MacKillop Chronicles 2023 Term 4, Week 7

Thursday 23 November, 2023

Primary Matters

Dear Community,

Feast of Christ the King Gospel Account

“…he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” Matthew 25: 31-46.

Are you a sheep or a goat? A sheep is someone who in life is humble and cares for all of God’s creations. The goats are the opposite and are people who have lived selfish lives and do not think of others. When Jesus comes again it would be preferable to be a sheep rather than a goat. Have you been charitable? Have you looked out for others? Have you defended others under attack? Do you gossip, or do you refrain from making up stories about others? God knows our actions, and these actions have consequences. This feast day especially marks the end of ordinary time, and we are about to embark upon the Season of Advent.

Semester Two Reports and Classes for 2024

Teachers are busy writing the student reports for this semester. These will be sent home via Compass on Friday, 8 December. On Tuesday, 5 December the students will move into their new classes for 2024 at the Step-Up morning. At this time, a full list of class teachers and support staff will be made available for parents. The teachers have spent a great deal of time placing the students into their classes for 2024. It is not appropriate for parents to make requests for classes and teachers. I thank you for respecting and abiding by this understanding.

Andrew Chinn

The children are excited to welcome Andrew on Monday, 4 December, where he will teach the children songs and actions for a concert to be held in the afternoon at 5 pm in the hall. Parents are invited to come along and watch the performance. This should be a fun time for all.

K and Year 1 Athletics Fun Morning

What a fantastic time everyone had as the children participated in fun and games. A big thank you to the parents and staff who helped out in any way. A special thanks to Mrs Denneman and Miss Grace for organising the events. The sausage sizzle also proved to be a hit!

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 13

Next

Year 2 – 5 Swimming Carnival @ Mingara Tuesday 28 November

We are gearing up for our annual swimming carnival at Mingara. Parents and friends are most welcome to attend. MacKillop has some fabulous swimmers, so it will be wonderful to see how they measure up in this year’s event.

Cyber Bullying and Snapchat

Snapchat, like most, if not all other forms of social media, should be for the use of teenagers and upwards. However, it would be naïve to think that it does not take place at a much younger age. As articulated many times before, parents really need to get a full grip on their children’s use of such media, especially Snapchat. Where Snapchat differs, say, from MS Messenger is that photos and dialogue disappear almost as quickly as they are formulated, making it difficult for parents to monitor its safe use. The receiver, however, can take a screenshot of what has been received. Parents should be aware that the school often gets sent these screenshots and has to deal with it. Parents are also reminded that children are not legally allowed to be on Snapchat until 13 years of age. At any rate, I again ask all parents to sit down with their children and have a good chat about what is happening with their virtual usage.

The Rotary Awards

Joel J and Charlotte K from Year 6 received awards from Toukley Rotary at a special ceremony held at the Doylo last week. The awards are for service to the community and displaying good citizenship. Well done, Joel and Charlotte, and a special thanks to Toukley Rotary for their continued support of community-minded activities.

Second Steps

In 3G we have been learning about Jumping to Conclusions in our Second Step lessons. Not everything is as it seems sometimes. We have learnt strategies to help us clarify what is actually happening before we jump to a conclusion.

A Thought for the Week…

“To see your drama clearly is to be liberated from it.” Keyes.

God Bless,

Frank Cohen

Primary Principal

Little Lighthouse Playgroup - See you Friday!

Secondary News

From the Secondary Principal

Prayer:

Lord, there are so many reasons to be fearful in our world today.
Help me to realize that You are always with me.

You created me and sustain me. You are my refuge. Guide me and help me to do what I can to live in full confidence that You are at my right hand.

Let me live with deep trust in your constant care for me.

Amen.

Learning:     

CSBB Years 8 and 9 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Careers Pathway Day

On Thursday, 16 November, our Indigenous students in Years 8 and 9 attended the  CSBB  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Careers Pathway Day at St Edward’s College, East Gosford.

Presented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community, the day was open to all indigenous students within our Diocese and was structured to provide insight and inspiration about career pathways. 

It was a day filled with meaningful cultural activities, engaging speakers, and informative exhibitions.

Tim Selwyn (Girra Girra Aboriginal Experiences) opened the day with a Smoking Ceremony. 

Elizabeth Bailey (CSBB Aboriginal Education Teacher and Pathways Coordinator), our facilitator for the day, set the stage with an introductory speech and emphasised the purpose of the day.

Next, our special guest speaker David Morgan from the Australian Defence Force kindly shared his personal life story of how he overcame adversity to find his pathway into the ADF. The students then had the opportunity to engage in three cultural activities; Art (facilitated by Peter Coombes), Weaving (led by Vikki Dedeigbo from Yara Waybarra weaving), and Clapstick making (facilitated by Tim Selwin - Girra Girra Aboriginal Experiences). Following lunch, Elizabeth Bailey introduced the students to the Career Expo, encouraging them to interact with the exhibitors and gain insights into various career pathways.

The exhibitors included:

• Nathan Bramston - Central Coast Local Health (School-based health traineeships)
• Chris Trew - Bara Barang
• Celeste Montgomery - Macquarie University (Walanga Muru Unit)
• Kylie Guisti - IProwd Commercial Administrator
• Garth Mercy - NSW Police
• Vanessa McAuley - AFP
• Kewerlee Wright – TAFE NSW Aboriginal Education and Engagement Coordinator
• David Morgan - Australian Defence Force

We then wrapped up with a feedback session and expressed our gratitude to all participants and attendees.

This Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Careers Pathways Day was not only a platform for learning and exploration but also a celebration of the rich cultural heritage and potential of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities.

A heartfelt thank you to St Edward’s College for hosting the event, all the speakers, exhibitors, CSBB Aboriginal Education team, staff and students who made this day a success. And a special thank you to Elizabeth Bailey, Juliana Dignam & Alexander Rozario (St Edward’s College) for all the organisation, preparation, and support on the day.

Stage 4 Spelling Bee Final

We held our Spelling Bee final on Tuesday for Years 7 and 8. We started with 24 finalists, each representing their House.  This competition has been designed to assist the students in Years 7 and 8 with just one aspect of their literacy development.  This year, every subject area nominated 20 words with their definitions that they would expect each student to be able to spell and define by the end of Year 8.  These words were then collated, and a booklet entitled “Literacy Vocabulary Book Year A” was published.  This book is to be kept by each student to use as a reference when working on assessments or learning preparation to assist them in comprehending the tasks.

In Term 3, every student in every Pastoral class in Years 7 and 8 participated in a spelling bee based on the vocabulary words in their booklet. The two best spellers from each class qualified for the Spelling Bee final.

The students in first, second, and third place were awarded trophies and gift cards.  We also honoured fourth place this year as the competition was so close.

 Also, as each student represented their House, the overall winning House was awarded.  Here are the results:

4^th – Nikita R – Year 7 - Fitzroy

3^rd – Summer M – Year 7 – Kincumber

2^nd – Miya J – Year 8 – Temuka

1^st – Alexis J – Year 7 – Temuka

The winning House was Temuka, followed closely by Penola and Fitzroy.

Year 12 Leadership Day

On 16 November, four students travelled to Pennant Hills to participate in a Leadership Day with other student-leaders from our CSBB Secondary Schools. The day commenced with a beautiful Mass at St. Agatha’s; we then walked across to the Caroline Chisholm Centre, where we began with an icebreaker, followed by morning tea. After this, Bishop Anthony Randazzo spoke eloquently and passionately about leadership and the need for leaders to hold space for time with God each day.  Danny Casey spoke about leadership and the need to balance one’s spiritual life, work life and family life. There were other guest speakers and activities, which our students thoroughly appreciated. Our incoming Primary Principal, Mrs Kerry Power, also popped in and requested a photograph with our MacKillop students whom she fondly remembered when she was their teacher in their primary years. The day ended with a delicious lunch and time for the students to network with their CSBB counterparts.

The Fair Play Social Justice Conference.

On Thursday, 16 November, Cameron B and Griffin M from Year 9, as well as Jack M and Tiffany P from Year 10, accompanied by Mrs Baxter, attended the Fair Play: Link between Sport, Social Justice and Human Rights Conference hosted by Santa Sabina College in Strathfield. 

The students heard from several speakers on the day: Craig Foster AM, former Australian football captain, was the keynote speaker. He was an inspirational presenter who spoke passionately about his involvement in human rights and social justice since retiring from football. Zali Steggall OAM, a former Australian Olympian and current Federal Member for Warringah, shared her experiences and how, as a politician, she hopes to make change happen. Sione 'Ofa Finefeuiaki played professional rugby league for Manly, Storm and the Knights. He shared his story about developing The Sione Foundation and working to improve resources and access to basic necessities in his home country, Tonga. 

Throughout the day, there were also speakers from House of Welcome and Amnesty International who shared their brave stories, their experience of dispossession and persecution and the long process of seeking asylum here in Australia. It was very clear just how difficult and unfair this process is.

In his keynote address, Craig made the connection between sports and social justice issues. He demonstrated how in sports, there are rules to be followed, and these rules help to create fairness and equality. However, we live in a society that is not always fair or just. Not all people have equal opportunities, and some face far more significant barriers and challenges than others. After lunch, students had time to reflect on what they had heard throughout the day, working in small focus groups with other catholic school students from around NSW. Here, they brainstormed the 'take-aways' from the experience and how they can be advocates for change.

We are excited to welcome Sione 'Ofa Finefeuiaki to our college early next year. He will share some of his story at a Tuesday Afternoon Assembly. We look forward to learning more about these issues and how we, as a community, can be advocates for social justice and change.

Our Policy of No phones on Camps, Retreats and Overseas Trips.

We often are asked about why we do this, and some parents are worried when their child does not have their phone.

I encourage you to open the following link. It has been published by Student Horizons, which organises our sports team’s overseas trip to NZ. I truly reflect on the discussions and thoughts that have occurred at MacKillop.

This organisation sent this message to us in their last email.

“I did think about you and your tours when writing this blog post below. I really commend you on your no-phone policy.”

Digital Detox and Mobile Phone Policies - Student Horizons (student-horizons.com)

JUMP Students

JUMP Art students continued to work as buddies during sports last week.  Mrs Jones's Year 4 class created Christmas decorations for their families. What a creative bunch of students.

Our Christmas Appeal:

Secondary Vinnies Christmas Appeal is being held during Weeks 6 - 8. The last day for donations is Friday 1st December.

All students from 7-10 are asked to please bring in an item allocated by their Pastoral teacher. Our senior students are kindly requested to donate an unwrapped toy suitable for a girl or boy aged 1 - 15.

We will also be having a Christmas-themed mufti day on Friday, 24 November, for a gold coin donation and during weeks 7 and 8, the Mini Vinnies will be selling Christmas earrings and ornaments, too!

All money raised will go towards purchasing vouchers for our hampers so the recipients can buy fresh food, veggies and meat.

There will also be HOUSE POINTS given to the most enthusiastic house!!

Here are some suggestions for what might go into the hampers. You could also add Christmas tablecloths, bonbons, etc, for a festive table.

Item: 250g Pkt Of Chips, 100g Pkt Of Rice Crackers - Chicken Or Bbq, 360g (6pk) Fruit Mince Pies, 100g English Breakfast 50pkt Teabags, Lime Flavour 85g Jelly Chrystals, 825g Tin Fruit Salad In Juice, 425g Sliced Beetroot Tin, 700g Plum Pudding, 2 Litre Kanga Koolers Lime Cordial, 500g Jar Pasta Sauce - Bolognese, 450g Tin Deli Style Leg Ham, 500g Strawberry Conserve Jam, 400g Choc Hazelnut Spread, 375g Maple Flavoured Syrup, 375g Pancake Shake Mix, 100g Gold Coffee Jar.

Our Mini Vinnies are also busy making our Christ Our Light tree ornaments in preparation for our Xmas Fundraiser next week.

They are all handmade and look beautiful; we can't wait to have them available to our community.

Cash and Eftpos are available. Prices ranging from $3 - $5. Selling during Break times and at the Youth Mass on 26 November.

Our hampers are starting to be filled, so thank you to all our families. This is also a House competition, so the students are excited.

Other Items:

Attendance:

It is so important that all students attend school every day to enhance their learning. Please strive for the 92% attendance that NESA suggests at least and please encourage and assist your children to be resilient. Of course, they should stay home if they are ill, but they need to be in a good routine to be able to be successful and committed to their education.

It is also important that they are at school every day, including the very last day on Tuesday 12 December.

Important Dates for T4 Week 8:

• Mon onwards –Christmas Appeal
• Tues – 10 PASS assisting with Primary Swimming Carnival/ CSBB Tennis/ Catchup HSC Minimum Standards tests, will include 30 students from the Raging Waters Excursion previous Friday.
• Wed- Fri – Senior Retreat
• Wed – Uni of Newcastle Campus Experience Day
• Thursday – Stage 4 Reports due
• Fri – Ngara Awards of Excellence / Silver BBQ at 1 pm
• Sat – Parish Dinner in the Hall for the 20th Anniversary

A Heads Up:

COMPASS Notification:

From this term, parents are not able to download and print a hardcopy consent form from COMPASS.  Instead, all parents need to use COMPASS to both give digital permission and make any payment(s). Please refer to the notice on COMPASS that has this information and an attachment that instructs you on how to complete these forms digitally.

Final Word

If you have any questions or concerns always, please contact the College.

Remember to check COMPASS, our website and our Facebook pages for information.

God bless.

Debra Ferguson

Secondary Principal

Getting to know: Candice Gorman

Monthly Youth Group, Mass and BBQ

Uniform Fittings - Book Now

Year 7 2024 Information

Primary - BYODD Information

Vacation Care program for Dec & Jan- now available

Mary's Faithful Wardrobe and Mary's Formal Closet

Safeguarding Office career opportunity

One Talk at a Time

NSW and ACT Pathways to Post School Life

Term 4 Dates

COMPASS Sign-in Update

Download the app so you are always up to date with school events.