Dear Parents and Carers,

“I ask all educational institutions to inaugurate a season that speaks to the hearts of the new generations, recomposing knowledge and meaning, competence and responsibility, faith and life.”
— Pope Leo XIV

In the coming days, the Vatican will release a significant document marking 60 years since Gravissimum Educationis—the landmark declaration on Catholic education from Vatican II. This anniversary is more than a historical moment; it is a call to renew our mission in light of today’s realities.

The Holy Father’s words remind us of the challenge and privilege we share: to speak to the hearts of young people, to weave together knowledge and meaning, competence and responsibility, faith and life. Catholic education is not simply about information—it is about transformation, helping students encounter goodness, beauty, and truth at the very core of their being.

In this same spirit, Pope Leo XIV will name St John Henry Newman as co-patron of Catholic education, alongside St Thomas Aquinas. Newman’s vision of education as a formation of the whole person sits beautifully beside Aquinas’ profound theological insight. Together, they stand as guiding lights for our work into the future.

St Francis of Assisi Feast Week

This week, we have celebrated St Francis of Assisi Feast Week, honouring the feast day of our patron saint, which always falls during the school holidays. St Francis reminds us of the beauty of creation and the call to live with peace, humility, and service at the heart of our lives.

Throughout the week, our community has embraced his spirit of compassion and stewardship. Each day, students engaged in activities designed to bring St Francis’s vision and values alive—fostering care for one another and for the world around us.

Today, we concluded our celebrations with a joyful Variety Concert, a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their gifts and talents. It was a fitting way to end a week that has been rich in reflection, creativity, and community.

I extend my sincere thanks to Sharee Thomas for her leadership in organising this special week, and to all staff who supported the activities and made this celebration meaningful for our students.

World Teachers’ Day

Today, we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, a moment to recognise the dedication, passion, and impact of our teachers. Teaching is not just a profession—it is a vocation that shapes lives and builds futures.

On behalf of our school community, we say a heartfelt thank you to all our teachers for the incredible work you do every day. Your commitment to our students and your care for their growth make a profound difference.

As a gesture of appreciation, the school community council has organised a thank-you lunch for staff today on behalf of the whole school community. We hope this small token reflects the deep gratitude we feel for all you contribute to our community.

Strategic Plan

We have now completed our Strategic Plan for 2026–2028 and shared it for feedback with Catholic Education, parents who attended the recent Community Council open meeting, and our staff.

In the coming fortnight, the leadership team will begin work on our Annual Improvement Plan for 2026, and will have it ready for the start of 2026. Both documents will be available on the school website and in the Documents section of your Compass app, in the coming weeks.

Playground Access After School

From next week, the playground will be closed to parents and students after school. Our BASCA program has grown significantly, and we’ve noticed some students heading to the playground unsupervised once the bell goes. This has made it challenging for BASCA staff to supervise both enrolled students and those playing outside.

To ensure the safety and well-being of all children, we ask that families not use the equipment or ovals after school. The Community Council is currently exploring options to maintain opportunities for connection after school for parents who would like to stay. One option already available is the Library, which is open to parents and students on Mondays after school—a great space to connect with other families and enjoy time with your children.

Classes for 2026

We will soon begin the process of forming classes for 2026—a task that is both important and complex. Our teachers take great care in considering a range of factors to ensure balanced and supportive learning environments. These include:

• Additional needs
• Work habits
• Cognitive ability
• Friendships
• Behaviour
• Gender
• Health considerations
• Religion (to assist in achieving balance, especially in Sacramental years)
• Common names

Our goal is to create classes with an even spread of positive and challenging characteristics. Where practical, parental requests based on genuine educational considerations will be taken into account.

If you have specific considerations regarding your child’s placement, please provide these in writing via email to me sean.rutledge@cg.catholic.edu.au no later than COB Friday, 14 November (Week 5). Parental concerns with genuine educational considerations will be examined and seriously considered during the process. However, it must be clearly understood that there is no guarantee that these can be honoured.

Leaving in 2026

If your child will not be attending SFA in 2026, please email the front office to let us know. This information is essential for planning and preparation, and as part of legislative requirements, we must record the school your child will be enrolled in on our exit register.

Blessings and best wishes

Sean Rutledge

Principal

FEAST WEEK SUCCESS!

What a wonderful week we’ve had celebrating Feast Week at St Francis of Assisi! Our school community came together for a series of joyful, meaningful, and memorable activities that truly reflected the charisms of our patron St Francis and our values of gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness.

Monday: Grand Friends Picnic Lunch: We kicked off the week by welcoming our grand friends into classrooms, where they could see student learning in action. Everyone then gathered outside for a picnic lunch under the trees. It was heart-warming to see so many families and friends sharing food, laughter, and stories. Thank you to all who made our grand friends feel so welcome!

Tuesday: GEM-a-Thon: Tuesday was all about Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness (GEM). Students rotated through creative activities such as building a Gratitude Garden, sharing stories of empathy, and practising mindful movement. These activities helped our students reflect on the importance of kindness, thankfulness, and being present in the moment.

Wednesday: Feast Day Mass: On Wednesday, we gathered in the hall for a beautiful Feast Day Mass. The singing was so uplifting I actually had goosebumps! It was a special time for our community to come together in faith and celebration. A big thank you to the Parishioners who attended our mass and Fr Mark fo sharing the Eucharist with us. 

Thursday: Tabloid Sports: Thursday’s Tabloid Sports saw students from Kinder to Year 6 participating in fun and energetic rotations. Whether on the playground or the oval, everyone enjoyed teamwork, friendly competition, and lots of smiles. Thank you to all staff for organising and supervising the activities so smoothly.

Friday: Variety Concert & Day for Daniel: Today we wrapped up Feast Week with our much-anticipated St Francis of Assisi Variety Concert. The acts were fantastic, and it was wonderful to see so many students sharing their talents on stage. Everyone wore red in support of Day for Daniel, raising awareness for child safety.

Thank you to all students, staff, families, and grand friends for making Feast Week 2025 such a success. Your enthusiasm and participation made every event special. We look forward to many more celebrations together!

Sacrament of Reconciliation

A reminder that all children who wish to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation later in the term need to attend a Parish Mass and pledge their commitment to the Sacrament. If you child was not able to do this last weekend, please ensure they attend one of the weekend masses this weekend to do so. When they arrive at the church they will be asked to write their name on 2 prayer cards. One is placed in the box and the other is held onto until the end of mass when the children are asked to share their prayer card with a parishioner so they can be prayed for. During Mass, Fr will ask the children to stand and commit themselves in front of the parish community. While it can be daunting to approach people they do not know, we ask that parents support their child to share their prayer card with someone outside of the family or close friends, allowing parish members to be fully part of the children's preparation of the Sacrament. There will be a someone in the foyer at all masses (6pm Saturday, 8am, 10am and 6pm Sunday) to help you and your child. 

November 1st - All Souls Day

In this month we make time to remember those who have died. We pray for those whom we have loved in life on earth. We pray for those who have loved us. We also remember those who have no one to remember them. I am thinking of a couple of people in particular as I mark this feast, one a friend and one a community member, both are now in God’s kind keeping until the day of resurrection. I miss them. 

This is also a good opportunity to teach children about our Christian confidence in death as the transition to the fullness of life. Children learn most easily with experience. To take children to the graves of friends and family is a sure and certain way to overcome their secular Halloween fears about a cemetery as a spooky place by teaching them about the graveyard as a place of Christian hope. You might teach your children this simple and traditional prayer: Eternal rest grant to them/him/ her/ O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them/ him/ her. May they/ he/ she rest in peace. Amen  

Have a great week!

Sharee Thomas

REC

Have your say! The new annual School Engagement Survey is launching mid-November, and you will have the opportunity to reflect on your experiences at the school as a parent or guardian and provide feedback.

Your feedback will be valuable to help us understand how to better support your child and improve our school.

The new survey has been developed with the support of JWS Research. It will take around 10-15 minutes to complete, and your responses will be kept completely confidential and only reported at an aggregate level.

You can expect the 2025 School Engagement Survey to be distributed through Compass as a News Item and push notification in the coming days!

If you have any issues accessing the survey link, please contact the Catholic Education Office through Strategy.Survey@cg.catholic.edu.au

As we head toward the end of the school year, we just want to remind families that support is available if you’re finding school fees a little tricky right now. There’s still time to get in touch and apply for a school fee remission for 2025 if you need a bit of financial assistance.

Please remember that remissions can only be approved for the year they’re received, so if your account isn’t on a payment plan or covered by a remission, it will need to be finalised by the end of the year.

We’re here to help and want to make sure every family feels supported. If you’d like to chat about your options or request an application form, please contact me at julie.rummukainen@cg.catholic.edu.au 

Don’t hesitate to reach out – we’re more than happy to help find a solution that works for you and your family.