Principal's News

Dear Parents & Carers,

Here we are again at the end of another excellent term at St Francis Xavier! 

I can hardly believe tomorrow is the last day. Over the past ten weeks we have been blessed in so many ways, and I would like to take a moment to thank God for all our achievements .

Faith Life

Our term began with our beautiful Grandparents’ Prayer Service, warmly attended by our treasured community members. We celebrated Mass for the feast day of St Mary MacKillop, with the final hymn sending shivers down our spines. My favourite mass of the year, the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, filled church and wonderful singing. As I reminded the children that day, God the Father, Jesus, the angels and saints and especially Our Lady would have been smiling down on them with joy.

Learning & Achievement

This term brought many sporting highlights, with notable achievements from Stella (Year 5) and Sadie (Year 2). For the first time in over 15 years, we welcomed AFL lessons, alongside our regular gala days and Zing dance program.

Our students also shone in academics and the arts: Jennifer and Sofia (Year 3) excelled in an art competition, while Nathalie, Oliver and Sophia (Year 6) represented us proudly across our network. The art room continues to buzz with creativity, and our teachers have worked tirelessly to provide engaging, growth-focused learning experiences.

Community Celebrations

Father’s Day was once again a highlight, with the community turning out in force—thank you to the Simpson family for sponsoring the morning. Book Week brought smiles, costumes, and a special author visit. Science Week made its debut with the “Science-a-viva,” which was a resounding hit with the children.

 Ray White - Ashfield 

Wellbeing & Pastoral Care

This year we relaunched Friendology as a Tier 1 provision, strengthening our commitment to pastoral care. This program equips children with language and strategies to navigate social situations. Survey feedback confirms students value Friendology alongside Peaceful Kids. Year 4 students, in particular, reported feeling calmer and more ready to learn.

Welcoming New Families

Our School Readiness Program returned in July, with 64 of our newest community members joining us every fortnight. It has been wonderful to welcome them into the St Francis Xavier family.

Mission, Vision & Values

In our 95th anniversary year, we have revised our school mission and vision and created a set of values to guide our community into the future. Parents, staff, Father Richard, and most importantly the children all contributed to this process.

• Mission: Knowing God’s love through the journey of learning.
• Vision: Inspired by the charism of our Ursuline heritage, we empower every student to grow in faith.
• Values: Compassion, Excellence, Respect, Service & Stewardship.

It was inspiring that all three groups staff, parents, and children chose Respect as their top priority. The students, staff, and our SRC have taken real ownership of this work, even developing a slideshow to introduce the mission, vision and values to their peers.

Our motto remains Serviam I will serve. Our credo will to be High Expectations for All.

I warmly invite you to join us on Wednesday 22 October as we officially launch our new mission, vision and values, with a special blessing from Father Richard.

Finally I would like to thank everyone in the community for their continued support.

A special commendation as always to my wonderful staff  who give so much for the children in their care.

In the meantime, I wish you and your families a safe and joyful holiday. May the next two weeks bring plenty of sunshine and rest.

Take care,

Brian