Term 1, Week 8

Dear Parents and Students,

As we approach the Easter season, it's a time for reflection, renewal, and rejoicing. Easter invites us to embrace new beginnings and the promise of hope.

In the midst of the festivities and egg hunts, let's not forget the true essence of Easter – a celebration of love, sacrifice, and resurrection. It's a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is light. Even in our deepest despair, there is hope. In our toughest challenges, there is resilience.

We encourage you to take a moment in the busyness of this season to reflect on the blessings in your life, to cherish the moments spent with loved ones, and to seek out opportunities for growth and renewal.

To further enrich your Easter experience, we invite you to explore this captivating reflection: Easter Reflection Video. Let it inspire you, uplift your spirits, and deepen your understanding of this meaningful time.

May this Easter be filled with joy, peace, and the boundless love that transcends all.

Wishing you a blessed Easter season

Celebration of New Life

Miss Brena has announced that she is having a baby. I know that you will join me in congratulating Brena and her partner, Tim, on the wonderful news that they are expecting their first baby in July. It is anticipated that Miss Brena will work until approximately week 7 of term 2. Miss Annie Irwin is stepping into the class full-time upon Brena’s departure. Miss Annie is well known to students and families and worked in the middle team last year..

Prep 2025

Tours for 2025 preps have begun. We are receiving fantastic feedback from prospective parents, and have been very proud showing families around the school. Please spread the word. Our little community continues to grow, with numbers now reaching above 200. I have been meeting with local kindergartens and continue to develop and strengthen our community partnerships, with kinder student visits to St Brigid’s to commence in term 2. If you have a child commencing in 2025 please email office@sbgisborne.catholic.edu.au to secure your place early.

Victorian Association of Catholic Primary School Principal’s Conference 2024

I have had the opportunity to attend the statewide conference over the past 4 days, along with our sister school principal, Aoife McCarthy from Holy Cross. The focus of the conference was to “Think, Engage, Lead…. with Strength”. The guest speaker lineup was exemplary, all of them motivating, engaging and thought-provoking. Some key takeaways from my experiences.

McCrindle Social Research presented the importance of understanding societal change, generational norms, AI and digital integration. As leaders we need to understand new ways to engage our students. Gen Alpha will never know a time without devices. They will not be passive learners, and we need to promote voice and agency in learning experiences. Education needs to be equipping students for a world where we don't know what their job will look like, and focussed beyond foundational literacies to include character qualities. We need to instill a growth mindset, permission to fail and connecting to a purpose. These points align so well with the curriculum and educational environment at St B’s, with strong student voice, agency and leadership opportunities provided across all years.

Craig Foster, ex Socceroo, media presenter, author and social activist instilled that all voices are important, and the need to educate our students to advocate for themselves and others to be change makers, to stand up and be heard.

Mitch Tambo shared his journey and highlighted resilience, persistence and tapping into intuition. Highlighting the importance of identifying and using student strengths to help them find their path.

Saroo Brierley, author, and subject of the Academy Award nominated film “Lion” shared his story and brought awareness to the strength and courage within all, to persist through adversity, making connections to our inner belief and knowing. Teaching our students to follow their own inner voice and persist through challenges.

Jelena Dokic shared the importance of belonging, acceptance and understanding, which led me to connect to our current inquiry units based around the concept of belonging. We are reminded that, to some students, and families, school may be the only safe place, and we may possibly be their only champion. We need to ensure that in our communities they are provided with positive role models who are vulnerable, showing the power and strength in standing in our truth, and finding our voice. Teaching our kids to be comfortable making mistakes, and being imperfectly perfect is pivotal to strong self-belief and good mental health. These mindsets help build the resilience to get up and go again.

In all stories, the people around the child are what influenced them, and assisted them in becoming their best selves and finding their true calling. Sometimes we can’t see the strengths in ourselves and need others to hold the mirror up so we may continue the journey to a fulfilling, meaningful and purpose-filled life.

More Updates

Please check out our Learning and Events page for updates on Literacy, Numeracy, and news from around our school.

Call for help!!

If anyone is available over the holidays and has some paving knowledge and a willingness to volunteer some of your precious time, I would love to utilise your talents. We have had a group of very clever little workers who have created pathways and garden beds using our bricks in our new cubby area and I would love to put them in place permanently in our new garden area. Also need to put in last year's Year 6 legacy pavers and other little jobs. If you can help in anyway and spare some time, I can be extremely flexible in helping.I also know this is a long shot but wondering if anyone has a little digger than might be able to dig out a sand pit area as we have lots of budding construction workers who are using all our available sandpits to create many a masterpiece in civil engineering.

Contact Emma on 0408339642 if you can help.

And check us out on our socials!

Facebook	www.facebook.com/stbrigidsprimarygisborne
Instagram	www.instagram.com/sbgisborne/

At the start of the term, we shared our goal to hit 400 followers on Facebook and 200 on Instagram. Our numbers are increasing, with 10 new followers on each platform in the past 6 weeks! We'd love some more followers, so please like, share, and follow St B's! #stbsislivingitandlovingit

Please check the Parent Google Calendar for any changes that may occur after the newsletter has been produced.

Week 8	Fri 22/03/24	Whole School Assembly, 2:45pm

Week 9	Mon 25/03/24	P&F Colour Run
	Thu 28/03/24	Last Day of Term 1, 2:20pm finish

Important Dates