June 27th, 2024

Acknowledgement of Country

A Note from our Principal

Ngata Families & Friends,

As we conclude this school term, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our students for their hard work and dedication. This term has been filled with remarkable learning and achievements, highlighted to families through our learning conversations a few weeks ago. 

We celebrated many great community engagement events, including the Eisteddfod, Mother’s Day Breakfast, Our first Learning Walk, and the Circus Busking Performance Afternoon. Each event highlighted your enthusiasm and school spirit.

Your academic progress, sportsmanship, and creativity have been inspiring. The way you’ve embraced challenges and supported each other truly stands out.

Enjoy a safe and relaxing holiday break. I look forward to seeing you all refreshed and ready for another exciting term.

Nick Murrell

Principal

End of Term Tomorrow - Finish 2.30pm

School Uniform

I am pleased to let our community know that we are making the progressive step forward to ensure our school uniform policy is gender neutral. The topic has been discussed at School Advisory Council and Parent and Friends level and there was a unanimous feeling that this was a step in the right direction. You will see all uniform communication from now and into the future with no written reference to 'boys' or 'girls' uniform, it will be referenced as summer, winter and sports uniform and list all uniform options available to students at St. Pius X. 

I begin the following message by saying if your family requires support with the purchase/supply of school uniform, please come and see Karen and Bec in the office - We can support you to obtain second hand uniform items with little or no cost. 

Students have this week been reminded about some aspects of the correct school uniform. Some common school uniform issues are:

Coats and beanies 

Students are permitted to wear coats and beanies to and from school, as well as in the playground, however, they are asked to remove them when in class. All learning areas have reverse cycle heating and cooling and are kept at a comfortable temperature regardless of the conditions outside. 

School shoes

Every day (except for their PE lesson day) students are required to wear ALL black shoes. These can be leather school shoes or all black runner style shoes. The key message is ALL black. See below for a visual explanation. I do understand that shoes are an expensive item to purchase and do not expect families to feel they need to buy black shoes immediately, if they don't have them - I ask that next time you replace your child’s school shoes this is considered. 

Short exercise shorts

Students have been reminded that short, form fitting, exercise shorts are not part of any school uniform. Students are asked not to wear these shorts. Please see below for an alternative (navy leisure pants). School sports shorts are the 'parachute' / quick dry style shorts (no logos) on sports days, see image below. 

Navy Leisure Pants

You will notice that navy leisure pants (no logos) have been added to the allowed school uniform. These will be available by the end of the year in our school uniform shop. In the meantime, if your child would like to wear these they can be purchased from various stores. Please see the example below. 

Uniform items

First Eucharist 2024

The preparation time for First Eucharist will begin in the opening week of Term 3. To begin the preparation, parents/carers will be invited to attend an information meeting on Tuesday July 16th at 6pm.  This meeting will be at the Parish Centre at the St Joseph’s Church.

The preparation of this Sacrament will have a new format this year.  Candidates from all of the Network Catholic schools will participate in a Formation Day to be held here at St Pius - in the Hall and the function room.  This is to occur on Friday July 19th.  Further information and permission forms will follow and more information will be explained at the parent meeting.

The Sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated on Sunday August 11th, at 10am Mass at St Pius X Church.

Enrolment

Participating families are required to use the link below to enrol their children as candidates for Eucharist. 

The link to register for First Eucharist is: 

Enrolment Link

Please contact me via email if you have any questions.

Kind Regards, 

Sara Graham

The Foundation Files

Superhero Games

This week we have continued to have lots of fun around our Superheroes. We got into small groups and played games with our friends. We enjoyed playing games where we could use our sounds to help us read small words as well as practice reading our golden, blue and red words. We know that when we are working with one of our friends we have to take turns, use kind words and have fun! Here are some of our groups working and playing well together. 

I am a Superhero

Listen to some of our superhero stories…..

Ethan - I am a superhero. I can fight villains and fly.

Sophie - I am a superhero. I can save people and fly.

Jackson W - I am a superhero. I can use my super powers and save the day. 

Learning Journals

Just a little reminder for everyone to please return your child’s learning journals from our Learning Conversations. Those scrapbooks will be used to record the next 6 months of learning for your child and will be sent home then at the end of the year.

Thanks!!

Holiday Reading and Words

Today we have set all the children up with new readers and some children have received some new word lists. Even though we need a rest over the holidays, it would be great if you could take some time to keep up a little bit of reading or writing. We do not need our book bags at school tomorrow so try and remember to keep them at home.

Have a great break, everyone!!! See you in Term 3.

Ready, Set, School! program

Click below to register for our Ready, Set, School! program

Click here to Register

Not getting SZapp push notifications?

Here is some information from Schoolzine to help troubleshoot if you are having this issue.

Does the app notification show for the user in their feed but they did not receive the push notification? – if so, they may have notifications turned off for their Operating System or the App.

Have you got Push notifications turned on WITHIN SZAPP?

When using the app, select the manage tab from the top ribbon and ensure that there is push notifications turned on for the SZapp.

Have you got Push notifications turned on for your OPERATING SYSTEM?

Certain devices will have push notifications turned off by default when installing software. In order to receive notifications for your device you will need to ensure that both the Operating System notifications as well as the App notifications are enabled.

Was SZapp open when the notification was sent?

Sometimes applications will lie dormant or in ‘sleep’ status on your device in order to cache information and decrease load time when you are wishing to use the application again. Once you have finished using SZapp we recommend that you fully close the app in order to avoid push notifications not being received on some devices in this ‘sleep’ state.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club is open each Wednesday morning at 8:20am.   Again, a big thankyou to Foodshare for providing us with breakfast items and Woolies for providing the fruit! Of course, this wouldn't take place without our amazing parent helpers so a big thank you to Sarah & Virginia as well!

Mobile Phones

Our school understands that some families require their child to have a mobile phone for communication and safety needs before and after school. If your child is bringing a mobile phone to school it must be checked in with Karen or Bec at the office as soon as they arrive at school and it can be collected as they exit school in the afternoon. Families in this situation, can you please remind your child of this important school procedure. 

School fee payment plans

St Pius X is a low fee-paying school. Our global operating budget comprises funding from the Federal and State Governments, School fee collection, and fundraising.

School fees are a vital part of providing many aspects of your child's tuition at St Pius X. The 3 main options for paying your school fees are: Direct Debit, Credit Card (at the school office) and Direct Credit Payments.

Please take some time to consider which of these options is best for your family. If you would like to set up a direct debit payment plan please contact Bec Lawlor at the school office or email Bec at rlawlor@spwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Your support with this, early in the school year, would be greatly appreciated.

A special message just to say.............

The following students will be celebrating their birthday this week and over the holidays........

Esme Bowman, Theo Wijekoon Mudiyanselage, Harry McDuff, Grace White, Thomas Nguyen, Chelsea Brisbane,  Jaxon Moore, Aamy Aravind, Willow White, Annie Cawthorne, Stephanie Murphy, Arlie Edwards, Freya Keane, Beau Lewis, Chance Roads, Braxton Bond, Murphy Keane Ryan, Rosie Kelly, Michaela Makala and Estelle Williamson. 

Canteen Roster for next term.

Important Dates.

Friday, 28th June - Last day of Term 2 - 2.30 pm finish 

Monday, 15th July - Term 3 Commences

Class Awards.

2024 School Closure Days - Updated

Term 1 

Monday 12th Feb - Staff First aid training (COMPLETED)

Wednesday 21st Feb - Structured Literacy Staff Professional Development (DOBCEL determined date) (COMPLETED)

Term 2

Friday 31st May - Wellbeing focus (COMPLETED)

Term 3

Tuesday 20th August- Structured Literacy Staff Professional Development (DOBCEL determined date)

Term 4

Friday 18th October - Religious Education Staff Professional Development

Uniform Price List

Before & After School Care.

Parish Contact.

Sunday Mass 10.00 @ St Pius X Church. School families are always welcome.

The Parish office can be contacted on 5562 2231

Other information and contact details can be found on the Star of the Sea South West Coast website: https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/parish/southwestcoast/