Good afternoon Parents and Carers,

This week our Nation Celebrates Refugee Week 2023 with the theme being ‘finding freedom’.

What does it mean to be free?  

To live without the fear of war, to have your basic human rights upheld, to live in equality and without the fear of persecution are just some of the examples of what freedom can entail. Every day millions of people across the world embark on dangerous journeys for the sole purpose of finding safety and freedom. From Australia to nations across the globe, settling into a new environment after experiencing the perils of a refugee’s journey can also provide the opportunity to live, to love and to dream.   

During Refugee Week we invite all members of our community to join us in prayer for refugees and asylum seekers and for a transformation of our own hearts.

Almighty and merciful God,
whose Son became a refugee
and had no place to call his own,
look with mercy on those who today
are fleeing from danger,
homeless and hungry.

Bless those who work to bring them relief.
Inspire generosity and compassion in the hearts of all of us.
Guide us and every nation of the world
towards that day
when all will rejoice in your Kingdom of justice and of peace;
Through Jesus Christ, our Brother and our Lord.  Amen.

The theme for refugee week ‘finding freedom’ is a reminder that, regardless of our differences, we all share a common humanity.

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Rostrum Youth Voice State final.  Year 11 student Srishti Namoa was one of seven students invited to compete from around the State.  Each speaker had to pre-prepare an 8-minute speech, followed by a 3-minute impromptu speech.  Srishti did an outstanding job and is commended for the outstanding way she represented not only herself but our College Community.

We congratulate Year 10 student Lucy Aherne who has been selected for the National Under 16 women’s basketball team to compete in the Asian championship in Amman and Jordan in July.  Lucy’s basketball journey has been a remarkable one, recently competing in the Devonport Warriors NWBU premiership team.  Lucy was instrumental in the St Brendan-Shaw College senior girls' team making the State final earlier this year.  I regularly find Lucy training in our gym and her hard work and dedication to perform at an elite level is not only inspiring but an excellent example for all our students to work hard and chase their dreams.  We wish Lucy well!

This week our senior students have been working hard preparing and sitting for exams.  What has stood out the most to me is the outstanding study skills being practised and the genuine care our students have to support each other to succeed and do well.  Exams will continue through to next Tuesday.  Our senior students will then head off on Retreat.

Our Retreats are a special opportunity for our students to celebrate their time at the College and engage with spiritual formation and reflection. 

Christian spiritual formation is the process of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ for the glory of God and for the sake of others. (II Corinthians 3:17-18)

We wish our Year 11 and 12 students an enriching experience, one that is unique to our College community and one that only students of St Brendan-Shaw College know the value of now and later in their adult lives. 

Our Catholic feeder schools will experience their taster days over the coming weeks, another opportunity to showcase our College and welcome new families to experience our great College.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

Take something from yourself, to give to another, that is humane and gentle and never takes away as much comfort as it brings again. – St Thomas More

St Thomas More serves as a role model and intercessor for those seeking guidance and inspiration in upholding their beliefs in challenging circumstances. He was known for his strong devotion to his Catholic faith and unwavering commitment to conscience and religious freedom, even in the face of persecution.

We extend our thanks to all the families who attended the recent Year 7 2024 enrolment interview evenings. The first round of interviews will be occurring up until the end of the term. It is a pleasure for our staff and student leaders to have the opportunity to meet each of our prospective students and their families. The interviews provide invaluable insights into each student’s interests and aspirations.

We value the diverse talents and interests of our students, be it in the Arts, Sciences, Technologies, Humanities or Sports. We recognise the importance of nurturing and fostering these talents, allowing every student to flourish and thrive. Our dedicated staff is committed to supporting and guiding each individual, ensuring their holistic development.

During the enrolment interviews, we are equally eager to answer any questions families may have about subjects on offer or College life. It is also an opportunity to provide information about the next steps in the enrolment process.

For families still considering enrolling their child but have not yet initiated or completed the application, we would like to remind you that the second-round enrolments for Year 7, 2024, will be closing on Friday, 30 June. We encourage you to take this opportunity and submit your application as soon as possible to guarantee an interview for the second round of enrolment interviews.

To apply for enrolment, please reach out to the College Enrolment Registrar at enrolments@sbsc.tas.edu.au. Alternatively, you can complete the application online by visiting our website at www.sbsc.tas.edu.au/enrolments.

Thank you once again to all the families who have participated in the Year 7 enrolment interviews. We are excited to continue this journey with you, fostering a community of learning and growth for our students.

From next term, we will be trialling after-school detention as a consequence.

This will be used for students who fail to attend lunchtime detention more than once, and also for any student who vandalises school property.

After-school detentions will be held on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons, supervised by either the relevant House Coordinator or the Deputy Principal - Pastoral Care.

International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) is a suite of online competitions designed specifically for primary and secondary students. ICAS is conducted annually in Australia and in over 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Pacific countries, and America. Top scoring students in each year level in each subject are awarded an ICAS medal. ICAS assesses students' skills in Digital Technologies (year 7 only), English, Mathematics, Science and Writing.

As a registered ICAS testing centre, St Brendan-Shaw College is pleased to be able to offer the facilitation of ICAS testing.  If you would like more information on ICAS in a general sense, or on the process involved in purchasing tests, please email Bridget Leary on bleary@sbsc.tas.edu.au

Are you planning on studying for a career in education?

Imagine having the opportunity to work side-by-side with an experienced teacher while you study.

At the St Thomas Aquinas Teaching Schools Institute, we believe in shaping the future of Tasmania's teachers by providing dedicated training and support to students pursuing Bachelor of Education or Master of Teaching degrees in Primary or Secondary education.

Through the Teaching Schools Institute, you can gain practical knowledge by working in the classroom from the beginning of your studies.

Intake for 2024 is now open!

Successful applicants receive:

✅ An annual $2,500 support payment.

✅ One to two days paid classroom cadet placement.

✅ The use of a MacBook to assist your studies.

✅ The offer of ongoing employment as a teacher at the successful completion of the course.

✅ Weekly Intensive Days to support their development.

Cadet Teacher Positions are limited, and entrance into the program is by competitive application.

Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to kickstart your teaching journey.

https://catholic.tas.edu.au/te...

Parents and guardians are invited to attend Not Even Once, a drug prevention workshop for parents with Tanya Cavanagh. 

Where: St Brendan-Shaw College, 127 James St, Devonport TAS, 7310 
When: Tuesday 4 July from 7:00pm - 8:30pm 
RSVP: To the College by phone on 6424 7622 or by emailing deputies@sbsc.tas.edu.au

#NotEvenOnce® aims to assist parents, teachers, and community members to get up to date with the latest information. The Seminar for Parents, Teachers, and Community members is designed to educate on the effects of Alcohol and other Drugs on the brain and body and signs to look for with your young people and loved ones. The session will equip you with tools to have conversations and help build resilience in your families.

St Brendan-Shaw College students in Years 7-10 will attend workshops with Tanya during the day. 

Please visit the Not Even Once website for more information.

All parents, friends, and community members are welcome to attend. Please note that this is a parent-only event.

On Friday 7 July, we will be holding our SBSC Big Freeze, where staff will be taking the plunge into an icy pool of water to raise funds and awareness for MND Tasmania. 

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) attacks the nerve cells ability to control the muscles that enable us to move around, speak, breathe and swallow, and 1 in 300 people are affected; so the Student Leadership team want to do their part in supporting the research conducted by MND Tasmania. 

As a College, we have a major goal of $5000, which we hope you, as members of our school community, will help us to achieve. 

Students have the opportunity to make donations (via EFT and cash) during HR, but if family and friends would like to make further contributions, donations can be made over the phone to Caritas on (03) 6424 7622.  

And… look out for the livestream of the SBSC Big Freeze on the day!

Rehearsals are well underway for the College production of Pippin. Students have been working hard on dancing and singing, and things are looking positive. We have some wonderful, talented students in the lead roles and supporting players with some great vocal talent. The choreography as well is led by some very well-tuned dance students. The sets are being created by a fantastic artistic team and constructed by Bevan Scramm and his crew.

Pippin tells the story of a young man, fresh from his studies at University, determined to live a fulfilling life and do the extraordinary. As he moves through his life, he realises that the promise of an exciting life isn't all it is cracked up to be. With some fabulous choreography and singing, Pippin will be a show you will never forget.

DATES

Thu 17 Aug, 7:30pm
Fri 18 Aug, 7:30pm
Sat 19 Aug, 1:00pm
Sat 19 Aug, 7:30pm

TICKETS

Tickets are available from the paranaple centre. Make sure you get your tickets early!

https://www.paranapleartscentre.com.au/events/pippin

Adults -  $30 
Concession -  $22
Student  - $20

Netball

The elimination finals were held at Devonport Netball Centre last Saturday. This Saturday SBSC 3 play SBSC 2 in their preliminary final. We wish the players all the best.

Football

The Years 9/10 Girls football team had another strong performance, winning their game 54-14 against Ulverstone High School.

On Friday, the Years 7/8 and Year 9/10 boys AFL Football play at the College. The Years 9/10 Boys play Devonport High School, with the game kicking off at 1:00pm and Years 7/8 boys play Penguin High School and they kick off at 3.30pm.

Rugby Gala Day

Well done to our 7/8 and 9/10 combined teams who competed in the Rugby Gala Day. During the tournament, all participating teams competed in three games of 7s. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills with some players on the field playing the game for the first time. Rugby will be an option in Term 3, and we look forward to following the action.