News

2022 has been a strange year with COVID and restrictions at the start to a free for all pretty much by the end. However, we are very thankful to the families who still followed the Health Department Guidelines. This has enabled the College and classes as well as the socials to all run smoothly for the final weeks at school. Even though we have come to the end of the academic year for 2022 a lot has still being happening. The Year 7s had their Neon disco with the young gentlemen from Mazenod. There were groovy moves on the dance floor not just from the students but the staff who attended.  We welcomed the 2023 new families for orientation. The young ladies had fun and swapped phone numbers so they can stay in touch over the Christmas break.   [easy-image-collage id=20034] The Years 7 -9 students attended their activities day. The 7 and 8s went to Fremantle to watch a movie then headed across to Cicerello’s for fish and chips. A walk across the park to catch the buses and back to school. [easy-image-collage id=20036] While the Year 9s went to Bounce and had a blast. Shooting hoops while bouncing, enjoying a cold drink in between bouncing activities. It is great to see the young ladies helping each other throughout the day. [easy-image-collage id=20037] We finished the year off with our final assembly where the College Assistant Leaders for 2023 were announced. Florence Clarke is Ministry, Lilah Rooke is Cultural, Ayesha Lewis is Sports and Molly Ward is Sustainability. These young ladies will be working alongside the SRC Leaders throughout 2023 to form the Student Voice. Well it is that time of the year to say good bye to families who are leaving St Brigid’s College and hello to the families who are joining us. We wish everyone all the best with the path they travel. I would like to take this time to thank you for your ongoing support, as I have always said it is a partnership between parents and the school when it comes to the education of young minds. Wishing you all a safe Christmas and a Happy New Year and see you and your daughters in 2023 where new things will happen.     Fiona Hepi    

We started the term quietly with the Year Twelves sitting their final school exams. But this did not last long as we moved on to the final Year Twelves celebrations starting with the traditional boater throw (I have to say this tradition is becoming bigger and bigger every year) choreographed by the year 12 dance students. It was here they moved to their final assembly and another tradition of the eldest students receiving a token from the youngest students before performing the Year they graduate on the oval. The last two days are packed for our year 12s; however, they cap it off with their graduation dinner and awards nights. The young ladies enjoyed the final celebrations, and now some are sitting their ATAR exams while others have joined the workforce full-time. We wish the class of 2022 all the best with this next chapter, and may they keep living their life like Catherine McAuley. [easy-image-collage id=19826] Things did not quiet down once the twelves left as we moved straight on to celebrate students who achieved high results and special awards at Presentation night for years 7 -11. On the night, we were lucky to have the choir perform, and the dancers, including the Blaze dancers, showed all present what they had been learning throughout the evening.   [easy-image-collage id=19830] The Year Nines had their final social with Mazenod. This was an evening on the Kalamunda Bowling Greens. The young students created teams and sent half the evening bowling and the other half playing games eating and cheering the lawn bowlers on.   [easy-image-collage id=19834] SchoolTv special report is ‘A Guide to Safe Partying.’ Celebrations, partying and socialising are a fundamental rite of passage and one of the most important aspects of a young person’s life. Although the prospect might seem somewhat daunting or even terrifying for parents and caregivers, keeping young people safe can often be a compromise and a challenge. Your son or daughter may appear to be physically large and mature, but their emotional maturity and responsibility do not necessarily match this in behaviour. Most young people try to do the right thing most of the time, but your leadership as a caregiver is crucial. Ensure you are a good role model and discuss your personal views on drug and alcohol use. Your attitude towards addictive substances can have an enormous influence on the way your teenager approaches their use. Hosting a celebration at home or a venue for your teenager can be a fun and memorable event. It all comes down to careful planning. Agreeing on the ground rules before your event is announced is essential to ensure a clear understanding later. As the host, you owe your guests a ‘duty of care and, therefore, should take all reasonable steps to ensure everyone attending the party is kept safe. Every party has the potential to get out of hand, as sometimes it’s hard for young partygoers to make good decisions. Communication and regular discussions are vital because young people often face peer pressure to do things they prefer not to engage in. ‘A Guide to Safe Partying’ – READ HERE.   I have mentioned this before however, I encourage you to have a conversation with your daughter/s from year 7 up about the dangers of Vaping. We know this is happening at school but have not been able to speak to the young ladies who are doing it about the dangers of Vaping and the consequences of them being caught vaping at school. The link below has some vital information about vaping and is written by a parent from St Brigid’s. Health Worries Lifting the Cloud on Vaping – READ HERE.   Please click on the link below to read more about research on vaping. An interesting read about Gen Vape and to why some of the young children in our care do vape – READ HERE.   In term Four, the young ladies wear their summer uniform and their boater, and I have to say I am pleased to see that the majority of them are wearing their boater at recess and lunchtime and their dresses are a nice length. However, if you have noticed that your daughter’s dress is short, please take the hem down.   Kind regards Fiona

Another term has come to an end. I am not really sure where the time is going. It seemed like only a couple of weeks ago, Term Three started. However, after talking to a lot of the young ladies, they have informed me they are tired and are looking forward to the break. The young ladies have achieved a lot this term. Some of our Year Elevens nominated themselves for a 2023 Leadership position. They went through the process of completing a nomination form, writing a speech and presenting it to students from years 7 -11, and if successful, they then had an interview with staff from different areas. Throughout this time, they continued with their studies and sporting commitments and wondered what dress they should wear to the Father-Daughter dinner dance. The dinner dance was a huge success; from the feedback, all had a lovely evening. While the Year Elevens were enjoying the evening with their dads, the Year Eights had their social with Mazenod at Mazenod. The first half of the evening was sideshow alley activities where they played various games, had photos in the photo booth and had the opportunity to eat ice cream and then moved to the silent disco part. The girls enjoyed the evening, and they won the dance-off competition. A huge thank you to the year 10, 11 and 12s who ran the activities. The Year 9s had the survival challenge where they were placed into Survival Teams and had to complete several challenges to keep their tribal flag. The weather held off, and some sunshine peaked through the clouds for the young ladies. The young ladies in Year 10s had some formal dance lessons, and then they celebrated with a dinner dance. They loved the evening and enjoyed showing off their new dance moves. As mentioned earlier, the young ladies have managed to do a lot in a short time. The Year Sevens finally went on their start of the year camp, but due to COVID, we had to postpone it until now. The girls were excited, but some were nervous about going away for a few nights. We ended Term Three with a bang by celebrating our Mercy Heritage and all things Mercy, including the Colour Fun Run. There was lots of colour and water squirting thanks to the Kalamunda Volunteer Fire Brigade. Mercy Mass was celebrated in the College gym, and we announced the College Leaders for 2023. Ella Giglia and Mackenzie Houlahan as head Girls; Alisha Sadler and Kiera Watts as Head Boarders; Mariah D’Silva as Ministry, Hannah MacDonald as Cultural; Sienna Glazebrook as Sustainability, Lily Parker as Sports leader. We also announced the boarding Counsellors for 2023, Cameron Loton and Juliet Nixon, the House Leaders, and their reps. For Docherty, we have Sydney Loveridge as House Leader and Amy Lynch and Vienna Wincomb as the representatives. McAuley’s House leader is Kate Lobb, and the representatives are Abbey Hopkins and Aena Siji. O’Connor’s House Leader is Cameron Loton, and the representatives are Josie Lawrence and Laura Jenkins. Rielly’s House leader is Sophie Daniele, and the representatives are Marie Mussoodee and Alisha Sadler. Shine’s house leader is Olivia Mycoe, and the reps are Saira Sarkis and Kayla Di Carlo. Watson’s House leader is Lilly-Ann Hurts, and the representatives are Niamh Burke and Ruby Anderson. We wish all of these young ladies the best with their roles for 2023. I am concluding this final E-news for Term Three with a tribute to our Year Twelve parents. You are nearly at the end; trust me, all of the tears and shouting matches are finally over. Your daughters are ready to step out of the security of the school routine and start the next chapter of their lives. You have succeeded and need to be very proud of it. I am sorry I told the ATAR parents a little white lie; your tears are not over yet, but they will be soon. We wish the young ladies doing the ATAR pathway all of the best with their coming exams. Term Four, the students wear their summer uniform, so we ask that you check your daughter’s dress length. God bless, and stay safe over the break.   Kind Regards, Fiona Hepi

We have started Term Tree off with a bang by celebrating NAIDOC. We started the celebrations with a smoking ceremony performed by Ms Grace Comeagain, the Welcome to Country was performed by Mr James Kearing where he explained to the students about Wadjuk Noogna country. We were blessed to have the Binar Dancers come and do some dancers for the students and getting some of the students to join them on stage for one of the dances. SchoolTV This week on SchoolTv we are looking at Understanding Adolescence “Parenting adolescents can be demanding, terrifying, exhausting and a sanity threatening endeavour. Often it can be a lonely business with many parents being afraid to share their concerns.” Dr Michael Carr-Gregg Overview of this edition Adolescence is a significant developmental stage marking the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is characterised by an emerging sense of self-identity, exploration of personal interests, beliefs, values and goals, increased independence and autonomy beyond the family, growing responsibility, increased engagement in risk behaviours, emerging sexuality, amplified significance of peers, intensification of gender stereotypes, and shifting relationships with parents and caregivers. Adolescents seek increased independence and autonomy, which requires ongoing negotiation and compromise within the parent-child relationship. To read more and hear what some professionals are saying click HERE. It was great to see our young ladies in year eleven and the young gentlemen from Mazenod join teams for the Year Eleven Quiz Night held at in the Staffroom at the College. Competition between the tables was energetic and the Bamboozled Quizmaster did a fantastic job controlling the crowd. Year 10 Drama The Year 10 Drama ladies invited their parents and staff to watch what they have been learning in their Drama class. It was a wonderful evening seeing the girls perform and make the audience members laugh. The girls showed a lot of talent and some of them I am sure will go further than the SBC PA room. A friendly reminder is required about the winter uniform and jewellery. The winter uniform for year 7 -11 young ladies is the tartan skirt closer to the middle of their knees than their thighs. The lemon blouse with the college tie. Blouse top button done up and the tie tied correctly hiding the top button. The college green jumper and the blazer. Sometimes it can be rather cold at school so we encourage the young ladies to wear a skivvy under their lemon blouse. They have a choice of either wearing the green socks or black stockings. However, when your daughter is representing the College and on photo days (August 15 & 16) she needs to wear the stockings. The Year 12s wear everything the same except their blouse is white. The young ladies are allowed to wear two matching plain earrings in their ear lobes and no other piercings while at school. We do ask for your support with this matter as more and more students are trying to break the rules and they are receiving lunchtime detentions. If they receive three lunchtime detention they then need to complete an after-school detention and they lose their Good Standing. All of this is located in your daughter’s College Organiser.   Thank you. Mrs Fiona Hepi Head of Secondary

We started the term off wearing masks and ended our first week removing our facial masks. It was great to see the young ladies smiling again and enjoying the freedom of coming to school mask free. However, if your daughter still wants to wear a mask or has been classified as close contact, she has to wear a mask. Our cohorts are now allowed to mix, so the young ladies in our care had to opportunity to join their colleagues in big groups instead of just their Homeroom and enjoyed their first face to face House Assembly for 2022. Term Two has seen all the clubs we offer at the college starts again. Clubs run either before or after school and at lunchtime. We encourage the young people in our care to go to the club if they need some extra assistance with their work, assessments, or to complete their homework. It is great that we can now have face to face guest speakers coming to speak to the students. We were very fortunate to have Paul Litherland talk to the girls and parents about the importance of staying safe while online. He talked to the students about things they should do to keep safe while online and how he could locate information on 176 students 86 of these students. He was able to see their videos, and 4 of them he could see were filmed in the toilet blocks at the college. This is one of the reasons we have a mobile phone policy which states that students need to lock their phones in their locker or keep them at home. Paul spoke at the parent’s session about the six stages of grooming. The stages go from targeting a victim – gaining trust-fulfilling a need- isolating the victim to reaching their ultimate goal of maintaining control of their victim. Paul provided information on who can help if you need to report something. Paul also provided tips on setting up your modem/router with parental controls. Having Paul come and speak to the students leads perfectly to the next article on SchoolTv, “Managing Screen Time.” SchoolTv “Parents have an important part to play in role modelling a positive approach to using screens and assisting young people in navigating the content they watch.” Dr Michael Carr-Gregg Many parents have reported excessive screen time as the number one health concern affecting kids, especially now in the hyperconnected world we live in. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that there should be no screen time for children under two, less than an hour a day for children aged from two to five, and less than two hours for five to seventeen-year-olds. However, experts have disputed these guidelines, and families often ignore them. Parents must play an important role in modelling a positive approach to using screens and assisting children in navigating the content they access. More information about this is located on the latest SchoolTv report, which is located Here. It was fantastic seeing the young ladies being able to participate in the Secondary Athletics Carnival with a trial structure that according to the young ladies was really good. That night the year 12 young ladies had the opportunity to celebrate Mother’s Day with their mums. The evening was full of laughter, especially during the ‘take a Selfie’ with mum and daughter, where photos were sent using Snap Chat Filters.   Fiona Hepi Head of Secondary

Hello everyone,   I am not sure where the ten weeks have gone! I hope this e-news finds you and your family all safe and well and you are doing your best in keeping COVID out of your house. This does seem to be getting more challenging each week. Still, I know the majority of the young ladies attending school are doing their best to keep it out of College by wearing their masks correctly and following the safety steps regarding social distancing and hand sanitiser. The break from school means that they can keep their mask off a little longer during the day and enjoy breathing fresh air while having some downtime.   This term was a little tricky when it came to running events, so with the help and support from the SRC Leaders, they reinvented some activities to give everyone some fun time while also keeping everyone safe at the same time. The girls could celebrate Mass in the College Chapel while streaming it to other Homerooms. They wore their masks during their dance, art and science classes.   We managed to celebrate International Women’s day by holding a breakfast picnic on the grass area outside the cottage for the Year Twelve young ladies. While we were enjoying the serenity of the College, some of the College Student Leaders stood up and shared stories of women from around the world who inspired them. The Year 12 Leaders and Reps held a COVID safe House Activity day. The students competed against the clock to either get the fastest time or the highest number while competing as a Homeroom completing seven activities within 40 minutes. One activity was getting changed out of their bathers back into their school uniform, and it was pleasing to know that the girls could change within 5 minutes. So, there is no excuse now when they say it takes them too long to get changed.             The young ladies are looking forward to Term Two with their fingers crossed that they will be able to start participating in extra-curriculum clubs (Maths, English, Science, dance, Choir, Sewing, Computing), to name a few. The teachers are also looking forward to running the clubs as they know that they are helping student consolidate their learning.   Term Two is winter uniform; this means blazer, tie, skirt, blouse, jumper and socks or stockings. The only time the students officially need to wear their stockings is on photo day or when they represent the College. Last year some students started wearing different jumpers and hoodies under their school uniforms. We ask that you please monitor this as they will be asked to remove them. As it gets colder, I recommend wearing a skivvy/singlet under their blouse to keep them warm.   The Link for SchoolTv this newsletter is about The Conflict in Ukraine  https://sbcl.wa.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-conflict-ukraine-au   Fiona Hepi Head of Secondary