A message from our Principal

Dear St. Brendan's School Community,

Book Week rolled around once again, and while I sadly missed out on all the fun of dressing up and joining the parade due to study commitments in Melbourne (I even had my costume ready!), it was heartening to hear what a fantastic day it was for everyone involved. 

Students embraced the theme “Book an Adventure” with enthusiasm dressing up, diving into creative craft activities, and celebrating the joy of reading. A big thank you to our staff for making the day so special! 

Last week, we were also pleased to welcome Bridie Archer from Classroom Mastery to support our leadership team and staff with the continued implementation of our Behaviour Curriculum. Bridie spoke very highly of our staff’s commitment and was impressed by how positively our students respond to the established routines. She even helped us select a Class Cup winner, a task she found incredibly difficult, as she felt every class was doing an outstanding job in creating a calm, positive, and orderly school environment. 

We’re looking forward to seeing as many dads and family members as possible at tomorrow’s Father’s Day Morning Tea and Assembly Prayer. 

Morning tea will begin from 8:00am, followed by assembly at 9:00am, and classrooms will be open until 10:00am for those who’d like to stay and join in the fun. 

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

• Parent Information Sessions 2 and 3 
• Parent Access Module 
• Parent ORIMA Survey 
• Supporting your children at home 
• And a look ahead at upcoming events 

Parent Information Night with Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath  

We were delighted to welcome over 40 parents and carers to our first parent session with Educational Neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, where he explored the important topics of sleep, stress, and technology. Dr. Horvath’s insights sparked meaningful reflection and offered practical strategies to support wellbeing and learning. 

Our second session continued to engage families with valuable insights and practical tools to support student success. We thank all who attended and contributed to the discussions. 

Details for the third and final session will be shared with families via PAM. 

We encourage everyone to take part in this valuable learning opportunity. 

Stay Connected with School Communication – PAM & Simon Everywhere 

At St. Brendan’s, all school communication is managed through the Parent Access Module (PAM), which is linked to our school’s administration system. We also use the Simon Everywhere app, which allows families to receive updates directly to their mobile devices or email. 

Through PAM and Simon Everywhere, families can: 

• Receive alerts and important messages 
• Read daily notices (our digital community noticeboard) 
• Notify the school of student absences 
• Update student medical information 
• Consent to excursions and camps 
• View the school calendar 

• Book Parent-Teacher Interviews 

   

Our daily messages section is where we post key updates and flyers—such as information about Father’s Day events, Athletics Day, and the Assembly roster, so it’s important to check regularly. 

We strongly recommend that all families download the Simon Everywhere app to ensure they don’t miss important information about what’s happening at school. 

To access PAM, you’ll need a username and password provided by the school once your child is enrolled. Please note that students will not be able to participate in activities like camps and excursions without an up-to-date medical profile and permission submitted through PAM. 

If you need help setting up PAM or the app, please contact our school office, we’re happy to assist. 

You can also find instructions for downloading the app on our website: 📄 SIMON Everywhere – Parent Handout 

Reminder: ORIMA Parent Survey Participation 

We’d like to thank the 80 families who were randomly selected to participate in the ORIMA Parent Survey. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping us gather meaningful data to support ongoing school improvement. 

If you were selected, we kindly ask that you check your emails and take a few moments to complete the survey. Your insights will help us better understand what’s working well and where we can continue to grow as a school community. 

We truly appreciate your time and support in shaping the future of St. Brendan’s. 

Have seen our dedicated Learning Area Pages in the Newsletter? 

We’re excited to introduce a new feature in our school newsletter dedicated Learning Area pages for our Junior, Middle, and Senior Years Learning Communities. 

These pages provide families with a snapshot of what is happening in the core areas of learning across each part of the school. You’ll also find short activities and optional tasks that you may wish to explore at home to support your child’s learning. 

If you have any questions or would like additional support, please don’t hesitate to speak with your child’s teacher before or after school. Alternatively, you can contact the School Office and we’ll be happy to arrange a suitable time to discuss.  

We hope this new addition helps strengthen the connection between home and school learning! 

Upcoming Events 

Term 3  

• Friday, 29th Father's Day Morning Tea 8am-10am  

• Friday, 5th September- Athletics Day (Weather Permitting) 

• Thursday, 11th and Friday, 12th September- Year 4 Camp Alexandra 

• Friday, 12th September, Year 3 Excursion- Murray Life Adventures  

• Friday, 19th September – Footy Colours Day, 2:20pm finish. 

Thank you for your continued support. 

Joel Brian (Principal)