A message from our Principal

Dear St. Brendan's School Community,

This week has been full of great learning and positive momentum across the school. With Lent now underway, we’re taking this time to focus on small acts of reflection and kindness that help strengthen our school community.

This week we were delighted to welcome Catholic Education Sandhurst’s School Improvement Leaders, Paul Bissinella and Libby Hamilton, to our school. They toured our learning spaces, spending time with students and staff to see the wonderful learning taking place each day.

Paul and Libby also worked closely with our leadership team, offering valuable insights as we continue to build strong momentum in the implementation of Magnify. Their visit affirmed the commitment, energy and expertise that our staff bring to ensuring every child is challenged and supported.

Last week, we opened bookings for our Parent–Teacher Learning Conversations, taking place in Week 8. These conversations play such an important role in strengthening the partnership between home and school, giving families the opportunity to connect with teachers, hear about their child’s progress, and discuss the next steps in their learning journey. We strongly encourage all families to book a time either face-to-face or by phone so that we can continue working together to support your child’s growth.

As we continue through Lent, may this season be a gentle reminder of the importance of hope, compassion, and renewal in our lives and in our community.

In this week’s newsletter, you’ll find key updates and reminders, including:
Open Day & 2027 Foundation Enrolments
Volunteers Needed for Morning Reading Program
NAPLAN
Term 1 Events

Open Day & 2027 Foundation Enrolments

Our School’s Open Day Tours will take place on Wednesday, 19th March and Thursday 25th March with sessions at 9:30, and 4:00 pm.

Please click on the link below to register your interest. The event will begin in the school hall with a welcome and a brief presentation about our school, followed by a guided tour by our school leadership team.

Please feel free to share this link with new families who may be interested in their child attending St Brendan’s Primary School.

To register for an Open Day Tour or to submit an Enrolment Application, please click on the link below:

NAPLAN 2026 Years 3 & 5

All Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in NAPLAN this year. We have included a Parent and Carer Handout with this message to provide further details about the assessments, how they work, and how the results help guide student learning.

Our students will complete the NAPLAN assessments on the following days. All tests will begin at 9:15am, so please ensure your child arrives at school on time and is ready to begin.

NAPLAN Test Schedule

Wednesday, 11th March – Writing Test
Thursday, 12th March – Reading Test
Monday, 16th March – Conventions of Language Test
Thursday, 17th March – Numeracy Test

Parent Carer Handout add as a pdf download: 2026NAPLANparentcarerinformationbrochure.pdf

Before‑School Library Opening & Volunteer Reading Program

Beginning next week, our Library will be open each morning from 8:30am. Families are warmly invited to drop in so children can borrow books or enjoy some quiet reading to start their day.

We are also seeking parent volunteers to support our morning reading program that will be launched later in the term. Volunteers will help by listening to children read during this time. If you are interested in being involved, please complete the Volunteer Registration form available at: https://www.sbshepparton.catholic.edu.au/how-to-be-involved we will review your registration form and provide you with an online school volunteers module to complete prior to volunteering.

This program will be overseen by Heather Woodman, who will also provide group training for parents participating in the before‑school reading sessions.

Upcoming Events

Term 1

Friday, March 6th Opening School Mass 9:30am
Wednesday, 11th March NAPLAN Writing Test Year 3 and 5
Thursday, 12th March NAPLAN Reading Test Year 3 and 5
Monday, 16th March NAPLAN Conventions Test Year 3 and 5
Thursday, 17th March NAPLAN Numeracy Test Year 3 and 5
Friday, 27th March: School Photos
UPDATED: Tuesday, 17th March & Wednesday 18th March -Parent-Teacher Learning Conversations
Friday, 20th March: Harmony Day
Last Week of Term Holy Week Liturgies

Thank you for your continued support.

Joel Brian (Principal)