From the Principal

The past week has been one of the most difficult our St Francis Catholic College community has experienced in recent times, as we grieve the loss of Nilara, a much-loved member of our Year 12 cohort.

Nilara was a valued member of our community and a past student of St Anthony’s Primary School. She was an academically gifted and confident young woman who brought her unique qualities to St Francis and recently participated in our 4Cs Showcase.

At this time of profound sadness, our thoughts and prayers are especially with her parents, Hakkini and Kalum, and her sister Niyumi, a Year 10 student at our Cobblebank Campus.

As a Principal, I have been incredibly blessed to be supported by such a caring and compassionate community. At times like this, we see what it truly means to be part of a Catholic community. Students have cared for one another, staff have gone above and beyond to support our young people, and families have reached out with kindness and compassion.

I would also like to sincerely thank the many schools, organisations and individuals who contacted us to offer their support. Your messages, prayers and offers of assistance have meant a great deal to our College.

Our Catholic faith reminds us that we do not face moments of sorrow alone. We walk together, we pray together, and we support one another. The strength of our faith community has been particularly evident during these difficult days.

While our normal routines will resume this week, we know that grief does not simply disappear when routines return. Our students and staff will continue to be supported, and we will remain attentive to those who may need additional care in the weeks ahead.

I encourage any student who is struggling to speak with their House Leader, Wellbeing Team or College counsellor. Families are also welcome to contact the College if they have concerns about their child or would like help to access further support.

Thank you to our students, staff and families for the compassion, patience and care you have shown one another. This is what it means to be part of the St Francis community — to stand beside one another, particularly when life is at its most challenging.

Please continue to keep Nilara, her family and all those who loved her in your prayers.

May she rest in peace.

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus

Dates to remember
Tuesday 13 October	Parents and Friends Association Meeting
Thursday 15 October	SFCC Art Exhibition, Performing Arts Centre, 6pm
Wednesday 21 October	Year 12 Breakfast Year 12 Graduation Mass and Ceremony
Wednesday 27 October	VCAA Exams begin
Friday 30 October	Class of 2016 Reunion @ Melton Campus
Monday 2 November	Student Study at Home Day
Tuesday 3 November	Melbourne Cup public holiday
Wednesday 4 November	Year 10 and 11 exams begin
Friday 6 November	Year 9 Exams (English and Maths only)
Thursday 12 November	Year 10 and 11 exams conclude
Friday 13 November	Student Study at Home Day
Monday 16 November	Jumpstart Program begins
Wednesday 18 November	VCAA Exam conclude

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus

Dates to remember
Wednesday 16 September	Parent Student Teacher Interviews - online from 4.30pm-7pm
Friday 18 September	Final day of Term 3 - students dismissed at 2.30pm
Monday 5 October	Term 4 begins
Monday 12 October	College Music and Awards Evening
Tuesday 13 October	Parents and Friends Association Meeting
Thursday 15 October	SFCC Art Exhibition, Performing Arts Centre, 6pm
Friday 30 October	Class of 2016 Reunion @ Melton Campus
Monday 2 November	Student Study at Home Day
Tuesday 3 November	Melbourne Cup public holiday
Wednesday 4 November	Year 10 exams begin
Friday 13 November	Student Study at Home Day
Monday 16 November	Jumpstart Program begins

Parents and Friends Meeting

The next meeting of our Parents and Friends Association will be held tonight, Tuesday 13 October, at the Cobblebank Campus from 7pm.

The meeting will be held in the conference room in the Yellow Building, and new members are always welcome.

VCAA exam reminders

VCAA exams will begin on Tuesday 27 October for our scored Unit 3/4 VCE students and will conclude on Wednesday 18 November.

The exam timetable is available below.

VCE examination timetable - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

Students must wear their school uniform for their VCAA exams and bring their school ID.

All students should meet in the Performing Arts Centre foyer at least 45 minutes before the scheduled start time of their exam.

Exams will be conducted in the Trade Training Centre. All students must remain in the exam room until the end of the exam.

Authorised materials and equipment

Students have been provided with the VCE Navigator 2026, which outlines the authorised materials and equipment for each exam. This information is alsw available below.

VCE Exams Navigator - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

Year 11 students

Year 11 students are expected to continue to attend their scheduled Unit 3/4 class. No student may leave school early if they have their Unit 3/4 class during period 4. Their teacher will be available to help with exam revision during this time.

Year 11 students who are undertaking a Unit 3/4 exam are permitted to have a study day (day off) the day before their VCAA exam unless that exam falls on a Monday. On the day of their exam, they are only expected to come to school 45 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Students must inform their Unit 2 teachers of their absence. Unit 3/4 exams take precedence over Unit 2 exams – students should see their House Leader to arrange an alternative time/day if there is a clash.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at clock@sfcc.vic.edu.au

Bicycle Safety on Campus

A reminder that students are not permitted to ride bikes through the school grounds.

The College encourages students to be physically active and provides bike racks for those who would like to cycle to school.

Safety is paramount; all students who ride bikes to and from school must wear an approved helmet and must walk their bikes once inside the school grounds.

All bikes should be locked onto the racks with a secure lock.

2026 Art Exhibition

We warmly invite you to attend the opening of the 2026 St Francis Catholic College Art Exhibition on Thursday 15 October from 6pm at the Melton Campus Performing Arts Centre.

The exhibition is the culmination of months of hard work, passion, and dedication by our Melton and Cobblebank students. It celebrates artistic expression and innovation while showcasing their creativity and talent.

The artwork on display will encompass a wide range of mediums, styles, and themes, offering a diverse and engaging experience that demonstrates work completed in Art and Design and Technology subjects.

Refreshments and finger food will be provided, and the official proceedings will begin at 7pm.

Artist, educator, and Art Gallery of Ballarat representative Pauline O’Shannessy will be our guest speaker on the night, and awards will be presented by our Principal, Marlene Jorgensen.

We look forward to welcoming you to our annual celebration of art and design at the College.

2027 Leadership Investiture - Melton Campus

Our 2027 Student Leadership Investiture was held on Monday to formally recognise the hard work and achievements of this year’s student leaders, induct our new leaders for 2027 and farewell our Year 12 graduating class.

The ceremony began with the Class of 2026 entering Sheehan Stadium together. There was also a presentation of their Year 7 and Year 12 photos.

The presentation was followed by an official handover ceremony.

On behalf of the 2026 Student Leadership Team, our College Captains, Erin Johnstone and Shameka Grero inducted the 2027 College Captains, Mariann Joseph and Archie Lock, who then made their leadership pledge on behalf of the 2027 Student Leadership Team.

This ceremony marks a moment of great pride and achievement for all our student leaders and their parents, guardians and teachers.

2027 Student Leadership Team

College Captains - Melton Campus	Mariann Joseph and Archie Lock
Faith and Mission Captains	Anna Thompson and Keighden Esguerra
Deputy Faith and Mission Captain	Reann Dupilas
Academic Captain	Harrison Marshall
Deputy Academic Captain	Krisha Devi
Environment Captain	Ekam Bawa
Deputy Environment Captain	Astrid Lanigan
Sports Captain	Lily Montebello and Talia D’Angelo
Deputy Sport Captain	Tom McLauchlan
Arts Captain	Isabella Sestoso
Deputy Arts Captain	Alisha Day
Culture Captain	Zachary Quijano
Deputy Culture Captain	Yashawini Saroe
Melton Campus House Captains
Anthony House	Captains: Riley Summers and Viliami Vaitohi Deputy Captain: Bridget Bairstow
Bakhita House	Captain: Tyrese Young Deputy Captains: Maddison Whelan
Bernard House	Captain: Kiana Barnett Deputy Captains: Leila Eckhardt and Darcy Bennett
Catherine House	Captain: Biannkah Borg Deputy Captains: Renee Furtado and Danielle Mifsud
Dominic House	Captain: Ethan Brazsell Deputy Captains: Benji Saliba and Franchesca Guinto
Glowrey House	Captain: Atem Deng Deputy Captains: Edie Todd and Lily Franksen
Lawrence House	Captain: Melanie Farrugia Deputy Captain: Olivia Cunningham
MacKillop House	Captains: Gabriella Valentine and Athiak Majok

Melton STEM Club Students Prepare for State Competition

Our STEM Club students have been hard at work designing their model solar car. 

This week, they moved from design to construction. Students have started to build their car and create their own test track in preparation for the Model Solar Car Challenge at Scienceworks on Sunday 25 October.

New members are always welcome, and we hope to enter more than one car next year. The club meets on Wednesdays during Big Break and after school from 3.10pm to 4.15pm in GL105, the senior Physics lab. 

Students who would like to join can email Mr Wu at awu@sfcc.vic.edu.au or Mr Rowley at jrowley@sfcc.vic.edu.au.

Students Excel in International Academic Challenge

Two of our Year 8 students have ranked in the top 11 per cent of participants in the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS), an independent, internationally recognised academic challenge for students.

Year 8 Melton student Georgia received a Distinction certificate in the Writing competition, while Year 8 Cobblebank student Ayaan also achieved a Distinction in the Mathematics competition.

ICAS gives students an opportunity to test their skills, stretch their thinking, and be recognised for achievements beyond the ordinary boundaries of schoolwork.

Each year, students from Australia, New Zealand, and 40 other countries around the world take part in ICAS tests across six literacy and STEM subjects. 

This year, students from our High Ability Program at both campuses took part in the challenge.

We’re proud of all students who took part - they went above and beyond, giving up personal time and making up missed classes to tackle extra, rigorous testing. 

All students receive participation certificates, marking their success in completing the challenge. 

We also congratulate those who gained merit and credit certificates - a great achievement for first-time entrants!

Melton Campus

Writing

Georgia Bregman (Year 8) - Distinction

Sabina (Year 7) - Credit

Blake (Year 7) - Credit

Parker (Year 7) - Credit

Janella (Year 8) - Credit

Antonio (Year 8) - Merit

English

Eni (Year 7) - Credit

Ruby (Year 9) - Credit

Mathematics:

Kaiden (Year 7) - Credit

Mikhail (Year 8) - Credit

Josep (Year 9) - Credit

Blake (Year 7) - Merit

Certificates of participation were also awarded in various categories to the following students:

English: Eva and Zoe. 

Mathematics: Finley, Nandana and Anabelle.

Science: Will. 

Writing: Nolan, Eveyln, Zoe, Dominic, Jade and Sheen.

Cobblebank Campus

Science

Aphrodite (Year 7) - Credit

Ayaan (Year 8) - Credit

Zephan (Year 8) - Credit

Selena (Year 7) - Merit

Writing

Ayanna (Year 7) - Credit

Bernardo (Year 8) - Credit

English

Zoey (Year 8) - Credit

Selena (Year 7) - Merit

Enzo (Year 7) – Merit

Mathematics

Ayaan (Year 8) - Distinction

Certificates of participation were also awarded in various categories to the following students:

Science: Teerdah, Ayanna, Bhaumik, Hargun, Kaitlyn, Aphrodite, Anoopjeet, Bernardo and Lucas. 

Writing: Eloise, Kaitlyn, Selena, Teerdah, Anoopjeet, and Zoey. 

English: Gurdarshan, Nathaniel, Teerdah, Elaina and Faith. 

Mathematics: Teerdah, Ayanna, Bhaumik, Hargun, Kaitlyn, Aphrodite, Anoopjeet, Bernardo and Zephan.

Cyber Safe Classroom Program

As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety and wellbeing, St Francis Catholic College has successfully introduced the MACS Cyber Safe Classroom program into the Year 7 and 8 pastoral program. 

Through age-appropriate lessons and discussions, students are developing greater awareness of online safety, respectful digital behaviour, cyberbullying, privacy, digital wellbeing and the responsible use of emerging technologies. 

The program reinforces the values of responsibility, integrity, strength, and empathy, helping students make safer, more respectful choices online. 

Parents and guardians are encouraged to continue these important conversations at home, as a strong partnership between families and the College is essential in helping young people navigate an increasingly complex digital world.

Thank You SFCC

At the end of last term, two minivans full of donations from our Winter Homelessness Appeal were delivered to our local Vinnies store.

Assistant managers Alison and Robyn were overwhelmed by the generous contributions from our College community.

Sincere thanks to everyone who donated, and to our students for their hard work sorting and packing items for delivery.

SACCSS Cricket Blast Runners-Up

Cricketers from both campuses converged on Salesian College on Friday for the SACCSS Girls Cricket Blast day.

The tournament aims to promote interest in cricket and build basic skills in a fun, low-pressure environment.

The Melton team finished runners-up to Thomas Carr College, 80-120, after securing three consecutive wins against Marymede South Morang,161-47, Emmanuel College, 131-76, and Salesian College, 125-79.

Shameka Grero was awarded Best Player in the Grand Final.

The Cobblebank team won their first match against Penola College, 91-84, but missed the semi-final after losing to Thomas Carr College, 32-119. 

They finished strong with a win against Marymede South Morang 143-116, in the consolation match.

Sports Update

Year 8 Premier League Round 1 results

Team	Score
Netball	SFCC MEL 35 d SFCC COB 18
Girls Basketball	SFCC MEL 68 d SFCC COB 38
Boys Basketball	SFCC COB 62 d SFCC MEL 45
Girls Volleyball	SFCC COB 3 sets d SFCC MEL 0 sets
Boys Volleyball	SFCC COB 2 sets d SFCC MEL 1 set
Girls Football	SFCC COB 1 d SFCC MEL 0
Boys Football	SFCC MEL 12 d SFCC COB 1
Cricket	SFCC MEL 53 d SFCC COB 51

Melton Year 8 Premier League Round 2

Team	Score	Ladder
Netball	Salesian College 55 d SFCC MEL 5	6
Girls Basketball	SFCC MEL 39 d Salesian College 37	2
Boys Basketball	Salesian College 56 d SFCC MEL 33	7
Girls Volleyball	SFCC MEL 3 d Salesian College 1	5
Boys Volleyball	Salesian College 3 d SFCC MEL 0	7
Girls Football	SFCC MEL 3 d Salesian College 2	6
Boys Football	Salesian College 3 d SFCC MEL 2	4
Cricket	Salesian College 84 d SFCC MEL 80	3

Cobblebank Year 8 Premier League Round 2

Team	Score	Ladder
Netball	MacKillop College 48 d SFCC COB 9	8
Girls Basketball	MacKillop College 43 d SFCC COB 33	7
Boys Basketball	MacKillop College 50 d SFCC COB 38	5
Girls Volleyball	SFCC COB 3 d MacKillop College 0	1
Boys Volleyball	MacKillop College 3 d SFCC COB 0	8
Girls Football	SFCC COB 9 d CRC St Albans 0	1
Boys Football	SFCC COB 1 d CRC St Albans 1	7
Cricket	SFCC COB 140 d MacKillop College 139	4

Traffic and Train Disruptions in October

Please find below notices from the Level Crossing Removal Project regarding road closures and train service disruptions in October.

Melton Station Precinct October Works Notice

Ferris Road October Works Notice

Community Notices

Gardens for Wildlife