By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

I am currently attending a Principals Retreat where, as leaders of Catholic Education, we have been asked to reflect on the scripture from Jeremiah 3:15.

“I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently”

Taking time away from our communities can often be a struggle or leave us grappling with priorities. The last few days have provided an important time for reflection on what it means to lead St Brendan-Shaw College, which must be grounded in the founding orders of the Sisters of St Joseph (Shaw College) and the Christian Brothers (St Brendan’s College). These founding orders speak to who we are as a community and are explicitly reflected in the way our students live our values. Together, these values shape our collective identity as a College community. These six pillars guide our daily interactions: Justice, Hope, Truth, Service, Integrity and Excellence.

Mid-Year Exams

Our senior school mid-year exams commenced this week on Tuesday and will continue until Tuesday 30 June. Our Year 10 students will begin their mid-year exams on Wednesday 1 July, and continue through Friday 3 July. During this time, students may start to show signs of stress, with some becoming anxious about being prepared and about doing their best.

This stress can also flow into the home environment. Students often think that everything hinges on the result of one exam. First, seeing the mid-year exams from a different perspective is essential. Teachers and students need to gauge how well students progress through the course. As such, exams often provide good insight into both strengths and gaps, and the teacher invariably articulates this in the mid-year report. However, exams offer just one set of marks on several criteria. Teachers use many assessment tools throughout the year to arrive at the final end-of-year result.

For pre-tertiary subjects, mid-year exams can form only part of the internal component submitted to TASC at the end of the year. That being said, mid-year exams are an excellent learning experience for students in Years 11 and 12, helping them prepare for final exams and the stress they inevitably bring.

NAPLAN

The College has received preliminary access to its 2026 NAPLAN data and will shortly receive updated analysis, including state and national comparisons.

2026 NAPLAN Reporting Timeline

June: Full NAPLAN reporting available to schools (late Term 2) 

July: Reporting to parents from the start of Term 3 

November/December: Results published on the My School website

Senior Retreats

Next week, our senior students will head away on Retreat, Wednesday-Thursday for our Year 11 students and Wednesday-Friday for Year 12 students. Our Retreats provide essential avenues for our students’ formation and the opportunity to come together to reflect as a year level.

Welcome to Our New Families

We have welcomed several new students to the College over the past few weeks. I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to those families and thank them for choosing St Brendan-Shaw College.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Each year, all Australian schools take part in the National Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). This important process helps schools and governments better understand and support students with disabilities – the information that is provided helps inform planning and policy; please click the following link to access further details: https://sbsc.me/4o430L3.

Enrolments

Enrolment interviews for Year 7 2027 have continued this week. I am delighted with the level of interest we are receiving for Year 7 and 11. I encourage current families with Grade 6 students to complete an enrolment application as soon as possible to secure their place at the College next year.

St Brendan-Shaw College invites prospective students and families considering Years 11 and 12 to attend our Senior Students Information Open Day on Tuesday 7 July at 9:15 am. Please contact the College to register.

Congratulations and Good Luck

Congratulations to our Year 7/8 boys' football team, who defeated Marist Regional College 51-30 in their semi-final yesterday. They will now play in the NWJFU Grand Final next week. The 7/8 soccer team won their semi-final and will play in the NSATIS Grand Final at St Brendan-Shaw College next week.

We also wish all our netball teams every success in their semi-finals this weekend. With all four St Brendan-Shaw College teams competing, reaching this stage of the competition is a wonderful achievement in itself.

I thank all families for their ongoing support.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

Students in Years 7 to 12 are invited to submit an Expression of Interest for the St Brendan-Shaw College Co-curricular Instrumental Music Program, commencing in Term 3.

The program provides opportunities for students to learn and develop their musical skills through individual or shared tuition with experienced tutors. Tuition is available across a range of instruments and voice, with opportunities for students to participate in ensembles, performances, liturgies and College events throughout the year.

Whether students are beginning their musical journey or continuing existing studies, the program aims to support confidence, creativity, collaboration and personal growth through music.

Families are encouraged to review the 2026 Co-curricular Instrumental Music Program Information Booklet before submitting an Expression of Interest.

Expressions of Interest assist the College in determining student demand, scheduling lessons, allocating tutors and planning instrument hire requirements. Submission of an Expression of Interest does not guarantee placement within the program.

For further information and to submit an Expression of Interest, please access the links below.

Information Booklet: https://sbsc.me/4ebpZj8

Expression of Interest Form: https://sbsc.me/4fUsRUf

Friday morning Mass is held in the College Chapel, celebrated by Fr Ashan.

Time: 8:15 am-8:40 am (in time for Homeroom)

Who can attend: All staff, students, and families are warmly invited.

You do not need to be a practising Catholic to attend – these Masses offer a peaceful and reflective start to the day and a moment to pause at the end of the week. If there is someone in your life you would like us to pray for, this is a meaningful time to do so.

Splash Devonport is on the hunt for some new faces to join their Swim Teaching Program. They are looking for suitable people aged 16 or older. If this is something you might be interested in, scan the code on the poster or click the poster to follow the link and express your interest.

In a must-win final round of the NWJFU roster, the Saints faced Reece High School with both teams level on points. The winner would secure a place in the semi-finals.

The Saints got off to a strong start, taking an early lead and keeping the RHS forwards under control. In wet and windy conditions, the Saints maintained their advantage throughout the match, eventually winning 58–28 and securing their spot in the semi-finals. They take on MRC today, with the first bounce at 2:30pm.

In the opening round of the NSATIS 9/10 roster, the Saints hosted Launceston Church Grammar School. Despite their best efforts, the Saints struggled to find their rhythm and were unable to match the speed and ball movement of a strong LCGS side. While the Saints continued to compete throughout the contest, they eventually went down 130–1.

The Saints also travelled to Launceston this week to take on Scotch Oakburn College. Despite being without several key players, the team put in a gallant effort against a strong SOC side.

Competing hard for all four quarters and never giving up, the Saints represented the College with pride in difficult conditions. They eventually went down 110–20.

Next week, the Saints will host St Patrick’s College at SBSC, with the game beginning at 3:30pm.

The 7/8 Saints finished the regular NWJFU season undefeated with a commanding win over Reece High School. As they have done all season, the Saints controlled the contest from start to finish and never allowed RHS into the game. They went on to win 127–8.

In their semi-final against MRC Blue, the Saints were challenged throughout the match but showed great composure, particularly in defence. In an excellent team performance, they defeated their cross-town rivals 51–30 to secure their place in the NWJFU Grand Final.

The Grand Final will be played in Week 10, with the venue and match time yet to be confirmed.

The Lady Saints have experienced mixed results over the past two weeks in their inaugural season in the Junior NSATIS Girls Football roster.

In Round 1, the Lady Saints hosted Launceston Church Grammar School in wet and slippery conditions. With rain falling throughout the match, both teams found it difficult to move the ball effectively and gain control of the game. In a thrilling contest that went right down to the final siren, the Lady Saints battled hard to earn an 8–8 draw.

This week, the team travelled to Scotch Oakburn College for their first away fixture of the season. Full of enthusiasm and eager to test themselves against a strong SOC side, the Lady Saints attacked the contest with great energy and determination. They competed hard around the ball and never gave up, despite facing a talented opposition. Unfortunately, the Saints were unable to match SOC on the scoreboard and went down 27–7.

The Lady Saints now turn their attention to next week's clash against St Patrick's College, with the game kicking off at SBSC at 2:30pm.

After finishing the regular season undefeated, the Saints hosted SOC in the semi-final and produced another outstanding performance. Controlling the game from start to finish, the team moved the ball well and created plenty of scoring opportunities. In a fantastic team effort, the Saints defeated SOC 9–1.

The victory sees the 7/8 soccer team advance to the NSATIS Division 2 Grand Final, which they will host next Wednesday, playing St Patrick’s College, kicking off at 2.30pm. This is a tremendous achievement in the team’s first season in the competition.

On 11 June, 30 students travelled to Symmons Plains for the annual Tasmanian All Schools Cross Country Championships. With perfect running conditions and up to 200 competitors in each division, students were ready for the challenge.

Representing the College with pride, all students gave their best effort and performed exceptionally well throughout the day.

Notable results included:

• Under 20 Women: 3rd – Isabella Connolly
• Under 16 Men: 5th – Charlie Jones
• Under 14 Men: 6th – Cooper Gould

Thank you to Mr Butcher for accompanying the team and supporting students throughout the event.