From the Principal
Grandparents Day at SFS
Friday morning was extra special and a delight as we all gathered in the hall for our 2026 Grandparents Day. It was sensational to see so many grandparents and special friends join us.
For the first time, the day commenced with Mass in the hall. The Mass was celebrated by Fr Antony and the children's responses to his questions were lovely and also put a smile on our faces. The feedback was so positive with lots of praise for our school choir and the way our children participated. This was a very special time and we were all left deeply touched and nourished by the time to pray together. Special thanks to the staff, Rozeta for her coordination of our Mass and Rachel for leading and preparing the choir.
We then all dispersed to the various Learning Spaces. Grandparents had a taste of school as their grandchildren experience it today. Every Learning Space was a hive of activity. Some were completing challenges, others were mapping their families adventures across the world, others become a detective by working out how old their family was if we combined everyone's ages and played the artifact guesser game. These were just a few of the activities that engaged our special visitors and children and got everyone thinking!!
We even had a small group from Mercy Aged care join in the fun in the community room!!
Grandparents day concluded with morning tea in the hall and a chance to share the experience with one another. It was great to receive all the very positive feedback. Grandparents day has become a highlight in our annual calendar. It is wonderful that it is such a positive experience for all grandparents, children and staff.
IMPORTANT CHANGES
TO NPORTAL FOR PARENTS PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
The NPortal for Parents has recently undergone an update with new features also having been added to enable parents to notify the school when their child is absent. This will enable schools to streamline their processes in regards to absentee notifications from parents.
NEW APP FOR PARENTS – nFORMA CONNECT
The first change is the the existing NPortal for Parents app will be decommissioned at the end of July. Therefore, parents will need to upgrade to the new nForma Connect App. When logging in or accessing the app from your phone, parents will be prompted to download the new app from the app store with the following alert appearing.
Some parents have already completed the necessary upgrade and we thank you for doing so. For those who have not accessed the app as yet for this term, please do so ASAP so that you will be able to access the new attendance feature in the app.
MARKING ABSENTEES FOR YOUR CHILD.
From Monday 20th July at 9:30am we will be activating the attendance feature on the portal which will allow parents to mark their child/children as absent on the app, instead of having to ring the school or use the SFS app. As mentioned above this will enable schools to streamline this process and remove the multiple platforms used so that there is ONE easily accessible option for parents.
As we transition to the new APP and ATTENDANCE process, our existing platforms to notify the school of a child being absent will remain available until the 31st July.
After this date parents will need to use the ATTENDANCE option on the APP or the PORTAL if accessing from their desktop.
When parents mark their child as absent this will automatically transfer to the school roll and be visible to staff.
Once the feature has been activated on Monday, parents will be able to mark if a child is absent by following the steps below:
- Click the VIEW DETAILS button under their child’s profile
- This will open the student’s profile and give them access to the MARK ATTENDANCE ICON.
- They will then be able to enter the details of the absence.
Parents will then be able to enter the details for why a student will be or was absent for that day.
Once the Attendance option is activated on Monday parents will be sent a notification, with reminders and the steps outlining how to make the Attendance.
At a later date, in addition to marking absences, late arrival to the school, early pickups etc. can also be marked as well.
Census and special circumstance applications privacy collection notice
The 7th August is the date for the non-government schools census collection. On this date the school shares information to the Australian Government Department of Education.
The census provides information about each school and the number and characteristics of the school’s staff and student body during a specific reference period.
Information and characteristics collected through the census include:
• teaching and non-teaching staff
• students’ year level and workload
• students’ gender and age (as on 1 July 2026)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students
• students with disability
• students receiving distance education
• day, boarding and overseas students.
The names of students and staff are not collected, apart from the name, position and contact details of the staff member nominated as the primary contact for the census.
See the link to the Census and special Application privacy collection notice
and NCCD Information Sheet for Parents, Carers and Guardians.
MACSSIS 2026
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys (MACSSIS): will be held from the 31 August –18 September 2026
We encourage all parents to take a few minutes to provide us your feedback and support as we use this information from students, staff and parents to set our goals and to improving our school.
Letter regarding the MACSSIS Survey to our parents.
Catholic School Parents Victoria
Catholic School Parents Victoria (CSPV) is a state-wide peak body representing Catholic school parents across Victoria. CSPV is committed to supporting families throughout every stage of their child’s educational journey.
CSPV champions the importance of parent engagement across all levels of Catholic education, ensuring that the voices of parents are heard by key decision-makers and that a strong network of support surrounds each student. CSPV supports parents by providing clear, accessible information on important educational matters, offering guidance on key issues, and advocating on behalf of families to ensure their needs and concerns are addressed with key stakeholders. Through this work, CSPV help parents feel informed, empowered, and connected to their child’s school experience.
Check Out CSPV's Newsletter Volume 1
Join Catholic School Parents Victoria to enrich your family’s experience within Catholic education through regular updates and news.
Check out the CSPV Website
Prep Enrolments are near capacity!
If you know someone thinking about their child starting at our wonderful school, they need to act fast. Book a tour, complete an application online and attend an interview to secure a place at St Francis de Sales for 2027. Delay and you will MISS out and will need to go on a waiting list. Spread the word so friends and families are aware that places are now limited for 2027.
St Francis de Sales 1:1 Program 2027
Expression of Interest Form on nForma for all current Year 2 parents.
Please provide us with your response.
At St Francis de Sales, our senior students participate in a 1:1 Chromebook program to support their learning both at school and at home. The program began in 2021 and was fully implemented in 2024, with all senior students now using a Chromebook.
A device is an important tool for learning but is only used when it is the most effective option. It does not replace the value of handwriting with pen or pencil, nor the joy of reading a physical book.
We are currently researching the Chromebook model that will be used for 2027 and are working to secure the most reliable device at the best possible price. We will share this information with Year 2 families as soon as it becomes available.
If you would like your child in Grade 3 2027 to use a Chromebook previously assigned to a graduating student, please note:
- The device will no longer be under warranty.
- Any repairs or technical issues will be the responsibility of parents/guardians.
While we will support its use where possible, we cannot guarantee performance due to age and wear.
If you choose this option, please let us know so the device is not removed from our system. Once removed, an Education Licence will need to be repurchased at a cost of $50.
Please provide us with your expression of interest response by Monday 20th July 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact either
Christine White principal@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au or
Christine White
Principal