By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

At the end of last week, the College announced our student Executive for 2026. Each of these young men and women brings enthusiasm, integrity, and a genuine commitment to serving our College Community. I would like to take this opportunity to formally acknowledge the outstanding leadership of our 2025 Captains, Lachlan Nield and Lucah Conkie, who have been supported by Hannah Bell and Charlie Casey as Vice Captains.

Our incoming Captains, Isabella Connelly and Luke McCoy, Vice Captains, Tyson Crawford and Sadie-May Wilson, will have an official handover ceremony at our Graduation Ceremony next Thursday.

Important Dates: Senior Secondary Students
Wednesday 29 October: Year 12 Breakfast, and final day of senior classes
Thursday 30 October: Graduation Assembly and Valedictory Mass
Friday 31 October - Friday 7 November: SWOTVAC
Monday 10 November – Thursday 20 November: TASC Written Exams

Commitment Statement Most Rev Anthony J Ireland

His Grace Most Rev Anthony J Ireland circulated the following Commitment Statement for the Archdiocese of Hobart last week.

Australian Maths Trust State Awards

Congratulations, Year 10 student Theodore Powell, Australian Maths Trust State Awards

Theodore has been awarded a High Distinction and will attend an Awards Ceremony in Launceston on Wednesday 19 November.

Subject Selections 2026

Our timetable for 2026 is nearing completion, and Year 11 students will receive their subject choices next week. This process will occur over the next few weeks for Years 8-10, 2026, before the year is completed.

Deputy Principal Positions 2026

Mrs Debra Bonde will depart the College at year's end and return to Victoria. I thank Deb for supporting and serving the College community over the last two years and leading our Student Wellbeing team. After our recruitment process, Mr Gerry Peters will shift the Deputy Principal portfolio from the beginning of 2026. Gerry has been appointed Deputy Principal Wellbeing and Administration 2026-2030. The College has now begun recruitment for a Deputy Principal of Teaching and Learning.

Parent Evening - Cyber Safety / Vaping, Alcohol and Other Drug Use

Tonight, as you receive The Navigator to your email inbox, the College is holding a parent information session, designed to help families understand and respond to two of the most significant challenges affecting young people today – online safety and vaping, alcohol and other drugs.

Attendees will hear from two expert presenters: Senior Constable Blake Nolan of Tasmania Police and Tanya Cavanagh, CEO of Teen Challenge Tasmania and founder of NotEvenOnce Projects.

I thank Mrs Debra Bonde for organising this event and the Catholic Parents and Friends Association of Tasmania for their financial support.

Uniform – Key Reminders for Term 4

Students have transitioned to our summer uniform, and 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. Students arriving in the incorrect socks have been a matter of concern, and I would ask for family support to ensure students are coming in the correct uniform.

Blazers

The College blazer is a compulsory part of the uniform. It must be worn to and from school daily and to Homeroom, assemblies, and official College events. It must also be worn whenever a student is off school property and in uniform (e.g., in town after school). During the school day, the blazer need not be worn. Year 12 students may wear their Year 12 jumper to and from school with their blazer on top; the jumper does not replace the blazer for formal occasions. 

Hair (including colour and accessories)

Hair should be clean and tidy; long hair must be tied back. If dyed, hair must be a natural colour. Accessories (headbands, clips, ribbons) should be discreet and in College colours – navy or maroon with the academic uniform; navy or green with the sports uniform. 

Dress/Skirt length

As a guide, skirts and dresses should be no shorter than 10 cm above the knee. 

Tattoos, piercings and jewellery

Tattoos and facial piercings should not be visible. A small, unnoticeable nose retainer is acceptable. Jewellery should be minimal and discreet. Earrings must be plain gold or silver, small and subtle. Earlobe spacers/expanders are not permitted.

This is also a reminder that students should wear appropriate socks and black school shoes per our Uniform Protocol. We appreciate families’ support in maintaining these standards.

Midford Uniform Store Relocation

A reminder that Midford has relocated and is no longer operating out of St Brendan-Shaw College.

Midford Devonport has moved from East Devonport to a larger, more convenient location in town – now open at 60A Stewart Street, Devonport. Families can now enjoy easier access, more space, and regular opening hours for all their uniform needs.

Midford Devonport Opening Hours

Tuesday - Friday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Saturday: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

I thank all families for your ongoing support.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

— Chinese proverb

Education shapes more than what we know – it changes how we see the world. Every skill learned, every question asked, and every experience shared becomes part of who we are. These lessons travel with us, guiding decisions, shaping relationships, and opening doors we might not have imagined.

By Mrs Josie Lutwyche, Director of Pastoral Care 

St Brendan-Shaw College's sustained commitment to Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) continues into Term 4. The framework is designed to foster a secure, respectful, and engaging learning environment for every student and member of our college community.

As part of this, we are collaborating closely with students to ensure that all students understand each of our PBS values by teaching them the positive behaviours we want to see in the classroom and on school property in an explicit, understandable, and consistent manner. In doing so, students will be more capable of making positive decisions in a variety of contexts and circumstances.

An addition to our classrooms this term is PBS posters. They are visual reminders for students of the behaviours we expect to see in a classroom setting. Posters are not just decoration when used actively, they:

• Increase clarity and consistency – when every staff member uses the same language, students quickly understand expectations.
  
• Teach behaviours explicitly.
• Support positive reinforcement for all students.
• Build a stronger, more positive school culture.

These posters align with our three PBS values of Learning, Respecting and Participating. The printed statements are a clear reminder to students of how to make the most of their learning in the classroom environment. In the spotlight this week is our Learning value.

As reminders to pupils of what we expect to see in the classroom, teachers will be incorporating the language of the posters into their classroom instruction. The College will be unpacking these PBS values with students as the term progresses. We advise parents to take some time to talk with your young person about what learning in the classroom means to them.

Family members, friends and staff are warmly invited to attend a Memorial Mass in remembrance of students who passed away while members of the St Brendan-Shaw College community.

Tuesday 4 November 2025 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Jubilee Chapel, St Brendan-Shaw College

This liturgy offers a time for prayer, reflection and shared remembrance as we honour those whose lives remain cherished in our College community.

Enquiries: Miss Sophie Lansley, Director of Catholic Identity and Mission

By Mr Gerry Peters – Deputy Principal: Teaching and Learning

In the next few weeks our Year 11 and 12 students will be completing their TASC Exams for 2025. The exams are for TASC Level 3 and 4 subjects only.

The dates to be aware of are:
SWOTVAC (Study week) – Friday 31 October - Friday 7 November
TASC External Exams – Monday 10 November - Thursday 20 November

I would like to take this opportunity to wish students the very best with their exams and to encourage them to use their SWOTVAC time productively.

As exam preparation can be a time of stress and high anxiety for some students, I have included some strategies and ideas to help you support your child during this time.

The latest research suggests teenagers need at least 7 to 8 hours sleep per night and keeping well hydrated are keys to success during the exam period.

• Students should take regular breaks when studying. One research paper suggests 25 minutes of focused study time and then a 5-minute break, as the brain only needs a complete break of 5 minutes to reset itself. The latest neuroscience research suggests not to use screen time as a break as this does not reset the brain.
• They suggest general automated physical activity, like helping to fold the laundry, washing the dishes or vacuuming, as these activities lower brain activity and allow it to rest.
• Using cue cards and notes to memorise information is a popular strategy among most students. Another is to read the information you need to study, then practice writing a question that may be asked in an exam about the information.

Finally, the best way we can support our children during this exam period is with patience, understanding and regular calm conversations.

By Ms Cheryl Gamble, Senior TASC Coordinator

On Friday, 17 October, information about the following items was presented to Year 11 and 12 students:

1. Notification of Exam Forms (NoE/’Pink Slips’)

NoEs, ‘pink slips’, were handed out. You are required to bring these to every exam. If you were absent, you need to collect these from me before your first exam.

2. Exam Rules - Important Reminders

Students were reminded of the processes and expectations when attending exams. Importantly, please raise your hand and wait for a supervisor to approach before addressing any issue you might have - if you have questions, feel unwell, need the toilet, need a tissue, want to take your blazer or jumper off.

If you are running late, or unable to attend one of your scheduled exams, please call the Caritas Office to notify us of the issue.

Please wear the full school uniform when attending to sit an exam.

3. Exam Guide

Each year, TASC publishes an exam guide. This document covers the expectations and processes you will need to be familiar with, including the process for obtaining medical certificates or documentation required if you miss an exam.

Spare copies of the 2025 Student Exam Guide can be collected from the Senior Study area, and a PDF version is also available via the TASC website.

4. End of Year Results - Reminder

A meeting and follow-up email was sent out to Senior Students at the end of Term 3 outlining how you will be notified of your final internal ratings. Attached to that email was a link to the Ratings Review form. Please ensure you have read this email and viewed any links.

I wish all students the best with their final assessments, folios, practical exams and written exams. If you have any questions or concerns, see me or email me as soon as possible.

6. Online Safety Net Tests

Year 12 Students who have been identified as 'at risk' of not achieving one or more of the three required Adult Every Day Standards have the opportunity to sit a Safety Net Test during between Monday 27 October and Tuesday 4 November. Students are required to reply to Ms Gamble's email, stating the session/s they are attending.

By Mrs Crista Christie and the Global Cultures Class

On Thursday 25 September, Year 8 Global Cultures set off on a fun off-site Geo Amazing Race adventure. While students didn’t go too far, they did clock up the kilometres, that’s for sure. Students formed groups to complete a time-restrained Geo-map scavenger hunt. What is a Geo-map, I hear you ask? It's rather simple; students use a device and app, which leads them to a key marker on a map, exercising their geography orientation skills, and is quickly followed by a question or task to complete. They must either answer, choose or upload (depending on the question) before they can move on, acquiring points and updating a live leaderboard of the entire group's statistics. The app included speed as well as accuracy in point calculations, so students became very competitive in the pursuit of being not just right, but fast.

Staff Reflection - From Mrs Christie

As teachers, we try to provide opportunities for our students to learn in alternative ways to classroom instruction/paper-based tasks and support other healthy initiatives such as physical health and social connections. We know hands-on learning can be so beneficial when possible, and we want to provide more opportunities to learn actively. There’s no doubt this was achieved this time; we got our steps up and had great fun finding answers on foot.

Year 8 Global Cultures would like to thank Mrs Amy Woodberry, our loyal and dedicated Teacher Assistant, for her commitment and willingness to contribute to fun learning activities – if it weren’t for you, we would have been using pen and paper! 

We love you, Mrs Woodberry!

By Oscar Lakeland and Stella Vassiadis – Japan Trip Participants

The 2025 Japan trip was an incredible experience that we all had the pleasure of going on, and it is something we will never forget! After arriving in Japan, our first stop was Tokyo, where we visited Harajuku, Shibuya, the TeamLab Planets digital art museum, Disneyland, Kamakura (Hasedera temple, Kotoku-in), Tokyo Skytree and Sensoji Temple. Disneyland was a magical place and all of us were so excited to see the view of the castle and experience the inner child dream we had. A highlight of Tokyo for us was the digital art museum where after a long, busy day we just got to walk through the eye-catching museum filled with stunning lights, water reflecting koi fish on the ground and just an overall engaging experience!

Next was Kanazawa, a more relaxed place and a change of environment where we were able to go on a day trip to visit the beautiful Kenrokuen garden and Kanazawa castle, after which we visited the Higashichaya District, where we made our own gold-leaf chopsticks. We then took the bullet train to Hiroshima and explored the famous Hondori shopping street before having Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki for tea. The next day, we caught the ferry to Miyajima Island and spent the day exploring shops, trying new foods and tackling the deer trying to eat our belongings! Then we went to The Peace Park, seeing the Bomb dome, displaying our paper cranes at the memorial and walking through the eye-opening Hiroshima museum.

Our last stop was Kyoto, where we visited the Kiyomizu-dera temple and ate hotpot (Shabu-Shabu) for tea. We spent the next day at the long anticipated Universal Studios, going on thrilling rides! For the final full day in Japan we hiked up the Sacred Mount Inari, seeing all the beautiful Tori gates, walked through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and took in the sight of the fascinating, traditional Nijō Castle. After eating and doing some final shopping at the Aeon mall, we were surprised with a ticket to the Kyoto tower, seeing the night view of Kyoto from above.

All of us are so grateful we got to experience something so truly amazing, and seeing a whole new culture was so interesting and exciting. We would do anything to go back in time and experience it all again!

By Learning Enhancement 

The Teacher Assistant team recently participated in a school-based professional learning session focused on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), aimed at deepening understanding of how DLD impacts students’ communication, learning, and social interactions. The session explored practical strategies to support students with DLD in classroom settings, including the use of visual aids, simplified language, and structured routines to enhance comprehension and participation. This training coincided with DLD Awareness Day on October 17, highlighting the importance of recognising and supporting students with hidden language difficulties. The team’s engagement reflects the school’s ongoing commitment to inclusive education and ensuring that all students have the opportunity to reach their potential.

To learn more about Developmental Language Disorder, visit www.TheDLDProject.com

By Ms Whitney Banfield, Whitney Banfield

We thank Hawthorn College of Sport for visiting our College and presenting information on their Diploma of Sport and Diploma of Leadership & Management this week. The program combines face-to-face and online learning, practical industry experience, and pathways for further study.

These diplomas give students who love sport the opportunity to learn with industry mentors. They’re a practical pathway to earning nationally recognised qualifications and open doors to future study and careers in coaching, sport development and management.