By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

Happy Easter to all members of the St Brendan-Shaw College community.

I take this opportunity to wish all students and their families a refreshing Easter period. For our teaching staff, this has been a busy term, and I thank them for their commitment to ensuring our students thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

Today, we gathered as a College community to enter into the Liturgy on this very important day in our liturgical calendar: Holy Thursday. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion before his arrest and crucifixion. At Mass on Holy Thursday, the Priest will wash the feet of twelve parishioners, as Jesus did for the twelve Apostles, our first bishops and priests.

Holy Thursday marks the end of Lent and the beginning of the sacred ‘Triduum,’ or three days of Holy Week. These days are the three holiest days in the Catholic Church.

Triduum runs from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday; these three days are distributed as follows:

• The last part of Holy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Holy Saturday
• The first part of Easter Sunday

I wish everyone a restful Easter break and hope that the coming days provide our community with the opportunity to reflect on the importance and message of Easter. One of the last statements of Jesus on the Calvary Cross was: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23/24). Forgiveness of every person who harms us is one of the great saving lessons of Good Friday.

A reminder that the College reopens on Wednesday, 8 April.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

“We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!”

– Saint John Paul II

Saint John Paul II was Pope from 1978 to 2005 and is remembered for his joyful witness, deep faith and enduring message of Christian hope. He was canonised in 2014.

St Brendan-Shaw College has been invited to participate in the 2025/26 Australian Secondary Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) Survey. The survey allows data from Australian Secondary Students to be collected and used to determine trends in behaviours for students in Years 7-12.

We will be surveying students in Years 7-10 in their Health lesson sometime between April 8 and April 16. Selected senior classes will also participate in this survey.

The survey is conducted on an opt-out basis. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please either print and return the form received via Consent2Go, or email Mr Ryan (sryan@sbsc.tas.edu.au).

All data collected is anonymous, and the information gathered can help tailor future wellbeing initiatives. Below is a snapshot of the data collected in the previous survey.

By Mrs Crista Christie, Teacher

As mentioned in last fortnight’s newsletter, The Poultry Club currently has approximately 50 eggs in the incubator set to hatch this coming Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday. During incubation, a process called “candling” can be used to check on the growth and development of the chicks. It is safer to remove eggs that do not progress because they can build up gas and explode – and it is exactly what you imagine, yucky.

As a result, we have been diligently candling the eggs to track the development and gestation of the chicks and maximise the hatch rate. Attached are photos illustrating the development at Days 9, 14 and 16. You'll notice in the Day 9 pictures how faint the veins are – but they are visible. At this stage, if a vein isn't visible, the egg is not developing and should be removed. The main reason that eggs don’t progress is infertility, of course (the rooster missed that hen), or perhaps the hen is unwell, or nutrition is unbalanced, which prevents incubation from sparking.

On Day 14, you'll notice the chick's entire fetus is visible - the chick’s outline, as well as a consistent beating heart, is visible in the right light. Our students could even time the heart rate on a few very clear eggs – amazing!

I’d like to thank Mr Ralph for his ongoing support of the Poultry Club, and also Mrs Windsor for allowing the club to utilise her amazing Animal Care space and assist us in this process. We are so fortunate to have great facilities and processes at St Brendan-Shaw College to be able to work with animals. We look forward to sharing the hatch rate percentage and some cute pictures with you next newsletter. Stay tuned!

Young people aged 15 to 25 are invited to take part in a Youth Engagement Workshop at Devonport Library later this month.

Hosted by Libraries Tasmania in partnership with YNOT, the workshop is a chance for young people to share their ideas and experiences to help shape library services, programs and spaces for the future. Participants do not need to be library members to attend.

The workshop will be held at Devonport Library on Tuesday 21 April, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

Free snacks will be provided, and participants will also have the chance to earn a $70 gift voucher.

To register, complete the online form. For more information, visit YNOT or contact Jo at Jo@ynot.org.au or 0488 235 511.

NSATIS Boys 1st Basketball

The Saints Boys 1st Basketball team finished their season with an unforgettable thriller in their final outing against Scotch. In a closely contested match that went down to the wire, four Saints reached double figures, with Henry Summers leading the way on 19 points and Noah Philpott recording a season-high 18.

The game was tight throughout, with the Saints trailing by seven heading into the final quarter. Luke McCoy sparked the comeback with back-to-back three-pointers, and the lead changed hands several times in a dramatic final period. With just 15 seconds remaining, the Saints held a three-point lead, but a late turnover allowed Scotch to score at the buzzer, handing the Saints a heartbreaking 71–70 loss.

The match also marked the final game for senior players Luke McCoy, Tom Ryan and Aidan Reynier, who conclude their school basketball careers with significant success, including the 2024 NSATIS Boys Division 2 Championship and numerous BTAS finals appearances.

NSATIS Boys 2nds Basketball

In a high-scoring final round, the Saints Boys 2nds took on top-of-the-table St Patrick’s Gold. The Saints started strongly, leading by one point at quarter time and maintaining their intensity throughout the first half.

A strong second-half performance from St Patrick’s ultimately proved decisive, with defensive lapses costing the Saints momentum. Ethan Robertson led the scoring with 23 points, well supported by Lincoln Williams (19) and Liam Galbraith (18). Despite the effort, the Saints went down 99–83.

This game marked the final appearance for Ethan Robertson and Will Ray, both of whom have been integral contributors to SBSC basketball during their time at the College.

Both Boys teams would like to sincerely thank Mr Ryan (Coach) and Mrs Aherne (Manager) for their continued support and dedication to the development of SBSC basketball.

NSATIS Girls 1st Basketball

Despite being understaffed, the Lady Saints produced a spirited performance in their final game of the season, with a slim finals chance still on the line. The girls started strongly, leading at the end of the first quarter and showing great resilience in one of the most physical games of the season.

Brydee McPherson delivered an outstanding individual performance, finishing with an impressive 44 points, however the Saints were unable to maintain momentum and went down 88–56.

While the season did not finish as hoped, it was a highly positive campaign, featuring many new faces and seeing several players successfully step up from the Girls 2nds roster of the previous two seasons.

This match also marked the final game for senior Jasmine Minton-Connell, a strong leader whose time at SBSC includes both NSATIS and SATIS Championships in 2025.

The team would like to thank Mrs Brown for her coaching and guidance and Mrs Farr for managing the team.

All basketball teams also extend their thanks to Mrs Shehan for scoring throughout the season, and to Lily Farr, Luke McCoy and Lincoln Williams for refereeing games each week.

The Saints Boys Tennis team competed in the NSATIS Boys First semi-final against a strong Launceston Church Grammar side. Despite an up-and-down season, including a washed-out round, the boys showed great determination on the road. While they narrowly missed a place in the grand final, the season showed strong promise for the future.

The Lady Saints finished their season on 18 March with a challenging match against Launceston Church Grammar. Looking to finish on a high, the girls put in a committed effort but were unable to secure the win.

These matches marked the final games for seniors Tom Williams and Elizabeth Titlow, who have represented the College in tennis for all six years of their schooling. Both finished their careers as team captains, demonstrating leadership, commitment and continual improvement.

The tennis program sincerely thanks Mr Gleeson for his unwavering support and positive coaching approach throughout the season.

Rounds 3-6 of the Devon Netball roster have delivered mixed results for the Lady Saints, with modified match formats seeing teams play two rounds each day.

SBSC 1 recorded solid performances, including strong wins over DHS (12–5) and RHS (28–5), alongside a narrow loss to USC (9–6).

SBSC 2 faced several challenging matches but showed resilience throughout the opening rounds. After a series of tough defeats, they produced a well-earned victory over RHS (8–3) in Round 6.
SBSC 3 have enjoyed a brilliant start, remaining unbeaten through Rounds 3–6. Highlights included dominant wins over DHS and DCS, and a closely fought internal clash against SBSC 4, which they won 14–10.

SBSC 4 experienced a variety of results, including a draw against USC, strong wins over DHS and LCS 2, and a competitive loss to SBSC 3.

SBSC students from Years 7–12 proudly represented the College at both the NSATIS Athletics Carnival (24 March, Penguin) and the SATIS Athletics Carnival (31 March, Launceston) over the last two weeks.

Despite challenging weather conditions at the NSATIS Carnival, including steady rain from midday, the 90-strong SBSC team delivered outstanding performances across track and field events.

Girls u16 100m - 3rd place - Brydee McPherson
Girls u16 200m - 3rd place - Brydee McPherson
Girls u16 Shot Put - 3rd Place - Braydee DiNunzio
Girls u15 Triple Jump - 2nd place - Alanna Brimfield
Girls u15 Discuss Throw - 5th place - Stevie Vassiadis
Girls u15 Javelin Throw - 3rd place - Stevie Vassiadis
Girls u14 400m - 3rd place - Fleur Luyten
Girls u14 1500m - 1st place - Veronica Kelly
Girls u13 100m - 3rd place - Kailyn Jones
Girls u13 200m - 2nd place - Kailyn Jones
Girls u13 400m - 1st place - Kailyn Jones
Girls u13 Relay - 3rd place
Girls u13 High Jump - 3rd place - Kailyn Jones
Girls u13 Shot Put - 5th place - Claire Farr
Girls u13 Javelin Throw - 5th place - Josie Shadbolt

Boys Open 100m - 5th place - Oakley Vernon
Boys Open 800m - 2nd place - Will Potter
Boys Open 1500m - 2nd place - Will Potter
Boys Open 3000m - 5th place - Patrick McLachlan
Boys u16 100m - 3rd place - Will Howden
Boys u16 200m - 2nd place - Will Howden
Boys u16 400m - 2nd place - Will Howden
Boys u16 High Jump - 4th place - Billy Chisholm
Boys u16 Shot Put - 4th place - Jack Schelbach
Boys u15 Shot Put - 3rd place - Dempsey Cock
Boys u15 Discuss Throw - 3rd place - Charlie Jones
Boys u14 200m - 3rd place - Archer Brett
Boys u14 1500m - 5th place - Patrick McLachlan
Boys u14 Relay - 2nd place
Boys u14 Shot Put - 4th place - Coby Rowe
Boys u14 Discus Throw - 2nd place - Riley McMahon
Boys u14 Discus Throw - 4th place - Archer Brett
Boys u13 100m - 5th place - Connor Bray
Boys u13 200m - 5th place - Sam Wild
Boys u13 400m - 3rd place - Cooper Gould
Boys u13 800m - 2nd place - Cooper Gould
Boys u13 1500m - 2nd place - Cooper Gould
Boys u13 Relay - 2nd place
Boys u13 Shot Put - 2nd place - Connor Bray
Boys u13 Discuss Throw - 4th place - Brax Peden
Boys u13 Javelin Throw - 2nd place - Brax Peden

A smaller but highly competitive team attended the SATIS Carnival the following week under perfect conditions. Students once again demonstrated their commitment and talent with memorable performances.

Girls u14 800m - 4th place - Veronica Kelly
Girls u14 1500m - 2nd place - Veronica Kelly
Girls u13 400m - 3rd place - Kailyn Jones
Boys U16 200m - 4th place - Will Howden
Boys u16 400m - 5th place - Will Howden
Boys u16 High Jump - 5th place - Billy Chisholm
Boys u13 800m - 2nd place - Cooper Gould
Boys u13 1500m - 2nd place - Cooper Gould
Boys u13 Long Jump - 5th place - Sam Wild
Boys u13 Shot put - 2nd place - Connor Bray
Boys u13 Javellin Throw - 3rd place - Brax Peden

Students would like to thank the many staff who gave up their time to support the team at both carnivals.

Rowing

Matilda Spaulding, Moleigh Clemens and Eloise Fieldwick have been selected in the Tasmanian U21 eight. This group competed last week at the Australian Rowing Championships at Lake Barrington and will compete in Sydney later this month.

Basketball

All the best to our students and staff from St Brendan-Shaw College as they head to the National Basketball Championships in Brisbane from 12 to 19 April.

Ollie Yaxley will represent Victoria, while Brydee McPherson, Kirra Munns and Willow Farr have been selected in the Tasmanian team, with Willow named as a reserve. Mrs Farr will also attend in the role of Statistics.

We are proud to see members of our College community recognised at this level. We wish them all the best for the championships.

Families wanting to follow along can find fixtures, results, statistics and more via the official championships website. Livestream access through KommunityTV is available for subscribers with a participating online newspaper account.

Football

Lucas Heazlewood has been selected in the Devils' side for the last two rounds of the AFL Coates League.

NSATIS 7/8 Soccer Sign-up

This year, the college is planning to enter 7/8 teams into the NSATIS soccer roster. This roster will include weekly games against NSATIS schools and will include trips to Launceston. Game days are to be confirmed, and this form serves as an expression of interest to determine whether we have sufficient numbers to enter a team. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr O'Keeffe at the College or via email. 

Sign-up using the Google Form ➔ 7/8 NSATIS Soccer Sign-up