Pastoral Care

 WELLBEING ANECDOTES FROM THE STUDENT DIARY PLANNER

“Don’t let problems in life develop into worries,

share them with your Team and Support Network.”

 

“A wise person hears one word and understands two.”

- A proverb about non-verbal communication and empathetic listening.

• Year 12 Return to Classes
• Student Leadership Team Elect 2020 Leadership Camp at Workul Koo, Terrigal 28- 30 August
• Year 12 Graduation SPX Old Boys Association Membership Gift
• Mercy and St Pius Chapel Mass
• Fortnite and Gaming Tips for Parents
• Buddies not Bullies Bushwalk:   Sunday 8 September (Acron Oval St Ives to Davidson Park Forestville)

Year 12 Return to Classes

Our Year 12 students return to class this week to receive feedback from the Trial HSC Examinations and begin the final revision period prior to their HSC Examinations commencing Thursday 17 October. It is an opportunity to consolidate their learning and prepare to place before the HSC Examiners the most positive evidence of their learning, knowledge, understanding and skills possible on the day.

We thank all staff and members of the school community who supported our senior students in their Retreats last week as they took time out to reflect and celebrate, take some welcome respite from the grind of the HSC Curriculum and give thanks to all who have helped them in their journeys to date.

I ask all members of the school community to keep our HSC students in our thoughts and prayers, to help them prepare in a calm and effective manner, and to do all we can to uphold the positive reputation of the College in support of their transition to endeavours beyond the College. We know that they will rise to the occasion and do us proud as 82 generations of our senior students have done before them.

Student Leadership Team Elect 2020 Leadership Camp at Workul Koo, Terrigal 28- 30 August

Our newly appointed Student Leadership Team Elect were presented to the College at Tuesday’s assembly by Year 11 Coordinator Ms Janes and College Captain elect Lachlan Mathie.

They will spend the next three days at the Retreat Centre Workul Koo at Terrigal developing goals, themes, a strategic plan and supporting initiatives across their leadership roles and portfolios, to inform their tenure of Leadership of the College over the next 12 months.

A part of their planning over the next three days will include a video conference with the Student Leadership Team of fellow Edmund Rice Beyond Borders school, Cardinal Newman College Buenos Aires, so that we can share our ideas and leadership structure models across the two great Southern hemisphere continents which are equidistant from the Old World European continent.

Another component of the Camp will integrate an introductory workshop on speechcraft and presentation skills which is generously sponsored by the SPX Old Boys Association, through their President Jeff Clarke and Treasurer John Reidy. The Speechcraft course will continue over the holidays and into Term 4, culminating in a graduation dinner for their parents which is pencilled in for Wednesday 13 November at this stage.

On Friday afternoon, to conclude our Leadership Camp, we will visit St Edmund’s School for students with intellectual disability, which will enhance our understanding of the inclusive breadth and quality of Edmund Rice Education in Australia.

The experience will be consolidated by a working lunch with the St Pius X Student Leadership Team 2019 next Thursday to understand and learn from their experiences of representative leadership of the College and its students.

As Lachlan pointed out on Tuesday however, it is incumbent on us all to be leaders in our own right, in the context of which Lachlan articulated that all Year 11 students are invited to be leaders of the College for positive change and outcomes which represent our highest values and ideals.

Year 12 Graduation SPX Old Boys Association Membership Gift

Year 12 Students 2019 are reminded that they have been invited via email from Ms Cheney to provide their contact details (address, phone number and a post 2019 non-school email address) as evidence of their statutory willingness to be accepted into the SPX Old Boys Association.

On graduation in September those students who have responded to the email and accepted membership will receive an Old Boys Tie, Tie Pin and Certificate of Membership, as sponsored by their parents and the College Board. The Membership also includes a complimentary invitation to the 2020 Old Boys Association Annual Dinner. (The class of 2018 are invited to RSVP and attend the upcoming Dinner on the 13 September 2019).

Mercy and St Pius Chapel Mass

Thank you to Year 9 Student Tom Fong who is a regular attendee at Tuesday morning Chapel Masses and produced a welcome plaque for the Mercy Chapel which he presented to their Director of Mission, Ms Gabie Stojonovski on Tuesday. Tom’s commitment to faith and service journey through the Acclaim program has been commendable and a great example for all.

Masses are held at 8.00am each week, alternating between the Mercy Chapel and our Chapel. Next Tuesday 3 September the Mass will be lead by Mr Brannan’s 7RE6 Class in the Christian Brothers St Pius X Chapel.

Fortnite and Gaming Tips for Parents

In the context of ICT considerations this article has come to the attention of our Counselling Team and we include it here for your information.

Buddies not Bullies Bushwalk Sunday 8 September

Acron Oval St Ives to Davidson Park Forestville

A reminder to all members of the College community, you are invited to join the Peer Mentors and Peer Mentees program participants in our long awaited annual walk through a picturesque section of The Cascades, Governor Philip and Lyre Bird walking tracks. Join us for a BBQ lunch afterwards on Sunday 8 September in Davidson Park. 

Full details  including meeting times/places and what to bring can be found below.

Best wishes to all for a Happy Father's Day with your Dad and or significant male role models in your life over the weekend and I hope all are able to enjoy the St Pius X College Feast Day holiday and a break from classes on Monday.

Fide et Labore

Mr Sean Brannan - Assistant Principal Pastoral Care