Saint Francis Xavier - Principal's Report

Term 2 - Week 4

Dear Parents and Friends of St Francis Xavier,

I hope all the amazing Mothers in our school community had an wonderful Mother's Day last Sunday. I want to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible mothers, grandmothers, and special women who are such an important part of our lives. Our students are truly lucky to be surrounded by women who guide, nurture, and support them with such love, strength, and wisdom each day. On behalf of all of us at school, thank you for everything you do — we hope you felt celebrated and appreciated last Sunday.

Pentecost Sunday: A Celebration of the Holy Spirit

As we approach Pentecost Sunday on May 24th, our Catholic school community prepares to celebrate one of the Church’s most significant feast days. Pentecost commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, empowering them with courage, understanding and strength to spread the message of Jesus to the world. Often described as the “birthday of the Church,” Pentecost marks the beginning of the Church’s mission — a mission that continues today through the way we live, learn and care for one another within our school community.

This celebration is especially meaningful for our parish priest, Fr Jude, and assistant priest, Fr Michael, who belong to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, commonly known as the Spiritans. For the Spiritans, Pentecost is much more than an important feast day; it reflects the heart of their vocation and mission. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they are committed to lives of faith, service and compassion, particularly in supporting those who are most vulnerable. As Pentecost draws near, may we look to the example of the apostles, Fr Jude, Fr Michael and the Spiritan community, and invite the Holy Spirit to lead and strengthen us in all that we do as a faith-filled school community.

School Camp

School camps are an important part of the Primary School experience, providing students with opportunities to develop independence, resilience and confidence in ways that cannot always be replicated in the classroom. Last week, I was fortunate to join our Grade 5/6 students who attended a wonderful two-night camp at Camp Rumbug in Foster, where they embraced new challenges, strengthened friendships and created lasting memories. Although the weather was cold and we were battling through rain for much of the time, the students demonstrated determination and resilience and made the most of this wonderful experience.

I would like to thank the team of staff who attended camp and did a fantastic job of supporting our students. To Mr Will, Ms Lisa, Ms Erin, Ms Renee and Ms Ash - thank you!

Throughout the camp, students participated in a range of exciting activities including the Giant Swing, Flying Fox, mud run and canoeing. These experiences encouraged students to step outside of their comfort zones, take positive risks and support one another in overcoming fears and challenges. For many students, camp is also one of the few times they spend multiple nights away from home, which in itself is an important milestone in developing independence, adaptability and resilience.

School camps are most successful when students are supported to develop independence skills at home as well. Simple routines such as organising their own clothes, packing their school bag, preparing their lunch, and taking responsibility for personal belongings can make a significant difference to a child’s confidence and readiness for camp. Encouraging children to participate in regular physical activity, such as walks, outdoor play or organised sport, also helps them build the stamina needed to fully enjoy camp activities. Additionally, having open conversations about staying away from home before camp can help children feel more prepared and excited about the experience.

Looking ahead, our Grade 3/4 students will attend their overnight camp to Camp Manyung during the final two days of this term. I encourage families to begin working on some of these independence skills over the coming weeks so that students feel confident, prepared and ready to make the most of this exciting opportunity.

School Uniform

I would like to remind everybody of our school uniform expectations.

Black School Shoes

On days when there are no Physical Education (Thursday) classes, students must wear all black shoes to school. These can be either school shoes or runners, but they must be completely black. No other colours should be visible on the upper part of the shoe, the laces, or the sole.

Long Pants

There are two types of long pants that can be worn to school, depending on the day:

Navy school pants may be worn when students are in their regular school uniform.
Navy tracksuit pants may be worn on sports uniform days.

Both items are available from the uniform shop.

Leggings are not part of the school uniform and should not be worn on any day. If students are wearing the tunic, they may wear navy stockings or long navy socks underneath.

Winter Jackets and Raincoats

Winter jackets and raincoats are encouraged during the colder months; however, the SFX school windcheater must be worn underneath. Casual hoodies are not permitted at school.

If, for any reason, your child is not wearing the correct uniform, please provide their classroom teacher with a note explaining the reason and how long you expect the uniform issue to continue.

Thank you for your ongoing support with these expectations.

Year 7 Enrolments - 2028

A reminder to our current Grade 5 students that enrolment applications to John Paul College for Year 7, 2028 are due no later than Friday, 14th August this year.

If you are looking to secure a place at JPC, please visit their website and complete the online application:https://www.jpc.vic.edu.au/enrolments/apply-now

It is important for families to be aware that, in recent years, JPC has had long waitlists, and a position cannot be guaranteed if your application is submitted after the closing date. If you have any questions, please contact the College, who will be more than happy to assist.

School Closure Day

A final reminder that tomorrow (Friday May 15th) is a school closure day, as staff will be participating in Professional Learning sessions throughout the day.

There will be one more school closure day in Term 2, which take place on Tuesday 9th June.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Steve Peart

School Principal

Community

COMMUNITY NOTICES

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St Francis Xavier Parish