ENROLMENT 2027

For any families who have children who do not attend SFCC and are in Year 5 2025, PLEASE lodge your applications NOW for Year 7 2027 if you have not already done so.

With over 450 applications for Year 7 2026 - we want to be prepared for 2027 and ensure, as much as we can, whilst also following our Diocesan Enrolment Guidelines, that families with siblings have the best opportunity for enrolment.

K-6 GRANDPARENTS DAY AND 100 DAYS OF KINDERGARTEN

Last Friday was a special day for our College community as we celebrated both K-6 Grandparents’ Day and 100 Days of Kindergarten, brought together for the first time in 2025. It was a joyful and relaxed morning for students, staff and families, especially in our Primary years.

Kindergarten marked their first 100 days of learning with a fun dress-up parade, arriving at school looking a little older and wiser — complete with grey hair, cardigans, walking sticks and plenty of smiles. It was a light-hearted and happy way to recognise just how far they’ve come in their first year of school.

Our Grandparents’ Day liturgy was a lovely chance to pause and give thanks for the love, care and support that grandparents and older carers provide. There was a great sense of pride and connection as families gathered to celebrate together.

After the liturgy and Kindy parade, visitors were invited to enjoy 'grazing on the green' and visit classrooms, where students were excited to share their work and take part in activities — including a focus on Religious Education learning. It was a simple but meaningful way to open our classrooms and showcase what happens each day in our school.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on the day and to the staff who made it all possible. Events like this are a reminder of how lucky we are to be part of such a welcoming and connected community.

A big thank you to Jennifer Lowe and Kylie Jeymour for all of their organisation and support - as well as all teachers who were involved in the day - and our wonderful Kindergarten teachers and Learning Support SSOs.

SECONDARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Last Friday, we also held our annual Secondary Athletics Carnival at Campbelltown Athletics Stadium, with students from Years 7 to 12 taking part in what turned out to be a fantastic day for our community. 

Blessed with fine weather and strong attendance across the year groups, the day had a great energy from the start, helped along by a spirited and colourful showing from Year 12, who arrived in costume and brought a light-hearted and joyful presence throughout the day.

It was pleasing to see so many students involved across the full range of events, from competitive track and field to novelty and house-based activities. Tug-of-war and other fun challenges added to the atmosphere and provided opportunities for students of all abilities to join in. The carnival continues to grow not only in participation but in the quality of performances — several College Athletics Carnival records were broken, which is a real credit to the students involved.

House spirit was strong all day, with plenty of support in the stands and great cheering from across the Houses. That sense of community, along with students’ willingness to give their best, really stood out. We extend our thanks to Mrs Pavlovich for her organisation and leadership of the day, and to all staff who assisted in making the carnival such a smooth and successful event.

Congratulations to all students who have now qualified for the Diocesan Carnival — we wish them all the best in the next stage of competition.

UPCOMING CATHOLICCARE PARENT EDUCATION SESSIONS 

I am pleased to inform you that as part of Child Protection Week (7–13 September 2025), CatholicCare’s School, Student and Family Program (SSFP) will be hosting informative parent education sessions at St Francis.

 SAVE THE DATE: These sessions will occur face-to-face at the College from approx 6pm till 7.30/7.45 - TBC on Monday 8 September.

The two topics to be covered will be: 

• Talking About Mental Health: A guide to having supportive, open conversations.
• Big Feelings, Calm Responses: Supporting children through emotional overwhelm.

These sessions are designed to support parents/carers with valuable insights into two very important topics and student/family well-being. CatholicCare aims to engage parents/carers with tailored content to enhance awareness and promote a safe environment for children in schools.

More details about these will be shared in the near future. Note we may be holding our next Friends of Francis Meeting - immediately prior to these information sessions - TBC.

YEAR 11 2026 / YEAR 10 SUBJECT SELECTIONS - HELPING STUDENTS MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES FOR YEAR 11 AND BEYOND

Over the past fortnight, St Francis Catholic College has hosted two important events to support our Year 10 students as they begin the process of choosing subjects for Year 11 in 2026. These events play a crucial role in helping students and families make informed choices about senior courses — because the better we get this process right now, the better the outcomes will be down the track. The right course, the right subjects, the right outcome.

In Week One, families attended the Subject Selection and Year 11 2026 Information Evening, where students heard from each Key Learning Area about Stage 6 subjects, requirements, and post-school opportunities. It was a valuable evening that helped students continue to think about their interests, strengths and goals.

We extend our sincere thanks to all KLA Leaders and staff who prepared and presented, and to the Year 10 team, led by Mr Fricot, for their ongoing support of the cohort. A big thank you also to Mrs Agostino, Mrs Lowe and Mr Barrs for coordinating key elements of the night.

This week, we followed up with a Zoom presentation attended by almost 60 parents and carers. This online session, featuring speakers from UAC and Work Trade Partnerships (Mr Shane Hardcastle), gave families a closer look at university and vocational options, and introduced the new Belong platform — a powerful tool to help students explore pathways and real-world opportunities after school.

A special thanks goes to Mrs Joanne McMahon, our Transition and Pathways Specialist Teacher, who not only supported the first evening but was the driving force behind the planning, coordination and delivery of this second session; important practical information.

We are proud of the strong support systems in place at St Francis as students navigate the important steps from Stage 5 into Stage 6. These events reflect our shared commitment to ensuring that every student is supported and set up for success.

WELCOMING TEACHERS FROM TIMOR LESTE

Last week, we were honoured to welcome a group of Marist teachers from Timor Leste to St Francis Catholic College. Their visit was part of a professional learning experience arranged through Marist Schools Australia, and it gave these educators the chance to observe Australian teaching in action and spend time with our staff.

The visiting group included Year 1 and 3 teachers and school leaders from a newly opened school, which currently operates out of parish meeting rooms while their permanent buildings are under construction. With limited resources and a very different educational setting, the teachers were eager to learn about classroom practice, behaviour support and how we create positive and engaging learning environments here at St Francis.

Our Year 1, Year 3 and PPT teams were incredibly generous with their time — welcoming the visitors into their rooms and giving up their break times to answer questions and share their insights. The warmth, professionalism and care shown by our staff made a real impact, and it was a proud moment for our College.

A special thank you to our Year 1, Year 3 teachers and PPT teams as well as Mrs Kylie Jeymour and Mrs Jennifer Lowe for coordinating the visit and helping to ensure everything ran so smoothly.

It was a powerful reminder of how fortunate we are — not just in our facilities, but in the people who make up our school community — and of the importance of supporting others wherever we can

MARKET DAY SUCCESS – REAL-WORLD NPDL LEARNING IN ACTION

Our recent Market Day was a great example of students taking the lead, working together, and putting their creativity into action — and we’re proud to share that the event raised over $2500 for the charitable works of Catholic Care Wollongong.

Students from Kindergarten to Year 12 enjoyed the opportunity to purchase a wide range of delicious treats, many of which were made, packaged and marketed by our own students. The buzz around the stalls was fantastic, with colour, energy and plenty of persuasive selling!

While senior students, including Year 11, played a valuable role on the day, special credit goes to our Year 9 Commerce students, who led the planning and preparation. From developing product ideas to working in teams to design, produce and promote their items, they showed great initiative, teamwork and creativity. It was a strong example of real-world learning, with students applying key skills in a hands-on, meaningful way.

Thank you to everyone who supported the day, and a special thank you to Mrs Riley, Mrs Agostino-Gorgo and Mrs Collins for their guidance, encouragement and organisation behind the scenes.

PRAYER - A Prayer for the Month of August

Loving God,
As we begin the month of August, we give thanks for the beauty of creation and the example of St Francis of Assisi, who showed us how to live with humility, compassion, and deep trust in You.

We pray especially for our Year 12 students as they begin their Trial HSC exams. Grant them clarity of mind, strength in study, and calm during moments of stress. May they know that they are supported and loved by their families, teachers, and our whole College community.

In this time of winter’s quiet, may we each find moments to pause, reflect, and grow.

Help us, like St Francis, to be people of peace — gentle with others, generous in spirit, and committed to justice. We remember too the spirit of Blessed Edmund Rice, and all in our College community who seek to serve with courage and compassion.

We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

– Amen.

St Francis of Assisi — pray for us.

Blessed Edmund Rice — pray for us.

Live Jesus in our Hearts — forever!