Parent & Student
Matters
Science Week
What's happening in the College?
- COLLEGE CLOSED next Monday 2 September: St Pius X Feast Day
- Market Day Tuesday 3 September: CANTEEN CLOSED
- Summer Uniform
- Winter Sports Photos
- A Showcase of 2019 HSC Works in Visual Arts, Music and Drama
- SPX Science Week
- Languages: French Alliance Excursion
- Snowy Hike Training
- Kokoda Track Expedition 2020: 1st Training Hike Invite
- Life and Poetry of Francis Webb: this Saturday
- College Film Festival - Lights Camera Pius! Friday 13 September
- Year 12 Science Students - One Day HSC Science Advantage Course at UTS
- Debating Information
- Chatswood Street Fair - Saturday 7 September
- Welcome to Willoughby Picnic - Meet your Community on Saturday 12 October
College Closed next Monday 2 September
St Pius X Feast Day Holiday: The College will be closed next Monday 2 September.
Canteen Closed next Tuesday 3 September
Please note that the Canteen will be closed and no orders will be taken on Tuesday 3 September due to Market Day.
Summer Uniform
Students return to school in Term 4 in full Summer Uniform. Most items will be available for sale in the Uniform Shop by Tuesday 3 September.
Mrs D Muirhuead - Uniform Shop Coordinator
Winter Sports Photos
The Winter Sports photos are being taken on Wednesday September 4 during Period 1 – 3. Full sport uniform will be required for Rugby, Football and Tennis. All other photos will be taken in full school uniform including Blazers.
Attached below is a summary of the photos to be taken on the day. All students need to bring their ID card for each photo they are in.
Year/Group photo orders from the previous photo day have not been processed yet. All photos will be processed after the Winter Sports Photos have been taken.
Miss Leisa Proc - General Coordinator
A Showcase of 2019 HSC Works in Visual Arts, Music and Drama
Thursday 5 September
from 6pm - 8pm
at Chatswood Campus.
Digital image by Joshua Matar (Detail)
SPX Science Week
The SPX Science Department hosted our annual SPX Science Week this week at the College. Activities were held in the Science laboratories each lunchtime from Monday to Wednesday. The theme for National Science Week this year was Destination Moon … and it is also the International Year of the Periodic Table, so these formed the basis of many of our activities.
This year some of the activities included:
- Junior School students decorating the elements of the Periodic Table;
- Year 5 students displaying their moon-related Science projects from last term;
- Year 11 Physics demonstrations;
- an Apollo 11 photo booth (borrowed by the Junior School Library);
- a Scinema Science Film;
- Year 11 Chemistry demonstrations;
- and a Kahootathon Trivia Competition on the Science Week themes.
Lots of fun was had by all and prizes are still to be awarded to some of our keen Science students. The Science Department would like to thank all of the staff and students who participated in and visited us during SPX Science Week.
Mrs Joanne Schuster- Science Coordinator
Languages: French Alliance Excursion
On Tuesday 20 August our Year 9 and Year 10 French students ventured into the city for an excursion at the Alliance Française, Sydney. The students participated a two hour intensive workshop around the theme of French Culture. They were immersed in the French language and developed their confidence in speaking French with a native speaker. Our students enjoyed a variety of activities, including pair role plays, trivia and sequencing on topics such as French food, music, geography and family life.
After putting their French skills to work, the boys were treated to a delicious French lunch in the café downstairs. We look forward to visiting the Alliance Française again with our students in the near future.
Mrs Sarah McCormack, French Teacher
Snowy Hike Training
A reminder to parents and potential participants attending this year’s Snowy Hike that students must attend one of the following qualification hikes and the practice hike and mandatory training at Oxford Falls.
- Qualification Hike – participants MUST attend at least one of the initial qualification hikes below. Students require a daypack with water/snacks, suitable clothing and hiking boots if available.
- Thursday 29 August: 10km circuitous route from Chatswood 3.30-6.30pm. Boys to depart from Blue Room at 3.30pm.
- Thursday 5 September: 10km circuitous route from Chatswood 3.30-6.30pm. Boys to depart from Blue Room at 3.30pm.
- Practice Hike/Mandatory Training – participants MUST attend this afternoon practice hike after school. Students must carry their full backpack and wear the hiking boots they will use on the Snowy Hike. Students will then be bused to Oxford Falls campus for mandatory training and overnight stay. These sessions will cover necessary training around mountaineering / hiking (eg. safety, first aid, menu plan/cooking, low impact bushwalking, tent construction, packing, hypothermia etc. Equipment will be issued during this training.
- Students will then remain at Oxford Falls for their Study Day.
- - Thursday 31st October 3.30pm – Friday 1st November 9.00 am
Mr Paul de Silva - Outdoor Education Coordinator
Kokoda Track Expedition 2020
1st Training Hike Invite
Expedition dates: Monday 29 June – Thursday 9 July 2020
The Kokoda Track Expedition training is about to begin. We will be walking from Brooklyn to Cowan, 13.4km (1 big hill). This is an opportunity for all prospective participants to meet, prepare and to discuss all aspects of the Kokoda Track Expedition 2020.
- When: Sunday 8 September 2019
- Meet: Cowan train station 7.20am (Train to Hawkesbury River train station/Brooklyn 7.40am;
- arrive 7.49am
- Finish: Cowan train station 1.00pm (approx.) Trains every 60 minutes to Hornsby
- Need: 3 litres of water (no water on route), hat, sunscreen, snacks, sense of humour
If you have expressed an interest in attending the expedition and have not received a payment timeline email or if you are interested in being included in this expedition then please contact Mr P. de Silva via email: pdesilva@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
All members of the College Community are welcome to attend these training hikes (good level of fitness required).
Next Hikes for 2019 – To Be Confirmed
2. Sunday 6 October 2019
3. Sunday 3 November 2019
4. Sunday 1 December 2019
Mr Paul de Silva - Outdoor Education Coordinator
Life and Poetry of Francis Webb: This Saturday 31/8
Celebrate the life and poetry of Francis Webb at Chatswood Library
Photo: Francis & his childhood pet George taken at the family home in Johnson St, Chatswood.
Now in its eighth year, Poetry Out Loud celebrates the poetry of a former St Pius student, Francis Webb (1925-73). This year, Year 9’s Ben Cullen will represent our school with a recital of the poem, Australian Night. If you’ve never heard of Francis Webb, this is a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with Webb’s prodigious talent and also to support Ben.
Francis Webb joined St Pius in 1938 as a 1st grader (Year 7). Webb’s talent for poetry was apparent in his school years with several of his poems published in The Bulletin. The poems drew attention from Douglas Stewart and Norman Lindsay who would later mentor the young poet. Coming second in the State in English, his entry to Sydney University was interrupted by World War II. He joined the RAAF and trained as a wireless air gunner in Canada. Despite personal tragedies and mental health issues, Webb pursued his career as a poet his entire life. His poetry reflects much of his Catholic upbringing, deep spirituality and unwavering faith.
While little known to the general public today, Webb’s reputation among poetry aficionados as one of Australia’s greatest poets continues to grow. Toby Davidson (Macquarie University, poet and editor of Webb’s Collected Poems) will MC this event with guests commenting on and reading a selected poem. The commentaries and readings are always fascinating and guaranteed with this year’s stellar line-up:
- Michael Griffith (Webb's biographer)
- Robert Adamson (poet and former UTS Chair of Poetry)
- Judith Crispin (poet and photographer)
- Gareth Jenkins (poet)
- Kate Liston-Mills (short fiction writer)
- Richard Miller (long-time Webb fan)
- Oliver Miller (film-maker of a short film of Webb's 'Electric')
Date: Saturday 31 August, 2.00 pm - 4pm
Venue: Chatswood Library on The Concourse - Lower Ground, 409 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood
Free event: please book here.
College Film Festival - Lights Camera Pius!
Friday 13 September - at lunchtime in the College Gym
Just a reminder to all budding St Pius filmmakers to enter their films into the upcoming College Film Festival - Lights Camera Pius!
We’d love to see you enter your short films (maximum of 3 minutes) that you have made this year. From thrillers to documentaries, all genres are accepted as long as they are rated PG or below. All submissions must be entered by the end of Week 7, at the box in the School’s Front Office. We have lots of entries already, so be sure to get your films in quickly! If you are more interested in watching the films, be sure to join us in the Gym during lunch-time on 13 September in Week 8.
There will be prizes given out to the most well-composed and engaging films, chosen by a judging panel of teachers. We’ve seen some great films from the young men of St Pius in previous years and can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in 2019.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask Ms Bryant, Ms Doyle or any of the boys from the Film Festival Committee. Hope to see you there!
Ben Marino - Year 10
Poster by Oliver Robson - Year 10
Year 12 Science Students
One Day HSC Science Advantage Course at UTS
Saturday 28 September 2019 from 9.00am - 4.00pm
Year 12 HSC Science Students are invited to attend an intensive one day course covering the HSC Physics, Biology, Chemistry, EES, Investigating Science and Science Extension exams. This is a well-regarded revision course for Science students.
The various subject workshops throughout the day will include:
- Answering long-answer questions
- Answering multiple choice questions
- Answering short-answer questions and
- Yellow Submarine : A think-tank style session where participants will be unpacking the syllabus and writing their own questions.
REGISTER HERE: https://www.cognitoforms.com/STANSW/hscscienceadvantage
Mrs Joanne Schuster - Science Coordinator
Debating Information
Chatswood Street Fair 2019 - Saturday 7 September
Welcome to Willoughby Picnic - Meet your Community
Saturday 12 October - 10.30am to 1pm
Please click on the flyer below for details.