Saint Francis Xavier - Principal's Report

Term 1 - Week 4

Dear Parents and Friends of St Francis Xavier,

At St Francis Xavier Primary School, we speak often about the kind of community we aspire to be: welcoming, respectful, faith-filled and centred on the dignity of every child. A positive school experience for all members of our community is not just important — it is vital.

I feel it is timely to reaffirm one very clear expectation within our Parent Code of Conduct.

It is never acceptable for parents to speak negatively about other children or families in our community — not in the school grounds, not in the car park, not online, and not in private conversations that may find their way back to children. Every child at our school deserves to feel safe, respected and protected by the adults around them.

If you ever have a concern about a situation involving students, the appropriate and only course of action is to bring that concern directly to a member of staff or to me. We are here to listen and to respond appropriately. Speaking to other parents about children who are not your own does not resolve issues — it can damage reputations, relationships and, most importantly, young people.

I ask all families to actively uphold this standard. If another parent approaches you to speak negatively about a child or family, please respectfully close down the conversation and inform me.

Together, let us model the kindness, discretion and integrity we expect from our students, ensuring our school remains a place where every child and every family feels valued and safe.

NAPLAN 2026

NAPLAN testing for our Grade 3 and Grade 5 students is fast approaching. The NAPLAN testing window runs nationally from Wednesday 11th March to Friday 20 March 2026, and students will complete their assessments across this period. These assessments provide valuable information about student progress in Literacy and Numeracy and are just one part of our broader approach to understanding each child’s learning. We encourage families to ensure children are well rested and arrive at school on time during the testing days. If you have any questions, please take the time to read the attached note carefully or contact your child’s classroom teacher, who will be happy to assist.

Student Progress Meetings

Thank you to the families who have already booked a time to meet with their child’s teacher next week for a student progress meeting. If you have not yet done so, please log into the nForma Parent App to secure your appointment.

Meeting Dates and Times:

Monday 23rd February: 3:30pm - 7:00pm (Last booking at 6:50pm)

Wednesday 25th February: 1:30pm - 5:30pm (Last booking at 5:20pm)

Arrangements for Wednesday 25th February:

Students remaining at school will be supervised watching a movie from 1:30pm to 3:15pm. To help accommodate the early start for meetings, we warmly encourage families to pick up their children from 1:00pm, though please note this is entirely optional.

Just a reminder that if you have a PSG meeting this term, you do not need to book a separate student progress meeting.

District Swimming Event

I would like to congratulate three of our amazing students who competed at the District Swimming Event at the Pines Swimming Pool on Tuesday. Mr. Brendan was there to witness Patricia, Phillipa and Henrique swim fantastically well in their races. Well done, team!

Late Arrivals

Could I please ask all families to ensure that children arrive at school no later than 8:40 am.

We are seeing an increasing number of students arriving late. When students arrive late, it can be very difficult for them to settle in, as they miss important instructions given to their classmates. This also disrupts teachers, who then need to repeat themselves.

I know that mornings can be unpredictable, and occasional lateness is understandable. However, if this is becoming a regular occurrence in your household, please try to be as organised as possible the night before. Lay out uniforms, pack bags, and prepare lunches in advance. In the morning, wake up a little earlier and leave with enough time to get to school stress-free and with time to spare.

Prep Enrolments for 2027

We have today conducted our first couple of enrolment meetings for Prep in 2027.

If you know anyone who may be interested in enrolling at S.F.X, please encourage them to visit our school website and register for a tour, or call the school office for more information.

If you have a child starting at St. Francis Xavier next year, please complete the enrolment form online as soon as possible and we will promptly schedule your enrolment meeting.

https://www.sfxfrankston.catholic.edu.au/onlineapplication

Story Time at S.F.X for Kinder children and toddlers

If you have children starting at school next year, or toddlers who would like to visit, we would love for them to attend our upcoming 'Story Times' in the school library. Please use the QR code on the flyer below to book into one or both of our sessions.

Session 1 - Tuesday March 10th from 10:00am - 10:45am

Session 2 - Tuesday March 31st from 10:00am - 10:45am

World Day of Prayer Invitation

Father Jude and Father Michael would like to invite all families to attend a World Day of Prayer Service on Friday 6th March in the St Francis Xavier Church. The service will commence at 7:00pm and run for approximately 1 hour. There will be light refreshments in the Xavier Centre.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Steve Peart

School Principal

John Paul College