About Us
Message from the Principal
St Francis Xavier's School began in Lake Cargelligo as St Joseph's School in 1929 by three Sisters of St Joseph. The town and community retain great respect for those three brave Sisters who spent many committed years of teaching in days of extreme hardship and poverty. We continue that respect today, and even though it is now privately owned the original Convent building remains. The Parish and Catholic Community owe a great deal to the many Sisters of St Joseph who dedicated their lives to the children in their care, and the Catholic community of Lake. It is a privilege to lead the school community in 2009 in a time of such extreme drought, change, diversity and challenge and I am very mindful of the contribution of so many who have gone before me in shaping the ethos and character of St Francis Xavier School.
Mary MacKillop strove to reach and teach the needy, isolated and poor. Mary herself would be honoured to know that the leadership, education, faith challenges and development that she imbedded in her Sisters to 'take to the country' still continues in Lake Cargelligo today. I believe that people have the same sorts of needs and life issues as they have always had, and we strive for our children's happiness, security, education and hope for a better world, in a school community which is based on Gospel values of love, respect and justice and the teachings and example of Jesus.
Like St Francis Xavier we 'bid the children come to us'. They come from the very large Indigenous communities within and around the township. They come from the isolated wheat and sheep properties and they come from the homes that make up this community. There are many policies, programs, innovations and projects in place. But I often find that it is in the small day to day things that our school character comes shining through. The senior child who looks after a younger one, the child who greets and welcomes a visitor with a smile, the parent who gives time and energy to selling raffle tickets down the street, the teacher who spends time talking with a child about things of interest to them, the class which visits the pre-schoolers to read with them and the elderly to sing to them. All of these things reflect the Christian philosophy of our school and build the self esteem of the children as they grow and change.