A message from our Principal
Dear St. Brendan's School Community,
Welcome to all new students and families to our School this year and welcome back to all existing families.
We have had a very pleasant, settled start to 2024 and I thank all teachers, support staff and parents for being so positive about coming to school.
We welcome all our new staff. In the next Newsletter, we will have photo's of all our staff in their Year levels.
Welcome Chelsea Renato (F/1 - 2 days a week), Katie Nicholson (1/2), Elley Drummond (1/2 - Tuesday to Friday), Tanya Brand (1/2 - Monday), Cathy Anderson (3/4), Dom Poppa (5/6), Chris Quinn (5/6 - Monday and Tuesday), Shamus Searle (5/6) and Emma McNamara (Science 3 days).
Also welcome to our new Learning Support Staff; Mitchell Fleming, Lachlan Howard,
Eliza Bicknell and Millie Willmott.
We will be having a 'Hello Night' on Monday, 19th February from 4pm to 5.30pm which will give you an opportunity to meet the teachers.
This year we are introducing some Professional Development to support students, staff and parents.
The Resilience Project
The Resilience Project teaches positive strategies to help people build happiness and resilience. The research shows that the more positive emotion you experience, the more resilient you will be. The Project focuses on key pillars that have been proven to cultivate positive emotion - Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness with Emotional Literacy being a foundational skill to practise these stategies.
Students will have access to:
- Highly engaging age specific video contact with supporting activities
- Personal annual student wellbeing journals
- Culturally inclusive learning activities and experiences
Staff will be involved in workshops, Webinars with Hugh or Martin, teacher lesson plans.
Parents will have a Suite of inspiring digital clips to provide home school connection, dedicated online parent/carers hub with supporting resources, practical wellbeing activities for parents/carers and their children and parent communication in parent/carers newsletter, supporting parent/carers communication.
This is part of our Wellbeing Goals for our Action Plan and Strategic Plans.
Ted Lindon, who last year was our Mental Health in Primary School representative, has organised this Project and we are looking forward to this partnership with them.
Real Schools
We have also formed a Partnership with Real Schools which their theme is
'Building a Restorative School Community'. Through this partnership, we will develop a strong, sustainable and relational culture, 'provide practical tools and frames which to build more consistent responses to students misbehaviour and promote engagement levels.
We will have a mixture of Professional Learning Day, Classroom Support, Parent Engagement, Leadership Mentoring, Teacher Coaching and unlimited Zoom/Email, phone contact for Leadership Team.
This will be undertaken for 3 years.
Adan Voigt who started the Real Schools Academy has become a recognisable face in the media. He is the preferred education expert on Channel 10's 'The Project' and provides regular comment for The Age, Herald Sun, 3AW and 2GB.
Adan also has many Podcasts to listen to.
This partnership with Real Schools and Resilience Project is very exciting and we are looking forward to working with both groups.
Numeracy
We will continue to work with Andrea Hillbrick on Professional Development in Numeracy with all staff.
Data Analysis
We will also work with Andrea O'Connor on the Analysis of Data and implementing the new Maths Curriculum.
We will continue to keep you informed of our Professional Development during the year.
Pupil Free Days
Dates of Pupil Free Days and other activities will be on the Calendar in PAM and in this Newsletter.
COVID
Please note that we have had a few cases of COVID. Please ensure children stay at home if unwell.
Yours sincerely,
Paula Stevenson
(Principal)