Principal’s Blog – 19 February 2021

Dear Parents, Students and Staff

The term has begun smoothly and the students appear quite settled after adjusting back into the routines of school after the holidays. Thank you to our students for their attention to personal presentation and the positive attitude to learning. The Year 7 students have made an excellent transition to the high school scene. The SFX Community Day at Big Splash was a wonderful event allowing students the opportunity to enjoy a very special activity as they launch into the new school year!

Thank you also to our staff for their commitment to ensuring our students receive high quality learning experiences that meet their individual needs. Many of our teachers were on-site before school began, preparing programs and resources. Our support staff were busy too, in particular the Maintenance and Financial teams who were getting things ready for the staff and students before they returned to school.

Our liturgical theme for 2021 is ‘In Christ, we journey together in truth and courage’. This theme helps us to regularly reflect on our mission and Catholic identity. It also encourages us to be the very best we can be as individuals and as a community. In addition, we have adjusted the three pillars of our College expectations to – ‘Be respectful, Be responsible, Be kind’ – with the latter aligning more closely with our outreach and the charity work we undertake.

I have mentioned previously the traffic congestion that occurs in the SFX precinct before and after school. There is the potential for grid lock on Barnard Circuit so please be patient. We will prioritise buses and their access to the bus bay. Police may begin to patrol the area so a reminder that the bus bay is not a pick-up zone and people without disability passes should not be using the specially allocated parking zones, even on the SFX grounds. The drop-off and pick-up opportunities on Krefft Street appear to work well and help reduce the traffic congestion on Barnard Circuit. I thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Our first public gathering in almost a year occurred on Tuesday evening with the Senior Information Night being very well attended. The night was an opportunity for parents to be exposed to the Year 10 – 12 expectations as the students’ progress toward gaining a Year 12 Senior Secondary Certificate. We outlined the various packages available and the rules around qualifications. It was wonderful to see so many parents in attendance.

Best wishes
Paul Carroll