St Francis of Assisi College - 6 Dec 2021

This weekend was significant in the Catholic Church, with Sunday the 28th of November marking the beginning of Advent.  The word ‘Advent’ means ‘coming’, Advent marks the beginning of the Church’s new year and is a season of waiting and preparation. In fact, this season of Advent focuses on Christ’s threefold coming—past, present, and future. 

We await and prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas.
We hope and give thanks for Christ’s presence within us and in the Word and sacraments.
We look to the future, waiting for Christ to come again.

In the coming four weeks we prepare with mounting expectation for the coming of Christ in a spirit of waiting, conversion, and hope.  Lighting the candles on the Advent wreath symbolises the coming of light (Jesus) into the world. The first candle (violet) represents hope, the second (violet) peace, the third (rose) joy, and the fourth (violet) love. The central white candle is lit on Christmas Day and represents Christ.

Advent is an ideal time to pause and reflect upon our lives and decide what’s important and where our energy and attention should be focused. As Christians, the more consciously we pause and reflect, the more open we become to the presence of God in our lives and the power of his grace and to shape our lives. Advent then is the time for conscious reflection upon our lives in the light of the presence of Christ amongst us. As we prepare for Christmas, there’s always a real challenge for us. This time of year, we all become so much busier with all the break ups, social activities, and preparations for Christmas. Instinctively, we speed up and busy ourselves attempting to do so many things. The invitation to us today is the opposite. Pause, slow down, reflect, listen, and pray – make the experience intensely personal. Advent is a time for more prayer as individuals, families and as parish community. In such a way Advent will be an opportunity for real change and renewal in our lives, unleashing the power to reflect upon our lives, humbly name our challenges, be freed and forgiven for past poor choices and experiencing the loving forgiveness of God as we move forward with hope and confidence.

“Don’t litter,” my dad would teach us when we went camping. “Never, ever, throw rubbish out a car window,” my mother warned as we finished a snack in the back seat. My grandparents taught us not to waste anything nor to dig up flowers. We were taught to never step on small trees or to hurt any creatures. Why? Because we must leave the world better than we found it!

Making a rubbish tip in the water ways and the forests, destroys the beauty and goodness of creation. Destroying life just for the sake of destroying it is taking life in vain. We are called to walk through life, as part of creation. We are to learn from animals and care for flowers, to have enough and never too much. These early lessons ring true in the hearts of many today, more loudly than ever before.

What we do to creation we do to ourselves.

In our Riverland the days keep getting longer and warmer. Nature is awake. The vines are producing fruit and the air is filled with the smell of blossom. The perfect season for a new beginning!

We tend to our gardens, planting, sowing, and mowing, with the hope of magnificent blooms and abundant growth this summer. The excitement of seeing the fruits of a small seed that you embedded in the ground, spouting forth with strength and determination, is amazing.

Jesus was and continues to be the ultimate seed. The growth of Christianity, beginning with him quietly being “planted” into humanity, is not only the ‘greatest story ever told’ but one that has led to generations of great stories of faith and dedication to his teaching. Today, more than 2000 years later, we continue to bring His story to life in our own new beginning, reaping the fruits of our Catholic community’s hard labour, opening St Francis of Assisi College in our beloved Riverland region in January 2022.

The College has been named after St Francis of Assisi. St Francis continues to be an inspirational figure to people of all faiths. St Francis of Assisi, through his life, teaches us about the goodness of creation and shows us the inseparable bond between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and inner peace. He teaches us that it is holy to care for the world in the same way God cares for the world. Inspired by the life and vision of St Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis, outlined a deep set of values centred around care for ourselves and each other, the earth and its creatures in an inspirational letter called Laudato Si.

St Francis of Assisi College will embrace the message of Laudato Si’ in every manner of its operation. The Pope’s letter is a worldwide wake up call to help us understand the destruction that is afflicting our planet and the suffering it brings to the most vulnerable. A key concept in Laudato Si’ is Pope Francis’ new worldview that includes integral ecology – a care for our common home which embraces both concern for the poor and care for the Earth. It flows from the understanding that “everything is closely related” and that “today’s problems call for a vision capable of considering every aspect of the global crisis.”

It is our hope that the seed that Saint Francis of Assisi planted comes to fruition in the hearts of all our students, all our staff, and the whole Riverland community.

Welcome to 2022 - A new beginning.

Nanda de Winter
Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission

The inaugural students of the College engaged in their final engagement sessions at the Year 7 and 8 Transition Days in the past fortnight. In what was the last time for students to connect, communicate and collaborate with their peers before the first day of Term 1, many expressed their excitement and anticipation for their first day in 2022. Across both days for each cohort, the students had multiple opportunities to form meaningful relationships with peers and teachers through activities designed to encourage active participation and connection.

A highlight of the transitions was in Ms. de Winter’s Catholic Identity session where students began to draft and sculpt an abstract statue of St Francis of Assisi to be commissioned and placed on the school grounds. This will be developed further in Term One by a student action group. Students were highly engaged in the Maker Space exercise; working in teams, students designed, built, tested, and adapted a rocket while simultaneously building their teamwork and communication skills. Mrs Meuret challenged the group in the Cube Houses activity to work collaboratively to find the solution in a mixture of concrete, representative and abstract methods. Mr Sampson’s cleverly designed Physical Education activities ensured students mingled between school groups and got a taste of the 2022 P.E. curriculum in a fun, safe, and student-centred environment.

It was noticeable across the two days, students slowly and cautiously began to form new friendships and mix between primary school groups. The growth in confidence and collaboration among the students was a special highlight for the staff and stand the College in good stead for 2022!

We look forward to welcoming all families to our Open Night on Monday 13th December from 6pm.

Stephanie Turnbull, Rowing Coach and Learning Support

We are pleased to announce Stephanie has been appointed to the ESO Rowing Coach and Learning Support.  Stephanie brings to the College experience as an elite rowing athlete and rowing coach.  She held a High Performance Scholarship with the SA Sports Institute for four years; was a four-time National Champion and nine-time SA State Team representative; as well as an Australian Rowing Team representative.

Stephanie’s coaching endeavour's include coaching winning Head of the River rowing teams in first and second eights, as Assistant Senior Coach at Walford Anglican School for Girls. Stephanie also gained valuable sports administration knowledge whilst employed by Rowing SA. She is a qualified Fitness Trainer and Gym Instructor.  Since moving to the Riverland Stephanie has been heavily involved in the Renmark Rowing Club in both rowing and coaching capacities.

Stephanie’s most recent employment has been in retail, as Manager of the Jeanswest store in Renmark and she is also a busy mother with a young family.  She is very excited about the rowing coach aspects of her new role, as well as learning support, where she will use her many transferrable skills to support learning and providing individual and group-based support to students.

Luke Prokopec, Co-curricular Coordinator and Learning Support 

We are also very pleased to announce Luke's appointment to the role of Co-curricular Coordinator and Learning Support. Luke has competed in his chosen sport at a professional level for 10 years in the USA, almost 4 years as Major League baseball player - most notably playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  At the time of his involvement with Major League Baseball Luke was one of only eleven Australians to have competed at the world’s highest level. He has a passion for sport and for striving for success in all endeavours. Luke has been a leader in High Performance Sport Programs for Baseball Australia as a Team Australia Coach and as Manager of the Queensland Academy of Sport Baseball Program.  He brings many skills to the role of co-curricular coordinator and will support the development and coordination of the College’s High-Performance Sports Program.

Luke also has considerable experience working in primary and secondary school settings, having been an Education Support Officer for St Joseph’s School, Renmark, where he supported students with learning challenges.  Luke also worked as a Student Support Officer at Renmark High School, providing additional support to students with learning needs and supporting the Independent Learning Centre offering students flexible learning options (outside of mainstream classes).  Luke comes from a large local family full of teachers and sporting coaches. You could say it is imprinted in his DNA and is very excited to be working with the teachers at St Francis of Assisi to help create new opportunities for young athletes through education.

We have recently completed our transition program for our inaugural 2022 year 7 and 8 students.  To support a successful transition and setting up for success, our team has been meeting with teachers from our students’ current primary schools, and with some parents and carers.  These transition meetings are to ensure we know our students well, and our teachers are in the best position to support the individual needs of each child.

This information supports our decision making around class groups where factors such as learning needs, socialisation and student dynamics inform the composition of class groups. Students will receive information about their subjects, teachers and timetable prior to Christmas. 

Please register your attendance via www.assisi.catholic.edu.au 

Remember: 

• Be fit and well, and free from any COVID 19 symptoms, and not subject to any quarantine or isolation orders
• Check in at the gate prior to entering the venue
• Practice good hygiene and social distancing
• Wear a face mask when unable to socially distance

Ethan and Sierra, our very first student models! 

Our uniform provider, James Kelly Agencies, has partner with Yates Menswear to supply our College uniforms. Supplies of clothing and textiles, like many other industries, has been disrupted by the impact of COVID-19.  We greatly appreciate the lengths James (from James Kelly Agencies) has gone to, to ensure our uniforms will be available from Yates Menswear from Monday 17 January 2022.  

Thank you to Ethan and Sierra for modelling our sports tops. 

Competitive Sport Opportunities

Students will have the option to participate in a range of sports competitions offered through Riverland School Sports SA, School Sports SA State-wide Knockout Cup and a range of opportunities through several Catholic school sports associations. This will include the College competing in interschool athletics and interschool swimming. 

St Francis of Assisi College will take a representative team to compete in the following:

• Catholic Co-ed Secondary Schools Athletics Carnival
• School Sports SA State Athletics and Swimming Carnivals

Guided by student interest, inter-school opportunities include:

• Athletics
• Swimming
• Netball
• Football (Australian Rules)
• Hockey
• Soccer
• Basketball
• Cricket

St Francis of Assisi College Rowing Team

The College is partnering with the Renmark Rowing Club and will commence a College Rowing Program in 2022. With the College’s own rowing coach, students will have the opportunity to 'come and try' the sport of rowing, on our own beautiful River Murray. 

With our very own College Rowing coach, students with an interest in pursuing the sport in a competitive environment, will receive elite level coaching and the opportunity in time, to compete in rowing regattas against other secondary schools state-wide. 

High Performance Sport Program

The High-Performance Sports Program (HPSP) will support and develop highly individual sporting interests and providing the support and pathway for athletes to gain the benefits of physical activity, develop and excel in their chosen sporting fields.

The program combines the study requirements of daily academics with the training and development of the student’s practical talents at an age-appropriate progression.

Students receive ongoing support, coaching, tailored programs, and advice specific to them, as well as access to external professionals in the fields of strength and conditioning, sports psychology, and nutrition. 

Informed by student interest, the College will provide specialist sports coaching and group based skilled sessions in selected sports. Dependent on student interest, it is envisioned for 2022, specialist coaching will be offered in netball, football, basketball and soccer. Pathways available through School Sports SA and Catholic school sports associates will provide a competitive pathway for students to pursue representing the College. 

How many classes will there be in 2022?

We are planning to begin with two streams of year 7 and 8 students in 2022. With an additional year level added each year until 2026.

What subjects will students have available in 2022?

A comprehensive core curriculum overview is available on the College website, in addition to core curriculum areas, the College will provide a suite of course offerings in specialist curriculum areas. Across years 7, 8 and 9, students will have the opportunity to experience specialist courses in Design and Technology, Food Technology, Visual and Performing Arts, Digital Technologies.

Will St Francis of Assisi College students be involved in sports competitions?

Students will have significant opportunities to pursue sporting interests.  There will be a comprehensive range of sporting opportunities  available to students in 2022 and growing in the years to follow.

When will teachers be appointed?

We have recently appointed our educational leadership and teaching positions:

• Nanda de Winter, Assistant Principal of Religious Identity and Mission (APRIM)
• Natalie Meuret, Leader of Learning
• Luke Cotter, Leader of Wellbeing
• John Lyons, Teacher
• Mae Camporale, Teacher 
• Isabella Linnett  Teacher
• Fraser Sampson, Teacher 

​What does the tuition fee include?

The College tuition fee is inclusive of all school-organised curriculum and co-curriculum activities including excursions, camps, arts performances and sporting events. This fee also includes a personal laptop computer for each student, replaced every 3 years. The fees do not cover uniforms, consumable stationery items and some individual expenses for specialised projects in some secondary courses.

What if affordability is an issue?

Our aim is to provide families with access to affordable education of the highest quality. A family’s financial circumstances are not a barrier to enrolment at St Francis of Assisi College. We are committed to working with parents/guardians in a just, respectful, compassionate, transparent and considered manner in the processes for setting and collecting fees.

Families experiencing hardship are encouraged to meet with the Principal. Details of a family’s financial circumstances in determining fee remission arrangements will be handled respectfully and with appropriate confidentiality in accordance with the school’s Privacy Policy.