As we reach the end of Term 3, I want to take a moment to reflect on our students' achievements and growth over the past few months. This term has been marked by dedication, creativity, and a strong sense of community. 

Celebrating Our Year 12 Graduates

The last few days have been particularly special as we have celebrated the Year 12 Graduation of our 2024 cohort. From the sincere speeches at the final assembly to the farewell mass and additional heartfelt speeches and events at the awards evening, it was a time of both joy and reflection. Our graduates have set an inspiring example for the younger students, showing resilience, determination, and compassion throughout their journey. We are incredibly proud of each one of them and pray for their success in the HSC and future endeavours.

STEM MAD Competition Triumph

I am thrilled to announce that our students have shone brightly in the annual STEM MAD (Make a Difference) Competition. The Following students have been selected to represent the Wollongong Diocese at the STEM MAD exhibition in Brisbane! From Year 6 the Polygon team of Juan J, Austin M, Jaden T and Raunav G have been chosen and Year 12 student Zack C has been selected for his Enviro-Straw Project.

Our students will then compete against STEM projects from around Australia.

The students’ dedication and talent is a testament to the importance of problem-solving and using technology to overcome real-world problems to make a positive difference in the world. We wish our students every success next term.

Christmas Art Competition

Looking ahead to the festive season, our talented Year 5 and 6 students took part in the Diocesan Christmas Art Competition, showcasing vibrant creativity and expressions of faith. I’m pleased to announce that four of the six entries have been chosen to be displayed in the Wollongong Art Gallery in the lead-up to the holiday season. 

We congratulate: Lexi N- Yr 5, Hailey P- Yr 5, Elyssa S - Yr 6 and Annalise A- Yr 6 who have all been selected with their entries further going into a Diocesan-wide competition against 44 other entries.

We are proud of our students’ artistic achievements, and this recognition is a wonderful affirmation of their hard work and inspiration. I also commend our staff who have been incredibly supportive and guided them throughout.

A Refreshing Break Ahead

As we prepare for the break, I encourage all students and staff to rest and rejuvenate. Term 4 will bring new challenges and opportunities, and it is important to return refreshed and ready to engage enthusiastically. Let’s approach the next term with renewed energy and a shared commitment to achieving our best in all areas.

Enjoy your well-earned break, and I look forward to welcoming you all back for Term 4.

Prayer for Gratitude and Renewal

Heavenly Father, We thank You for the grace that has carried us through this term. For the opportunities to learn, grow, and serve, we are grateful. As we prepare for the rest and reflection of the holidays, renew our spirits and minds. May we return with hearts ready to embrace the new term and continue to strive for excellence in all we do. 

Through Christ, our Lord, 

–Amen.

We are extremely pleased to announce that the St Francis Mock Trial team have been successful in the second elimination round against MLC Burwood. It was a competitive round, however our students demonstrated excellent teamwork, tenacity and great sportsmanship, leading to their victory. 

We wish students all the very best as they proceed into the quarter finals, where 8 schools remain. St Francis is the only Western Sydney school to remain in the competition. 

What is Mock Trial? 

The Mock Trial competition is a program that aims to introduce students to the NSW judicial system by providing practical experience into the running of a court case in a true-to-life adversarial setting. It has been organised by the Law Society of New South Wales since 1981, and is open to all schools across NSW. 

Mock Trial Teachers
Mrs Riley, Ms Caltabiano, Ms Agostino

Rachita G (Year 10) , Isabella P (Year 11), Thalia S (Year 11), Samriddhi B (Year 11), Jessica N (Year 11), Maame G (Year 11) Irene D (Year 11 - passive role) 

On Monday, 16th September, the NSWCCC Athletics Championships took place at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre, bringing together students from Catholic schools across the state for a day of exciting competition. Representing St Francis Catholic College were two standout athletes, Taylah P and Lucas M, who both competed in multiple events.

Taylah P gave a strong performance in the 13 Year Girls 100m and 200m events, finishing 5th in the 100m and 4th in the 200m. Meanwhile, Lucas M took on the 13 Year Boys 200m and 400m, finishing 7th in the 200m and impressively securing 2nd place in the 400m.

We are incredibly proud of both students for their hard work and dedication. Congratulations on your fantastic achievements, Taylah and Lucas! We look forward to seeing what next year has in store for you!

The Year 9/10 MISA netball showed commitment and enthusiasm every Tuesday afternoon versing other schools within the Macarthur region. The girls had a competitive and enjoyable season as they displayed teamwork and supported each other both on the court and off. The girls dedication and determination to the team cannot go unnoticed. They showed improvements every week and I congratulations the girls on their hard work and sportsmanship throughout the term. 

MISA Coach 
Miss Acitelli 

MISA Year 7-9 Girls Soccer

The Year 7-9 Girls Soccer Team had an incredible season, being undefeated all the way to the grand final against Oran Park Anglican College. The girl's passion for soccer, dedication and skills, shone through every game, and they improved to become a strong, vibrant team. The girls played brilliantly in the grand final, which was an intense, highly emotional battle that went into extra time. The game ultimately ended in a penalty shootout, and we unfortunately didn’t come away with a win, but their effort and spirit were undeniable.

I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of these talented girls. Both as a team and as individuals, they displayed unwavering determination throughout the entire season. Despite not winning the grand final, they should hold their heads high for an amazing achievement.

Mrs Melissa Christian
MISA Coach

MISA Year 7-9 Boys Soccer

The Year 9 and 10 soccer team had a solid term, showing outstanding teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Whether it was their skillful footwork, precise passing, or determined defense, the team displayed remarkable growth throughout the season. Every player brought something unique to the field, despite being the first time playing together. As the season wraps up, we want to congratulate every player for their dedication and hard work. We look forward to building on this season next year!

Mr Dominic Fricot
MISA Coach

On Thursday, 29th August, the Year 9 Commerce students hosted their market stalls to the St Francis community, showcasing their exceptional entrepreneurial and customer service skills. 

As a requirement of this assessment task, each group developed their own business idea, and had the opportunity to sell their products to students across all stages - Junior, Middle, and Senior Years. There was a wide variety of products on offer, such as slime, fairy floss, icecream, smoothies, pizzas and brownies. 

Year 9 students demonstrated enthusiasm and collaboration, as they actively engaged with customers to promote and sell their goods. The event was well-received by the entire St Francis community, drawing considerable attention and participation. By the end of the day, the market stalls generated an impressive total of over $3,500 in sales, marking a successful outcome for our Year 9 Entrepreneurs. All profits will be donated to the Make a Wish Foundation, a charity nominated by the Year 9 Cohort. 

We would like to thank the St Francis community for their support with this initiative.

 
Ms Caltabiano, Ms Agostino, Mr Sacca 
Year 9 Commerce Teachers

On Friday, the 20th of September, Stage 3 students represented SFCC at the Minto Indoor Sports Centre where we played basketball. We arrived at 8:00am at the centre, before all the other schools. It was very silent in the stadium at first, then it was filled with all our excitement and joy.

Soon lots of schools started flooding into the stadium and students started getting ready with pre - game warm ups and training with their coaches to reach their full potential before the games even started. Our lovely and supportive teachers started getting us ready with pep talks and tips to keep our positive mindsets ready and steady for each of our games. They made sure that we all knew that this day was just to have fun. Even though we all wanted to win. Miss Laskaris (one of the team coaches) was stretching and warming up with us. Miss Meli gave us good luck as well as a pep talk. Then we went back to practising and shooting as Miss Laskaris and Mrs Cox got their first shots in.

There were 4 courts all together and first up was the year 5 girls, and we were all split up in teams of 4, each game was 12 minutes long. When we first started we shot a few shots and we were ahead by a few scores, as we were celebrating mid - game. Soon the last seconds we're going down. 10, 9, 8, 7 SFCC were nearly the loudest in the courts cheering us on, but then the buzzer went. 

After that the boys had their first games and they were as excited as the girls were. Their roaring and cheering overtook the whole stadium as it echoed with laughter and joy. The boys were going left to right, and it was very difficult to keep track of where they were. After that we were yelling and cheering their names as the last seconds hit. The next coming matches were a toss up of winning and losing but it was so much fun spending a day with our supportive teachers and passionate friends playing a sport we all love.

It is so much fun having all these experiences in Year Five, it makes it so memorable as it was so incredible competing and creating memories that will last a lifetime at SFCC.

The End of Our Basketball Adventure!

By: Kia And Sofia - 5 Red

Our Year 5 excursion to the Botanic Gardens that took place on Friday, the 13th of September had begun with an exciting bus ride, filled with eager anticipation for the day ahead. Upon arrival, we briefly took a short break before splitting into our class groups for a lively debate on whether the Botanical Garden should implement back-burning practices. This engaging discussion set the stage for our learning journey and also encouraged critical thinking among the students and to acknowledge environmental issues. 

After lunch, we went to a lab to learn about various geographic and scientific instruments that are commonly used in both Geography and Science curriculums such as doing Kestrel readings to discover the temperature, wind speed, wind exposure, depth of leaf litter and how damp the surface of the ground is. The lesson also covered how these tools help geographers and scientists monitor ecological changes and preserve natural habitats. 

Additionally, we went on a fascinating walk through the depths of the plains, where we mapped the woodland of evident human impact such as soil erosion, introduced species, littering, and infrastructure. This was thrilling for many students as 5 Blue even saw two kangaroos! We then explored the gardens, noting the diverse species of flowers and the different textures of leaves, including their colours and patterns. We took time to examine how each plant species adapted to its environment.

During our walk through the Botanic Gardens, we captured the unique beauty of the exotic leaves and rare plant species by drawing their intricate patterns and distinctive forms. Our day concluded with a comparison of desert and tropical areas, which provided valuable insights into how flora and fauna thrive in varied conditions. After a fulfilling day of learning and exploration, we returned to school, enriched by our experiences. 

On behalf of Year 5,
Vivian E, Hailey P & Katherina D

Book Week - 26th August 2024

This year, St Francis’ Catholic College proudly celebrated Book Week 2024, centred around the theme ‘Reading is Magic’. On the 26th of August, our annual book week parade took place where the school community came together to celebrate the love of reading!

Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 brought the theme to life with their incredible costumes. The creativity on display was truly magical - wizards, fairy tale heroes, and fantastical creatures all paraded proudly around the school hall. Each student embodied their favourite characters, making the magic of reading tangible for everyone to see. A massive thank you to our judges, Mrs Jeymour, Mrs Peet and Mrs McDonald who had the toughest job of selecting our runner up and our winners of each grade. It was definitely a difficult decision.

Congratulations to our winners and runners up of each grade.

The celebrations didn’t stop at the parade. The school community was invited into our classrooms to do a fun activity on each grade selected CBCA Award-Winning Picture Book. Families were also welcomed to view our new Library that opened in Week 5 of Term 3. What a fantastic time to open up our new facility with such an event! Families then joined our students during break 1 for a picnic on our new playground ‘The Green’ and ‘Junior Years Undercroft’. It was wonderful to have our families join us in the school community.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated and helped make this year’s Book Week such a memorable success. The magic of reading continues, and we look forward to carrying this excitement forward into the rest of the school year.

Lauren Meli
Acting Literacy Coordinator

Diocesan Athletics - Sport

At the beginning of this term, our selected athletes competed and represented our college at the next stage of our primary athletics competing against other Wollongong diocesan schools. It was a fantastic day watching the sportsmanship of our SFCC athletes encouraging and motivating each other to do their best. It was a tough competition but all of our students did a wonderful job.

Congratulations to the following students who made it through to the next level.

Mackenzie K - Discus

Phoebe S - Long Jump

Lewis M - 200m 

Alyssa B - Discus

Phoebe, Lewis and Mackenzie went on to compete again at our athletics selection trials at Beaton Park. Although they were unsuccessful they made SFCC proud with their sportsmanship.

Soccer Gala Day

In week 6, some students attended the diocese Soccer Gala Day, and what a fantastic day it turned out to be! From the first whistle to the final goal, students from SFCC showcased their soccer skills, teamwork and sports spirit in a day filled with excitement and energy. Each team was able to demonstrate some impressive footwork, defence strategies and brilliant goals! The sound of cheering supporters filled the air as the students, teachers and parents enthusiastically cheered for their teams.

One of the highlights of the day was the incredible sportsmanship displayed by all the students that attend. It was heartwarming to see players offering high-fives, congratulating each other, and playing fairly. Our school values of respect, teamwork and resilience were on full display throughout the event. 

Special thanks to Miss Messina, Mrs Bryan, Mrs Teuma who attended to support the students in the event as well as our awesome parent helpers Mrs Pellegrino and Mrs Mangos.

We are looking forward to this event next year! Well done!

Lauren Meli
K-6 Sports Coordinator

Earlier this year Tejas A from Year 11 submitted his own music composition into the International Youth Music Competitions where he competed against other young composers world wide. Tejas won third prize in his category for his song titled, "King of Curses". You can have a listen to Tejas' award winning music composition via the QR Code.

On Wednesday 18th September we had 14 students represent St Francis Catholic College at the Cops and Kids League Tag Competition. The team remained undefeated throughout the competition, narrowly missing a spot in the semifinals due to points difference in the for-and-against tally.  A massive thank you to Mr Balzarano who provided invaluable feedback to the students in training sessions and assisting at the event.

Hayden T