From the Principal

A belated Happy Mother's Day to all of our mothers and those who care for our young people.

It was wonderful to once again catch up with so many mothers and grandmothers at our Mother's Day liturgy and breakfast.

In our liturgy, we referred to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who dared to say yes to God's plan. This took great courage as it meant that Mary became an unwed mother. The customs of the time meant that Mary could have been an outcast because she was pregnant outside of marriage.

It must have been very worrying, but Mary dared to trust in God’s plan for her. Luckily, Joseph took Mary as his wife, and God's plan came to fruition. As we reflect on Mary's courage, we pray that all mothers, whatever they face, have the courage to place their trust in Christ.

Uniform

The uniform standard of students during Term 1 was outstanding. As I greeted students each morning at the front gate, I saw very few who were not in full school uniform. This was again reflected at our whole-school assembly, where almost every student was correctly dressed in a full academic uniform.

As the colder weather approaches, students are tempted to add on a warm scarf and other items.

While I acknowledge that the weather can become very cold in Terms 2 and 3, I ask parents and guardians for their support to maintain the high standard of uniform we upheld in Term 1.

We do have a school scarf and beanie for students. They can wear thermals under a jumper or long pants. Please do not allow your child to wear fashion items such as coloured scarves or puffer jackets.

Your assistance in supporting the College to maintain a high uniform standard is much appreciated.

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus Students

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus Students

From the Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching

It has been a busy start to the new term. Our Applied Learning students have been very creative with the gifts made for their annual Makers Market. Food Studies students have been exploring different ingredients they can use in cupcakes and a group of our Mathematicians participated in a competition to challenge their skills.

The Daily Messages section of our student portal lists various activities and events that students can join to improve academic skills or further pursue a hobby or interest.

Over the next few weeks Melton Campus Year 10 and 11 students will finish Semester 1 assessment tasks and begin preparing for exams. The Semester 1 exam timetable will be sent to students and families soon. House Leaders and teachers will provide all relevant exam information to students, including what is allowed into the exam space. Full school uniform (not PE uniform) is required.

If a student is absent from an exam, the normal absence process should be followed. An exam catch-up day has been included in the timetable.

Melton Campus Year 10 and 11 Exams: Tuesday 6 June - Wednesday 14 June.

Melton and Cobblebank Campus Year 7 and 8 Timed Assessment Task (TAT): Wednesday 7 June.

There are many things students can do now to prepare for exams.

Parent Student Teacher interviews for VCE Unit 3 and 4 students

On Wednesday 8 June, parents and guardians of students in Year 11 and 12 completing a Unit 3 and 4 VCE subject will have another opportunity to discuss their child’s progress at a second round of Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs).

By the end of Semester 1, these students will complete their Unit 3 coursework and SACs, after which teachers will begin Unit 4.

I want to remind students and families of the importance of students attending class and bringing all requirements for the lesson.

This is a busy time for learning and gaps due to absences can impact access to options as our students move through their learning journey.

Melton Campus Core Wellbeing Awards

Each term, students are recognised for consistently displaying our Core Wellbeing Values of Empathy, Community and Endeavour.

The Term 1 awards were presented at our full school assembly last week.

Empathy Award

The students who received this award have earned it by supporting people, encouraging their peers, taking steps to check on and improve the wellbeing of others, actively considering the feelings of those around them, and generally being positive and upstanding members of our community.

Community Award

Community is at the core of all we do at St Francis Catholic College, with one of our overarching goals being to ensure that young people feel they are an important part of the bigger picture. The students who received this award in Term 1 have earned it by taking an active role in different facets of school life.

Many of them volunteered to support various activities, took part in numerous Swimming Carnival events to help their house, offered their assistance to teachers whenever they saw an opportunity, and were generally the first to get involved in programs in and out of the classroom.

Endeavour Award

We celebrate academic achievements on many occasions throughout the school year, but the Endeavour Award is a little different. This award does not always consider the highest grades; instead, students are nominated for their effort, improvement, and tenacity.

The recipients were nominated by their teachers and peers for their consistently strong and positive approach to continual improvement. They may already be at the top of their class but still push themselves, or perhaps there has been a clear change in attitude or achievement throughout the term.

Domestique Award

The Domestique Award is presented to a student who consistently demonstrates all three of our Core Wellbeing Values.

Domestique is a cycling term - the domestique is a rider who works for the benefit of his or her team and leader, rather than trying to win the race. For example, they give up their bike for the leader when theirs is broken or carry their teammates’ water.

Melton Senior Boys Volleyball Champions

Our Melton senior boys volleyball team ended their high school volleyball careers in fine form last Tuesday, winning the SACCSS Division 1 premiership cup in a close game against Emmanuel College.

The boys lost only one game during the season at the hands of Emmanuel College, and the grand final was an opportunity to exact their revenge.

The win did not come easily, though, with Emmanuel taking the boys to a thrilling five sets.

Thankfully the boys showed just enough grit to bring home the cup, which healed the wounds of their grand final loss the year before.

As a teacher, I feel privileged to coach such amazing and respectful young men, and I hope they fondly remember their volleyball days long after graduating.

Melton Badminton Team at SACCSS Competition

Our Melton Campus badminton team competed in the second SACCSS Badminton Tournament at Eagle Stadium in Werribee yesterday.

After many weeks of lunchtime and after-school training, students were excited and ready to compete in what was an eventful day.

Junior Girls A (Saiba and Mariann) are congratulated for making the semi-finals, although they fell short of the grand final.

The team are to be congratulated for their commitment to training and continuously improving.

Sports Update

Premier League Melton Campus - Round 3 results

Premier League Cobblebank Campus - Round 3 results

Senior SACCSS Sports Melton Campus - Round 2 results

Year 7 2025 Enrolments

Connected Parenting Webinar

Families are invited to join Resilience Project Connected Parenting Webinar on Wednesday 23 May from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Presenter Lael Stone will outline a valuable set of tools for parents and guardians aiming to raise children through positive connections and communication.

In this 90-minute workshop, Lael will provide you with advice on:

• Guiding your children to become resilient adults
• Practical strategies to build stronger connections with your children
• Ideas to support your children when they are frustrated or going through challenging situations
• Simple ways to create co-operation
• Dealing with your own triggers as a parent
• Understanding big emotions and feelings and assisting your kids in becoming emotionally resilient.

Register now for the webinar and find out how you can help your children grow up equipped with emotional awareness, empathy, resilience and confidence.

Community Notices

Keeping your children safe online - eSafety Commissioner webinars

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

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