A message from our Principal

Dear St. Brendan's School Community,

It is hard to believe that we are already approaching the end of Week 6 of Term 3. The recent glimpses of sunshine and warmer weather have brought a renewed sense of energy across our school, and it has been wonderful to see students continuing to engage enthusiastically in their learning. 

This week, we received the news that Fr Ronald will be concluding his time with us as Parish Administrator and returning to the Philippines. On behalf of our school community, I would like to sincerely thank Fr Ronald for his service, support and presence within our parish and school. We have appreciated his involvement in school events, liturgies and the care he has shown our community. We wish Fr Ronald every blessing as he begins this next chapter and thank him for his contribution to St Kilian's Parish and St Brendan's. 

A key focus for our staff this term has been the implementation of a new instructional routine known as "Hold for 100%." If you have attended assembly this term, you may have heard me speak about this strategy. Simply put, it means every student is actively listening and fully engaged when their teacher is giving instruction. This creates calm, focused classrooms where learning can thrive. Our coaching team has been supporting teachers through observations and feedback, and I have been incredibly proud walking through classrooms and seeing this practice in action. 

As we move into the second half of the term, we have several exciting events coming up. Next Friday we celebrate Book Week, with this year's theme, "Book an Adventure." I am looking forward to seeing the creativity of our students and staff as they dress up as their favourite book characters. During the week, Mrs Heather Woodman and Mrs Michelle Black have organised a range of before-school activities for students and families, creating even more opportunities to celebrate the joy of reading. 

Preparations are also underway for our Athletics Carnival on Thursday, September 4. Our House Captains, supported by Mr Baxter, have been leading practice sessions and helping students build their skills and confidence ahead of the day. Further information can be found on PAM and within the Term 3 Events section of this newsletter. Before then, we look forward to welcoming families to our Father's Day Celebration on Tuesday, September 1. This special before-school event recognises the fathers, grandfathers and significant father figures in our community. A coffee van will be available, and muffins can be purchased through CDFpay. We look forward to seeing many families join us for this celebration. 

2026 School Engagement Survey

On Monday, a random selection of 80 families from our school community received an email invitation to participate in the 2026 Family School Engagement Survey. This is the maximum number of family participants permitted for the survey. 

This week, our students in Years 4-6 and all staff members are also participating in the 2026 Student and Staff School Engagement Surveys, providing valuable feedback about their experiences at school. 

If your family received an invitation, we strongly encourage you to take the time to complete the survey. Your feedback provides important insights that help shape the strategic direction of our school and inform future improvement priorities. We genuinely value the perspectives, experiences and suggestions of our families. 

Complete the Survey and Go Into the Draw to Win! 

As a thank you for participating, families who complete the survey will have the opportunity to win a $100 Coles/Myer Gift Card. 

As survey responses are anonymous, families are asked to take a screenshot of the final survey completion screen once they have submitted their survey. This screenshot will serve as their entry into the prize draw. 

Please email your screenshot to admin@sbshepparton.catholic.edu.au. 

Thank you for supporting our school and contributing to our ongoing improvement journey. Your feedback helps strengthen the partnership between home and school and ensures we continue to provide the very best educational experience for our students and families. 

SchoolCare Clinics – Term 3 

Appointments are now available for SchoolCare Clinics during Term 3. 

SchoolCare Clinics is a community-focused GP service that provides bulk-billed healthcare for students across the Greater Shepparton area. Child-focused doctors work with students from Prep to Year 12, supporting both physical and mental wellbeing. 

If you would like to make an appointment, please contact me via email at principal@sbshepparton.catholic.edu.au and I will provide you with an appointment time. Please note that places are limited. 

Services available through SchoolCare Clinics include: Free flu vaccinations for students, Asthma Action Plans, Referrals for ADHD assessments, Allergy Management Plans and Mental Health Care Plans.

Next available SchoolCare Clinic is happening on Tuesday, 1st September. 

Term 3 Key Dates

Friday, 28th August – Book Week Dress-Up Day 

Tuesday, 1st September – Father's Day Morning Event 

Friday, 4th September – Athletics Day 

Friday, 11th September – Athletics Day (Back-Up Day) 

Friday, 18th September – Footy Colours Day Last Day of Term 2:20pm Finish 

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another exciting and rewarding term of learning. 

Kind regards, 

Joel Brian (Principal)