Friday, 10th September - Student Free Day - OSHC will be available for those families needing care.

Dear Parents & Caregivers

We are particularly proud that we continue to grow our reputation as a school of choice that offers academic, sporting and musical excellence.  St Pius X School provides great opportunities for children with special needs and our high achieving students continue to excel through their participation in the SHIP (Students with High Intellectual Potential) programme.

Term 3 is traditionally a time in schools when forward planning of budgets, staffing needs and class allocations begin to take place.  Like other schools St Pius X endeavours to meet the needs of all students and families it serves. 

In order for the school to continue to offer programmes that are of value and to provide appropriate facilities for the future it is important to know enrolment numbers for 2022.  I am therefore writing to request that you please complete and submit this form before 28th August 2021 - https://stpiusx.schoolzineplus.com/form/109?preview=1

If, of course, your only child at St Pius X School is currently in Year 6 you do not need to complete the form.

I am very pleased, that through negotiation with our local Catholic R-12 Colleges, they have written to our community with the commitment that every child in a Catholic Parish School will be offered an enrolment in Year 7 (providing enrolment processes are undertaken by their due dates).  Thus, previous perceptions of the need to enrol early prior to secondary schooling is no longer valid.  We look forward to supporting our families as a first choice R-6 Catholic School leading to a Year 7-12 Catholic College.  A copy of correspondence from our local Catholic Colleges confirming the above is attached here - From_Catholic_Education_South_Australia.pdf

If you would like to discuss the exciting 2022 educational plans for St Pius X with me please feel free to make an appointment.

LLL Parent and Caregiver Survey

All members of our community are invited to complete this Survey which will give us further information to use in our efforts to track our progress here at school and form educational and community goals for 2022.

The Survey is totally confidential and all participants are de-identified.  Analysis of the Surveys will be presented to teachers, staff, and the School Board and I will also complete a report to the community early next term.

As an incentive to participate all students of parents who have completed the Survey will have the chance to be selected as the ‘Principal for the Day’ (the draw will be held in Week 1, Term 4.). Please join in the fun and more importantly, have your say on the future of our school, what we need to keep doing and what do we need to change?

Further information regarding the Survey, along with access via the QR code, Confidentiality, Use of Data etc is available in this attachment - NSI_Partnerships_Parent_and_Caregiver_Survey.pdf

The Survey is also available via this link - www.NSIPartnerships.com.au with the code SPXLLLP in the Start Questionnaire field.

The link to the entry form for the Principal for a Day drawer is - https://stpiusx.schoolzineplus.com/form/110

We thank you for participation in this important Survey.

Information for Volunteers

Thank you for the support you continue to provide by being a Registered Volunteer here at St Pius X School.  

I am writing to let you know there are changes to the requirements in respect of the Responding to Risks of Harm Abuse and Neglect - Education and Care (RRHAN-EC) training which is one of the essential components of your Registration.

As your volunteer work here is with children (under 18 years), you are a mandated notifier and all volunteers must now update their training which is available via this link -  RRHAN-EC training.

The training must be undertaken and your Certificate provided to Susan Trimboli before end of the next term.

Please contact me if you have questions and thank you again for your participation in the life of our school.

After a bit of a different start to the term, it is finally feeling like we are truly underway!

Usual classes have resumed and there are only a very few families still being required to learn from home. We thank you for your support of your children and their teachers during this time. It was wonderful to see the support and involvement that families were able to give their children while learning at home.

I would also like to thank parents and carers for your understanding as we try to manage the number of adults entering the school. This is to keep all children and staff safe. It is wonderful to see how independent the children are being as they move to class each morning.

If you have older children who are participating in some of the sports including regular basketball games as well as the athletics and cross-country carnivals, please check SchoolZine for an update from Mr Zamparelli. We are fortunate that most of these carnivals are able to be rescheduled. The dates are included in the message from Mr Zamparelli.

This week we have begun the "learning conversations" between teachers and families. Thank you for your patience and understanding as these move to over the phone. Communication between teachers and families is a very important aspect of a child's learning and is highly valued at St Pius X School. As a result, we have worked hard to make sure that these conversations can still happen.

Again, thank you for your support this term.

Stay warm and dry.

Welcome back to school! What a whirlwind start to Term 3. The past couple of weeks have shown us how quickly COVID-19 can change our lives. Importantly, it also demonstrates how resilient our children, families and community are in the face of lockdowns and restrictions. Thank you for your ongoing support. The ‘new normal’ appears to be mask wearing, and we thank you for following these guidelines when arriving at school to drop off and pick your children up. Mask wearing is a small way we can help keep everyone safe.

I am sure you would also agree that our teaching and support staff did a tremendous job at engaging your children during the lockdown. Online learning is a great way to stay connected to school.  We thank our teachers and support staff for their dedication and care during these challenging times.

This coming Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop – Australia’s first saint. Saint Mary of the Cross began the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Many of us today, still have a connection with the Sisters of Saint Joseph as numerous Catholic schools in Adelaide and throughout Australia, were started by this religious order. We may have attended one of these schools, or have family or friends who do. Saint Mary of the Cross’ influence on Catholic Education in our Archdiocese continues to guide our work as we reach out the hand of welcome to all. Here at Saint Pius X, classes will participate in a prayer service to honour her life and work.

Next Wednesday evening, 11^th August, parents of our Year 3 Reconciliation candidates will meet at 6pm in Saint Pius X Church for their first information meeting. We continue to hold these families in our prayers over the coming weeks.

Blessings,

Reminder re Tuition Fee Installment 3

Installment 3 of Yearly Fees was due & payable on 30th July 2021. If you have
entered into a part time agreement to pay your fees over the whole year this due date does not apply.

Thank you to those parents who have paid promptly. Reminder statements will be
posted home for parents who have not met the due date. Please pay promptly on
receiving your overdue fee statement so figures can be finalised for 2021.

For parent’s convenience, EFT, BPay, QKR, Visa and Mastercard are available.

If you wish to pay your fees via BPAY

Please ensure that the full reference number (which is found at the bottom left hand
side of your statement) is entered so funds can be applied to the correct family.

If you pay by EFT or QKR please use for your reference number, the ID Number at
the top right hand side of your statement. This will ensure that funds are applied to
the correct family.

If you are holders of a Health Care Card, you may be eligible for School Card or if
your family income is still being affected by COVID 19 you may be eligible for Fee
Remission, which is granted by the school. Please see me if you feel you meet either
of these criteria or have any queries relating to fees.

Thank you.

A reminder to please bring to school your Children's University passports next  Tuesday, 10th August, ready for stamping.

Congratulations to the following students on their well earned results in their recent AMEB ‘Singing for Leisure’ exams:

Abbigail C of 3H - Grade 1 - Honours (A)

Yesha P of 4A - Grade 2 - Honours (A)

Haasini S of 3T - Grade 2 - High Credit (B+)

Gabe T of 3B - Grade 2  - High Credit (B+)

Giorgia P of 5R - Grade 2 - Credit (B)

Virginia Rawlinson - Singing Teacher