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Dear Parents and Caregivers of St Pius X,
STAFFING UPDATE
It is with deep appreciation and best wishes that I share that Mr. Bill Whittle will be leaving St Pius X at the end of this year. Bill has accepted a Middle Leader position at Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School, Fairy Meadow.
Bill has been a highly valued member of our school community for the past 11 years, and his contributions will be greatly missed by our students, staff, and parents. We wholeheartedly congratulate Bill on this exciting appointment and wish him every success in his new role and future career in Catholic education in the Diocese of Wollongong.
A NOTE OF THANKS
I am delighted to be back at St Pius X and want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to our entire school community.
My time on long service leave in Italy was a wonderful experience and I was able to relax completely knowing the school was in outstanding hands.
I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the following staff members for their exceptional leadership during my absence:
- Mrs. Christine Nunes for her remarkable work as Acting Principal. Christine's steady leadership and tireless commitment ensured the school ran seamlessly, and her dedication to our community was evident every single day.
- Mrs. Shay Linder for her dedication in taking on the role of Acting Assistant Principal. Shay's focus on supporting staff and students was invaluable in maintaining our positive and productive learning environment.
- Mrs. Trish Burrows for stepping up to the role of Acting Middle Leader 2. Trish's professional diligence ensured that key learning initiatives continued without interruption.
These collective efforts, supported by our entire staff, ensured that the high quality of education and care at St Pius X continued without missing a beat.
PERSONAL UPDATE
I also need to share some difficult personal news with our community. My mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly while my husband and I were in Italy. Her funeral will be held on Thursday, October 23rd in Dorrigo NSW.
As a result, I will be taking bereavement leave from Wednesday October 22nd to Friday October 24th to attend the funeral and support my husband and sons during this difficult time.
Unfortunately, this means I will be missing our upcoming Grandparents' Day celebration. Please accept my sincere apologies for my unavoidable absence.
The school will continue to be led by Mrs. Christine Nunes during my leave.
Thank you once again for your support of our staff and for your patience as I navigate this personal loss.
Kind Regards,
Lisa Tyson
Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
You may have heard in the media recently about upcoming changes to social media platforms that will affect how children and young people can access and use them. From 10 December 2025, new Australian laws will prevent children under the age of 16 from creating or keeping an account on certain social media platforms. These changes aim to give children more time to develop the skills and maturity needed to navigate online environments safely and responsibly.
The new age restrictions are expected to apply to platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, among others. Children under 16 will still be able to view publicly available content that doesn’t require logging in. Importantly, educational tools such as Google Classroom and YouTube Kids will not be affected.
It is important as parents that we understand these changes so we can support our children to use technology safely, responsibly, and within the law.
To help families prepare, the eSafety Commissioner has launched a Social Media Age Restrictions Hub. This hub provides clear, up-to-date information, including answers to frequently asked questions, guidance on how the changes may impact schools, and practical advice on how to talk with children about social media use. The hub can be found here.
Parents and carers are also encouraged to take part in the free eSafety parent webinars, which offer valuable support for navigating these changes and promoting healthy digital habits at home. To learn more about webinars, visit: Webinars for parents and carers
Christine Nunes
Assistant Principal
We are collecting food items to be donated to St Vincent De Paul in December.
Please see below for items to be brought in for each Year group.
Thank you in advance for your kind donations.
Kinder: Lollies, chips, chocolates
Year 1: Biscuits, Tea, Coffee
Year 2: Drinks, cordial, juice, fizzy drink
Year 3: Christmas pudding/cake, desserts
Year 4: Tinned fruit, long life custard
Year 5: Breakfast items eg. Boxed cereal, Long life milk
Year 6: Pasta, Pasta Sauce
Catholic Mission Month – Socktober 2025
Last Friday, our school celebrated Socktober as part of Catholic Mission Month, raising awareness and funds to support communities in Zambia. This year’s focus was on helping children access food and education, giving them the chance to build a brighter future.
Thanks to the generosity of our students and families, we raised an incredible $420 during our Socktober event!
If you would like to continue supporting this important cause, donations can still be made using the link or QR code on the flyer attached. Every contribution helps make a difference!
First Holy Communion – Booking Reminder
Families have been sent an email with booking links for both the Retreat/Practice Session and the First Holy Communion Ceremony.
Bookings open: Saturday, 18 October 2025, at 9:00am
Bookings close: Sunday, 26 October 2025, at 11:30pm
Please remember to book one ticket per child for each event. As ceremony numbers are limited, book early if you need a specific date or time.
Check all your email inboxes — including junk and spam folders — for this correspondence.
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OCTOBER - TERM 4 |
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| 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 |
VOLUNTEERS THANK YOU AFTERNOON TEA
SCHOOL DISCO
A Heartfelt Thank You for Supporting Our Environmental Fundraiser!
We are thrilled to share the incredible success of our recent school disco, which raised nearly $2000 in support of our ongoing environmental initiatives. This achievement would not have been possible without the generous contributions and enthusiastic participation of our amazing students and families.
Your support helps us continue building a greener, more sustainable school community—whether it's through native planting projects, waste reduction programs, or replenishing our veggie patches. Every dollar raised brings us closer to a cleaner future for our students and the planet.
A special shoutout to our P & F group for their invaluable help in organising the evening, and to Miss Vezinias, who kept the energy high and the dance floor buzzing as our fabulous DJ!
Thank you once again for your commitment to our school and the environment. Together, we’re making a difference!
STUDENT TRAVEL INFORMATION
PAYMENT OF SCHOOL FEES BY INSTALMENT
NEW FAMILIES TO OUR SCHOOL
School Fees are invoiced as an annual account, due for payment in full 30 days after invoicing. However, many families elect to pay their school fees by regular instalments and as a new family to our school, we would like to offer you this option. If you wish to take up this offer, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on the school’s website or from the school’s administration office. On completion of the request, simply submit via the website or if you are completing a paper form, email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at the school office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process of invoicing 2026 school fees. Your school fee statements are emailed to you and they will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date.
IMPORTANT: Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying by instalments at this location, you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment. The instalment request carries over from school to school with the same frequency of payment eg Weekly, fortnightly, etc.
EXISTING FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL WITH INSTALMENTS
If you are currently paying by instalments there is no need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment as your request carries over from year to year unless you wish to amend the frequency of your payments eg Weekly to Fortnightly
EXISTING FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL WITHOUT INSTALMENTS
If you would like to pay school fees by instalments in 2026 and have previously not taken up this option for payment, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on the school’s website or from the school’s administration office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at the school office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process of invoicing 2026 school fees. Your school fee statement will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date depending on the frequency you have chosen eg Fortnightly, Monthly, etc.
IMPORTANT: Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying by instalments at this location, you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment. The instalment request carries over from school to school with the same frequency of payment eg Weekly, fortnightly, etc.
Important Reminder – Anaphylaxis Awareness
At St Pius X, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We have several students with life-threatening nut allergies, and even the smallest trace of peanuts or nut products can cause a severe reaction known as anaphylaxis.
We ask families to show compassion for those living with this condition by avoiding peanuts, peanut butter, Nutella, and other nut products in lunchboxes. This small act helps us keep vulnerable children safe.
As a school, teachers constantly remind students not to share food. We would really appreciate the support of parents by having regular conversations with your child about the importance of this practice. By working together, we create an inclusive environment where every child feels secure and able to participate fully in school life.
The following can also be found in the Parent Handbook:
ANAPHYLAXIS
We have several children in the school who are allergic to nuts. Their allergies are life threatening, therefore, we are a nut aware school and ask parents not to send their children to school with any nuts, peanut butter, nutella and nut products. There is an expectation that children do not share food in any grade.
Dear Parents and Carers,
This term, the following sporting events will take place:
- Swim Program (Year 2 and Year 4) – Fridays in Weeks 4, 5, 6 and 8
- Dragon Tag Gala Day (Years 3, 4 and 5) – Thursday 13 November
- SPXU Swim Trials (Carnival) – Week 7: for competitors only who will be turning 8 years or older next year
A huge congratulations to Tom Fischer and Mila McPherson, who competed yesterday and are competing again today at the NSWPSSA Athletics. Tom is competing in the 11 Years Boys 100m, and Mila in the Junior Girls Long Jump.
PRINCIPAL AWARDS
Gwendolyn Reefman - 3R
Abhiram Abhilash Nair - 5B
Maria Herve - 5B
Sophia Pope - 5R
MACKILLOP AWARDS
Adaline Teale - 2R
Leo Panayiotou - 3R
Roman Trandafilu - 6R
Medallions will be presented in Term 4 by Mrs Tyson.
Congratulations to all of these students.
St Pius X Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Please see the file below containing the updated St Pius X Arrival and Dismissal Procedures. We ask that you follow these procedures carefully to help keep all members of our school community safe.
Message from Fr Duane
Dear Parishioners,
Please find attached this week's bulletin and Community Fun Day information.
Reminder:
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.
Fr Duane Fernandez
Parish Priest
Immaculate Conception and St Therese Parishes