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Published 01/07/2021 · Academic

WOW! I have to say, that the young ladies at the College have been super this term.

They have all embraced the socks on warm days and the tights on cold days. The black blazers have arrived and the young ladies I have spoken to say they are comfortable to wear and not bulky when sitting at their desks working.

This term, the girls had Paul Litherland from Surf on Online speak to them regarding Cybersafety. Paul informed the senior girls that he found 56% of students attending St Brigid’s College in 2021 on social media sites without even trying. If your daughter has a social media site/s, please check with her that she has it set on private so only the people she invites as friends can see what she has posted – including all the selfies that she has taken. Paul spoke to the girls about being online bystanders and preventing bullying by reporting it to the various social media site administrators and getting their friends to report it too, so that the site will then block the person and remove their posts.

The last five weeks have been extremely busy with the Year 10 -12’s sitting their exams and Year 11 and 12 students completing their Work Place Learning hours for their Cert III in Education Support. The Year 7, 8 and 9’s have had assessments – both written and practical. Some of the young ladies in Years 7 -10 have been working during lunchtimes to complete particular work, including their sewing items which I must say, look very professionally made.

The Year 12’s had one day of their three-day retreat with some modifications being made due to COVID19 restrictions. Instead of going away for three days to Fairbridge, the new venue was the boarding under croft, where they participated in small group activities and explored good communication and listening skills for their road ahead. Unfortunately, the lockdown meant that the final two days were unable to be completed.

The Year 7’s went to Cockburn Ice Arena last week . The girls had a great time once they gained their confidence and some girls even started doing tricks on the skates. Most carried on skating even after having their blisters patched. (resilience right there). A huge thank you to Mrs Michelle McGregor and her team for organising and attending the social and providing the girls with an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone.

Our Year 8’s attended a social event with a difference last week! The first part of the evening shared with Mazenod included a sideshow alley run by Year 11 volunteers, where the students had to complete their carnival passports as they moved from activity to activity. The latter part of the evening was a fabulous silent disco. The girls were hesitant at first about the evening, however, they all seemed to have a great time playing games, eating soft-serve ice cream and listening to music. Thank you to Ms Anneleise Bianchini and her team for putting together this event for the girls. We will wait until we receive feedback to see if this is the preferred event format going forward. We know the teachers certainly enjoyed the evening!

Year 8 Italian classes have been working on fashion and recently presented a fashion parade. The ladies created costumes from clothing items they had at home and then presented them to the rest of the class in Italian as their work buddy modelled on the “catwalk”. It was great to hear the girls speaking Italian confidently.

The Year 11’s enjoyed their social on the Swan River, slowly cruising down to Fremantle Port and back to the Barrack Street Jetty. The night was cool, but the girls stayed warm dancing. They all seemed relaxed, with many having since finished their exams and the term nearly over. Thank you to Mrs Cumpsty and her team for providing this opportunity to the girls.

As we start the July holidays, we need to remember a few things: (parents the below is what I have sent to your daughter/s.
1. Take some time out
a. Go for a bushwalk
b. Go and watch a movie with friends

2. Switch off
a. Turn your social media sites notifications off
b. Have a sleep in
c. Help out around the home
d. Do your chores without having to be asked (make your bed when you get out of it)
e. Keep your room tidy
f. Please do your own washing and remember to fold it up and put it away
g. Stack up your school stationery supplies (if need be)

Ms Fiona Hepi
Head of Secondary

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