We welcome (and/or welcome back) all students to St Francis Catholic College and the commencement of our 2023 school year. It has been wonderful to see the smiling faces of the students as they return to our grounds and classrooms.

Personally, starting at Saint Francis Catholic College has been very rewarding and I am thankful for the warm greeting I have received from staff, students and families.

Our College, now in its seventh year, has already established an impressive reputation; one from which we will continue to build. 

At this week’s Opening Mass for the new school year, I reminded students of the importance of allowing their light to shine. This is in keeping with our liturgical theme we have chosen for 2023.

There are numerous passages from the New Testament, which emphasise that the various God-given talents which our children possess should not be hidden, but rather celebrated, developed, and activated in their everyday lives. By doing so, students will be able to live a mentality of driving toward their personal best and adding to the lives of their peers, their families, and as they grow, the world around them.

We have a rich opportunity at St Francis Catholic College to achieve a great deal and I’m very excited to be a part of this community. I look forward to meeting families and working together for the greater good of our College community and beyond.

BUSES

This week on Compass I sent out a letter to families of students who travel to school and home by bus. 

With our considerable growth in recent years, it is only natural that additional services and buses are needed to transport our students on a daily basis. As such, until additional services and/or buses are provided, I encourage families to reach out to both Interline buses, and/or their local politicians to mount our case. 

Do share your experiences of your children’s travel to and from school. Additionally, I strongly seek your support to ensure that your child not only has an Opal Card but that they scan this every time they enter or alight a bus. Additional information about this issue will be provided in future communications home.

NEW STAFF

As I  mentioned in a recent letter to our community, there have been a number of changes to the structure of and the personnel within the College this year.

2023 College Executive:

• Mr Matthew McMahon - Principal
• Mrs Melissa Vella - Deputy Principal
• Mrs Rita Agostino - Assistant Principal - Teaching & Learning
• Mrs Alexandra Mediati - Assistant Principal - RE, Identity & Mission
• Mrs Jennifer Lowe - Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care
• Mr Michael O’Brien - Leader - Administration & Events

Existing staff in new roles this year:

• Mrs Melissa Vella (Deputy Principal)
• Mrs Rita Agostino (Assistant Principal - Teaching & Learning)
• Mr Mitchell Baker (Year 7 Coordinator)
• Mrs Angela Bennett (Leader of Creative & Performing Arts)
• Miss Laura Killen (Acting Yr 9 Coordinator) replacing Mrs Nadia Greci (returning  in Term 3)
• Miss Amber Meadley (VET Coordinator)
• Miss Kristine Micallef (Sports Coordinator K-6)
• Miss Emma Randall (Acting Year 10 Coordinator)
• Mrs Courtney Spencer (Leader of English 5-12) replacing Mrs Moore (returning  in Term 2)

We also have a large number of staff joining us:

Staff joining the College in 2023:

• Mr Matthew McMahon (Principal)
• Mrs Jennifer Lowe (Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care)
• Mr Adam Moore (Leader of Curriculum Years 5-12)
• Miss Isabella Agostino (HSIE Teacher 5-12)
• Miss Christina Acitelli (Job Share role K-6)
• Mr Edin Avdic (School Support Officer- Grounds/Maintenance)
• Ms Tanya Beslic (English Teacher 5-12)
• Mrs Daniela Borkovic (Leader of HSIE Years 5-12)
• Mr Suneil Buck (Numeracy Coordinator K-4 & class teacher of Year 4 Red)
• Mr George Bounos (Year 3 Red)
• Miss Maryanne Bulfon (Year 3 Blue)
• Miss Anna Castagnella (English Teacher 5-12)
• Mrs Estelle Standley Centorrino (PPT Teacher K-4)
• Mrs Maria Dao (Science Teacher 5-12)
• Ms Catherine Davis (Indentured Casual & Science)
• Mrs Thuy Duong (Mathematics Teacher 5-12)
• Mrs Silvia Dzierzak (School Support Officer- Finance)
• Miss Joanne Griffin (Indentured Casual)
• Mr David Iodice (Indentured Casual 0.6)
• Mrs Megan King (Executive Release Year 4 Red & Large Class Support)
• Miss Stephanie Kingsley (Middle Years Teacher)
• Mr Roger Lee (Creative & Performing Arts Teacher 5-12)
• Mr Lachlan Opalnuik (HSIE Teacher 5-12)
• Miss Stephanie Mosca (Executive Release Year 4 Green & Large Class Support)
• Miss Caitlin Refalo (Mathematics Teacher 5-12)
• Mr Jarryd Rolfe (Year 2 Green)
• Mrs Janelle Seymour (School Support Officer- Administration & Events)
• Mr Daniel Yokhanna (TAS Teacher 7-12)

We are delighted that they can join our St Francis Catholic College community.

Year 12 2022 HSC Performance

In the coming weeks our High Achievers from our first College Year 12 cohort of 2022 will be celebrated at the College.

Whilst our first cohort was quite small, it’s wonderful to hear so many good news stories about academic achievements and post-school opportunities made available to our students. 

To have over 80% of our students offered university placements, and then to have so many apprenticeships/traineeships or employment opportunities offered to our students is a wonderful achievement.

I congratulate the Year 12 cohort of 2022, and all Year 12 teachers (and teachers/staff across Years 7-11) who assisted them across their academic journey.

The Beatitudes… A Call to Action

The gospel passage from last Sunday week is the well-known Beatitudes. In Matthew’s Gospel, it is placed early in Jesus’ public ministry outlining the qualities God desires for us to embrace, the way we are blessed. These are:

• wisdom (poor in spirit)
• empathy (those who mourn)
• humility (the meek)
• justice (those who hunger for righteousness)
• mercy (the merciful)
• service (the pure in heart)
• peace (the peacemakers)
• courage (those who are persecuted for righteousness)

We acknowledge that as people who live in hope and relationship with God, we strive to reach these ideals both for ourselves and for all people. There is an inherent co-mission in this discourse - how will each of us respond to our neighbour so that the reign of God is realised through our presence and actions?

Where am I called to be wise and courageous?

What spiritual practices do I embrace to grow in wisdom?

How am I empathetic and merciful to those I encounter?

Where do I hear and see the cries for justice and peace?

How does my humility allow me to serve and respond?

When you next pray in the words that Jesus gave us, commit yourself to help construct a society where the beatitudes are realised:

‘Your Kingdom come, Yours will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’

• (Courtesy of Catholic Education, Wollongong)

Mr Matthew McMahon
College Principal