Professional Development

Throughout the year teachers have access to a variety of quality professional development opportunities. Casual teachers are employed to cover classes with the teacher ensuring the teaching program and routines are followed. 

“Those who dare to teach, never cease to learn” John Cotton-Dana

ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance is important and it is essential that children arrive at school by 8:50am and join their class lines. The school grounds are open to pupils from 8:20am each morning. Students catching afternoon buses are supervised until the last bus departs.

The school gates open at 8:20am each morning and supervision finishes at 3:20pm. Parents are requested to adhere to these times. Outside of these times our OOSHC service is available to all parents of the school.

If your child is absent from school for any reason, please enter the absence including the reason via Compass. We encourage families to organise holidays outside the school term. If seeking an exemption of over 10 school days an application must be lodged at the office for Principal approval. 

We encourage parents where possible to book appointments outside school hours, if this is not possible your child is noted as a partial absence if they have to leave school early or arrive late. 

Attendance is monitored by the school and Catholic Education Office under our obligations with the Education Act. 

Stages of Home – School Communication

If you have any educational / behaviour concerns about your child, always contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance. Your child’s classroom teacher will make contact with you if they have any concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. This can be done through the office or via email. (Staff emails are located on our website)

Grades and classes across the school are supported by a Stage Coordinator. You are welcome to contact the Stage Coordinator responsible for your child’s class / grade if you have continued concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. The Stage Coordinator will also contact you when and if necessary.

If the issue remains unresolved beyond the Stage Coordinator, then please address your concern/s to the Assistant Principal or the Principal. 

Areas of concern outside your child’s learning or behaviour can be discussed with the principal by making an appointment e.g., financial concerns, clarification of issues, discussion of school policies etc.

It is essential that as members of our community we continually strive to develop open channels of communication. This can be achieved by bringing any concerns and issues related to the school to the attention of the relevant staff member. Only when we are aware of a concern, can we begin to address it in partnership. 

 Graduation News

Congratulations Mrs Kim Norrie on your graduation.

Bachelor of Education (K-6 Teaching) (National Primary Specialisation in English).

We are so proud of you.

STEM Mad

Last term  saw the Stage 3 students at St Pius, Unanderra blessed to receive visitors to help with their STEM Mad projects. STEM Mad is a competition that sees students from all over the country creating and sharing their STEM projects. The winners from each participating diocese are selected to go to Melbourne where they will present to other students, teachers, industry experts and members of the business community.

The guests that visited on the day were: Mrs Theresa Smith, Mrs Helen Murphy, Mrs Bernadette Hales, Mrs Zita Myers, Mrs Alison Brooks, Mr James Brooks, Mr Geoff Tunbridge and Mr Vincent Coughlan. The students were also assisted by Mr Scott Llamas, a member of the CEDow's Learning Technologies and Innovation Team. As well as offering feedback, Mr Llamas also provided technical support in the use of Tinkercad, the 3D design software that the children are using.

St Pius X students are focussing on products that will help members of our community who have reduced mobility with many of the children focussing on hand mobility. Each of the groups are in the midst of creating a computer design of a model that will later be 3D printed and tested by our guests for further development. Should the product tests go well and achieve their intended goal the students would like to make them available to the wider community.

The special guests listened to each of the groups give a brief presentation before offering some feedback which was very well received by the children. It was fantastic to hear different opinions from the guests who have a varied background and could offer specific feedback regarding the usefulness of the products. Within the group of special guests there were retired nurses, engineers, builders, designers and people living with reduced mobility issues or helping those who have reduced mobility.

SPX School Garden Program - Volunteers

Performing Arts 

During Term 1, St Pius X students studied Dance.
Kindergarten learned all about social dances like the Hokey Pokey, and Stage 1
have been creating movements that depict the theme Underwater World. It
has been great to see ‘wibbly wobbly jellyfish’ and popping bubbles as the
students use their bodies to create an entire ecosystem.
Stage 2 have been looking at Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander dance and
song, focussing in particular on Taba Naba and Banana. It has been lovely to
watch the respectful way that Stage 2 have engaged with their learning of this
material.
Stage 3 have been looking at elements of dance and choreography, and
creating their own small group dances.
I have been very impressed with the enthusiasm for learning displayed by St
Pius X students in Term 1, and am looking forward to developing students’
drama skills in Term 2

Ms Fiel

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