I extend to you a very warm welcome back to Term Two 2023. It was wonderful to welcome the children back and I was appreciative of the way they were presented so beautifully in their uniforms. This certainly demonstrates the outward respect that the students have for their school.

This week I had the great pleasure of commencing Kindergarten 2024 interviews. It has been lovely to reconnect with existing families and learn of their experiences with St Pius X thus far. It is also a time to meet new families and learn of their hopes as they journey into school life. Our enrolments are very healthy and reflect the strong reputation that we have built within the community.

St Pius X is a special place, where those seeking a Catholic education are welcome and this is reflective in our diverse mix of cultures, nationalities and religious traditions.

I look forward to another productive term of learning, where student faith is nurtured and high expectations underpin our work. 

My hope is that I can connect personally with many of you at our Mothers’ Day celebrations or at student pick up and drop off throughout the term.

“Catholic schools in the Diocese of Wollongong play a significant role in the saving and evangelising mission of the Church through their witness to a distinctive educational spiritual, moral and socially engaged foundation, based on faith in Jesus Christ”

(Most Rev Brian G Mascord- Bishop of Wollongong 2023)

 Next Friday St Pius X will be hosting our annual Mother’s Day breakfast. RSVPs are due by Friday 5^th May using the Google Form available on Compass.

Playground supervision will commence at 8am on this day, no St Pius X students are permitted in the hall or surrounds as the function is in process.

Many thanks to the generous donations that have been supplied for the Mother’s Day Raffle.

Be sure to purchase your tickets for this raffle via the QR code provided – there will be no physical purchasing of tickets on the day.

Month of May - Rosary prayer focus

The month of May is a time when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

It is traditional in this month to pray the Rosary.

Students of St Pius X will be dedicating their prayer sessions each Friday throughout the month of May to learning the prayers of the rosary and aiming toward praying a decade of the rosary.

You may like to speak with your children about this special prayer and partake in praying as a family.

 Sr Kerry Visits – Prayer Experience: Labyrinth

Throughout Term 2 and 3 we are thrilled to announce that Sr Kerry will be visiting our school to share her expertise on using labyrinths as a way of prayer.

During her visits, Sr Kerry will be exploring the history and significance of labyrinths, as well as teaching our students how to use them as a tool for quiet reflection and prayer.

We believe that this is a wonderful opportunity for our students to deepen their spiritual awareness and understanding, and we look forward to welcoming Sr Kerry to our school.

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

Snapchat

Lowes Sale