Dear Families,

Fr. Jake Mudge and our staff warmly welcome all new and existing families to St. Francis of the Field’s School family.

We pray that you will find St. Francis a place where “You Live, Learn and Grow in God’s love”.

Prayer:

Lord God,

as we approach the beginning of a new school year,

may we do so with a sense of wonder, anticipation,

exhilaration and an overt love of the work each of us is called to do.

May our days be both challenging and rewarding.

May we be the role models that our young both need and deserve.

In all we do, may we be people of faith, commitment, spirit, energy and hope.

Amen

Welcome

We warmly welcome our new members to our school that include:

Isabelle Hooper (Year 3)
Meg Williams (Year 4)

Lisa Ryan (Science)

We also welcome our returning staff:

Jenna Anderson (Foundation)
Amy Curnow (Year 1)
Brylie Parker (Year 3)
Lauren Nankervis (Art)
Kiara Cameron (Music)
Will Edwards (RRRR)

Farewell – Kate Ellis

I am writing to you to let you know of a significant staffing change for 2026.

Kate Ellis has been appointed as St. John of God’s Director of Mission Integration following a competitive recruitment process. This appointment will commence on Monday 9 February 2026.

Kate has been a wonderful teacher and leader at St. Francis of the Fields for the past 22 years and will be sorely missed. We will determine a way that we can publicly acknowledge the work of Kate Ellis, that also works in with her new timetable.

School Nurse & Medical updates

St. Francis of the Fields are fortunate to have Tashi Baker and Chelsea Mazzarino as school nurses from Monday to Friday. Both will be supporting all students in administering medication, ensuring children with diabetes, asthma and anaphylaxis are well supported as well as catering for other major medical conditions.

I ask that all parents update their asthma and anaphylaxis safety plans on PAM so that we can adhere to each plan as required.

In addition, I ask that parents update their child’s epipen, if required.

2026 St. Francis of the Fields Staff

Parish Priest - Fr. Jake Mudge

Principal - Tim Moloney

Deputy Principal - Pastoral Wellbeing - Grace Scalora

Foundation M - Morgan Maud

Foundation BA - Naomi Burns & Jenna Anderson

Foundation D - Donna McNamara

Foundation W - Kate Williams

1 R - Craig Ryan

1 A - Ange Simpson & Amy Curnow

1 M - Mia Shanahan

1 W - Lucy Wade

2 M - Milly Hughes

2 BF - Ash Barbetti & Laura Flood

2 HL - Gab Hudson & Cherise Le Brocq- Joppich

2 S - Natalie Shearer

3 D - Felicity Davis

3 MP - Nic McDermott & Brylie Parker

3 BH - Kim Boulton & Isabelle Hooper

3 R - Hannah Russell

4 H - Joe Hartney

4 W - Renae Westley

4 M - Meg Williams

4 S - Tom Schofield

5 W - Dave Waters & Clare Warfe

5 ZS - Jo Zimmer & Anna Sier

5 F - Donna Freeman & Cam Taylor

5 M - Jacob Morrissey

6 C - Luke Crameri

6 M - Rachelle Mangan

6 R - Holly Ryan

6 Z - Rhys Zera

Administration / Finance - Deb McDermott

Administration - Michelle Janssen

Administration - Stephanie Wade

Administration Jeanette Grenfell

Music - Stacie Mason & Kiara Cameron

Art & Craft - Carmel Fitzgerald / Cherise LeBrocq- Joppich / Lauren Nankervis

Librarian - Sue Johns

Technology - Cam Taylor

RRRR - Will Edwards

OASIS - Matt Butcher

Science - Jess Widdicombe / Emma Jensen / Lisa Ryan

Learning Diversity - Linda Cartwright / Alicia Mansfield

Catholic Identity - Dave Waters

Curriculum Leader: Literacy - Marg Brohm

Behaviour, Wellbeing & Safeguarding - Luke Freeman

Phys Ed Teacher/Coordinator - Danielle Coates / Luke Freeman

O.H & S - Trevor Wright

Teacher Aides

Foundation - Simone Rodgers, Montanna Maud & Katrina Evans

Year 1 - Chloe Smith & Hayley Wright

Year 2 - Ange Oldham & Belinda Marsh

Year 3 - Sue Johns & Abbi O’Connor

Year 4 - Kerry Bone & Jordan Sharp

Year 5 - Kate Zealley

Year 6 - Kate Zealley

School Counsellor - Maree O’Connor

School Nurse - Chelsea Mazzarino & Tashi Baker

Tuckshop - Fiona Thompson, Bec Stratton & Deb Schintler

Gardens & Maintenance - Trevor Wright, Tim Geary & Gerard Keogh

Opening School Mass

All families are invited to celebrate the beginning of the school year on Friday 13 February at 9.15am. We will come together as a community in the “shed”. Please be aware that this is our sacred space so I ask that parents refrain from bringing coffee cups into the mass setting.

Changes to Catholic Swimming Championships

I am writing to inform you of a change to the school swimming pathway that has been decided at a system level and will apply this year.

It has been determined that the Catholic Schools swimming carnival will not be held.

Instead, progression to the Division level will occur directly from school swimming events, with one competitor per age group and event eligible to advance, and only if they meet a qualifying standard. Please note that each competitor is limited to two individual events, one relay, and one medley relay.

While we were part of the consultation process and raised concerns about the impact of this change on student participation and opportunity, the outcome was determined by a majority vote, and schools are now required to implement the agreed pathway.

We understand that this change will be disappointing for many students and families, particularly those who value the opportunity to compete at the Catholic Schools level. As a school, we remain strongly committed to providing inclusive and positive sporting experiences for all students, and we will continue to advocate for pathways that maximise participation and development.

Change to Language Program

As you know Jacqueline Pethybridge is on maternity leave until Term 3 of this year. We subsequently advertised last year for an Indonesian teacher, but we were unable to employ a suitably qualified Indonesian teacher.

Subsequently, I employed an Auslan teacher for Term 1 & 2 of this year. Unfortunately, this teacher informed last week that she was now unable to take up this position.

After working with Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited, we have received an exemption from teaching a language in Term 1 & 2 of 2026. This means Will Edwards will teach the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) program during Term 1 before he leaves on his overseas journey. Another teacher will then be employed in Term 2 to teach this program.

The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) program in Victoria is designed to help primary and secondary school teachers develop students' social, emotional, and positive relationship skills.

How can you help our school?

Parents & Friends Committee

Meetings for Term 1

All parents are invited to come along and support our children at the following Parents & Friends meetings:

Thursday 5 February @ 7.30pm in the staff room
Thursday 12 March @ 7.30pm in the staff room

Why do we have a Parents & Friends Committee?

Catholic schools receive approximately 81% of the funding of a similar sized state school from State and Federal sources. This is why Catholic schools are required to introduce school fees. Even with school fees we still require extra funding to match the funds of a state school.

This is where our Parents & Friends committee helps by raising funds that can be used for the benefit of our students.

What does the Parents & Friends Committee do?

We meet twice a term in the staff room - weeks 2 and 7 of each term - on a Thursday night from 7.30pm.

Our Parents & Friends president, Nathan Baker, provides a wonderfully relaxed and enjoyable environment where we can decide how we can best raise funds for our school students. We have a Treasurer, Andrew Wright, who works closely with Deb McDermott and Tim Moloney in ensuring all accounting meets auditing procedures. Our secretary, Clinton McSwain, ensures well formulated minutes are presented for our community, whilst providing a few laughs.

We have recently had Megan Merrett, Kate Fraser & Nic Emmerson oversee the fundraising with the support of any parents who are able to help.

Some of the fundraising we have done in the past have included:

Mango drive
Father’s Day Stall
Mother’s Day Stall
School disco
Trivia nights
Colour Run

Please note that the Debutante Balls are coordinated by a separate committee.

How can you help?

Please come along to our next P & F meeting on Thursday 5 February at 7.30pm.
Please bring a friend or two.
Offer fundraising ideas.
Offer to help coordinate one of these fundraising events for the year, if possible.

School Advisory Council

Meetings for Term 1:

All council members are invited to come along and help drive our school improvement processes at meetings in the Meeting Room on:

Wednesday 11 February @ 5.30pm in the staff room
Wednesday 18 March @ 5.30pm in the staff room

What does the School Advisory Council do?

The School Advisory Council includes the 6 leadership team members of our school and between 5-8 parents who ensure that our strategic goals are achieved. Parents and staff work hand-in-hand to review our practices using data from students, staff and parents (surveys, academic, wellbeing and Catholic Identity data).

The Advisory Council will help support the Leadership Team in implementing our new 4-year Strategic Plan.

Our School Advisory Council meets once per term on a Wednesday evening. We have been experimenting with start times and can be flexible depending on the needs of our community. At this stage our starting time is 5.30pm though we had previously commenced at 7.30pm.

We are in need of another two parents who are interested in supporting our school for the next three years.

I hope that you can assist our school by being part of one of these committees or the different volunteer opportunities that serve our community so well.

Changes to No.70 & 71 Transit Bus

As of the 1st of February, there has been a slight change to the afternoon Transit bus run from St Francis and the Bakery/Post Office stop.

The #70 transit bus, which collects children from St Francis, will no longer require children to change buses at the PO/Bakery bus stop. Please also note that the afternoon drop off times have been moved 3-4mins ahead of the previous schedule.

Calendar

I have included the Term 1 calendar so that all students, parents and teachers can coordinate upcoming events.

Swimming Program

Thanks to the excellent organization of Danielle Coates, our PE coordinator, we will begin the swimming program for our Year 3-6 children. Our children will complete their swimming program with the St. Francis School Swimming Sports at Bendigo East Pool on Tuesday 11 February from 9.30am. All are most welcome to attend.

By commencing our program in such an organized manner we are able to give our children the benefit of competing at our school swimming championships prior to the Catholic (Feb 19), Division (Feb 28), and Regional (March 11) Swimming Sports Championships. Well done Danielle!!

School Maintenance Update

Over the summer period we have been busy maintaining our school with the following activities:

All classrooms steam cleaned
Windows cleaned
Basketball stadium’s floor sanded and re-varnished
All decking cleaned and oiled
Painting of road marking and parking allocations
All gutters and drains cleaned out
Servicing air conditioners, etc

New parking

As many would have noted we have 3 disabled car parks in the closest bay to the playground. We have also included 4 parks for parents with pushers in the second bay.

I ask that all parents please avoid parking in these reserved locations unless you meet the criteria for parking in these locations.

Assembly

We will hold our first assembly for 2026 tomorrow, Friday 6 Feb @ 2.45pm in the shed.

All parents and guardians are welcome to attend our assembly. We look forward to seeing you there.

Christ has no hands but yours.

Tim Moloney

Principal

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