Junior School News & Sport

• Junior School News and Information
• Learning Enrichment Notices
• Learning Support Notices
• Highlights from the Junior Resource Centre
• Junior Chess
• Junior School Sport

Reconciliation Prayer:  Our prayer journey this week invites us to walk with Jesus as people of reconciliation.  When we work to reconcile we are restoring relationships and bringing harmony to them.

Mary MacKillop, founder of the Josephites in Australia, knew the struggle of personal hurt and the challenge of letting this go. Through it all she maintained her deep faith and her vision and mission.  The journey to reconciliation always involves a letting go – and an openness to new relationships – with yourself, with God, with others.

In his life, Jesus reached out a hand to people who were shunned, in pain and isolated. When we do this too we are walking the path of reconciliation.  Here in Australia, the theme of reconciliation is always prominent.

God of friendship and forgiveness, You lead us on life’s journey

As we gather here in Your name, Open our minds to know Your voice.

Open our hands to do Your work. And open our hearts to hold Your Spirit.

We  Pray

As we go about our day O God, As we strive to walk with Jesus,

Remind us that we are the face of Christ, Who is with us always.

May your grace, mercy and peace, Bless us, keep us and transform us all,

This day, now and forever.

Amen

Blessed Edmund Rice

St Pius X

 Live Jesus in our Hearts

Reconciliation Assembly:  Last Monday the boys experienced a very engaging Reconciliation Assembly.  The touring teams that have an indigenous jersey marched out and sat behind the indigenous performers.  Some of the boys were chosen to have their face painted and hopefully it opens up our minds to accepting others.

13th Annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Servicemen and Servicewomen

Commemoration Service

This Friday, a group of Junior School leaders will be representing the school at this commemoration service.  Please note that the boys wear their Winter uniform.  All other details were in the permission note.

Let the Competition begin!  First there was the Olympic Games, then the Commonwealth Games and NOW there is the SPX handball competition.  Yesterday Year 5 had the playoffs and today Year 6 had their playoffs.  The finalists will then compete at the Grand Final on Friday 7 June. 

Many thanks to Oliver Tysoe and the Year 12 prefects for organising the SPX handball competitions.  The boys had a great time and a lot of excitement was generated, as can be seen in the pictures.  The boys were definitely 'getting amongst it'!

Passion for Poetry:  A big thank you to Mr Adrian Brannan who performed a lesson on Passion for Poetry for the Year 6 boys.  The boys learnt about the history of some of our Australian poets and heard some wonderful bush poetry.  Adrian has a passion for poetry and reads it beautifully.  

I love a sunburnt country……

Da Vinci decathalon:  Best wishes to the following boys who will be involved in the Da Vinci Decathalon at Knox tomorrow.  Thank you to Mrs Spanyik for her organisation of this event.

• Year 5:  Aiden Lindsay, Michael Cheah, Kieran Yu, Enzo Gambino, Liam Godfrey, Louis Forbes, Aiden Kiem and Angus Gibson.
• Year 6:  William Scaiff, Jaydon Akouri, Aiden Seifert, Lucas Youngman, Lachlan Richmond, Sam Cooper, Jimmy Furini and Robert Oner.

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

• Thursday 30 May:  Ascension Thursday/da Vinci Decathlon Years 5 -6
• Monday 3 June:  6 Red Class Mass at 12.15 pm

Wednesday 5 June:  JUNIOR SCHOOL ATHLETICS CARNIVAL at the Homebush warm up track. All details are on the App. Parents are most welcome to come and support your son(s).  If you would like to volunteer to assist please email Greg Virgona.  Boys come to school in their sports uniform and House colour shirt and can then change into any colourful house colour outfits, such as wigs etc.  If you are at the carnival at the conclusion of the day you can take your son(s) home. As always a note is required if you wish for your son to travel home with another parent.

***Staff meeting so no After School Study (Homework Help)

• Saturday 8 June - no Saturday Sport (long weekend)
• Monday 10 June - Queen’s Birthday Holiday
• Friday 14 June - Class Photos
• Friday 21 June - SPX Rugby Dinner
• Thursday 27 June - Term 2 Concludes
• Friday 28 June – Years 5 to 10 Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews

P & F News:   Please see the P&F page of this newsletter for all P&F information, including events for Years 5 and 6 parents and students. 

A Thought to Ponder:   This is probably the beginning of the growth mindset philosophy:

“The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.”  (Socrates) 

Thanking you for your support.

Mr Tim Long - Head of Junior School

Learning Enrichment Notices

Da Vinci Decathlon 2019:  We are in our final week of training and preparation for this competition which will take place this Thursday at Knox Grammar School. Well done to all the boys on their commitment and work leading up to this day. The competition places a particular emphasis on higher order thinking skills, problem solving and creativity. Students work collaboratively in teams and are highly stimulated by competing in tasks that include Mathematics and Engineering, Ideation, General Knowledge, Code Breaking, Creative Producers, Art and Poetry, Science, English and Cartography.

GERRIC in 2019:  GERRIC offers a range of school vacation programs for gifted and talented students from Years 5 and 6. This doesn’t mean you have to be a genius! Gifted and talented students are generally students who are capable of performing in the top 10-15% of their age-peers. Courses include: The Art of Cryptography, The Science of Earth’s Changing Climate, Logic and Lateral Thinking to name a few.  Visit: https://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/about-us/gerric/for-gifted-students/junior-scientia-3-6/   for more information

Compass Club Term 2:  Remember you can attend Compass Club when you are interested in participating in a particular competition.  

Don’t forget Friday 28 June is the due date for the Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Competition which has anOptional Theme:  Is there anybody there?        https://www.dorothea.com.au/How-to-Enter-awards  

IPSHA Junior Debating News:  Congratulations to our debaters on their efforts in their first home debate in Round 2 of the IPSHA competition last Friday where we hosted against St Luke’s Dee Why. The boys won the affirmative and defeated the negative. Both teams were very well prepared, presented very convincing, well researched arguments and great teamwork. Well done on your efforts on both debates boys, and your commitment to debating training sessions.

The next debate we are hosting is on the 7 June against Abbotsleigh at 1pm in the Sarto Centre. Parents are most welcome to attend.

Mrs Bettina Spanyik - Learning Enrichment Teacher

Learning Support

Junior Drop-In Service:  The Junior School drop-in service will run on Friday mornings from 8.15am - 8.45am.  This is a space for Year 5 and 6 boys to bring any questions or queries they may have with their work, ranging from assignments, revision of concepts, homework or to catch up on work they have missed out on.   Please meet Mrs Barrett outside the Junior School resource room at 8.15am.  Any queries, please contact bbarrett@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Sydney Therapy & Co: Sydney Therapy Company are continuing to conduct assessments as needed.  Please complete the documents below and register your interest with Mrs Gunns if you would like your son to be booked for an assessment. 

Please email agunns@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au to register interest in an opportunity to improve hand writing skills.  This is an invitation for any student, Year 5 –Year 12. The only ingredient required is motivation to improve. Please refer to https://sydneytherapyco.com.au/

Sydney Therapy & Co will come to St Pius to conduct assessments to reach a starting point for goals.

Cost is $195 (normally $425).  Then ongoing, the students can access one on one or small group therapy. 

• One on one - $140
• Group of three - $69 for 45 min
• Pair group - $69 for 30 min

There would be a commitment to a block of therapy as guided by the assessment outcomes. All teaching will be conducted at SPX before or after school.

Ms Annabel Gunns - Learning Support & Enrichment Coordinator

Highlights from the Junior Resource Centre

Reconciliation Week is an opportunity to learn about our shared histories and cultures and to establish a relationship with each other based on truth. It is a week about having challenging conversations and taking the time to listen. In support of this important week the JRC is shining a spotlight on some of our favourite Indigenous authors and stories, beginning with ‘Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy, ‘Young Dark Emu’ by Bruce Pascoe. Using simpler language, clear explanations and gorgeous illustrations, Bruce Pascoe uncovers the truer history of Aboriginal Australia. Recommended for ages 10+ but it is sure to be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Year 5 and 6 studied the 2019 National Reconciliation theme ‘Grounded in Truth’ by unpacking the 2019 NRW Poster. The poster is designed around a central 'tree of truth' image. The tree of truth emerges when the seeds of empathy, solidarity and love are sown. "It represents the reconciled community we can become, if we’re able to honestly and holistically acknowledge our shared history, learn from it, and move forward together."   http://www.schoolsreconciliationchallenge.org.au/about/

Year 5 and 6 studied the 2019 National reconciliation theme ‘Grounded in Truth’ by unpacking the 2019 NRW Poster. The poster is designed around a central “tree of truth” image. The tree of truth emerges when the seeds of empathy, solidarity and love are sown. ‘ It represents the reconciled community we can become, if we’re able to honestly and holistically acknowledge our shared history, learn from it, and move forward together. ‘ http://www.schoolsreconciliationchallenge.org.au/about/

Mrs Martin’s Book Trail:  Don’t follow Vee by Oliver Phommavanh

From the mad-cap bestselling author of Thai-riffic!, Con-nerd, The Other Christy comes… Poor Vee! You would think that she would love being an Instagram star - the attention, the free clothes and everyone wanting to be part of her ‘insta-world’  Oliver Phommavanh really has tapped into the ‘social media obsessed world’ that so many people find themselves caught up in.

It is a great story about finding out about who you really are and who is really important in your life.#MrsMartinsbooktrail2019

Mrs Elena Martin - Junior Librarian

Junior School Chess Club

This week Team A, B and D will be at HOME, Team C have a BYE. Good luck to all our teams. Please check the draw for further details.

Photo:  Year 6 Boys enjoying Chess at lunchtime. #unityincommunity#getamongstit

Mrs Elena Martin - Junior School Chess Coordinator

Junior Sport

Thursday Sport:  at Oxford Falls. Winter training continues for Football and Rugby.

Athletics: The Junior School House Carnival takes place on Wednesday 5 June at the Sydney Olympic Park Warm-up venue, Homebush. Parents are of course invited to attend as spectators or in an assisting capacity (ribbons / recording etc.). A detailed letter and program has been uploaded to the College App.

Dance: Our Dance program begins on 6 June and is integrated with our Thursday sport program of winter training. Please note the amendments to travel times in the table above. On the early departure days, boys will require a packed lunch. The cost of the 4 week program is $40 and will be charged to Term 3 Fees.

Rugby:  (Please see below for information from the Rugby Club)

Mr Greg Virgona - Junior School Sportsmaster

Football - Round 4 Results:   Another great weekend of football for our junior teams. The Prep As and Bs played great team games against The Kings School at home to come up with two wins. It was impossible to pick out a best and fairest from either team as every boy contributed to the victories. Next week’s games against our arch rivals St Patrick’s will be our toughest test of the season so far.   It was also pleasing to hear about the great teamwork in the 11s - well played boys. 

Photos below:  Prep A’s in action on the weekend, including Sid about to score our first goal.

A reminder that Tuesday morning training session is available to all boys at Beauchamp Oval Chatswood from 7am. 

Round 5 Draw:  Please note our 11 C’s and D’s are kicking off first at 7:30.

Mr Paul Cummins - Junior Football Convenor

From the SPX Rugby Committee

Dear St Pius X Rugby Parents and Supporters,

Tickets are now on sale for the SPX Rugby Supporters' Club Dinner, to be held from 7pm on Friday 21 June at the Roseville Golf Club.  Come and enjoy a great night of fun and entertainment and help raise funds for our rugby-playing sons.  The link below will take you directly to the Trybooking Ticketing Site:

https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=502134&. 

We are delighted to again have former Wallaby, currently Rugby Australia Elite Coaching Development Officer, and Fox Sports personality, Rod Kafer, as our MC for the evening.

Tickets are $150 per head (unchanged from last year), which includes canapes and drinks on arrival, a two course meal with wine and beer, great entertainment, live auctions, silent auctions, raffles and lucky door prizes.

The dinner is the Rugby Club’s principal fund raising event for the year and we rely on your support at our dinner to raise the money needed to fund initiatives that improve your son’s Rugby development and enjoyment in ‘our’ game which also forms life-long friendships which our boys will develop through their involvement in SPX rugby. 

Again, this season the Rugby Club has budgeted to spend in excess of $50,000 to assist the College in the further development of the rugby program, in both the Senior and Junior Colleges – including, (but not limited to), funding the Rugby Development Officer and external assistant rugby coaches, financial support for College touring squads (Opens – Gold Coast Tour; Under 15’s – New Zealand Tour; Prep First XV – Armidale TAS Tour); filming and analysis of games; and, financially supporting students’ referee accreditation courses.

Support your sons. Enjoy a great night out. We look forward to seeing you at the SPX Rugby Dinner!

Regards,

Paul O’Neill (on behalf of the SPX Rugby Supporters’ Club Committee)

Tel: 0418-634750