Dear St. Brendan's School Community,

Over the past two Fridays, we have welcomed our 2026 Foundation students as they begin their transition to school. This has been a wonderful opportunity to greet not only our new students but also the many new families joining our community.

During the transition sessions, students have explored our specialist learning areas and become familiar with the playground. We look forward to welcoming them into their 2026 classrooms on Orientation Day, December 9th, when all students will spend the morning with their 2026 class teacher.

Our swimming program has also commenced for the Junior School and Year 3/4 Secchi. Swimming lessons are an essential part of our curriculum, helping students build water confidence, develop vital safety skills, and learn how to enjoy the water responsibly—especially important in our local community where water-based activities are a big part of life.

Next week, the remaining Year 3/4 classes and our senior students will begin their swimming sessions.

We are so pleased with the enthusiasm and engagement shown by all students during these important programs.

In this week’s newsletter, you’ll find key updates and reminders, including:

2026 School Information & School Fees
Sandhurst Awards 2025
Christmas Concert New Information
PAM Updates
Social Media Age Restrictions – Information for Parents
A Look Ahead at Upcoming Events

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to make these final few weeks of the year meaningful and memorable for our students.

2026 Information

The 2026 school fee schedule is now available. We ask that families please finalise their 2025 fees by the end of the term. Carmel and Kim at the office are available to help with any questions or payment arrangements.

We also have our 2026 School Information Pack available for parents, which includes:

Staff list for 2026
Pupil Free Days 2026
Uniform requirements
Back-to-school stationery list for the beginning of the year

School Fees 2026

School Information booklet

Catholic Education Sandhurst Awards – A Proud Day for St Brendan’s

What an incredible day it was at the inaugural Catholic Education Sandhurst Awards held in Bendigo. I was honoured to attend the ceremony and celebrate the outstanding achievements of members of our St Brendan’s community.

We were thrilled to see Grace Weber and Jaron Saboni receive their awards from Kate Fogarty. Grace was recognised as a Primary Inspirational Learner, and Jaron as a Primary Inspirational Leader. Watching their proud mums by their side made the moment even more special.

Our celebrations continued as two of our exceptional staff members were acknowledged as highly commended:

Kate Wardle for Teaching Excellence
Heather Woodman for Literacy Leadership

And finally, some truly exciting news: St Brendan’s has been awarded the Philomena Billington Social Justice Through the Arts Scholarship, valued at $15,000. This grant will support us in transforming the garden surrounding our Catherine McAuley statue and Indigenous mural into a beautiful and accessible space. The redevelopment will reflect Aboriginal spirituality and serve as a setting for F.I.R.E. Carrier ceremonies, community gatherings, and class reflections. With strong student voice and guidance from local experts, we cannot wait to bring this meaningful vision to life.

I am incredibly proud of our students, staff, and community; what a wonderful celebration of who we are at St Brendan’s.

Christmas Concert

We are busy preparing for our End-of-Year Christmas Concert on Monday, 15 December. Please note our venue has changed; the concert will now be held on St Brendan’s Oval. BYO camp chairs or picnic rugs.

Student Assemble with Teachers: Basketball courts from 6:00 PM Concert Begins: 6:30 PM

Our team has been hard at work preparing scripts, selecting songs, and holding auditions for the main roles. This special event will feature every student and bring the spirit of Christmas to life!

Please mark your calendars. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Parent Access Module (PAM)

Access to the Parent Access Module (PAM) has been reinstated via web browser only. The PAM mobile app remains offline until further notice.

Key Updates:

Password Reset Required: All users must reset their password using the “Forgot Password” option on the PAM login page.
New password must be at least 12 characters and include uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): A 6-digit code will be sent to your registered email each time you log in.

Access PAM here: https://pam.sbshepparton.catholic.edu.au

If you need help, contact: admin@sbshepparton.catholic.edu.au

Social Media Age Restrictions for Under-16

From 10 December, new restrictions will come into effect to protect children under 16 from the risks and pressures of social media. These changes are designed to reduce exposure to:

Excessive screen time, driven by constant notifications and disappearing content
Negative or manipulative content, served by algorithms
Harms to wellbeing, including increased stress, reduced sleep, and difficulty concentrating

In addition to these design-related risks, young people may also encounter harmful conduct online, such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and pressure to share personal images.

These restrictions are not a ban, but a delay, allowing families to say “not yet” instead of “no”, knowing other under-16s are also being prevented from creating or keeping accounts. This gives children time to build the digital, social, and emotional skills they need to navigate social media safely when they’re older.

For more information and support, visit the eSafety Commissioner’s website:

🔗 Social Media Age Restrictions – eSafety

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our students safe online.

Upcoming Events

Term 4

November 1st - 5th – Middle Years (Group 2) & Senior Years Swimming Program
Wednesday, 3rd December – Foundation Information Night
Monday 8th December - Year 6 Retreat Day
Tuesday, 9th December – Orientation Day (9:00AM-12:00PM)
Wednesday, 10th December – End of Year Mass
Thursday, 11th December – End of Year Celebration Swimming Day for Students
Monday, 15th December – End of Year Concert
Tuesday, 16th December – Students Last Day

Thank you for your continued support.

Joel Brian (Principal)

Vacation Care Program