From the Principal

• Reflection 
• Edmund Rice Icon
• Showcasing St Pius X College on Open Day
• What does consistency look like for you?
• Sport
• Congratulations to students
• P&F Cocktail Party
• Enrolments 

Reflection

See It Through My Eyes

I am a mother

I give birth to the future

All children deserve a world

That will exist for generations to come

See it through my eyes……

I am a father

My joy is relived in the joy of my children

I delight in what they do

And delight in who they are

See it through my eyes……

I am a teacher

I search constantly for ways

To reach my students’ potential

I am committed to inspiring them

And I have seen the miracle of understanding

Time and Time again

See it through my eyes……

I am a school leader

To me is entrusted much responsibility

To lead is not always easy

For to lead is to risk, to encourage and to decide

The dream of “what could be for each child’ never ends

See it through my eyes…..

I am the Lord, your God

From before you were born, I knew you

I have called you all by name

You are mine

I have carved you in the palm of My hand

Should a parent forget their child

I will never forget you

Trust in Me with all your heart, mind and soul

Love each other as you love yourself

See it through my eyes…..

And you will understand the meaning of Life

And see the face of Truth.       

Amen

As we reflect on the Gospel reading from the Fourth Sunday of Lent about the blind man, we contemplate the many missed encounters with others in this fast-paced society.  It was by only stopping that Jesus and the blind man were able to make space for one another.  The man had chosen to seek support and Jesus saw this encounter as a blessing.  Jesus could have used his busyness to avoid the encounter, but he didn’t.

So, the encounter took courage, sacrifice and an ability to step outside our defined roles of who we think we are and others’ perceptions of us. It took time and was risky, in that both spoke from the heart.  They gave each other the gift of emotional availability and emotional honesty that went beyond conversation to conversion for both, especially the blind man.

Today, can we move out of our comfort zones, stereotypes and pressures of a busy day and our own self-importance?  Are we open to the pilgrimage of the heart?  It was significant that at the end of the encounter, the blind man gained his sight.  What are we waiting to see?  What are our blind spots that need to be left behind and seen for what they are during Lent? What resentments, prejudices, fears, worries, possessions, prestige, power, pride, shame, guilt blind us? What needs to be emptied so that we can see again and be refreshed with God’s love that comes to us as mercy and forgiveness.

There are opportunities today for us to be both Jesus, who listens with rapt attention, and the blind man who had faith in God’s love and mercy.  What are our blind spots and can we be open to an encounter of the divine kind through humankind today! 

Blessed Edmund Rice - Pray for Us

St Pius X - Pray for Us

Live Jesus in our Hearts - Forever!

Blessed Edmund Rice Icon

Edmund dominates the central icon panel. The artist is keen to show him as commanding, relaxed and intent. He is a person of strength and vision. His eyes are large, taking everything in and revealing his compassion and understanding.

He is very much a fatherly figure reaching out to marginalised youth. A mentor for so many people.

How can we provide strength and vision for those we encounter?  What do our eyes reveal of ourselves? Are we taking in the messages from our students, our community? 

Showcasing St Pius X College on Open Day

What an amazing Open Day!  The sun was shining, the temperature was rising, and the crowd kept arriving.  The College was looking its pristine best as we welcomed over 1300 guests and showcased the wonderful staff, students, parents and community of St Pius X College.  From Janelle Arena and the parents in the canteen; to Sarah Gillard and the parents at the P&F BBQ; to Annabel Westhoff (Performing Arts Coordinator) orchestrating all the bands and musicians; the numerous staff presentations and performances throughout the school; to the willingness of all members of the College community to offer their assistance, the College was able to beautifully present what is great about St Pius X. 

It would be remiss of me not to mention the outstanding young men who either acted as a tour guide or assisted staff with their presentations.  St Pius X is truly blessed with so many remarkable students who are willing to give of their time for the greater cause of helping the College.  Thank you to all our student volunteers who gave of their time in the service of their College.

I would like to offer my special thanks to:

• Mrs Christine Jennings and Mrs Sarah Panozzo for the overall organisation of Open Day
• Mr David Reay, Mr Stuart Munday, Mr Ben Williams and Mr Mark Harvey for ensuring the facilities looked great
• Mr Tony Cunneen, Mrs Tracy Bradley and Mrs Felicity Barrett for all the publications and promotional material

Their professionalism in getting the job done is greatly appreciated.  There is so much to be grateful for at St Pius X College, and last Saturday this was explicitly evident in the manner the whole community came together to showcase this inclusive and welcoming community.  A heartfelt thank you to all those who supported us on Open Day. 

What does consistency look like for you?

At the commencement of the academic year, I mentioned the importance of maintaining high standards and high expectations.  For us to be faithful to this message, all members of our community, especially our students, need to be consistent in their approach to so many aspects such as application to their studies; commitment to their personal health and wellbeing; being compliant with College expectations especially with the wearing of the College uniform; being respectful to their peers, their teachers and themselves; and developing positive relationships.  This doesn’t come easy but rather requires hard work.

The College diary can assist students in becoming consistent in their application and commitment to their studies and themselves.  From the Code of Conduct on pages 16, 17 and 18, to the Learning Attributes on pages 20 and 21, students have the blueprint to become more consistent.  By being more consistent, each student can be the best version of themselves.  I encourage students and their families to read these pages to assist in becoming more consistent in all aspects of school life.

Dwayne Johnson, the American actor, stated 'Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.'  Therefore, I commend all students to strive for consistency in everything so they can find their success.

Sport

Cricket Grand Finals

Congratulations to our two cricket teams who won their Grand Finals last weekend.  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend because of my commitments to Open Day but from all accounts both teams played exceptionally well.  Congratulations to the U14/1’s SPX Green coached by Mr Toby Horstead and the U13/2’s SPX Gold coached by Mr Wes Toms in becoming premiership winners in the Manly Warringah Junior Cricket Association. Special thanks to our two parent coaches Toby and Wes for their support of St Pius X cricket.  Well done to all.

Congratulations to Students

It's always heart-warming to hear stories of kindness and courage, especially when it involves our young men.  This week, four St Pius X students, Will Pavely (Year 12), Owen Campbell (Year 6), Oliver Henderson (Year 6) and Phoenix Stephens (Year 7), demonstrated these admirable qualities when they came to the aid of a friend in need when he was badly injured on the bus to school.

It's important to acknowledge and celebrate the actions of those who choose to do the right thing, so this morning, the boys joined me for morning tea where I was able to let them know that their concern and care didn’t go unnoticed, and that their friend, and his family, were most grateful for their support. 

We often hear negative stories about young people, but this is a reminder that there are many young people out there who are kind, compassionate, and willing to help others. So, to these young men, thank you for being a shining example of what it means to be a true friend. You are an inspiration to us all.

P&F Cocktail Party – this Friday

A reminder that the P&F Cocktail Evening will be held this Friday 24 March, starting at 7:00 pm in the college grounds.  This is a great opportunity to meet families of the peers your son associates with at school.  I look forward to seeing you on Friday. For those still wanting to purchase tickets please see the P&F page of this Woodchatta.

Enrolments for Years 5, 6 & 7 2025 are now open

Enrolment application forms for St Pius X College are now open.  Please see the College website or visit the following link for details.  

The closing date for lodgement of 2025 applications is Friday 28 April 2023.

Live Jesus in our Hearts

Mr Michael Ronchetti - Principal