By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

As we complete Term 3, we have much to celebrate as a school community. This week, our Year 10 students completed their final exams, our overseas trip for 2024 departed for France, and we welcomed the Year 6 students from the Department of Education schools who will be joining us in 2025 for Year 7. Their Taster Day was the first step in their transition to St Brendan-Shaw College. We will also come together as a school community tomorrow to celebrate Founders’ Day.

Founders’ Day

Founders’ Day is a marquee celebration in the life of the St Brendan-Shaw College community as it presents an opportunity for the whole College to be engaged in servant leadership and awareness building around our founding orders and essential figures in our College history for whom our Houses are named.

Students will celebrate by enjoying food and activities together. Activities include futsal, face painting, three-on-three basketball, table tennis, chocolate toss, hay bale toss, and board and card games.

Rubicon Midwinter Arts Festival

I would like to congratulate Year 10 Student Sadie-May Wilson, who entered the Rubicon River Midwinter Arts Festival and Received 1st Prize in the Secondary College section. Sadie is a talented young woman who applies herself to all aspects of her studies and particularly thrives in the Arts area of the College, regularly sharing her gifts with the school community.

We congratulate Sadie on this wonderful achievement and for producing such an exceptional piece of art!

Term 4 Commencement

Please note the following Term 4 commencement details.

Monday 14 October

• Years 7-10 student-free day
  
• Years 11-12 non-TASC student-free day
• Years 11-12 TASC classes will run as per Day 1 timetable
• VET Electrotech will run as per Day 1 timetable
• Teaching and Learning Staff Professional Development

Tuesday 15 October

• All students resume classes as per Day 2 timetable

Please also note that the summer uniform changeover commences at the start of Term 4.

Staff Professional Development – Monday 14 October

Our staff will be engaging in professional learning with regard to Principles of Learning and, in particular, working with highly regarded educationalist Tom Sherrington to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas that will help us deliver an excellent all-around education for all young people. Staff will also spend some time working on building course content in our new learning management system in preparation for 2025.

One Day School

On Friday, 20 September, students from various schools gathered at St Brendan-Shaw College for the Northern One Day School (ODS) Online Meet and Greet Day.

This event offered a wonderful opportunity for students to come together in person, engaging in a day of collaborative activities focused on raising awareness about global issues, including the challenges faced by refugees. I would like to Congratulate Mrs Bridget Leary and our student leaders (Ivy Bennett, Ivy Amos, Tahlia Crawford, Leeyah Clemens, Moleigh Clemens, EJ Sullivan, Jasmine Hurley, Hamish Rootes, Chanudha Nandasiri, Ilse Taylor, Lillian Powell, Gemma McKenna, Baltimore Heald, Makayla Hendriks, Faith Newman, Jess Stoll, Braydee DiNunzio, Kale Garrad) who worked in pairs with each running a module and were, according to reports from teachers, very impressive!

The Rite Journey

Our Year 9 students have recently visited elderly homes around our region. They interact with elderly residents, read, talk, play games, and simply enjoy each other's company. This has been a particularly important opportunity for our young people.

While The Rite Journey provides our students with the opportunity to honour their childhood and their caregivers, reflect on important relationships in their lives, and participate in important ceremonial opportunities, it also provides our students with important learnings about how we as a community honour our elders and place importance in this within our communities.

Our elders have provided us with so much as a community, and we need to instil in our young people that as they grow older, we will continue to celebrate this as we care for them.

This week, the College received wonderful feedback from Rubicon Grove with regard to these visits last week. Students were commended on their uniform and how smart they looked. The residents also commended the students’ engagement noting that “the students were so easy to talk to, the residents could tell the students genuinely cared”.

Celebration for Year 12 Graduates of 2024

In Week 4 of next term we will celebrate the Class of 2024. This will occur through our Graduation Assembly on Wednesday 30 October, where we will come together as a whole school community. Year 12 families will attend the Graduation Assembly and this will be followed by afternoon tea for our Year 12 students and families.

On the evening of Thursday 31 October we will hold our Year 12 Valedictory Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, followed by the Valedictory Dinner.

I wish all families a restful term break. We look forward to Term 4 and the opportunities it will provide our students.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.
– Jane Goodall

Dame Jane Morris-Goodall (born 1934), formerly Baroness Jane van Lawick-Goodall, is an English primatologist and anthropologist. She is considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees after 60 years of studying wild chimpanzees' social and family interactions. Goodall first visited Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to observe its chimpanzees in 1960.

She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and the Roots & Shoots programme and has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues. As of 2022, she is on the board of the Nonhuman Rights Project. In April 2002, she was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Goodall is an honorary member of the World Future Council.

By Ms Cheryl Gamble, Senior Coordinator (Years 10-12)

The 2024 TASC Student Exam Guide has been published and shared with Senior Students undertaking TASC external assessments. The guide covers the essential information that students need to prepare for their end-of-year exams and assessments:

• Key dates for the external assessment process:
  • Course deadlines for externally assessed folios and other project work
  • Exam timetables
• Rules and procedures for external assessments
• Processes for medical certificates and emergencies (including the updated 2024 requirements)
• Receiving results and certificates
• A student guide to answering written questions and understanding exam marking has also been included this year.

On Wednesday, our French language students commenced their overseas excursion to France. This highly anticipated trip marks the culmination of their hard work in the classroom, where they have developed their language skills and deepened their understanding of French culture.

Arriving in France at a particularly wonderful time, just after the excitement of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, our students will have the unique opportunity to experience the energy and cultural pride that lingers in the wake of these global events. Their itinerary promises an unforgettable experience, filled with visits to iconic landmarks, historic cities, and immersive cultural exchanges.

Highlights of their trip include walking tours of Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, Les Invalides, the Palace de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur, La Grande Arche de la Défense, Château de Versailles, and a visit to Disneyland Paris.

Not only will our students practice their French in real-life settings, but they will also gain a deeper appreciation for the country’s rich history and vibrant culture.

From exploring the bustling streets of Paris to soaking in the charm of smaller towns, this trip is bound to inspire both personal and academic growth.

We wish them safe travels, plenty of new experiences, and memories that will last a lifetime. We look forward to hearing all about their adventures upon their return.

Bon voyage, and enjoy this extraordinary adventure!

By Mr Ross Hubble, House Head – Dillon

Our Outdoor Education students have been putting their skills to the test at Camp Clayton, tackling Rock Climbing, Belaying, the Giant Swing, and the High Ropes course! Along the way, they’ve mastered safety techniques, learned the correct terminology, and most importantly, built confidence by overcoming challenges. 

These activities have not only pushed them physically but also taught them to trust their peers as belayers, creating strong teamwork and unforgettable experiences. Well done to all our students!

The school immunisation program will take place on Thursday 24 October 2024.

Year 10
– Meningococcal ACWY
Year 7
– Human Papillomavirus (Catch-ups) – For students who missed Session 1 earlier this year
– Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough (Pertussis) dTpa

If you have returned a Consent Form for your child, he/she will be vaccinated as requested, unless the Health Department has otherwise notified you.

IMPORTANT: If your child has received vaccinations elsewhere since completing the Consent Form, is unwell or has commenced taking some form of medication, you MUST advise Devonport City Council Customer Service immediately on 6424 0511.

Parents are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of information provided on the Consent Forms and for any necessary alterations to the information being passed on to the Health Department.

Should you have any other queries about the program, please contact Devonport City Council’s Customer Service Department on 6424 0511 during Council’s office hours.

In the spirit of Spring Cleaning, the Just Act (Vinnies) group is holding a pop-up clothes swap stall at Founders’ Day. For the next few weeks, we are collecting clothing donations on Tuesdays and Fridays during Homeroom. These will be upcycled and available to swap on Founders’ Day. Anyone who donates an item of clothing will have their name recorded, and on Founders’ Day, a Just Act member will deliver your number of tokens to you. These tokens can then be swapped for donated items at the stall.

Accessories such as hats and scarves are worth one token; shirts, pants, skirts and dresses are worth two tokens; jackets and jumpers are worth three tokens. Any items left after the stall is finished will be donated to St Vincent de Paul Society, Devonport branch.

We hope that by doing this, we raise awareness of the pressing issue of fast fashion. This issue has both an environmental impact and a humanitarian one, including sweatshops and modern slavery. The Just Act (Vinnies) group is committed to the College values of Justice, Truth and Service in highlighting modern issues such as fast fashion.

By Mrs Natalie Healey, Vocational Education and Training Coordinator

Certificate II in Construction Pathways students recently completed the unit CPCCCM2012 - Work safely at heights.

As part of their training the students learnt how to spot hazards, assess risks, complete documentation, inspect safety equipment and fit harnesses. Students then completed some work at heights and experienced what it felt like to dangle in a harness.

We would like to thank Ivan from TMEC for his highly informative and engaging training. Our students thoroughly enjoyed it.

The changeover to summer uniform occurs at the beginning of Term 4. Now is a great time to check summer uniform garments for fit and condition. The Uniform Shop is fully stocked with summer uniforms.

Please note that St Brendan-Shaw College Midford Uniform Shop will close for the term break on Thursday 26 September 4:00 pm.

During the term break the Uniform Shop will be open at the following times:

Thursday 10 October – 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Monday 14 October – 8:00 am to 11:00 am

Regular trading hours will resume on Tuesday 15 October.

Regular Trading Hours
Throughout the school term, our regular opening hours are:
Tuesday 8.00am to 4.00pm
Thursday 8.00am to 4.00pm

Midford Uniform Shop Online
You are welcome to purchase from the online uniform shop at your convenience and your order will be filled when the store is next open. Log onto www.midford.com.au using passphrase SBSC505.

By Mrs Whitney Banfield, Teacher and Careers Advisor

There is one final Defence Work Experience placement in Hobart for 2024, taking place from 31 October to 1 November at both Anglesea and Derwent Barracks. This two-day placement will be followed by an Open Day at Anglesea Barracks on Saturday, 2 November.

Applications are due by Sunday 29 September.

To apply online for the two-day placement, visit the Australian Defence Force Familiarisation Program page on the Defence Work Experience Program website. 

By Mr Sam O'Keeffe, Sports Coordinator

Last week, 18 students from the College Swimming team set off for their final swimming carnival in Hobart. Leaving on Tuesday, the Students spent the night at the Discovery Park in Hobart before making their way to the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre, Tasmania's pinnacle swimming venue.

Abbie Tattersall, Braydee DiNunzio, Willow Farr and Sadie Peters got the team off to a fantastic start, winning their heart in the U14 Girls Medley relay.

Other notable results in their heats were:

• U16 Boys Medley Relay - 3rd
• U16 Girls Medley Relay- 2nd
• U16 Girls Freestyle Relay - 1st
• U15 Boys Freestyle Relay - 3rd
• Abbie Tattersall - 3rd U13 Girls 50m Freestyle, 4th U13 Girls Backstroke
• Braydee DiNunzio - 4th U14 Girls 50m Freestyle, 2nd U14 Girls Backstroke
• Ruby Brett - 3rd u15 Girls 50m Freestyle, 3rd U15 Girls Breaststroke, 1st U15 Girls 100m Freestyle
• Zara Badcock - 4th U16 Girls 50m Freestyle
• Ellie Ryan - 4th Open Girls 50m Freestyle
• Stella Dickson - 2nd U13 Girls Breaststroke
• Peter Chugg - 1st U15 Boys Breaststroke, 4th U15 Boys 100m Freestyle
• Matilda Spaulding - 2nd U16 Girls 100m Freestyle
• Oscar Lakeland - 3rd U14 Boys 50m Butterfly, 2nd U14 Boys Backstroke
• Daniel Eastley - 4th U13 Boys 50m Backstroke

The team did a great job representing the College at the carnival, with some very competitive results across the board. The team would like to thank Mrs Hoare and Mrs Farr for travelling with the team, supporting and encouraging all our swimmers in every event.

Students interested in entering either individually or in the team event for the Tasmanian All Schools Triathlon, please complete this Google Form by Wednesday 16 October.

Google Form Link: https://forms.gle/pwhpYYPXhepuHHR36