Year 9 students will then help to pack and distribute these gifts to spread some joy this Christmas.

As such we are asking for your help in helping those less fortunate in our communities. We are asking for quality non-perishable food items that you would expect to see on your Christmas dinner table. We are also asking that the boys themselves, if possible, raid their own savings to buy these gifts - so they feel like they are actually contributing. Please ask your child to get involved or provide him with the necessary goods so he can bring these in to his homeroom teacher. Alternatively they can leave them in the foyer as they enter the school.

This is a small way in which we can help to teach the boys to have a sense of social justice – actions speak louder than words and we truly hope every student will contribute. We pray that all families may know the hope and joy which is what the season of Advent and Christmas is all about.

With thanks,

Mr P Ticli - Year 9 Co-ordinator

Year 7 Christmas Giving Tree

Dear Parents and Carers

Year 7 students have the special responsibility each year to run our St Pius X Christmas Giving Tree Charity event.  Every year ALL students, from Years 5-11 are asked to bring in Christmas gifts for our Giving Tree.  In the spirit of Christmas giving these gifts are taken to underprivileged communities at Bowraville and Walgett and given to indigenous children.

As such we are asking for your help in helping those less fortunate in our communities. We truly hope every student will contribute.  We are asking for:

• wrapped gifts, labelled for a Boy or Girl
• and indicating the age group:  5-7;  8-10; 11-13

We are also asking that if possible the boys use some of their own savings to buy these gifts so they have  the feeling of personally contributing to this cause.

We pray that our young indigenous brothers and sisters may know the hope and joy, which is what this season of Advent and Christmas is all about.  

Mr S Yue - Year 7 Coordinator

'Lights Camera Pius!' Film Festival

Last Friday students enjoyed the second 'Lights Camera Pius!' film festival in the College Gym. The competition was open to students from all years and there were many strong contenders from Years 6 to 11 with films in a range of genres from animation, documentary, news style, advertisements, comedies, dramas and the avant garde. The judges were impressed with the standard and the audience clearly enjoyed the films as there was much loud cheering and clapping. The final winners were:

Senior Division 1st Prize:                Between the Lines  by Oliver Bowers, Oliver Lenehan, Luke Thompson,                                                                      Harrison Wallace and Charles McElvogue (Year 9)

Senior Division Runner Up:            The Spinning Dream by Oliver Lenehan and Luke Thompson (Year 9)

Junior Division 1st Prize:                Cringy Crew by Josh Squires, Jack Spurr, Peter Jastreboff and Charlie                                                                          Dwyer (Year 8)

Junior Division Runner Up              Basketball by Christian Robson (Year 6)

Many thanks must go the the tireless Film Festival Committee members:  Peter Yastreboff, Tristan Williams, Ethan Rockett,  (Year 7) Jared Lohtaja, Benjamin Mooney, Oliver Robson, Adrian Tuersley, Ben Marino, James Baldock, (Year 8) Harrison Wallace, Oliver Bowers, James Shelton, Charlie McElvogue, Oliver Lenehan, Luke Thomspon (Year 9) and Cooper Allan (Year 11).

Many thanks to Ms Sarah Fernando and Chris Lanzon (Year 11) who assisted James Baldock and Ben Marino with the judging and also to Mr Mark Casey who gave much encouragement and support to  the Festival.

Ms F Doyle - Visual Arts Teacher

From the Head of Student Services

Strictly Year 9 Ceroc Dance Workshop with Brigidine College St Ives, Oxford Falls last Monday 20th November.

Congratulations to the Year 9 House Vice Captains and MindMatters Student Empowerment Team who, under the direction of our Stage 5 Wellbeing Coordinator Ms Alex Foord, ran a hugely successful Ceroc Dance Workshop with our guests from Brigidine College on Monday. The Opening Acknowledgement of country, prayer and orientation to our highly regarded facilities at Oxford Falls was conducted by Kiefer O’Brien, Stuart Dingley and Daniel Fileman.

Indeed the grounds, impeccably tended by Mr Ron Noort, were greatly appreciated by the Brigidine cohort who enthusiastically entered into and enjoyed the integrated games of touch, soccer, frisbee and just mingling on the Watkins and Walsh Ovals surrounds at both recess and lunch.

It was a pleasure to welcome and host the Brigidine staff including former St Pius X College Mission and Identity Leader Mr Bill Gleeson who retires this year, Deputy Principal Mr Brian Loughland (father of St Pius X College ex-students Sean and Mark), Year 9 Coordinator Ms Kate Ryder, Curriculum Coordinator Ms Jo Baker and PDHPE Coordinator Mr Josh Holmes. The links between the two schools are strong with Year 9 Mindmatters Leader Tyson McCallum relating that his grandfather John McCallum, was an early pupil of CBC Chatswood (St Pius X College), while his Grandmother Mrs Maureen McCallum was a first day pupil of Brigidine College along with Mrs Barbara Brannan, mother of Brigidine College Year 9 Coordinator Ms Kate Ryder.

Our students gratefully thanked SPX staff Ms M Leedham, Mr B McBrearty, Mr P Ticli and Mr R Russo who facilitated the event

On the dance floor Gregor Dingley was unable to defend his Best and Fairest title from 2016 with the respective partners of Daniel Halverson and Joel Ghannoum  leading them to Bronze and Silver Medal performances. Ceroc was definitely the real winner on the day although on his home basketball court Michael Fakhoury and partner Juliet Buchanan took out the 'Best and Fairest' title first awarded to Angus Growden in 2015. Lets hope Michael moves just as well this Saturday to beat St Pat's at the same venue.

A great day was had by all and the spirit of involvement, connection and learning between our two schools was enhanced by the excellent conduct, manners and dancing ability of our Year 9 students who were a credit to Mr Ticli, Ms Foord and the College.

Christmas Hamper Appeal

The Hamper Appeal for families less well off than ourselves continues to gather momentum with the Year 9 Leaders accumulating food and gifts from across the school in the College foyer.  We will source several student volunteers from local Parishes to assist Mr Brannan with the following associated tasks and events.

• Thursday 7th November 11.00am (to be confirmed):  Loading Hampers into College Van to deliver to St Anthony in the Fields Church, Frenchs Forest Parish.  Wear comfortable clothes and sports polo.
• Sunday 10th November 9.00am:   Christmas Hamper Mass St Anthony in the Fields Church 46 Myoora Rd Terrey Hills.  Wear comfortable clothes and sports polo.
• Tuesday 12th November at 11.00am (to be confirmed):   packing prepared hampers into vehicles and delivering to local charitable organisations from St Anthony in the Fields Church, 46 Myoora Rd Terrey Hills.  Wear comfortable clothes and sports polo.

Please see Mr Brannan if you are interested in assisting in this important social justice outreach on behalf of the College community.  

Pastoral Care Reports in Progress

At this important time of Advent reflection in the Church Calendar coinciding with the culmination of the annual educational cycle for Years 5 to 10, Pastoral Care staff are actively preparing Pastoral Care Reports for students in these year groups. To this end all students are encouraged to be pro-active in assisting their homeroom staff in the development of these reports by ensuring that all information, including College Curricular, Extra Curricular, Social Justice and Community Wellbeing involvement, achievement, etc is correctly recorded and accurately communicated.  Students can then take part in the collaborative process of evaluating and taking ownership of these important elements of their Pastoral care development.

At this time it is also worth reflecting  on the degree and quality of your involvement in activities offered both by the College and beyond the gates. To paraphrase President JFK:   Asking not so much what your school can do for you, but rather what you can do for the College and wider community, “For it is in giving that we receive."  (St Francis of Assisi)

MindMatters Involvement

With the Annual MindMatters Buddies Beachwalk emanating from the social justice Founder's Day Festival this Friday (see details in Mr Russo's MindMatters section) all students are reminded of the benefits of involvement in the MindMatters programs for wellbeing.

This Friday we catch the bus after Founder's Day at Oxford Falls to Long Reef from where peer mentors and their buddies will walk in a supervised group to Dee Why beach.   Weather permitting, we will have a swim in the flags or pool and have some afternoon tea together.

Other activities conducted this year and/or planned for next year include:  Boxercise, Paddleboarding, Canoeing, Warrumbungles Camp, Lads and Dads/Mums gym workouts, Buddies not Bullies Bushwalk, beach activities, camping, peer mentoring and much more.

Students can see Mr Brannan or Mr Russo to get involved in whatever capacity they can:  mentor, mentee, buddy, wellbeing team or Student Empowerment Team.

Peer Support Training

Year 10 Peer Support Training will take place under the guidance of Ms Dempsey, Ms Foord and Mr Lynch on Tuesday 5th December at Oxford Falls. All Year 10 students are required to back up from the Dinner dance the night before and develop their skills in communication and empathetic leadership at this important peer support training day.

The day will be headlined by inspirational Positivity Project advocate James Cummins who assisted with our Year 9 Camps this Year and following the training all Year 11 students are challenged to make themselves available for this important leadership role facilitating the successful integration of our Year 5 and Year 7 cohorts into their new situations within the college.

Year 5 Kokoda Walkway Excursion

Following the recent commemorations of Kokoda Day, Remembrance Day and the Centenary of the Australian Light Horse Charge at Beersheeba our Year 5 students continued the recent tradition of visiting the Kokoda Walkway at Brays Bay Reserve, Concord, adjacent to the Repatriation Hospital where many of our WWII veterans convalesced after wounds, sickness and injury took their toll.

Our students took the time to listen to the stories of Veterans of the ADF as they walked the commemorative track and learned about the 1942 Kokoda Campaign in defence of Australia.

There was a Commemoration ceremony, laying of the wreath and Last Post in the Walkways Memorial area led by the Veterans and our Year 5 students. Afterwards the Year 5 students laid a poppy beside the name of a service man / woman in the Hospital Rose Garden of Remembrance and will complete a research project presentation over the coming days.

Thank you to Garry Brigden and Barney Flanagan representing Chatswood RSL, who generously support this initiative through the purchase of poppies and funding for our transport and conduct of the excursion.  

A fitting extension of the initiative will be incorporated in Ms Foord’s Years 7 to 9 Leadership Forum next Monday when EREA Council member Mr John Honor will address our students on the topic “Leadership with Integrity”. This address will highlight the life and deeds of Lt Colonel Ralph Honner veteran of North Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Crete and then the Commander of the 39th Militia Battalion at the battle of Isurava and recapture of Gona, famously reporting “Gona’s Gone”!

Lest we forget.

Mr S Brannan - Head of Student Services

Lower North Shore Youth Group - Years 5 to 7

Please see details in the flyer below.