From the Principal

Congratulations!!

Our Year 3 and Year 4 students  made their First Communion on Saturday 1 June. 

Over the weekend 148 children from our schools and parish made their First Communion. The children were well prepared for their First Communion and the day was extra meaningful, reverent and special for each child and their families. We thank the parents and families for the way they prepared their child for this important milestone in their life. The first of many times that they come to the table of the Lord. 

The day was well coordinated by our Religious Education Leader Rozeta. We thank Rozeta and our senior teachers for all their work ensuring the children were well prepared and that the Mass was memorable. An extra special thanks to Fr Fabian for his active participation in the planning, preparation and celebration of Eucharist. 

We congratulate each child.  May God bless them always and may they always know God who walks with them in their journey through life. 

Applications for 2025 are due now.  

Please inform neighbours and friends who will have a child eligible to start school in 2025 to book a tour. We have tours nearly every morning at 9 am. 

Help promote our school and share stories of the great learning and extra curricula opportunities we provide. 

Word of mouth stories about our great school community is the BEST promotion.

2023 Annual Report to The Community 

Principals Report

This is one section of the 2023 Annual Report to The Community that will be published on our school website next term.

The Blessing and opening of our $4000000 Multipurpose Building was certainly a highlight of the 2023 school year and  was a memorable day. We were so honoured to have the Archbishop Peter Comensoli present to bless and open the building. In addition we had the Executive Director of MACS, Dr Edward Simons and Fr Fabian participate in the official ceremony. The hall was full as many special guests, from central and regional MACS staff, Fr Des, Fr Shanthaiah the Parish Priest when the school commenced, architects, builders, principals, teachers and former and present staff, parents, grandparents and students, who attended this historic event. We were delighted to also have Cassandra Fernando, the Federal member for Holt and Gary Maas, the State member for Narre Warren attend. They were all so impressed with our school.  It was an extra special day and so wonderful that we had so many people join us for the celebration.

We now have an aesthetically beautiful and highly functional multipurpose community space. A place to gather for liturgy, sport, performing arts and to meet. A place for learning and for entertainment. We are particularly thrilled with a new office in the hub of the school and a music centre that is now part of the main school building. We are indeed grateful to MACS for the funds to make this possible, the brilliant design work of our architects Baldasso Cortesse and to our builders FIMMA constructions for making the dream into a reality.

“Bloom where you are planted.” St Francis de Sales

With careful nurturing this school has certainly grown and flourished since it opened in 2010. It took pioneers with strong faith, educational vision, courage and good judgment to create the opportunities and discern the possibilities for our students to excel in this contemporary Catholic school. We have indeed inherited a gem - a place to bloom.  

The sculpture beside the yarning circle in our new garden completed in 2023, captures our vision of being a faith community animated by love. The cross is grounded and emanates from a rock, a solid foundation. It stands for all to see.The intertwined connected circles within our St Francis de Sales Cross represent our community past, present and future, our relationship to one another and our story within our Catholic faith community here in Lynbrook. We each are an important part of the fabric of this story. Artist Marty from Juet Sculptures, was able to embody the importance of continuity, connection and community relationships in the artwork. For the child at the foot of the cross to thrive it requires a community working in partnership to inspire and empower our students to be their best selves, filled with hope for their unique capacity to make a difference. 

 It is not what we are able to accomplish for ourselves in this world that counts, but what we leave behind us, what we do to assist others who will take our places, to enable them to flourish with greater success because of the foundations we have laid for them. Every day, our staff make a positive difference by creating opportunities for students, empowering the minds of young people and proudly teaching our future leaders, innovators and influencers.

The success of our staff was evident in the reflections of our Year 6 students at the end of the year. Our Year 6 students spoke so eloquently, with great enthusiasm and honesty about their experiences. It was such a pleasure to have this time for a chat and to listen to their reflections of their final year and of their time at St Francis de Sales. Here our a few of their comments to us:

What I like about St Francis de Sales....

• I like how the teachers are kind, helpful and support us.
• I like how our school is open and there are no walls separating home groups.
• I know the teachers in my learning space and they know me.
• We can talk to our teachers if we do not understand and they help us. 

Teachers have supported me...

• by really explaining things well with examples and demonstrations.
• by recognising when I am having difficulties with my learning and making time to work with me to help me understand.
• by helping me understand things more deeply.
• by listening to me, comforting me and helping to build my confidence.

The 2023 Annual Report to the Community highlights some of the key work of our Leadership Team and our staff in ensuring continuous improvement and the growth and flourishing of our school.. The Annual Action Plan for 2023 certainly was successful as we worked collaboratively, dialogued professionally, built capacity and developed consistency across the school to address areas identified as key priorities from our 2021 School Review.

Our priorities are:

• Priority 1: Enhances the quality of teaching.
• Priority 2: Strengthens the school as a Catholic learning community.
• Priority 3:  Maximise student engagement in learning.

Our school organisational systems continue  to support communication and collaboration of teams. Each team is supported by a Pedagogical Leader who is part of the Leadership Team. These leaders have played a key role in supporting the initiatives of focus for the year. Participation in Agile Leadership networks and School Wide Improvement Forums ensures we have the tools to sharpen our focus to leverage improvement.

In 2023, as a result of the new award a four hour planning time was initiated for teachers. This time included a facilitated planning time for Mathematics. Professional Learning Team Meetings for Literacy and Mathematics ensured consistency of teaching and time for reflection and moderation of data. In addition, staff meetings provided time for facilitated planning for Religious Education and for the focus Integrated Curriculum subject.  The sustained focus allowed for embedding strategies and initiatives with greater effectiveness. I thank Joanna Forbes, our Learning and Teaching coordinator, for taking the lead to maintain staff development and improvement following the conclusion of the Mathematics two year Intensive Learning that the entire staff participated in. We were also well supported by MACS Religious Education Leader who worked with our Deputy Principal Angela Faiola, Religious Education Leader Rozeta Ambrose and myself to guide and help enrich the school access to resources to ensure deeper thinking and meaningful connections were being made by staff and students. Our positive MACCSIS data on Catholic Identity and NAPLAN data on Literacy and Numeracy reveals that the work has achieved positive outcomes for our students.

In 2023, we continue to embed Tier 1 Positive Behaviour for Learning strategies with the support from MACS and our Wellbeing Leader Rachel Lenko, DP and Leadership Team. The consistency of expectations has had a positive effect on enhancing the learning environment and a culture of safety and wellbeing. We continue to strengthen this as we also embrace Tier 2 strategies. 

In 2023, Fr Fabian joined our Parish and School. We are delighted to not only have Fr Fabian visit us for school Masses but also find time in his busy schedule to regularly visit us and support our staff, parents and students. Fr Fabian visits our school on a regular basis to run teaching sessions with our children participating in sacraments and he also supports the formation of staff and parents. 

The school has been well-supported this year by our dynamic school community. We are very fortunate to have the level of support that we do from our parent community. The school could not operate nearly as effectively without the assistance of our parents and on behalf of the staff and students, I thank our parents and families very much for their time, expertise and effort. I would like to thank the 2023 School Advisory Council led by Brooke Mole our chairperson, the Parents and Friends Association led by Courtney Thursfield our president, and the many individuals who volunteer to help, for the work they do in assisting the school. From fundraising events to just FUN social events, these events are integral to our school and help build connections between our families. We at St Francis de Sales School are very lucky to have such a committed group of parents who work tirelessly for the school to improve the environments and learning opportunities for our students. Our school grounds look magnificent, and we are incredibly thankful to all our parents who mow the lawns or attend a working bee. A huge thanks to Brad Jackson for the co-ordination of the mowing teams and dedication to our school.  It takes a team, and we thank the work of all those who put their hand up to help. 

We have had a very successful 2023 school year and have a lot to celebrate. We look forward to continuing the strong partnership and opportunities that ensure St Francis de Sales is an excellent place of learning.   For the child to thrive it requires a community working in partnership to inspire and empower our students to be their best selves, filled with hope for their unique capacity to make a difference. This is certainly a reality at St Francis de Sales and thus we grow, thrive and flourish as a Catholic school community in Lynbrook. 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Christine White

Principal