Newsletter Term1 Week 5, 2024

Welcome to Country

In the Spirit of Reconciliation, the St. Pius X school community recognizes the ongoing role of the traditional custodians of this land, the Tubba-Gah peoples of the Wiradjuri nation. It is on their ancestral lands that we continue our learning journey together.

We extend that respect to Elders, past, present and emerging. Furthermore, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within our school community. Acknowledging their presence and spiritual connection to Country.

In the light of faith, we work towards a more accepting and humble school environment for all.

Principal's Address

Parent Teacher Interview
We will be holding Parent Teacher interviews in Week 11 of this term  Monday 8th April,
Tuesday 9th April and Wednesday 10th April. Interview times will be open for booking via
Compass one week prior to Parent Teacher Interviews (availablity of times, may vary slightly
from teacher to teacher). We will remind parents when Interviews are open to book.
Parent-teacher interviews give you a great opportunity to:
● learn more about your child’s academic, emotional and social development
● meet and get to know your child’s teachers
● help your child’s teacher's understand more about your child
● make plans with the teacher as to how you can both support your child
If you don’t have any particular concerns, you might wonder whether it’s worth going to parent-
teacher interviews. But going along is one way to show your child that you’re interested in their
learning and what’s happening for them at school.
It can help to take a list of questions with you to interviews so you remember what you would like
to talk about. The interview time tends to pass quickly.
If you’re not sure what to ask, here are some suggestions which may help  get you started:
● What are my child’s interests and strengths?
● What does my child struggle with?
● How much homework should my child be doing every night?
● What can I do at home to help my child with schoolwork?
● What can you tell me about my child’s behaviour in class?
● How is my child getting along with other students?
● What support services are available for my child at this school?
If you don’t get through everything you want to discuss, you might need to arrange another
meeting with your child’s teacher. If your child is present during the interview, you might
want to request a separate meeting without your child to discuss any concerns.

SRC
Congratulations to our Student Representative Council students for Semester One. These
students will work with our Year 6 leaders to provide student voice and support teachers with
fundraising and special events.
Congratulations Violet, Mason P, Grace S, Frankie, Milly and Harrison.

P and F News - Footy Tipping Competition
Our P and F have organised their annual footing tipping competition. This is a great way to have
some fun and support the school at the same time. Invite your family, friends, neighbours and
work colleagues to join in some friendly rivalry.
The cost is $10 per tipper. Please see the attached flyer for details.

Assistant Principal's Address

AFL

The Paul Kelly Cup AFL Gala day for girls and boys in Years Five and Six is being held in Dubbo this Tuesday (27th Feb). We wish all the very best to these students participating.

The day starts with a briefing for all participants at 9.10am. We are asking that students attending be dropped off at 8.45am. Mr Cant, Miss Montague, Miss Carter, Mrs Adams and Mr Jones will be there at this time marking off names and handing out footy jumpers. We ask that you please pick up your child by 2.40pm from the Oval.

Students will need to bring:

1. Sports uniform MUST BE WORN (with SCHOOL HAT). No uniform, No play.  Football boots are allowed to be worn during games.
2. Mouth guards are COMPULSORY.
3. Recess, lunch and drink (bottle). There WILL be a canteen running on the day.
4. Sportsmanship and manners.

AFL After School Clinics

A reminder that due to Paul Kelly Cup there will not be any after school AFL this Tuesday (27th February). The final two clinics will be on the 5th and 12th of March.

Science and Engineering Day

On Thursday 7th of March Year Six will be attending a Science and Engineering day run by the University of Newcastle at the Dubbo showground. The bus will leave school at 9.10am and return around 3.00pm. All students attending will need to wear their sports uniform, drink bottle and bring their own lunch and recess.

RE News

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL INDUCTION

Our SRC were officially inducted last Friday.  Thank you to the parents who were able to attend to pin your child’s badge on.  We wish these students all the best as they represent their peers at St Pius X.

MEET 4 MASS

Meet 4 Mass dates have now been confirmed.  We love to have as many families as possible join the staff of St Pius X and parishioners for mass. 

24th March - Year 6 - Palm procession

7th April - Kinder to year 5

Year 6 students who are making their Confirmation have been asked to be a special part of the Palm Sunday procession.  Each child will wear the red Confirmation sash and form part of the palm procession.  This is also one of the Confirmation enrolment masses.

PROJECT COMPASSION - LENT

Lent is a time for reflection and thinking of those less fortunate than us.  It’s a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection at Easter.  One way that we can help others is through Project Compassion.  Each child should have brought home a Project Compassion money box last week.  The children are encouraged to do small jobs to earn some money to help someone in need throughout Lent. For more details follow the link…Project Compassion

SACRAMENTS

Thank you to all the parents who attended the information sessions to enrol your child for their relevant sacrament this year.  There has been an extra Sacrament meeting added for Tuesday at 6:15pm.  Anyone who has still not enrolled their child, this is the last opportunity.  If you miss this meeting, you will need to contact the Sacramental Coordinator at the St Brigid’s Presbytery - Rosalie Hoskins sacraments.dubbo@cdob.org.au

CLASS MASSES

Each term we have a class mass with Fr. Nam.  These masses allow the children to engage with the mass and learn the parts of the mass in a familiar environment.  The masses are held at school in our Chapel at 1pm (see dates below). Parents or grandparents are most welcome to join us. Some classes have been moved around due to a sports gala day.

MUFTI DAY FUNDRAISER

On the last day of this Term, St Pius X will also have a Mufti Day (wear play clothes to school) for a gold coin donation.  All money raised will go towards the St John’s College Cambodian Immersion Experience, where the Year 11 students will assist with the building of three dwellings to house local families in Cambodia. Our donation will help build these dwellings and support a community that faces numerous challenges regarding education, healthcare and basic amenities.

TERM 1 DATES to Remember

 Jo Taylor

 Religious Education Coordinator St Pius X

Student Wellbeing

Each school in the Diocese of Bathurst has been allocated a Student Wellbeing Officer for the year, with the goal being that the Officer will help to initiate and organise activities and initiatives that will help promote and improve positive wellbeing for the entire student population. At St Pius, our allocation is one day a fortnight.

Throughout the year, in consultation with our principal and staff, I hope to work with the students to improve confidence, resilience, connectedness and an overall sense of positive wellbeing.

Later this term, Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) will be attending same day excursions to Wambangalang Education Centre to participate in activities focused on Personal and Social Capabilities, and Civics and Citizenship. The dates are: Stage 3 Boys- Thursday 11^th April, Stage 3 Girls-Friday 12^th April. Stage 2 (Year 3 and 4) students will be invited to attend similar day excursions in Term 2-dates to be formalised.

Kind Regards,

Mr Schwager (Wellbeing Officer)

Library News

Library Classes have begun very well for the year. It is great to see so many students remembering their Library Bag each week which helps to protect the books.

Some sections of the Library have been rearranged so that access to the most popular titles and authors is much easier.

Our Library Monitors for Semester One are:

Year Three - Travis Cole, Hugh Elliott

Year Four -    Drishya Verma, Nyola Peckham     

Year Five -    Stella Lavelle, Lace Clarke

Year Six -     Lincoln Letfallah, Eleanor O’Brien

These students assist with a number of jobs in the Library, and the volunteering of their time and effort is appreciated.

Some dates for your diary:

• Our annual BOOK FAIR will be held in Week 2 of Term 3 (July 31^st/August 1^st)
• Our BOOK CHARACTER COSTUME PARADE will be held in Book Week on Thursday 22^nd

Kind Regards,

Mr Schwager (Teacher/Librarian)

Merit Awards

Kindergarten

Estelle, Malakai, Freya, April, James

Year 1

Ivy, Kai, Jett, Lilly, Eli, Tyler

Year 2

Audrey, Allie, Allegra, Evie, Siena, Emily

Year 3

Riley, Jax, Spencer, Aurora, Hugh, Jackson

Year 4

Nyola, Timmy,Grace, Addison, Philomena, Maddi

Year 5

Harlow, Almirah, Amahlii, Camden

Year 6

Alexie, Matisse, Digby, Violet, Olivia

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

James

Harry 

Frankie

St Pius Easter Egg Raffle

With Easter  just around the corner (Good Friday is March 29th ) so is our annual Easter Egg raffle.
The P & F ask each child to donate an Easter egg, each egg is a raffle prize. The children are then asked to sell raffle tickets. This is a great fundraiser for theschool and one that all the children enjoy.
We therefore have HEAPS of prizes to be won and drawing the prizes with the children is lots of fun.
Raffle tickets will be sent home for each family shortly. Additional raffle books will
be available in the school office.
Please send  your donated Easter eggs in to the office ,where they will be held in readiness for Raffle Day!
 We really appreciate your support.
Thank you
St. Pius X P&F Committee

Community News