By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

Welcome to the final week of Term 2.

For both our students and teaching staff, the term break offers an opportunity to refresh and relax, ready to hit the ground running for the back end of 2023.

Subject Selections

This week it was very pleasing to see so many of our parents and students onsite for our Subject Selection Evening. I am really looking forward to seeing students embrace the wonderful subject offerings our students have on offer to them in 2024.  

Enrolments and Scholarships (Years 10-12)

We look forward to Years 10 and 11 becoming enrolment intake years for the College, not just Year 7. With the vast array of subject offerings for TASC and VET subjects, and the introduction of Year 10-12 scholarships, we look forward to St Brendan-Shaw College being a Senior School destination that not only delivers exceptional education but caters for the development of the whole individual, through Pastoral Care and opportunities within Sports, Culture and the Arts.

Notification if Not Returning in 2024

Year 10 parents and guardians, please note you will receive an email in the coming days requesting that you indicate if your child is not returning for Year 11.  A reminder to all families that as per the enrolment contract, a full term’s notice is required. Where notice is not provided in full, tuition fees may need to be paid. This is particularly important over the next term as the College prepares classes and appropriate staffing arrangements for 2024.

Mid-year Exams

Our senior students have settled back into College life after their exams, Camp and Retreat experiences. This week many of them have been receiving their exam results and feedback.  This provides an opportunity to grow and learn from the experience in preparation for the end-of-year exams.

Netball Grand Finals

Over the weekend, our Year 9/10 Div 2 and Year 7 Div 3 Netball teams competed in their respective grand finals. Unfortunately for our Year 9/10 team, they could not secure the win, but they fought gallantly to the end of the match and played exceptionally well in a very physical game. We congratulate our Year 7 team, coached by Mrs Nicole Boxhall, for securing the win.

Individual Sporting Achievements

We wish Matilda Baldock every success as she heads to the National Indigenous Tennis Championship representing Tasmania on the 10-13 August.  We also wish Lucy Aherne all the very best on her upcoming trip to Jordan to represent Australia in Basketball.

Principal’s Study Awards

We congratulate the following students who will be receiving Principal’s Study Awards for their mid-year results.

Year 10
Briella Rootes
Lucy Aherne
Lauren Angilley
Hannah Bell
Bethany Hingston
Lauren Hurley
Gemma McCoy
Olivia Ray
Thinudi Banduwardana
Emmy Barber

Year 9
Kovidratna Aditya
Chloe Casey
Tyson Crawford
Luke McCoy
Matilda Spaulding
Isabella Tilt
Xavier Bailey
Isabella Connelly
Isabelle Cooper
Sybille O'Rourke
Emmison Robertson
Hewage Wijesinghe

Year 8
Baltimore Heald
Theodore Powell
Lilian Wild
Maggie White
Charlie Allen
Ruby Brett
Leeyah Clemens
Moleigh Clemens
Makayla Hendriks
Isla Macgregor
Charlotte Reynier

Year 7
Oscar Lakeland
Ivy Bennett
Tahlia Crawford
Alyvia Lay
Sadie Peters
Indiana Stevens
Stella Vassiadis
Carla Casey
Braydee DiNunzio
Willow Farr

These students are in the top 10 academically in their year and need to be acknowledged accordingly. Not only are they performing well in their studies, but they are also modelling what exceptional learning looks like to their peers on a daily basis. We congratulate all recipients.

Substance Abuse Prevention Parent Seminar – Not Even Once

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents and staff who attended our Tanya Cavanagh presentation, Not Even Once.  This presentation looked at substance abuse, with a particular focus on vaping which is a current concern for parents and educators. We need to combat this together in the education of the young people in our care. The College will look to facilitate another evening later this year.  Parents need to understand that young people are vaping and it is significantly impacting their health.

Happy Naidoc Week!

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, and it dates back to the 1920s and the fight for better living conditions and rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. 

On this NAIDOC week, St Brendan-Shaw College recognises the achievements of all indigenous peoples, past, present and future.

Mt Hotham Ski Trip

During the term break, leaving on Saturday 15 July and returning Saturday 22 July, 30 Year 11/12 students will be accompanied by Mr Steve Ryan, Mr Sam O’Keeffe, Mrs Jo Hoare and Mrs Kiralee Page on our Mt Hotham ski trip.  We wish all that have this opportunity a wonderful and fulfilling experience. 

Finally, a reminder to all families that Monday 24 July is a student-free day. Our teaching and learning staff will join Catholic Education staff at the paranaple Convention Centre on a Professional Learning day centred around Insight for Learning and High Impact teaching strategies.

I wish everyone a restful term break and look forward to seeing students on Tuesday 25 July.

Yours sincerely,

Scholarship opportunities are now available for senior students in 2024. Applications close on Friday 25 August 2023.

As part of the Scholarship program, students will receive part remission (50%) of tuition fees.

If you are currently in Years 9-11, this presents an excellent opportunity for you to apply for scholarships in various study areas.

The available scholarship categories include Academic scholarships for Mathematics, French, and Japanese (Years 11-12), Academic General scholarships (Years 10-12), as well as Vocational Education and Training (Years 10-12).

These scholarships are open to both current students of the College and those considering joining us. To find detailed information about the application process, we invite you to visit our College website at https://www.sbsc.tas.edu.au/scholarships

Saint Brendan is one of the early Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager and Brendan the Bold.

By Mr Gerry Peters, Ministry Coordinator

Last week our Year 12 students participated in their annual retreat. This event was held over three days at Camp Clayton. The retreat is an opportunity for our senior students to pause from their busy final year and reflect on what the future holds for them. There are opportunities to share with fellow students their journey from Year 7 to Year 12 and to discern what transitioning into adult life might look like.

We, the retreat staff, felt humbled and honoured to be able to share these experiences with such a wonderful group of young adults. We wish them all the best in their final months.

By Mr Kurt Byard, House Coordinator

Year 11 Camp was a jam-packed overnight stay at the RiverBend Youth Centre in Smithton. The camp is known as ‘Tir na nOg’, which is the name given to the legendary voyage of St Brendan. At Tir na nOg, students were asked to investigate what it means to be a senior secondary student at St Brendan-Shaw College. Students reflected upon what it means to undertake a leadership role and the responsibilities that follow, having experienced six months as a senior. The students participated in various activities that required trust, communication, community and teamwork. Also, they were able to enjoy some downtime with their peers in the games room after a busy or potentially stressful exam period. At the conclusion of the camp, students were exhausted and were looking forward to an afternoon on the coach or an early night.

NAIDOC Week brings together communities across Australia to pay tribute to the rich history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year's theme, For Our Elders, has highlighted the role Elders play in communities and families and their invaluable contributions.

On Monday, we had the privilege of attending the Flag Raising ceremony at TIAGARRA. The ceremony served as a poignant reminder of the deep connection and reverence for the land, culture and traditions and an uplifting opening to NAIDOC Week.

At College each day this week, the first bells have been replaced with music by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists; the Library curated a captivating display that invited both enjoyment and engagement from all who visited; and discussions were held on Wednesday regarding the Voice and the referendum. 

Of course, NAIDOC Week wouldn't be complete without a touch of joy and celebration with cupcakes adorned in colours inspired by the Aboriginal Flag. 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the staff, students, and community members who actively participated in the NAIDOC Week activities. 

Let us carry the spirit of NAIDOC Week throughout the year.

On Wednesday, the MacKillop courtyard and Year 10 Lounge was the place to be for the MND Tasmania BBQ fundraiser. Our SRC students served up a wonderful range of lunch options. Thank you to all of our students, staff and community support for this wonderful cause. Preparations are well underway for the Big Freeze – with all of the SBSC community support so far and fundraising targets being met, we are well on track to see quite a few of our staff and students taking on this chilly lunchtime challenge!

Thank you to all the students and families who joined us for the Subject Selections Information sessions on Monday evening.

It was encouraging to see so many wonderful conversations being had about next year’s study options. We wish students all the best as they consider which courses spark their interest and curiosity. Subjects can be selected up until Friday 28 July.

As a reminder, there are great new Vocational Education and Training opportunities now available.

NEW - Year 10 VET Programs available for 2024

• Introduction to Electrotechnology
• Introduction to Baking and Cookery
• Introduction to Visual Arts – Textiles/Fashion and Design Focus
• Certificate II in Construction Pathways

Introduction to Electrotechnology
This skill set is an entry-level course for Year 10 students wishing to pursue becoming an electrician. Units from UEE22020 Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start) will be delivered on a full day every week to the Year 10 students. This will provide a pathway for students to complete the full UEE22020 Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start) qualification in Years 11 and 12.

Introduction to Baking and Cookery
This skill set focuses on the food preparation and cookery skills required to work in a commercial kitchen. It provides a pathway to Certificate II in Cookery. Students will learn how to prepare and cook a variety of simple dishes. Skills and knowledge gained from this course will contribute towards the employability skills needed to work in the food industry. There are theory, practical and observational components to all units in this course.

Introduction to Visual Arts – Textiles/Fashion and Design Focus
This Introductory course reflects creative design. Individuals will have a focus on developing basic, creative and technical skills in the use of textiles in visual art, craft and design environments. Students will have the opportunity to create a collection that will be involved in attending markets and fashion events to showcase their work. Workplace visits relevant to the course will be offered.

Certificate II in Construction Pathways
This course will help develop an understanding of building skills and principles, as well as expose you to common scenarios you would face on a building site.

The complete range of course options are available in the 2024 Course Guides, which are available on the College website at www.sbsc.tas.edu.au/study/subject-selection

By Ms Cheryl Gamble, English TaLL

Our Year 7s and 8s competed in the Word Mania Competition earlier this term.  Students individually completed 3 min word-building challenges from a set of lettered tiles.  However,  students compete as a year group in the competition with the Leaderboard reflecting the collective efforts of students. Both our Year 7s and 8s qualified for the final round, placing in the Top 50 schools in the Australia and New Zealand Region. At the end of the three-day Competition Round,  both year levels finished in the Top 10.   Every student who jumped in and stretched their spelling and word knowledge throughout the practice and competition rounds is to be congratulated. Collectively, the 7s and 8s at SBSC played a total of 2836 games.  All students who achieved a 'Top 10' ranking in their year level have been acknowledged with merit points for their efforts.  

Year 7 Most Games – Zahli Bryan
Year 7 Highest Scorer – Emily Hunter
Year 8 Most Games - Ben Hagen 
Y8 Highest Scorer - Xavier Keep                             

Word Mania is also available as a mini-game on mobile platforms if you want to try your hand at beating SBSCs official highest score of 6176 (Felicity Purton, 2020).

During the term break, the Uniform Shop will open on Thursday 20 July, from 9:00am - 12:00pm.

Orders can be placed online at any time at www.midford.com.au. 

Once ordered, uniform items can be collected from the College Uniform Shop when it reopens. 

Regular trading hours resume Tuesday, 25 July 2023.

Regular Opening Hours (During Term Time)
Tuesday - 8:00am - 4:00pm
Thursday - 8:00am - 4:00pm

Read the latest issue.  Mersey Leven Catholic Parish Bulletin: Sunday 9th July 2023 Fourteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time Year A

By Mr Sam O'Keeffe, Sports Coordinator

Grand Final Success for NWJFU Junior Boys

Congratulations to the NWJFU Grade 7/8 Premiers! The boys played their Grand Final against Marist Regional College today at Ulverstone Football Ground. 

The boys played a great game with the final result SBSC 11.14.80 def MRC 4.10.34, with Lucas Heazlewood named Best on Ground for the final.

We thank Coaches Mr Lenton and Mr Hubble for their dedication in guiding the team to success this season.

See the gallery below for more images.

Signup for Devon Netball Spring Roster

Devon Netball Spring roster expressions of interest are now open for all students in grades 7-10. Please complete this form if your child wishes to participate in the Devon Netball Spring roster.

Link: Devon Netball Spring Roster Signup Form

Sporting Achievements

In addition to the achievements of note mentioned in the Principal's Message, we extend congratulations to the following students. 

Luke McCoy and Tom Ryan are currently in Perth WA, participating in the National U16 Basketball Championships. We wish Luke and Tom all the best!

Congratulations to Jordan Hingston, who took out 15th in a field of 242 at the Hattah Desert Race in the Juniors Big Wheel – a national motorcycle Enduro event. Well done, Jordan!

Well done to Hunter Cross, who competed in the National School Boys Championships in Sydney with the Barbarians, a New South Wales under-18 Rugby Union team. The week-long tournament has been an extraordinary opportunity to gain experience and build high-level skills alongside the country’s best!

The Advocate reporter, Laura Smith, spoke with Hunter Cross and Hunter Cooper (Marist Regional College) about the tournament.