Brigidine Campus Update

Happy Easter to you all! As we come to the final week of the term, and the final weeks of our Lenten journey where we prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus, as told through the Easter stories, we have much to fill us with on-going hope. 

There is an abundance of hope that comes from fulfilling our goals that were set at the start of the year and formed part of the learning conversations held with Learning Mentors back in early February. As students read their Term 1 Reports there are some key questions they can be asking and answering as they move forward into Term 2:

1. Does my report reflect my best effort? If so, well done, you are establishing good learning habits that will set you up for future success. If not, what needs to change in terms of engagement in the classroom and preparation for assessment tasks?
2. What are three (at least) successes I can celebrate from my report?
3. What are some areas for improvement? These should come from work habits, as these are the drivers to success in assessments, especially tests.
4. Have I made progress toward the goals I set at the start of the year? What extra steps might be needed to keep heading in the right direction?

This week’s Learning Mentor lesson focuses on the growing brain. Students will learn about the neuroplasticity of the brain, which is important to remember when feeling like you can’t do something. Just because you can’t complete a skill or understand a concept after the first go, doesn’t mean that you can never understand it or do it. Our brains grow! And with more and more practice we get better at things. So don’t give up, keep practicing and be amazed by how much your brain can grow - in a day, a week, a month, the year.

Next term, students in Year 10 and 11 will be preparing for exams. Each year, some students make the same mistakes - they leave their revision to the last minute and then find it hard to remember and recall everything they have learnt. The key to prevent this from being your story is to start revising now - do a little bit of revision, often, and be pleasantly surprised as to how much you can recall and apply come exam time. Teachers will provide students with revision materials and tips to revise effectively to build success with exams and to reduce any stress students may feel about exams. They don’t need to be stressful if we start preparing early.

The celebration of Foundation Day always brings a great sense of joy to our school community. How fortunate are we that the Bishop of Sandhurst sought out the help of the Brigidine Sisters to set up a school in Echuca. They all had so much hope for the future of the children and knew that education was the most important asset they could have to build a purposeful life. Imagine the courage and tenacity that Mother Borgia Hayden, Mother Benedict Moore, Sister Thomas Healy and Sister Vincent Brennan had to arrive in Echuca in 1886 and within months to have their first eight students enrolled. From eight to over 1100 students! We have much to celebrate and be thankful for and this should fill us with a sense of hope for the future of the children entrusted into our care.

Last week the Year 10 students visited Rich River Golf Club to participate in a Personal Development day. Students participated in a powerful workshop run by the REACH Foundation on building a positive peer dynamic. Students were confronted by the reality that many students find it hard to come to school because they worry about how they will be treated, how they will go in the classroom and whether they will make a ‘mistake’ or not. They were challenged to recognise the impact they have on others and to choose a path that is one of welcome and kindness, rather than adding to the ‘backpack of worries’ we all carry around each day. The challenge now is for students to not forget these messages, but to enact them each and every day. They need to share the importance of being kind with their friends who did not attend, because it needs to become a movement for the whole year level (and school) to embed into school life. Students also participated in a number of sessions aimed to build their leadership skills. They learnt about public speaking and how to present themselves to an audience even when feeling nervous; and how to moderate their voice and strategies to build confidence when speaking. They participated in some teamwork and problem solving activities; these help to build communication and listening skills, both of which are important as leaders. The afternoon session was all about having fun with friends, old and new, while participating in the recreational activities on offer from RRGC such as mini-golf, lawn bowls, croquet and at the driving range.

The VM students also had an opportunity on Friday to build their social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing. The boys participated in a workshop run by Man Cave, which works on how emotional health, wellbeing and resilience can strengthen relationships and allow you to cope with the normal stressors of life. The girls participated in a Healthy girls workshop which incorporated physical activities to help improve emotional and mental health and wellbeing.

Let us be reminded as Jesus came into Jerusalem for the final time, he may have been a bit afraid about what was going to happen but he was also filled with hope; hope for the future of all of humankind. Easter is a time of celebration, a renewal of faith and a recognition of the power and hope that comes from the death and resurrection of Christ.

I wish everyone a happy and Holy Easter season and a holiday break that provides us rest and renewal, and good times with family and friends. 

Happy Easter!

Ms Geraldine Ryan

Brigidine Campus Director