Newsletter No. 5 | Term 1 Week 9 | Friday 28th March 2025

Prayer

We pray for anyone who lives with disability, especially people who are judged unfairly in any way.

May we do all we can to support their flourishing as truly equal participants in the human family.

May our work this Lent with Project Compassion help to create greater justice.

Amen

Principal's Message

Dear Friends and Families,

Last Friday night I attended the Victorian Association of Catholic Primary Schools Principal Awards night. I was extremely proud to accept an award on behalf of the school. The award  was shared between the three Catholic Primary Schools in the Colac area. Each school was acknowledged for demonstrating excellence in Faith and Mission, with St. Brendan’s being particularly recognised for building a faith community. We all acknowledge the big part that Father Michael played in building strong faith communities in our parishes. Only three awards from Catholic schools across the whole of Victoria were presented on the night, so it was a wonderful achievement to be recognised.

In receiving the award, I acknowledged Liz McGuane for the hard work she has done for many years to enhance parish/school links, and Mandy Sutherland for her work as Religious Education Leader in our school, creating opportunities for prayer and leading the development of relevant and meaningful units of work in RE. 

At St. Brendan's it is always a team effort. The team also includes our whole staff and the parish community who continue to support our school in so many ways. It is an absolute pleasure for me to attend regular parish meetings. I always feel very supported by the parish community and have the opportunity to see first hand their dedication to their faith and the community of St. Brendan’s parish and school.

I also acknowledge the strong support we receive from Catholic Education Ballarat, they work very closely with us to ensure that we are informed and equipped to build strong faith connections within our schools.

I was very proud to receive an award that recognises the hard work done by so many. Go St. Brendan's!

Maintenance

Anthony Campbell has completed clearing out the old vegetable garden. He has done a great job! Terry Wealan, our maintenance contractor, will begin erecting the raised garden beds shortly. We are excited to begin planting and creating a space where the children can  to tend to the plants and relax in the space.

Fundraising

The Easter Raffle will be drawn on the last day of this Term.  Don't forget to get your raffle tickets back to school as soon as possible.  Thank you to all those who have returned their tickets and money already.  If anyone would like extra books please ask at the office.

Thank you also to those families who have kindly donated Easter items. Your generosity is very much appreciated.         

Raffle prize baskets will be made up early next week, so any further donations will be greatly accepted by the end of school tomorrow.  Thank You.

Enrolments

Ruth Appleyard has been working with us on school marketing and promotions.

She created this flyer below which she will be pushing out across various media platforms. 

Spread the word!

Writer's Notebook and Book Borrowing

It was wonderful to see the excitement the children had for creating their Writer’s Notebooks on Wednesday. I am really looking forward to seeing their writing books take shape as we build on them each week. Children will keep the notebooks in their classrooms so that they can work on them if they finish work early or when time is designated.

Please note the following: 

• Wednesday is Library Day and Writer’s Notebook day
• Books can only be borrowed when the previous books have been returned
• Please ensure your child has a bag for their Library books

Children can bring in items to stick in their Writer’s notebook for writing stimulus. You can watch the following video for more information and ideas on Writer’s notebooks:     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9Lhln1QzPU

Harmony Day

Last Friday we celebrated Harmony Day,  a celebration that recognises diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.

Children engaged in discussions about the day, made posters of words associated with Harmony Day, wore a touch of orange and participated in a special Assembly. 

How lucky we are in Australia to celebrate so many diverse cultures, starting with our Indigenous people. When celebrating culture, we especially recognise our local indigenous population, the Gulidjan people.

Holy Week Reflection

We invite you to join the students and teachers as we reflect on the events of Holy Week which lead into our celebration of Easter Friday 4th April @ 1.50pm on the basketball courts. Children may go home with their parents once we have finished.

Little Learners

On Monday, we had our first session of Little Learners for 2025. It was an absolute delight to spend the morning with these children.

Our next two Little Learners sessions will be held on Monday 12th May and Monday 19th May.

A reminder that Little Learners is geared towards 3 and 4 year olds and is an opportunity for them to have some fun and become familiar with the school environment. 

Spread the word. All are welcome!

Corangamite Skink Excursion

As part of Ramsar Week, our Year 4/5 students became Citizen Scientists for the day. They joined Candice Parker from Greening Australia, surveying our very own Corangamite Lake Water Skinks. They had a great time clambering along the rocks and were lucky enough to spot a couple of the gold and brown skinks. It was a perfect day to take our learning outdoors!

We thank Candice and the team for allowing us to join the local community for this very informative and interesting excursion. 

Reflections from students can be seen below: 

On Tuesday we went to see the water skinks. They live in rocky areas near the water. They like to sun themselves but they sometimes hide in rocks. The water skinks are golden brown and green. They are endangered. We also watched some indigenous people do a Welcome to Country.
-Claire

Today the year 4/5s  went on an excursion to look at skinks. We saw three skinks but to find them we had to use binoculars. Some skinks had some bits of gold on them and skinks are getting close to being extinct. There was also a smoking ceremony. 
-Eden

We saw 3 skinks. They are small and they are brown with white stripes on them. It was mucky and slippery on the rocks.
We had a smoking ceremony with aboriginals. 
-Charlie

Pupil-Free Week to Start Term 2 - Investing in Teacher Development

The first week of Term 2 includes two public holidays: Easter Monday and ANZAC Day (Friday). With the support of our governing body, DOBCEL, and our School Advisory Council (SAC), Tuesday, April 22nd, Wednesday, April 23rd, and Thursday, April 24th will be student-free days. On these days, St Brendan’s staff will participate in collaborative professional learning with colleagues from Southern Zone Catholic primary schools.

The focus for these professional learning days will include:

• Tuesday, April 22nd: Religious Education
• Wednesday, April 23rd: Staff will be spread across the following Professional Learning opportunities:

Option 1: Strengthening our universal approach to School-Wide Positive Behaviours with Shiralee Poed (in Noorat)
Option 2: Intellischools - Data Platform (Sacred Heart Colac)
Option 3: Learning Support Officers Cluster Day (Sacred Heart Colac)

• Thursday, April 24th: Presentation of the DOBCEL Strategy 2035, titled "Pursuing Fullness of Life for All." This comprehensive plan aims to enhance the performance of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ballarat over the next decade. The strategy will be presented to all staff members of DOBCEL schools by Executive Director, Tom Sexton, throughout Term 2. All schools in the Southern Zone will gather at St Joseph's Primary School, Warrnambool, on April 24th to ensure everyone in the Zone has a clear understanding of this strategy and its vision. This day will be a School Closure Day for all schools in the Southern Zone. The full Executive Summary of the DOBCEL 2035 Strategy is available on the DOBCEL website or hard copies can be obtained from the school office.

This arrangement creates a three-week break, including Easter, for our students at the end of Term 1.

School TV

The Wellbeing Barometer survey has become an essential resource for schools, providing valuable insights into youth mental health and wellbeing. By capturing community concerns and understanding the nature of these challenges, schools are better positioned to support families, foster meaningful conversations, and strengthen relationships.

As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, this survey plays a pivotal role in tailoring support for students and their families. It offers a comprehensive view of students’ experiences, challenges, and achievements over a 12 month period.

By participating in this survey, your school can identify areas of strength, uncover potential concerns, and pinpoint opportunities for early intervention. The survey’s findings enable a deeper understanding of young people’s lives, supporting a more tailored approach to improving mental and emotional wellbeing.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to complete either one or both surveys below, depending on the age of your son or daughter and the school they attend.

We encourage you to complete one survey for each child. There is no limit to how many times you can complete the survey. This will enable you to provide more accurate responses based on individual children.

Please remember, all responses remain anonymous and should reflect observations made over the last 12 months. Survey results are only reported on an aggregated basis.

School Uniform

Please note the latest draft for our school uniform changes.

The other options to the tracksuit pants have been left off the page. There will be ‘dance pants’ with a bit of a flare at the bottom, as well as other winter pants. There will also be the option of a school dress.

If you have any feedback please see me by Monday.

UNIFORM SALE

Along with the changing of uniform we have put all of our lost property and second hand uniform out under the Hope sign in the shelter. Please feel free to take anything you'd like.

For the last week of Term (Monday 31st March - Friday 4th April), we will be holding a clearance sale of some of our current new uniform stock - at sale prices! This will be a once-off sale. Once the sale time is finished, it will only be the new uniform designs available. Sale prices of current new stock are as follows:

Woollen Jumper - $20
Rugby Sports Jumper - $15
Long and Short Sleeve blue Polos - $10
Sports Polos - $10

These items will be put on trestle tables opposite the office and you can pay via Bank transfer as usual or with exact cash. Not all sizes are available, only what remains.

A reminder that there is a two year transition time for the new uniforms to be fully implemented so we do not expect families to buy the new uniforms at this stage. However, for those who are interested, production of the new uniforms is not far away. We will inform everyone when they are right to go, it is looking like early next Term. 

Holiday Chook Home

As holidays are once again fast approaching, we are looking for a home for our Angel and Gem over the three week Easter break. If you're interested please called the office to let us know.

Bees!

Apparently our bees have taken an extended holiday and have produced no honey this summer!

Our wonderful resident beekeeper, Graham McNabb, has kindly donated honey from his own hive so that our students wouldn't miss out. Everyone was really excited to receive the honey - we love it!
Thanks Graham!!

Social Media

A reminder that you can follow us on the following social media platforms to stay up to date with all of the happenings in our vibrant school community.

School Fee Statement

School Fee Statements will be emailed prior to the end of Term. Please ensure that you are also checking your Junk folder incase it goes into there. If you don't receive it or would prefer a hard copy please email or call the office. If you don't have the school bank details or wish to be set up on a payment plan please also let Grace know. Thank you!

School Attendance and Absentee Notification

Please ensure you are logging onto PAM, calling or emailing the school to advise if your child will be away or late to school prior to 9:30am each morning. This is a very important matter and we wish to ensure each child arrives to school safe.
Please remember students are not permitted to leave school unless permission has been granted. In these circumstances, the student needs to be signed out in the register at the Office. Thank you for your support in all these school matters.

Prep/1 Classroom

Welcome to Week 9!
We had such a wonderful time on Sports Day last week. Well done to everyone who took part, it was fantastic to see all students participating with enthusiasm and great sportsmanship.

Integrated Curriculum: In Integrated Curriculum, we have been deepening our understanding of how history provides information on the past. We have also been analysing different photos and objects from the past and discussing how they have changed and developed over time. 

Religion: In Religion, we have been unpacking the scripture, Luke 19:1-10 - Zacchaeus the Tax Collector. Students re-created the story on the mini worlds and also did a fantastic job role playing the story. This week, we’ve also begun looking at the Easter story.

I hope you have a lovely week,

Tahlia

Tahlia O'Keeffe
twhytcross@sbcoragulac.catholic.edu.au

2/3/4 Classroom News

Welcome to Week 9!

We enjoyed a stellar day at the Alvie Football Club grounds for our Sports Day last week. Congratulations to Turner who really turned up on the day to take out the coverted win. It was lovely to see everyone cheering and supporting their peers and showing great sportsmanship. The children really love the day, and it is always heartwarming to see them so happy.

A message has been sent via Seesaw about homework. As discussed at the Information Night, we strongly recommend that the children read everynight. Extra homework is optional. We are introducing Studyladder which is an online educational program allowing students to learn at their own pace. It offers curriculum aligned content in Mathematics, English and Science Literacy. Passwords and user names will go home this week for you to have a look. To log in, go to www.studyladder.com.au and enter the details provided.

Religious Education: We are learning about one of the most famous parables of all time called ‘The Good Samaritan.’ At the time of teaching this parable, Jesus’ listeners regarded Samaritan people (people who lived in Samaria) as their bitter enemies. They would have thought there was no such thing as a ‘good’ Samaritan. The children have discussed the choices made by all the characters in the story, and how they align with ‘right relationship’. We will be looking at the events of Holy Week and the significance it holds for Christians, and particularly, Catholic Christians.

Integrated Curriculum: In our current unit, students will enquire into the Earth’s relationship with the Sun, and how the Sun, Earth and Moon interact. They will learn that the rotation of the Earth on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day, and the pattern of the seasons.

Developing their working scientifically skills, students will question, research, investigate and communicate their understanding of Earth and Space Sciences.

The Star of the Week award goes to Cuba Quinane. Congratulations on your excellent effort!

Mandy Sutherland
msutherland@sbcoragulac.catholic.edu.au

5/6 Classroom News

We hope you and your families are doing well. This is an update on the  learning experiences we've been having in Year 5/6! We've been focusing on building important skills in various areas, and we're thrilled to share our progress.

Over the last couple of weeks we've been working hard on our narrative writing skills, focusing on crafting engaging stories that captivate our readers. We've tackled the challenge of getting our brilliant ideas from our imaginations onto paper. Students have begun publishing their stories. 

This week in Numeracy we have focussed on reading and writing decimals, understanding the place value of each digit after the decimal point.

We've practiced comparing and ordering decimals, using strategies like lining up the decimal points and comparing digits in each place value. We've been applying our understanding of decimals to real-world situations, such as measuring length, weight, and money.

In our reading sessions, we've embarked on an exciting journey through the solar system! We've been reading and learning about: Gravity, friction, galaxy, comets and much more. 

Have a wonderful week!.

Gerard Douglas
gdouglas@sbcoragulac.catholic.edu.au

Birthday Corner

Wishing a very big Happy Birthday to everyone who is celebrating their special day! Especially:

5th April - Joey Lamb (9)

22nd April - Jordy Price (11)

Important Dates

Catholic Culture

Holy Week Reflection

We invite you to join the students and teachers as we reflect on the events of Holy Week which lead into our celebration of Easter Friday 4th April @ 1.50pm on the basketball courts. Children may go home with their parents once we have finished.

St Brendan's Coragulac & St Joseph's Pirron Yallock Mass Times

St Brendan’s Coragulac: 9.30am Sunday Lay-led  /  Mass 5pm 4th Sunday of each month
St Joseph’s Pirron Yallock: 10:30am Mass 1st Sunday of each month

Mass Times for Easter 2025
At St Brendan's Coragulac:
Holy Thursday: 17th April @ 7.00pm
Good Friday: 18th April @ 2.30pm
Easter Vigil: 19th April @ 7.00pm

Award for three Diocese Principals

Last Friday, 21 March, the Victorian Association of Catholic Primary School Principals (VACPSP) held their second President’s Ball at the Melbourne Town Hall and three Ballarat Diocese Principals were among the award winners.

Leanne Eastman , St Brendan’s Coragulac, Michael Mahoney, St Mary’s Colac and Jack Lenaghan, Sacred Heart Colac were presented with the award for: Excellence in Faith and Mission in a Victorian Catholic Primary School.

The three schools have a long and rich tradition of collaborating in the areas of faith and mission as they continue to explore what it is to be a contemporary Catholic Dialogue School in both their individual school contexts and in partnership with one another and their parishes. The Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) stance of the Ballarat Diocese continues to inform
and guide this process.

**Article written by Justin McInerney

Project Compassion

This week Project Compassion shares Lam's story. Lam is a young man from rural Vietnam. Lam’s disability made his upbringing difficult. Sometimes people look at those with disability and judge them quickly by what they see. They judge them and dismiss them. 

Through the I-SHINE program, supported by Caritas Australia’s partner in Vietnam, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Lam was able to pursue his dreams and become more independent. 

He enrolled in a six-month IT Technician training course in Da Nang that not only equipped him with professional skills but also rekindled his social connections and confidence. Today, he is a successful graphic designer, serving clients locally and internationally and earning a stable income every month. He has a creative life. The money we raise through Project Compassion helps people like Lam.

Community News & Events

Bluewater Sensory Quiet Time Pool Session
When: Every Saturday between 1-3pm
Please contact Bluewater Colac if you have any questions.