Dear Parents and Carers,

As we enter the season of Advent, our school community turns its heart towards hope,

peace, joy and love, the four great gifts symbolised by the candles on our Advent wreath.

Advent invites us to pause in the busyness of life and make room for Jesus, whose coming brings light to our world and to our families.

Over the coming weeks, the children will take part in class liturgies and reflections to help them prepare spiritually for Christmas. They will explore the meaning of waiting with hope, showing kindness to others, and recognising God’s presence in the ordinary moments of each day.

At St Francis Xavier, we are blessed to have a community that lives our values so beautifully. This Advent, let us continue to show Respect, Compassion, Service, Excellence and Stewardship in the way we speak, act, and care for one another. In doing so, we become a little more like Jesus and help bring His light to our world.

As we journey through Advent together, may our homes be filled with peace, our hearts with gratitude, and our days with small moments of joy as we prepare to welcome the Christ Child at Christmas. Please join us on Friday afternoon 28th December at our prayer assembly.

Wishing every family a blessed and hope-filled Advent.

Staffing News

Last week, Mrs Barbera commenced her maternity leave of absence. The staff hosted a beautiful baby shower for her, and the children created a heartfelt au revoir video for Isabella. We wish Isabella and Luigi every blessing as they prepare for the arrival of their baby in the coming weeks. I will keep you updated with any baby news as it arrives.

We were also delighted to welcome back Mrs Kyriakou with Baby James and Mrs Aboumelhem with Baby Sofia at the celebration. It was wonderful for our staff and students to see them and their little ones.

We are delighted to welcome three new teachers to SFX in 2026:

Miss Samantha Economou
Miss Paula Ishak
Miss Toni Deeb

Each will join us as full-time classroom teachers from January.

We also farewell Miss Buckley, who will be returning to Ireland next year. Aideen has been an excellent teacher on Year 2, and we look forward to seeing her for casual work in early 2026.

Class teachers for 2026 will be announced next week, and students will meet their new teachers on Tuesday 16 December in the afternoon after lunch.

School Readiness Graduation

On Friday, our pre-schoolers joined us for their School Readiness Graduation Ceremony. It was a morning filled with joy and excitement as the children “graduated” into big school. Now in its second year, the program has been very successful, and I extend my thanks to the staff who ensured each session ran smoothly.

Carols Concert Thursday 7 December

Please join us from 5:00pm next Thursday for our annual Carols Concert.

Raffle tickets are now on sale, with all proceeds going towards the playground upgrade.

We look forward to enjoying the nativity and watching our Kindergarten children enact the Christmas story.

Swimming Carnival Monday 15th December

Preparations for our Swimming Carnival are underway, and the information note will be

sent home today via Compass. Volunteers are needed on the day—your support is greatly appreciated.

End of School Year Wednesday 17 December

School will finish on Wednesday 17 December, and we will conclude the day with our traditional Guard of Honour for our Year 6 students at the Alison Street entrance.

School Disco Friday 13 February 2026

Our next school disco has been booked for Friday 13 February, scheduled before Ash Wednesday, as it is not appropriate for a Catholic school to host a disco during the season of Lent.

While last year’s event was a great success, it relied on a small group of dedicated parents. We will need more volunteers in order for the disco to proceed. If you can assist, please email the school office to express your interest.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

Brian Anderson

Principal

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