St Pius X Catholic Parish Primary School Unanderra eNewsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

As I begin my role of Acting Principal, I am grateful for the opportunity to lead our community alongside such dedicated staff, engaged families, and wonderful students. In recent weeks, I have been struck by how clearly our school values of Compassion, Stewardship, and Inclusivity shine through in the daily life of St Pius X. These values are not simply words – they are lived out in the way we gather, celebrate, and support one another.

Last week gave us many examples of these values in action. We began with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, where students and staff reflected on our responsibility to care for the environment – a true expression of Stewardship.

We also celebrated the blessing of our new Yarning Circle with a Smoking Ceremony, led by Uncle Kev, Uncle Mark, Sam, and Fr Duane. This moment of cultural respect and reconciliation highlighted our commitment to Inclusivity, providing a space where every voice can be heard, every story valued, and every culture honoured.

Later in the week, we gathered for Father’s Day with a special breakfast, our Year 1 assembly, and open classrooms. This celebration reflected Compassion, as we recognised and gave thanks for the love and care of fathers and father figures in our students’ lives.

This week, the Church also celebrates the canonisation of Carlo Acutis, now the first millennial saint. Carlo was an ordinary teenager who loved football, computer games, and time with friends, but he also had an extraordinary faith in Jesus. Using his skills in technology, he created a website cataloguing Eucharistic miracles from around the world, allowing others to encounter the beauty of the Church. Carlo reminds us that holiness is not about age or status, but about living each day with love, generosity, and faith.

Carlo’s example connects closely with our school values:

He showed Compassion by reaching out to those who were lonely or excluded, always including others.
He lived Stewardship by using his gifts of technology and creativity to serve God and others.
He modelled Inclusivity by believing that everyone – young and old – is called to be a saint and has something to contribute.

For our students at St Pius X, Carlo’s life is a reminder that each of them has unique gifts and talents that can be used to bring joy, build community, and share God’s love. His motto was: “To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan.”

Looking ahead, our parish of Immaculate Conception, together with St Therese Parish, will once again host the Annual Community Fun Day on Sunday 2nd November 2025 at Edmund Rice College. This will be a wonderful celebration for people of all ages, and Fr Duane is inviting support to help make the event a success. If you have ideas to add to the day’s activities, or if you would like to be part of the planning committee, please contact the Parish Office. Your involvement will be warmly welcomed.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for the many ways you help make St Pius X such a connected, caring, and faith-filled community. Together, we continue to live our values in ways that strengthen both our community and the learning of every child.

Kind Regards,

Christine Nunes
Acting Principal

As Mrs Nunes steps into the role of Acting Principal during Mrs Tyson’s absence, I’m honoured to be serving as Acting Assistant Principal at St Pius X.

It’s a privilege to support our vibrant school community in this capacity and I’m genuinely excited to contribute in a way that continues to uphold our shared values of faith, learning and wellbeing. While this leadership opportunity is temporary, I understand the important role an Assistant Principal plays in shaping the day to day experience of students, staff and families.

Education is a powerful force for change and even in a short time, we can make a meaningful difference. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated staff and wonderful families to continue building a school culture where every learner is valued and every voice matters.

Today, our school recognised R U OK? Day - a national day that reminds us all to check in with one another and ask a simple but powerful question: “Are you OK?”

At St Pius X, this day was about the importance of building a caring and connected community where students feel safe to talk, listen and support each other. It was also a chance to raise awareness around mental health and wellbeing and to remind everyone that a conversation can make a real difference.

To help bring some fun and colour to the day, we held a Crazy Hair Day! Students came to school with wild, wacky and creative hairstyles to show their support and to help spark conversations.

How Families Can Support

We encourage parents and carers to continue the conversation at home. You might ask:

“Have you ever asked someone if they’re OK?”
“What would you do if a friend looked upset?”
“Who could you talk to if you weren’t feeling OK?”

If you or someone you know needs support, there are wonderful services available across Australia:

Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
Parent Line NSW – 1300 1300 52

As the weather starts to warm up, students may begin to transition into their Summer uniform from next week (Week 9). Students are asked to be in either FULL Summer uniform or FULL Winter uniform (not a combination of both). All students will be expected to be in FULL Summer uniform for the first day of Term 4.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Shay Lindner

Acting Assistant Principal

Mission Moments

At SPX, we celebrate “mission moments”, times when students and staff show kindness, compassion, and care for others in everyday ways. Whether it’s helping a classmate, encouraging a friend, or simply being thoughtful, these acts reflect our school’s mission in action. By recognising and celebrating them, we encourage everyone to live out our shared values of Compassion, Inclusivity and Stewardship each day.

	SEPTEMBER
Friday 12th	Year 2 Assembly
Thursday 18th	Basketball Gala day - JUNIOR
Friday 19th	Basketball Gala day - SENIOR
Friday 19th	KINDERGARTEN EXCURSION Symbio Wildlife park
Wednesday 24th	P&F Meeting at 7pm
Thursday 25th	School Disco
Thursday 25th	LAST DAY TERM 3 FOR STUDENTS
Friday 26th	PUPIL FREE DAY
	OCTOBER - TERM 4
Monday 13th	STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL
Friday 17th	Fun day & Colour Run
Friday 24th	Grandparents Day
Thursday 30th	Kindergarten 2026 - Playgroups commence 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Friday 31st	Kindergarten Playgroups 9.30am - 10.30am
	NOVEMBER
Sunday 2nd	Parish Community Fun day @ ERC
Thursday 6th	Kindergarten Playgroups 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Friday 7th	Kindergarten Playgroups 9.30am - 10.30am
Friday 7th - Friday 21st	Learn to Swim Program - Yr 2 & Yr 4
Monday 10th - Friday 14th	Life Education Van
Wednesday 12th - Friday 14th	Year 6 Camp
Friday 14th	Kindergarten Playgroups 9.30am - 10.30am
Thursday 20th	Kindergarten Playgroups 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Friday 21st	Kindergarten Playgroups 9.30am - 10.30am
Thursday 26th	Volunteers Thank You - 2.00pm-3.00pm
Thursday 26th	P&F Meeting
Thursday 27th	Kindergarten Orientation and Playgroup 9.30am - 11.00am
Friday 28th	Swimming Carnival
Saturday 29th	First holy communion
	DECEMBER
Wednesday 3rd	End of Year mass & ACE Awards
Thursday 4th	Year 6 - Jamberoo Recreation Park
Monday 8th	Year 6 Graduation
Friday 12th	Promotions Morning
Monday 15th	Christmas Concert & Special Visitor
Wednesday 17th	STUDENTS LAST SCHOOL DAY
	2026
	JANUARY - TERM 1
Tuesday 27th - Wednesday 28th	STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAYS
Thursday 29th	Year 1 - Year 6 Return
Friday 30th	Kindergarten commence

St Pius X Yarning Circle – A Celebration of Faith, Culture, and Connection

Last Wednesday, 3rd September, our school community gathered for the official blessing and opening of the St Pius X Yarning Circle—a deeply meaningful event that honoured both our Catholic faith and the spiritual traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The ceremony was marked by a strong sense of respect, reverence, and connection to Country, reminding us of the sacred relationship First Nations peoples have with the land and the importance of listening, sharing, and learning together. The timing of the event was especially significant, aligning with the start of spring and the World Day of Prayer for Creation, which calls us to care for the Earth and reflect on our shared responsibility as stewards of creation.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who attended - students, families, staff, and invited guests, and offer special gratitude to Fr Duane, Uncle Kev, Uncle Mark, and Sam for their presence, wisdom and contributions that made the day so memorable.

The Yarning Circle is now a dedicated space for students to use during school hours. It will be a place for reflection, storytelling, respectful dialogue, and connection, a space where voices are heard, culture is honoured and community is strengthened.

We look forward to seeing this space become a living part of our school’s identity, where learning and listening go hand in hand.

PRINCIPAL AWARDS

Maxwell Ratajkoski - 2B

Darcy Peterson - 3B

Dante Dragovic - 3B

Freddie Herbert - 3B

Noah Stewart - 3B

Zara Moretti - 3B

Audrey Turner - 4B

Rio Malacrida - 4B

Evelina Dudzinski - 4R

Zara Vaassen - 4R

MACKILLOP AWARDS

Riley Hill - 6R

Medallions will be presented in Term 4 by Mrs Tyson.

Congratulations to all of these students.

On Tuesday night, St Pius X Catholic Parish Primary School was proud to host a special parent event in partnership with CatholicCare. The session focused on supporting children to build respectful relationships and navigate healthy friendships, linking with this year’s theme “Shifting Conversation into Actions.”

In the coming newsletters, we will share some of the beneficial strategies and skills explored during the session so that all families can continue to support their children in these important areas.

Conflict and Bullying

Differentiate Conflict vs Bullying: Conflict = normal disagreements. Bullying = repeated, targeted and harmful.
Teach problem solving: Walk away, cool down, use ‘I feel…’ language, seek help if needed.
Practice Calm Body Language: Stand tall, clear voice, steady eye contact.
Encourage reporting: Let them know they can always come to you or a teacher.

Conversation starters:

“Has anyone upset you this week? How did you handle it?’
‘What’s the difference between having a disagreement and being bullied?’
‘If you saw someone being picked on, what could you do?’

SCHOOL DISCO

The school DISCO is only 2 weeks away on Thursday 25th September

Infants 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Primary 6pm - 7pm

The school has organised a compass event for the entry - see compass post for details and payment.

Hot Food - BEFORE EACH DISCO

The P&F is operating a hot food (choice of sausage sizzle or hot dog) and drinks stall before each disco, pre-orders only, orders close 4pm Wednesday 24th September. Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/DCLQA

Snacks - DURING EACH DISCO

The canteen will also be open during each disco for all the snacks and sweet treats.

This year we are introducing a prepaid card that can be used at the canteen. They are available for purchase at: https://www.trybooking.com/DCLQA or Cash/EFTPOS on the night. The canteen will still accept cash.

We always need volunteers for the school disco so if you’d like to lend a hand organising, cooking, serving we are always grateful for your help click here to let us know you'd like to help. To those that have already volunteered, thank you, we will be in touch.

FROM THE PARENT HANDBOOK

MOBILE PHONES / SMART WATCHES

Students who bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off during the school day. Phones are to be handed into the office as the student arrives at school. Students and parents use the regular methods of communication (through the school office) throughout the school day.

Smart watches are allowed to be worn by students with sounds switched off and no communication via the device. Breach of this will follow PB4L procedures, and in the second instance the device will not be permitted at school.