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Dear Parents and Caregivers of St Pius X,
Last Sunday’s Gospel offered us something very familiar and deeply meaningful — the Lord’s Prayer, the same prayer we often say with our children at school and in church:
“Our Father, who art in heaven...”
In this passage, one of Jesus' disciples asks Him to teach them how to pray. Jesus responds by giving them (and us) a simple but powerful prayer that places trust in God’s care and reminds us of our need for daily grace, forgiveness, and guidance.
Jesus then shares a story about a person who knocks on a friend’s door at night asking for help. The message is clear: don’t be afraid to keep asking, seeking, and knocking — God always hears us. Jesus encourages us to pray with confidence and persistence, knowing that God is a loving Father who wants what is good for His children.
This Gospel reminds us adults:
- We don’t need fancy words to speak to God. A simple, heartfelt prayer — even something as familiar as the “Our Father” — is enough.
- Our children learn how to pray by watching and listening to us. When we pray with them, we are planting seeds of faith that grow over time.
- God is not distant or disinterested. He listens with the heart of a loving parent, always ready to respond in the way that is best for us.
For our children, this passage teaches that:
- God is close, like a loving parent they can talk to anytime.
- Prayer isn’t just about asking — it’s about building a relationship with God.
- They can trust that God hears them, even if the answer doesn’t come right away.
As a school community, this Gospel invites us to encourage prayer in the everyday — morning prayers, quiet reflection, and moments of gratitude. Let us continue to walk together in faith, helping our children grow in trust and closeness with God.
Lisa Tyson
Principal
SCHOOL PHOTO INFORMATION
On Monday 4 August 2025 St Pius X will hold the re-scheduled “School Photos day”. Students are asked to wear their Full Winter School Uniform with correct socks and footwear on the day of their photograph. Their hair styles should be reflective of how they wear it each day and the normal school expectations. Please do not send children in their sports uniform.
All purchasing information will be carried over from the previous day.
Statement of Intent: Our Shared Commitment to Addressing Bullying in NSW Schools
At St Pius X, the safety, wellbeing, and dignity of every student is at the heart of what we do. Guided by our vision, “With faith as our guide, we nurture hearts and empower minds,” we are committed to creating a culture where every child feels safe, respected, and supported to learn and thrive.
In May 2025, Catholic Schools NSW, along with the NSW Department of Education and the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, released a “Statement of Intent” outlining a shared commitment to address all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying. This statewide initiative emphasises prevention, early intervention, and effective response, supported by evidence-based strategies and strong partnerships between schools, families, and communities.
As part of this commitment, the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) is currently revising its Student Anti-Bullying Procedures to ensure they reflect best practice and align with this statewide approach. These updates will strengthen how schools prevent, identify, and respond to bullying behaviours, and will ensure that students, staff, and families are clear on their roles in building a safe and inclusive school environment.
At St Pius X, we want to be proactive in this important area. This means:
- Continuing to teach positive, respectful relationships through our curriculum.
- Actively seeking student voices so we understand their experiences and ideas.
- Continuing to work with parents to address concerns early and work together to support our children.
- Ensuring our staff have up-to-date training and resources to respond effectively.
Bullying of any kind goes against our Gospel values and has no place in our school. Together, as a community of parents, staff, and students, we can make St Pius X a place where kindness, inclusion, and respect are part of everyday life.
Christine Nunes
Assistant Principal
Vision - With Faith as our guide we nurture hearts and empower minds.
Mission - Encountering Jesus through word and action
Enhancing academic and personal excellence
Fostering well being in our community
Shaping Our School Values Together
Last term, during a Staff Spirituality Day, our dedicated staff community came together to reflect deeply on our school’s Vision and Mission. As part of this process, we began the important work of aligning our school values with these guiding statements—ensuring they truly reflect who we are and what we stand for as a community.
We are now excited to take the next step by inviting you, our parents and caregivers, to be part of this journey.
Join us for a Parent Forum
Thursday 21st August 2:10 PM - SPX Staffroom
This will be a wonderful opportunity to:
- Hear about the values our staff have identified
- Share your ideas about what these values look like in action
- Help shape how they are defined and lived out in our school community
We value your voice and look forward to working in partnership with you to bring our shared values to life.
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AUGUST |
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| Friday 1st |
NATIONAL PRINCIPALS DAY |
| Monday 4th |
SCHOOL PHOTOS |
| Friday 8th |
YR 3 EXCURSION RANGER JAMIE TOUR AND BOOK COVERING 9AM - 10:50AM |
| Saturday 9th |
WORKING BEE |
| Monday 11th |
BULLYING NO WAY DAY MUFTI DAY |
| Friday 15th |
WAKAKIRRI PERFORMACE @7PM |
| Monday 18th |
BOOK WEEK PARADE |
| Wednesday 20th |
YEAR 1 EXCURSION - BOTANIC GARDENS |
| Friday 22nd |
FEAST DAY AND COLOUR RUN |
| Wednesday 27th |
P&F MEETING @ 7PM |
| Friday 29th |
SOCCER GALA DAY |
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SEPTEMBER |
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| Thursday 4th |
FATHER'S DAY STALL |
| Friday 5th |
FATHER'S DAY CELEBRATION |
| Thursday 11th |
R U OK DAY ? CRAZY HAIR DAY |
| Friday 12th |
YEAR 2 ASSEMBLY |
| Thursday 18th |
BASKETBALL GALA DAY JNR |
| Friday 19th |
BASKETBALL GALA DAY SNR |
| Friday 19th |
KINDERGARTEN EXCURSION SYMBIO WILDLIFE PARK |
| Thursday 25th |
SCHOOL DISCO |
|
LAST DAY TERM 3 FOR STUDENTS |
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| Friday 26th |
PUPIL FREE DAY |
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OCTOBER |
|
|
TERM FOUR |
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Monday 13th |
STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL |
| Friday 24th |
Grandparents Day |
STEM MAD SHOWCASE
It was great to see so many parents and carers at the STEM MAD Showcase yesterday. The Year 5 and Year 6 students had some amazing ideas to Make A Difference in someone's life.
After compiling the votes from the 7 judges, we can announce the top 5:
They are:
5th - In Need Vending Machine - Scarlett T, Ruby G, Chiara C and Aaliyah H
4th - Chores 4 You - Ezekiel B and Louis G
3rd - No Touch Bin - Addison M, Madison H and Annabel N
2nd - Thermo Wrap - Scarlett R, Leni G, Evie N and Katie V
1st - Eco Net - Emmett T, Tom F and Isaiah S
The next stage of the competition is the Innovate for Impact day held at the Innovation Campus in Wollongong on September 23rd. On this day, our top 3 teams will compete against the rest of the successful teams in the Diocese for a place in the National STEM MAD competition, to be held in Adelaide on the 18th of November.
We wish our top three place-getters all the very best for the next round of the competition and we extend congratulations to all of the students on their awesome products. Everyone should be so proud of their achievements!
Andrew Hales
STEM Teacher
ESAFETY
Do you need some resources to help you navigate the online world with your child? Do you need to report inappropriate content? These links provide useful information and support for parents/carers:
e-Safety Kids - Being Safe online
Kids Helpline - Being Safe on the Internet
Have you got the SPX Parent Calendar yet?
Do you want to know when the next assembly is, Gala Day, or major school event? Using SPX Parent calendar is the perfect way to keep up to date with all our school events.
You can subscribe using a Google account, view online without signing in, or add it to your own calendar via iPhone or calendar app. Use the links below to get started and stay up to date with all things SPX.
- If you have a Google account use this link – SPX Parent Calendar
- To see this calendar online, without signing in – SPX Parent calendar
- To add this calendar to an iPhone or Calendar App – SPX Parent calendar
PRINCIPAL AWARDS
Jaxon Gafa - 5B
Emma Nobrega - 5R
Medallions will be presented in Term 4 by Mrs Tyson.
Congratulations to all of these students.
The Council of Catholic Schools Parents (CCSP) has announced that tickets to the 2025 CCSP Parents and Carers’ Conference on 25th October are now on sale!
This year’s conference celebrates 30 years of CCSP supporting and advocating for parents and carers of children in Catholic schools. It also marks the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Committee.
The conference theme for 2025 is SUPPORTING FAMILIES: WORKING TOGETHER IN A MODERN WORLD.
Keynote speakers at the one-day conference include:
- Dr Justin Coulson - one of Australia’s most trusted parenting experts. He is the co-host and parenting expert on Channel 9’s Parental Guidance, the founder of happyfamilies.com.au.
- Michelle Mitchell - author and speaker, sought after for her compassionate and grounded advice for parenting tweens and teens.
- Daniel Principe - passionate youth advocate and educator. Through his work, Daniel encourages young people to recognise and resist distorted attitudes towards bodies, relationships etc...
The conference which is being held at the Novotel, 350 Church Street, Parramatta is a one-day event and is only $30 to attend. It is a wonderful opportunity to hear and engage with some of Australia’s leading experts on raising young people in our complex society.
Click below to see the P&F Term 3, 2025 Newsletter.
Congratulations to Gold (Joesphite) House for winning last term’s token count for positive behaviour on the playground from weeks 5-10. They elected to wear mufti for the day last Friday.
Grid ball
We’re excited to share that a new piece of equipment, Gridball, has been introduced to our playground! Gridball is a fun and engaging way for students to develop teamwork and agility. To ensure fair use. Year levels have been placed on a roster to take turns using the equipment.
Other activities during lunch and recess in term 3 include:
- Soccer
- Tag and running games
- Basketball
- Ball games
- Adventure playground
- Cricket
- Skipping
- Gardening club
- Crochet club
- Passive Play
- Choir
- Friday - Chill and Charge activities.
Message from Fr Duane
Dear Parishioners,
Please find attached this week's bulletin.
Click here to view the Parish Mass Times
Fr Duane Fernandez
Parish Priest
Immaculate Conception and St Therese Parishes