I have been most pleased with the start to the school year, with particular reference to teaching and learning, student's engagement and participation, and the way students have responded to my expectation of:

Respect to self

Respect to others

Respect to environment

Our students have responded to the challenge of wearing their uniform with pride, and this will continue to be a key focus. Visually and symbolically this is very important for our students. How we perceive ourselves and how we are perceived in the community must be aligned. Our College has a long and rich history, and wearing a St Brendan-Shaw College blazer is not only an honour for our students but those who have come before them. Walking into classrooms and around the yard at breaks, or as students arrive each day, I can see that our students have a genuine care for our school community.

This sense of community was "fully alive" at our swimming carnival on Wednesday, to see the happy, engaged faces of our students was most pleasing to see. Whether you were a Swimming Champion or participating for House points, our carnival was a celebration of our community. The afternoon sessions where students engaged in year level activities, where we had full participation led by our staff and senior students was most pleasing. I would like to congratulate Mr Sam O'Keeffe for his overall organisation and ensuring the day was such a success. I also extend this congratulations to MacKillop House, our swimming champions for 2023.

I look forward to this sense of community continuing over the next few weeks as we look ahead to our College Athletic Carnival in Week 4.

Next week as a Catholic community we celebrate the beginning of Lent with our Ash Wednesday service. As Pope Francis reminded us in his message for Lent 2022, we are called to “sow seeds of goodness for the benefit of others”, to take daily concrete actions in favour of our brothers and sisters. This means actively choosing to make visible and hear the voices of those people who are on the margins. For our students our hope is that through the season of Lent their focus is, not through what personal gain they can achieve through sacrificing or going without something, but rather how can this benefit others.

My focus is for us to grow as a school community, and this will occur through full and active participation. Our parents are a vital part of us reaching our full potential. The College will be establishing a uniform committee, with representatives from our student body, teaching and administration staff and I extend expressions of interest to parents who may be interested in being a part of this working group. Please forward expressions of interest to principalsea@sbsc.tas.edu.au.

Yesterday our two School Captains, James Watson and Felicity Purton flew to Sydney with Miss Sussman for the JJAMM Leadership Conference.

The JJAMM (Julian, Joseph, and Mary MacKillop) Conference is an opportunity for Senior Leaders from Josephite schools throughout Australia and New Zealand to discuss what it means to be a leader, specifically in a Josephite school.

James and Felicity will learn skills that will guide them in their role as school leaders. It will also give them time to plan for some initiatives they would like to implement back at school throughout the year, particularly the celebration of JJAMM week and the feast day of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop in August.

We wish them all the best and look forward to hearing about their time away.

Thank you to all the students and staff who made today's College Swimming Carnival a fantastic success. A full day of competition, novelty events, and endless House spirit! Congratulations

to MacKillop House, who came away with the Cup, another fantastic win for the House. We were also able to announce our Swimming Champions for 2023. Well done to those students for your outstanding efforts.

Year 7: Peter Chugg & Braydee DiNunzio

Year 8: George MacMillan & Taryn Lowe

Year 9: Xavier Bailey & Zara Badcock

Year 10: Joss Littler & Lucy Aherne

Open: Hunter Cross & Ellie Ryan

Next Wednesday 22nd February, we celebrate Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday signifies the start of Lent in the Catholic tradition. Staff and students will participate in a Liturgy on Wednesday. As is customary during Lent, our school canteen will not be selling meat products on Ash Wednesday or on Fridays for the rest of term one.

Below is an extract from Michael McGirr’s column in the Age newspaper last week.

- Gerry Peters
Coordinator of Ministry

The word Lent is an old one. Scholars tell us it comes from the Old English for “lengthen”, meaning, in the northern hemisphere, this time of year coincides with longer days and the coming of spring. Of course, it is the other way round in Australia, but the word reminds us that religious festivals are often attuned to cycles of nature. Christmas, for example, comes at the solstice. You don’t have to be religious to appreciate that nature tells a big story and we are just one part of it.

I am old enough to remember strict observances. One day when I was at school, the pies arrived by mistake at the tuck shop on a Friday in Lent, when meat was forbidden. The canteen did not have refrigeration to keep them over the weekend, so there was a moral dilemma. Would we be allowed to eat the pies and break the rule? Or would the pies be thrown out? Lent has a special focus on the world’s hungry and wasting food was unthinkable.

Luckily, Father Connolly came to the rescue. He stood up at assembly and announced that of course, we would be allowed to eat the pies because, as everybody knew, there was no meat in a meat pie, only sawdust. Both the rule and common sense could prevail, even if it involved slander against the poor bakers.

Christians believe that Easter celebrates the way in which Christ transformed humanity. We also believe that we are called to continue that transformation, to try to make the world more just, compassionate, forgiving, and alive.

Michael McGirr is the mission facilitator at Caritas Australia.

St Brendan Shaw College Term 1 Menu 2023

Last week all students in Years 7 & 10 were sent home with forms for the school's immunisation program. Year 7 students will have two vaccinations Tuesday 28 March. Year 10 students will be vaccinated in October. A reminder please for these forms to be returned to the office ASAP.

A number of students have already been issued with detention for multiple uniform infractions. A common infraction is failure to wear their blazer to and from school, which is easily avoidable. Students are making a choice that reflects a lack of pride in themselves and the school community they are privileged to be a part of.

Last week we neglected to include a photo of our counsellor Lynda Beaven. A reminder that students are able to access Lynda via self-referral or parent referral. Given their age, parent permission is not sought and what a student shares is confidential unless they express suicidal ideation or a desire to self-harm.

I also wanted to introduce Mrs. Di Saltmarsh. Di is the person you will hear from in the event of an unexplained absence. As PA to both deputies she is a wonderful resource, and calls to either deputy will be put through to her in the first instance. All subject changes are processed by Di and she also assists students when unsure about what subject they may prefer. You can be assured of Di’s total confidentiality when you share your concern to be passed on to the relevant staff member.

One of the issues we deal with frequently on the pastoral care team is when a student is unable to regulate their emotions - this can result in them "lashing out" verbally or physically, with disciplinary consequences as a result. Later in the term, we hope to be running an emotional workshop for all our Year 9 students, but I thought it would be helpful for parents to read the following article:

https://lindastade.com/the-emotional-skills-every-teen-needs-to-be-taught/

Linda Stade is an educator, researcher, and leader with many years of experience and I always gain something from reading her advice and insights.

The 2023 Devonport Basketball winter high school roster commences on Wednesday 22nd March.

Registrations close Wednesday 1st March 2023.

The link to register is - https://www.playhq.com/basketball-tasmania/register/7db8a0

Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the DBC Office on 64242440.

With football season fast approaching and the AFL investing a significant amount of money of money to develop the game and get more young people playing the game. The game needs more people to umpire these games. AFL Tasmania is conducting 2 programs to attract and give potential new umpires information on what is involved to umpire AFL so that more people are recruited to umpire these games on the NW coast. 

The Female program is a new national initiative designed to engage women and girls in a smaller more supportive environment not dominated by males. It will begin on Tuesday 21st February at Ulvestone Secondary College oval at 5.30 pm and is open to all interested people. It will give participants an introduction to umpiring. Participants should bring their own drink bottles and be dressed to do some physical activity. Sessions will go for about ½ hour before the North West Umpires Association training sessions begin at 6 pm. Which they are more than welcome to join in with. To register interest in this program https://www.cognitoforms.com/AFLTasmania/FemaleUmpiringProgramApplicationForm

The New Umpire Academy will begin on Thursday 23rd February at Ulvestone Secondary College oval at 5.30 pm and is open to all interested people. It will give participants an introduction to umpiring football. Participants should bring their own drink bottles and be dressed to do some physical activity. Sessions will go for about ½ hour before the North West Umpires Association training sessions begin at 6 pm. Which they are more than welcome to join in with. To register interest in the New Umpire Academy - https://www.cognitoforms.com/AFLTasmania/newumpireacademyapplicationform

Umpiring is for everyone and a great way to keep fit over the winter develop confidence and decision making and earn a bit of money. A range of people and personalities are required to umpire football.

e.g  Field umpires - run a bit, decision-makers, control the game.

Boundary Umpires - Like to run, throw ball in when told

Goal umpires - Less physically demanding, process driven and count to 6

The next Games Night is coming up quickly- Friday 17th of February 

Please note, there has been a slight change in the age group. There is a range of games available including War Hammer, Dungeons and Dragons, UNO, Monopoly, and other various card games.

We are encouraging all young people to come along as it is a great way to meet new people.