Principal Update
St Francis, Nathalia is a child safe school.
We promote the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children.
An update from our Principal
Dear Parents, Care Givers, Students, Staff and Friends of St Francis Primary School,
It was a delight this week to attend the inaugural Catholic Education Sandhurst Awards. These awards have been initiated to honour staff and students who embody the heart of our mission and values and to celebrate excellence across all schools in the Sandhurst diocese. Each school was invited to nominate two students for the student award categories, and I have much pleasure in announcing the following award winners:
Inspirational student learner: a student who actively engages in learning, sets high expectations for their achievement, seeks feedback from teachers and reflects on their learning. Congratulations, Monica Pavlic-Briggs!
Inspirational student leader: a student who models our Gospel values through developing respectful relationships, demonstrates initiative and curiosity in learning, builds inclusive communities, and inspires others to learn and grow. Congratulations, Bodhi Bourke!
Monica and Bodhi and their parents attended the Award Ceremony in Bendigo where they were presented their certificates, along with all other award recipients. It is very affirming to see our young people so invested in their learning, not just our award winners, but all of our student cohort who engage so readily with their learning programs. This is exemplified at our Friday school assemblies where our students are recognised for their efforts and active participation which lead to learning growth. Well done, everyone!
It was a privilege to meet our newest students as our incoming 2026 Foundation students visited last week on the first of their Transition Visits. Thank you to Mr Izzard, Mrs Gemmill, Mrs Rankin and all others who assisted with implementing this valuable program. Mrs Rankin works closely with our kindergartens to ensure that our newest students make a strong start to their primary schooling, ensuring that they are settled and know what to expect before starting school next year. A huge thank you and welcome to them all as they join our community.
We anticipate that access to SIMON and PAM (Parent Access Module) will be resumed this week. A communication will be shared with families with information on how to securely access SIMON and PAM via the web browser. The SimonEverywhere app will remain offline until further notice. Thank you for your patience and understanding as SIMON worked through the process to ensure ongoing security of the platform.
Peace and blessings,
Bev Thorp
Acting Executive Principal