POSSIBLE ROUTINE FOR YEAR 8

FIRST DAY - Wednesday 1st September - Home at Lunch Time.
SECOND DAY - Friday 3rd September.
Mid September - Individual Photographs - Football/Netball Coaching begins.
September/October - Year 8 Mass and Parents/Form Teacher Meeting.
October - 'Self Awareness' Woodhall Outdoor Social Education Centre (1 day).
November/December - Handwriting Competition.
December - Year 8 Christmas Outing.
January - Assessment and Reports to Parents.
February/March - Year 8 Parent/Teacher Meeting.
April/May - Football/Basketball/Netball Competitions.
May/June - Sports Day Year 8 Trip - Assessment & Reports to parents.

St Pius X High School is a mixed (Boys and Girls) Secondary School. It was opened in 1964 with about 240 pupils and 12 teachers. This year there will be about 850 pupils and 56 teachers.

THE SCHOOL NAME

About this time 150 years ago, a young Italian boy was changing from his local primary school to the secondary school of his choice.
His name was Guiseppe Melchiorre Sarto. He was called Bepi for short. He was a village boy, born in June 1835, the son of a local postman.
Bepi Sarto studied to become a priest. Later he became a Cardinal and in August 1903, when Pope Leo XIII died Bepi was chosen as the new Pope. He took the name Pius X.
Pope Pius changed the rules regarding the Eucharist. He allowed children to make their First Holy Communion at seven years of age instead of thirteen or fourteen.
Pope Pius X died in 1914 of bronchitis. Many people recognised him as a very Holy man. Others claimed that through their prayers to him, after his death, that many miracles had been worked. It was because of this that on the 29th May 1952 Pope Pius X was canonised a saint. His feast day is on August 21st.
In our school prayers we often say "St Pius X Pray for Us".

CHANGING SCHOOL

One of the first things you will notice about your new school is that it is much bigger than your primary school.
The next change you will notice is that your school day will be organised differently from primary school.
Instead of staying all day in one room with one teacher, you will be taught by different teachers for different subjects in different rooms.
So you will probably find yourself getting lost during your first days as you move from one part of the school to another.

DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED BY THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING

In a short time you will get to know your way around. To help you find your way around the map provided in the centre pages should show you where the different classrooms are situated. On your first day your Form Teacher will take you on a tour of the school.
The third change you will notice is that you will be doing many more subjects. Some of these you may have learned something about before, others will be completely new. You will be required to follow Programmes of Study as laid down in the Northern Ireland Curriculum, in all subjects.

Subjects studied in YEAR 8 are:

ART & DESIGN
DRAMA
ENGLISH
FRENCH
GEOGRAPHY
HISTORY
HOME ECONOMICS
I.C.T (Information Communications Technology)
IRISH
MATHEMATICS
MUSIC
PERSONAL & SOCIAL EDUCATION
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY

The fourth big difference is one that takes time to get used to. In your last primary school you were among the oldest and biggest in the school
Now you will be among the youngest and smallest. This is not something to be frightened of. You will still have friends you had in primary school and you will be able to make new friends among the other first year boys and girls who have come from other primary schools.

REMEMBER: There will be about 174 other boys and girls just like you!

A NEW BEGINNING

You should realise that this is what you are being given - a chance to start again, in a new school with new teachers, new subjects, new opportunities to do well in the classroom and in the sports field. It is not your past record that is important but what you do from now on.

TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR SCHOOL

Remember the school is as good as you, the pupils make it. St Pius X High School has a fine reputation built up by other pupils. TAKE PRIDE in what you do and always try to achieve success for yourself and so be a credit to your school, as other pupils have been before you.

COURTESY

We will treat you with respect and consideration. We expect you to treat the other boys and girls, the teachers and visitors to the school, in a polite, friendly way. There is never an excuse for bad manners. Good manners are just as important as good exam results.

RESPECT

We expect you to show a very high standard of behaviour at all times.

1. You must respect others, their opinions, their right to learn as much as they can, and very importantly their property.

2. Be honest in all that you say and do.

3. Treat others as you would like to be treated. If you do that, you are the type of person we welcome to our school.

4. Be well-mannered and well behaved on school buses and on the street, otherwise you are letting yourself, your family and your school down.

SCHOOL RULES

With 850 pupils in a fairly small space, rules are essential -

1. For the smooth running of the school.
2. To help you learn without disturbance.
3 To protect the building itself and all the equipment from damage.

Early in the school year your Form Teacher will be explaining the SCHOOL RULES to you and the need to observe all the rules.

IMPORTANT PLACES AND ROOMS FOR YEAR 8's TO KNOW AND REMEMBER

1 ASSEMBLY HALL (near main entrance) One morning in the week will be set aside for a Year 8 assembly (Monday).
2 PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE (near main entrance) should not be entered without permission.
3 SECRETARIES OFFICE (beside Principal's Office).
4 DINING HALL (beyond Assembly Hall).
5 CHANGING ROOMS for PE (Situated between Assembly Hall and Dining Hall).
6 Year 8 Cloak spaces (can be found near the Junior Boys and Junior Girls entrances).
7 Junior Boys and Girls toilets can be found near the cloakrooms.
8 At breaktime the Boys take their break at the front of the school (Marked 'A'). The Girls take their break at the back of the school (Marked 'B') After lunch all pupils may take their break at the back of the school (Marked 'B').
9 STATIONERY SHOP (Open from 8.45 am -9.00 am and Breaktime) - every day.

YOUR FIRST DAY

WEDNESDAY 1st SEPTEMBER has been set aside especially for you. the Year 8 Pupils.
You will have the school and the teachers all to yourselves.
A special teacher, your Form Teacher has been appointed to take care of your interests. If you have any problems in school or on the buses, your form teacher will be available to help.
During the year your parents and Form Teacher will meet to discuss your progress. If your parents have any special concerns about you during the year, they may contact your Form Teacher at any time.

WHAT WILL I BE GIVEN ON MY FIRST DAY

Dinner Ticket if you are entitled to these.
Bus Pass
Class timetable
Cloakroom place and number
School Diary
School Rules

THE SCHOOL DAY

THE MORNING

Each day, before you go to your first class, you must go to your Form Classroom for Morning Prayer and Roll Call at 8.55 a.m. If you arrive late you must

(i) sign the @Latecomers Register' in the Secretary's Office.
(ii) report to your Form Teacher(after 9.15am) to ensure that your attendance is registered and that you explain your latecoming.

HOW YOUR DAY IS ORGANISED

When you receive your timetable on your first day you will see that there are 9 class periods per day plus a lunch period.
Between the third and fourth period you will have a break. During this morning break, boys go to the front yard and girls to the back yard.

During lunch time whether you take a school dinner or bring a packed lunch, you must go to the dining hall at the set time.

If you live close to the school you will be allowed to go home for lunch - otherwise you may not leave the school grounds at lunch time. Pupils going home for lunch must complete a form signed by parents seeking permission from the Year Tutor.

HOME AND SCHOOL

At ST PIUS X High School we like to develop close links between home and school, between parents and teachers.
It is important that you should attend school every day if possible. If, however, you are absent for a day or a number of days, when you return, you must bring a note from your parents explaining your absence.

HOMEWORK

The aim of homework is to help you learn what already has been taught in class. It is not meant to be a burden but rather another aid to learning.
In first year especially, you may not get much homework, but what you do get is expected to be done with care. You will be provided with a homework diary to record your homework. If you lose your diary, you can buy another in the Secretary's Office. This homework diary will be a link between your teachers and your parents. It can be used as a guide by parents to the progress of their children's schoolwork. If you genuinely cannot do your homework or find it too difficult DO NOT Hesitate to explain this to your teacher. A NOTE from your parents written in the diary would also help in these circumstances. When you are given homework by your teacher, make sure you write it down in your homework diary.
UNIFORM
Your parents will have taken note from the Prospectus what items of uniform you will be required to have.
All clothing and other property must have your name on it. This helps to reduce the problem of lost and stolen property.

YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING:

Jotter
Dictionary
Pens
Pencils
Ruler
Rubber
Colouring Pencils
School Bag for your Books
Shoebag and indoor shoes
PE Clothing, Footwear and Kitbag.

These items are your own property, you should take care of them. Throughout the year you will be given and loaned other equipment. You should take good care of this also.
There is a Stationery Shop in the school where you can buy pens and pencils.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS COMPULSORY FOR ALL PUPILS.

PE PROGRAMME for GIRLS

Netball
Basketball
Camogie
Indoor Hockey
Swimming
Gymnastics
Dance
Cross Country Running
Athletics

PE PROGRAMME for BOYS

Gaelic Football
Basketball
Gymnastics
Uni-Hock
Minor Games
Swimming
Cross Country Running
Athletics
Soccer

Pupils will participate in all of these activities.

GIRLS PE UNIFORM

White Aertex/Sports Blouse
Navy Plain/Pleated Wrapover Skirt
Navy Pants

Games Shoes
White Socks
Camogie/Football Boots
Swimsuit, Towel & Swimhat

BOYS PE UNIFORM

Football Boots
Slippers
Football Socks
Football Jersey
Football Togs
Swimming Togs
Towel

It is compulsory for both boys and girls to have the Official School PE Uniform.

PE Uniform for girls is available from any Sports Shop.

Burns of Draperstown (Tel 01648 28405) is the supplier of PE items for boys - at prices as follows:

Togs £9.00 (Approx)
Jersey £17.00
Socks £4.00

Arrangements will be made in the first 2 weeks in September, for Mr Burns to visit the school to sort out any difficulties.

PLEASE REMEMBER to put your name clearly on all items of PE gear.
Please use an indelible pen

USEFUL INFORMATION

PRINCIPAL: Mr A J O'Kane until 31st August 1999

VICE PRINCIPALS: Mrs B Barton Mr B Kyne
SCHOOL CHAPLAIN: Fr Murphy
PASTORAL CO-ORDINATOR: Mrs M White
HEAD OF YEAR 8: Mrs E Toner

NOTE TO PARENTS

If you have any queries or problems concerning your child's entry into St Pius X High School, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

TEL. 01648 - 32186 (2 Lines)
FAX 01648-32573
E Mail Address: office@stpiusx.magherafelt.ni.sch.uk