Principals Report

Dear Parents, Carers and Friends of St Brendan’s,

Welcome to this week’s newsletter. It is wonderful to connect with you all again as we head into a very busy and exciting stretch of the school term.

A Warm Welcome Back

First, I would like to welcome our Deputy Principal, Bernie Turner back to school after she spent time last week in Healesville attending the Deputy Principal's Conference. We are thrilled to have her back on site, bringing fresh insights and inspiration from her professional learning to share with our leadership team and the wider school team. Welcome back Bernie, we missed your positivity, energy and smiling face.

A Special Thank You

A huge, heartfelt thank you goes to Wendy Ziino and Louise Street, the wonderful faces of our St Brendan’s front office. Every single day, Wendy and Louise greet our community with warmth, friendliness, positivity and a great sense of humour. Whether helping our youngest student deliver the message tub, collect a late pass or dry a tear while also welcoming and assisting every adult who comes through the front door, their helpfulness and warmth make our office a truly inviting place. We are incredibly grateful for everything they do to keep our school running smoothly and happily.

Foundation 2027 Intake Interviews

This week marks a special milestone for our school as our Foundation intake interviews commence. We are absolutely delighted to begin meeting the 63 newest students  and their parents as they will be joining the St Brendan’s family in 2027. Welcoming young learners and their families is always a highlight of the year, and we look forward to welcoming them and guiding them as they start their educational journey with us.

School Uniform Warning Notices

A reminder that uniform notices will begin going home next Tuesday 25th August. This follows our three-week warning and transition period. Please ensure your child or children are wearing the correct school uniform each day. If there is a valid reason your child is out of uniform, please send them to school with a written note explaining the situation and specifying when they will be back in the correct attire. Please note in particular, that navy stretch flared leggings are not school uniform. Strong parental support is essential in maintaining our high standards and sense of pride in our school identity. If you need assistance with garments, our on-site school uniform shop is open each Friday morning and may also have some second-hand items available. Please contact me or Bernie Turner if you need to discuss an issue relating to school uniform. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Unwell Students and Staff

We have seen a high number of unwell students and several unwell teachers and LSO’s over the past two weeks. While we value consistent attendance, the best place for sick children is at home. Keeping unwell children home allows them to rest and recover fully, while also protecting the health of their classmates and dedicated teachers, LSO’s and other staff. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community healthy.

School Closure Friday 21st August

Please also note an important date for your diaries: Friday 21st August will be a school closure day. Our staff will be engaging in crucial professional learning, focusing on our core pillars of Maths, English and Religious Education to ensure we continue delivering the highest quality education to our students.

Book Week 2026

Finally, we have a wonderful celebration to look forward to. Book Week will be celebrated next week, starting Monday 24th August. We will kick off the festivities with our annual Book Week parade. This year’s theme is "A Symphony of Stories," and we cannot wait to see the creative ways our students bring their favourite stories to life.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, support and dedication to making St Brendan’s such a vibrant community and a wonderful place for your children to learn and grow.

Have a great week.

Warmest regards,

Sue