Newsletter 9 – 18 June 2025

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The end of term is fast approaching with only two and a half weeks remaining. Our students are busily completing assessments across the various learning areas and teachers are in the throes of report writing and grading. In the coming week our school will be treated to an incursion from both Constable Care and The Water Corporation.

Grandparents Mass and Morning Tea

On Friday morning our school was abuzz with excitement. Our students relished the opportunity to welcome their grandparents into their classrooms and share their work with them. It was so lovely to witness the beautiful interactions that unfolded and the depth of love, adoration and respect our children have for their grandparents.

The walk to Church was characterised by grandparents and grandchildren walking hand in hand, engaged in quiet conversation. Our church was packed to the brim and God’s heart must have been beaming with joy at the sight of our children sitting with their grandparents during Mass. The Year 6 students read beautifully, and Fr Anthony delivered a warm, engaging and interactive homily which touched the hearts and souls of all gathered in the Church.

After Mass, our students escorted their grandparents back to school where they listened to three of our Year 6 students’ speeches. Charlotte, Eloise and Zaiden captivated their audience with their Speak With Confidence speeches, showcasing their research, writing and public speaking skills.

Following this, our grandparents made their way into the Library where they enjoyed each other’s company over some morning tea. It was humbling to meet and interact with our children’s grandparents, to get a greater understanding of their background and family. There was an immense amount of pride, love and joy evident among our grandparents. Our school community is so very blessed to have such involved and dedicated grandparents.

Thank you to the parents who set-up the Library, made the coffees and teas, and did the clean-up and pack away at the end. Our Year 2 parents also deserve to be commended for the amazing spread of food they provided. Your contributions made for a smooth and enjoyable experience for our grandparents.

Speak with Confidence Awards

Each year the City of South Perth invites school within the catchment to enter a total of two students, from Year 5 and 6, in the Speak with Confidence Awards. Students are required to select a topic of their own choice to research and plan a speech for. Our Year 5 and 6 students presented their speeches to their class and one student from Year 5 and one student from Year 6 has been selected to represent our school in the Speak With Confidence Awards which will take place next Wednesday. Congratulations to Charlotte, Year 6, and Nicholas, Year 5, for being selected. Charlotte’s speech ‘female athletes should be paid the same amount as male athletes’ and Nicholas’ speech ‘we must put a stop to deforestation’ are both pertinent topics that will be of interest to the audience and judges. We wish Charlotte and Nicholas all the very best in their preparation and performance in the competition.

Keyed Up Music and Edu-Sing After School Activities Term 3

Some parents have expressed interest in the after school Keyed Up Music instrumental program and Edu Sing being reintroduced. As these events are facilitated by external providers, they need to have sufficient enrolments to warrant running the programs onsite. If you would like your child(ren) to participate in either of these programs, please make direct contact with the providers. Their details feature further down in this newsletter. 

First Holy Communion

On Monday, our Year 4s participated in their First Holy Communion retreat at St Catherine’s House of Hospitality. Having completed their sacramental preparation, this Sunday, they will be receiving Christ, through the Sacrament of Eucharist, for the first time.  This is such a special phase in our Year 4s spiritual journey. It is important that we keep them and their families in our prayers so they may experience the full depth of Christ’s graces during their First Holy Communion. Thank you to Miss Sinclair, Fr Anthony and our Year 4 parents for supporting our Year 4s during this special time.

Wishing all our families a blessed end to the week,

God Bless,

Melissa Vranjes
Principal

“Body of Christ” was the theme on Monday 16 June, when the Year Four class, Miss Sinclair and Mrs Gregory spent the day at St Catherine’s House of Hospitality, for a First Holy Communion retreat. Led by the wonderful Sr Elizabeth, our students challenged themselves to create an alphabetical verbs list of 26 things we ‘DO’ during Mass, such as say Alleluia and Amen, give Blessings and make the sign of the Cross. We learned about the importance of First Holy Communion in our faith, and how the priest re-enacts elements of the Last Supper that Jesus had with his Disciples, during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Sr Elizabeth then led us through all of the items used during Mass, and our students had the opportunity to touch various elements such as the Paten (the small silver or gold dish that holds the Eucharist), the Chalice (the special cup that holds the wine, that becomes the Blood of Christ) and the Lectionary (the book that is placed on the Lectern for readers to use during the Liturgy of the Word). We set the altar for Mass and even had the opportunity to wear some vestments that are worn by priests during different times of the liturgical year.

Sr Elizabeth made us feel so welcome and shared her vast knowledge and her beautiful garden with us. Our day ended by meeting Sr Claire, another Mercy nun who is cared for by Sr Elizabeth, followed by a practice of receiving the Eucharist.

Thanks to this special retreat experience, the Year 4 students recognise that the Eucharist deepens our union and relationship with Christ, and by sharing in this meal as a community, we are growing stronger as a church. In the words of Sr Elizabeth, “The bread becomes the Body of Christ, and I become the Body of Christ and you become the Body of Christ”.

We look forward to celebrating this important faith milestone on Sunday with our classmates, teachers, friends and family.

It has been an exciting and rewarding semester in Dance at St Pius X! From the very beginning, students have brought infectious energy and a positive mindset into every lesson and I’ve been absolutely blown away by their willingness to learn and grow as dancers. After laying the foundation in Term 1 by exploring the elements of dance—Body, Energy, Space and Time (BEST)—this term has seen students build on those skills through set choreography, with a focus on developing their performance quality. Each class has worked hard to rehearse their routines of varying complexities while also practising appropriate audience behaviour and learning how to respond to dance using technical vocabulary. It has been wonderful to witness the students’ progress as they refine movements, collaborate with peers, and reflect thoughtfully on their own performances. We are excited to showcase their hard work and passion through upcoming live and digital presentations—stay tuned!

This Term’s Highlights

Year 1 – “It’s a Good Time”
Our Year 1 dancers have been full of enthusiasm, performing a Mickey Mouse-themed routine that’s all about fun, character and expression. The choreography explores levels and directions, connecting with the elements they explored in Term 1. They’ve also begun reflecting on how dance makes them feel.

Year 2 – “Happy”
Year 2 has lit up the dance space with their happy energy and bright smiles! Their routine builds on locomotor movement skills and extends their understanding of Body, Space and Time. Watch out for the gallop circle coming soon! Students have shared thoughtful responses about how these elements were used in their performance.

Year 3 – “Get Your Body Moving”
With high energy and growing technical skill, our Year 3s tackled more challenging choreography and explored contrasting dynamics and use of energy within their dance. Their reflections showed a deepening understanding of BEST and how movement communicates meaning. Having completed their dance early, they’ve now shifted focus to Drama, preparing a choral speech performance of Too Many Cats for the Catholic Performing Arts Festival.

Year 5/6 – “Super Mario Bros”
Our senior students have been working incredibly hard on a Super Mario Bros-inspired routine, soon to be performed in the Dance section of the Catholic Performing Arts Festival in Term 3. With exciting costumes, props, and complex choreography, students have been refining their performance qualities, including facial expression, timing and clarity of movement. A mid-term reflection allowed them to evaluate their strengths, identify areas for improvement, and explore how the elements of BEST support storytelling through dance.

We can’t wait to celebrate all the learning and joy our students have poured into Dance this semester—stay tuned for our upcoming performances.

🎶 Afterschool Music & Singing Lessons – Term 3 at St Pius X 🎤

We are hoping to offer afterschool music and singing lessons in Term 3 at St Pius X! These engaging sessions will be dependent on the number of enrolments. They are a wonderful way for students to explore their musical talents, build confidence, and enjoy creative expression in a supportive environment.

🎹 Instrumental lessons with Key Up Music and  🎶Group singing classes with Edu Sing are available for a range of ages and skill levels. Whether your child is just beginning or looking to advance their skills, our experienced instructors provide high-quality, fun-filled learning experiences.

📅 Enrolments for Term 3 are now open!
To register or find out more, please see the flyers below, or contact Keyed Up Music or Edu-Sing.

Be sure to register early to secure your place!

Let your child’s musical journey begin!