Dear Parents, Carers and Friends of St Brendan’s,

Welcome to Week Eleven, the final week of Term One 2023.

It is amazing to think that your children have already completed one quarter of their school year. I want to thank our students for the calm, focused, respectful and settled start they have made to school life this year. I am immensely proud of each and every one of them.

I would like to express my gratitude to the parents and carers who say hello, wave or engage with us in some way each time they are at St Brendan’s. These behaviours model for the students exactly what positive, respectful adult interaction looks like in everyday life. You are always the children’s first teachers. Thank you for all you do to support them and encourage them each day.

I would also like to recognise and thank our wonderful teachers and Learning Support Officers who work very hard to engage with, teach and support all the students in our school. A special thanks to Ms Tallulah Peacock who has taught Year5/6C while Belinda Coggin has been on Long Service Leave. Thank you Tallulah for the wonderful job you have done.

I would like to acknowledge Wendy Ziino and Louise Street who manage our school’s administration and finance in such a friendly and efficient way. I know that we cannot manage without them!

My warm and sincere thanks also go to Father Shymon who celebrates school Masses and Sacraments, and who is a visible and supportive presence in our school. Thank you Father for all you do.

Please join the St Brendan’s Parish community over the special days of Holy Week to think about, remember and celebrate the greatest sacrifice and victory that Jesus allowed us to share in this Easter season and always. Resurrection picture

School Photos

Another reminder to all parents that our annual school photos will be taken on Thursday 27th April. Please note that full winter uniform is required:

school jumpers are to be worn
school shoes not runners are to be worn
no additional or elaborate jewellery (no bracelets, rings, and large or ornate earrings) is to be worn
no nail polish
no hair colouring
hair ribbons, scrunchies, headbands and clips MUST be school colours please

Thank you so much for your support in this matter. We want our photos to look wonderful and your support of our uniform requirements will greatly assist this.

ANZAC Day Ceremony Hastings

Almost every year since I have been principal at St Brendan’s, we have attended the Anzac Day Ceremonies and March in Hastings. I am hopeful that many families will join me at the RSL in King Street Hastings on Tuesday 25th April at 10:00 am. We will assemble there as a school community and join the march to the foreshore where the official ceremony will take place. Our school captains, Paula, Ailbe, Grace and Tyler will lay a commemorative wreath on behalf of our school. I ask that the children who attend wear full school uniform please.

ANZAC Ceremony at St Brendan’s on Wednesday 26th April at 9:00 am

We will commemorate Anzac Day on our first day back to school. All parents are warmly invited to attend. We are hopeful that this event will be held in the playground. However, if the weather is too wet or too cold, we will gather in the Multipurpose Room. All are welcome.

Parent Involvement at St Brendan’s

We are extremely hopeful that we can encourage more parents to get involved in our school by taking little actions of involvement. We are not asking for people to head committees or to lead large groups. We are simply asking that each time there is a new initiative be it social, fundraising or community support, you think about what small action you can take to be part of it.

Many thanks to Christine (Jamie, year 4), Monique (Scarlette, year 6), Ebony (Ollie year 1, Charlotte FR) and Mimi (Sam, Year 4 and Amelia, Year 5) for wrapping our eater raffle prizes, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Next term, we need the assistance of many hands to:

Spread fresh mulch under our play equipment on Thursday 27th April at 3:15pm. Please bring a rake, a shovel, a wheelbarrow and come to give us a hand please.
We will also require parent helpers to assist Cindy Bryant and Natalia Pigeon to run the Mother’s Day Stall. More information to come early next term.

Please come along and join in these activities, it is a great way to meet and connect with other parents and also to show your children how wonderful it is to simply volunteer. They absolutely love to see you at school and to know that you’ve helped.

Something From Social Media

I found these two memes extremely wise and useful. I have shared them for your consideration.

Have a blessed, restful and very safe Easter.

I look forward to welcoming you all back to school on Wednesday 26th April.

Sue

Dear Parents,

It’s hard to believe that we have already been at school for one term!

At the start of Term 1, individual learning goals were introduced for every student at St. Brendan’s.

From our youngest students to our senior students, goals are regularly monitored and changed with the assistance of the classroom teacher and the individual student.

Goals come from the student's work and what they feel they need to work on. Goals are then reviewed and reflected upon and changed accordingly.

In order to ensure that your child understands their learning goals, perhaps you could check in with them.

Instead of asking: How was your day?

You could consider asking something like:

What is your learning goal this week?
How will or how did you work on your learning goal?
How will you know if you have achieved your learning goal?
Can I do something to help support you to achieve your learning goal?

Learning Showcase.

What is a Learning Showcase?

Showcases put students center stage as they describe the process and products of their learning. Like a sports event or performance, a learning showcase brings families and community members together. With a learning showcase, the community takes pride in students’ academic learning.

Please add this very important date to your calendar.

Thursday 8th June.

The students will be welcoming guests into their classroom's and will be talking about their learning.

This is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate students' work and learning by making it visible.

Keep an eye out for more information regarding the Learning Showcase early next term.

Have a safe and relaxing break.

Bernie Turner

LITURGIES THIS HOLY WEEK 1 April-9 April, 2023

HOLY THURSDAY

7.00pm Mass of the Last Supper at HASTINGS

(washing of the feet, followed by the Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament) *The Church will be open for a private prayer until 10.30pm

GOOD FRIDAY

Ecumenical Stations of the Cross – we gather at Anglican Church for a Procession to the Uniting Church at 10.15am, and we begin the Stations of the Cross at 10.30am there

3.00pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion – HASTINGS

3.00pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion – SHOREHAM

HOLY SATURDAY

Vigil Mass begins with the Service of the light outside

6.00pm at SOMERVILLE

8.00pm at HASTINGS

EASTER SUNDAY

8.00am Easter Mass at SHOREHAM

10.00am Easter Mass at SHOREHAM

10.00am Easter Mass at HASTINGS

Play Group