From the Principal

In my first years as Principal, our senior students had an incredibly different school experience. For two years, the COVID pandemic forced us all to pivot to online learning. But this has in no way held back our graduates. 

Below is a wonderful update from a former parent on her daughter Amy (Class of 2022). We love hearing about the diverse pathways our alumni take and are delighted that Amy is thriving. We wish her continued success and happiness in Queensland.

If you would like to share news about our alumni, we would love to hear from you.

Following her own path: Amy's Queensland adventure

Sometimes the best opportunities come from unexpected places.

After leaving St Francis Catholic College, Amy applied to join Victoria Police and patiently waited for the recruitment process to unfold. In the meantime, she decided to move to Queensland to gain work experience and enjoy a new adventure.

While living in Queensland, Amy also applied to join the state's police service. Before long, she had successfully completed the Queensland Police Academy and commenced her career as a police officer, well before receiving an offer from Victoria Police.

Amy has since made Queensland her home and is thoroughly enjoying both her career and lifestyle. She has established a strong network of friends and is flourishing in her new community.

Adding to the St Francis connection, fellow alumnus Jaxson, who serves in the Australian Army, is also based in Queensland. The pair have remained great friends, supporting one another as they build successful careers serving their communities.

Away from work, Amy continues to nurture her artistic talents. She still enjoys painting and drawing, proving that creativity can flourish alongside a demanding career in policing.

Inter Dominion Championships

We're so proud of Year 8 Melton Campus student Madeline, who recently competed in a race at the prestigious Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championships on 18 July.

Madeline and her miniature horse Minnie, who stands at just eight hands, competed in one of the many trot races held during the event at Albion Park in Brisbane. Despite placing tenth on the day, Madeline said it was a great experience.

The Inter Dominion is widely regarded as the pinnacle of harness racing in Australasia and is often compared to the Melbourne Cup in the harness racing world. 

To qualify for and compete in this event is a fantastic achievement and reflects Madeline's dedication, commitment and talent.

Ballarat ACU Step-Up Program graduates

Congratulations also to Year 12 students Rob and Izzy who both recently graduated from ACU's Ballarat Campus Step-Up Program having completed the Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine course. 

We wish them well for their future studies.

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus

Parents and Friends Association Meeting

The next meeting of the Parents and Friends Association will be held online next Tuesday 4 August from 7pm.

The association comprises representatives from both campuses, and new members are always welcome.

Please contact me via email at arowley@sfcc.vic.edu.au for the Teams link.

Year 7 2028 Enrolments Due

A reminder that applications for Year 7 2028 are due on Friday 14 August.

If your child is in Grade 5 and you would like them to attend the College, please get your application in as soon as possible. Demand for places is high and if you submit an application after 14 August, it will be classed as late and you may be placed on a wait list. 

This also applies to current families.

Please also note that applications that are missing documents will be considered late if the documents are not provided before 14 August. 

If you need help to complete your application, please email enrolments@sfcc.vic.edu.au.

NAPLAN Results

The 2026 NAPLAN Individual Student Reports for all Year 7 and Year 9 students have been released and were posted to families last week. 

If you have not yet received your child's NAPLAN report, please check your mail over the coming days. If your report has still not arrived, please contact the College on 8099 6000 so that we can assist you.

We would like to sincerely thank our Year 7 and Year 9 students for their positive participation and effort throughout the NAPLAN assessments. 

We also extend our appreciation to our families for their ongoing support and encouragement, which plays an important role in our students' success.

Thank you once again for your continued partnership with the College.

Academic Recall Process Update

Following a review of our Academic Recall attendance data, the College has introduced several changes to the Academic Recall process. 

These changes are designed to support the timely completion of assessment tasks, improve flexibility for students and teachers, and ensure a consistent approach across our campuses.

Years 7–9

From Monday 3 August, Academic Recall will no longer operate for students in Years 7–9. Instead, any missed assessments or outstanding assessment tasks will be managed directly by each student's classroom teacher.

This change provides greater flexibility for teachers to arrange appropriate times for students to complete assessment tasks within their regular learning program. 

Classroom teachers will communicate directly with students regarding any missed assessments and the arrangements for their completion.

Years 10–12

Academic Recall will continue for students in Years 10–12, with the following changes taking effect from Monday 3 August.

• The notification period for Academic Recall will be reduced from seven days to 48 hours.
• Students with an unexplained absence will have one opportunity to attend an Academic Recall session.
• Students who provide a medical certificate will be given appropriate time upon their return to school to complete any missed assessment tasks.

These changes aim to increase the timely completion of assessment tasks, reduce delays in assessment completion, and maintain a consistent and effective Academic Recall process across the College.

Thank you for your continued support in helping your child meet their academic responsibilities.

Mamma Mia! Thrills Audiences

Mamma Mia! hit the stage in our Performing Arts Centre last week with four incredible shows entertaining audiences across three days. 

After nine months of hard work, dedication, and rehearsals, the cast, crew, student musicians, and production team brought this beloved story and ABBA's music to life with high energy, talent, and commitment. 

We would like to thank the parents, families, friends and wider community who supported our students throughout this journey and helped make each performance so special, especially those who embraced the Mamma Mia! spirit by singing, dancing and getting up on their feet in the crowd!

We are incredibly proud of every student involved and grateful to the staff and production team whose countless hours of work made the show possible. 

Mamma Mia! was a true celebration of our students and community, showcasing their outstanding talents and the wonderful things that can be achieved when we work together. 

Tree Planting at Melton Campus

Last Friday , our Melton Campus student leaders came together to plant trees as a meaningful way to contribute to and care for the natural environment. 

Each tree represents one of our school houses, creating a lasting legacy that students will watch grow and flourish throughout their years at school. 

As the trees take root and mature, they serve as a powerful symbol of the personal growth, resilience, and leadership that our students will develop during their educational journey.

Beyond its environmental significance, this special occasion reflects the values of the Franciscan Charism. 

Inspired by St Francis of Assisi's deep respect for all of creation, the tree planting reminds us of our shared responsibility to care for the Earth as stewards of God's gifts. 

It also highlights the importance of community, hope, and leaving a positive legacy for future generations. 

Through this act of service, our student leaders demonstrated their commitment to living out Franciscan values by nurturing both the environment and the spirit of our school community.

Students Begin BrainSTEM Innovation Program

Our Year 7 and 8 High Ability students have begun this year's BrainSTEM High Ability Mentoring Program, with launch sessions held at the Cobblebank campus on 14 July and Melton on 22 July. 

This year, 21 students from Cobblebank and 24 from Melton are participating, with the Melton campus joining the program for a second consecutive year.

The opening workshop introduced students to the Design Thinking process through a series of hands-on Lego challenges that encouraged creativity, collaboration and problem-solving. Although the concept was unfamiliar to many, students quickly embraced the challenge, testing ideas, refining their thinking and working together to develop practical solutions.

Students were also introduced to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), exploring how global issues such as poverty, inequality, conflict and access to education affect communities around the world. 

What became clear during these discussions was that many students were already thinking deeply about these issues and were eager to explore how innovative ideas can contribute to positive change.

Over the next six weeks, students will work alongside industry mentors to investigate real challenges within their communities before designing and presenting their own solutions. 

Along the way, they will further develop their skills in critical thinking, collaboration, communication and innovation while gaining valuable experience in presenting their ideas to others.

The first workshops set an enthusiastic tone for the program, with students across both campuses demonstrating curiosity, initiative and a genuine willingness to challenge their own thinking. 

We look forward to following their progress as their ideas continue to evolve over the coming weeks.

BrainSTEM at Melton Campus

BrainSTEM at Cobblebank Campus

VCE Study Session

Our VCE Unit 3/4 students are invited to attend a study session and pizza afternoon on Wednesday 5 August, from 3pm to 5pm in the Padua building.

Staff members from a range of faculties – English, History, PE, Health and Human Development, Business Management, Legal Studies, VET Sport and Rec, English Language, Maths, Science, Technologies, and Psychology – will be in attendance to support students as they prepare for their upcoming SACs and end-of-year exams.

This is a valuable opportunity for students to work collaboratively with their peers and teachers in a focused, supportive environment.

To keep energy levels up, pizza will be provided for all students attending.

We ask that students be collected promptly at 5pm. They will be able to exit the College via Gate 6 at the front of the school.

We look forward to seeing many of our students take advantage of this session as they continue to work towards their academic goals.

Join the Europe Trip in 2027

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Lawrence House Mass

Last Wednesday, students and staff of Lawrence House from both campuses came together to celebrate the Feast Day of St Lawrence of Brindisi by attending a special Mass at St Catherine of Siena Church. 

It was a meaningful opportunity to pause and reflect on the life of St Lawrence, whose deep faith, compassion, and commitment to serving others continue to inspire our house values each day. 

The reverence and respect shown by students throughout the Mass were wonderful and helped create a peaceful and quiet space, where we could reflect on the spirit and values that St Lawrence demonstrated and the ways in which he continues to inspire many people every day.

Library News

With August just around the corner, students have only 30 days remaining to finish reading and logging books for the Premier's Reading Challenge. 

Our students have made a fantastic start, with 316 books already read and logged through the portal, and two students have successfully completed the challenge. 

Congratulations to these dedicated readers, and we encourage all participants to keep reading and recording their progress before the challenge closes.

NAIDOC Week

During NAIDOC Week, the Library celebrated with a fun and creative weaving activity held during the Big Break. 

Students tried their hand at weaving by decorating their own cardboard shapes, exploring a traditional art practice. 

It was a wonderful way to celebrate culture, encourage creativity, and create something unique. Thank you to all students who participated and helped make the activity such a success.

Happy reading!

Sports Update

Melton Senior Sport

Melton Year 9 Premier League

Cobblebank Year 9 Premier League

Exford Road Closure - Traffic and Train Disruptions

Exford Road, between Brooklyn Road and Staughton Street, will close to traffic from 7pm on Tuesday 11 August to 7am on Monday 31 August as part of the Melton Level Crossing Removal Project.

Access for pedestrians will be maintained at Exford Road and around the station precinct. Detours will be in place via Richard Road to the north and Wilson Road to the south. Please see the map and further information below.

There will also be service changes on the Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough train lines from the first service on Wednesday 12 August to the last service on Monday 31 August. For more information and to plan your journey, visit transport.vic.gov.au.

Community Notices

Parent workshop

Melton Young Communities Youth Fest

Tuning into teens - parent online webinar