Newsletter 10, Wednesday, 29 July 2026

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Over the school holidays, I was blessed with the opportunity to participate in a pilgrimage in the footsteps of St Mary MacKillop. It is difficult to put into words the privilege I felt standing in places that were so integral to Mary’s life and journey of faith. Walking where she walked, learning more deeply about her story and gaining a greater understanding of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the founding organisation of our school, was both humbling and inspiring.

Throughout the pilgrimage, I found myself continually marvelling at Mary’s courage and conviction. At a time when education was not accessible to all children, Mary held firmly to the belief that every child deserved the opportunity to learn. Guided by her unwavering faith and trust in God, she worked tirelessly alongside Father Julian Tenison Woods to establish schools and, ultimately, the Sisters of St Joseph. Her example of perseverance, courage and service continues to inspire Catholic education today.

One particularly moving moment was visiting Penola, where Mary and Father Tenison Woods opened their first school in what was once a stable. To see our school’s name proudly displayed there amongst schools connected to the Josephite story was a wonderful reminder of the rich heritage we share and the responsibility we have to continue Mary’s mission in our own community.

Celebrating a special milestone

This week, we warmly welcomed Mrs Hay back to school following her wedding during the school holidays. Eve and her husband Jake both looked magnificent on their special day and we were delighted to celebrate this significant milestone with her.

We pray that God blesses Eve and Jake as they begin their lives together as husband and wife and we wish them every happiness in the years ahead.

Holiday improvements 

Over the holidays, a number of works were completed around the school. Classrooms from Years 2 to 6 were recarpeted, providing refreshed learning spaces for our students. We also removed the timber climbing frame that had unfortunately been damaged by white ants. Our staff identified that many students would enjoy opportunities for creative and imaginative play through access to a sandpit so this term, this area will be used for exploratory play with further consideration of the space following consultation with students.

Planning also continues for our major playground redevelopment which is scheduled to take place during the Christmas holidays.

Parent Code of Conduct

You will recently have received information from the Executive Director of Catholic Education Western Australia, Mrs Annette Morey, regarding the Parent Code of Conduct. I encourage all parents and caregivers to take a few moments to read through this important document as we continue working in partnership to create a safe, respectful and welcoming environment for all members of our community.

Learning together: CEWA Learning Lab

This week, our school was fortunate to participate in CEWA’s Learning Lab Project. Our teachers worked alongside internationally recognised educator and author Trevor MacKenzie, engaging in planning, co-teaching and reflection around cultivating student curiousity and agency.

We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to draw upon Trevor’s expertise and to further enrich student learning outcomes.

Director’s Visit

On Wednesday, we welcomed Reverend Mark Powell, Director of Religious Education to St Pius X.   It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the varied learning opportunities and initiatives at our school and to celebrate the great things happening each day within our beautiful community.

Year 6 Sneaker Drive

Our Year 6 students are currently coordinating a Sneaker Drive on behalf of St Norbert College.

We sincerely thank our Year 6 leaders for their commitment to service and for living our SEARCH values through this initiative. Further information can be found below:

• The St Norbert College Sneaker Drive is collecting old and pre-loved shoes to donate to First Nations communities in the Kimberley region of remote Western Australia. St Pius X is proud to support this initiative by collecting donations from our school community. Families and students who would like to contribute are invited to drop off old or pre-loved shoes at the St Pius X front office. The shoes may have some minor wear or small holes, but please ensure they are still in good, wearable condition.
• Please leave your donations in the office and we will deliver them to St Norbert College. All shoe donations need to be dropped off by the end of Term 3, Friday 25 September. We would be incredibly grateful for your support. By donating a pair of shoes, you can make a real difference to children and families living in remote First Nations communities, where many people do not have the same opportunities or access to essential items that we often take for granted. Your donation will help provide comfortable footwear and protect feet from the rocky and sandy ground.

Thank you for helping us support this worthwhile cause.

Celebrating the Arts

As we move through the term, many of our students will be participating in the Catholic Performing Arts Festival (CPAF), which showcases the talents of CEWA students across a variety of artistic disciplines:

• Several students’ visual artworks have been selected for display in the Angelico Art Exhibition at the Forrest Centre on St George’s Terrace from 10-28 August.
• Our Year 1, 2, 3 and 4 students will perform in the Choral Speech section at the Vasto Club in Balcatta on Tuesday, 4 August.
• Our school choir will perform in the Primary Choir section at the Vasto Club on 28 August.

We wish all participating students every success and know they will represent St Pius X with pride while enjoying these wonderful learning experiences.

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Mrs Lucia Miller for her dedication and work with our students as our Visual Arts and Drama teacher and to Mrs Dempsey for her work preparing our Year 4 students. We greatly appreciate the passion and expertise they bring to these programs.

WA Student Assistance Payment (WASAP)

A reminder to families that the WA Student Assistance Payment remains available and can be accessed until 25 September.

To complete your application, you will require your child’s WA Student Number (WASN). If you need assistance locating this information, please email Yvonne in the office, who will be happy to assist.

Coming and going at St Pius X

• Please remember that the Kiss and Drive area is for active collection only. If your child is not waiting when you arrive, we kindly ask that you drive around the block and return, rather than waiting in the zone to help reduce congestion.
• Thank you also for being mindful of traffic flow around the roundabout. Please do not stop or queue in a way that blocks traffic, as this creates safety concerns and may be a traffic offence.
• We remind families to please dismount bikes when entering school grounds.
• Families using the Parish carpark are asked to reverse into parking bays where possible and to take care around the garden areas to help ensure the safety of all members of our community.

Glimmer Moment ✨

Congratulations to Claire L, who has been selected to represent Western Australia in the Under 12 State Golf Competition this October.

This is a wonderful achievement and a testament to Claire’s commitment, dedication and countless hours of training. We are incredibly proud of Claire and wish her every success as she represents Western Australia on the state stage.

With God’s blessings to you and your families,

Jacki Tucker
Principal

Got cans and containers collecting at home? Bring them along to school via our Kiss & Drive on Thursday, 13 August 2026, between 8:00am and 8:45am.

🚗 Drop and Go, Safe & Slow – one less thing to stow! 🚗

Look out for our Sustainability Team in their PINK high-vis vests, who will be on hand to help make the drop-off quick and easy.

Every eligible container helps support our school’s sustainability initiatives while making a positive impact on the environment.

Let’s work together to turn recyclable containers into positive change for our SPX community!

Welcome back to Term 3!

We hope all our families enjoyed a relaxing and refreshing holiday break and are ready for another busy and exciting term ahead.

Firstly, we would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest P&F General Members, Katherine Sierakowski and Fiona Plain. We are delighted to have you join our team and look forward to your contributions to our school community.

This Friday, members of the P&F will be attending the CSPWA Awards Night, and we are incredibly proud to share that our school community has finalists in four categories this year:

• Jo Ann Jenaway – Parent Nomination Award
• Jacki Tucker – Principal’s Award
• Gaye Sanchez – Agnes Weymouth Award
• Our entire P&F Team – Parent Group Award

Being recognised as finalists is a wonderful achievement and reflects the dedication, passion and commitment of these individuals and our broader school community. We wish all our nominees the very best of luck for Friday evening and will keep everyone updated on the outcomes.

We also have a fantastic line-up of events planned throughout Term 3. Kicking things off is our much-anticipated Parent Quiz Night, being held Saturday 8^th August at  Bad Apples Bar at 6:30pm. It promises to be a fun evening of trivia, laughter and community connection. If you haven’t secured your place yet, be quick as ticket sales close soon! There are some great prizes to win thanks to all of our wonderful sponsors.

We look forward to another great term working together to support our school and create wonderful opportunities for our students and families.

Kim Passmore
P&F President