Learning and Teaching

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHiPS)

As we begin a new school year, I’d like to take a moment to warmly welcome all of our students, families, and staff back to school. A new year brings fresh energy, new routines, and growth opportunities not only academically, but also socially and emotionally.

This year at St Brendan’s, there is a new role, which is the Mental Health in Primary Schools Leader (MHiPS). I will focus on supporting the wellbeing of students, working alongside Camille Rossouw (Student Wellbeing Leader).. You may see me around the school working with students, collaborating with staff, connecting with families, or helping to strengthen the programs and practices that support positive mental health across the school.

MHiPS is all about building a shared understanding of wellbeing and creating a school environment where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. Wellbeing is something we all contribute to each day, and I feel very fortunate to work alongside our staff and families in this space. If you see me around the school, please feel free to say hello. If you need to have a chat or touch base, my office is located in the Multi-Purpose Room. You will see my door with the MHiPS banner on it. Should you want to read more about the program , linked is the website which outlines what the MHiPS leader role is and why the program is being rolled out across the state. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

I look forward to touching base and working within our school community, 

Nicole Reed

Email: nreed@sbsomerville.catholic.edu.au

Green Team News 

The Green Team representatives for 2026 have now been selected, and I am very much looking forward to working with them in Brendan’s Garden throughout the year.

Congratulations to: 

We are also proud to introduce our 2026 Environmental Leaders: Macie G, Maddy S and Molly B.

We look forward to a wonderful year of gardening, learning and caring for our environment together.

There was lots of excitement as the Green Team met in Brendan’s Garden for the first time in 2026. We started with a quick chat about what the Green Team will be doing this year before heading off on a tour of the garden.

The children were amazed by how much was growing and couldn’t wait to start harvesting. Each student picked a zucchini, cucumber, capsicum and some cherry tomatoes. A few plants are still growing and will be ready to harvest in the coming weeks.

The team is also excited to be entering the Red Hill Agricultural Show again on March 7th, and we’re hoping to bring home some ribbons once more.

The photos attached show the happy, excited faces of the students after harvesting some of the produce.

Mathematics Update

Welcome back! We hope your holiday break was restful and full of joy. We’re so excited to jump into a new year of discovery, new experiences, and celebrating every win your child achieves

At St Brendan’s, we are continuing to implement the MACS Vision for Instruction (VFI), an approach firmly grounded in evidence-based research regarding how students learn most effectively. The VFI aligns closely with our established "Learning and Teaching the St Brendan’s Way" philosophy, which integrates proven, research based practices across all curriculum areas to ensure high-quality instructional delivery.

The VFI approach  to teaching Mathematics applies cognitive science principles to improve student learning. It focuses on how students think, process, and retain mathematical concepts effectively.

The Key Principles are:

• provides a clear and structured pathway to learning in which students receive explicit guidance from their teacher, reducing ambiguity and helping them understand what is expected

• offers a focused and systematic approach to knowledge acquisition and skill development (coherent and deliberate planning of knowledge and deliberate sequencing of tasks has been shown to positively impact student learning)

• helps establish a solid foundation to benefit students across the whole curriculum by presenting key information, definitions, and essential knowledge before students engage in more independent or complex activities

• provides opportunities for immediate feedback through effective questioning and frequent checks for understanding to address early misconceptions or errors promptly

• establishes consistent instructional standards for every student in every classroom across MACS, ensuring a high-quality educational experience regardless of the specific teacher, classroom or location.

By implementing and embedding these principles we aim to ensure that every student at St Brendan’s has access to an equitable and excellent learning experience.

Rocket Math

Through our professional reading and research, it became clear that for students to be efficient and effective mathematicians, they must develop automaticity and accuracy with basic number facts. That’s why our school  implemented Rocket Math for Years 2 to 6, a research-based program designed to help students master and retain essential math facts for proficiency.  The program assists the embedding of the taught strategies number facts strategies taught within Maths lessons. 

This automaticity and accuracy in basic number facts free up cognitive resources, allowing students to focus on complex algorithms and problem-solving. This foundation reduces errors, enhances efficiency, and boosts confidence. Quick recall supports pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and fluency, enabling deeper understanding and success in higher-level math concepts.

To help your child develop accuracy and automaticity with basic number facts, we encourage them to complete four sessions of Rocket Math at home each week, in addition to the four sessions they will complete at school.

To motivate students, we have some exciting rewards:

• Rocket Math Medal Draw: At each assembly, students who complete at least 14 sessions will again be entered into a draw for the Rocket Math Medal, recognising their effort and perseverance.

• The Rocket Math Cup: This is a competition between the classes (Yr 2 to 6).The class with the most completed sessions each term will win the Rocket Math Cup, with their two progress will be displayed at each assembly. The winning class will also receive a fun reward, such as extra playtime or a Zooper Dooper treat.

MathFact Lab

This year the Foundation and Year 1 students will use MathFact Lab to support the development of fluency of basic number facts.  The reasons for adopting this program for the  Foundation and Year 1 levels , are that it uses visual representations for each number fact to assist understanding and that there is no set time to answer a question.  The two factors reduce the students’ anxiety levels by emphasising accuracy over automaticity. 

The Year 1s will be completing 10 minute MathFact Lab sessions each week like Rocket Math.  Foundation students will be introduced to the program as the term progresses.  To assist with the retention of the basic facts we encourage them to complete four sessions of MathFact Lab at home each week. These sessions aren’t timed like Rocket Math.

Your class teachers will be sending home information about how to access the programs and your students’ login details. 

Thank you for supporting your child’s learning—we can’t wait to see their progress!

If you have any questions about any of the areas addressed above or any other Maths questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Justin Barry

Maths Leader