Weekly Reflection

This week is a very important one for the College as it is Catholic Education Week, which is always timed to coincide with the Feast of St Patrick (17 March), a clear link to Catholic Education’s early history.

On Friday a group of our staff and students will attend St Patrick’s Cathedral, for the Mass of St Patrick celebrated by Archbishop Peter Comensoli. For the first time, they will walk down the aisle behind the St Francis Catholic College banner. You can watch a live stream of the mass from 10am on Friday via the link below.

 Watch the Mass of St Patrick - Friday 17 March, 10am

Today, I’d like to highlight a timeline of key events with a focus on the long history of religious orders journeying to our shores to bolster and develop our Catholic Education system.

Today one in five Australian students attend Catholic schools and we have much to thank those who travelled from afar to a strange, foreign land. In keeping with the historical note this week’s prayer is one attributed to St Patrick.

St Patrick’s Breastplate

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.


Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
Amen.

Shaun Coates

Director of Catholic Identity

From the Principal

Last week I attended the Sports Association of Catholic Coeducational Secondary Schools (SACCSS) annual general meeting with principals from across the western suburbs of Melbourne.

The main agenda item was the celebration of the Ruby Anniversary of the association.

Back in 1983, there were sports opportunities for single-sex schools but very little competition for the emerging coeducational colleges in the western region.

A small group of visionary principals of the time met to establish what is now a thriving sports association offering some 18 different sporting competitions to the young people in our community.

This year, students who compete in the SACCSS competitions will receive a commemorative 40-year badge to remind them of the rich history of sports and competitions they are now a part of.

This ongoing opportunity to foster sportsmanship and physical fitness is an example of the development of the whole person, which is central to our vision for Catholic education.

We look forward to hearing more from the sports field as the year progresses.

Marlene Jorgensen

Principal

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus Students

Dates to remember
Wednesday 22 MarchNAPLAN (Year 7 and 9 students)
Parents and Friends meeting, 7pm
Thursday 23 MarchResilience Project Parent and Guardian Webinar, 6.30pm. 
Click here for more information
Friday 24 MarchCRC Melton Class of 2012 Reunion, 6pm. 
Click here for more information
Tuesday 28 MarchSchool Photo Day - Melton Campus students only
College Tour, 2pm.
Register here
Thursday 6 AprilFinal day of Term 1 - students dismissed at 3.15pm
Monday 24 AprilTerm 2 begins
Tuesday 25 AprilANZAC Day public holiday
Wednesday 26 AprilParent Student Teacher Interviews
Tuesday 2 MayParent Student Teacher Interviews

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus Students

Dates to remember
Wednesday 15 MarchNAPLAN
Friday 17 MarchNAPLAN
Monday 20 MarchNAPLAN
Tuesday 21 MarchFull School Assembly
Wednesday 22 MarchNAPLAN
Parents and Friends meeting, 7pm.
Thursday 23 MarchResilience Project Parent and Guardian Webinar, 6.30pm. 
Click here for more information

Year 12 Class of 2022 BBQ

We look forward to welcoming back students from our Year 12 class of 2022 tomorrow (Wednesday 15 March) to hear where life has taken them since they completed their senior studies.

Invitations have been sent to all of our 2022 cohort. The QR code above can be used to RSVP.

Amy Rowley

Director of Community Relations

From the Deputy Principal Operations, Staffing and Strategic Intent

The end of the term is quickly approaching with only a few weeks to go until Easter and a two-week break.

Term 1 will conclude on Thursday 6 April and students will be dismissed at the normal time (2.45pm for Cobblebank Campus students and 3.15pm for Melton Campus students).

Term 2 will begin on Monday 24 April.

Parent Student Teacher Interviews

On Wednesday 26 April and Tuesday 2 May, the College will hold its Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) on-site at the College.

Interviews can be booked through PAM from Wednesday 5 April.  Mid-semester reports will be available by the end of Term 1. 

You will receive an email with instructions on how to make a booking with your child's teachers. Interviews can be booked from 4pm on both days.

The location of staff will be provided when you arrive at the College for your interviews.

Swimming and Multisport Carnival


Students and staff took to the waters of Melton Waves and the courts of Cobblebank Stadium and those at the college for last Thursday's annual St Francis Catholic College Swimming and Multisport Carnival.

Melton Waves was bursting with colour from the creative house-themed outfits to the beautifully decorated house areas lined with streamers, handmade banners and balloons.

Swimmers vied for house points in a series of swim styles and novelty events, with several houses taking the lead at different times during the day.

After some tough competition, MacKillop House took the overall title, followed closely by Anthony and Glowrey.

Year 12 students cohort ended the day on a high with a first-class synchronised swimming competition featuring two teams of four houses combined.

Despite stellar efforts from both teams, there could only be one winner – congratulations to the team of students from Dominic, Bakhita, Lawrence and MacKillop.

At Cobblebank Stadium, our mixed netball teams and Year 10 volleyball went head-to-head in their respective competitions.

Four netball teams left it all on the court, but the combined team of Bakhita and Lawrence eventually claimed victory.

In Year 10 volleyball, after three hard-fought rounds, Team 2, made up of students from Glowrey and Bernard, went up against Team 3, Lawrence House, in the grand final. Lawrence took out the championship title, 40-28.

Back at the College, the combined Year 9 and 11 volleyball teams faced the elements on the outdoor courts. Four rounds later, Team 1 with students from Anthony, Bakhita, Dominic and Glowrey emerged champions.

The competition was equally fierce on the basketball courts, where students took on staff in two exhibition matches following the main event, coming out with one win each.

In the tournament:

  • the combined team of Catherine and Lawrence claimed victory for the Year 9 boys and the Year 9, 10 and 11 girls.
  • the combined team of Glowrey and MacKillop topped the ladder for the Year 10 boys.
  • Bernard took the top spot for the Year 11 boys.

Meanwhile, in Siena and Glowrey, our E-Sports competitors took on a different challenge, playing in a series of gaming tournaments.

A special mention to Blake Guardabascio from Bakhita, who was awarded nine house points for good sportsmanship!

Thank you to all the staff who worked exceptionally hard to make the carnival a success and all the students who participated – we look forward to making next year’s event bigger and better!

Claudia Alp

Sports Coordinator

BrainSTEM Innovation Challenge

A group of five students visited the Toyota Centre of Excellence on Wednesday 9 March as part of a 12-week program dedicated to design and critical thinking, problem-solving and research.

Year 9 students Sneha, Samantha and Luke and Year 10 students Jordan and Alanis took part in activities that required ‘thinking outside the box,’ engineering solutions with Lego and enjoyed an exciting tour through Toyota’s Design Centre.

The College has been paired with Dr Wenyi Li from La Trobe University, whose research focuses on the development of antimicrobials to combat infections.

Students are looking forward to establishing a problem and then creating a STEM innovation. We look forward to sharing more developments as they come!

Lisa Bui

Science Domain Leader

Diversity Week and Harmony Day

At St Francis Catholic College, we come together to celebrate Diversity Week from 20 to 26 March and Harmony Day next Tuesday 21 March. 

Throughout the week we will have art, craft, and sporting activities, guest speaker Nyingot Reech, a cultural dress day and our annual Ks for Caritas event.

Diversity Week Activities


Special Canteen menu during Diversity Week

To celebrate our multicultural College community, students can order from a selection of different cuisines available at the Canteen next week. Please note the dates orders should be placed by on the Flexischools app. 

Diversity Week Canteen Menu 2023 FINAL

Harmony Day was originally an Australian celebration but is now celebrated worldwide by people reflecting on the ways they can live in harmony with their neighbours, regardless of their background or circumstances.

We look forward to seeing the diverse cultures that make-up St Francis Catholic College.

Remember - Harmony Day is all about loving and understanding different cultures and ways of life and seeing how they can fit together. You may be surprised by what other cultures teach you!


Youth Advisory Committee Nominations

Students are invited to join Sam Rae's Hawke Youth Advisory Committee which he is establishing to hear directly from young people in the Hawke electorate on the issues that matter to them.

Sam is the Federal Member for Hawke and is our representative in Federal Parliament.

The forum is open to students and young adults between the ages of 16-24 and aims to give voice to the young people of Melton, Bacchus Marsh, Ballan and Sunbury.

Students are encouraged to put in an expression of interest via the form below. If you have any questions, please email Daniela Harrington dharrington@sfcc.vic.edu.au or Shanelle Sertic ssertic@sfcc.vic.edu.au

Click on the link below to register your interest.

Hawke Youth Advisory Committee Nominations

CRC Melton Class of 2012 Reunion

Join us for drinks and canapes to celebrate the 10th anniversary of CRC Melton's first Year 12 class on Friday 24 March from 6pm in our Performing Arts Centre.

Reminisce, reconnect with friends and staff and find out more about what has happened at the College in the past decade.

To attend the Class of 2012 reunion, click here to register your details.

Amy Rowley

Director of Community Relations

Community Notices

Free ON TRACK Holiday Program

The ON TRACK school holiday music experience will be held at Staughton College in Melton during the upcoming school holidays.

The four-day program from Tuesday 11 April to Friday 14 April is free and brings together artists who mentor, teach and share tricks of the trade with students. 

It gives students the chance to engage with music industry specialists, learn new skills and make new friends through specialised songwriting workshops.  

Across the four days, participants will:

  • Channel their experiences and write a collaborative track
  • Lay down demos with ON TRACK’s Studio In A Box
  • Create their own music video
  • Find their voice and take the stage to perform their tracks on Music Celebration Day.

Additionally:

  • PTV travel vouchers are provided in advance if required
  • Lunch and refreshments are provided
  • There are prizes up for grabs every day.

To register for the program, complete and return the form below or click here to sign-up online.

ON TRACK Student Registration Form

Melton Youth Advisory Committee

Dream Big Festival


Useful Links

Keep up to date with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.

PAM – Parent Portal

What's new in 2023

Enrolment

Subject Selection Guide 2023

Cobblebank Campus

Facebook

Instagram

Policies

Uniform

Library

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