Principal's Report
Dear Parents, Carer’s and Friends of St Brendan’s,
We have arrived in Week Nine and we find ourselves almost at the end of Term One. This is where we take stock and say have a look back at what we have achieved in such a short time. I would like to congratulate our students for the following things:
- Their beautiful ‘Good mornings’ each day
- Their manners
- Their cooperation
- Their effort
- Their willingness to strive for their personal bests
I would like to thank our parents for the following things:
- Their communication at Parent/Teacher Conversations
- Their willingness to answer surveys and give us feedback
- Their friendliness and engagement with the staff and with each other
- Their attendance at the special evening with Dr Jodi Richardson and the Parent Conversations earlier this term.
I would like to thank our staff for the following things:
- Their professionalism
- Their teamwork
- Their kindness to and support of our students
- Their commitment to professional learning and growth
When we combine these elements together, we have a community where every person at St Brendan’s is a learner. I am delighted to be principal at St Brendan’s where so much positivity and growth is happening.
Lent: Week 3
As we enter the third week of Lent, let us pause to remember that Lent is a season of reflection upon our own human struggle.
Let us think of ways we can:
- Be of service/kindness to others
- Live more simply in our own lives
- Make prayer and a relationship with God a priority
It is my heartfelt wish that you take the time to stop, reflect and ask our gracious God to guide you towards the Easter miracle where we all experience rebirth and renewal through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Staff Conference
I would like to take this opportunity to update all parents on the outcomes of our wonderful staff conference. The entire staff of St Brendan’s worked together to explore and address the following points from our review conducted in 2022:
- Student Engagement/Student Voice
- Parent/Community Engagement
The staff worked collaboratively to explore the concepts of greater engagement for students and parents. We are pleased with the work we completed together. Please read the update on our conference written by our Deputy Principal, Bernie Turner.
Harmony Week ~ Harmony Day - Thursday 23rd March
This week, we are exploring the concepts of:
- Cultural diversity
- Respect
- Inclusion
Please encourage your child to dress in:
- National costume
- National colours
- Orange - the signature colour of Harmony Week
Foundation Assembly
Our entire school was treated to a beautiful first assembly presented by Foundation H and Foundation R. We are so proud of our youngest learners! We celebrate another milestone in their learning journey. Thank you to all families who were able to attend.
Something from Social Media
I found this little thought on social media about anxiety and how we can support our children. Please enjoy this food for thought.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Have a lovely week.
Sue
Dear Parents,
The staff at St Brendan’s had a fantastic conference in the Melbourne. It was a mixture of eating, drinking, staff bonding and business.
A major part of our work was based on the recommendations our School Reviewer, Craig Tanner directed us towards:
- Engaging the community
- Student agency/student voice.
Welcoming the Community into the Learning Space:
After a particularly difficult few years navigating Covid, we are willing and able to have the community back working along side us.
We are really excited to announce that we will be holding a ‘Learning Showcase’ in Term Two. (Date to be announced soon)
What is a Learning Showcase?
It is a opportunity for the students to invite the community into their classrooms and explain what they have be working on.
It is a way to develop stronger relationships between school and the community, while increasing transparency around learning.
Showcase of Student Learning Promotes:
- High Quality Work for Authentic Audiences.
When students know they will share their work with an audience beyond the classroom, they are motivated to make it high quality. It also provides the opportunity for students to share their work and to make their learning visible.
- Students to think critically, problem solve, and revise through multiple drafts.
- Putting students centre stage, as they describe the process and products of their learning.
- Like a sports event or performance, it bring families and community members together.
- The opportunity to give students work a voice.
The staff worked in their teams to develop what the ‘Learning Showcase’ will look like.
The feedback from teachers was very positive and they see this as a way to engage both students and parents.
I look forward to sharing more information with everyone, as we continue to build our expertise and knowledge around ‘Learning Showcases’.
Bernie Turner
