September 12th, 2024

Acknowledgement of Country

A Note from our Principal

Ngata families, 

This evening, Thursday September 12th at 6.30pm (1 hour) we are hosting a Community Conversation. This gathering will bring together students, parents, staff, and other key stakeholders to explore what makes St. Pius X such an exceptional place.

We currently have 24 parents, carers, staff and students coming along, we would love to have 30! Students are welcome to come along. 

Our goal is to identify our core values (what we stand for and want to be known for), celebrate what we do well, and discuss areas where we can improve. Your insights and perspectives are invaluable as we work together to enhance our school environment and ensure we continue to thrive.

Join us for an engaging and constructive dialogue where every voice matters. Your participation will help shape the future of our community and contribute to the ongoing success of St. Pius X.

We would love to see you there and hear your thoughts!

If you are interested and available to attend please RSVP using this link

Kind regards,

Nick Murrell

Principal

Finding Nemo Next Week!

Learning Walk - Tomorrow at 9.15am.

Learning Walk - Friday September 13th 9.15am-10.15am

What is a Guided Learning Walk for Parents?

It is an invitation to parents to come to the school for a set period of time to be led on a facilitated and structured learning walk of the school/classrooms during the school day. Not to look at the decor - but to learn more about the learning that is happening. The focus of the structured walk is children and their learning as opposed to teachers and the teaching Each learning walk can have a topic or theme. The purpose is more about giving parents an opportunity to witness what the “real” learning looks like. These are also not about a parent sitting in and observing their child...but to learn more about a topic or the school through observing learning in action. Following the Learning Walk, the group would sit down to a more “in depth community conversation” about what they've observed.

Why host Guided Learning Walks?

To create another opportunity to build, improve and strengthen parent engagement in their children’s learning….creating true partners in education and as another step in knocking down the walls that often exist between home and school.

Please RSVP via this link if you would like to attend our upcoming Learning Walk. 

Ready, Set, School! program - Next session Friday, 20th September.

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

Click here to Register

New Uniform Options!

St Pius X now has new options for uniform! "Yoga" pants with a zip pocket as modelled by Chloe and
bucket hats that turn inside out as modelled by both Chloe and Alfie.

One side of the hat is the school colour and logo and on the inside is the child’s sports colour!  This will make
Sports Day very colourful and bright.  These hats can be tightened with a toggle and are comfortable
for all head sizes.  The hat sizes range from small, medium, large and up to extra large.

The pants are made from Viscose, Nylon and Elastane and are stretchy and comfortable. They have elasticised waists and they range in size from a size 6 up to a women's small (larger sizes can be ordered if needed.)

Both the hats and pants are now available for purchase online (via Flexischools App) and if you need to check sizing please see Bec and Karen in the office.

The hats will be $15.00 and the new pants will be $30.00.

National Parent Survey

Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) is running a parent survey in partnership with the University of New England on Student Wellbeing and Learning and are seeking your perspective as parents/carers of children who attend a Catholic School in Australia.

You are invited to share your views on existing and emerging affirmations and/or challenges in relation to your child/children’s wellbeing and learning.

The survey is anonymous, confidential, and completely voluntary.    

For more information about the study and to participate go here.

Thank you for your support.

Flexischools App - Update

Thank you to those families who have downloaded and are now using the new Flexischools App.  Approximately 80 percent of our families are now registered.  If you have not yet set up your account with Flexischools, we strongly encourage you to do so as soon as possible.  Moving forward, it is proposed that all ordering and payments for canteen lunch orders, special events etc will be handled through Flexischools.

Canteen Ordering:

In the Staff Spotlight!

SHAY HALOUVAS - Learning Support Officer, Senior Pod.

What movies do you like to watch on the weekends? I do love period movies like Pride & Prejudice but I like an action film too.

Where did you go to school? I went to school in Brisbane at Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School  

How long have you worked at St Pius X? I first volunteered at St Pius to hear reading in Maddy's Prep class in 2001 and began my employment the year after .

Do you have a favourite book? To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Which season of the year is the best? Why? Spring - I love the flowers!

______________________________________________________________

OLIVIA LJUBIC - Learning Support Officer, Junior Pod

My favourite song to listen to in the car is: Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield.

I love spending quality time with:  My family and friends on the weekend.

My favourite book is:  The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

The best season of the year is:  Summer because I love warm weather, swimming and camping with my family.

My favourite takeout meal is: Nachos from Zambreros.

______________________________________________________________

End of Term 3 Footy/Netball Colours Day!

Next Friday, the 20th of September, everyone is welcome to come to school dressed in their favourite football, netball or other sporting team colours.    

Bus Travellers - End Of Term

Please remember that the buses will be running from 2.30pm on Friday 20th September, this being the last day of Term 3.

Overdue Library Books

Dear Parents and Carers,                                                                                                                

Over the past few years, St Pius X students have borrowed books to enjoy at home. The idea of borrowing books from the school library means they can be read at home and then  returned for others to enjoy. 

At the end of this year, we will be conducting a stocktake of all the books within the St Pius X library. This week, your child may or may not have received an 'Overdue Library book' notice. We are hoping that you may be able to find one or all of these books in your own home and have them returned to school. 

We greatly appreciate your support.

Alanna & Isla

St Pius X School Library

The Foundation Files

Musical Must’s

Thanks so much to the wonderful Mum’s who have come in to help us with our costuming. Special mentions to Adele McKenzie, Casey Powers, Sammi LeCerf, Kayla Levett and Natalie McDuff. We greatly appreciate all your support. 

ALL students must have their costumes and slip on shoes at school by Monday.

Next Wednesday afternoon, your child will come home from school with their costume bag and their slip on shoes. You will then need to drop them off fully dressed back at school and into the Prep Room between 6:30 and 6:45 on Wednesday evening. We will be at school to add their extra costumes. (We will be using white face paint for the jellyfish eyes so if there is any child who is allergic to different types of face paint or simply do not want to have it applied please let us know.)

You will need to come and collect your child from the Prep Room after the performance. They will need to be checked off our roll before going home to get a good night’s sleep. 

Learning Walk

Don’t forget to join the learning walk tomorrow. It’s a great way to get a glimpse of our learning in action. We hope that you can all pop into the Prep Room to have a peep at what we are learning. We will blow your sock’s off!!!!

Maths Sharing

This week we read a big book called ‘A Bear’s Share’. The Bear family had to learn how to share a tray of cupcakes between 3. They needed to share equally. It needed to be fair. They ended up with 8 cupcakes each. How many cupcakes did they have on their tray??

Then the Baker came back and they had to share with him too.

So there were 24 cupcakes shared between 4 bears. How many did each bear get?? Check us out as we use concrete materials to help us to model the answer.

Food bank support - Thank You!

We have had a great response to the launch of our weekly community food bank to support families within our school. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered  to help with this great initiative. 

Please text Lara on 0423 453 334 if you wish to participate or need more information. Thank you for your continued support and generosity.

Text Lara on 0423 453 334

Breakfast Club

A friendly reminder that Breakfast Club is running on Wednesday mornings from 8:20am. It is open to ALL students before school to enjoy some yummy toast, yogurt, cereal or a piece of fruit and take part in a morning conversation with others. We look forward to seeing everybody there!

Again, a big thankyou to Foodshare for providing us with breakfast items and Woolies Dennington 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!

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

The following students will be celebrating their birthday this coming week ........

Cyril Burch, Oliver & Harvey Meade, Emma Guilfoyle, Maddison Watson, Jerome Sijo and Cheyne Hunt.

Canteen Roster for next week.

Important Dates.

Thursday, 12th September - TONIGHT - Community Conversation: Tony Dalton 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Friday, 13th Sept -  Learning Walk at 9.15am

                                         Assembly 3pm in church

Wednesday, 18th Sept - School Production - Nemo Kids at 7.30pm

Friday, 20th Sept - Last Day of Term 2.30pm finish

Friday, 20th Sept - Ready, Set, School Program 9.30am to 10.30am

Monday, 7th October - Term 4 Commences

Remaining 2024 School Closure Day

Term 4

Note:  Change of Date

Monday, 11th November

Before & After School Care.

Parish Contact.

Sunday Mass 9.00am @ 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/