Dear Parents & Friends,

On Friday our College stopped to celebrate the Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice. We started the morning with a Mass celebrated by Father Bosco and I am grateful for the many parents who attended.

Edmund Ignatius Rice was an Irishmen who grew up in the late 1700s, a time where English occupation prevented Catholics from celebrating Mass. Edmund was a very successful businessman and was deeply concerned about the significant numbers of poor youth who had little prospect of escaping poverty and living a good life.

Edmund was a man who had his fair share of tragedy in his life. His young wife died and he had to care for his daughter as a single father. He himself battled at times throughout his life with anxiety and depression. Edmund could have focused on his own problems. He could have easily complained or given up. But Edmund cared deeply about God and people. He lived the rule that Jesus spoke of in the Gospel of Luke 6:31   “Do to others as you would have them do to you”.

Edmund realised that he had a choice in life. He could let his past unfortunate circumstances affect his life, or he could strive to be better, do more for others and show care and love. Ultimately, Edmund was far happier focusing on the positives and helping others.

Edmund started a school to educate poor children. Quickly he realised that in order for them to be successful, he would need to feed and clothe them too. Edmund worked his business using his contacts and focused on making a better life for children, giving them skills that would see them get jobs and escape the poverty that they would otherwise be trapped in.

That is why on the Feast of Blessed Edmund Rice, the students of St Francis engaged in social justice activities after Mass. Just after Mass I gave a speech to the community that justice should be about doing for others what we would want done for ourselves. I suggested that you don't need a reason to be kind to people and encouraged everyone to make it a rule in your life. It isn’t always apparent on the outside what struggles people may be facing on the inside. What really matters is how we treat each other.

I presented a simple list of 15 suggestions and ideas of ways to be kind.  I told students and parents that I would publish this list in the newsletter and encouraged everyone to pick a couple and make a habit of doing them as often as you can.

So here is the list:

1. Smile and make someone's day a little sweeter
2. Look for ways you can promote peace
3. Just listen
4. Invite someone new into your friend tribe
5. Send out a kind email or card
6. Give someone a genuine compliment
7. Help clean up, without being asked, help someone out in a practical way
8. Hold open the door for the person behind you
9. Encourage a friend or family member when they are uncertain or
 unmotivated
10. Make peace with someone that has hurt you
11. Give your time to a friend or someone who needs it
12. Say “Thank You” and “Please” every day without fail
13. Say "I love you" a little more often to your family and friends
14. Pause before you speak and choose words with positive intention
15. Pick up any litter you see, even if its not yours

Let us be inspirational, like Edmund. He changed the lives of young people by setting up schools, providing education, clothing, food and shelter.

Let us dedicate ourselves to be kind as a way of life. 

Let us be more active in our efforts not because we have to, but because we want to. Not even because others have been kind to us but because being nice is the way of the heart.

Justice and kindness is always a choice. The more conditioned we are to respond with kindness, the more natural it becomes. It is on purpose with purpose.

Let us make the community of St Francis a kindness movement, and together we can make a difference, together we can change the world.

Happy Feast Day

Mr Simon Abernethy
College Principal

Dear Parents,

Important invitation to parents who would like to be involved in new Family College Partnerships.

Please click on the following link to hear an explanation and invitation to be involved.

Kind regards


Mr Simon Abernethy
College Principal

Thank you to all the students and parents/carers who have supported our Project Compassion Appeal this year.

Our total amount collected for Project Compassion was $3,725.90.

This is a great effort all round and a substantial improvement on last year's collection amount.

Thank you again for your support.

The College is selling a lightweight backpack ideal for excursions, sport carnivals etc.

If Parents/Carers would like to purchase the bag they are available from the College Finance Office at a cost of $10 each.

Otherwise you are able to put the money in an envelope with your child's name, class and "excursion bag" clearly marked on the envelope and we can send one home with your child/ren.

Dear Parents/Carers,

SFCC now is offering an option for you to be able to pay your school fees via credit card online.  

Simply go to the College website at http://www.sfccdow.catholic.edu.au select the "Payments and Fees" option in the top menu bar, and then enter your details under the "Payment" tab. 

Once you enter your details, your payment will then be processed by the College. 

Please do not hesitate to contact College Reception on 4645 3400 if you have any questions regarding the above.

Kind regards

Mrs Elizabeth Rickard
College Finance Officer

Woolworths Earn & Learn is back for 2019

Anyone can help our College earn valuable resources by collecting stickers to support SFCC when they shop at Woolworths, whether they’re staff, parents or friends.

With every $10 spent at Woolworths, one sticker is collected.

These can be placed onto the Earn & Learn sticker sheets
OR on the Earn & Learn Posters at the student entry door
on the College Reception verandah.

There are collection boxes at the Parent Counter and on the verandah at College Reception.

Thank you for your support!!

Congratulations to the following students who represented St Francis at the Diocesan Primary or Secondary Cross Country Championships:

During the School Holidays we held our first Code Camp.

The students had a great time and are keen to keep coding! You can view some of their happy feedback below:

Arielle: "I am so excited I bet I won't sleep tonight!"
Ethan: "it is so fun that i am for sure coming tomorrow"
Kaashvi: "It is a pleasure to be here because we can learn more info about tech."

We had a final attendance of 40 students! 

Code Camp will be return to St Francis Catholic College in the upcoming holidays so that our students can continue their coding journey, stay tuned for the dates. 

On Thursday, 10th April twelve students from Stage 3 represented St Francis Catholic College at the Cops and Kids NRL league tag shield day. All of the students played with both skill and sportsmanship.

As each game progressed the students grew in confidence coming away with two victories from their four games and finished third in their pool. All of the students who were involved in the day should be proud of their efforts and the way that they represented the College.

Students who participated in the day were:

Zach H
Jack H
Nikolas K
Ella L
Panteley M
Karina M
Aidan N
Gabriella S
Dominic S
Kiahna F
Paige M
Mariah V

Did you know that our Newsletter can be translated into other languages?

Please do not hesitate to give our translator a go.