Friday 1st July - Pyjama Day
Monday 25th July - Pupil Free Day

It is hard to believe that we are almost at the half way mark for the year.

I would like to start my final newsletter for the term by thanking all of our parents for the wonderful way in which you have supported the school throughout the first two terms. I am thoroughly enjoying my time at St Pius X and feel privileged to be working with such a wonderful group of staff, a fun-loving and delightful group of children and a supportive parent community. Like all schools, COVID  has presented us with some challenges, however I feel that as a community we have worked together to ensure that we have managed these challenges successfully.

I now look forward to what is shaping up to be a very busy and actioned packed second half of the year.

60^th Anniversary Celebrations:
I would like to bring to your attention the events and dates will form part of our 60^th Anniversary celebrations this year. Parents are invited to be part of all of these events.

Thursday 18^th August: 60^th Anniversary School Mass – Whole school Mass at 11:30am in the St Eugene DeMazenod Building (School Hall) – further details to follow.

Saturday 27^th August: 60th Anniversary School Dinner : Marche Club @ 6:30pm. Three Course Meal, Live Band and some other fun light hearted entertainment. All parents, staff, old scholars (over 18) and community members are invited to attend. Tickets are $60 per head and bookings can be made through the front office. It will be great to see as many members of our community there as possible.

Friday 21^st October: 60th Anniversary School Picnic: Parents are invited to join us at Point Malcom Reserve at Semaphore Park as we take all of our children on a Picnic. The Parents and Friends Committee will be holding a sausage sizzle as we have a wonderful day of fun with the entire school community. Keep this date free if you can.

Wednesday 9^th November: 60^th Anniversary School Concert: 6:30pm at Influencers Church theatre at Paradise. Get prepared for a fun night as the children entertain you. Every child in the school will be involved in the performance as we take you on a trip back through the decades in a singing and dancing spectacular. Keep this date free as it will be an event not to be missed.

Information about the Anniversary Dinner has already been sent home to families and tickets are now on sale. Contact the front office to book your tickets or book a table of 10. Further information about the Mass, Picnic and School Concert will be sent home early next term. Please keep these dates free in your diary.

Sports Day 2022:
Please note that the dates for our Sports Day in 2022 will be on Thursday 22^nd September (Reception to Year 2) and Friday 23^rd September (Year 3-6). Sports Day will be held at the school and parents are invited to attend.

School Building update:
Over the School Holiday period there will be a number of changes made to the school.

In the second week of the school holiday period, the current toilets will be demolished in readiness for the next stage of the building project. The new building works will commence in Term 3 and will comprise of a two storey building which will contain 2 new Reception classes and toilet block downstairs and a new Music performing space upstairs.

Also during the holiday period the new toilets will be open for student use and new lawn and paving works will be completed in the fenced off area next to the playground. We are hopeful that the existing fencing will be removed around the central courtyard so that this space will be opened up. There will also be a range of electrical work being undertaken over the school holiday period.

On Monday selected students from each year level will be meeting with our landscape architects in order to re-design a new playground and the garden area in the centre of the school. Staff will also meet with the landscape architects after school on Monday. I believe it is really important that the students and staff have a voice in what this space will look like as ultimately we are designing the space for them to use.

Parents and Friends:
Last Friday Cassandra Figg, Jamie Deverson and myself met with a group of parents from our Parents and Friends Committee. At this meeting we discussed some different ways in which we can work together to promote a strong sense of community around the school and to provide extra opportunities for our children. Over the last few years the Parents and Friends committee have raised funds for our school community. The funds raised by the P&F committee in 2020 and 2021 are going to be spent on the children and used to fund the 60^th Anniversary School Picnic. The cost of the buses to transport all of the children to this picnic is over $5000 and the P&F group will also host a sausage sizzle for the children on this day. After 2 years of cancelled events and restrictions it is wonderful that our children get the opportunity to spend a fun day together at the Picnic and the parents felt that this was a good way to spend the funds that have been raised by the P&F.

I would like to thank all of the people who responded to the “Just One Thing” letter which I sent out a few weeks ago seeking support for the P&F. If you would like to support the Parents and Friends committee in their work – even if it is helping with "Just One Thing", then please contact Cassandra Figg in the front office. As the saying goes “many hands make for light work”. I am excited by the opportunities that exist moving forward as we start the process of re-introducing community events.

Last Day of Term 2 and Pupil Free Day: Monday 25^th of July.
The last day of Term 2 is Friday the 8^th of July. School will conclude a normal time on this day.

Just a reminder that the first Monday of Term 3 – Monday the 25^th of July will be a pupil free day. Staff will be undertaking professional learning on this day.

Term Three will re-commence for children on Tuesday 26^th July.

Enrolments for 2024:
Please be advised that we are now taking enrolments for 2024 and 2025.

If you have a child who is a sibling and who is not yet enrolled for 2024, can I please ask that you complete an enrolment form as soon as possible. Siblings of current students are guaranteed a placement at our school, however I can only ensure this guarantee if parents complete an enrolment form.

Enrolments for 2024 are starting to fill quickly, so please contact the front office so we can ensure that we hold a place for your child. If you know of any family friends or extended family members who are looking to enrol in 2024 then please encourage them to contact the school in order to book a tour or to complete an enrolment form.

I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank everyone for their support throughout the first semester and wish you all a safe and happy holiday break.

God Bless

Sacrament News – Confirmation and First Holy Communion
Over the past few months, our Year 4 sacrament candidates have been preparing to receive Confirmation and First Holy Communion. Last week, Bishop Greg O’Kelly SJ visited our parish and Confirmed our 28 candidates. Next week, these same children will receive First Holy Communion. Please continue to keep them and their families in your prayers. Congratulations to:

Rosh   
Angus
Leo                 
Marco R
Sebastian R
Mika   
Jake
Tayla
Stella
Khali   
Nikolas
Juliana
Lucas
Madison
Olivia Car.
Phong 
Ayumi
Harrison
Tadhg 
Sophie
Olivia Cal.
Leo                 
Joanna
Marco Z
Gabe
Keisha
Austin
Sebastian S

Registration open for Sacrament of Reconciliation
Year 3 children, who are baptised Catholics are invited to participate in the Sacrament Programme for 2022. If you would like your child to participate in this programme, please return the registration information that was sent home a few weeks ago. Some important dates for this programme:

Introduction to Sacrament Program: Compulsory Family Information Evening–
Week 4, Term 3, Tuesday 16^th August, 6.30pm St Pius X Church

Celebration of First Reconciliation –
Week 9, Term 3, Thursday 22^nd September 6.30pm St Pius X Church

A reminder that families who are preparing their child for First Reconciliation will need to provide me with a copy of their child’s Baptism Certificate. Please send this to the Front Office, in a sealed envelope addressed to Mr Lloyd.

Vinnies Winter Appeal
Thank you to the many families who have generously donated to the Vinnies Winter Appeal. Our school appeal concludes on Friday, so there’s still some time to bring in donations of non-perishable food. Our local Vinnies Conference relies heavily on our generosity.

World Meeting of Families
The World Meeting of Families is taking place in Rome June 22-26. The theme is Family Love: a Vocation and a Path to Holiness.

To celebrate the wonderful vocation of families, the Catholic Education Office has gifted (one per family) a booklet, Say a Little Prayer. This has been prepared by the Family Faith Formation Team. These will be sent home to families in the coming days, so please check your child’s bag!

This prayer booklet is designed to nurture the faith life of your family. It contains some prayers that Catholics often pray which are complemented by wondering questions for your family discussion. There are adapted from the current Religious Education curriculum Crossways Redesign which is in use throughout all Catholic Schools within South Australia.

On the 4/4/22 a large deposit was made into our bank account with the Reference Inv acct 337827471.

Unfortunately this Reference does not relate to any Debtor ID code or account number so I am unable to apply this amount to the correct account.

If you paid a large sum into the school’s bank account on the 4/4/22 can you please contact me on 8266 9404 or email finance@stpiusx.catholic.edu.au and give me the amount of the deposit. 

I will then be able to allocate this amount to the correct fee account.

Thank you!

All orders must be placed via the Order Form distributed in hard copy last week with the Invitation/Menu.

If you choose to pay via QKR the Order Form must still be completed and returned.

We cannot process your order without an Order Form for each purchase. 

This is the Order Form below.  If you did not receive a paper copy last week spares are available to collect from the Front Office. Thank you!

Measurement: Time & Temperature

The following article has been taken directly from the Education NSW website and can be found at this link.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/learning/maths/maths-tips/helping-your-child-with-primary-school-maths/Helping-your-child-with-measuring-temperature-and-time

A practical article to support home learning in concepts of measurement.

For children to make sense of measurement, we need to show how measurement is used in practical situations. We also should encourage the language associated with measurement by talking about:

• Things we can measure
• Things we can use to measure, and later
• The units we use to measure things, such as minutes and hours or degrees

How do children learn to measure temperature and time?
Children need opportunities to compare two or more things to understand measurement. To understand temperature they need to compare two things to measure the ‘hotness’ or ‘coldness’ of a substance. They need to see and talk about how temperature can affect things as well as the ways we can measure temperature. Initially, children will learn about time through using language such as yesterday, today and tomorrow and through comparing the time it takes to complete activities. I can clap my hands three times while you throw a ball in the air and catch it. Later, children will read the time from both digital and analogue clocks.

What can you do at home?

• Talk about events in terms of time. For example, it’s going to talk about three minutes to cook this, so you might have time to butter some bread.
• Look for different kinds of clocks and watches in the house. Ask your child if they are analogue of digital.
• Have your child help you set a kitchen timer or an alarm clock.
• Record special events on a calendar and talk about how many days or weeks before the event.
• Watch athletics and swimming events and talk about the times the athletes are achieving in the events.
• Locate the ‘use by’ dates on groceries and discuss how many days left before the item should be used.
• Have your child help you read bus and train timetables when using public transport or read the arrivals and departures board if at the airport.
• Look at parking signs and discuss the time restrictions when parking the car.
• Have your child help you put the correct money in parking meters and talk about the amount of time before the meter runs out.
• Read the instructions on food and drink packages to see the recommended temperature for storage.
• Ask your child to pack and make a label with the ‘use by’ date for meat or cooked foods that are to be frozen.
• Talk to your child about how temperature will change foods and drinks while you are cooking. What’s going to happen to the water when we put it in the freezer? See what happens to the chocolate in the saucepan when I put it on the warm stove.
• Watch the weather report together and talk about the predicted temperatures. Ask your child what they might need to wear or have with them.
• Look at trees in your neighbourhood and talk about how the trees change with the seasons.
• Find different types of thermometers and talk about how they are used.
• Measure the temperature of bath water before your child steps into the tub. Talk about the water being too hot, too cold or the correct temperature for bathing.
• Talk about safety issues regarding household items that can be very hot such as the stove, iron or heater.
• Share books that are based on temperatures or seasons. A well-known event or celebration, such as Christmas, could be compared to the same event in cold climate countries.

You might try these links for other ideas or inspiration.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/everyday-maths/primary?q=

https://nrich.maths.org/14606

Please find the latest edition of The Southern Cross - The Southern Cross June 2022