Principals Report

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

I am writing to you this week from beautiful Lorne, where I am attending the 2026 Victorian Association of Catholic Primary School Principals Biennial Conference. It is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow Catholic primary school leaders from across Victoria as we focus on this year’s theme, "Nourish Your Purpose". Taking this time to reflect on our vocation ensures that we continue to lead our schools with enlivened faith and a clear vision.

It was a particular honour for me to facilitate a workshop here titled "Nurture Your Purpose From the Inside Out." This session was based on my book, Too Strong For Too Long – A Self Leadership Map to Guide Your Journey. It was a privilege to share my personal "blueprint" for building resilience and self-awareness with my colleagues, exploring how we can all move from feeling at times, overwhelmed to leading a life filled with fulfillment and joy.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

I would like to offer a huge congratulations to our Year 3 students who recently received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. This is a significant milestone in their faith journey, and I am so proud to hear from Mrs Turner about the reverence they showed.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to:

Our Year 3 teachers: Erica, Sarah, Kate and Jess and to our Religious Education Leaders, Daniela and Erica for their dedicated preparation of the children.

I’d like to particularly mention the children’s parents who  supported them in this important step.

I am grateful to Father Shymon and Father Martin for leading the children through this beautiful sacrament with such care and generosity.

District Swimming Success

I also learned our students have also been making waves in the pool! Congratulations to our District swimmers: Henry, Maverick, Dawson and Tex. Apparently they produced an incredibly exciting finish in a very hotly contested relay, showing fantastic teamwork and determination. A special mention must also go to Henry for his outstanding individual swim. What a brilliant achievement!

 A Word of Deep Gratitude

Finally, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the entire St Brendan’s staff: leaders, teachers, LSOs and Administration staff for the hard work and dedication in this first term of 2026. It is a pleasure to lead such a great team. I would particularly like to thank Bernie Turner for stepping into the role while I was away. Bernie will continue to act as principal next week as I have some repair work done on my troublesome right wrist. 

I wish everyone in our community a blessed and relaxing Easter break and I look forward to seeing you on the first day of Term Two.

Warm regards,

Sue Carr

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

It feels like a cliché to say it, but I truly cannot believe I am sitting down to write our final newsletter for Term 1. The weeks have truly flown by, filled with the energy of busy classrooms, rich learning experiences, and a wonderful sense of community that has been present from the very first day. It has been a joyful and productive start to the year, with students settling quickly into routines and embracing all that school life has to offer.

We are delighted to share that our first major building project has now been completed. Our students are thoroughly enjoying access to two brand-new learning areas dedicated to Art and Science/STEM. These modern, purpose-built spaces have already begun to spark creativity, curiosity, and hands-on exploration. It has been fantastic to see students so engaged as they experiment, create, and collaborate in these inspiring environments. We look forward to the many learning opportunities these spaces will continue to provide and hope this is just the beginning of further exciting developments for our school.

A particular highlight this term has been welcoming our newest students. For the first time in many years, we are proud to have three full Foundation classes. Watching these young learners settle into school life has been a true joy. They have approached each day with enthusiasm, courage, and a willingness to try new things. From learning classroom routines to making new friends, their positive attitude and eagerness to learn have brought a beautiful energy to our school community. We are so proud of the way they have embraced this important first step in their educational journey.

As we approach the end of term, we warmly invite all parents, carers, and extended family members to join us for our Moveable Holy Week Prayer Service, In the Footsteps of Jesus, on Thursday, April 2nd. This will be a special opportunity for us to come together in reflection and prayer as a community. Following the service, we invite you to gather in the church foyer for a hot cross bun.

As the term comes to a close, we wish all our families a safe, restful, and happy Easter. Thank you for your continued support and partnership throughout what has been a busy and rewarding term. We are grateful for the strong sense of community that makes our school such a special place. 

We look forward to welcoming everyone on Monday 20th, April, refreshed and ready for another exciting term of learning and growth.

Bernie Turner