News

Dear Families, Students, Staff and Friends of St Brigid’s College, It is hard to believe that we have completed our second week of the term and the buzz in the air as we walk around the campus is just inspiring. Hosting our Mercy Education Limited (MEL) Principals The College was honoured to have been able to be one of the hosts for the Mercy Education Limited Principals’ Network Meeting this past week. It was a privilege to be able to showcase our College and to share an insight into our beautiful community. Our guests were greeted by student leaders from the primary and secondary schools who exuded hospitality and pride in their College. The meeting began with a prayer celebrating ‘Light the Way’, the words of which read by Mariah D’Silva, Florence Clarke, Isabella Goodall, Teddy Sylwestrzak, Jaden O’Brien and Benjamin Olk, truly touched our guests. A variety of topics were discussed including cyber security and risk management. As they toured our College, our community shared more of St Brigid’s story with them. Thank you to Mercedes College and Santa Maria College who then welcomed us into their community reminding us how grateful we are to be part of a shared Mercy story. Dancelife Unite Over the weekend past, our elite dance troupe, ‘Blaze’, competed in the regional competition of Dancelife Unite, in the High School Division. The dancers have been working incredibly hard this past term and, in a relatively short time, learnt a commercial jazz piece, choreographed by Emily Crockford an up and coming choreographer in Perth. We are proud to announce they placed First in their section and they lived up to their troupe’s name as they were definitely ‘on fire’. We are looking forward to watching this troupe throughout the year. Huge congratulations dancers. I would also like to thank Ms Stephanie Oborne for leading this troupe and Mrs Maryanne Coote for assisting this past term behind the scenes. Year 7 Camp Our Year 7s headed off to Point Peron for three days and two nights. The focus of the Year 7 Camp was to provide students with the opportunity to challenge themselves and learn new skills by participating in a range of controlled, risk taking activities. Students were able to improve their leadership skills, build self-confidence, and develop their determination and a positive outlook in facing the challenges of starting Year 7. The students had a magnificent time, with activities including rock climbing, crate stacking (with Rielly setting a new Point Peron record of 20 crates), archery and team building activities. Of course, a Camp would not be complete without a movie night and the obligatory lollies! I am sure our Year 7s slept well on Thursday night along with our wonderful team of staff who accompanied them. We thank Ms Wicksey, Ms Casey, Ms Cahill, Ms Bianchini, Ms Benson-Lidholm, Miss Foster and Mrs Giovinazzo for their time and enthusiasm, spent with our students. Surf Online Safe – Years 4 to 12 Our Years 4 to 12 students participated in a cyber safety session, led by Paul Litherland, who has extensive experience ‘working at the coalface of online crime’. The sessions presented risks associated with the online world and the strategies needed to maintain their safety in this ever-changing world. I was most impressed by the level of questioning of our young people and their insights into their safety. Football Season Underway Our Years 10 – 12 Football team made their season debut against La Salle College. We are proud of your efforts, both on and off the field, and are looking forward to watching the team grow throughout the season. St Mary’s Cathedral Outreach Our city outreach commenced on Tuesday. St Brigid’s staff and students have joined the roster working with the Shopfront staff packing and serving sandwiches, tea and coffee to the community outside St Mary’s Cathedral. A humbling experience for all involved. CPSSA Swimming Carnival Our Years 3 to 6 swimming team, after weeks of training, headed to Challenge Stadium for the CPSSA Swimming Carnival today. Thank you to Ms Bianca Openshaw for your work with the team. We cannot wait to share with you all the team’s achievements. Enrolments for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten 2024 and Year 7, 2025 The College will commence enrolment interviews this term for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten 2024, and Year 7 2025. If you would like to enrol your child, please contact our Registrar, Ms Patty Majko on 9290 4237 or via email – majko.patty@stbrigids.wa.edu.au Enrolments can be completed online via the College website https://sbcl.wa.edu.au/enrol/enrolnow2/ or alternatively call into Reception and speak with Patty. Kind Regards. Janine Walsh Acting Principal

LENT Most of this term has been spent in the Church season of Lent. The forty-day season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Thursday evening with the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It is a time for Christians to commit to strengthening their faith through the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. SBC has raised vital funds regarding almsgiving via Project Compassion Boxes and the Easter Raffle. We are most grateful for the generosity of our College families, who supported and donated items for the raffle. All money raised will support projects coordinated by Caritas in Australia and neighbouring countries. We appreciate your support! Stations of the Cross We will conclude the term with a prayerful reflection on the Stations of the Cross led by our primary school students (live-streamed via Teams). We remember the path Jesus took on Good Friday. On the way to his death, Jesus showed us how to live and how to die. We cannot rise with Christ unless we walk the path with Him. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen.” [Luke 24:5] Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, in his Easter Message 2022, reminds us that the risen Jesus of Easter “…enables us to be the instruments of healing, of hope and of new beginnings which we, our families, our communities, our country and our world so desperately need.” Happy Easter to all SBC families!   Mr Adrian Martino Head of Faith & Mission

It was wonderful to celebrate Mass together with the secondary students and their grandparents on Friday, 12 November. We thank Fr Bill Ousley OMI for joining us. We have also celebrated Thanksgiving liturgies/Masses for our Year 6 classes, Year 2 classes and Year 11 students. In the coming weeks we finish the scholastic year with a Year 10 Mass and Kindy to Year 9 final Mass in the College gym (Friday, 3 December). This term we are collecting goods for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas hampers, ensuring all families in our community have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas even though they may be struggling financially. We thank you all for your generosity. The hampers will be put together by members of Young Mercies for Vinnies from St Brigid’s College and Mazenod Vinnies group next week in the Parish hall. Mr Adrian Martino Head of Faith & Mission

1st Holy Communion Congratulations to our Year 4 students who participated in the celebration of their first Holy Communion this term at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Year 7 Mass Our Year 7 cohort celebrated Mass together with Father Michael McMahon this term. Year 10 Retreat Our Year 10 cohort participated in a Retreat Day directed by Youth Mission Team Australia. The students focussed on ‘Social Justice’ as part of the formation program for their MIA MAD. Mercy Day Mass On Thursday, 23 September we gathered as a College to celebrate Mercy Day Mass. We offered thanks to the Venerable Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy for their generosity and courage and remembered and celebrated the women who have followed them and all women and men who today continue the mission of Mercy. We also celebrate 3 major milestones: 1. 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia 2. 175 years since Ursula Frayne began Mercy Education in Perth 3. 50 years since the formation of Catholic Education WA We thank Fr Bill Ousley for saying Mass for us and Sister Joan Buckham RSM who provided a lovely reflection on the readings of the day. Adrian Martino Head of Faith and Mission

FINANCE 2021 Annual College Fees Reminder Annual School Fee invoices for 2021 were sent to families on 22 January this year. Refer to Schedule of Fees and Charges 2021 for payment options here. ACCOUNT PAYMENT OPTIONS St Brigid’s College offers families two options for paying their school fees. 1. OPTION ONE: ONE ANNUAL FEE PAYMENT One payment due on or before Friday 5 February 2021. 2. OPTION TWO: DIRECT DEBIT ‐ INSTALMENT PAYMENT PLAN or BPAY Ten equal payments payable monthly, February to November inclusive in order to settle account in full by 5 November 2021. On request and with approval from the Manager Finance, direct debits can be amended to weekly or fortnightly to suit your situation. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS Payment of accounts may be made by the following methods: Cash In person at the College Accounts Office Cheque Made payable to St Brigid’s College and attached to the payment advice Credit Card At the College Administration or paid by telephone to 9290 4245. The College accepts payment by MasterCard and Visa Card Direct Debit Default payment method – monthly. fortnightly or weekly payments on request. Forms can be obtained from the College accounts department. Enquires to 9290 4245 BPay Biller Code: 127019 Reference: Refer payment advice on tax invoice Centrepay CRN: 555111033V http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/centrepay Edstart Edstart is another option that may assist families in managing education expenses. St Brigid’s College is registered with Edstart to enable family’s access to this service. Information can be found at https://edstart.com.au/stbrigids or by calling Edstart on 1300 139 445. In providing information about Edstart, St Brigid’s College does not provide any recommendations, brokering or advice services. St Brigid’s College does not receive referral fees, commissions or other remuneration from Edstart. Applications to Edstart are completely confidential and arrangements with Edstart are independent of St Brigid’s College. You can find out more by visiting the Edstart website https://edstart.com.au. For all enquiries please contact: 9290 4245 accounts@stbrigids.wa.edu.au