History:
In 1997 St Francis Xavier’s parish and school celebrated their twenty-first anniversary. In the early days our parish and school shared buildings, with classrooms doubling as a church on weekends and special occasions. Over the years we have expanded to include a permanent church and parish centre, eight permanent classrooms, two relocatable classrooms owned by the parish, a library and an administration block. All areas were extensively refurbished in 1994. Initially administered by the Sisters of Mercy, St Francis Xavier’s school is now managed by a lay Principal and staff. We see ourselves as a community of students, parents, parish and school staff working together in a spirit of faith, hope and love. It is our belief that we can pursue excellence and make a positive difference in the world by being responsible, caring and Christ-like.
Description:
St Francis Xavier School is in Corio, a northern suburb of Geelong, at the base of the Lovely Banks hills. We are close to Corio Bay and adjacent to a number of major industries like Shell, Ford Motor Company and Corio Quay and a ten-minute drive from the city of Geelong. Nearby is the Corio Village shopping centre, our community health centre, Shell Oval and the local Little Athletics field. Our school grounds are extensive, providing a quiet, sheltered courtyard playing area, senior and junior adventure playgrounds, asphalted basketball and netball courts and a large, tree-bordered oval. We have 10 class groups ranging from Prep to Grade 6. All subjects are taught by the class teacher, with the exception of Library, Music and Physical Education lessons, which are taken by specialist teachers. Our families are drawn from a wide range of multicultural backgrounds, providing us with a rich experience of culture and tradition. Our School Board and Parents and Friends Association are hard-working and contribute much to the wellbeing of our students.
Features:
• Family meetings for all grades where parents, children and teachers explore aspects of faith in a fun, activity-centred way
• The choice of Sacrament preparation for the students either at school or as part of a parish-based Home Program
• The St Francis Xavier Sporting Club
• Reading Recovery
• Integration and special needs program
• Networked audiovisual access for each teaching area.
• Recently opened McAuley Learning Centre, including an information technology centre and library, allowing children to research using books, computer software and the Internet
• Computers in all grades, networked with those in the library
• Access to satellite learning resources