Mark Pawlak - Long Time Staff Member at St Pius X College Chatswood Retires

The retirement of Mr Mark Pawlak at the end of 2025 marks the end of an association with St Pius X College as student and teacher that dates back to the 1960s when he was in Primary school. He is truly a part of the DNA of the College with a legacy acknowledged by thousands of former students and staff.

Mark graduated from the College in Year 12 in 1974 then returned as a teacher after completing his teacher studies in 1978. At the time, the Christian Brothers were still in prominence around the College as leaders and teachers and Mark was a close associate of a number of them.  It was also a time of co-instruction with the nearby Catholic Girls School, then known as Our Lady of Dolours.

Mark was always interested in the Cadets – attaining the rank of Company Sergeant Major while he was a student. At the time the popular Cadet movement was government funded and there were many camps and other activities that gave young people a chance to test and develop their leadership skills. Mark continued as an Officer of Cadets when he returned as a teacher, eventually attaining the rank of Captain and Officer Commanding the unit. He led many camps at Singleton and bivouacs in the grounds of the Christian Brothers property at Mulgoa until a lack of government funding caused the unit to disband in 1985.

Mark was passionate in his major teaching area of Geography. He fostered a love of the subject amongst many students and guided them in the production of outstanding Special Interest Projects (SGPs) which he would proudly display around the school once completed. His knowledge of Geography led to him becoming an HSC marker and then Senior Marker in the subject. His other teaching areas included Religious Education and a range of other areas.

In addition to his classroom and cadet work Mark was a passionate Rugby Coach. He specialised in coaching the 16As Rugby and thereby lay the groundwork for young players going on to senior College and wider representation. He coached some notable teams, including one that included a future Wallaby Captain, Michael Hooper and another future international in Luke Jones. Mark spent many hours helping them develop their moves on the Rugby field and in the gym at lunchtime.

Mark was Year 7 Coordinator from 1981 to 2006, preparing young student for the Senior School. He led many ski trips – taking his 150 or so young charges down to the slopes and organising gear, skis, accommodation, lessons and staffing. The organisation of such excursions was always excellent – and it was not surprising that many students would comment that the Year 7 Ski Trip was one of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences they had at the College.

In later years, Mark moved into the role of Year 10 as Coordinator from 2007 to2024, helping the boys prepare for the challenges of senior school through such activities as Reflection Days and the Community Involvement Program (CIP). He also organised very successful Year 10 Dinner Dances and graduation to mark the end of their Middle Secondary lives. In his final year he was Pastoral Coordinator for Year 11.

Mark’s organisational skills extended into staff activities through the Staff Club. He made a point of helping in the process of remembering birthdays and other significant events as well as the Melbourne Cup Day, St Patrick’s Day and the annual Christmas party. All these activities were important contributions to staff morale.

Generations of students have benefited from the work of Mark Pawlak. It is not unusual that the students he worked with recently are the sons of those he helped decades before. His efforts added to the reputation and success of the College. Reunions and casual meetings of students always feature ex-students asking after him. He assisted many of them because he took a personal interest in their well-being and regularly made comments with their parents either by phone, interview or newsletters. Many troubled young men benefitted from his wise counsel and management, whether in class or in the Year Meetings. His career spanned the early days when the Brothers still ran the many schools around the country until the new world and wide connections of EREA and associated organisations. His work was marked by skills in management and organisation, a genuine professional care for his students and a deep knowledge of his subject area.

He made a real difference to the College.

Tony Cunneen and Ross Masters (Former Colleagues of Mark Pawlak)

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The community of Edmund Rice Education Australia schools is honoured to join former teaching colleagues and the Christian Brothers community, in recognising the dedicated service and career of Mr Mark Pawlak, over 48 years at St Pius X College, where his profoundly positive impact upon generations of students, staff and families is held in the highest regard.

"They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care"

A gathering was held to celebrate Mark's career achievements, and his selfless dedication was addressed by College Historian in residence, Mr Tony Cunneen, Mr Grant Andrews, Class of 1989 & Staff 1998 - 2005, Mr Sean Brannan: Class of 1986 & Staff member2000 - , Mr Rick Russo, St Patrick’s College Captain Class of 1973 & St Pius X Staff 1998 - 2023, as well as our guest of honour, whose message was simple: "Kids make mistakes, communicate directly, allow them to make up for them, get on with it, and achieve high standards!"

The gathering included Christian Brother, Br Carl Sherrin: Class of 1953, College Archivist and SPX Old Boys Association Patron, recent Principal Mr John Couani and his wife Maree, and two long serving fellow staff who commenced with Mark in 1978: highly regarded former Year 5 Teacher Mr Terry Patterson, and esteemed Physics -Science Coordinator & 3rd (Curriculum) Assistant to the Principal, Mrs Margaret Vere.

The Principal who employed Mark at Christmas Eve Midnight Mass 1977, Br PJ White, now retired at Nudgee College Brisbane, sent his congratulations to Mark. Noting that his objective - to maintain the positive culture of the co-educational College through employment of some key Old Boy Staff at the time - had been more than achieved in the decades of Mark Pawlak's tenure as a Year Coordinator, Rugby Coach, Cadet Unit Commander, Ski Expedition Leader, Geography and RE Teacher, and great supporter and mentor of students, staff and parents through the students’ formative years and beyond.

There were many stories shared from early ski trips, staff gatherings and Cadet camps. Colleagues including CSNSW Bronwyn Hession, Judy Black, Marty Collins, Melissa King, Ann Brady, Jenny Williams, Mary Doheny, Nick Carson, Kiaran O'Byrne, Neil Gibson, Mark de Brincat, Kath Ramsay, Julian Lawson, Tom Garvey, Tonia Steller, Jim Olson, Sandie Towns and Phil Stollery, to name but a few, were unified in their praise for the work of Mark, on behalf of his students throughout the years.

When interviewed by long serving mercurial College Counsellor, Mr Ricky Russo (St Pats Strathfield College & 1st XV Captain Class of 1973), for his part, Mark recounted a few career highlights including coaching future Wallabies Michael Hooper and Luke Jones, who through Michael's mum Raelene, prepared a written testimony. Mark noted that he learned more from Michael and Luke by coaching them, than he had taught. Sentiments with which I can concur, having coached their team undefeated in Year 5 and 6!

A similarly glowing testimony from Willoughby Mayor Tanya Taylor, who is a great supporter of our EREA Schools and staff, relayed the great esteem Mark is held in by parents of St Pius X College and the wider community. We know this to be true also of former Mayors and dignitaries including Gail Giles-Gidney, the late Pat Reilly (SPX Old Boy and Uncle of St Aloysius author Matthew Reilly) as well as Noel Reidy RIP, whose sons attended the College in the 1970s and 1980s!

As its concluding SPX Cadet Unit Captain, (when the 1985 Government Funding dried up), Mark had supported the interests and learning passions of the students through the activities of its abseiling (kudos to Mr Greg Moore), white water rafting, archery and small bore rifle platoons, to the benefit of many, including future Military Attache to the Middle East Col. Rodger Shanahan, Officer and Australian Schoolboy Rugby representative, Ernie Sandril (class of 1982), and anti-terrorist expert, David Killcullen (1983), along with so many other students of that, earlier and later generations.

His positive impact on others, and the profound difference Mark has made, in the best traditions of Edmund Rice and the Christian Brothers cannot be underestimated.

Fide et Labore

Mr Sean Brannan

Acting Deputy Principal, St Edmund College, Wahroonga