By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

Tuesday marked Shrove Tuesday in our calendar, and our SRC students sold pancakes they had prepared in our Genesis Centre. The point of Shrove Tuesday for our students is to remind them we are preparing for something significant: the Lenten season. Shrove Tuesday is a special time for our students to examine themselves, consider what wrongs they need to repent of, or correct, and ask God for help in dealing with particular aspects of life or areas of spiritual growth.

Yesterday, we came together as a community to distribute ashes, a Christian tradition that marks the beginning of Lent and solemnly reminds us of our mortality.

The ashes are from the blessed palms used in the previous Palm Sunday celebration. They are christened with Holy Water and scented by exposure to incense. While the ashes symbolise penance and contrition, they also remind us that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts.

Athletics Carnival

Today we enjoyed the first day of our College Athletics Carnival and we look forward to another great day tomorrow. A reminder, students must attend both days. Our carnivals are essential to our unique community and philosophy of educating the whole child, and parental support in ensuring your child's attendance is greatly appreciated.

Swimming Carnival

The College has worked with the Devonport Aquatic Centre to secure a new Swimming Carnival date. This will now be held on Wednesday 19 March.

NAPLAN

A reminder to families in Years 7 and 9 that your child will participate in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) during Weeks 6, 7, and 8 of this term, starting on Wednesday 12 March.

These national tests are essential for tracking students' literacy and numeracy. During NAPLAN testing, students complete four tests: the Conventions of Language, Numeracy, and Reading and Writing tests.

Our NAPLAN results for Years 7 and 9 over a sustained period are some of the highest scores in the region, affirming the knowledge that students attending St Brendan-Shaw College continue to receive a well-rounded education. We also acknowledge that these tests can also place our students under a great deal of stress. We reassure our students that no one test will ever define you as a person; however, having challenges, stepping out of your comfort zone, and striving for excellence can also provide a mechanism for personal growth.

The Rite Journey

A reminder to Year 9 families that your child's Calling and Departure ceremonies will be occurring next week. Please ensure you have read the information sent out and confirmed your attendance on the night.

The Calling and Departure ceremonies will be held on the following dates:

Tuesday 11 March All girls; Lyons, MacKillop, Dillon, and Griffin

Wednesday 12 March MacKillop and Lyons boys

Thursday 13 March Dillon and Griffin boys

NSATIS Sport

I enjoyed watching our Senior Seconds Girls Basketball team play Scotch Oakburn College on Monday evening. Although our girls recorded a convincing win, I was most impressed with how they represented their College and the game's spirit.

Our First Boys and Girls Basketball teams had a bye this week, while our Senior Second Boys Basketball hosted St Patrick’s College. Meanwhile, our Tennis teams hosted Scotch Oakburn and Marist at the Devonport Tennis Centre.

Enrolments for Year 7 2026 are Now Open!

The College is visiting our Catholic primary schools in preparation for our Enrolment Open Night. We visited Our Lady of Mercy and St Patrick's Latrobe this week. Next week, we will visit Our Lady of Lourdes and Sacred Heart Ulverstone. Meeting many siblings of students at our College and prospective new students has been a delight.

Enrolments for Year 7, 2026, are now being accepted. Our Year 7 2026 Enrolment Open Night will be held on Thursday 27 March, at 6:00 pm in the Nazareth Centre.

The College has welcomed several new students over the last few weeks, and I am taking this opportunity to welcome these families to our community. I thank all families for their ongoing support.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

“Victory is in the quality of the competition, not just the final score.”
– Mike Marshall (American baseballer)

The quality of the competition showcased at our annual Sports Carnivals has already been evident on Day 1 of the Athletics Carnival. From personal best performances in running, throwing or jumping, to students supporting each other to reach the finish line, the display of sportsmanship has been truly exceptional.

By Mr Gerry Peters, Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning

Students will be sitting NAPLAN between 12 and 24 March 2025.

The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance; however, students and parents may use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.

NAPLAN has been held in March since 2023, having previously taken place in May. This change was made so school systems would have access to results earlier in the school year. These results can then be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

Why NAPLAN is conducted online

NAPLAN online provides a better assessment and more precise results.

One of the main benefits of NAPLAN online is that it uses tailored (or adaptive) testing. This means that students receive questions better suited to their abilities, so they can show what they know and can do.

Online testing also allows us to provide a wide range of accessibility options to support students with disability to access NAPLAN.

Feedback from students is that they find the online test more engaging.

Please note that students in Year 3 complete the Writing Test on paper.

A reminder that students must have a fully charged laptop each day, and they are required to have wired headphones to connect to the laptop. Since NAPLAN uses a lockdown browser, we cannot use Bluetooth headphones (e.g. AirPods).

Parent information brochures and other resources

Your questions answered on NAPLAN and what it means for your child:

NAPLAN information brochure for parents and carers

The link will take you to the official National Assessment Program (NAP) website.

Please contact the school if you have any further queries.

SchoolTV invites parents, carers, grandparents, educators and school leaders to attend an exclusive webinar supporting primary and secondary students.

WEBINAR: Digital Media Literacy & Safety (Part 1)
DATE: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
TIME: 7:00 pm

This presentation is Part 1 of a two-part series.

This exclusive session features two of Australia's leading experts in youth wellbeing and cybersafety, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and Susan McLean. Gain invaluable insights on how to empower young people to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Topics in this session will include:

• New Regulations on Social Media
• Cyberbullying
• Exposure to Hate Speech
• Online Safety and Frau

**** IMPORTANT ****

Please note, this webinar is a one-off event and will not be available to replay later.

To register, scan the QR code found on the promotional material below.

Lent & Holy Week 2025

Ash Wednesday – 5 March

Palm Sunday – 13 April

Holy Thursday – 17 April

GOOD FRIDAY – 18 April

Holy Saturday – 19 April

EASTER SUNDAY – 20 April

By Marty Ogle, Make Jesus Real

Wow – what a privilege it was to recently work with all the Year 7 students and their staff. We introduced a number of terms/acronyms including being a GATE (Gracious, Appreciative, Thankful & Enthusiastic) person & getting MAD (Making a Difference – Just like Jesus). We had a lot of magic, laughs and huge amounts of reflection on how we can do better at home/school/in the community.

The students were extremely receptive in discovering how they can make a positive difference in their own lives and others lives BUT it is often up to them and what they choose.

Again, it was mentioned that the students still are back-chatting at home (and sadly a few at school) and that makes a negative difference. We also looked at making a difference to our planet and to our health. We actually spoke about taking care of ourselves and spoke about the impact of social media and especially ‘fads’ such a vaping.

The students were amazing (plus their super staff) and we had a real ‘magic’ day – please ask them about their day with ‘Magic Marty’ and hopefully, they will positively engage you with ideas about ‘Making a Difference’.

By Mrs Whitney Banfield, Teacher and Careers Advisor

A reminder that work experience forms are due to be returned to Mrs Banfield on Thursday 20th of March. Late forms will not be accepted. For more information on work experience please contact Mrs Banfield on wbanfield@sbsc.tas.edu.au

East Devonport Football Club are currently looking for players to join their Aussie Rules teams for 2025. 

Ecofest is a local sustainable living festival designed to educate and inspire the North West coast community. With over 100 exhibitors, you can explore sustainable products, services, and wildlife care. Enjoy workshops, crafts, and activities like waste sorting, plant potting, and flower garland making. There's something for the whole family!

Visit the ecofest website for all festival info and tickets: www.ecofesttas.com.au

Check out the Devonport events for March below! Anyone can subscribe by using the subscription button on the Council Website here.

6 March - 2025 Diamonds of Devonport
7 March - CORES Suicide Prevention Training
7 March - DCCI Breakfast - International Women's Day
8 March - Celebrating Women, Words & Wisdom: An Afternoon Tea with Author, Esther Campion
11 March - International Women's Day School Girls' Brunch
14 March -Twilight Market
15 - 16 March - Devonport Triathlon
16 March - CD Joinery Bluff 2 Boat Ramp
21 March - Harmony Week Celebration
22 March - Walk for a Bloke
22 - 23 March - Jewellery, Gem & Fair
23 March - Devonport Motor Show
27 March - Empower Golf Clinic
30 March - Halliwell Property and Devonport Rotary Kite Festival and Teddy Bear Drop

Registrations are open for the UN Youth Tasmania's flagship annual event, State Conference. Students from Years 9 to 12 are invited to apply.

What is State Conference?

From the 13th to 15th of April 2025, State Conference will bring together some of Tasmania’s most exceptional students to learn about a diverse array of international and local issues. Students will have the opportunity to learn about a nationally coordinated theme and take part in activities such as model UN debates, this year being hosted at Tasmanian Parliament, content-focused workshops, speakers panels and crisis simulations. It requires delegates to engage with a wide variety of topics which reflect challenges facing the international community, including security, human rights and diplomacy.

What are the benefits of State Conference?

State Conference allows students to engage in meaningful discussions on topics that are often only briefly touched on in school curriculums, with this year’s theme being ‘Politics and the Economy’. The conference allows students both to learn from experts and academia, and to develop their own opinions through peer learning. Each year State Conference builds a groups of young leaders who go on to promote a respect for and understanding of the principles of international law, the work of the United Nations, and the importance of human rights within their communities. The event also creates memories and connections that students will cherish for their whole lives.

How do I register?

Students simply need to fill out this form!

State Conference is a great opportunity for students. Visit the website for more information.