By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

Our students have quickly settled back into the learning rhythm, and this week has provided them with several opportunities outside the classroom. Our First Nations students embarked on their two-night camp and will return to the College on Friday. Our senior Outdoor Education class returned from Fortescue Bay yesterday. We have had students competing in the regional Futsal competition over the last two days here in Devonport. Last Thursday and Friday, our Year 8 students participated in a First Nations dance and music workshop, while some of our students had the opportunity to attend Agfest on Friday!

Insight into Learning

Several of our staff have engaged in professional learning about our Insight to Learning program this week. Our staff are focused on improving student outcomes using the four strands of Barak Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction; Sequencing Concepts and Modelling – presenting new material in small steps, Questioning – asking questions and checking for understanding, Reviewing Material – going back over material down the track to ensure learning has occurred, and stages of practice that allow for guided and independent practice by students.

While within lessons, staff use the following framework in their teaching practice:

Congratulations Ruby Symons

Congratulations to Year 11 student Ruby Symons, the Tasmanian finalist in the 2025 Australian Advanced 1 Bursary for the Royal Academy of Dance.

Taster Days

This week, the College hosted Sacred Heart Ulverstone and Our Lady of Mercy Deloraine students for the Year 7 Taster days. Next week, St Patrick’s School, Latrobe and Our Lady of Lourdes will visit us on Tuesday and Thursday.

Enrolments for Year 7 2026 are Now Open!

Enrolments for Year 7, 2026, are now being accepted. Our enrolment policy determines the preference for Catholic feeder school students and siblings. I encourage all families with children at the College who intend to enrol siblings to complete their enrolment application by Round 2, which closes on 11 June. Enrolment interviews commence next week on Wednesday, 14 May.

Positive Behaviour Framework

This week, our staff dedicated their meeting time to unpacking our Positive Behaviour Framework and explaining how our Collective Teacher Efficacy can help build school culture and positive outcomes for our students.

We are committed to teaching our students expected behaviours, celebrating moments inside and outside the classroom where students demonstrate positive behaviour, and continually unpacking with our students what it means to be a learner at St Brendan-Shaw College, what respect looks like in their daily interactions, and how each of them can be a positive contributor to our College community through participation.

I would like to thank our Director of Pastoral Care, Mrs Josie Lutwyche, for leading this initiative in our college and for her work with staff on Tuesday evening.

Feast Day of St Brendan 16 May

Next Friday marks the feast day of our Patron Saint, Saint Brendan. Saint Brendan of Clonfert was known as ‘the Navigator’, ‘the Voyager’, and ‘the Bold’. One hundred years before Brendan was born, Ireland was moving from a pagan to a Christian nation through the inspiration of Saint Patrick. However, Christianity had a slow start. Although Saint Patrick did much to convert Ireland, Christianity did not flourish until after his death. Because of his upbringing, Brendan carried on the mission to spread the faith. He is known as one of the original Twelve Apostles of Ireland.

Saint Brendan the Navigator is known as the patron saint of sailors. He is the patron of those afraid because he was fearless in setting out into uncharted water and uncertain circumstances.

On Friday, 16 May, our students will celebrate Mass before enjoying a music concert. Students will play games during lunch, and several food vans will be on-site as part of our celebration. There will also be a BBQ option for students.

All classes will run until noon to ensure continuity in learning, particularly for our senior students.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.
- Pope Francis

As the Conclave begins in Rome to select a new Pope, we take this time to reflect on the remarkable leadership of Pope Francis. He will be remembered for his humility, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the marginalised. His message of peace and emphasis on God’s mercy resonated deeply with people around the world. We keep the Cardinals in our prayers as they discern the Church’s next chapter.

Bend. Snap. Book your seat! 

Tickets are available for St Brendan-Shaw's 2025 production of Legally Blonde The Musical! 

Coming to the Paranaple Arts Centre this August, this fabulously fun, feel-good show celebrates self-discovery, sisterhood, and smashing expectations.

With only four fabulous shows, don't miss your chance – book now to avoid disappointment!

Book your tickets here: https://sbsc.me/4k7wNjd

By Mr Paul Kenny, Teacher

Music Performance – 16 May

I am putting together a program of musical performances for an event at St Brendan-Shaw College on 16 May. If you would like to perform a song on this day, please email pkenny@sbsc.tas.edu.au

In the email, make sure to provide details about the performance, including if it is a solo, duo, vocal group, or band, along with the name of the song you plan to perform.

Devonport Eisteddfod – Entries Open Now

Entries are now open for this year's Devonport Eisteddfod. If you would like to enter yourself, or as part of a group, please let me know as soon as possible. There are over 100 different sections so I will need to go through the item numbers with you and see which section would be a good fit. We will also need to work out music, practice times, and other details. 

If you would like to enter as a singer or as a vocal group I am happy to organise a backing track for you, or I can accompany you on piano.

Entries close 30 May, 2025. However, I will need to know well before this date if you would like to participate.

Music Masterclass Workshops – 18 May

Attention reed players! Shing Leung (who is amazing!) will be running a general workshop on Sunday, 18 May, in Ulverstone, focused on Breathing and Tone Production. This session will be suitable for players at any level, and won't involve performing solo. For those interested in attending, I have an application/enrolment form available in my office. 

There is also a Piano Masterclass with Alexey Yemtsov on the same day and same location as the reed workshop.

Please remember to check with admin staff at the Caritas office if you have lost any items, particularly from the Term 1 Camps, Athletics Carnival and Swimming Carnival.

There are still many lost property items that remain unclaimed, including tents, towels, hats, shoes, multiple drink bottles and SBSC hoodies.

Also, we would like to remind everyone to label items of clothing to ensure these can easily be returned if they are misplaced.

Council school-based immunisations are happening soon.

Year 7

• human papillomavirus (HPV)
• diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (dTpa)

Year 10

• meningococcal ACWY

Vaccinations help protect from serious diseases – now and later in life. If your child is getting vaccinated, make sure you have submitted your consent. Details have been emailed out to families.

The deadline for consent forms has been extended to 18 May. Please complete a form even if you do not give consent.

Learn more at the Australian Government Department of Health website.

On Friday the 4th of April, our Year 8 and 9 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students were invited to attend an excursion to the Latrobe Municipality. It was a majestic Autumn day and Bells Parade was a magic spot for us to create a ‘base camp’. 

We began our day with our Knowledge Sharer, Uncle Hank Horton, yarning about the importance of the geographical area we were inhabiting for the duration of the day, as well as both traditional and contemporary Tasmanian Aboriginal culture and community. The discussion also provided an opportunity for the students to contemplate the importance of building community within the group. We discussed the significance of water to the Indigenous cultures that lived in the area and why the waterway played a role in the establishment of Latrobe as a town, relating the yarning back to the Geography curriculum. Mr Pete Viney amused the students by yarning about the fact that when he was a student at Latrobe High there had been a swimming carnival in the Bells Parade riverlet.

We split into smaller groups. One was led by Uncle Hank around Pig Island, and we discussed the sustainability practices around foraging from native flora for nutritional, medicinal, and technological use. The other group ventured through the Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean memorial walk, a Tasmanian and Aboriginal war hero and Victoria Cross recipient, and held discussions about the role of First Nations Peoples in Global Conflicts. Students were introduced to an apparently rare Australian cuisine, colloquially known as a BBQ fish finger sanga, to honour St Brendan-Shaw College's Catholic identity through our no-meat Fridays for the period of Lent.

In the afternoon, we again split into two groups, one working with Uncle Hank using friction boards to attempt to make fire, the other viewing Dolly Dalrymple’s homestead and visiting the Axeman's Hall of Fame and the Big Platypus, before returning to the college after an action packed day of learning outside the classroom walls, “on country”.

At the end of Term 1, we said a heartfelt farewell to Mrs Robyn Arthur, who has been a valued member of our College community for the past 17 years. Over that time, Mrs Arthur made a lasting impact on the lives of many students and staff through her dedication, warmth, and support.

The students showed their appreciation for Mrs Arthur throughout the day, letting her know how much she will be missed. We thank Mrs Arthur for her many years of service and wish her all the very best in her next chapter.

By Hayley Westcombe and Ella Reeves

On the 30th April, some very excited First Nations students in years 10, 11 and 12 visited the University of Tasmania’s Inveresk campus in Launceston. We visited the Riawunna Centre on campus, that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' success at The University of Tasmania and discussed the many scholarships and pathways available.

We were met by our wonderful guide, Georgia, who showed us around the newly built areas of the campus such as the library, health and medical facilities, student accommodation and of course the beautiful Riawunna Centre. We also met Dave, the director, as he welcomed us to country and discussed the culture and heritage unique to Tasmanian Aboriginals.

Justine, a student support worker, was also involved, giving us an insight into what UTAS has to offer.

All without some biscuits and hot cocoa from the University stand, we were on our way back with smiles on our faces, thinking about the exciting future opportunities that await us!

A big thank you to Ms Jo-Anne Hoare for organising such a great day trip with amazing weather, Mr Pete Viney and Mr Ben Tenaglia for accompanying us and further teaching us about what future life pathways can offer.

By Mrs Whitney Banfield, Teacher and Careers Advisor

We had over 20 students attend work experience during the Term 1 school holidays in a range of industries, including, but not limited to: Building & Construction, Plumbing, Hairdressing, Retail, Schools, Veterinary Services and Childcare. We have strong relationships with the workplaces and wish to thank each and every one of them for supporting our students.

There will be an information session with Mrs Banfield on Monday, 12 May, at recess for the Term 2 holidays. Completed forms will be due back on Friday, 13 June. Late forms cannot be accepted due to insurance purposes.

If you're currently in year 11 or 12, or recently finished school, the University of Tasmania School Leaver Expo can help you find your path to uni. Join friendly staff and students who are happy to answer all your questions about courses, scholarships, accommodation and applying.

And even if you’re not sure what you want to study, you just might discover your passion on the day.

National Powerlifting Champion

Congratulations to Oli Tas, who was recently crowned Australia’s U18 85kg Powerlifting Champion at the AusFitness Expo Powerlifting Australia Asia Pacific Championships, held in Melbourne on 29-30 March 2025. 

At just 16 years old, Oli competed against the nation’s strongest young athletes and came out on top, showcasing incredible strength, focus, and dedication to the sport of powerlifting.

Representing Tasmania in National Ballet Finals

Congratulations to Ruby Symons, who has been named Tasmania’s finalist for the 2025 Australian Advanced 1 Bursary.

Ruby was selected at the state semi-final in Launceston on 4 May and will now travel to Sydney to represent Tasmania at the national finals in June.

This prestigious competition supports young dancers in their RAD and pre-professional training. Good luck in Sydney, Ruby!

Bound for Nationals in Gymnastics

Congratulations to Maggie White, who has qualified for the National Gymnastics Championships!

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

14 May - North West Film Society - Kneecap
15 -16 May - Women in Business Summit
19-25 May - National Volunteer Week
19 May - Growing Courage, Confidence & Connection with Karen Young
20 May - Q&A with Karen Young
25 May - Pete Murray @Frankie J's
27 May - The Art of Brand Storytelling
29 May - Empower Golf Clinic

A thrilling e-sports experience is set to ignite Devonport as the GAME ON: Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fuelled Tasmanian Championship speeds into action on Wednesday, July 16th and Thursday, July 17th on the large screens at the DEVONPORT PARANAPLE CONVENTION CENTRE.

This exciting knock-out competition has been organised by an inspiring group of young volunteers, who represent diverse backgrounds and ages. Their passion and commitment to creating a spectacular event are clear as they work together on planning the event, securing partnerships, media promotion, and in managing logistics.

The championship was officially launched at the DEVONPORT PARANAPLE CONVENTION CENTRE, coinciding with the opening of registrations on Eventbrite. The launch featured the young volunteers competing against guests, including local media personalities and community representatives, in an exhibition showcasing what competitors can expect.

Competitors can register in two age groups:

• 14 years old and under
  15 years old and over, plus
  Standby emergencies: Individuals who wish to be on standby in case someone is unable to attend on the day

Entry is via a daily donation of a gold coin to support SPEAK UP: Stay ChatTY, a cause dedicated to promoting conversations around mental well-being and providing critical support for the community. Registrations are now open on Eventbrite.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the organising team, major sponsorship has been secured from Harvey Norman, offering prizes such as Xbox consoles and gift cards.

Tasmania is poised to witness an electrifying showdown where gamers and spectators will come together in celebration, competition, and community spirit. With their hard work and teamwork, these young volunteers are revving up their skills and bringing thrilling school holiday entertainment to the region.

The Welcome Cultural Services Youth Group for 12+ is on Monday 12th May in the Devonport Library (Melrose room, level 1). We have Yumiko joining to teach origami skills this session. This is an all-welcome youth group celebrating different cultures for 12-17 years olds. Drop in after school between 3:30pm - 5pm. Free snacks. No cost to attend.

Our youth group runs fortnightly on a Monday during school terms. It is a drop-in style session. Come when you like. Just show up and join in!

For more information contact:Libby Dobson at Welcome Cultural Services: 

libby.dobson@welcomeculturalservices.au
0418 767 171