By Mr Stuart Ralph, Principal

Good morning,

We continue to keep our coastal sister school Marist Regional College in our thoughts and prayers.  This has been a particularly difficult period of time for their community, but we can hold strength in the knowledge that Samara will rest eternally.  Yesterday, Samara’s friends and family held a Celebration of Life service at the Marist Regional College Harcombe Centre, which was particularly moving.  We will continue to keep the Marist community and Samara's family and friends in our thoughts and prayers.

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning

On Friday afternoon, Catholic Education Tasmania announced that Mr Gerry Peters has been appointed as Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning. Gerry is a dedicated educator with a depth of experience within Catholic Education Tasmania, including:

• Coordinator of Ministry and Religious Education Teacher: St Brendan-Shaw College,
• Devonport (2018-present);
• Head of House & Music and Religious Education Teacher: St Brendan-Shaw College, Devonport (2012-2018); and
• Middle Primary Teacher and Team Leader: Giant Steps Tasmania (2011).

Gerry’s qualifications include:

• Master in Educational Leadership (Australian Catholic University);
• Graduate Certificate - Religious Education (Australian Catholic University); and
• Bachelor of Education (University of Tasmania).

We congratulate Gerry on this appointment and know he will lead both staff and students in all aspects of College life.

Tournament of Minds

Over the weekend, a number of our gifted and talented students competed in the Tournament of Minds competition, accompanied by Mrs Bridget Leary.  We had two of our five teams receive Honours, taking out second place, which was a fine achievement.

SATIS Swimming Carnival

Our Swimming team competed at the SATIS Swimming Carnival in Hobart, and I was delighted with the team spirit and pride representing our College. Matilda Spaulding won her heat, and Peter Chugg managed to place 2nd and 3rd in his respective heats. I was most impressed by the leadership of our senior students led by College Vice-Captain Mitchell Nield and MacKillop House Captain Hunter Cross. I would also like to acknowledge the leadership of our other senior students who competed, Millie Phyland and Ellie Ryan. It was also wonderful to see many siblings and past students come along to support on the day. Connection within the community is strong at the College.

Friendly Football Match

Yesterday, the St Patrick’s College Year 8 Football team travelled to the Coast to take on our Year 7/8 Premiership team. This is a wonderful opportunity for our Year 7/8 boys to be exposed to NSATIS-level football and compete against another Catholic College in the State. 

College Strategic Plan

I would like to thank all members of the Community who have taken the time to help us prioritise our Strategic Plan through the Survey shared several weeks ago.

St Brendan-Shaw College has three Strategic Priorities set in our Strategic Plan:

• Teaching and Learning
• Catholic Identity and Mission
• Student Wellbeing and Leadership

These priorities were formalised through the validation process the College undertook last year. The feedback provided is pivotal to the prioritisation of our operational plans over the next five years.

The College will Launch its Strategic Plan 2024-2028 in early Term 4.

New Positions of Leadership Commencing 2024

The College has implemented several new leadership positions that will come into effect next year as a result of increasing enrolments and initiatives the College is undertaking, placing high importance on student wellbeing. These include:

• Years 7/8 Coordinator – a particularly important position that will sit within our Pastoral Care team, providing additional resources supporting the wellbeing needs of our students.  
• The expansion of the Senior Curricular Coordinator role as Senior Coordinator, incorporating the wellbeing of students. 
• Rite Journey Coordinator - this role will oversee the implementation of the Rite Journey program in Year 9, 2024. Announcement of individuals to these roles will occur in the coming weeks.

Parents will begin to notice a number of minor works around our college grounds in the coming months, with plans continuing to develop for the significant refurbishment of our Shaw building, including a STEM facility and the refurbishment of the Tuition Admin building, including a student Wellbeing Centre.

Welcome New Staff

The College this week appointed six new Teacher Assistants, and we welcome Ms Jessica Broomhall, Mrs Amy Woodberry, Ms Jenna Haywood, Ms Kyiema Jackson, Ms Rebecca Hayden and Mr Jye Layton to our College community.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stuart Ralph
Principal

“As human beings, we each have a responsibility to care for humanity. Expressing concern for others brings inner strength and deep satisfaction. As social animals, human beings need friendship, but friendship doesn’t come from wealth and power, but from showing compassion and concern for others.” — Dalai Lama

The 14th Dalai Lama, known to the Tibetan people as Gyalwa Rinpoche, is, as the incumbent Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibet.

By Ms Kim Walters, Deputy Principal – Pastoral Care

Everyone is affected by change and loss at some time in our lives. At St Brendan-Shaw College we recognise that when changes occur, such as separation, divorce, death, school transitions and natural disasters, young people may benefit from learning the skills to manage these changes effectively. We are therefore offering an education program called Seasons for Growth.

This program is facilitated in small groups of up to 7 participants and is based on research which highlights the importance of social support and the need to practise new skills to cope effectively with change and loss. The program focuses on building skills such as how to manage feelings, problem-solving, decision-making, effective communication and developing peer support networks. Participation in the program can promote improved self-esteem and self-confidence as well as give young people the opportunity to find their own voice amid change.

If you think your child/children would enjoy joining the Seasons for Growth program, we encourage you to talk to them about it. We are pleased to be able to offer this program, and we are confident that it will be a valuable learning experience for those involved. If you require further information, please contact me by email at kwalters@sbsc.tas.edu.au.

This is a comprehensive 90-minute masterclass with Michelle Mitchell and Maggie Dent to unpack the psychology and culture surrounding self-harm. For a full overview of the content, please click using the link below.

Date: Monday 9th October
Time: 6.00 - 7.30pm AEST (Qld time)
Cost: $35 AUS
Tickets: HERE

If you can’t make it, don’t worry! A replay will be uploaded 24 hours after the live event. 

Please note: PD certificates are available for professionals.

As a thank you for joining this masterclass, Michelle will be sending you the following:

• A blog post - Self-harm: A step-by-step guide to the initial discussion
• 20% discount off her book Self-Harm: A practical, compassionate guide for parents of teens. 

Link didn't work? Please copy and paste the following into your website browser: https://michellemitchell.org/self-harm-a-practical-guide-for-parents-and-professionals/

By Mrs Crista Christie, Teacher & PIC Poultry Club

Term 3 has seen a couple of new projects underway in the Poultry Club. In Term 2, we successfully hatched 24 chicken chicks and they went home with loving families and are thriving. Egg-citingly, we have had many flock to join in on the fun after seeing catching the fluffy friends last term. We set an early goal in Week 1 that we would like to hatch something different. As such, we have set Japanese quail eggs for incubation that are due to hatch in 1.5 weeks! Quail lay vigorously from as early as six weeks old and make interesting and funny little poultry pets. We chose quail for their interesting egg colour and the rapid growth to maturity. 

On Wednesday, the 13th of September, we were fortunate to have guest speaker Mrs Johanna Gatehouse in to speak to our club members. Mrs Gatehouse is a conscientious member of many clubs and associations in Tasmania. She is also very experienced in breeding animals from rabbits, guinea pigs, lambs/kids, ducks, chickens, quail and more. As depicted in the photos, Mrs Gatehouse kindly brought along a flock of her quail and explained to us a myriad of important hints and tips for hatching and rearing quail. Jo also spent time mentoring some of our students who are passionate about showing their birds to improve their understanding of 'poultry standards'. Pictures of the experience have been attached for families to enjoy.

Any student is welcome to attend or join the Poultry Club - it is a great way for students to get to know small animals, even if they don't have the experience or capacity to have any at home. We have students of all ages and experience joined together to hear about a common interest. 

Thank you to Mrs Gatehouse for taking the time to visit our College and share her passion and experience with our students.

The changeover to summer uniform occurs at the beginning of Term 4. Now is a great time to check summer uniform garments for fit and condition.

Please note that St Brendan-Shaw College Uniform Shop will close for the term break on Thursday 28 September 4.00pm and will be open at the following times:

Term Break Opening Hours

Thursday 12 October – 9.00am to 3.00pm

** Now Closed Monday 16 October ** 

The Uniform Shop will return to normal opening hours on Tuesday 17 October.

Regular Trading Hours

Throughout the school term, our regular opening hours are:

Tuesday 8.00am – 4.00pm

Thursday 8.00am – 4.00pm

Uniform Shop Online

You are welcome to purchase from the online uniform shop at your convenience and your order will be filled when the store is next open. Log onto www.midford.com.au using passphrase SBSC505.

By Kate Weeks and Lexine Biong

On Thursday 31 August, a group of Music students from Years 7-12 had the privilege of attending the UTAS Ossa Music Prize Tour with Sarah Chick. Sarah performed multiple pieces by female composers who are less well known, such as Margaret Bonds, Germaine Tailleferre, Fanny Mendelssohn, Katherine 'Kitty' Parker and Cecile Chaminade. 

The performance was called 'Portraits: Women Composing Wonders', and it was a program to remind us of the many female composers who have contributed to classical music, as there is still a significant disparity between male and female compositions that are performed. 

We learned that Sarah is a third-year Bachelor of Music student at The Hedberg and started playing the piano when she was six years old. She currently performs as a soloist and in chamber ensembles in addition to teaching young students and accompanying the Junior Chorale of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra. – Kate

The classical performance Sarah performed for us was incredible, and the intensity of the emotion that went into it truly connected with me. I had a great time watching Sarah play pieces by female classical pianists, and I really hope to see her perform again. – Lexine Biong

Last Friday, the Genesis Centre was filled with laughter, music, competitive spirits, and a shared purpose - to support the incredible Warrawee Women’s Shelter. Our SRC Executive created a wonderful, entertaining atmosphere.

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in our eight rounds of thrilling trivia questions, light-hearted games, and raffle draws. Your energy made the evening an unforgettable community event, all while raising funds for a worthy cause.

We can't express our gratitude enough to our generous sponsors for donating the fabulous prizes that had everyone on the edge of their seats! 

• Reliquaire
• House of Anvers
• So Silver So Gold
• Face Bar
• Bunnings Warehouse
• Bombshell Coffee
• Pommy Paul’s Supermarket
• Harvey Norman Devonport
• Devonport Tenpin Bowl
• Fourways Drycleaners
• Mackey’s Royal Hotel
• Splash Devonport Aquatic and Leisure Centre
• Canoe ’n’ Surf
• Elders Devonport
• Total Performance Sports
• Reading Cinemas
• Yamakhosi Computer Industries
• Ms Cheryl Sheehan

Your support means the world to us and to the many lives the Warrawee Women's Shelter touches daily.

Until next time, keep those trivia skills sharp and continue to make a difference in our community. We hope to see you again for another evening of fun and giving back!

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Join the team at Oliver Kelly Group!

Applications are now open for 2024 carpentry apprenticeships at OKG. Please email or drop in your resume and handwritten cover letter to the below addresses.

Email: info@okc.net.au
Address: 134 Don Road Devonport, Tas.