Link Up Term 2 Week 8 2024

It has been such a delight these past few weeks to be able to visit a number of classrooms, assemblies, sporting events, the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist, and the fantastic Dance performance #one – It’s a Sweet Disposition. At each of these, I am overwhelmingly struck by the engagement of our students, and the care and effort of our staff. It is a privilege to see our students flourishing in every aspect of their education, and the sense of community is so strong. An example of this growth is being with the R-2 neighbourhood as a Reception class leads an assembly for the first time. The sense accomplishment when these young people lead prayer, read and display their work in front of a large gathering is so heartening to see. The pride and joy on the faces of a parent who witnesses the growth and courage of their child is beautiful. I am very lucky to be able to witness these moments every day here at St Francis de Sales College, and I thank the staff who continually provide these opportunities of learning and faith experience to the young people in our care.

These past few weeks the College leadership have been conducting a number of enrolment interviews and College tours. It makes me so proud as Principal to hear time and time again the wonderful reputation that St Francis de Sales College has in the community. For many new enrolments, the positive word of mouth from current families is the key factor in their decision to come to our school. Thank you all for your continued support of our endeavours to provide rich learning and faith opportunities for your children. Your support is greatly valued.

Given the unprecedented demand for places at our College, I simply cannot stress enough the importance of any family that wishes to enrol their children here at St Francis de Sales to do so as a matter of urgency. We have very limited vacancies in certain years levels including Year 7 for 2025, but these are filling very fast.

On Wednesday of Week 6, our Year 11 students attended the MFS Road Awareness Program. This is a hard hitting yet very important education program for young drivers. I went to the session and was both surprised and delighted to see that Kym Inglis was a key presenter. Many of you would be aware that Kym is a former parent whose beautiful family, wife Melania and daughters Claudia and Logan, along with their friend Georgia were all tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident on 12 January 2010. This tragedy is the most impactful event for me personally in my over 30 years in education, as I am sure it was for many staff. Among the many things that I remember about that time, was the strength of this community in the way it supported each other. Kym Inglis is an incredible man, and his story of grief and resilience is one that I am certain our Year 11s will remember for many years to come.

Andrew Baker
Principal

We have reached the halfway point of the academic year, and there is certainly a healthy buzz of busyness throughout our learning environments as students finalise assessments. It is business as usual for our Year 12s as they gear up for what will be the final term of classes.

Schools should always be busy places – it’s hard to imagine it any other way! But we recognise that at the end of reporting periods, there can be an increased level of stress and anxiety on our young people, and it has been fantastic to witness the level of care and support offered by our Homeroom teachers, Year Level Leaders and Wellbeing staff.

Pastoral Care

I’ve had the pleasure of conducting a number of enrolment interviews in recent weeks for families joining our community in 2025. A common question that I ask, and is also asked of me, is “what sets St Francis de Sales apart from other schools in the area?” In theory, the answer is somewhat simple; we are a Catholic school in the Mercy tradition. But what does this mean in practice? The most tangible example is in the pastoral care of our students. We believe in the holistic education of young people, where learning takes place through the heart, soul, body and mind. While academic learning is our core business, it is one part of our educational pursuit.

Throughout the last few weeks, there have been a number of learning opportunities beyond the academic curriculum that have supported the growth and development of our young people.

Mt Barker National Reconciliation Week Event – our first nations students joined members of the Mt Barker community for a reconciliation event during National Reconciliation Week building connections to culture and country.

World Environment Day – Staff and students across the College took part in tree planting in our nature play spaces in an act of solidarity and care for our common home.

MFS Road Awareness Program (RAP) – delivered to our Year 11 students, the RAP program gave an open and honest insight into the experience of firefighters working in road crash rescue. It empowered our students to use positive peer pressure to alleviate risk taking behaviour on the road.

Empower Education ‘#Adulting’ and ‘Alert, but not Alarmed’ – These sessions explored the transition to adulthood and encouraged them to make great choices, and to look after themselves and their mates through risk taking situations.

SAPOL Cyber Safety and Bullying Sessions – Our students in the middle years spent time with local police officers learning about cyber safety and the implications of illegal online behaviour. The consequences of bullying, harassment, and violent behaviour were also explored through the lens of the law and our students were informed of their role in keeping themselves and others safe.

What is your child accessing online?

There has been a significant amount of media attention in recent weeks regarding the impact of social media on childhood development. It is a timely reminder for parents and caregivers to consider what social media sites are being accessed by your children, and whether they are of an age to navigate the platform safely.

The vast majority of social media platforms currently have a minimum age of 13, and it has been well documented that the state government is lobbying for the minimum age to be lifted to 14 with local measures in place to monitor and police social media access. However, there are many online games that have a chat forum associated with them that are not bound by minimum age laws, nor are they equipped with appropriate controls to mitigate the risk of harmful or illegal online behaviour.

To support the work that we do at the College in teaching safe online behaviour through the Child Protection Curriculum, I would encourage all of our families to have a transparent conversation about what social media and gaming platforms are being accessed online, and for parents and caregivers to ensure they have absolute oversite of when and how these platforms are being used. The eSafety Commissioner website also has excellent advice and resources to support families in navigating this unfamiliar terrain of social media and child development.

Keeping our community healthy

As we rapidly enter the winter period, a reminder to please ensure that your child does not attend school if they have any cold or flu like symptoms. This is best practice to ensure our community stays healthy, particularly those who are immunocompromised.

All the best for the remainder of Term 2.

James Gill
Deputy Principal - Community and Wellbeing

An End and a Beginning

The final few weeks of Term 2 are always a busy time as staff and students work through the completion of Semester 1 and usher in the start of Semester 2. Semester 2 represents a ‘new beginning’ for many of our students, with different elective subject classes for Years 7 to 9 and some different semester subjects for Years 10 and 11.

In our Junior School, we are excited to be welcoming a new group of students into our Reception community from the start of Term 3. Our newest Receptions have been onsite for several induction opportunities, and I know that they, and their families, are excited about starting their school journey here at St Francis de Sales College. We wish them all well, and hope and trust, their educational experience here at our College will be everything they could hope for.

Adelaide Hills Student Pathways (AHSP) Interactive Industry Day

Last Friday, 14 June, we hosted the inaugural AHSP Interactive Industry Day. This was a great chance for our Year 10 students to explore Vocational Education Training (VET) options that are available to them here at St Francis de Sales and within the other schools that make up the AHSP Alliance.

Thanks to the following RTOs, who provided interactive displays on the day, including RST, TAFE SA, VETA Morphus, Active Training, ATEC, AIOH, UAVAIR, PEER, Civil Train, Marden Senior College and Queensford College. Thanks also to our staff who assisted with set up and used alternative teaching areas on the day. A huge thank you to our VET Coordinator, Katie Oliver who together with Sarah Bolt (AHSP Alliance Administrator), did the lion’s share of organising this fantastic opportunity for our students.

Our Year 10 students were joined by students from six other Hills schools, and they all participated in a range of interactive activities in the following areas:

VET options are an important part of many students’ senior secondary educational programs. Students at St Francis de Sales can do VET courses as part of the SACE and these pathways are increasingly popular with our Years 10-12 students, as they match these educational pursuits to their strengths, interests and future pathways. VET programs complement the skills, knowledge and dispositions developed through other SACE subjects, as well as providing industry-specific knowledge and skills, and pathways to work or further education.

It is terrific to see an increasing number of our students taking up the opportunity to support their completion of the SACE Certificate by undertaking VET courses. In Semester 2 we have twenty eight Years 10-12 students who are taking the opportunity to access a range of fourteen different VET courses.

Exams and Upcoming Reports

This week students from Years 9 to 11 have engaged in Semester 1 exams. These exams form an important part of assessment programs, but also serve as opportunities to practice and refine exam preparation and exam protocols prior to completing examinable Year 12 subjects.

As we approach the end of Semester 1, exams and other summative assessments are being finalised before reports are distributed on the last day of Term 3. I remind parents/caregivers to continue to access SEQTA for ongoing information about your child’s learning. Reports will again be distributed via the SEQTA platform, so if you are currently having any issues with SEQTA Engage, please contact the College for support.

Thank You

We thank families for your ongoing partnership and support in your child’s learning, and encourage to contact us if concerns arise regarding any academic or wellbeing needs. As usual, the Homeroom teachers are the first ‘port of call’, but our Year Level Leaders, Learning Area Specialists and College Leadership Team are also available to support if required. We endeavour to provide wrap around support for all our students, so they can ‘be who they are and be that well’.

Have a wonderful end to Term 2 and, when we get there, a restful holiday break.

Paul Wadsworth
Deputy Principal - Learning

Faith in Action (FIA)

This term our FIA Group have been working closely with myself, Jade (Youth Minister), Sr Shiji (Chaplain), and teachers Devan Chalmers, Stephanie Hocking and Tim Dornan. The group meets fortnightly at lunchtimes to learn more about faith and how we can use Gospel values to serve others in our community.

In Term 2 the FIA Group have been exploring meaning within the scripture passage which outlines the ‘Works of Mercy’. It is from Matthew’s Gospel.

Scripture:

³⁴Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? ³⁸And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? ³⁹And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ ⁴⁰And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’  

We have used the core messages in this scripture passage to help raise awareness of people in great need during our Vinnies Winter Appeal. Some of our FIA Group members have taken this into action by accepting the invitation to cook food in our Food Tech kitchen, for Vinnies Fred’s Van. I sincerely thank Teagan Rickman and Sr Shiji for assisting with this food making. Other members of the group have registered on our College Fundraising Page to take part in the College’s Vinnies Sleepout in Week 9.

Wonderful work being done by the FIA Group and the staff involved!

Vinnies Winter Appeal

A reminder that for our College, Friday of Week 9 will be the close of the Vinnies Winter Appeal and the last day for people to donate items. Thank you for your support of this appeal and your generosity.

All items that are donated will be welcomed by Vinnies, however they have asked the College to specifically focus on the following items:

• Tinned and packaged soups
• Tinned meats
• Packaged pasta
• Biscuits (sweet and dry)
• Tinned vegetables,
• Vegemite
• Peanut butter
• Jams
• Coffee and teas
• Any kind of toiletries like toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorants and soaps.

Vinnies Sleepout

The Vinnies Winter Appeal wouldn’t be complete without the Vinnies Sleepout. Our Vinnies Sleepout will occur on Wednesday Week 9 this term (26 June). Students in Years 6-12 are invited to take part in this wonderful service activity, and need to contact Mr Farrugia if they choose to participate. Students who take part are required to ask people to sponsor them to do the Sleepout, to raise money for Vinnies works.

To donate to this wonderful cause, please see the link below. Our aim is to raise $5,000 for people in need within our local Mt Barker community.

https://vinnies-sa.grassrootz.com/st-francis-de-sales-sleepout-for-vinnies-2024?tab=leaderboard

Sacramental Program

During the recent long weekend, a number of our students received their Sacrament of Confirmation and Holy Communion at beautiful ceremonies celebrated by Archbishop O’Regan and Fr Philip Marshall. This is a very special milestone in the lives of these students, their sponsors, and their families.

We congratulate the students whose names are listed below, and as a College community we continue to support these students on their faith journey:

• Cara Bockman
• Emily Greiner
• Thomas Greiner
• Sydnie Howard
• Roman Izzo
• Lola Johnstone
• Lucinda Mastroianni
• Mathias Sanchez Jacome
• Christopher Soesanto
• Aidan Willason
• Niesha Willason

Pentecost Mass

In Week 5, our R-12 community gathered to celebrate Pentecost with a Mass, themed ‘A light for all’.

Pentecost acknowledges the time after Jesus' ascension into heaven, when his followers were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were given the ability to be able to communicate to people from all nations and spread the Good News message of Jesus Christ. It is viewed as the birthday of the Christian church and is symbolised by fire and light.  

At the Mass we reflected on the loving light of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, which is a gift for us all. Pentecost is also associated with the ‘Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit’, which students presented beautifully in a visual manner during the Mass. 

We have recently invested in the recording and creation of a video, which gives information about the importance of the Eucharist and explains how to receive the host or a blessing at Mass. It will be used for the first time at our Term 3 whole College Mass, and we are confident that the video will enhance the students’ understanding of and engagement in the eucharist at the Mass. I thank Andrew Baker and the students who were involved in the recording of this video.

Planting Ceremony

In the last edition of Link Up, I wrote about Laudato-Si Week and the importance of our community understanding their role in looking after our natural world in all of its beauty and diversity.

On 5 June (World Environment Day) we held a Planting Ceremony to bookend the work done during Laudato-Si Week, with our students. The ceremony included an address from Andrew Baker about the importance of all of us following the message of Laudato-Si, and seeing creation and the natural world as a gift from God. Then one student per Homeroom planted the Australian native plant that they had been looking after during Laudato-Si Week. We ended with the official Laudato-Si prayer.

This gathering and planting symbolised our community coming together as one, with the common mission of building relationship with our natural world and being custodians of it. Thank you to all of the students and staff who assisted with this, in particular Chester Messenger and Daren Porter; members of our Maintenace Team who were a terrific support.

The planted garden is now an evolving and growing reminder of our community’s commitment to our natural world.

Year 9 Reflection Day

As we enter Semester 2, our Year 9s will be gathering together for their Reflection Day in Week 10, which is being held at Sunset Rock at Stirling. We are delighted to have Salesian Priest, Fr Chris Ford, facilitate the day. The theme is our very own College motto and quote from St Francis de Sales, “Be who you are and be that well.” Fr Chris is very well versed in the narrative and charism of St Francis de Sales, and we look forward to work with him and journey with our Year 9 students through this day.

Community Mass 8:00am

A reminder that all students, staff and families are invited to our Community Masses, which are held fortnightly on Thursdays in our Community Sports Centre Function Room at 8:00am-8:30am.

After the Mass, the adults are welcome to Frankie's Cafe located in our Meya Watta Building (Reception Learning Community/Alive ELC) to have tea/coffee and a chat. It’s a wonderful way to start the day and share some time with members of our broader community.

The next Community Mass is Thursday 4 July. Hope to see you there.

Have a wonderful start to Semester 2, and then the school holidays not too far from now.

In Peace

Oreste Farrugia
APRIM

As we head toward the July school holidays, it is a great time to reflect on another wonderful semester of learning and growth for all our students. It is always such a privilege to see each child’s development over a semester of learning. Early next term, we look forward to formally celebrating Semester 1 student achievement and endeavour across the R-6 community with our Semester 1 Awards Assembly.

This term we have been busily preparing to welcome twenty eight brand new Reception students into our College. These Reception students will begin their learning journey at the start of Term 3, and they have already enjoyed three Friday morning transition visits, where they have been provided with lots of opportunities to become familiar with the College environment and the teachers, as well as discovering what being at big school is all about. We particularly look forward to our Welcome Liturgy for these students and families on Friday of Week 10.

It has been wonderful to see so many students engage in extra curricular learning over the course of the semester. Many of our students have taken up the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of the extra-curricular offerings such as choirs, an array of representative sports, and instrumental music instruction. We also have many students engaging in Children’s University (CU), accruing lots of outside of school learning hours toward their CU certificates. Our House Captains, SRC and Faith in Action (FIA) Group have been working hard for the betterment of our community. These enriching learning experiences provide excellent opportunities for students to pursue their interests in a wide variety of areas. We thank all the staff involved in facilitating these for our students.

Finally, we wish all families well for the upcoming school holiday break, and we look forward to a productive and fruitful Semester 2 for all students.

Alice Taylor
R-6 Director of Learning

Stage 1 Biology Class visit to Cleland Wildlife Park

Our Stage 1 Biology students recently visited Cleland Wildlife Park. They learnt about threats to survival of Australia's endemic species and conservation strategies. Students also learnt about human impact on biodiversity and investigated the interrelated factors of an ecosystem, relationships between organisms and identified keystone species and consequences on ecosystems of their decline.

Zonya Grear
Learning Area Specialist – Science

Student Reflection

"On Monday of Week 11 the Stage 1 Biology class visited Cleland Wildlife Park where we learnt about biodiversity and conservation of endangered species. As a participant I learnt about the importance of keeping our native wildlife safe and respected. We adventured around the park and made discoveries for ourselves about endangered species of South Australia and strategies for their conservation. We were able to learn from an educator about the importance of biodiversity and solutions to protect species. In groups we got the opportunity to investigate the many interrelated factors of an ecosystem and the relationships between organisms. Overall it was a great experience which was fun and also educational." Sienna Fox

Environmental and Earth Science Fossil Field Trip

The Year 11 Earth and Environmental Science class went on an expedition on Tuesday 4 June as part of our coursework on the stories that rocks can tell us about Earth’s history. Our first stop was Port Willunga where we located evidence of fossils and looked for features that could tell us about the environment that the fossils lived in. We then travelled to Hallett Cove, which is one of the best geological sites in Australia. Here we looked for evidence of ancient glaciation amongst the geological formations. One of the highlights was The Sugarloaf which is composed of sediments deposited in a lake formed as the ice sheet melted about 280 million years ago.

Overall, it was a fun and educational day that brought our classroom studies to life and deepened our appreciation for the history recorded in the Earth's geology.

Amy Ashley
Learning Area Specialist – Maths

Shark Tank eSchool and MIELAB Competition

Throughout the semester the Stage 1 Business Innovations has been integrated within the Shark Tank eSchool and MIELAB, an initiative of Adelaide University. Students worked collaboratively using the Design Thinking Process to identify a problem and create an innovative solution.

A variety of team prototypes were iterated including the Chillowcase, H2O Trakr, and Splatoff.

Our team created Traffic Buddy, a multifunctional traffic app that incorporates social media that notifies your commitments such as work and school if you are caught in traffic and deemed to be late. The point of difference being social media, when friends and other users inform each other of the traffic issue, whether it be in a car, on a bus or walking.

On Tuesday 18 June, we participated in the National Shark Tank eSchool finals competing against interstate schools in the environmental category. Traffic Buddy and its business model were pitched to a panel of university judges, and we were excited to be awarded first place, winning a prize of $750.

Studying Business Innovations this semester has been fun, challenging, and a great way to collaborate with others – especially if you wouldn’t normally work with them.

Alexis Daniel, Lily Ladhams, Caitlin Batge, Mia Cullinan and Mya Albrecht
Traffic Buddy team

Stage 2 Legal Studies: A Day in the Courts

On Tuesday 18 June, Stage 2 Legal Studies students embarked on an enlightening excursion to the Adelaide Supreme Court and District Court. The purpose of this outing was to provide students with a firsthand experience of the legal system in action. During the excursion, students had the unique opportunity to witness two distinct and captivating cases unfolding within the courtrooms. These real-life scenarios allowed them to delve into the intricacies of the dispute resolution processes. The excursion was a valuable educational experience, bridging theory and practice for our Legal Studies students. It reinforced the importance of the legal system in our society and inspired critical thinking about justice and dispute resolution.

Jen Ness-Ferry
Learning Area Specialist - HASS

On Wednesday of Week 6, our Year 11 Students participated in the MFS Road Awareness Program (RAP). The program is designed as an educational opportunity for students to understand the impact of being a driver and passenger in a car, and how all road users need to be aware of the decisions they make and the consequences those decisions have on not just themselves but the wider community.

Nigel from the MFS gave an honest and open insight into the experience of firefighters working in road crash rescue as well as providing the students with some helpful tools and strategies to help build their awareness of safe and responsible road use.

Special guest speaker, Kym bravely shared his story of losing his wife and two young children in a road crash, and the ongoing impact of his loss. This had a resounding impact on our Year 11s who were able to listen to a first-hand account of the result of road accidents.

We are grateful for the presentation which has enabled our students to be more aware of how to keep themselves and others safe.

Ros Mattner
11-12 Year Level Leader

Year 11 Student Reflections

The RAP program was an eye opening and serious matter, it was a opportunity we are grateful for as not everyone can experience this. Throughout the session we learnt about safety when driving, being a passenger and a pedestrian. We talked about what kind of road user we want to be, the session also talked about being in control and that little risks can change the path in situations, that you can control taking a risk but can't control the outcome and consequence.  We reviewed a variety of accidents and crashes with some really tragic outcomes, we discussed how these situations shaped people's lives going forward. The PowerPoint and videos presented allowed this program to be clear and understandable. We heard from a local father who talked about how he tragically lost his family in a car accident which was really impactful and helped us to see first hand how these experiences shape a person. We would like to thank MFS and Kym for sharing their knowledge and experiences.

Piper, Niccola and Primrose

In Week 6, we viewed the MFS Road Awareness Program (RAP). This was an eye-opening and confronting presentation on the dangers of misuse on our roads. It highlighted the actions we take on roads and how they affect us and other road users. This made us feel determined to be safer on the roads and make better decisions. The stories that were shared made us think deeply about how we should behave to make ourselves and others feel safe. We are grateful that we were able to participate in this presentation as we learned a lot. 

Charlie and Tyler

#one - It’s a Sweet Disposition – Dance Performance

On Wednesday of Week 7 our Semester 1 Dance students (117 in number) transported all those who attended the #one - It’s a Sweet Disposition production to an amazing space in the Community Sports Centre… although epic in its construction the basketball court became unrecognisable as such and a theatre was born!

Over the afternoon and evening, the Dance students presented their entertaining and fun performances, firstly for over 700 College staff and students (who are a brilliant audience, and a performance we always look forward to) and an evening performance for an audience of over 400 enthusiastic, family and friends. At the same time the production was filmed so that a recorded version of #one - It’s a Sweet Disposition – The Movie can be utilised as evidence for ACARA and SACE assessment purposes.

A huge thank you must go to Aleks Bojanic who continues to work his magic, this time not only with the incredible light, sound and graphic production, but also this year for putting on his ‘builder’ hard hat and assisting in the construction of a theatre (and believe me, it was like building an entire theatre from scratch… and then taking it down again 24 hours later!). And, once again for adding his immense talent to the post-production work. Karen Boswell and Kerin Tinnion, along with the invincible Michele McDonald deserve much credit and thanks for taking brilliant care of the Green Room (Dressing Room) chaos! Thank you must also go to the support of the 2024 Dance Captains Holly Mowat and Molly Summerton.

The recorded production of #one - It’s a Sweet Disposition – the Movie will become available shortly via a private link (all going according to plan, of course). The link will be emailed directly to all parents, caregivers and to the students involved in the performance; however, if you do not receive the link and would like to see our amazing Semester 1 Dance students’ performance of #one - It’s a Sweet Disposition, please email Peta Bojanic at pbojanic@stfrancis.catholic.edu.au to have the link sent directly to you. I am truly blessed to work with such amazing students, and I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of them.

Peta Bojanic
R-12 Dance Teacher

As we head toward the end of Semester 1, it has been time for our more senior Music students to share what they have been working on during classroom music, instrumental lessons and all of the lunchtime rehearsals.

On Tuesday 18 June, Week 8, we staged our Senior Music Concert in the intimate setting of the Community Sports Centre Function Room.

It was an evening that was very well attended by families and friends of our College Music Department, and we were really pleased to have the families of our Year 9 classroom Music students attend who enjoyed a showcase of some of the musical pieces that the students have worked on during Semester 1 with Senior Classroom Music Teacher, Sarah Dodd. What was most pleasing, was, that for many of these students it was the very first time that they performed in front of an audience, a fantastic achievement and they all did so very well.

The evening also featured performances by our Stage 1 Music students together with our bands, Heart n Soul, Mixed Bag and 2024 Generations in Jazz attendees, de Groove… a fantastic evening was had by all.

Week 9 will see a number of our more junior Vocal students take to the Music Deck stage with another instalment of The Music Lunchbox. Although it might be a little cold and chilly, the performances are certain to warm up the always appreciative lunchtime audience. This The Music Lunchbox concert will also feature Nicole Moxham’s junior choir, Piccolo Voce who have been working hard to be ready for this opportunity.

As we head into Semester 2 we have some limited vacancies within our Instrumental Program. We currently offer private tuition in the following instruments: Piano, Guitar, Voice (Modern, Classical and Theatre), Double Bass, Violin, Cello, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bass Guitar and Drums. If there is an instrument that doesn’t appear in this list, we can certainly facilitate lessons in your chosen instrument. For further details and information, please visit our College website Music page at St Francis de Sales College | Music

We continue to strive to make music a part of College life at St Francis de Sales.

The Music Team

5/6 Soccer

On Monday, Week 8 we hosted the Interschool Soccer Competitions for both boys and girls. It was an incredibly frosty morning but the day warmed up and we ended up with a fantastic, friendly competition. Our girls tried hard and many of the team had never played before. They had a lot of fun, were fantastic sports and learned a lot throughout the day. They should be very proud of their effort. The boys had three games against Stirling East, Woodcroft and Prospect and won all three games!! This means they progress through to the next round. They are very excited! Goal scorers were Davi, Nate and Charbel. Congratulations and good luck!!

5/6 Netball

During Week 8 we also had a Boys and Girls team compete in Interschool Netball Competitions. Both days were held at our College. The girls fought hard against some well drilled teams from Adelaide. They were able to beat one team but did not progress to the next round. This is the first year that we have entered a boys team into this competition. They were super keen and learned a lot throughout the day. In the end they won two of the three games so were also knocked out.

7/8 Boys Soccer

This week our Year 7/8 Boys Soccer team played their 4-way round one tie against Cornerstone College, Unity College and Mt Barker Waldorf School out on our playing fields. They won a tight first game against Cornerstone, winning on penalties, and they had a fantastic win against Unity College. Unfortunately they could not get the final win so have been knocked out.

Senior Netball

Throughout the second part of this term we have also had our 9/10 Girls, 11/12 Girls and 11/12 Boys compete in the first rounds of their Interschool Netball Competitions. The Senior Girls team competed in a five team round robin competition in Murray Bridge. The girls combined exceptionally well throughout the day with some terrific passages of play and defensive efforts. They ended up winning all of their matches including a nail biting 1 point victory over Heathfield High Sschool. The Senior Boys team travelled to Keith for their first round, playing against Eastern Fleurieu School and Millicent High School. This talented team blew the opposition away, winning both games by over 30 points, We wish these teams every success as they move on to the next rounds.

Senior Basketball

In Week 4 of this term we had a hugely successful day for our Year 7/8 Boys and Girls Knockout Basketballers with both teams making it through to the State Division 1 Finals. 

The Girls had a round robin competition with the top two teams going through and we snuck through in a 3-way tie for second. Their results were:

SFdS lost to Cardijn 38 - 42
SFdS defeated Nazareth 40 - 29
SFdS lost to Tenison 23 - 42

With Nazareth beating Cardijn we were able to scrape through in second spot.

The Boys had a great day finishing second in their pool after a tight loss to Cardijn, then in their cross over final against St Peters they played fantastic, coming away winners. Their results were:

SFdS defeated Nazareth 46 - 25
SFdS lost to Cardijn 51 - 55
SFdS defeated St Peters 55 - 40

In Week 6 we have had another great day with our Open Boys Basketball team walking away with two convincing wins. Please see results below:

SFdS defeated Heathfield 90 - 27
SFdS defeated Woodcroft College 84 - 32

All boys played well, and we now move onto the next round against Tenison Woods and another school to be confirmed.

SAPSASA Representatives

Throughout Term 2 we have had a number of students in Year 5 and 6 selected to represent the Barker District in various sports and activities. This is a fantastic achievement and we would like to congratulate them all.

Netball – Mia Andrews and Isabelle Flavel

School Sport SA STATE Representatives

Throughout Term 2 we have had a number of students selected to represent South Australia in School Sport SA National Competitions. This is an outstanding achievement and we congratulate them all.

Basketball – Ethan MacDermott and Daisy Hocking
Hockey – Archie Jones
Cross Country Running – Paxton Newman

Nadia Honner
Learning Area Specialist - Health and Physical Education and Specialist Sport Coordinator