Principal for a Day
Our year 5 student, Shaiem will be the School Principal here at St Pius X for the day! - this will be Friday, 7^th December - you may recall that Shaiem won the ‘lottery’ as his name was drawn out of the hat of students whose parents had completed the School Feedback Survey). Shaiem has met with me and is beginning to shape the day. He has used his authority to claim the day for wearing ‘casuals’ and certainly the students will be having lots of sport and outside activity. Also on this day, children will move to their 2019 class for 1 hour and meet their teacher (if available - we have teachers coming to us from other schools). Students exiting our school this year will be doing some other activities in the Hall and on the oval.

Shaiem will be here behind my desk to take any complaints arising from the new classes! I also understand there might be a few friendship and soccer issues that Shaiem will be solving. I will be apparently in the Year 5 class experiencing student life again! Shaiem will also write the next Newsletter article including his experience as Principal.  

SHIP - Students with High Intellectual Potential
I have written several articles about introducing a ‘Students with High Intellectual Potential (SHIP) program here in 2019. Sam Fowler (coordinator) and I would like to start the program early in Term 1 with a focus on ‘Philosophy for Children.’

We will begin with a group of students from Years 2 and 3 followed by the Year 3 and 4 students and then the Year 5 and 6 students.

Identification will depend upon information from parents, students and children (self nomination).  If you would like to have your child considered for the first stage of the SHIP program, please complete the survey, available from this link

https://www.schoolsurvey.edu.au/s/PmsTWDFQ

or collect a paper copy from the School Office.  You will need to submit a form/survey for each of your children you wish to be considered.

Parents of students in Reception and Year One next year will be surveyed in Term Two.

Submissions close on Monday 10th December.

Welcome to Week 7.

When I was visiting classrooms earlier this week, I was reminded that Santa will be here soon. One child showed me his Christmas countdown, and we are well on the way to the 25^th December! By now, many of you have probably had photos with Santa and have started wrapping gifts. Christmas is such a busy time of the year and sometimes, we get caught up in the all the trimmings. Despite what retailers want us to believe, Christmas is more than Santa and shopping. It is a central part of our Christian faith – the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ who came into this world to bring peace. Of course, peace is something we yearn for, and in small ways, we can bring peace to our own families and friends. From little things, big things grow.  

We have had a wonderful response to our Vinnies Christmas Appeal. There is still time to donate non-perishable food for food hampers. These collection boxes are located in classrooms. The Giving Tree in the Library is gradually filling up. Please send donations to school by Wednesday 5^th of December (next week), as the Vinnies volunteers will be collecting food items and gifts that afternoon.

I’m very excited about our Christmas Carols Sing-a-long next Tuesday evening. Just a reminder… a sausage sizzle is available from 6pm. Drinks and battery operated candles will also be available for purchase. No wax burning candles from home are allowed due to safety concerns.

Please bring a picnic rug to sit on in the hall (limited seats are available). Due to the large number of people attending, please wriggle up and get cosy! It would be good to arrive early to secure a spot!

Take care, and enjoy the rest of the week.

Thank you to those parents who have completed paying their child’s/children’s school fees for the 2018 school year.  Could all parents please pay their outstanding amounts by WEDNESDAY 12^th DECEMBER 2018 so school finances can be finalized for the school year and our accounts can be audited accurately.

Book Day will be held on Thursday 24^th January 2018.  Prepayment slips for the Resource Fee and Uniform Orders were sent home last week. If you wish to avail yourself of this facility please complete the tear off slip and return to Box 1 in the student entry by this FRIDAY 30^th NOVEMBER 2018 and the amount will be automatically debited to your credit card on the 11^th JANUARY 2018. If you wish, you can see me in the Finance Office and make a payment in person prior to 12^th December 2018 and the amount will be credited to your account.

Once a prepayment has been made, book packs can be picked up directly from the Book Distribution area in the DeMazenod Hall without lining up and waiting for your receipt.

School Card information for 2019 has not yet been received.  School Card forms will be available on Book Day for completion by parents who feel they are eligible.

I wish you a very safe and blessed Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing you in 2019.

Last term, on August 21^st St Pius X celebrated its Feast Day with a beautiful Mass, followed by workshops and a Concert with Andrew Chinn. The 52 students from Year 4-7 who formed that Andrew Chinn Choir then stayed back after school in preparation for a recording session with Andrew. He invited our Choir to be back up singers on his new CD. Well, the CD, Rise Up!, has now been released and the album is also up on I tunes. Andrew sent all the Choir students a complimentary CDs and a book and CD for our school. The children feature on Track 2- Holy Spirit Come, Track 3- A Father’s Love, A Mother’s Love and Track 12 – With a Faithful Heart ( Our School Song- but instead of the line “At St Pius we are one”, they sing “Together we are one.” Hannah P, Anabelle D, Mia F (all from 6/7A) and Willow R (5RT) sing some lead vocals on this track.  If you would like to order extra copies, please see me.

The children received their CD last week.