From the Principal

Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

We congratulate our Class of 2022 on their graduation on Thursday 15 December 2022. The Year 6 students gathered in LS3 with their families for a Mass celebrated by Fr Des. Following the Mass we had our 2022 school awards presentation. We congratulate the following students who were presented with a special award:

• The Arts Award: Gianna Sennise
• The Sports Award - Kayce Christodoulou
• The Academic Award- Thivaashini Kalarajah
• The Community Spirit Award - Christa Biju
• The Sporting School Victoria Academin/Sports Award - Maia Seremetis

They also get their name on a trophy that will be displayed in our school foyer in our trophy cabinet. 

It was a night of celebrations with a presentation by the senior teachers and a special item by students. The celebrations continued in the Community room with the cutting of the cake and a delicious, light supper to enjoy. 

I thank our staff for all their organisation to ensure we had a great celebration, Fr Des for celebrating Mass, Kristy and our amazing choir for attending and making the Mass extra special.

For some parents this is their last child or only child to Graduate from St Francis de Sales. We thank you for your partnership and support. We wish you the very BEST and we are delighted that we were able to support your child in their primary years at SFS. We hope you always look at this time with happy memories, promote our school and remain connected with us in the years ahead.

As our 2022 students graduate a world of opportunities and adventures waits.  We wish each graduate the very BEST as they commence their next journey.

As St Francis de Sales says  "be who you are and be that perfectly well.” 

Always be the light,

Be sure to know that God is always with you.

Believe in the strength that you have inside.

Above all, always be yourself.

CHANGE TO SCHOOL DAY IN 2023

A new employment agreement came into affect this year for all State schools and in all Catholic School in the Sale Diocese. The 2022 new award has addressed the workload demands on teachers by a restructuring of working hours. State schools and Catholic schools in Sale have changed their school hours. 

The new Victorian Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement for Melbourne Catholic Schools is close to being finalised and is expected to be in place in early 2023. After discussing it with our staff and our School Advisory Council we have decided it is preferable to make the change required for the start of the 2023 school year rather than make changes to our routines sometime after the year commences. It is important to give students, staff and parents a clear plan and direction. 

We plan to commence 2023 making a small adjustment. To bring us into line with the requirements of the new agreement we will be altering our finish times at St Francis de Sales by five minutes. In 2023 we will finish school at 3:15pm. This adjustment enables us to meet the requirements of the agreement while keeping everything else we value in place. e.g. School Camps, concerts. 

• School gates will open at 8:30am ( Same as we do currently)
• The school day in 2023 will finish  at 3:15pm (5 minutes earlier. It currently is 3:20pm) 
• Students may enter their Learning Space from 8:30am. 
• Staff supervision of students before school will commences between 8:30am. A Junior and Senior teacher will be on before school supervision duty in each Learning Space 
• A staff member will be on playground supervision before school play from 8:30am - 8:45am. Children will be able to play in Area 2 - the blue playground and Area 3 - the basketball courts before school. 
• The school day will commence with Morning Gathering at 8:45am. (Parents are invited to join morning gathering.)
• After school supervision will be from 3:15pm to 3:30pm.
• Kharisma Kids will continue to operate until the school supervision starts and from the end of the school day.
• Kharisma Kids will be offering a short stay concessional rate. Most parents are entitled to Childcare subsidy of up to 45% of the price.

If you have any questions or queries please email me at principal@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au 

Portable has gone!

Cladding Completed

School fees and charges 2023

Could all families please sign and return the Fee Payment Agreement 2023 that was sent home on 19th October indicating which payment option you will be choosing to pay your fees by.

Sad News

We pray for Ange  and keep her family in our thoughts and prayers. Ange's mother Rafaela passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning. 

Building News - Traffic Detour

On Monday 30th January the first day of school, there is proposed road works planned on Patterson Drive to install a new storm water drain. Cars will still be able to use the drop off zone however after turning right out of the drive, cars will not be able to proceed along Patterson Drive towards Matilda Drive. Cars will need to detour around the road block by using Alymer road to Henning Drive if they wish to proceed towards Evans Road or will need to use the train station parking lot to bypass road works. 

The road works may be in place from a week to two weeks as part of necessary site works to install a new storm water drain and connect it to the main line across the road from the school. I will provide updates via the school app as plans become finalised.

Merry Christmas

As we bring 2022 to a close, we have been very blessed as a community for the wonderful learning opportunities our students have shared with their peers, teachers, and the wider community. We are very much looking forward to 2023 and what lies ahead with the completion of our Multi-Purpose Hall in March and our School Improvement Plans.

We have been extremely fortunate to have a wonderful staff for 2023. We welcome Melody and Nuri has Home Groups teachers, Filomena as our Italian teacher, Lorinda as our new chaplain, Samantha and Anju as our new Learning Support Officers. We also welcome back Imogene and Mavis returning from maternity leave. Our 2023 staff have already spent considerable time planning and developing units of work that will maximise the learning opportunities for children next year. This will continue next week on Monday afternoon and Tuesday to ensure we are ready and prepared for the start of the new school year.

We thank and farewell some much loved staff as they complete their time at St Francis de Sales at the end of this year.

• Andrea LS2 senior HG teacher who is retiring.
• Meg LS3 junior HG teacher who is moving interstate to Coffs Harbour.
• Christopher LS2 junior HG teacherwho is moving to a school closer to his bayside home.
• Maureen our Chplain who has already left to move to Geelong
• Corina LSO in LS3 seniors has already left to take up a new job working from home.
• Gabriella psychologist is moving to a school closer to her bayside home.

We also wish Claire the very best as she commences maternity leave. We look forward to a visit from Claire with baby Crane Number 4. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our staff for their care, professionalism and nurturing of the children. I know that each staff member has worked resolutely to provide the best education for each of your children.

To the families and staff who are leaving the school community at the conclusion of this year, we thank you for your contribution over the time you have been here. We wish you all the best in the future. On behalf of the staff, I would like to thank you, the parents, for your continued support of the St. Francis de Sales’s school and community. A special thanks to the members of our P&F led by Courtney, our School Advisory Council chaired by Brook and our Maintenance team led by Brad. Thanks for your generous support of our school. Your generous contribution to our school is so appreciated and valued. Thank you.

Monday 19 December 

Children may wear Christmas colours for our last day of 2022

Christmas Carols in LS 3 at 9:15am

 School Finishes at 1:30pm

Enjoy the holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Regards

Christine White

Principal