By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

On Saturday 30 August the Roman Catholic Church will celebrate the feast day of Saint Jeanne Jugan.

Saint Jeanne Jugan founded the Little Sisters of the Poor and dedicated her life to serving the elderly. The feast day recognises her work and devotion to Christ's humility through service.

As part of The Rite Journey program, our Year 9 students have the opportunity to visit residential aged care homes around our region. They interact with elderly residents, read, talk, play games, and simply enjoy each other's company. This is 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 meaningful relationships in their lives, and participate in critical ceremonial opportunities, it also provides our students with essential learnings about how we honour our elders and place importance on this within our communities.

Our elders provide 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.

Service is also one of our core values at the College, and our hope for our young people is that engaging with their community through service projects will allow them to contribute to causes they care about and build positive relationships with others.

College Ski Trip

This coming Saturday, our annual Ski Trip will occur. Twenty-five students will head to Mount Hotham for seven nights. They will be accompanied by Mrs Debra Bonde, Mrs Jo Aherne, Mr Steve Ryan, and Mr Ross Hubble.

Year 7, 2026

Letters of offer for places at the College will be sent out tomorrow. I am delighted with the interest the College has received.

Japan Trip

Seventeen students, accompanied by Mr Sam Gleeson, Miss Reese Malone and me, will leave for Japan on Monday 22 September and return on Saturday 4 October. We look forward to this culturally enriching experience, which will see students visit Tokyo, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, and Kyoto.

NSATIS Sports

It is pleasing to see so many students representing the College in Football, Netball, and Soccer. I also congratulate the 25 students who represented the College at the NSATIS Swimming Carnival in Launceston on Thursday 21 August. Special congratulations go to Braydee DiNunzio, who broke the record for the U15 Girls 100m Freestyle.

Uniform Matters

The majority of our students are wearing our uniform very well, which is pleasing to see. This is a gentle reminder that students should wear their blazers daily to and from school.

Our Uniform Protocol has made provision for girls to wear navy tights with their sports uniform. In recent weeks, we have spoken with some students about their t-shirts not being the College navy, but rather a royal blue.

This is also a reminder that students should wear black school shoes per our uniform guidelines. We appreciate families’ support in maintaining these standards.

I would like to thank all families for their ongoing support.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
- Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, but he was much more than that – a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and political philosopher. 

He knew that education opens doors and creates opportunities. It’s a great reminder that the time, effort and care we put into learning today will continue to reward us long into the future.

By Mrs Karen Chugg, Business and Operations Manager

Midford will be relocating the uniform shop to new premises in town during the Term 3 break, opening on Friday 10 October at 8:30 am. 

Please note that the current Uniform Shop will have its final day of trade on Thursday 25 September 2025. 

More details are outlined in the document linked below:

Our Student Representative Council is excited to be hosting a Fundraiser Trivia Night at 6:00 pm on Friday 19 September in the Genesis Centre at St Brendan-Shaw College.

This promises to be a fun night out with plenty of laughs, all while supporting a very worthy cause raising funds for Warrawee Women’s Shelter.

• $80 per table (up to 10 people)
• $10 per person if booking individually

Tables are limited and spots will fill quickly, so make sure you book early by calling (03) 6424 7622.

By Ms Cheryl Gamble, Senior TASC Coordinator

What would you say if Australia’s Political Leaders were listening to you?

The My First Speech competition aims to engage young Australians by encouraging students to voice their opinions as if they were making their first speech in the House of Representatives.

Task: Write a 90-second speech [Transcripts would be approximately 225-250 words]

Topic: An issue you think is important [Why the problem exists? Who is affected? Who or what is responsible? What solutions are there?]

Due: Entries close 11:59 pm AEST Monday 15th September 2025

For more information, visit the Department of the House of Representatives My First Speech competition site.

SchoolTV would like to invite parents, carers, grandparents, educators and school leaders to attend an exclusive webinar featuring insights from two of Australia’s leading experts, Susan McLean and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.

They will share invaluable insights on how to empower young people to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

WEBINAR: Digital Media Literacy & Safety (Part III)
DATE: Wednesday, 3 September 2025
TIME: 7:30 pm

Topics in this webinar include:

New Social Media Regulations
Digital Footprint and Reputation
Screen Time and Brain Development
Parental Controls

**** IMPORTANT ****

This webinar will not be available to replay later.

Participants must register prior to the commencement of the webinar to gain access. Register here.

Anxiety is a natural and expected part of growing up. In fact, it plays an important role in helping young people prepare for challenges, stay alert to potential dangers and adapt to new situations. It can motivate them to study for a test, practise before a performance, or tread carefully in unfamiliar settings. However, for many children and adolescents today, anxiety can shift from being a helpful response to becoming intense, persistent and disruptive.

The world young people are growing up in is fast-paced and often demanding. Academic pressures, social expectations, family changes and the constant presence of digital media can all contribute to heightened stress and worry.

When anxiety is left unrecognised or unsupported, it can begin to affect a young person's wellbeing, learning, friendships and self-confidence. That's why it's so important for adult carers to understand how anxiety may present in children. Everyone experiences anxiety differently, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

This edition of SchoolTV raises awareness and provides families with practical strategies to help young people manage anxiety in healthy, constructive ways.

Access your Edition here.

By Mrs Crista Christie, Teacher

Did you know not all business people are entrepreneurs? In fact, there is a critical and distinct difference between an entrepreneur and a business person...Students enrolled in TASC courses Business Studies Foundation 2, Business Studies 3 and Work Readiness 2 set off on an excursion to discover just that, on Friday the 22nd of August.

Students were fortunate to have a guided tour and Q&A with Sam Reid, local entrepreneur. Sam owns and operates multiple businesses in Tasmania and contributes not only to our tourism and hospitality sectors, but also the community. His latest venture, Du Cane, opposite the Princess park in Launceston launched in 2022; a combined brewery, bar, restaurant, tourism networking hub, and an all-round family-friendly place to socialise served an interesting and new case study for students. Du Cane is a marvellous example of reinventing the old to make something new.

The excursion provided students a tangible example of the difference between a business person and an entrepreneur; an entrepreneur does something different; an entrepreneur takes on substantial risk and/or creates new markets, innovates and invents. Students were fortunate to hear from Sam’s firsthand experience; he shared his background, past and current projects, and he took the time to answer questions and respond candidly. Oscar McGrath asked Sam the final and underlining question of the day, “What advice do you have for us [16-18 year olds soon to embark on their adult journey]?” Sam replied thoughtfully and sincerely, “Honestly? Just have a go. The main difference between success and failure is simply trying and not giving up. Most people can do most things. If you tell yourself you can’t do something then you probably won’t. But most of the time you can, you just have to be brave and bold. Just have a bloody go!” His words made students laugh, but more importantly, it made them think about their abilities and the possibilities.

We’re forever grateful to businesses that let us interview them or show us what they do – our kids need to see the real world and speak to real people to understand they can do anything.

We’d like to express sincere and open thanks to Sam and his team for welcoming us and taking the time to share his experience and bolster the next generation. 

Du Cane Facebook Page

Du Cane Links

By Mrs Kylie Reid, Librarian

This year’s Book Week theme invited us to Book An Adventure, and what an adventure it was!

The Gavin O’Dea Library buzzed with energy all week as staff and students competed in daily book-themed challenges to earn house points. Competition was fierce, but in the end, Lyons claimed victory! Another highlight was our ‘Book Face’ photobooth which invited students and staff to blend themselves with book covers to create clever and often hilarious portraits.

Congratulations to our student entry winners - Jacobie Hall and Grace Paton. The image stood out for its originality, striking framing and powerful emotion. It captured the spirit of our competition beautifully and received wonderful feedback from staff and students alike. Our lucky winners received a $30 gift voucher for the Devonport Bookshop or Reading Cinemas Devonport.

We also welcomed Rachel Hyland from Libraries Tasmania’s new School Libraries Team on a tour of our Library. Rachel loved our vibrant space and our RAGE (Read And Get Enjoyment) initiative. RAGE is designed especially for our year 7 and 8 students, with books organised by genre. Fiction and Non-fiction sit side-by-side on the shelves which helps students explore new interests and stretch their reading abilities. Rachel summed it up best:

“St Brendan-Shaw College’s library is a hub of learning and inspiration… a dynamic space for exploration and enjoyment.”

We also celebrated Australian School Library Day, taking time to reflect on the vital role school libraries play in fostering a lifelong love of reading. At St Brendan-Shaw College, we believe that reading for pleasure is not just enjoyable - it’s essential for learning, curiosity and personal growth.

By Mrs Whitney Banfield, Teacher and Careers Advisor

Work Experience

A reminder that work experience is on offer for the term 3 school holidays. Forms are due to be completed and returned to Mrs Banfield by Friday 5th of September. 

Any questions, please contact Mrs Banfield on wbanfield@sbsc.tas.edu.au

UTAS Information Session

Lara from UTAS will be running an information session at lunchtime on Thursday 4th of September to assist with Scholarship and Accommodation applications. Please keep an eye on the notices next week for the session location.

Join other local families at Positive Partnerships' FREE face-to-face workshop in Devonport, TAS.⁠

Learn more about autism and ways to strengthen the home/school partnership.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Date: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tuesday 2nd September 2025⁠ 

Time: 9:15 AM - 3:00 PM⁠

Location: Paranaple Convention Centre, Market Square, 137 Rooke Street, Devonport, TAS⁠.

This workshop is for parents, full-time carers, and grandparents of school-aged children, or those transitioning to school⁠.⁠

Places are limited. To reserve a spot, click this link to register.

Libraries Tasmania is bringing Australian Poetry Slam to life and empowering young voices through poetry.

This September, Tasmanians can step into the spotlight with Australian Poetry Slam at Libraries Tasmania.

These exciting events invite performers to take the mic and wow the audience with powerful two-minute poems.

It’s more than just poetry – it’s a chance for young poets to share their stories, grow their confidence and get creative in a vibrant, supportive space.

New to poetry? No worries!

Local libraries are hosting poetry workshops to help you shape your words and polish your performance.

Then it’s time to shine at the Poetry Slam Heats, where the audience decides who moves forward.

Who can take part?

Performers, poets and writers of all experience levels are encouraged to enter. Participants must be at least 15 years of age to join the Tasmanian events.

Tasmanian prize

The Tasmanian winner will score a trip to Sydney’s iconic Opera House for the national finals!

National prize

A national winner for 2025 will win a prize worth $20,000 including publication and a tour of Australasia. The winner will share their creative thoughts and inspire people everywhere to speak their own poetry.