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School Reception: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm
Phone: (03) 8099 6000
Email:info@sfcc.vic.edu.au
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In 1966, the United Nations declared 21 March the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and it is this initiative that has inspired Harmony Week in Australia.
Starting yesterday (17 March), Harmony Week is a national celebration that recognises Australia’s multiculturalism and diversity and aims to bring about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
This week is an opportunity for all Australians to embrace cultural diversity and share what we have in common.
The ongoing theme of Harmony Week is Everyone Belongs, and the colour orange has been chosen to symbolise social communication, freedom of ideas, and the fostering of mutual respect.
Australia is one of the most successful multi-cultural countries in the world, and our cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a nation.
The core values of Harmony Week are reflected in the life and work of Jesus Christ, who promoted love and compassion, unity and peace, hospitality and acceptance of all people.
While Harmony Week officially became a national celebration across Australia for the first time in 2020, multiculturalism is integral to our nation’s history and character. It is at the heart of who we are as a country.
With this in mind, we pray:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for bringing us together as a community filled with people from many backgrounds, cultures and traditions. Although we are all unique, help us to recognise we are all made in your image and likeness and are part of the same human family.
Lord, help us to be kind and respectful to one another and for our school to be a place where everyone feels safe, valued and included.
Amen.
During the first few weeks of Term 1, I visited each of our 18 new Year 7 classes. This gave me the opportunity to introduce myself to our new cohort and to explain the structure and history of the College.
During the visits, I have talked to students about the meaning and development of our logo to give them a deeper understanding of what it means to be a student at St Francis Catholic College.
Beginning with the shield at the base of the logo, this artifact of war symbolises St Francis’ early years as a soldier.
As a fighter in the crusades, Francis’ zeal for the campaigns speaks of his devotion to the Christian cause.
After being captured and held captive for two years, Francis underwent a change of heart.
Overlayed on the shield is the Tau cross. The Tau cross is a sign of conversion. After his capture and imprisonment, St Francis no longer wished to pursue military life and instead dedicated himself to Christ.
This Tau cross is a Franciscan symbol that Francis came to use as his personal signature.
For Francis, conversion implied a turning toward God and turning to one’s brothers and sisters.
The thinner cross is overlayed on the shield and Tau and connects us to our rich history as CRC Melton. The College is 45 years old this year, and the thinner, more traditional cross was part of the CRC uniform. This connection reminds us that we build on the work of those who have gone before us and remember the long history as we move forward as a College.
The Franciscan belt hung on the cross speaks to the Franciscan order established by St Francis and supported by St Clare. The three knots remind us that Francis lived a life of humility, poverty and service to others. Francis lived the mantra: Live simply so that others can simply live.
Underneath the shield, the book of the Gospels is represented.
Purposefully placed below the shield and open, the book of the Gospels underpins all that we do at the College. The Gospels are our base and foundation.
The book is open, symbolising the lived experience that St Francis Catholic College students will encounter as they strive to put faith into action.
Finally, we add the Eucalyptus Macrocarpa or grey box, native to the local area.
There is a small forest of these trees, protected and managed since 1988, between Melton and Eynesbury.
The symbol connects the College to the local area. It reminds us of our obligation to care for our environment. As the patron saint of ecology, St Francis had a deep affection for flora and fauna and all of God’s creation. This last symbol reminds us of our obligation to our College environment and the wider world.
As a welcome gift to the College, each Year 7 student received a Bible with their name and the 2025 College theme inside.
| Dates to remember | |
| Monday 24 March | Harmony Week begins |
| Tuesday 25 March | SACCSS Swimming Championships |
| Thursday 3 April - Friday 4 April | Year 12 Retreat |
| Friday 4 April | Last day of Term 1 |
| Dates to remember | |
| Monday 24 March | Harmony Week begins |
| Tuesday 25 March | SACCSS Swimming Championships |
| Friday 28 March | Year 7 Immunisations |
| Friday 4 April | Last day of Term 1 |
Cobblebank Campus students and staff celebrated last week as the Bridge Road extension finally opened.
Thank you to the families and staff who attended the Melton Council meeting and those who started petitions and contacted our State and Federal parliamentary members.
Ensuring the safety of students and families around our campus is a priority. The council's Traffic and Transport Team recently conducted a review of Bridge Road to assess the need for a dedicated school crossing supervisor.
While it has been determined that a school crossing supervisor will be required in the long term, current traffic levels do not yet meet the threshold for a permanent supervisor.
In the meantime, the crossing will be upgraded to an interim priority wombat crossing - a raised, clearly marked pedestrian crossing designed to slow vehicles and improve visibility.
The council reviews school crossings annually, and as our campus and surrounding community grow, a crossing supervisor will be introduced when demand increases.
To further improve road safety, the Council Traffic and Transport Team is working closely with the Department of Transport and Planning to finalise new signage along Bridge Road.
The Council is advocating for a 40km/h speed limit during school times, which aligns with the Speed Zoning Guidelines and the Road Management Act 2004.
Please remember:
Remind your child to use crossings, avoid jaywalking, and look both ways before stepping onto the road.
Thank you for your ongoing support in keeping our school community safe.
Budding musicians and their families are invited to our Concert Band Information Night tomorrow, where you will be inspired by student performances, meet our passionate music staff and hear about all the benefits of joining this exciting program.
The evening is open to interested parents and students from all year levels at both campuses, with a particular focus on our new Year 7 students.
Find out everything you need to know about instrument selection, music lessons, ensemble participation, costs, rehearsals and performances. It’s also a great opportunity to meet students in our Concert Band and hear what to expect when you join.
The evening starts at 7pm in our Melton Campus Performing Arts Centre. Please enter from Gate 6 on the night.
Further information has been emailed to all families.
Last week, we received fantastic drone footage of our new oval under construction at Cobblebank Campus. Click here to view
Thank you JoslynGroup/Victorian Sports Group, for the amazing footage and our design partner Sport Eng for helping us deliver this fantastic new sports facility.
Synthetic turf is currently being laid and we expect the oval to be ready for students to use early in Term 2.
To boost education opportunities and narrow the digital divide, the Federal Government is providing up to 30,000 qualifying families with school-age children a free NBN service. The initiative has been extended meaning:
To check if you qualify, follow these simple steps.
Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm) or visit www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet. Callback, webchat and interpreting services are also available.
The National Referral Centre team will check your residential address and ask you some basic questions to determine if you qualify for the Initiative.
If you qualify, you will be issued a voucher that can be redeemed at any of the participating internet providers.
The National Referral Centre will also help contact your chosen internet provider or provide follow-up support.
To qualify, families and guardians must:
Click here for more details.
The College is excited to announce a new partnership with Wellio, an organisation dedicated to promoting mental and physical wellbeing.
This collaboration is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the holistic development of our students and creating a positive school environment.
As part of this partnership, Wellio will host a series of free wellbeing webinars designed to provide valuable insights and practical strategies to help parents and students manage the challenges of daily life, reduce stress, and foster healthier habits.
These webinars will cover various topics, from creating healthy tech habits at home to emotional regulation for parents.
Upcoming webinars will also be held on the following dates:
Webinar 2: Managing Device Use: Creating Healthy Tech Habits at Home, Thursday 22 May, 6.30pm.
Webinar 3: Emotions Under Control: A Parent’s Guide to Emotional Regulation. Thursday 4 September, 6.30pm
Webinar 4: Social media, Boundaries and Cyberbullying: Guiding Teens Through the Digital World. Thursday 6 November, 6.30pm
On 7 March, Ms Clinton and I had the honour of attending the International Women's Day Luncheon hosted by Melton City Council at Witchmount Estate.
This year, the theme was March Forward highlighting how the work for women around equality and representation is not done yet. We must continue to work towards a better world for future generations.
It was an inspiring day that included speeches by Melton Mayor Cr Steve Abboushi, the Minister for Women and Member for Sydenham, the Hon. Natalie Hutchins, and guest speaker Jade Hameister OAM.
Ms Hutchins spoke about the struggles facing women in Australia today. She shared alarming statistics, such as how one in three women experience sexual assault, 60% experience gendered violence and only 46% hold leadership roles in the workplace.
We also heard about her work to bring attention to topics that are silenced or considered taboo. Ms Hutchins outlined the State Government's gender equality strategy action plan called Our Equal State and achievements that have been made along the way. For example:
Her speech provided great insight, and I was in awe of the success our women in power have achieved.
Guest speaker Jade Hameister OAM shared her experience as the youngest person in history to complete the Polar Hat Trick. This challenging expedition involves skiing to the North and South Poles and crossing the Greenland icecap, all unsupported and unassisted.
She shared details of her great accomplishments and the lessons she learned along the way.
Jade is a beacon of strength, determination and inspiration to those around her.
She described how "bravery is a habit, but fear is too" and how you should always "choose bravery over perfection". She said that without continuous effort and hard work, she would not have been able to achieve her goals.
Overall, the day was filled with women whose triumphs were an inspiration. It was an honour to be part of the community that gathered to celebrate their achievements.
Diana Taylor – College Captain – Melton Campus
Over the last two weeks, Cobblebank Campus students have shown their appreciation to our female staff in celebration of International Women's Day.
Small notes of thanks were gathered to create a wonderful display of gratitude.
Thank you to all involved.
Charlee Keating, Student Leadership Coordinator – Cobblebank Campus
SFCC once again encouraged students to participate in a call-to-action project to mark International Women’s Day (IWD).
IWD has been celebrated for more than 100 years, and many of the issues still impact women's advancement. Since 1911, IWD has belonged to all who care about women's equality. The day celebrates women's achievements and raises awareness about discrimination.
This year, library staff at both campuses invited students to come along and create identity self-portraits. They were encouraged to reflect on different facets of their identity and the symbols they could use to reflect their values, interests and beliefs.
The craft activity was well attended at both campuses. Our students and staff created some fantastic self-reflective artworks.
SFCC Library Team
This Lent, we’re invited to Unite Against Poverty with Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.
This year is especially significant as we celebrate the Jubilee Year - a time of renewal and solidarity.
As our students continue their fundraising efforts and to highlight how your donations can help, Caritas share the story of Toefuata'iga - (Toy-foo-ah-tah-ing-ah), a 13-year-old primary school student from Samoa.
Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result.
Toefuata’iga’s school community struggled without reliable access to clean water, which impacted students’ education and hygiene. Teachers often had to leave the school to fetch water from nearby homes, disrupting lessons and adding strain to the community. When the water ran out at the school, students were sent home, meaning they missed valuable learning time.
Thanks to the support of Caritas Australia in partnership with Caritas Samoa, Toefuata’iga’s school now has a 10,000 L water tank through a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program.
Teachers and students are now able to focus on education and improved hygiene.
“Now that we have the water tank, things are so much better. We can stay at school all day, and I get to spend more time learning and playing with my friends. I’m happy that we don’t have to go home early anymore,” Toefuata'iga said.
This transformative story is just one example of how Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion creates waves of change worldwide.
Year 7 Italian students have been involved in activities to enrich their cultural knowledge of Italy’s much loved Carnevale celebrations, held this year from 14 February to 4 March.
Floats, masks, dance and street performances characterise the festival.
During Carnevale in Italy, masks have a profound cultural and historical meaning. People could hide their identity and social origin behind a mask, and nowadays, every mask continues to tell us a story and is part of a secular tradition of freedom, irony and elegance.
The 2025 Carnevale in Venice involved 19 days of celebration dedicated to the theme Il Tempo di Casanova (The times of Casanova), a Venetian adventurer, on the 300th anniversary of his birth.
Other famous Carnevale celebrations in Italy are in Viareggio (famous for its parades), Ivrea (known for La battaglia delle arance- the battle of oranges), Putignano, Cento and Acireale.
Playing tricks is another feature of Carnevale. A popular saying is “A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale”, that is “On Carnevale everything goes”.
Our Year 7 students were asked to make a mask representing themselves and thoroughly enjoyed the arts and crafts activity.
Our Year 10 Visual Communication Design students have been learning to use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their designs without losing creativity.
Their brief was to design a chair for a five-year-old child.
Students began by researching chairs and then created their sketches, concepts, and hand-drawn ideas before turning to AI for refinement.
AI is rapidly changing the way we approach design, and this task allowed students to explore its use while maintaining creative control of the final design.
When used carefully, this technology can be an incredible tool, helping students visualise their ideas, refine their concepts, and bring their creations to life.
It was important for students to learn that AI should not replace the design process itself.
True creativity comes from original ideas, problem-solving, and personal expression, things AI cannot replicate independently.
By using AI as a tool rather than a crutch, students can ensure that their work remains authentically theirs.
Visual Communication Design teacher
Well done to Year 10 student Hannah, who recently completed work experience at Melton Police Station.
Hannah has her eye on a career in the police force and is even more determined to pursue her chosen pathway since completing her week on the job. You can read about her experience below.
During Week 4 of Term 1, I completed work experience at the Melton Police Station.
It was a great opportunity that gave me fantastic insight into how police stations work and run.
I saw firsthand what being an officer was like and how much they do.
I spent each day in a different area of the station, including the watchhouse, files, property, administration and neighbourhood policing.
I had the opportunity to visit the Air Wing at Essendon Airport, where police operate their helicopters and where their vehicles are serviced and repaired. I also went to the armoury and saw where the officers got their uniforms.
I want to thank our College Pathways Coordinator, Mr Vallak, for planning and helping me get this opportunity and the officers and staff at Melton Police Station for having me and giving me such an incredible experience!
Our VCE Drama class had the privilege of heading into Melbourne recently to view the Top Class performances of 2024.
These performances showcase the work of the highest scoring Year 12s in Victoria in the previous year.
Students became acquainted with the major solos that occur at the end of Year 12 Drama. By experiencing the results of the play-making process, students are often inspired and motivated to find more alternative ways to express themselves creatively.
It was a successful experience, and as a result, I look forward to seeing what this group of students produce in the upcoming months.
Three students stepped up to the podium after placing at the 2024/25 State Track and Field Championships held on 9 March.
Year 11 student Nyandeng flew to the finish in the Female 16 400m, taking out first place with a time of 59.67.
Year 10 student Caleb claimed second place in the Male 16 800m with a time of 2:07.94.
Year 9 student Cody landed a solid third place in the Male 15 1500m walk with a time of 8:23.98.
Congratulations to all St Francis students who competed over the weekend, representing both campuses: Nicholas Ibrahim, Amelia Alford, Asher Bongiorno, Lachlan Wall, Rajkamal Singh Virk and Chord Wilson.
| Team | Result | SFCC Ladder position |
| Senior Netball B | Thomas Carr College 24 d SFCC 23 | 2 |
| Senior Netball B Semi-Finals | SFCC 29 d Marymede Catholic College 11 | 2 |
| Senior Cricket | CRC Sydenham 209 d SFCC 200 | 6 |
| Senior Cricket | Salesian College 110 d SFCC 109 | 6 |
Bernard House students have been involved in many events in the past few weeks.
The Year 7s have settled in, and people have returned from overseas vacations.
We recently had the Swimming Carnival on 26 February. Bernard House came seventh, an improvement from last year’s eighth place. All our swimmers gave their best and were amazing. We look forward to seeing our house rise in the coming years.
This week, our Year 7 and 9 students will sit NAPLAN tests. Many assessments are also approaching, so a reminder to study well and not stress too much. You’ve got this Bernard!
Prabal, Bernard House Captain, Cobblebank Campus
Bernard House has already participated in many activities this year, such as the swimming carnival, Ash Wednesday and Shrove Tuesday. We look forward to supporting Caritas as a house and school.
Our students showed amazing house spirit during the Swimming Carnival and entered many events. I believe we will continue to improve throughout the year, displaying St Bernard’s core values of servant leadership, humility and love.
Subha - Year 9
Safety is the cornerstone of a productive workshop environment at the College, and Occupational Health and Safety guidelines are crucial in the product design space.
At both our Melton and Cobblebank campuses, our staff reinforce the importance of these guidelines by consistently wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), promoting awareness for our students.
Senior students who use machinery are expected to follow strict safety protocols and wear appropriate PPE. This creates a safe, secure and efficient workshop where students' creativity can come to life.
Students start by creating small joinery boxes in Year 7 to crafting more complex furniture as they advance to senior levels, enhancing their skills and confidence in design.
Our Melton Campus VCE VM and VPC students attended the first day of the Melbourne Grand Prix last Thursday to participate in the Driving Learning Program.
It was a fantastic day, specifically tailored for school students with an Innovation Hub where we could interact with displays on careers in the industry and people who work in motor sport.
An interactive racing experience featured state-of-the-art racing simulators where students could test their skills and compete for the fastest lap times.
Some of us heard from F1 Female Ambassadors, speakers from Deadly Science and a panel with F2 and F3 drivers.
Students saw some racing on the track, stunt bikes putting on a show and a taste of the noise and excitement associated with the race. We predicted the speed of the cars, collected signatures from some drivers, marvelled at the cost of food and tried to work out what the different coloured flags meant.
We caught public transport and read maps, we managed the day with thousands of other people, completed learning outcomes, and generally loved the new experience.
Applied Learning Leader
This week at Cobblebank Campus, we are holding Clean-up SFCC Week!
During the week, all students are encouraged to bring 'nude foods' to limit the amount of plastic waste in the yard.
On Thursday and Friday, students will be able to take part in a house rubbish collection challenge.
Students must place as much rubbish as possible in their allocated house bins during the challenge. The house that collects the most litter will win house points!
Let's work together to clean our yard and promote environmentally friendly habits!
All students are invited to come along to two lunchtime support sessions where we will provide tips and tricks on studying, managing workload, homework and good habits.
Everyone is welcome to attend these sessions!
They will be held in room CA104 at Big Break on Thursday 20 March and Tuesday 25 March.
Come along to gain some great insight and advice.
The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open, and St Francis Catholic College is excited to be taking part!
The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 and aims to help young readers develop a lifelong love of reading.
It is not a competition; it is a personal challenge. The target for children from Year 7 to Year 10 is to read 15 books.
Our Year 7 students will be enrolled during their English classes.
Students from Years 8, 9 and 10 who want to participate can email evuksic@sfcc.vic.edu.au at Cobblebank Campus or awall@sfcc.vic.edu.au at Melton Campus.
All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.
This year, the Challenge is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the theme 20 years of words and wonder and a year of special activities.
Since it began in 2005, more than 4.5 million young readers have taken part and read more than 63 million books!
To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklist, and learn more about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, click here.
Happy reading!
Keep updated with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.
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