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Phone: (03) 8099 6000
Email:info@sfcc.vic.edu.au
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Yesterday was the Feast of Mary of the Cross. MacKillop will be the name of one of our new Houses at St Francis Catholic College in 2023.
Who was Mary MacKillop?
In 1842 Mary was born in Brunswick Street Fitzroy on 15 January and was baptised Maria Ellen MacKillop on 28 January.
At age 14 she became the primary breadwinner for her family. In 1861 she became governess to the children of her uncle, Alexander Cameron, at Penola in South Australia, where she met Father Julian Tenison Woods, who becomes her spiritual guide.
1863: Takes a job as a teacher at Portland Catholic Denominational School.
1866: Along with Father Woods, starts the first free Catholic school in Penola, at first in a stable and later in a more substantial stone building.
1867: Joins with Father Woods to form a new religious order of nuns, the Sisters of St Joseph, devoted to teaching the poor, with Mary as mother superior; opens a convent-cottage and a school in Adelaide; takes her religious vows on 15 August
1871: Bishop Laurence Sheil of Adelaide excommunicates Mary on 22 September for alleged insubordination; 47 sisters are expelled.
1872: Bishop Sheil removes the ex-communication order on February 23, nine days before he dies; the sisters are restored to their habits on March 19; an investigation vindicates Mary and the sisters; Father Woods is advised to relinquish direction of the sisters.
1873: Mary travels to Rome for a personal audience with Pope Pius IX, and obtains papal approval for the sisterhood but the 'Rule of Life' Father Woods set down is discarded and another is drawn up, causing a breach between Mary and Father Woods.
1874: Mary returns to Australia with 15 Irish postulants, following travels in Europe to visit schools.
1875: Mary is elected as the first superior general of the Sisters of St Joseph.
1883: The sisters expand to New Zealand with the establishment of their first foundation at Temuka on the South Island; Bishop Reynolds dismisses Mary in Adelaide over accusations she was an alcoholic (Mary drank brandy to relieve very severe menstrual pain), and she moves to Sydney.
1885: Cardinal Moran says Mary's election in 1881 is invalid and appoints Mother Bernard Walsh as leader.
1888: A decree from Rome declares the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart is an approved regular congregation, some alterations are made to habits and the sisters' rule.
1891: Mary suffers the first of many bouts of serious illness, as the order she founded has 300 sisters working in nine dioceses in Australia and New Zealand.
1899: Mary is elected as superior general once again, replacing Bernard Walsh.
1902: Mary suffers a stroke and travels to Rotorua in New Zealand.
1909: Mary dies on 8 August at Mount Street in North Sydney and is buried at Gore Hill Cemetery.
Road to sainthood
1914: Construction of a memorial chapel in North Sydney.
1918: Newly elected superior general, Mother Laurence O'Brien, raises the question of whether Mary MacKillop could be a candidate for beatification.
1926: Canonisation process begins; it was postponed in 1931 over claims she was an alcoholic and re-opened in 1951.
1995: Pope John Paul II beatifies Mary MacKillop at a ceremony in Sydney on 19 January.
2010: Canonised on 17 October in Rome.
God of the
prophets you gifted Mary MacKillop with vision and courage.
In her we see one who was not afraid to speak fearlessly your gospel of love.
We pray for the sensitivity and imagination to read the signs of our times, and
to articulate new possibilities for our own day. Like Mary, may we learn to
confront all that is oppressive and unjust, and empower others towards true
freedom and integrity. Spirit of wisdom, be with us as we face new
horizons. Amen
God of all
blessings, you revealed in Mary MacKillop a sensitivity to the rights and dignity
of every person, regardless of race or creed. May we learn from her to overcome
the obstacles of prejudice and fear. Help us to value the goodness of each
person and all the blessings of unity in diversity.
We ask this through the depth and unity of you, our bountiful God, who hold all
things in being. Amen
God of
compassion, God of all people, we praise you for your servant, Mary MacKillop,
who gave her life to serve you in the poor and oppressed.
As she is honoured in our world, may we continue to learn to share her vision.
Help us to recognise, as she did, that the poor of our time will hear the
gospel in the way we serve them. Be with us as we strive to follow her and
carry out our mission of service and care. Amen
God of the
Dreaming, you show yourself to us in dreamers, seers, and prophets.
We thank you for all those who, like Mary MacKillop, have helped us to see the
possibilities for our country and its people.
As we struggle to realise our dreams for a just, compassionate world, may we
witness to our world the true meaning of fair play and care for the oppressed.
Help us to uphold the importance of spiritual realities.
We pray that we will cherish particularly, the gifts of the indigenous peoples
of our lands, and those new to our shores.
Teach us that, in the richness and strength of our diversity, lie our
possibilities for becoming one. Amen
God of all
pilgrim people, you raise up women and men to meet the needs of every age. In
Mary MacKillop, we celebrate a journey of deep love and sensitivity to your
will. Like her, may we learn to grow in appreciation of the fullness of your
love and the depth of your mystery.
Help us to transform the ordinariness of our lives as we reach out to others
through the daily challenges of our journey towards you. Amen
The detailed design development phase of Stage 2 of our Cobblebank campus has begun.
During the week, several staff from our Melton West campus participated in workshops with our architects Baldasso and Cortese to bring to life the vision for our Stage 2 building at Cobblebank.
This building will be called the Creativity Centre and will be home to our technology classes (metal, wood and food studies), art rooms and a commercial kitchen offering VET qualifications for students from both campuses.
VET Hospitality will further extend the vocational offerings at the College with VET Engineering remaining at the Melton West campus and an expansion in 2023 of VET Building and Construction.
With the construction of the new Melton Hospital at Cobblebank, we anticipate that our Allied Health and Nursing studies will move to the Cobblebank campus.
| Dates to remember | |
| Wednesday 10 August | College Tour - 9am |
| Year 12 VTAC Parent Information Evening | |
| Friday 19 August | Enrolment applications for Year 7 2024 due |
| Wednesday 24 August | College Tour - 2pm |
| Connected Parenting Workshop - 6.30pm | |
| Friday 26 August | Staff Service Day/Student study at home day |
| Thursday 1 September | Father's Day Liturgy and Breakfast - 8am |
If you have a child in Grade 5 this year and would like them to attend the College for Year 7 in 2024 at either our Melton West or Cobblebank campuses then now is the time to apply.
To secure your child's place, please ensure your application is submitted by Friday 19 August. You can click here to apply online now.
Interested in a College tour? Due to popular demand, we have added a tour on Wednesday 24 August at 2pm. Click here to register now.
On Monday 1 August, 22 students across Year 9, 10 and 11 participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The test takes place internationally every three years and Catholic Regional College Melton was one of the selected Australian schools.
I would like to acknowledge the effort students put in to completing the tests and questionnaires to the best of their ability and their excellent behaviour between tests.
Despite the current illnesses, we had 85% attendance, one of the highest attendance rates observed by the PISA Administrator.
With subject and pathway selections now closed, work has begun to identify viable classes based on student choice. Staffing and the 2023 timetable will then be created.
Jump Start begins on Monday 21 November for all Year 8 to 12 2023 classes. The 2023 timetable will operate during Jump Start.
Any students who have not submitted their selections should see their Year Level Coordinator immediately to complete this process.
Just a reminder that senior students are required to provide a medical certificate or Statutory Declaration if they are absent during an assessment task, School Assessed Coursework (SAC) or if they have recorded more than the allowable non-school-related absences.
Please refer to the student VCE and VCAL Policy Handbook below for further information on this VCAA policy.
Planning continues for our new house system to be introduced in 2023 (information about the change is available below).
We are very proud to announce the names of the new houses and the staff House Leaders.
| House Name | House Leader | House Colour |
| St Dominic of Osma | Lauren Whitford | Maroon |
| St Mary MacKillop | Emma van Wees | Red |
| St Anthony of Padua | Rebecca Toms | Gold |
| St Catherine of Siena | Kath Jones | Blue |
| St Bernard of Clairvaux | Rebecca Cassar | Orange |
| Dr Sr Mary Glowrey | Nathan Hunter-Gerber | Green |
| St Lawrence of Brindisi | Jordan Reithofer | Purple |
| St Josephine Bakhita | David Arthurson | Cyan |
Teaching staff have been allocated their house and have met to develop their knowledge of the namesakes and create an appropriate house motto and prayer. These will be shared in upcoming newsletters.
In case you missed it, below is information about our new house system in 2023.
In 2023, the College will introduce a vertical house system. This will replace the current homeroom and house system.
How the new structure will work
Having the same homeroom teacher and head of house from Year 7 to 12 will ensure students are well known and nurtured during their time at the College. It also means parents and guardians will know who to approach if they need to communicate with the school for any reason.
The new house system aligns with the College mission to nurture the personal, spiritual and academic growth of each individual in our community in an atmosphere of faith, care, support and encouragement.
It will foster connections and a greater understanding between year levels and enhance each student’s sense of belonging to the College.
A huge congratulations to our senior boys soccer team that today won the SACCSS Senior Soccer Competition, defeating Kolbe Catholic College 4-1 at ABD Stadium in Meadow Heights.
Our girls team also played in their grand final against Kolbe Catholic College but unfortunately were defeated 2-1 despite their best efforts.
Want to see how construction of our new Cobblebank Campus is going?
Watch this new timelapse video from our builders H Troon below. More photos and information are also available below and on our regularly updated Cobblebank Campus Latest News page.
Last week the College welcomed Gina, a Gors & Kallmann upright piano made in Germany in 1916 and rescued from becoming landfill thanks to a Melbourne organisation called Pianos Recycled.
Gina’s new home is outside the canteen and students can play her at recess and lunchtime and some of our students are already planning to give her exterior an artistic makeover.
Yesterday, Year 12 student Joel entertained students and staff with some lunchtime tunes and launched what we hope will be one of many musical moments on the green. All students are encouraged to stop by, perform for friends or perhaps even learn how to play.
Pianos Recycled’s first priority with an unwanted piano is to restore it back to playable condition so that others not only get to enjoy the experience of music, but they also become part of the piano’s story.
The modern piano was born around 1709 meaning piano craftsmanship skills are more than 300 years old. The quality woods and timbers used in the construction of pianos may come from forests even older than that. Pianos can have upwards of 12,000 individual parts and weigh more than 225 kilograms. Sadly, up until now, when a piano is no longer wanted by its owner, it’s final resting place has been in the rubbish tip.
We’re so glad Gina was saved and brought to our College and we look forward to hearing her sweet tones ring out across our grounds.
More information about Pianos Recycled is available below.
NRL Victoria hosted a 4-day lunchtime program for Year 7 and 8 students at the College last week to teach them the ins and outs of the game and further develop their Rugby League skills.
Each session included new and fun activities for our students to be involved in. We thank NRL Victoria coaches Ben Jack and Angus Street for coming to CRC and providing our students with the opportunity to be active and involved in the sport.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the Education Perfect Competition on Italian Day. Students were invited to compete in the event, which assessed their Italian general knowledge.
Congratulation to our EP winners:
First place - Chloe Priest 8D
Second place - Hannah Dalumpines 8A
Third place - Sneha Sharma 8B
Fourth place - Aidan Ferris 8R
Fifth place - Sione Finau 7D
Special mentions also go to:
Jai Singh 7A, Tyrese Young 7B, Aluong Gawer 7C, Jordyn Philpin 7F, Archie Lock 7J, Jackson Gaffiero 7M, Adahu Tadesse 7O, Annika Van Riet 7R, Cody Valastro 8C,
Ava Wakefield 8F, Mia Garcia 8J, Tia Plummer 8M and Apande Poundak 8O.
Last Wednesday our Year 9 Premier League teams played their second games of the season showing great sportsmanship and encouragement towards each other and their opposing teams.
The results are as follows:
Girls Basketball: CRC drew with St Monica’s Catholic College (SMC) 37 all
Boys Basketball: CRC def SMC 55-44
Girls Volleyball: SMC def CRC 0-3
Boys Volleyball: SMC def CRC 0-3
Boys AFL: CRC def SMC 31-10
Girls Soccer: SMC def CRC 19-0
Boys Soccer: SMC def CRC 2-1
Girls Netball: CRC def SMC 20-12
Ella Higgins - Sports trainee
Last Thursday our intermediate girls football team headed to the SACCSS one-day AFL gala.
The team arrived in high spirits despite being a player down and no opportunity for a bench.
Although the odds were stacked against them, the girls remained focused, determined, and ready for a win.
Playing four back-to-back games, the team managed to come away with three wins and were through to the grand final for a rematch with Penola Catholic College.
It was a hard-fought match and the team gave it their all but were ultimately defeated.
Although they did not win the final match they won the hearts of their coaches for never giving up and having fantastic team morale. We look forward to seeing what they can achieve next year.
Shanelle Sertic and Doan Nguyen - AFL coaches
This week’s theme from The Fathering Project is Why Dads Matter, in other words, why you are so important to your children.
Right from birth through to adulthood, dads and father figures shape their child’s growth and development.
Fathers have not only been shown to have a significant impact on academic achievements, but children’s attitude towards learning and school is also very strongly influenced by their father.
A great way for you to be involved is to help your children with skills and strategies they need to be organised for secondary school. The restructuring going on in the brain during adolescent years involves the area of the brain that controls executive functioning, which includes planning, reasoning, organisation and thinking before we act. Executive functioning skills are the process in our brains that help us accomplish our daily tasks.
To celebrate all the fathers and fatherly figures in our community, the College will host a Father's Day liturgy and breakfast in the Performing Arts Centre foyer on Thursday 1 September.
Dads, uncles, brothers and friends are invited to this special event and all the details are available below.
The College will host a Resilience Project Connected Parenting Workshop for parents and guardians on Wednesday 24 August in the Performing Arts Centre from 6.30pm.
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:
An information evening was held recently for families of students currently in years 9 and 10 for the 2023 Italy Trip. We are extremely excited to be offering these opportunities to students and to connect with our sister school in Cividale.
There are some places remaining for any families who missed the session.
If you are interested in joining the trip, the presentation, application letter and payment slip are available below.
If you have any questions, please email me at piannazzo@sfcc.vic.edu.au
The College is planning an Indigenous Immersion experience to Cape York for 2023 Year 10 and 11 students.
The trip will run from 10 to 19 April next year.
Immersion coordinators Red Earth will present information to all current Year 9 and 10 students during extended homeroom on Thursday 11 August.
Following this, an information night for parents and guardians will be held online on Wednesday 24 August. In the coming weeks, more details and a link to join the online meeting will be provided.
Parents and guardians are reminded that the College has a process for students leaving the College to attend another school or begin TAFE, apprenticeships, work and alternative job training options.
If your child is leaving the College and transferring to another secondary school, you must complete and return the CRC Melton Exit Form to the Registrar by emailing enrolments@sfcc.vic.edu.au.
The Exit Form is required by the College and is used to settle family accounts. Parents will be charged fees until the form is received and it is important that the official exit date of the student is included.
Parents and guardians of students under the age of 17 who are not transferring to another secondary school need to complete and return two forms: the CRC Melton Exit Form and the Victorian Government Exemption From School Application Form.
Students under the age of 17 need to seek an exemption to leave school for TAFE, apprenticeships, work and alternative job training options.
Families can assist the College by completing sections A,B,C and E of the Transition from School Form. The College will complete Section D and sign Section E of the form.
Once completed and endorsed by the College, the Transition from School Form will be sent back to families for use in enrolment at TAFE or training. The form may also be required for the employers’ records.
Students in years 10 to 12 who are not transferring to another secondary school will be required to have an interview with the Pathways Coordinator before the Transition from School Form is signed by the Principal.
Our Language teachers recently gathered to discuss ideas for improving teaching in our Year 7 and 8 classrooms.
Their main focus was how to teach students in a more personalised way and to recognise, through classroom activities, that not all students learn in the same way.
Language teachers were coached in various techniques they could use such as:
It was a great and productive afternoon with Language teachers continuing to learn about teaching.
The Youth Advisory Group of Melton and Member for Melton Steve McGhie MP will host a worker’s rights forum for young people in the Melton electorate.
Aimed at young workers in their first part time/causal jobs, the forum will cover workplace rights and the new casual sick pay for particular industries.
More information is available below and to RSVP please email Stephen.mcghie@parliament.vic.gov.au or phone 9743 9825.
Venturers is a great opportunity for 14 to 17-year-olds to make lifelong friendships, learn valuable life skills, create amazing memories and have a great time doing it.
The Djerriwarrh Venturer Unit meets at 7pm on Wednesdays, at Bacchus Marsh Scout Hall.
For more information please contact Katelynn Condon via email krcondon112783@gmail.com or phone 0448 350 961.
Looking to learn something new? The Eynesbury Discovery Centre has a range of programs and workshops running in Term 3. You will find their newsletter and all the options below.
Eynesbury Discovery Centre Newsletter Term 3 2022 | Social Crafting | Art 4 Kids
Melton Central Community Centre Term 3 2022 Programs and Activities Guide
Keep up to date with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.
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