Saint Francis Xavier - Principal's Report

Term 4 - Week 9

Dear Parents and Friends of St Francis Xavier,

Welcome to our final newsletter of the 2025 school year!

As we enter the sacred and hope-filled season of Advent, we are gently called to ready our hearts for the coming of Christ. This special time invites us to slow down, to reflect, and to open ourselves to the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love. Advent is a season of quiet anticipation and faithful waiting, drawing us closer to God and to one another. May these coming weeks be a time to deepen our faith, reach out in service, and shine the light of Christ throughout our community. Wishing every family a season filled with blessing, renewal, and grace.

As we come to the close of another enriching year, I extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated teachers, learning support officers, administration staff, leadership team, and the many generous volunteers who give so much of themselves to our school each day. Your compassion, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to our students are truly to be celebrated. Together, you have fostered a caring and inclusive environment where every child is known, valued, and supported to flourish. Thank you for the countless ways you have strengthened our community and helped make 2025 such a meaningful and memorable year.

I would like to sincerely thank the members of the School Advisory Committee (SAC) for their energy and dedication in providing thoughtful input and support to the decision-making processes at our school. To our Chairperson, Rose Pereira, who will be leaving the SAC at the end of the year, thank you for the leadership and wisdom you have brought to the SAC. I also want to acknowledge the remaining SAC members who will return to their roles next year—Shaunie Lee, Carolyn Francis , Isabel Arenales and Petrina Beis. Thank you for your valuable contributions and feedback. I would also like to thank Mehefin Cornale and Gillian Griss, who will be joining the team in 2026.

New School Website has officially launched!

We are excited to announce that our brand new school website is live!! Please take some time to have a look - the photo gallery is amazing!

www.sfxfrankston.catholic.edu.au

Class Structure for 2026

Here is the staffing structure for St Francis Xavier in 2026.

On Tuesday, 9th December, all S.F.X. students will find out who their new teachers and classmates will be for the 2026 school year. At 12:00 pm, students will assemble with their new class groups and teachers for an introductory "get-to-know-you" session.

Please note that the class lists for 2026 have now been finalised. We will not be making any changes to these lists between now and Tuesday.

Year Level	Teacher/Teachers
Prep	Ms Melanie Paton (3 days) + Ms Georgia Dickinson (2 days)
Year 1/2 LT	Ms Laura Jackson (3 days) +Ms Terri Burridge (2 days)
Year 1/2 K	Ms Kayla Miller (new to SFX -welcome)
Year 3/4 B	Mr Brendan Adcock (4 days) and Ms Ashleigh Mills (1 day)
Year 3/4 D	Ms Debbie Terry
Year 5/6 L	Ms Lisa Johnson (4 days) and Ms Kim Ryan (1 day)
Year 5/6 W	Mr William Smith
Specialist Teachers	Teacher
Visual Art	Ms Renee Verkerk (Wednesday)
Italian	Ms Kelly Ruffell (Monday)
P.E	Mr Brendan Adcock (Thursday)
Science/STEM	Ms Kim Ryan (Monday)
Performing Arts	Ms Lisa Johnson (Thursday)
Student Intervention	Teacher
	Ms Melissa Sotelo
Student Wellbeing Officer	Teacher
	Ms Renee Verkerk
Mental Health in Primary Schools Leader	Teacher
	Ms Melissa Sotelo
School Community Leader	Teacher
	Ms Ashleigh Mills
Education in Faith Leader	Teacher
	Ms Marion O'Brien
Learning Support Officers	Staff
Prep	Ms Rebecca Spry
Year 1/2	Ms Yvette Underwood Ms Anto Maxell Ms Emilie Hoyne
Year 3/4	Ms Sue Hunter Ms Jane Denning
Year 5/6	Ms Karen Fensome Ms Michelle Graham
School Leadership Team	Staff
Principal	Mr Steve Peart
Deputy Principal/Learning Diversity Leader	Ms Erin Walton
School Improvement Leader	Ms Kim Ryan
Learning and Teaching Team	Staff
Literacy Leader	Ms Melanie Paton
Mathematics Leader	Ms Teresa Burridge
School Improvement Leader	Ms Kim Ryan
School Engagement Team	Staff
	Ms Erin Walton
	Ms Renee Verkerk
	Ms Melissa Sotelo
School Finance/Administration	Staff
	Ms Kellie Burke
	Ms Kathryn Jonker

Farewell to Staff

As we come to the end of the year, we farewell three much-loved staff members who have each made an outstanding contribution to the life of St Francis Xavier. While we are sad to see them go, we are deeply grateful for the service, care and dedication they have given to our community.

Ms Claire Francis-Pester celebrates an incredible 25 years of service at SFX. Beginning as a Learning Support Officer before moving into her role as our Administration Officer, Claire has supported generations of students and families with warmth, professionalism and genuine care. Her deep connections within our community and her tireless commitment over a full quarter of a century leave a truly lasting legacy.

Ms Vanessa Williams has provided 14 years of wonderful service as a Learning Support Officer since 2011. Working across all year levels, Vanessa has supported countless students with kindness, patience and care, leaving many fond memories behind.

Ms Tamara O’Connell, who joined us in 2020, has taught across both our Grade 5/6 and Grade 1/2 levels. A brilliant and much-loved teacher, Tamara is known for her dedication and the wonderful relationships she builds with students. She will be greatly missed.

We extend our sincere thanks to Claire, Vanessa and Tamara for all they have given to St Francis Xavier, and we wish them every happiness and success in the next chapter of their lives.

Farewell to Families

To the families who will be leaving us at the end of the year, thank you for everything that you have contributed to our school community over your time at the school.

Andonopolous Family	Escato Family	Thavatiah Family
Beare Family	Rocca Family	Paine Family
Campbell Family	Boon Family	Miller Family
Dinkha Family	Shaw Family	Wijeyawickrama Family
Nelson Family	Palmeira Family	Glazebrook Family
Eldhose Family

Welcome to New Staff

We are delighted to welcome Ms Kayla Miller and Ms Kathryn Jonker to the S.F.X staff in 2026. Kayla will join the Year 1/2 team as one of our classroom teachers and Kathryn will replace Claire as our new Administration Officer. We look forward to welcoming them into our wonderful school community.

nForma App for Parents - Important for ALL families to complete by the end ac

As I mentioned in previous newsletters, Operoo is ceasing operations in Australia at the end of this year. Moving forward, nForma will replace Operoo as the platform in which you will use to update student medical records, as well as give consent to attend excursions, camps and also participate in certain school programs.

Basically, in 2026 the nForma Parent App will be required for you to

Access Student Reports
Notify the school of student absences
Enter student Medical information
Give consent to attend Camps and Excursions
Book in for Parent/Teacher meetings
Send notices/alerts

Most families will have downloaded the nForma Parent App last semester and used it to download your child's Semester One report. If you are yet to do so, please follow the instructions below to download the parent app to your phones. This is how Semester Two reports will be accessed next week.

Once you have installed the app, could we ask you to please update your child's medical information before the last day of Term 4(16/12/25). It should be a very quick process. It is important that we have up to date medical records for every child in the school ready for the first day of 2026. As Operoo will no longer be accessible, it is vital that these Medical records have been added into student nForma profiles. Please read through the guide below for more information.

Christmas Carols

We are excited to host our Christmas Carols afternoon at school on Thursday, 11th December, starting at 2:00 pm. Each class will perform a selection of Christmas carols for the school community. Students are encouraged to wear Christmas colours on this special day. Parents and family members are warmly invited to join us for what promises to be a festive and joyful celebration.

As we close out the year, I want to take a moment to recognise our amazing students, who are the very heart of our school community. Their energy, wonder, and individual gifts fill our days with purpose and joy, constantly reminding us why this work matters so deeply. It is a true honour to share in their learning journeys, and we sincerely thank you for the confidence you place in us to care for, support, and guide them.

We are equally thankful for the constant support of our families. Your encouragement, involvement, and strong partnership with the school are deeply valued and play an essential role in the strength and spirit of our community.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas filled with peace and love, and a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year.

We can’t wait to welcome everyone back on Wednesday, 28th January, for the start of the 2026 school year!

Steve Peart

School Principal

Community

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