Principal’s Message

Last week, I attended the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Staff Wellbeing Summit held at the Catholic Leadership Centre in Melbourne.

The Summit was the brainchild of Rhiannon McGee, who is the Senior Wellbeing Advisor at MACS. It brought together principals from primary and secondary schools across Victoria, along with MACS and Australian Catholic University staff.

The summit explored what the wider MACs system currently does well to enable staff to thrive within the education setting and what needs to be done in the future.

MACS has an ambitious goal to be the employer of choice by 2030 and sees the development of staff thriving as a crucial piece in attaining this goal.

While at times I felt uncomfortable as we were asked to share stories, discover, dream, and design, the day concluded with a sense of hope that, as an organisation, MACS is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all its employees across the entire system.

The summits will be followed by a series of one-hour after-school workshops in which a number of staff members are participating.

Moving forward, a significant leadership role will be created at the College to support the implementation of the MACS Staff Wellbeing Strategy.

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus

Important Roadwork Information

Below is information about gas works that require the closure of Hollingsworth Ave, Cobblebank, heading towards Ferris Rd between 9.30am and 2.30pm from Thursday 5 June and Friday 20 June.

Access to Ferris Road will only be via Bridge Road during this time.

Ferris Road Gas Works

Families are also encouraged to view the latest Melton Level Crossing Removal Works Update below, which provides details of works, disruptions and road closures in June.

Melton Level Crossing Removal Works Update

Parents and Friends Meeting

The next meeting of the SFCC Parents and Friends Association will be held online next Tuesday 10 June from 7pm.

The association comprises representatives from both campuses, and new members are always welcome.

Please contact me via email at arowley@sfcc.vic.edu.au for the Teams link.

Exams and Timed Assessment Tasks

Timed Assessment Tasks

Year 7 and Year 8 students will participate in Timed Assessment Tasks (TATS) on Tuesday 10 June.

Year 8 English and Year 7 Mathematics teachers have provided students with information on these important assessments including what will be tested and what is allowed into the TAT space.

Examinations

As we approach the long weekend, students in Years 10 and 11 are preparing for the upcoming Semester 1 examinations, which begin on Wednesday 11 June.

Families and students should refer to the email sent regarding expectations of students during this time. Private Study is available for students if they cannot get home after an exam or are required to arrive early before their exam is scheduled.

Students are not required to attend Mentor Group in the morning.

The General Achievement Test (GAT) is on Tuesday 17 June. There are no exams scheduled on this day, with students studying at home.

However, if a student is in Year 11 and completing a VCE Unit 3/4 subject, they will sit the GAT. Information has been sent to all students and families regarding the GAT and College and VCAA expectations.

VCE VM and VPC

Year 11 VCE VM and VPC classes will continue as normal during the examination time, with students attending morning Mentor Group.

Subject and Elective Changes – Years 10 and 11

As students explore their interests and start to consolidate career ideas, some may realise they are studying a subject that no longer aligns with this plan.

In Years 10 and 11, students can make a subject/elective change for Semester 2 provided:

1. it is not a prerequisite subject for a career the student has decided on
2. the class is not full
3. it works within the timetable restraints
4. Pathways/Careers Advisors, Domain Leaders or House Leaders support the change
5. the new subject does not require knowledge of Unit 1.

Students are required to complete their subject change paperwork (electronic) and obtain all relevant signatures, including from a parent or guardian.

Families are required to obtain all equipment (eg texts, stationery, Edrolo sign-up) for the new subject for the beginning of Semester 2.

A reminder Semester 2 begins on Tuesday 24 June, before the end of Term 2.

Monday 23 June is a study-at-home day for all students.

National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week

ACU visit featuring Uncle Kutcha Edwards

National Sorry Day on 26 May signalled the beginning of Reconciliation Week in Australia.

To mark the day, a group of our Year 10 and 11 Indigenous and FIRE Carrier students attended a special event featuring Uncle Kutcha Edwards at the Australian Catholic University (ACU), Melbourne Campus.

During the visit, students received a guided tour of the campus and its facilities, led by Jim-Baa-Yer student ambassadors. Staff spoke to students about the Indigenous pathways available.

Our students were able to visit the Midwifery wing at ACU and the Moot Court in the Law faculty.

Year 11 student Isabella shared these thoughts about the day:

“Listening to the histories and cultures of the First Nations peoples was a significant way to spend National Sorry Day. It deepened our understanding of the pain and suffering Indigenous communities have felt and continue to feel.

“We gathered around Uncle Kutcha Edwards with other members of the public and his family and watched him sing songs about his experience as part of the Stolen Generation.

“It was powerful watching him with his nephew playing the didgeridoo, sharing his own emotional experience of being removed from his parents. He taught us that: “you can take the man out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the man”.

“We were also offered meaningful advice. He told us there are no shortcuts to life and if we want something bad enough, we have to work hard and get it, however long it takes.”

Indigenous artist visits

We were fortunate to welcome Indigenous artist, Merindah-Gunya (Bailey Mifsud) at the Melton Campus last week, who ran a workshop with some of our Indigenous and FIRE Carrier students.

Merindah-Gunya is a Whurrong woman from Warrnambool who began sharing her art in early 2020.

She now runs her business full-time, which is dedicated to storytelling through art and educating young people about the beauty of Indigenous culture.

During the workshop, Bailey told students about her background and journey into art as a young Indigenous woman.

She explained the meaning behind her totem and other symbols. Students then had an opportunity to paint their own stories about their families.

“Meeting Bailey and taking part in her art lesson was informative and fun. We learned about the different symbols and their meanings within Aboriginal art. It was great creating a story through these symbols with my friends and Bailey. Overall, the experience was incredible.” Izabella, Year 11.

Reconciliation Week activities

This week, the College will acknowledge Reconciliation Week with various activities at both campuses.

Imra Banu

Project Officer, Indigenous Program

Semester 1 at Cobblebank Campus

Celebrating a fantastic semester

As Semester 1 comes to a close, we’d like to take a moment to congratulate everyone on a successful and eventful term. Throughout Terms 1 and 2, our school community has come together to participate in a range of exciting activities, including our Swimming and Athletics Carnivals. These events gave students the chance to earn house points and proudly showcase their house spirit.

One of the major highlights was the opening of our new school oval, which we marked with a colourful and energetic Colour Run. It was fantastic to see so many students getting involved and showing enthusiasm for our growing school environment.

As we reflect on the semester, we encourage everyone to maintain a positive mindset toward both studies and wellbeing. Discipline and consistency remain key, and we also remind students to keep up to date with our PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) focus areas. These values help us all strive to be our best every day.

Looking ahead, we still have some exciting events to come this term, including Healthy Habits Week and House Challenge Week - great opportunities to continue earning house points and engaging in school life.

We are incredibly proud to be part of such a vibrant, culturally diverse, and respectful school community. Here's to a strong finish to the term, and an even brighter remainder of the year!

SMILE for Wellbeing

Last week, the Student Wellbeing Practitioners continued exploring the SMILE acronym by focusing on the letter ‘M’ for Mindfulness- a powerful tool for managing stress and improving overall wellbeing.

SMILE is a simple acronym to help students remember key strategies for self-care.

S: Sleep

M: Mindfulness

I: Interests

L: Loved Ones

E: Exercise/Eat Well.

This week’s focus: ‘I’ for Interests/Hobbies

Hobbies aren’t just for fun — they recharge your energy and keep you balanced. Spending time on activities you enjoy can prevent burnout and help you stay motivated and productive throughout the week.

Sports Update

Melton Campus – Round 5 - Premier League

Year 7 Girls Basketball

This week’s game was very fast-paced and in the end, it is what earned us the 41-point win against Emmanuel College.

I love playing school basketball to grow as a player and build relationships with the people in my team. I also love our little circles before the game where we come together to talk game plan, have a few laughs and do our stretches.

In the past few weeks, we have had some tough games and a few easy ones, and could not have got them done without working as a team and the help of Mia, our amazing student coach! Ella, Year 7

Cobblebank Campus - Round 5 - Premier League

Student’s hockey success

Congratulations to Year 9 Cobblebank Campus student Aaymaan who has been selected to represent School Sport Victoria in the 15 Years and Under Boys Hockey team.

Aaymaan will head to Canberra to compete in the 15 Years and Under Girls and Boys Hockey National Championships from 2 – 9 August.

This is an incredible achievement for Aaymaan, who has made the final squad of 16 players. Over three separate rounds, Aaymaan competed against 50 other players from around the state. Players were put through a series of trials, which included shooting competency and match play to assess skill level and overall performance.

State selection has been a goal for Aaymaan for the last couple of years, which he has now been able to achieve thanks to the dedication he has shown towards improving in his sport.

“Hockey is a sport I love, and being able to represent Victoria is a great achievement, which I have been striving for in the last couple of years. I hope to be able to do Victoria proud and would love to have this experience again in the future,” Aaymann said.

We wish Aaymaan all the best as he represents not only Victoria, but SFCC and look forward to seeing what great results the Victorian team can bring home.

Good luck Aaymaan!

Academic Recall Program Flourishing Across Our Campuses

Our Academic Recall program for Years 7-9 is thriving across both the Cobblebank and Melton campuses during this busy term.

Last week along, more than 60 students from both campuses participated in recall sessions under controlled, fair, and equitable testing conditions after school hours.

The students who completed their catch-up assessment tasks were a diverse group, including those who had missed previous assessments due to illness and various school-based activities.

This demonstrates the program's flexibility and commitment to ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.

We are particularly proud to see how our entire school community - staff, students, and families - have embraced SFCC's newest learning and teaching Initiative.

We would like to thank the school community for their support and positive approach - academic recall policies are a part of excellent schools, and this initiative represents another achievement we can take genuine pride in.

The success of this program reflects our shared commitment to academic excellence and ensuring every student reaches their full potential.

Community Notices

Water Polo

Youth Festival

To register for Youth Fest In The West click here.

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