Thursday July 3

Dear Families,

Tomorrow marks the end of Term Two and the halfway point of the 2025 school year. It is hard to believe that we are already half way through 2025 as it seems like yesterday that we arrived at SBW for the commencement of the school year. It has been a privilege to observe student growth and development over the first half of the year. Growth and development looks different for every child and it is important to note that growth is not linear. For some, 2025 has brought progress in reading. For others it has been in Mathematics. Development in education isn't just focused on academics. As a Catholic School, it is our role to educate the whole child- spiritually, emotionally, socially, physically and academically. The teaching of social and emotional skills is vital we endevour to nurture all students to be the best version of themselves. As citizens of the 21st century, it is integral that our students are equipped with problem-solving skills as well as resilience to face any challenges that come their way. 

As we are at the halfway point of the year it is important to express gratitude:

- Thank you to our students who bring energy and care to SBW each and every day

- Thank you to our staff who go above and beyond to support all students

- Thank you to our community for your support and trust

I wish everyone a safe and restful Term break and I look forward to seeing you all in Term 3. 

Thanks for your ongoing support,

Nic

Last week it was announced that Bishop Anthony Ireland will succeed Archbishop Julian Porteous, who is retiring after almost 12 years at the helm of the Hobart Archdiocese. In addition to his recent experience as an Auxiliary Bishop in Melbourne, Bishop Anthony, the Archbishop-elect has also been involved in both academic and spiritual formation as a lecturer and seminary rector and has considerable experience also in parish ministry and in the ministry of health care. 

We thank Archbishop Julian for his service and as a school we will be welcoming Archbishop Julian during Catholic Education Week early next Term. This will give us a chance to appropriately thank and farewell Archbishop Julian.

Thank You, loving God, for times of refreshment and opportunities to have a holiday, so that we may be renewed in body, soul and spirit.
We thank you for the gift of enjoying different and new experiences. May our time away be one that is filled with fun and the joy of friendship. May our hearts be filled with happiness and peace and may we laugh often. We praise you for this special gift, Amen.

Mr Saltmarsh will be accessing Long Service Leave for Week 1 of Term 3. Mrs Rachel Donnelly and Ms Erin McCormick will be available for any compliments or concerns. Mrs Ella Plapp will also be accessing Long Service Leave for Week 1 of Term 3. Ms Dunstan will teach Kinder on the Tuesday and Wednesday and Mrs Medwin will teach Kinder on the Friday.

We are excited to share the results of our recent Brixhibition competition, which showcased the remarkable creativity and building skills of our students! It was truly inspiring to see the diverse and imaginative LEGO creations brought to life by our young designers.

We had a fantastic response, and after much deliberation (and many votes!), we are delighted to share our winners.

To celebrate the various talents and perspectives, we recognised two winners per grade group (Kindergarten/Prep, Grades 1/2, Grades 3/4, and Grades 5/6):

Peer's Choice Award: 

• Charlotte (Prep)
• Lachie (Gr2)
• Issy (Gr3)
• Maggie (Gr5)

Staff Choice Award: 

• Rheia (Kinder)
• Elsie (Gr1)
• Hadley (Gr3)
• Julian (Gr5)

A special congratulations go out to our overall Brixhibition champion, Issy! Issy has earned the honour of representing our school at the regional Brixhibition Competition in Ulverstone on Friday, July 12th, and Saturday, July 13th. 

We are incredibly proud of their achievement and wish them all the best as they showcase their talent at this exciting event. 

Thank you to all the students who participated and to our families for encouraging such incredible creativity!

Mallory Priest

Digital and Design Technologies Teacher (P-6)

In Prep, our young mathematicians have been working incredibly hard on consolidating their number skills. They've been focusing on the concept of number bonds.

Through engaging activities, students have been learning to tell "number stories" using these bonds. This means they're not just memorising facts, but truly understanding the relationships between numbers. For example, they might tell a story about "there are three sheep, and three cows, so there are six animals altogether." This hands-on, storytelling approach makes learning about numbers concrete and meaningful, building a strong foundation for future mathematical understanding.

Our Grade Two students have truly blossomed as storytellers and word detectives! They've been diving deep into the world of grammar, learning about the building blocks of language: nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. It's been wonderful to see them not just identify these different parts of speech, but also use them creatively in their own writing.

Students have loved having the opportunity to share their beautiful stories with their classmates. Listening to each other's imaginative tales, enriched with descriptive adjectives and energetic verbs, has been a fantastic experience for everyone. This collaborative sharing not only celebrates their writing efforts but also inspires new ideas and strengthens their understanding of how words work together to create vivid narratives.

Last week, Erin McCormick received the ACEL TAS Teacher Leadership Award. This prestigious honour, presented by the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, recognises exceptional leadership and a strong commitment to excellence in education. Erin has dedicated fourteen years to teaching and leadership at St Brigid’s, consistently demonstrating outstanding dedication to student learning, professional growth and the cultivation of a positive and supportive school culture. This award is a testament to her hard work, passion and the lasting impact she has made within our school community and beyond. Congratulations, Erin, on this well deserved recognition!

Please note that Term 2 will conclude on Friday July 4. Term 3 will commence for staff on Monday July 21 and students will return to school on Tuesday July 22. 

On Wednesday 25th June, the Grade 2-6 Choir competed at the Annual Music Eisteddfod at the Burnie Town Hall. SBW were up against 11 other schools in the competition. The choir have only been meeting together since late Term 1 and have blossomed as a Star singing group. Students showed dedication and commitment by turning up to each practice held during their break time and as a result of their efforts, they gained 2nd place in their section. A brilliant achievement! A very special big thank you goes to Mrs Bryan for her guidance and tremendous support with the group.

Mr Hart

Mrs Ella Plapp will continue to faciliate our Setup for Success sessions on Thursday mornings from 9:00 to 10:30am. This free program is open to all families in the community who have a child aged from birth and five years. During Term 2, our little learners have enjoyed exploring a range of engaging topics, including colours, recycling, the season of winter, National Reconciliation Week and Road Safety Week.

Setup for Success commences for Term 3 on Thursday July 31 (Week 2).