As you are aware, our community has been saddened by the news of Fr John’s health condition. Around midday today, Fr John went to be with God. His suffering is over and we rejoice that he is now in heaven, free from his earthly frailty. We continue to pray for him, and for the Oblate community. Yesterday, we gathered as a school community and held Fr John close in prayer. The text we used for this prayer service was uploaded on the Skoolbag App yesterday. When information regarding Fr John's funeral is available, we will pass this on.

Due to Fr John’s death, our Reconciliation meeting scheduled for Thursday evening has been slightly altered. Instead of meeting at the Church, we will now meet in the School Hall at 6:30pm. Please take note of the change of venue. 

Our ‘Made in the Image of God’ programme will begin in Week 6. Please find some time to access the documents in this newsletter which outline the content we will be covering. If you have any questions, please come and see me.

A reminder also about our Pyjama Day this coming Friday. Please send your children to school in warm pyjama’s and shoes/sneakers. A gold coin donation will be collected for Backpacks 4 SA Kids – a wonderful charity helping children in emergency care and domestic violence shelters.  

In closing, I leave you with these words from Scripture which may offer great comfort in the coming days:

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 8:31–35. 37–39

Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ.

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us — he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.

Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.

For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Made in the Image of God (Human Sexuality Program) Information for Parents and Caregivers

I write to provide you with details of your child’s learning focus in Religious Education this term. All classes will begin teaching the Being Sexual strand of the Human Sexuality Program for Catholic Schools, Made in the Image of God commencing in Week 6.

Below are links to the summary for each year level. I encourage you to read this information carefully so that you are fully aware of the content your child will be covering during this unit.

The Made in the Image of God program is an integrated human sexuality program that is grounded in a Catholic understanding of the human person. In particular, it draws upon two integral beliefs:

• Humans are made in the image and likeness of God and are deserving of the utmost dignity and honour.

• Sexuality, integral to the human person, is a gift from God through which we can live out our vocation to love. 

This program values the partnership that schools have with parents; it has been designed with the intention of supporting parents and caregivers in their key role as primary educators of their children in the area of human sexuality.

Should parents be uncomfortable with particular aspects of the program that may be sensitive or may be perceived as inappropriate, there is an option to withdraw their child from those aspects. In this instance, parents are requested to submit their request in writing addressed to the Principal, Mr Greg Parker.

Should you have any enquiries please feel free to contact me or your child’s classroom teacher.

Paper copies of these documents are available from the School Office.

A former parent of our community, Jeff George, recently wrote to us and shared that he has been selected as the Ambassador for a charity called Backpacks 4 SA Kids. I would like to share his words with you:

Backpacks4SAKids http://backpacks4sakids.org is a great local charity that provides clothes and personal supplies (in a backpack) to children placed in emergency care and domestic violence shelters. These backpacks help to relieve some of the uncertainty children face when they are removed from their family - often leaving possessions and comforts behind. Sadly, there is an ever increasing demand for this service in thecommunity.

I am hopeful the school can consider a "Pyjama Day" on Friday 3^rdAugust for this charity.Pyjamas are often an item in demand for backpacks - hence the theme - which we are hoping will be embraced throughout the state similar to other "themes" for other charities (e.g Jeans for Genes etc). This will certainly be a unique and exciting way to raise much needed funds for a fantastic charity and I would be very grateful for any support St Pius X School anoffer.

In light of Jeff's request, we invite all students, staff and our wider school community to wear pyjamas this Friday and bring a gold coin donation. Sneakers/shoes must be worn by the students, particularly given the weather conditions!

Posting Joy

We appreciate that our parents and caregivers might find it inappropriate to wear pyjamas to their workplace so an alternative is available - a "Posting Joy" day.  A flyer outlining this alternative has been placed on the parent's noticeboard in the courtyard by the Student Entry door.  Posting Joy involves purchasing a postcard for $5 with the Backpacks 4 SA Kids mascot on it. The purchaser then writes a positive comment to a child entering into emergency services and the card is provided to a child who receives a backpack.  Children who are displaced from their homes often have a constant negative 'inner voice' where they don't believe in their self-worth. To have a visual reminder of something positive such as a postcard with a positive comment can help brighten a really difficult time for a child.  Often they are kept in their pockets and some children even sleep with their cards under their pillows!  

Some examples of positive comments you could place on a postcard are:

• Reach for the stars because you are someone special
• You are not alone
• You have a beautiful heart
• You are loved
• The world is better with you in it
• We have faith in you
• You are capable
• You are deserving
• You are strong
• You make a difference

With every $5.00 raised B4SAK will be able to purchase a set of pyjamas.  Pyjamas are currently the item receiving the most positive feedback from children provided with backpacks. One child recently quoted "I didn't know pyjamas were so comfy! I always just wore the clothes I was wearing that day, but pyjamas really help you fall asleep. I love them. Thank you." - things that some of us just take for granted!

Thank you for your anticipated support of the Pyjama and Posting Joy Day this Friday 3^rdAugust.

Yvy 2L and Hannah 6/7A who both passed their recent AMEB Singing for Leisure Exams: Yvy passed her Preliminary exam with a B+ (High Credit) and Hannah passed her Grade 3 with an A (Honours). Well done, both of you!

Virginia Rawlinson - Singing Teacher

Mitchell and Elliott in Year 3T on successfully completing their AMEB Classical Guitar Exams.  Mitchell achieved a Preliminary A and Elliot a Preliminary B+.  Great work boys!

David Moritmer - Guitar Tutor