From the Principal

Cobblebank Campus Year 7 Camp

Last Friday, I was excited to visit Year 7 Cobblebank students at Lord Somers Camp.

We were blessed with fantastic weather, and the students all participated enthusiastically.

Staff commented on the excellent activities, which catered to various interests and abilities, from Stand-up paddleboarding and canoeing to T-shirt printing and beach games.

Thank you to the staff who spent time away from families and to Laura McIntyre, our new Camps and Retreats Coordinator, for the efficient organisation of our camp.

Click here for more photos from last week’s camp.

Examinations

Sometimes, when students start high school, parents and guardians feel less able to support them with their studies.

With exams and Timed Assessment Tasks (TATS) starting next week, parents and guardians have a perfect opportunity to be of genuine assistance.

It may be small things like encouraging your child to sit at the kitchen table to study, asking questions about upcoming exams, helping them create an exam revision schedule, and then reminding them to stick to it.

One of my fondest memories with our youngest daughter is the time I spent reading through revision cards that she had made and testing her as I prepared dinner. Not only did I learn a lot about human movement, but it provided an opportunity to show my support for her education.

I encourage you to join a free webinar hosted by Elevate Education this week that offers plenty of tips and advice on supporting your child during exams. Click here to find out more.

Exams and TATS are opportunities for students to practise exam techniques such as reading questions carefully, allocating sufficient time to each question, and using reading time to the greatest effect. After exams, it is essential to review feedback to ensure improvement in the future.

We wish all students the very best as they prepare for their Semester 1 TATs and exams.

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus Students

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus Students

From the Deputy Principal Student Wellbeing – Melton Campus

I am collating data about student attendance at school, students arriving late to school, and their classes. There are several factors to focus on, and it requires a whole-school approach, with information provided by all stakeholders.

Students need to attend school every day to maximise their learning opportunities.

If there are barriers to your child's attendance at school, they must be addressed as early as possible. Several different reasons can impede your child’s desire and motivation to attend school, and avoiding the concerns can compound the issues. Early detection and intervention can result in better outcomes.

If your child displays any of these signs or finds it difficult to attend school, please contact their House Mentor or House Leader to discuss these further.

All students must arrive at school on time. Morning Mentor time starts at 8.45am, and students must be in their classroom then. They should arrive at school before 8.45am to organise themselves and be ready to join their Mentor group.

If your child needs support to arrive at school on time, you can also discuss this with their House Mentor.

Click here for further guidance on school attendance.

Enrolment Assistance Event – Wednesday 12 June

Do you need help to complete the enrolment application for your child for Year 7 in 2026?

Come to our Melton campus next Wednesday 12 June from 2pm-8pm. (109-141 Bulmans Road, Melton West - enter via Gate 4)

Our staff and interpreters (Dinka, Arabic and Burmese - various dialects) will be there to help you complete an application for either of our campuses - Melton or Cobblebank.

Please bring:

• Your child's birth certificate (required)
• Your child's Baptism certificate (if applicable)
• Your child's most recent school reports and NAPLAN results (required)
• Your child’s Immunisation History Statement
• Your child's passport and visa (required if they were born overseas)
• Court orders, including family court and intervention orders (if applicable). If both parents cannot sign the application, a Statutory Declaration must be provided stating why.
• Two separate documents confirming your residential address (required).

A non-refundable application fee (paid via credit card or EFT) of $50 is required for each child.

Applications for Year 7 2025 close on Friday 16 August 2024.

Below are translated versions of the information above.

Enrolment Evening Dinka

Enrolment Evening Arabic

Enrolment Evening Burmese

Camps Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)

Families with valid Centrelink concession cards must complete a CSEF application form by 21 June 2024.

If you applied for and received CSEF last year at the College, your application will be rolled over, and there is no need to reapply.

To submit your application, please complete the form linked below and email it, along with a copy of your current concession card, to azammit@sfcc.vic.edu.au

CSEF application form

Get Ready to Rock! 2024 College Production

Calling all headbangers and hairspray enthusiasts! The College will proudly present three performances of Rock of Ages: Teen Edition on 19 and 20 July.

Get ready for electrifying music and outrageous 80s vibes. Our talented student cast has been rehearsing night and day, channelling their inner Bon Jovis and Def Leppards to bring this iconic story to life.

Prepare to be transported back to the golden age of hair metal, where neon lights blaze, power ballads soar, and love conquers all (well, most things).

This hilarious and heartwarming musical follows the story of Sherrie and Drew, two young dreamers chasing love and rock and roll glory on the Sunset Strip.

Packed with classic 80s anthems like We Built This City, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and Don't Stop Believing, Rock of Ages: Teen Edition will have you singing along and tapping your feet.

Show dates and ticket information

Performing Arts Centre – Melton Campus

Friday 19 July – 7pm

Saturday 20 July - 1pm and 6pm

Tickets: Adults $20, students/children $10

Tickets are available now and guaranteed to sell fast, so don't miss your chance to experience this epic musical extravaganza!

Click here to buy now.

Grab your legwarmers, tease up your hair, and get ready for a show you won't forget.

Year 7 Camp - Cobblebank Campus

Our Year 7 Cobblebank students thoroughly enjoyed their first secondary school camp last week and made the most of all the activities and the scenic surrounds of Lord Somers Camp.

Reconciliation Week

Melton Campus

Our Reconciliation Week activities ended at Melton Campus on Friday, with the Long Walk around the soccer pitch marking the 20th anniversary of former AFL football player Michael Long’s historic walk from Melbourne to Canberra.

On Tuesday, students participated in a powerful and symbolic Sea of Hands activity. Hands have long been a symbol of community support for Reconciliation, rights, and respect.

Students traced their hands on a coloured sheet of paper and wrote messages of support for Reconciliation. They decorated and displayed them in our gardens, forming a vibrant sea of hands that served as a visual testament to the school's collective dedication to Reconciliation as a FIRE Carrier school.

During lunchtime on Wednesday, students and staff gathered in Sheehan Stadium to play Yulunga traditional Indigenous games.

The students enjoyed variations of games such as Thepan, Kolap, Wana Wana and Kalq. The games are often played throughout the Torres Strait Islands and Aboriginal communities all over Australia.

On Thursday, students headed to the food room to make lemon bliss balls using various ingredients, including lemon myrtle, which Indigenous Australians have used for centuries in food and medicine.

William Lalor, Learning Support Officer – Indigenous Students

Cobblebank Campus

Last Tuesday, our FIRE Carriers and some Year 8 students participated in the Sea of Hands activity to acknowledge Reconciliation Week.

Through messages and illustrations on their paper hands, they expressed their commitment to Reconciliation and recognition of the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

As our Year 7 students departed for camp last Wednesday, further Reconciliation Week activities will be held this week.

Charlee Keating, Student Leadership Coordinator

Garma Festival

Students from both campuses are invited to express their interest in attending the 2025 Garma Festival.

The Garma Festival is Australia’s largest Indigenous gathering. It is a four-day celebration of Yolngu life and culture held in remote northeast Arnhem Land.

Hosted by the Yothu Yindi Foundation, Garma showcases traditional miny’tji (art), manikay (song), bunggul (dance) and story-telling and is an important meeting point for the clans and families of the region.

The festival’s over-riding cultural mission is to provide a contemporary environment for expressing and presenting traditional Yolngu knowledge systems and customs and to share these practices in an authentic Yolngu setting.

If you would like to attend the festival, please email our Project Officer – Indigenous Students Imra Banu at ibanu@sfcc.vic.edu.au.

Free Webinar – Helping Your Child Prepare for Exams

Parents and guardians are invited to join a timely free webinar this week as our Year 10 and 11 students approach their mid-year exams!

Elevate Education’s experts will explain how having the right support at home before an exam can drastically improve a student's confidence and performance.

It’s easy for parents to step back during this time for fear of getting in the way.

Learn how to support your child during this time without feeling as though you are intruding and help them implement performance-boosting routines.

Click here to register.

VPC Literacy Semester 1 Showcase

It has been an exciting semester in Unit 3, VPC Literacy.

Our Year 12 students have completed modules focusing on literacy for civic participation, pathways and future learning. I am proud of their effort, growth, and involvement this term.

Students were asked to reflect on their work, achievements and highlights. Below is what they had to say.

“In preparation for the Maker’s Market, we made soaps and bath salts. We had to melt soap blocks and pour them into rainbow and cloud moulds. We made bath salts by combining Epsom salt, bicarbonate soda, sea salt, and rose scent. We packaged the products, and we were proud of our work.” Jasmine and Charlee

“Earlier this year, the VPC Literacy class attended an excursion to the RSPCA in Burwood. Our focus was on RSPCA in the community. Whilst there, we fed ponies, visited the shed where rabbits live, learned about the size of hen cages, witnessed debeaking effects, met Chickee Minaj and saw where animals are kept for adoption. We used this experience to write letters to our local Member for Melton, Steve McGhie, campaigning for caged-hen laws to be changed.” Eli and Ethan

Below is Steve McGhie’s response to Eli and Ethan’s letter.

“On Friday 31 May the VPC Literacy class went on an excursion to ACMI Melbourne. ACMI is the national museum for screen culture. There, we navigated the world of film, TV, art, and video games. One of the highlights of the excursion was the screen where you could record a video of yourself moving and then print a flipbook animation of it.” Belinda

“We saw a zoetrope, a form of animation in which you put a bunch of figures on a turntable that moved quickly, giving the illusion of motion. It used characters from the Cuphead series. It was fabulous! I enjoyed catching the train into the city and the slushie! Ajak

Simone Bennett

VPC Literacy teacher

Lunchtime fundraiser – Melton Campus

Year 9 Melton Campus student Raphael will draw caricatures for $5 during Big Break this week to add to our funds raised for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation.

Raph kicked off his campaign in the student hub yesterday, much to the delight of students and staff eager to have their pictures drawn.

As you can see, Raph’s subjects enjoyed the results as much as he loved creating them.

Host Families for Visiting Italian Students

Two more families are needed to host students from our sister school, Convitto Nazionale Paolo Diacono in northern Italy, who will visit the College from 18 July to 17 August.

The students range in age from 15 to 17, speak English and will be here to experience school and life in Australia. Families will need to transport them to and from school as they would their children.

We are also keen to hear from families who could be a backup for host families during the students’ visit.

If you can assist or have any questions, please contact me at piannazzo@sfcc.vic.edu.au

Sports Update

Melton Campus

SACCSS Senior Competition AFL – Round 5

The final games for the Senior Girls' and Boys' AFL Football teams were played last Friday. The five-week season was full of development, dedication, and resilience.

Even though both teams didn’t bring home many victories, they had fun and represented the College with pride. We commend both teams on their efforts this season. Thanks also to the coaches for supporting and assisting the students each week.

Jess Hodge, Sports Assistant

SACCSS Year 7 Premier League Competition – Round 5

Indoor cricket championships

Last Wednesday, our Melton Campus girls' cricket team travelled to the Junction Oval to represent SACCSS at the Inter-Association Girls Indoor Cricket Championships.

We were super excited to compete against other schools that we hadn’t played against before and couldn't wait to play indoor cricket for the first time!

We improved through each game and won our final match of the day against Huntingtower School, 122-124. It was a tight game, but we just got over the line with our bat and ball.

It was an excellent experience for us all, and we are very grateful to have been selected to represent the College and SACCSS.

Shameka, Captain

Cobblebank Campus

Our Cobblebank Campus SACCSS Year 7 Premier League teams had a bye last week. Their games will resume this week.

Community Notices

Cultural Rhythms

Melbourne Victory Holiday Program

Huddle Holiday Program

Pasifika Kinder meeting

Goal Mentoring Program

Bounce Back Program

Useful Links

Keep updated with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.

PAM – Parent Portal

Enrolment

Parent Handbook

SFCC Careers Website

Facebook

Instagram

Policies

Uniform

Library