Weekly Reflection


The College community looks with great anticipation to our first St Francis Feast Day on Thursday. A huge effort has been made to create activities along with a celebration of the Eucharist for us all to focus on what it means to be a school in the Franciscan tradition.

A recent papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship) 2020 was inspired by St Francis of Assisi and proposes a way of life marked by the flavour of the Gospel.

The encyclical aims to promote a universal aspiration toward fraternity and social friendship.

Pope Francis believes that the time has truly come to “dream, then, as a single human family” in which we are “brothers and sisters all”. Francis also calls for the end of all wars – “today we can no longer think, as in the past, of the possibility of a ‘just war’, but we must vehemently reaffirm: ‘Never again war!’”

An ecumenical prayer for all Christians - Fratelli Tutti

O God, Trinity of love, from the profound communion of your divine life,

pour out upon us a torrent of fraternal love.

Grant us the love reflected in the actions of Jesus, in his family of Nazareth,

and in the early Christian community.

Grant that we Christians may live the Gospel, discovering Christ in each human being, recognizing him crucified in the sufferings of the abandoned and forgotten of our world, and risen in each brother or sister who makes a new start.

Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty, reflected in all the peoples of the earth,

so that we may discover anew that all are important and all are necessary,

different faces of the one humanity that God so loves. 

Amen.

Shaun Coates

Director of Catholic Identity

From the Acting Principal

This Thursday is our inaugural St Francis Catholic College Feast Day.

We will begin our celebrations with a whole-college Mass followed by activities at each campus led by our eight Houses, aimed at developing our students’ shared commitment to their cause and sense of belonging. The afternoon will culminate in a talent show, an annual tradition that highlights the giftedness of our students.

Our Feast Day will celebrate St Francis of Assisi and his profound love of animals and the environment. He left his mark on the world through his unwavering dedication to a life of poverty and service.

In our modern world, St Francis' message is more fitting now than ever. His teachings encourage us to examine our own lives, embrace humility, and work towards a compassionate and sustainable world.

May we all strive to walk in the footsteps of this remarkable saint and make the world a better place through love for each other and service to all living things.

“God works through our suffering, teaching us to love, to trust, and to bear our burden with humility and patience.” St Francis of Assisi

Health and Physical Education Week

This week we also celebrate Health and Physical Education Week.

Students at both campuses have the opportunity to participate in different activities such as Just Dance, sport Kahoots, Bike n' Blend (Melton Campus), and student vs staff matches to develop their health and fitness in a fun and engaging way. Students can also wear their team's scarf to school on Friday.

Father’s Day

It was my pleasure last week to join our Father’s Day liturgies and breakfasts at both campuses. It was wonderful to speak with the fathers and fatherly figures in our students’ lives and give our Cobblebank dads a first look through the new campus. Click here to see more photos from the event.

Cobblebank Campus

Students and staff at Cobblebank Campus are settling in well to their buildings. They are enjoying the space and working in the new learning environment. It is such a special time as they continue to develop their routines and become familiar with their new facilities.

Melton Campus

Demolition of B Block at Melton Campus will begin next week and construction of the new building is expected to be complete late next year.

Cheryl Bullen

Acting Principal

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus Students

Dates to remember
Thursday 7 SeptemberSt Francis Feast Day
Tuesday 12 SeptemberParent Student Teacher Interviews (online)
Thursday 14 SeptemberParent Student Teacher Interviews (online)
Friday 15 SeptemberFinal day of Term 3 - students dismissed at 2.30pm
Monday 2 October Term 4 begins

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus Students

Dates to remember
Thursday 7 SeptemberSt Francis Feast Day
Tuesday 12 SeptemberParent Student Teacher Interviews (online)
Thursday 14 SeptemberParent Student Teacher Interviews (online)
Friday 15 SeptemberFinal day of Term 3 - students dismissed at 2pm
Monday 2 OctoberTerm 4 begins

Dismissal Times on Final Day of Term 3

The final day of Term 3 is Friday 15 September.

  • Melton Campus students will be dismissed at 2.30pm.
  • Cobblebank Campus students will be dismissed at 2pm.

Term 4 will begin on Monday 2 October at both campuses.

Book Your Parent Student Teacher Interviews

On Tuesday 12 September and Thursday 14 September, the College will hold its Parent, Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) online via Microsoft Teams.

Interviews can now be booked through the parent portal (PAM).

Instructions on how to make a booking with your child’s teachers are available below. You will also find information about access to the interview booking link.

Interviews for Melton Campus families can be booked from 4.30pm to 7pm on both days.

Interviews for Cobblebank Campus families can be booked from 4pm to 6.30pm on both days. If your child is at Cobblebank Campus and has the same teacher for more than one subject, you only need to book one appointment time per teacher.

How to book your online Parent Student Teacher Interviews on PAM

Pedestrian Safety at Cobblebank Campus

Pedestrian safety at Cobblebank Campus

Cobblebank Campus families are reminded to take extra care when dropping off and picking up their children on Adelong Boulevard.

The street is busy before and after school as students move to and from vehicles, so please use the parking bays available. Stopping on the road is dangerous and puts the safety of all pedestrians and motorists at risk.

A reminder to all families that the pedestrian gate at Cobblebank Campus opens at 8am.

Re-enrolment for 2024

The College is planning classes and staffing for 2024.

Please email enrolments@sfcc.vic.edu.au if your child will not return to the College in 2024.

An exit form is available below should you require it. 

Exit Form

Students will not be formally exited from the College until all relevant paperwork is returned.

Kylie Perry

Registrar

Year 10 2024 Laptops

Students in Year 10, 2024 will receive upgraded laptops to use for their senior years at the College. Families are required to purchase the laptop from the College.

There is no option to bring your own device.

More information will provided to families in Term 4.

New Uniform Shop in Melton

Good news! Academy Uniforms will soon open a new store in Melton where it will stock the St Francis Catholic College uniform. See details below.

Win a $100 Academy Uniform Shop Voucher

There is still time to complete a Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools annual survey and be in the draw to win one of two $100 Academy Uniforms vouchers.

Email our Director of Community Relations Amy Rowley at arowley@sfcc.vic.edu.au and you will be sent a link and login details to complete the survey.

At the end of the survey, take a screenshot of the final page as confirmation of completion, email it back to Amy, and you will go into the draw to win.

The survey takes 10 minutes to complete.

St Francis Feast Day

The excitement and fun of the first St Francis Feast Day celebration at the College will long be remembered by students and staff not only for the fabulous events and entertainment but the community spirit that brought us all together.

The day began with a whole school Mass attended by Melton and Cobblebank staff and students followed by a shared morning tea in Mentor Groups.

Melton Campus

Next up were the activities and events run by Mentor Groups. Students could choose from fair games, physical challenges, group activities and quiet activities. There was much to enjoy in the Padua Food Hall where no one went hungry among the huge spread of food on offer.

The day ended with our Talent Show where an appreciative audience filled the stadium to cheer on our student performers and staff, whose act received a rousing reception!

It was a great day and we look forward to seeing the celebrations grow in the years to come!

Here are what some of our students had to say:

“Our first annual St Francis Feast Day was a great success with amazing participation from all our students. A highlight for me was the talent show at the end of the day. Every year new students apply and perform and it shows us just how many talented students we have at the College. This year the house performances were a great example of the bonds built between house leaders and their groups following the transition the College has made to a new house system.” Ashok, College Captain

“Our Feast Day was full of positivity and fun and brought the community and year levels together. After the peaceful Mass, Mentor Groups had morning tea together, which included snacks such as cupcakes, cookies, brownies and drinks. Then the day continued with a range of activities such as photobooth, memory games, bracelet making, gladiator, karaoke, mini golf and carnival games with amazing prizes! We ended the day with a spectacular talent show that included singing, dancing and jokes! Leona, Year 11

“The community atmosphere, the talent show, the teachers getting pied were great” Izzy, Year 10

“It was amazing to see the new Feast Day, especially all the students getting involved in their homeroom stalls.” Alannah, Year 9

Cobblebank Campus

There was no shortage of fun at Cobblebank Campus on Feast Day with students and staff also enthusiastically joining a host of activities on the day including karaoke and dancing, e-games such as Mario Kart, lolly bag sales, a knock-the-cans competition and bean bag toss.

One of the highlights of the day was a whole campus, house chant during which students and staff proudly belted out their house songs, much to the delight of their audience.

Nirasha Pandi

Student Leadership Coordinator

Write a Book in a Day – Cobblebank Campus

Last Wednesday, 22 Cobblebank Campus students participated in the Write a Book in a Day event.

Throughout the day, the students were asked to plan, draft, illustrate, edit and finalise their very own stories. It was fantastic to see the students work collaboratively in their teams to make a final text they were all proud of.

Hopefully we have some future authors, illustrators and editors in our midst. Well done Cobblebank teams!

Read Love on the Run

Read The Lost Twins

Read Revenge

Here is what our students had to say about the day:

“It was a great experience as we got to work and collaborate with our team whether it was through illustrating, writing or planning. We all added something to the end piece of writing and it was a fun and exciting way to work with others and express ourselves.” Kanwar

“It was an amazing experience to work with my classmates to make a book for kids with cancer. It was really fun to let my imagination take over for 12 hours. I am really proud of our team for being able to make this book. It is called Love on the Run and I am so happy to get an opportunity to make a book that could be published! It was wonderful and I hope I can do something like this again!” Gurnoor

“We worked on a 3000-word book which was so much fun. I didn’t get the stay for 12 hours but was fun while I was there. Hanging out and having fun with friends was the best part.” Kulman

Meg Bacchin

Teacher

Father's Day Liturgies and Breakfasts

Thank you to everyone who came along to our Melton Campus Father’s Day liturgy and breakfast last Thursday.

It was a great way for students to thank their dads, grandfathers and other significant men in their lives for their love and support.

On Friday we hosted our first official event at Cobblebank Campus when dads joined our students for their Father’s Day liturgy and breakfast.

As an added bonus, these lucky few were also the first family members to get a tour of our new school!

Samoan Dancers at St Anthony’s Primary School

St Anthony’s Primary School students could not contain their excitement during a fabulous performance by our Samoan dancers last Friday.

The youngsters danced, clapped and chanted along while our students shared their cultural dances with passion and enthusiasm.

It was a wonderful way to end the week!

R U OK? Day - Thursday 14 September

Students are encouraged to wear something yellow with their uniform on Thursday 14 September to acknowledge R U OK? Day.

This national day of awareness highlights how important it is to connect and support those around us when they feel challenged or overwhelmed.

It is important to let people know that we care not just for the one day of the year, but every day and that we are “here to really hear them”!

Do you have a feeling that someone you know or care about it isn’t behaving as they normally would? Perhaps they seem out of sorts? More agitated or withdrawn? Or they’re just not themselves. Trust that gut instinct and act on it.

By starting a conversation and commenting on the changes you’ve noticed, you could help that family member or friend open up. If they say they are not OK, you can follow our conversation steps below to show them they’re supported and help them find strategies to better manage the load.

If they are OK, that person will know you’re someone who cares enough to ask.

Below are four steps to an R U OK? conversation

Having meaningful conversations with family, friends and colleagues can help people feel safe and connected.

Trish Griffin

Social Justice Coordinator

Year 9 Science

Year 9 students are currently designing and creating a physical model that can withstand both earthquakes and tsunamis.

Students have finished studying different types of seismic waves and the impacts of tsunamis and are now creating their own prototype that will be tested later this term.

Students are using popsicle sticks, clay and other craft materials to design a 10cm building for their project.

Lisa Bui

Science Domain Leader

Sports Update

Year 9 Premier League - Melton Campus Round 7

Three Year 9 Premier League teams have progressed to the grand final of their 2023 competition.

Congratulations and best of luck to our Year 9 boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams and girls’ basketball team who will play their final games tomorrow.

Team

Result

SFCC ladder position

Boys’ BasketballSalesian College 55 d SFCC 47

4

Girls’ BasketballSFCC 41 d Penola College 382
NetballMackillop College 20 d SFCC 194
Boys' SoccerSt Monica's College 1 d SFCC Nil

3

Boys’ Volleyball

SFCC 2 sets d St Monica's College 1 set

1

Girls’ Volleyball

SFCC 3 sets d Salesian College Nil

2


Senior SACCSS Sports Melton Campus Round 4

Team

Result

SFCC Ladder position

Boys' Basketball

Salesian 67 d SFCC 30

2

Girls' Basketball

Salesian 102 d SFCC 9

5


Claudia Alp

Sports Coordinator

Use Simon Everywhere to Report an Absence


One of the quickest and easiest ways to let the College know your child will be absent is to use the Simon Everywhere app.

Simon Everywhere can be downloaded to your mobile phone from the Apple Store or the Google Play store.

Click here to watch a short video that shows you how to notify us of an absence via the app and how to accept permission requests.

We recently emailed all families with information on how to download and login to Simon Everywhere. To view the step-by-step guide click here or use the instructions below.

Please email itsupport@sfcc.vic.edu.au if you require further information or assistance.

Community Notices

City of Melton Learning Festival

The City of Melton Learning Festival will be held from 2 to 9 September. Below are some of the activities on offer.

Under the Dome

Study Hacks

Listen and Fidget

Cultural Yarn

Learning Festival Finale


On Track Holiday Program


Melbourne Victory Holiday Program

Foster carers needed

Soup Van volunteers wanted




Useful Links

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

PAM – Parent Portal

Enrolment

Parent Handbook

Cobblebank Campus

Facebook

Instagram

Policies

Uniform

Library

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