CAFE (Connecting & Achieving though Family Engagement)

Through family enrolment at our college, every family is automatically a member of St Eugene's Parents and Friends Association (The St Eugene College CAFE ) .  The St Eugene College CAFE provides a social aspect to college life which offers support and friendship to all families involved in our college. We also provide funding for necessary extra resourcing for students such as representational funding, extra equipment needed for student engagement (eg. Musical instruments, representative uniforms). From time to time the CAFE works in collaboration with the College to support fundraising for essential infrastructure or events.

For our events and decision making to be as effective and representational of the St Eugene College Community as possible, we rely on the volunteer involvement of EVERY family at the college.

Every member of the executive are volunteers and family members of St Eugene College students:

The St Eugene College CAFE Executive

The St Eugene College CAFE Executive:
President & Family Engagement Officer Melissa Southam
Vice-President
 Brooke Petersen
Secretary Samantha Robson
Treasurer Carly Oakes / Natalie O'Keefe
PR & Media Officer Samantha Robson
Hon Auditor FTA Accountants


Aims of the CAFE

  • To provide and foster open communication between the college and parent community.
  • To provide financial support and assistance towards new resources that benefit all students.
  • To achieve active parental involvement while providing a social aspect to college life.
  • To actively engage parents in supporting student learning and progress in ways that align with teacher planning and implementation of the curriculum.

St Eugene College C.A.F.E – Connecting & Achieving through Family Engagement.” The design uses blue, gold and cream colours with leaf illustrations. Text explains that C.A.F.E is a group of parents from the St Eugene College community who volunteer to promote and support family engagement. Listed activities include parent engagement mornings and information evenings, Mother’s and Father’s Day stalls, funding for college projects to support student needs, and opportunities for parents to volunteer and be involved in college life. The flyer invites people to find the group on Facebook under “St Eugene College C.A.F.E” and notes that meetings are open to all at 6.30 pm on the second Tuesday of each month during school terms. The St Eugene College C.A.F.E logo appears at the bottom.

  • To provide and foster open communication between the college and parent community.
  • To provide financial support and assistance towards new resources that benefit all students.
  • To achieve active parental involvement while providing a social aspect to college life.
  • To actively engage parents in supporting student learning and progress in ways that align with teacher planning and implementation of the curriculum.

As members of our college community, meeting attendance is encouraged and welcomed. 

Meetings take place on the second Tuesday of the month, during school terms, at 6:30pm. Please keep an eye out for the CAFE Facebook page posts.  Meetings are held in the Tempier Building, ground floor meeting room, adjacent to the staff lunchroom with an option to join on ZOOM or as advised on ZOOM only, where necessary.

Meetings are attended by our Leadership Team, (College Principal, Head of Secondary and Head of Primary) and provide parents with an opportunity to get involved in current College issues and to hear firsthand about events and activities that students are participating in.  The more parents making funding decisions, the more the wider college community is represented.

Please come along and get involved in your child's educational community.

Should you wish to add an item to the agenda, please email your request to: cafesecretary@steugene.com.au by the Thursday before the Tuesday meeting. Alternatively, you may contact the president by email cafepresident@steugene.com.au.

All events, meeting information and upcoming decisions required on funding issues, can be found on the CAFE Facebook page. Please take the opportunity if you are on Facebook to 'LIKE' our page to stay up to date.  Meeting agendas and minutes are posted to the BCE Connect APP.

Each class/grade level will have a parent liaison officer/s, whose role is to assist with communication between the college and parent community and will liaise with our Family Engagement Officer.

Duties include:

  • Implement effective communication channels for their class/grade level through Facebook, email and SMS
  • Co-ordinate and organise informal opportunities for class/grade levels to socially get together outside of school time
  • Effectively communicate needs or concerns of class/grade level to the Family Engagement Officer to relay to the CAFE (illness/death in families, emergency needs)
  • Establish within the class/grade an emergency 'buddy' to contact in times when other family cannot assist or are not present to help

Please keep a watch on all CAFE Facebook and Principal weekly update for requests for help.  There are sub-committees for grants, help needed for events, breakfasts, stalls and discos.  Class/Parent Liaison Officer nominations coordinated by our Family Engagement Officer.  If you want to be involved and are unsure how, please contact the president via cafepresident@steugene.com.au or cafefamilyeng@steugene.com.au.  All help is encouraged and very welcome (no matter how big or small).

As per the fundraising policy of the St Eugene College Board, a St Eugene College CAFE Levy is charged annually per family.  This revenue is to meet the costs of the St Eugene College CAFE Federation Levy and to provide extra funds as needed by the college.