Back
Google Translate
Google Translate
School Reception: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm
Phone: (03) 8099 6000
Email:info@sfcc.vic.edu.au
Google Translate
This week marks the start of the Season of Creation (1 September – 4 October).
During this time, we are invited to reflect on the beauty of God’s creation and our role in caring for it. This special time reminds us of the interconnectedness of all creation and our kinship with it.
St Francis referred to the Earth as our sister and mother in his Canticle of the Creatures, urging us to treat her with the same love, respect, and care we would show to our family.
He recognised that the Earth sustains us, provides for our needs, and is a source of beauty and wonder.
During this Season of Creation, we are encouraged to follow his example by making small, meaningful changes in our homes that reflect our care for the Earth. Here are some ways to celebrate this season with your family at home.
Create a prayer space for creation
Set up a special area in your home dedicated to prayer and reflection on the beauty of creation. Include items like plants, flowers, and images of nature to remind you of God’s handiwork. Spend time each day in this space, offering prayers of thanksgiving for creation and asking for guidance on how to care for it.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Evaluate your household’s waste and find ways to reduce it. Commit to recycling more diligently, reusing items whenever possible, and reducing your consumption of single-use plastics. Involve the whole family in this effort, making it a fun challenge to see how much waste you can avoid.
Plants something green
Whether you have a large or small garden bed, planting something green is a wonderful way to connect with creation. Choose native plants, start a vegetable garden, or plant a tree. Not only does this help the environment, but it also provides a great opportunity to teach children about the importance of plants and trees in our ecosystem.
Reflect on St Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures
Spend time as a family reflecting on St Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures. This beautiful prayer praises God for the sun, moon, wind, water, and all living creatures. You can read it together, discuss its meaning, and even create your own family version, expressing your gratitude for the specific elements of creation that you cherish.
The Season of Creation is a time to renew our commitment to being stewards of the Earth at school and home. By embracing these simple yet impactful actions, we can honour the legacy of St Francis and contribute to a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.
May this season be one of growth, reflection, and love for all creation.
It was another busy week filled with many extracurricular activities for our students.
Last Monday, I travelled to Bunjil Theatre in Narre Warren to watch our students perform their cultural dances at the 4C’s Showcase. It was so wonderful to see the pride and enjoyment on students' faces as they performed in front of a large audience.
I encourage you to read the full story from our Pasifika Engagement Project Officer Kimiora Joyce here.
On Thursday and Friday mornings, we welcomed almost 200 fathers, uncles, grandfathers and significant male figures to our Father's Day Prayer Service and Breakfast.
These mornings gave us time to pray for the various needs of fathers and father figures.
The opportunity to meet with families and students at events such as these is not often afforded in a secondary school setting, so it was a pleasure to take the time to speak with the dads and father figures who were able to attend. Click here to see more photos from both mornings.
On Friday, students and staff slept rough on cardboard in Sheehan Stadium as part of our annual Winter Sleepout.
Several guests spoke to students about the cause of homelessness and some of the efforts by state and federal governments to reduce the stress faced by people without a home. Sadly, one of the statistics indicated the highest levels of homelessness are among women over 55 years of age.
One of the most important messages was that we are only a small disaster away from becoming homeless.
I am always so proud of our students, who consistently seek to develop their empathy and understanding of others.
The donation boxes outside our House Leaders’ offices are overflowing with items for our Homelessness Winter Appeal, and I sincerely thank students and their families for their generosity.
Thank you also to our staff, who consistently go over and above to ensure our students experience much more than academic endeavours during their time at secondary school.
I encourage all students to participate in the Health and PE Week activities planned at both campuses over the coming days.
No wonder the weeks go by so fast - each week brings new and exciting opportunities for our students.
It is with great pleasure that I announce the 2025 College Captains are Diana Taylor and Jonah Hermence.
All of our candidates were very worthy nominees, and I thank them for their willingness to be nominated as leaders of the College.
I'm sure all those who were unsuccessful will support Diana and Jonah as a leadership team.
Thank you to our Melton Campus Student Leadership Coordinator, Ken Igba, for running the election process.
This week, we welcome two additional counsellors to our staff. Lucy Pilla and Angela Lim will work with our existing Wellbeing team.
| Dates to remember | |
| Tuesday 10 September | Parents and Friends Meeting - 7pm |
| Thursday 12 September | Celebration Day |
| Tuesday 17 September | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (online) 4.30pm - 7pm |
| Thursday 19 September | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (online) 4.30pm - 7pm |
| Friday 20 September | Final day of Term 3 - 2.30pm dismissal |
| Dates to remember | |
| Tuesday 10 September | Parents and Friends Meeting - 7pm |
| Thursday 12 September | Celebration Day |
| Tuesday 17 September | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (online) 4.30pm - 7pm |
| Thursday 19 September | Parent Student Teacher Interviews (online) 4.30pm - 7pm |
| Friday 20 September | Final day of Term 3 - 2.30pm dismissal |
Last Tuesday, our Wellbeing staff meeting centred around the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) whole-school approach.
The objective was to enhance our lesson plans and associated PowerPoint presentations to explicitly teach identified behaviours to our students.
Our Student Expectation Framework clearly outlines the expected behaviours across various areas of the College, establishing a consistent language that all staff can use when interacting with our students.
One of the most rewarding aspects of working in education is the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to implement a comprehensive school-wide approach to improve student outcomes.
It was inspiring to observe the dedication and enthusiasm demonstrated by our staff. By leveraging their expertise, they developed engaging lessons that we believe will resonate well with our students when delivered in 2025.
Throughout this year, we have made a concerted effort across the College to reduce our students' cognitive load by establishing routines at the start of each class. This strategy fosters a calm beginning to lessons and facilitates a more focused learning environment.
In the upcoming weeks, the PB4L team will continue developing an acknowledgement system to recognise students who exhibit expected behaviours.
Additionally, we will form a student PB4L group to provide a student voice on various topics within the Positive Behaviour for Learning framework.
Bulmans Road at the bridge between Piccolotto Drive and Westlake Drive will be closed to through traffic during the day and night between Monday 9 September and Friday 13 December.
This closure is required to complete new drainage, pavement, kerb and upgrade the existing Arthurs Creek crossing.
Works will take place between 7am and 6pm Monday to Sunday. In the event of wet weather, some night work may be required.
Traffic and pedestrian detours will be in place during this time. Please refer to the map below.
Access to the College from Bulmans Road will be maintained at all times.
Please take care around the worksite and follow directions from traffic controllers when travelling through the area.
If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Melton City Council on 9747 7200 or via email capitaldeliveryenquiries@melton.vic.gov.au.
Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Father’s Day prayer services and breakfasts at both campuses last week.
Celebrating all the dads and father figures that mean so much to our students was wonderful and we hope you all had a great day on Sunday.
Our students and staff experienced an incredible day of culture, art, music and dance, travelling to Bunjil Place in Narre Warren last Monday to perform in the 4C’s Showcase.
The 4C’s Showcase is a performance program for secondary students in years 7 to 12 that centres around Cultivating Creative Cultures with Communities. The aim is to celebrate the different cultures in our local community and support VCE-VM student outcomes.
More than 40 of our students participated in the Casey Future Reset Summit and 4C’s Cultural Dance Showcase alongside students from Yan-Yan Yaruk Youth, Lyndhurst Secondary College, Lyndale Secondary College, Carrum Downs Secondary College, Cranbourne College and Le Teine Polynesian Dance School.
The day started with a welcome to Bunurong country by a local elder and a traditional smoking ceremony.
Students were then separated into groups to participate in VicHealth Reset Summit workshops and activities, which they thoroughly enjoyed. They made new friendships, shared amazing stories, created artwork, made delicious smoothies, danced, rapped, clapped, ate traditional Samoan cuisine and had so many laughs along the way.
In no time, it was showtime.
Our Indian dancers took centre stage first, with a vibrant and energetic expression of their rich cultural heritage with various dance forms, each with its unique style, rhythm, and significance. They displayed strength, beauty and resilience.
Next was the Chin dance, originating from the Chin ethnic group in Myanmar (Burma). This is a traditional form of dance that reflects the cultural and spiritual life of the Chin people. The movements in Chin dances are graceful and rhythmic, often mimicking the natural environment, such as the swaying of trees or the movements of animals. The dances include coordinated steps, hand gestures, and body movements performed in unison by groups of dancers.
The Congolese dance group were third on the stage with fluid movements involving the entire body, featuring the hip and torso, creating complex and captivating patterns. The dance was high-energy and sensual, emphasising the connection between body and music. Congolese dance is a form of entertainment and a vital expression of identity, resilience, and community.
We were thrilled to welcome our solo dancer from South Sudan, whose performance demonstrated strength, bravery, and readiness for battle. The dance involved vigorous stomping and jumping, mimicking the actions of warriors, hunters, and animals and reflecting the connection to nature.
The solo Tongan female dance, known as the Tauʻolunga, is a graceful and elegant traditional dance deeply rooted in Tongan culture. It is a dance showcasing Tongan women's beauty, poise, and cultural pride.
Our finale was a performance by our Samoan dance group. The girls danced the Siva, a graceful and elegant dance that expresses cultural identity, storytelling and beauty through movement. The boys ended the performance with a lively, energetic performance that showcased the strength, agility, and cultural pride of Samoan males.
The 4Cs event was a beautiful experience because it allowed people to showcase their culture through dance. Watching different dances was amazing because it demonstrated each culture's unique styles, music, and movements. This is especially powerful in a multicultural country like ours, where dance globally has become a universal language that connects people, celebrates diversity, and fosters understanding. The event highlighted how dance can be a joyful expression of culture and identity, bringing everyone together to appreciate the variety and vibrancy of different cultural traditions. Dut, Year 10
I felt so excited when I saw the venue. I have never performed in such a big place. The workshops were awesome. My parents enjoyed watching us on the big screen like a concert. They were proud. Marilyn, Year 11
The podcast workshop was my favourite. We had to host a podcast and ask questions to the panel of other students. This workshop made me feel open and comfortable to share my opinion. Telesia, Year 11
I loved the lunch and dinner; we had beef sapa sui, chicken curry and potato salad. It was good. The street art was cool; we got to spray paint a picture. Nela, Year 10
I made so many smoothies; it was fun. We made a rap song with Rhyme on Time, and working with the groups was very good. I enjoyed the Bike and Blend. Leeara, Year 11
My favourite thing about the experience was seeing all the other cultural dances and having fun with my friends. Jarosha, Year 10
My favourite thing about 4C’s was seeing different cultures participate and dance. I also loved seeing the other schools performing. Ava, Year 9
4C's was an interesting and amazing experience that exposed everyone to many cultures. The time we spent preparing allowed us to become one giant community, with more and more people joining our dances daily to create a beautiful showcase of our cultures. Before the showcase began, we participated in various activities, from street art and podcast creation to rapping. Although we were all unsure about the activities, they kept us on our toes, and everyone laughed and enjoyed themselves, which also helped calm everyone's nerves before the performance. All in all, the night was a great success thanks to the performers and the teachers. We are all so grateful for every teacher who took time out of their day to attend the performance, help us prepare, and ensure our day ran smoothly. Sneha, Year 10
The experience of witnessing the many dances, traditions, and cultures was quite exciting. Since everything went so well and I made new friends throughout the rehearsals before the big day, I'm genuinely sad it ended so quickly. I want to thank Ms Joyce and all the other teachers involved for making this happen. Janet, Year 11
Another memorable Winter Sleepout was held on Friday night, with 23 students from Years 9-12 and four staff bravely sleeping on cardboard in Sheehan Stadium at Melton Campus. This experience aimed to raise awareness about the plight of those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Our Year 10 Hospitality students and their teacher, Margaret Rowe-Watts, provided a Soup Van meal for participants on the night. The menu included two delicious soups, various sandwiches and wraps and a small sweet treat.
Students and staff ate outside, enjoying conversations over a hot cup of soup. We sincerely thank our Hospitality students and staff for the meal that prepared us for the cold evening ahead.
We were fortunate to have several inspirational guests speak to us on the night about the issues faced by people without a home and the services available to them in Melton.
Maureen Mohr from St Vincent de Paul, with whom the College is privileged to have a very close connection, spoke about her role as past president and her many years as a volunteer.
We also welcomed Rebecca Ruffin and Kylie McKinlay, Soup Van Coordinators for the Melton, Western and Melbourne regions. They spoke about the importance of treating each person with dignity regardless of their circumstances. They also provided some alarming statistics about the rise of homelessness and the important role of volunteers.
State Member for Melton, Steve McGhie, joined us for a second year and spoke about the housing issues in Melbourne’s western region and how this impacted families and homelessness.
Steve encouraged our students to join the youth program run by his electoral office and enjoyed speaking to them during dinner to answer the many questions they had for him.
Federal Member for Hawke, Sam Rae, shared how he came to politics, highlighting how the strong support of his family and a quality education led him to where he is today.
One of the highlights of the evening was hearing Anna Takluem’s story. Anna fled Myanmar at a young age with her older sister. They travelled for eight days on a boat to India, eventually making their way to Australia. Their story is one of strength and courage.
Anna had no knowledge of English but taught herself to read using a Bible she had and an English Bible. Using the two books, she translated each word and sentence and eventually learned to read and write English.
Anna’s story was moving and highlighted how, through sheer determination, anyone can achieve their goal.
The common messages throughout each presentation were the importance of volunteers and giving back to our community and how the issue of homelessness can affect anyone at any time. Our guests also reminded us not to stereotype those doing it tough.
As a Franciscan college, we are called to walk in the steps of St Francis and St Clare and stand in solidarity with the marginalised. The students who participated in our sleepout did just that, planning the evening, actively listening to our guests and showing a commitment to making a difference. Our guests commented on their dedication to social justice and empathy for others.
The sleepout also marked the end of our Homelessness Winter Appeal.
We thank all SFCC families from both campuses for digging deep and giving generously. It is truly humbling to see the number of goods brought in during the campaign. These donations will help many people in our local community.
To all those who supported yet another successful appeal, we thank you for your active mission.
The Winter Sleepout involved students and staff braving a cold winter night to sleep in the stadium with nothing but sleeping bags, blankets, and cardboard. However, it wasn’t about going through one night without your phone or bed. It was about the reality that many homeless Australians face every night. It made me realise how lost I was without necessities and how uneasy I was away from home, family and my room. It dawned on me that so many people are less fortunate than I am and live a life not knowing where their next meal is coming from, having a safe place to sleep, or even having the luxury of using hygiene products. This night was an eye-opener. Diana, Deputy Faith and Mission Captain, Year 11
This was my last Winter Sleepout! It was an eye-opening experience, allowing students and staff to understand how homelessness can look different for everyone. Every year, the reflections are beautiful, and this year was no exception. We sat silently with our candles and reflected on the day and how fortunate we are to live peacefully. I am grateful to have participated in this event for the past 5 years. Elesha, College Captain, Year 12
The Winter Sleepout was such an amazing experience. I learned so much about the homelessness crisis and realised the difficulties people face. We heard a beautiful and inspiring story from Anna about her hardships and journey. We played games related to homelessness and learned much about how we can help. Erin, Year 10
I participated in the Winter Sleepout to gain a deeper understanding of what it's like to be homeless. It was eye-opening to experience firsthand how tough it is to be without a home. This experience made me realise how important it is to support and help those who are homeless, and it showed me how much we need to work on solving this issue in our community. Bella, Year 11
I loved the Winter Sleepout. The experience opened my eyes to the harsh realities of homelessness. The guest speakers provided a new perspective, and the night was really enjoyable. Alannah, Year 10
Year 12 student Ryan is feeling the chill this week after shaving his head to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation.
Ryan and his dad signed up for the World’s Greatest Shave campaign and have raised more than $2300 so far, which will give Australians facing blood cancer practical and emotional support and fund critical research. You can donate to their campaign here.
A reminder that Melton Campus teacher Natalie Bourke will lose her locks during Big Break this Friday 6 September to raise money for the Cancer Council, and students will have the chance to make the first snip!
You can donate to Natalie’s Hair Be Gone campaign here.
To add to the fun, Melton Campus students can wear a beanie to school on Friday for a gold coin donation.
If they add an extra gold coin to Natalie’s box at Big Break on the day of her haircut, they will go into the draw to cut off one of her plaits.
A new path has been paved in the vegetable patch at Melton Campus thanks to our Year 11 VCE VM students who worked with a tradesman last week to complete the project.
Jake guided our students throughout the build, teaching them how to level the path, concrete the drain and prepare and lay rocks around the cubby house.
The students gained a new appreciation for what they had learned in their VM subjects. They drew on their maths knowledge to do the calculations, levelling and angle work for the paving.
Throughout their VCE VM program, the students have been identifying their strengths and applying their skills to projects around the school. The garden and cubby house have been restored, repainted, replanted and rejuvenated. The first of our crops are almost ready to be harvested, and our fairy gardens are blooming with flowers.
We congratulate these students on their fantastic work and forging their way into their future beyond SFCC.
Cobblebank students have begun working on the giant loom during Fibre Club.
The club has been a popular choice during Short Break on Thursdays. Students will continue to work on the giant loom and learn some macrame next term.
All students enrolled in Years 9 and 10 at St Francis Catholic College are invited to participate in the 2025 Europe Trip.
The trip will embark on an exhilarating journey that spans the realms of history, culture, and discovery! Students will traverse the enchanting streets of Assisi, the artistic wonderland of Florence, and experience the vibrant pulse of Berlin and poignant echoes of Krakow.
The approximate cost of the trip is $8000.
Families applying for the trip are expected to be up to date with their school fees.
Information about the trip and instructions on how to apply are available below.
For any enquiries, please email Paul Iannazzo at piannazzo@sfcc.vic.edu.au
Join us for drinks and canapes to celebrate the 10th anniversary of CRC Melton's Year 12 Class of 2014 on Friday 6 September from 6.30pm in the Performing Arts Centre foyer at our Melton Campus.
Reminisce, reconnect with friends and staff and find out more about what has happened at the College in the past decade.
To attend the Class of 2014 reunion, please RSVP by emailing me at arowley@sfcc.vic.edu.au
Click below for the full program
Keep updated with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.
Back to top
Quick Links
Contact
Portal
