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School Reception: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm
Phone: (03) 8099 6000
Email:info@sfcc.vic.edu.au
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Our Faith and Mission Team attended the annual Catholic Education Week Mass of St Patrick for Schools at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne last Friday.
The Mass was a beautiful celebration of unity and faith, and our students participated with reverence and joy. The Cathedral's grandeur, the bagpipes used in the procession and the cantor’s uplifting songs created a sacred atmosphere that will be remembered for a long time.
For our students, it was more than a religious event; it was a lesson in community and belonging. Standing together in prayer with students from all Catholic schools across Melbourne, we felt connected as one family of believers, particularly fitting for us in the lead-up to Harmony Week.
We're grateful for this opportunity and thank Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools for their hospitality afterwards at the Colloquium, where we ate lunch and listened to student leaders from around Melbourne discuss their experiences of the 2023 Australian Catholic University (ACU) School Leaders Program.
During this program, an outstanding group of Melbourne students joined peers from Sydney Catholic schools on a pilgrimage to London and Rome.
After the event, our students commented that it was great to see others confidently talk about their faith. They were inspired by much of what they heard on the day.
“To all of you, welcome home” encapsulates the whole day. We were immersed in our faith with individuals like us and returned to the "mother church" (St Patrick’s Cathedral). Diana, Year 11, Melton Campus
I was particularly inspired by the quote, “Be faithful in small things because it is in them where your strength lies”– Ricky, Year 8, Cobblebank Campus
A reflection by Deputy Faith and Mission Captain Isabella Zerafa, Melton Campus:
I feel so blessed to have been selected to attend St Patrick’s Cathedral to celebrate the Mass of St Patrick with Archbishop Peter Comensoli officiating.
On the way into the city, we prayed a decade of the Rosary to prepare for the most reverent occasion. Ms Prince, Mr Sciberras, and the Faith and Mission Captains and Deputy Captains from Melton and Cobblebank attended to represent St Francis Catholic College. The Mass was truly a wonderful experience from the beginning, with all the schools processing in with the bagpipers and their school banners.
Archbishop Comensoli’s Homily reflected that we are all called to be saints, just like St Patrick. After the Mass, we attended the Colloquium, which included rich discussions about how we are all called to be the “Light of Christ”.
The day was long but full and rewarding. We are all called to be saints, and my wish for all my fellow students and our teachers is that we embrace what is left of Lent and make a huge effort to make this Passion Week and Holy Week reverent for ourselves and our families. That is our first step to becoming saints.
May God Bless you all.
Let's carry the spirit of St Patrick forward, underpinned by St Francis and Jesus’ love for all - fostering unity and understanding in our school and beyond.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
I would like to begin this week by congratulating staff member Jonathan Leiataua, who recently graduated with a Certificate IV in Landscape and Design.
Jonathan graduated from CRC Melton in 2019 and began as an apprentice with our Maintenance Team in 2020.
We are all very proud of Jonathan. He has become a very capable member of our Maintenance Team and brings valuable landscaping skills to our College community.
Have you, or someone you know, graduated from St Francis Catholic College (or CRC Melton as it was previously known) since it opened in 1980?
We are planning an Alumni page on our website to maintain connections with our graduates. They are part of the wider SFCC community, and we are eager to hear what they have achieved or have been working on since leaving the College.
Many of our current teaching staff (some of whom are pictured above left) are past students who were obviously inspired by their teachers to pursue a career in education. These staff members are now inspiring teachers of the future.
We also have several Learning Support Officers and Tutors who are more recent graduates from the College (pictured above right).
Any past students interested in being part of our new Alumni program can email our Director of Community Relations, Amy Rowley (a past student herself), at arowley@sfcc.vic.edu.au
The weeks until Easter seem to be flying by, and our staff and students are working hard to raise funds for Caritas, the College's chosen charity in Term 1 each year.
Did you know that there are over 60,000 registered charities in Australia? How do we know which ones to support?
We may not need to look any further than our neighbour - today, many of our families face financial stress as the cost of living rises, schools struggle to find qualified teaching staff and friends and families battle mental health and family violence.
In today’s social and economic climate, some acts of charity require no bank balance but rather a deeper understanding of the meaning of charity.
“Charity simply comes down to two things, loving God, and loving neighbour. Charity requires us to place love as the foundation of all we speak, act, and think. The Catholic Church teaches us that charity is in fact the highest form of love, and that it is precisely the virtue of charity that gives us the ability to love. Without charity there is no love.
For Franciscans, the virtue of charity is held in the highest esteem. The Rule of the Secular Franciscans even places it as the very first virtue which they are called to live. Before all other virtues, those followers of St Francis are called to “strive for perfect charity in their own secular state.”
To further explore the concept of charity in the Franciscan tradition, this month’s Young Franciscan Newsletter is a great read.
As we countdown to Easter, let’s finish strongly, renew our commitments to fasting, prayer, and charity, and arrive well-prepared and ready to celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
| Dates to remember | |
| Thursday 28 March | Mid-semester reports released |
| End of Term 1 - 3pm dismissal | |
| Monday 15 April | Term 2 begins |
| Tuesday 23 April | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (on-site) 3.30pm - 8pm |
| Thursday 25 April | ANZAC Day public holiday |
| Friday 26 April | Student Study at Home Day (no classes) |
| Monday 29 April | Campus tour - 9am |
| Wednesday 1 May | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (on-site) 3.30pm - 7pm |
| Thursday 2 May | Melton Campus Athletics Carnival |
| Friday 3 May | Mother's Day Breakfast |
| Tuesday 7 May | Campus tour - 12.30pm |
| Dates to remember | |
| Thursday 28 March | Mid-semester reports released |
| End of Term 1 - 3pm dismissal | |
| Monday 15 April | Term 2 begins |
| Tuesday 23 April | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (on-site) 3.30pm - 8pm |
| Thursday 25 April | ANZAC Day public holiday |
| Friday 26 April | Student Study at Home Day (no classes) |
| Wednesday 1 May | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (on-site) 3.30pm - 7pm |
| Thursday 2 May | Mother's Day breakfast |
| Friday 3 May | Cobblebank Campus Athletics Carnival |
| Thursday 9 May | Campus tour - 12.30pm |
Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) will be held at both campuses on Tuesday 23 April from 3.30pm to 8pm and Wednesday 1 May from 3.30pm to 7pm.
The interviews will be held on-site and are a great opportunity to meet with teachers in person to discuss your child’s progress and strategies to help improve their learning.
Interview bookings will open via PAM on Thursday 28 March. Interpreters will be provided by the College for parents and guardians who require them. Instructions on how to book your PSTI will be provided in next week’s newsletter.
Families are invited to join us tomorrow (Wednesday 20 March) at the Melton Campus for a Night at the Museum exhibition by our Year 9 Humanities students who have created artefacts relating to their studies of World War I.
This term, students have explored trench warfare, diseases, significant battles, the Gallipoli campaign, the Western Front, and the conscription debate in Australia.
As part of the course, students made artefacts based on a topic of interest and will showcase them at the exhibition, which will be held in the Gadal building from 2pm to 4.15pm.
Guests from the Bacchus Marsh RSL will also participate in the exhibition, bringing their own World War I artefacts.
In keeping with the theme, there will be tea, coffee and ANZAC biscuits to enjoy during your visit.
We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an impressive and educational exhibition by our Year 9 students.
Please enter the College from Gate 8. Our students will then escort you to the Gadal building to view the exhibition.
Big Break at Cobblebank Campus has been busy for House Captains, who have been hosting fundraising stalls to raise money for the College’s Project Compassion campaign.
The student leaders did a fantastic job collaborating to organise, promote and run the stalls.
Year 8 student and Lawrence House Captain Tahlia and MacKillop House Captain Gurnoor worked together to sell lolly bags and raise money for the campaign.
“I think it is important for us as house captains to run fundraisers for Project Compassion so we can help people in need. Not everyone has access to clean drinking water or food and even a little bit of the spare change we can donate can help them,” Tahlia said.
We encourage all students and families to give generously to Project Compassion this Lenten season. Along with donation boxes in your child’s mentor group, the College has a fundraising page. You can click here to donate online.
Project Compassion reminds us that the good we do today will extend and impact future generations. Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow.
Memory is 26 years old and lives in rural Malawi. As the eldest child in a low-income farming family, Memory had to take on many household chores and farming activities to support her parents. They struggled to pay for Memory’s school fees and school supplies, and she often had to walk to school barefooted.
With the support of Caritas Australia and its partner the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), Memory could enrol at a technical college where she learned technical skills in carpentry. She undertook a three-year carpentry course, with CADECOM supporting part of her tuition and boarding fees.
Memory became the first female carpenter from her village. Today, she is a carpenter at one of Malawi’s largest hydroelectric power stations. With the income from her job, she can provide financial support to her family and inspire other young women in her community so that they may have the opportunity to succeed in a male-dominated industry.
Watch Memory’s Story
On 14 March each year, mathematical minds around the world celebrate Pi Day, in recognition of the infinite number, pi (or π, as it is more commonly known).
The pi recital competition is an annual tradition at the College. Students are invited to recite 20 or more digits of pi. Any student who can reach this goal wins a delicious meat pie (or something to their liking for lunch)!
At Cobblebank Campus, Year 7 student Savanah (pictured right) blitzed the competition reciting 100 digits! An amazing effort. Fellow Year 7 student Aish recited 69, closely followed by Year 7 student Pall with 64.
This year, 32 students entered and completed the competition at Melton Campus. Special mentions go to Year 10 student Martha, who recited 72 digits, Year 9 student Molly, who recited 76 digits, and Year 9 student Gabrielle, who recited a full 100 digits!
Thanks to Year 12 students Madeline, Bella and Olivia who volunteered to help judge the competition.
The Alexandria Resource Centre at Melton Campus held its inaugural International Women’s Day (IWD) event last Friday.
Alison Vasjuta and Anna Cicalese, former students from our Class of 2017, returned to share stories about university life and their careers.
Not only were their presentations informative, but they also participated in a discussion with the audience of 40 young women about what comes to mind when we think of women and their aspirations in life.
Alison kindly shared a letter she had written to herself ten years ago and reflected on what she had written.
This year's IWD theme was Inspire Inclusion. The girls who attended the event were encouraged to imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated.
Two students shared their thoughts on the event:
“I found the presentation incredibly interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found hearing from these two women very useful, especially since they graduated from the school not too long ago. I thought their presentation was fun and engaging, and I learned a lot.” Ruby, Year 10
“It was an amazing experience to hear from past students at our school and their journeys. It was also inspiring to see so many people come together for the presentation and celebrate International Women’s Day.” Alannah, Year 10
Teacher Librarian/Alexandria Resource Centre Manager
|
Team |
Result |
SFCC ladder position |
|
Senior Netball |
SFCC 48 d Thomas Carr College 23 |
1 |
|
Senior Cricket |
SFCC 97 d Kolbe Catholic College 96 |
1 |
|
Team |
Result |
SFCC ladder position |
|
Senior Volleyball Girls A |
SFCC 3 d Thomas Carr College 0 |
1 |
|
Senior Volleyball Girls B |
SFCC 3 d Thomas Carr College 1 |
1 |
|
Senior Volleyball Boys A |
Thomas Carr College 3 d SFCC 1 |
4 |
|
Senior Volleyball Boys B |
SFCC 3 d Thomas Carr College 1 |
2 |
The Senior Netball team played their grand final against Thomas Carr College last Tuesday at Parkville Stadium.
We were undefeated all season, and despite not having played for two weeks due to forfeits, we came out firing, winning the game by 25 goals!
As captains, we are super proud of the team and how the players supported each other during the competition. We are thankful for the newfound friendships that school sports have brought us!
We want to thank Ms Hurst for coaching us and giving us the confidence going into each game to come away with the trophy!
Lauren Martin and Ebony Raudino, Captains, Senior Netball Team
Last Tuesday, the SFCC Senior Cricket Team travelled to our home ground at Arnolds Creek Reserve to play in the SACCSS grand final against Kolbe Catholic College. It was a great day out for the team, which won the game by only one run and brought home the cup! We want to thank both Mr Bissells for coaching us through to the grand final; it's been a great experience!
Jhett Ramsey, Co-Captain Senior Cricket
Coming into the first round, it was a tough matchup against Thomas Carr College. They were formidable opponents, and although things didn’t go to plan, the match helped us realise what we needed to work on. We won’t let one loss shake us and are determined to keep moving forward.
Kevin De Guzman, Captain, Senior Volleyball Boys A team
Our Senior Volleyball Girls B team had an amazing start to the season. Our teamwork on the court and enthusiasm helped us to play to the best of our ability, resulting in a fantastic straight-sets win. Special mention goes to Tina for her exceptional serves and Samantha for her memorable hits during the game.
Hannah Dalumpines, Captain, Senior Volleyball Girls B team
The first volleyball match against Thomas Carr was challenging. However, we were able to adapt quickly during the game and win 3-0. It was a great match, and we hope to play against them again in the future.
Britney Luon, Captain, Senior Volleyball Girls A team
Students writing persuasive essays or searching for a good debate topic are encouraged to view the Australia/New Zealand Points of View Reference Source, a database from EBSCO that is available in our school library.
Containing resources that present diverse perspectives on important issues and events, including those of regional interest, ANZ Points of View has the information students need to better understand controversial issues and craft persuasive arguments ― in speech and writing.
The database covers more than 330 topics across various topic categories, including energy, the environment, indigenous peoples, technology, and more.
Students can access ANZ Points of View through the library: sfcc.concordinfiniti.com under the Databases tab.
Questions? Ask your librarians!
You are invited to join a webinar hosted by The Resilience Project titled Digital Wellbeing for Families tonight (Tuesday 19 March) from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
The presentation will give you the opportunity to reflect on your family’s digital wellbeing. You will explore practical tips and strategies to create healthy habits around screen time to positively impact relationships and strengthen connections within the home. The webinar will:
equip you with the skills to support your children’s device usage with practical strategies without screen shaming, banning or removing devices.
The webinar is available to our College community and parents and guardians from other schools.
Click here to register and receive your link to join.
Melton Centrals Football and Netball Club is seeking girls aged 12-15 to join its junior football team.
If you are interested and would like more information please get in touch with club president Rob on 0419 354 887 or come along to training to meet the girls and bring a friend if you wish.
Training is held on Monday and Wednesday from 5pm to 6pm at Arnolds Creek Reserve.
The City of Melton Young Communities has a big calendar of events and courses available in Term 1. Their latest newsletter is available below.
Young Communities Newsletter Term 1 2024
The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation’s Youth Leadership Project is returning to Melton in 2024, with applications now open.
This FREE program, led by the
Western Bulldogs Community Foundation offering unique opportunities for young
people aged 14-16 to build confidence, make new friends and develop skills that
will enable them to become leaders in their community.
The 10-session program consists
of sessions involving opportunities to develop a range of life skills and
connections and culminated in a ‘social impact’ project on a topic of the
participant’s choosing.
The program kick starts with a 2-day camp in the April school holidays.
Throughout the 10-sessions,
participants learn from experienced leaders in the community who discuss topics
including mental health, intercultural understanding, social inclusion, gender
equity, education and employment pathways and public speaking.
Due to the popularity of the
program, participation is by application only. To find out more, and to start
your application scan the QR code below.
Nominations are now open for the School Crossing Supervisor of the Year Award.
The biennial award acknowledges the dedication of school crossing supervisors who contribute to the safe journey of students to and from school throughout Victoria.
Click here for more information and to nominate your local crossing supervisor.
Keep updated with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.
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