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School Reception: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm
Phone: (03) 8099 6000
Email:info@sfcc.vic.edu.au
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Last week, we celebrated an inspiring Harmony Week at both campuses, and I am filled with gratitude for the vibrant and proud display of diversity that our students have shown.
Throughout the week, both campuses were alive with splashes of orange, colourful traditional attire, and the aromas of different cultural foods.
However, one of the most heartwarming parts of the week was the cultural dances performed by our students in traditional dress at the Harmony Day assemblies at both campuses.
Being a part of this celebration for the first time, I was in awe as I witnessed our students' genuine curiosity and respect for each other. Through their willingness to learn and celebrate together, they have demonstrated the true essence of harmony.
I want to thank the Harmony Week Team on both campuses, the students, families, teachers, and other staff who participated. Your efforts and enthusiasm have made our school community stronger, more inclusive and a welcoming space.
Let us carry this spirit of Harmony Week with us as we reflect in prayer together:
Dear God,
We invite all peoples to join us alongside their Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Brothers and Sisters in prayer.
We pray for a bright and just shared future for all who call Australia home.
We ask that Your grace of acceptance and compassion will guide us as we are inspired by our Patron St Francis.
Now is an opportunity for us at St Francis Catholic College to recognise that we are one, but many.
St Francis teaches us to embrace all creatures (humans and animals alike) especially those often marginalised or overlooked.
Let the Creator Spirit lead our journey with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of this land and all peoples and creatures who walk upon it.
May we share Your Spirit more deeply and celebrate the gifts You have given each of us.
Walk with us as we continue to write this chapter of our College together and remember that we are one in Your love.
Amen.
Adapted for St Francis Catholic College from NATSICC prayer for the Voice to Parliament Referendum, 2023.
Term 1 was a short nine weeks, yet we have packed so much in: our house welcome evenings, swimming carnivals, a variety of sports competitions, opening Masses, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Ks for Caritas, several House Masses, NAPLAN, numerous fundraising efforts for Caritas, and several extra presentations to various year levels. This busyness is what makes working in a school so dynamic. No two days are ever the same.
It also means that in this last week of term, staff and students look forward to a well-deserved rest. We will finish the term on Thursday with our Stations of the Cross as we commence our final preparations for Easter Sunday.
The Easter Triduum (Latin for three days) begins with Holy Thursday. It marks the end of the 40 days of Lent and the beginning of the three-day celebration of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection - Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday. These three days are the most significant in the church’s calendar.
"Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through his paschal mystery: dying he destroyed our death
and rising he restored our life. Therefore, the Easter Triduum of the passion and resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the entire liturgical year." General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, #18
The 40 days of Lent were a time of preparation for these three days. They lead us to an empty tomb and into an Octave (eight days) of celebrating the Resurrection. They introduce an entire liturgical season, the Easter Season, which lasts for 50 days until Pentecost.
Lately, I have noticed the media referring to the upcoming weekend as the “long weekend”. I find this concerning as it should be known as the Easter weekend, not simply a chance to have an extended weekend. Without Christ, this weekend would not be significant so I encourage you all to keep in mind the importance of Easter.
I hope all families have a safe and relaxing break and that you are able, in some small way, to take time out to consider the significance of Easter in your own families.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Friday 3 May | Cobblebank Campus Athletics Carnival |
| Thursday 9 May | Campus tour - 12.30pm |
NAPLAN testing for our Year 7 and Year 9 students was completed last week. I thank students for ensuring their laptops were fully charged and for their respectful and responsible approach to the sessions.
Thank you also to our staff who coordinated the NAPLAN testing: Lucy Cassar at Cobblebank Campus and Victoria Kamcev-Nicdao and Emmanuel Desfosses at Melton Campus.
We are in the process of employing two tutors at Melton and one at Cobblebank to support learning across Years 7 to 10.
The Tutor Learning Initiative aims to support students to reach standard by focusing on skills to improve literacy and numeracy. The tutors are also available in the after-school Learning Lounge at both Cobblebank and Melton. See below for days and times.
The Galgani Aspire Program tutors continue to work with VCE students to enhance learning and improve outcomes.
| Days | Program | Venue | Staff |
| Monday and Wednesday 3pm to 4pm | Learning Lounge (formerly called Homework Club) | Alexandria Resource Centre | Tutors |
| Thursday 3.15pm to 4.15pm | Mathematics Club | Siena 101 and 105 | Maths teachers |
Please note: parental permission is required for your child to attend the Mathematics Club. Please email jfarrugia@sfcc.vic.edu.au for further information.
Days | Program | Venue | Staff |
| Monday and Wednesday 3pm to 4pm | Learning Lounge | Yellow Building Collaborative Space | Tutors |
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) has partnered with Ochre Education, a not-for-profit organisation that produces expertly sequenced curriculum with evidence-based, quality-assured, and curriculum-linked resources.
Our Mathematics team will access these high-quality maths curriculum resources that align with the new Victorian Curriculum 2.0 for Years 7-10. More information will be provided as the team explores the available resources and lesson plans. This initiative is supported by the MACS Flourishing Learners and Vision for Instruction document launched in February.
Our Lumination Lab champions have been meeting and exploring ways to use virtual reality within their classrooms, aligning it to the scope and sequence of units being delivered. This offers the potential for greater engagement as students experience a virtual reality not possible from a textbook or through video clips.
Our senior IT students are investigating ways to design and add to the available virtual experiences.
Your child’s mid-semester (interim) report will be available via PAM on Thursday 28 March.
The report contains a snapshot of your child’s progress with work habits and summative assessment results.
Bookings for Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) will also open on Thursday via PAM. Below are instructions to help you make your booking.
Interviews will be held on-site at both campuses on Tuesday 23 April from 3.30pm to 8pm and Wednesday 1 May from 3.30pm to 7pm.
They are an excellent opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss your child’s progress and strategies to help improve their learning.
It is important that students attend to participate in the conversations, reflect on their achievements, and determine their next steps.
The College will provide interpreters for parents and guardians who require them.
You will be asked if you need an interpreter when you log in to PAM to book your interview.
We’re excited to share a first look at the design of Cobblebank Campus Stage 2 courtesy of our architects, Baldasso Cortese.
Construction of our Creative Hub will start this year. We are adding many new spaces, including a hospitality kitchen and dining area, food technology, woodwork and metalwork rooms, brand-new, light-filled art and visual communication and design, media, and robotics/STEM spaces.
The facilities will enable the College to offer an array of exciting opportunities for students and staff as the campus grows.
Click below to take a tour!
The College is reviewing its language curriculum and would appreciate your response to a short survey.
Please use the link below to complete the survey about the languages spoken at home and any languages your child studies.
SFCC Languages Survey 2024
Your responses will be anonymous, and all information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
We are reviewing Year 7-10 core subjects and electives offered at the College and the time allocated to them.
As part of this, we will consider language studies requirements outlined by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), Victoria’s education and training regulator.
The time allocated to our pastoral care program will also be reviewed with the hope of extending this. Findings will be made available next term.
Edrolo is a book-listed item for some VCE subjects, especially Biology, Psychology, Physics, General Mathematics Units 3 and 4 and Media Units 3 and 4.
Families who did not pay for the resource via the Edrolo payment portal by 20 March will be billed directly to their College accounts.
If your child is no longer enrolled in the subject, please contact our accounts department on 8099 6000 and an adjustment will be made. Please also contact the College if you are experiencing financial hardship.
The College celebrated Harmony Week last week with some fabulous events at both campuses, highlighting our diverse community and commitment to including and accepting all cultures.
Staff and students participated in various arts and crafts activities and enjoyed a range of cuisines for lunch from the canteen each day. There were many highlights, including Harmony Day assemblies, Ks for Caritas events, and a positive buzz throughout both campuses.
On Harmony Day last Tuesday, many students and staff proudly wore cultural attire or something orange to recognise the College's cultural diversity.
During our campus assembly, we were privileged to have guest speaker Anna Takluem from Myanmar share her interesting story of determination as a refugee in Australia.
We also watched many students perform cultural dances from Burma, India, Ethiopia and the Pasifika region under the guidance of Pasifika Engagement Project Officer Kimiora Joyce.
It was a moving assembly for all those involved.
To finish Harmony Week, students and staff represented their House in the Ks for Caritas event, carrying a 5kg bag of rice or a 10-litre bucket of water across the oval.
There was plenty of support and enthusiasm for participants and some friendly competition among houses to see who could walk the most laps during the big break.
The aim was to raise awareness of the many kilometres people in other countries walk daily to access fresh water, food, and education - all things we take for granted.
Thank you to everyone who participated in Harmony Week; we look forward to more fun and celebrations next year.
Ks for Caritas – total laps Melton Campus: 585
Laps walked per House: Anthony 105, Bakhita 90, Bernard 90, Glowrey 78, MacKillop 72, Lawrence 71, Dominic 50, Catherine 29.
Trish Griffin - Social Justice Coordinator, Melton Campus
Cobblebank Campus celebrated Harmony Week with several events, including last Tuesday's Harmony Day assembly.
The diverse array of cultures that make up our community was highlighted through beautiful cultural attire worn on the day and fantastic dance routines performed by students at the assembly.
Students in years 7 and 8 worked together to choreograph and perform dances celebrating Punjabi, Pacific Islands and Liberian cultures. Staff and students in the audience encouraged and clapped along in admiration of our talented performers.
The assembly also featured our campus ensemble, who performed Best Day of My Life and a song called Siyahamba, introduced by Year 7 student Clorinda.
Siyahamba is a South African hymn in the language of Zulu, meaning “we are marching”.
“Siyahamba is a freedom song that speaks about coming together as a community, both people here with us today and our beloved lost ones. In African society, those who have passed are still with us here today, and all together, we come to sing and march in the light of God.”
Last Monday and Wednesday during big break, we also had henna and origami stations running in the collaborative space. Many students across both year levels got involved and produced some creative designs. We are so lucky to have such diverse students willing to share their insight and wisdom through these cultural activities.
To finish off the week, we held our Ks for Caritas event in the cloister at big break on Friday.
It raised awareness of people around the world who don’t have the luxury of running water and food at their fingertips.
Seeing so many students walk laps holding 5kg bags of rice and water buckets for such a meaningful cause was brilliant.
Ks for Caritas – total laps Cobblebank Campus: 375
Laps walked per House: MacKillop 88, Anthony 70, Dominic 66, Bakhita 40, Bernard 37, Glowrey 30, Lawrence 28, Catherine 7.
Charlee Keating - Social Justice and Student Leadership Coordinator, Cobblebank Campus
This year, we shared with you the story of three inspiring women from across the globe who overcame challenges to complete their education, access water and find secure employment. With the support of compassionate people like you, they are now forging a path to a better future for their families and their communities.
Ronita from the Philippines has now graduated high school and secured a job at a call centre. This job was only possible because of a certificate she gained from completing her studies.
Leaia and her family now have a water tank at their home in Samoa, providing them with a steady supply of clean drinking water. Next year, they will also have a toilet built, with the support of Caritas Samoa, which will further improve their health and living conditions.
Memory completed her vocational training course in carpentry and joinery. After completing a work contract at one of Malawi's largest electrical companies, Memory plans to return to her village and provide carpentry services to people in her community.
Through the generosity of people like you, we can continue to support people like Ronita, Leaia and Memory.
There is still time to donate! Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow for all future generations.
Remember, your child’s mentor group has a donation box, and all contributions will be gratefully accepted until the end of the term. You can also donate online.
Results from both our Melton and Cobblebank swimming carnivals were announced at campus assemblies last week.
Winner of the Swimming Carnival Cup: Anthony House
Winner of the House Spirit Shield: Anthony House
Final results:
Anthony 228 pts
Bernard 223 pts
Glowrey 181 pts
Lawrence 177 pts
MacKillop 146 pts
Catherine 142 pts
Bakhita 119pts
Dominic 93 pts
Swimming Carnival House MVPs
One particularly impressive student from each House was nominated for the House MVP medal. These students showed exceptional House Spirit at the carnival, participated in as many events as possible to earn points for their House and maintained a positive attitude throughout the day.
Anthony House - Sheera Raverty
Bakhita House - Max Barton
Bernard House - Emmett Locke
Catherine House - Lyla Phelan
Dominic House - Victoria O’Shannessy
Glowrey House - Jensen Smith
Lawrence House - Caleb Hurst
MacKillop House - Justin Keyes
Winner of the Swimming Carnival Cup: Lawrence House
Winner of the House Spirit Shield: Bakhita House
Final results:
Lawrence 300 pts
MacKillop 293 pts
Dominic 280 pts
Anthony 269 pts
Bakhita 249 pts
Catherine 233 pts
Glowrey 187 pts
Bernard 172 pts
Swimming Carnival House MVPs
One particularly impressive student from each House was nominated for the House MVP medal. These students showed exceptional House Spirit at the carnival, participated in as many events as possible to earn points for their House and maintained a positive attitude throughout the day.
Anthony House - Poppy Mullins
Bakhita House - Parker Robertson
Bernard House - Damon Grimshaw
Catherine House - Jaspar Szalontai
Dominic House - Adam Joseph
Glowrey House - Isaiah Chipere
Lawrence House - Xavier Warne
MacKillop House - Sienna Petersen
Team |
Result |
SFCC ladder position |
Senior Volleyball Girls A |
St Monica’s College 3 d SFCC 1 |
3 |
Senior Volleyball Girls B |
SFCC 3 d St Monia’s College 0 |
1 |
Senior Volleyball Boys A |
St Monica’s College 3 d SFCC 1 |
6 |
Senior Volleyball Boys B |
BYE |
2 |
The SACCSS Open Girls’ Cricket tournament was held on Monday 18 March at Fairbairn Reserve, Ascot Vale.
Our team went into the tournament very determined to win and couldn't wait to play, having put in a lot of time and effort training during lunchtime. Everyone enjoyed the day and performed well.
There were various outstanding individual performances on the day including:
• Hannah (Year 9) taking her first hat trick, caught behind three times by Veronica (Year 9) one of our wicketkeepers.
• Tanae (Year 9) and Bianca (Year 9), who started the innings off strong with a high scoring partnership.
The team finished undefeated and won their semi-final, a first for SFCC!
We will now play Salesian College in the grand final this week.
Shameka Grero, Captain
The cast and crew of our 2024 Production Rock of Ages: Teen Edition attended a three-day camp on-site at our Melton Campus Performing Arts Centre, where they rehearsed and participated in workshops to prepare for three fabulous shows in Term 3.
On the first day, the lead cast thoroughly enjoyed their workshop with industry professional actress Amy Sanders.
Amy completed a Performance Studies degree at Victoria University before attending the prestigious Stella Adler Academy in Los Angeles. She has appeared in stage, film, and television productions in Australia and the United States.
Amy provided students with a wealth of knowledge in the two-hour workshop, during which students learned about the importance of character development, workshopped their expressive skills, and practised their improvisational skills.
On days two and three of the camp, the entire cast came together to learn a new repertoire and put it into context on the stage.
The students did a wonderful job throughout the camp, showing resilience and determination to perform the best show possible.
Thank you to the dedicated production team of Natalie Saunders, Diana Gunn, Kayla Stokes, Olivia Cook and Stephanie Bertalmio, who contributed countless hours of preparation to ensure a smooth inaugural Production Camp.
Rock of Ages: Teen Edition will be performed in Term 3 from 18 - 20 July. Tickets will be on sale later in Term 2.
Thank you to the families of Year 9 Melton Campus students who visited our Night at The Museum exhibition last week.
The World War 1 artefacts created by students took us back in time and explored many themes, including conscription, weapons, health, food and well-known soldiers such as Billy Sing.
A huge thanks also to Mick Baxter and Carl Wright from the Bacchus Marsh RSL, who joined the exhibition and brought along original uniforms, medals, and other items dating back more than 100 years.
They were very impressed by our students’ efforts.
Elevate Education will host their next parent webinar on memory tomorrow, Wednesday 27 March from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.
Sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child recall their learning in a test or exam setting. Click here to register
Here’s what Elevate will cover on the night:
Catherine House recently awarded its Term 1 Dragon Star Award to Year 9 student Reagan (pictured above with House Captain Alisha and Deputy Captain Mia).
The Dragon Award goes to a student who has been involved in some unique way in the wider community.
Reagan was given this award for being involved in an advertisement for Nintendo. Watch here
Youth Holiday Activities Booklet - April 2024
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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