February 6, 2025

Acknowledgement of Country

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

You called the disciples while they were fishing and they dropped everything to follow you.

Help us to be brave like them, to take the difficult path when needed and to trust in you. 

Amen

Image: Jesus and Peter Fishing: Olga Bakhtina

A Note from our Principal

Ngata families, 

New Year, New Insta Account!

As we kick off another exciting year at St. Pius X, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new Instagram page! 🎉📸

We know that social media is a great way to stay connected, celebrate achievements and share the vibrant life of our school community. Our Instagram will showcase all the wonderful things happening here—classroom activities, events, special projects and plenty of fun moments that make St. Pius X so unique.

We’d love for you to follow, share and spread the word about our new page! Here’s how you can get involved:

✨ Follow us: Stay up to date with all the latest happenings by following us at @saintpiusxwarrnambool (link below)
✨ Share: Don’t forget to share our posts with your friends and family!
✨ Tag us: If you’re sharing school memories or events, tag us and we may feature your posts on our page!

We will still be keeping our Facebook Page (link below) active, so don’t worry—there’s no change to that. Both platforms will work together to keep everyone connected and informed in the best possible ways.

Let’s make 2025 a year full of sharing, celebrating, and showcasing all that makes our school community shine. We can’t wait to see you on Instagram!

Thank you for your continued support.

Nick Murrell

Principal

Opening School Mass and Smoking Ceremony

Everyone is welcome to attend our Opening School Mass on Friday 14th February. This is a great opportunity to gather together and celebrate the beginning of our school year. During Mass we will be officially welcoming all the new members of our school community, including our foundation students, other new students and new staff members. All of our Grade 6 students, as leaders in our school, will be commissioned. 

Before Mass there will be a Smoking Ceremony on the lawn beside the church. Everyone is welcome to attend this as well. 

The Smoking Ceremony will begin at 9.30am and Mass will begin at 10am. 

We look forward to seeing you there. 

Sacraments 2025

Those children in our community who are baptised Catholic are supported through our school, the Star of the Sea Parish and the wider network of Warrnambool and District Catholic schools to prepare for and celebrate the sacraments of Confirmation, Eucharist and Reconciliation. The preparation is very gentle and child centered. 

The key dates for these sacraments in 2025 are: 

Reconciliation (Grade 6)

• February 18th- Parent information meeting, 7pm at St Joseph's Church. 
  
• March 24th- Reconciliation Formation Day at Emmanuel College (school supported).
• 3rd April- Reconciliation celebration, 6pm 

Confirmation (Grade 3)

• April 28th- Parent information meeting, 7pm at St Joseph's Church. 
  
• May 11th- Presentation of candidates at Mass.
• May 27th- Confirmation celebration 6pm

Eucharist (Grade 4)

• July 29th- Parent information meeting, 7pm at St Joseph's Church. 
• August 5th- Eucharist Formation Day (school supported)
• August 10th-Presentation of candidates at Mass
• August 24th- Celebration of First Eucharist 

Those families who would like their child to participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation this year are invited to fill in the attached form. A separate form for Confirmation and Eucharist will be shared at a later date. 

If you have any questions or would like to chat about this further please contact Stacey Atkins at school or send an email to satkins@spwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

School Pick Up - Wait & Play

We would like to extend an invitation to any school family and younger siblings (with adult supervision) to wait/play at the playground area inside the school grounds from 3.15pm each day.  You are welcome to enter through the office area and sit or play in the new playground area while you wait for your child/ren to finish school at 3.30pm. 

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

We ask families only use this playground space and no other area of the school, due to child safety compliance purposes. 

Please be mindful that Theircare operates in our school grounds from 3.30pm and often uses the playground after school.

Please be aware that we have no active staff supervision in this area after 3.30pm. 

CDFpay & Flexischools

Online Ordering is going from Flexischools to CDFpay powered by Flexischools.

St Pius X Primary School will be transitioning from Flexischools to CDFpay powered by Flexischools for online canteen ordering, uniform shops, events, fundraising, and over-the-counter purchases at our school from the 31^st of January, Term 1 2025.

Please find instructions below for closing your existing Flexischools account and opening a new CDFpay account. With CDFpay, there will be no 29c order fees and multi-ordering will be available as a feature from the start of Term 1 2025.

How to close your existing Flexischools account

1. In the Flexischools mobile app, select the ‘Profile’ icon from the bottom navigation bar, then select ‘Manage my details’.
2. Scroll down, then select the red ‘Close my Flexischools account’ button. If you have an account balance, it will be refunded back to you.

How to register for a CDFpay account

1. Download the CDFpay app on the Apple or Google store, then click ‘Sign up now’.
   
   
2. Enter and confirm your email address, then click ‘Sign up’.

Note: You can use the same email address as your original Flexischools account if you wish.

1. Check your email inbox and follow the prompts to complete your account registration (check junk/spam if lost).

• Order and pay in seconds!

Have questions?   See Below

PAM (Parent Access Module)

St Pius X uses PAM (Parent Access Module). This online module allows parents to access and view important information about their children.  The following information is available through PAM (Parent Access Module).   This will give you access, in real time, to: 

• Notify of student absences
• Update student medical information
• Consent to excursions & camps
• Student Reports
• Medical profile
• Parent Teacher Interview/PSG bookings

If you are new to PAM, click the below link, enter your email address (email address that you provided to the school upon enrolment) and click forgot password to set one up. 

Link to PAM https://pam.spwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au/Login/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fLogin 

Student Medical Information

A reminder that we require all families to login to PAM and verify their child's Medical Information.

This information assists with our electronic permission forms. 

Please follow the instructions below to update a medical profile for each of your children by:

1. Click on link to PAM (found on our webpage or SZapp)
2. Click on student (if more than 1 child, this will need to be done individually)
3. Click on Medical Profile (blue writing to the left of screen)
4. Check all questions and select Edit Details for updates to be made.
5. Once you get to the end of the questions please confirm by clicking on the Green “Update Details” Box found at the bottom right of screen.

As a parent/guardian you are able to access your child/rens medical profile on PAM at any time to update as needed.

If you have any queries or require your PAM login details, please do not hesitate to get in contact with the office.  

2025 Cyber Safety Agreement

In accordance with St Pius X Acceptable Use and Cyber Safety Agreement, it is a requirement for parents/guardians to discuss the agreement with their child/ren and accept the terms.

This agreement is to ensure that all students that have access to the school’s digital resources are aware of their responsibilities and agree to abide by the school’s Acceptable Use and Cybersafety Agreement.

The agreement covers the student’s use of technology equipment (such as computers, hand held devices, cameras, printers) and digital platforms (such as Internet, networks and email. social media, apps and software).

Permission is required for each child in your family from Foundation to Year 6.

To access this agreement:

1. Login into your PAM account
2. Select the red bell icon in the top right corner (you will then see the agreement)
3. Download, read and discuss this agreement with each of your children.
4. Select YES for your child to agree to abide by the Acceptable Use and Cyber Safety Agreement at St. Pius X School for the 2025 school year.

This is required to be accepted by all families as soon as possible. 

We appreciate your support in helping us keep our students safe in a digital world.

Media Permissions 2025 (PAM)

In your Parent Access Module (PAM) there is also a short survey requiring a response regarding your child/ren's 2025 Media Permissions. 

The purpose of this permission is to provide (or withhold) consent for your child's image to be used in media circulated outside the school community. The information provided will be referred to for the remainder of the school year and reviewed again in 2026. 

(Responses are recorded once for families with multiple children at the school. If you have individual preferences for each of your children, please contact the school office.)

School Closure Days 2025

11th March – Structured Literacy

24th April – Southern Zone Collaboration Day (DOBCEL determined date)

30th May – School Review 

2nd June – School Review 

Term 3 – School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) Date TBC

6th October – Structured Literacy T4

7th November  – Religious Education 

Ballarat Diocese FLARE Primary Literacy Strategy - Letter to parents/carers

Free Uniforms!

If you are looking for some good quality second hand uniforms, we currently have a display set up in the foyer area near the office.  You are welcome to come in anytime and have a look through what we have.   Items include summer dresses, shorts, pants, shirts etc. in various sizes.  All items are FREE to take.

Foundation Files

Welcome to Foundation 2025!

Last week we had some technical difficulties. This week we have a photo of ALL our sensational 2025 Foundation students on their first day of school! Enjoy the gallery.

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Safety Norm

At St Pius X our whole school has a focus on three important norms - Safety, Respect and Responsibility. We are learning how our actions throughout the day need to model these concepts. So here’s what Safety should look like at school. We will walk around our school quietly. There are children working and playing around our school everywhere, everyday. We need to keep each other safe. We will walk to the toilets, we will walk up onto the oval, we will walk down to the church and we will definitely walk around the carpark at the end of the day. 

Race to 10!

Counting with our friends!

What a wonderful time we have had meeting, learning and playing with our new friends. We are still getting to know each other and this can take some time. We have been using our ‘partner sticks’ to work with new people in our classroom. This week we learnt a counting game - Race to 10. We played with a partner to see who could roll the dice and jump along the number line and get to 10 first. It was so much fun. We learnt that when we are playing with a friend it is so important for us to take turns and share our materials. What a great time we are having in the Foundation room. 

Super Specialist's

This week we have had fun with all of our weekly specialist’s. Sport with Mrs McDonald and Harrison, Creative Arts with Mrs Keeley and Emily, Digital Technologies with Mrs Dowling and Theo and Japanese with Mrs Harzmeyer and Jack. Here’s some of our first thoughts….

I loved Sport because we got to do Moon Hopping with the big bouncy balls..(West Sassmannshausen)

I loved Creative Arts because we got to talk about painting and I can’t wait to paint a picture. (Lillian Coverdale)

I loved Digital Technologies because we get to play with the I-pads. (Sophia Virgona)

I loved Japanese because we get to learn words in Japanese.  (Oliver Dowling)

Breakfast Club - SAVE THE DATE!

We wish to advise that the first Breakfast Club for 2025 will be in week 6 on Wednesday, 5th March.    A further reminder will follow closer to the date.   We look forward to sharing breakfast with you then! 

A big thank you to Sarah Searle who has kindly agreed to co-ordinate again this year.  If any other parent would like to help out, you would be more than welcome!   A Working With Children Check is required.

Japan Cultural experience trip 2025

Due to a lack of participants across all Warrnambool Network Catholic Primary Schools the 2025 Japan cultural experience trip has been cancelled. The program will be reviewed for viability in future years. 

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

The following students are celebrating their birthdays this coming week ....................

Mia Sun & Addison Dowling

Canteen Roster for next week.

A big thank you to those Parents who have kindly donated their time to help in our canteen this year. 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Important Dates.

Friday, 7th February - Assembly

Friday, 14th February - Smoking Ceremony, 9.30am

Friday, 14th February- Opening School Mass 10am - 11am

Tuesday 18th February - Reconciliation Parent Meeting 

Wed-Fri 19th-21st February - PSG meetings

Friday 21st February - Assembly

Monday, 24th February - Gr 3/4 Camp Kangaroobie

Tuesday 4th March - Shrove Tuesday

Tuesday 4th March - Lions Eye Health Program (Gr. F, 3, 6)

Wednesday 5th March - Ash Wednesday

                                                - First Breakfast Club for 2025!

Friday 7th March - Assembly

Monday, 10th March - Labour Day Public Holiday

Tuesday, 11th March - School Closure Day for Structured Literacy

Friday 21st March - Assembly

Monday 24th March - Reconciliation Formation Day - Emmanuel College

Tuesday, 25th March - School Sports Day

Wed-Fri 26th-28th March - 5/6 Swimming Program 

Monday 31st March - 5/6 Swimming Program 

Wednesday 2nd April - 5/6 Swimming Program 

Thursday 3rd April - Reconciliation Sacrament

Friday 4th April - Last Day of Term 1

Friday 4th April - Assembly

Monday 21st April -Easter Monday Public Holiday

Tuesday 22nd April - First Day Term 2

Thursday 24th April - Closure Day - Southern Zone Collaboration Day (DOBCEL determined date)

Friday 25th April - ANZAC Day Public Holiday

Monday 28th April - Confirmation Parent Meeting (7pm St Joseph's church)

Tuesday 29th April - School Photo Day

Wednesday 30th April - Cross Country

Thursday 1st May - May Races Public Holiday

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/