MacKillop Chronicles 2023 Term 1, Week 1

MacKillop Chronicles 2 February 2023

A Week of Firsts

We are offically back to school MacKillop! 2023 has kicked of with so many firsts. We welcomed new students to Year groups across the College and our new Year 7's on Tuesday. It was warming to see how they all came together on this day, learning the ropes from our Secondary Student Leadership team and making new friends. 

Then MacKillop was buzzing with excitement as the rest of the school returned for 2023 for their first day on Wednesday. Everyone looked amazing and Primary took pride in strutting their stuff down the red carpet.

Today we welcomed Kindergarten 2023 and for the first time MCC has 4 class in 1 year group. Students and Families took time to enjoy this first step of their MacKillop journey starting with the star treatment and walking the red carpet for a quick paparazzi snap, meeting their fellow Kinder families,  students and teachers, quick stop for a self before getting down to serious kindergarten business in their classes. Parents were invited to stay for Cheers and Tears, giving them a chances to meet and reflect on the milestone their children have just achieved.

We have missed you all MCC community, welcome back!

Photo Permissions

In the coming weeks you will be sent an email regarding 2023/2024 photo permission for your child/ren if you like seeing their smiling faces in the MacKillop Chronicles please fill it out straight away. We love celebrating our students achievements both in and outside of the classroom. 

Primary Matters

Dear Community,

Fifth Sunday Gospel Account

“Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." Matthew 5: 13-16.

The message is very clear in this Gospel account. Those who say they believe and have faith and follow Christ must do so in action and not just in words. This is where I believe the Catholic church gets itself in hot water with a lot of people who so want to believe but get turned off by some messages. I see it every Sunday at my local Parish church at Terrigal. A young mum juggling to get her toddlers and young ones into mass only to be looked down upon by the pillars of the church for the noise. I see it when hardened worshippers take the same seat each week and frown upon others who dare sit in it. I see it when they leave mass where the message is to love one another and yet they refuse to yield to let others in getting out of the car park. God knows our actions. Are you a selfish or selfless person?

Great Start to the Year

It is always pleasing to watch the children return in a settled and calm way. This was especially so yesterday when the Year 1 – 6 students returned in earnest and again today when the 101 Kindergarten students began their school journey. There were some tears but mainly from the parents in the kindergarten rooms. I am forever grateful to the dedicated staff we have here at MacKillop who are always so eager to make the learning meaningful and enjoyable for the children.

Kindergarten Tears n Cheers

Thanks to Lucy M, Zoe P, Matt C and Theresa R for making the first morning drop off for kindergarten parents a comforting one. A nice cuppa with cake helped settle the mixed emotions and it was appreciated by all. When the parents left it was fantastic to go into the kindergarten rooms to see settled children with no tears and no runners. A big thank you to the Kinder parents for turning their little one out so beautifully for their first day.

Kiss n Drop and Afternoon Procedures

Kindergarten students and those who have siblings who are collected via the Kiss n Drop of an afternoon, will be waiting in the Kiss n Drop zone at 2:30p.m. This will continue till Friday 17^th February. Kindergarten children not going home via Kiss n Drop will be in their classroom with their teacher until the normal 3pm home time bell.

Children from other grades who do not have a kindergarten sibling will go to Kiss n Drop at normal home bell time. Unless you are a parent of a Kindergarten child, please do not line up at Kiss n Drop until at least 2:45pm to allow the first lot of students to be dispatched into their cars safely.

We are encouraging students to ride and walk home from school if this is possible based on safety considerations. The walkers will now assemble on the primary basketball court of an afternoon and walk across the oval to Sparks Road lights. If you are turning left into MacKillop Drive from Sparks Road, please be aware of the red arrow signal when children are waiting at the lights!

Teething Issues

Tradespeople are working around the clock to make sure all demountables installed in the school are compliant and comfortable for learning and play. The OSHC building near Kiss n Drop should be completed by next week so that parents who us e this service will not have to traipse through the school to drop off and pick up their children. Please contact Catholic Care if you would like to use this service as they now have greater capacity to take on more children.

The Year 2 demountables are mostly finished, but their will be some adjustments to the entry and exit points to these rooms. We apologise for inconvenience caused.

Important Reminders and Key Dates

If you are waiting for your child of an afternoon on the school site, please do not wait outside classrooms or on verandas. Wait on the other side of the creek near the canteen, outside the Kiss n Drop gate or on the covered areas near the St Mary MacKillop iron statue. When the children come out for Kiss n Drop, please vacate these steps to avoid congestion.

If you wish to speak to your child’s teacher please make an appointment via compass, email or Seesaw for the grades who use this communication tool or through the front office. Do not hold up the teacher at the door of a morning or afternoon where the duty of care is to the children.

Mobile Phones and other gadgets such as air pods are not needed at school. If a child must have a mobile phone it needs to stay in his/her bag and not be brought out during the day or these will be taken and locked in a safe place for retrieval at day’s end. The school cannot be responsible for lost items such as these and they are not needed during the school day. If you need to reach your child, then ring the office and messages will passed on to the child ASAP.

Welcome Mass Sunday 19th February 5 – 7pm for all new Kindergarten, Year 7 and new students of other grades and their families. The invitation is also open to any families who would like to join us for a beginning of year blessing, where the new students are presented with a gift, and all gathered will enjoy a lovely supper after the mass.

Parent/Teacher/Student Goal Setting Interviews will be held on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 February.

Ash Wednesday 22 February will be the first whole school liturgy where parents are welcome to be in attendance.

Cross Country Carnival Friday 3^rd March. Athletics Carnival @ Mingara on Thursday 23rd March

Open Afternoon and Kindergarten 2024 Information night will be held on Wednesday 8th March and Kinder Connect Fun morning Thursday 9th March.

NAPLAN for Year 3 and 5 students will be held much earlier this year between 15 – 22 March.

Sacrament of Reconciliation will be held over three afternoons 28 – 30 March which mainly involves eligible students from Year 3. Easter liturgy Holy Thursday 6th April.

These dates are subject to change so please ensure you have the COMPASS notification APP on your smart devices and consult community calendar found on COMPASS.

NAPLAN 2023

Parents of children in Year 3 and 5 need to be aware that NAPLAN is much earlier this year. It is now held end of March where previously it was held in May each year. Adjustment and exemption forms will be sent home shortly to those parents who have requested these, and an opportunity exists to provide extra exam preparation before school beginning next week. Please go to https://forms.office.com/r/MZkK2h2cU5 if you would like your child to take part in NAPLAN preparation before school.

Parent / Teacher / Student Goal Setting Interviews

Information about these interviews will be sent home next week. Contained with this information will be a goal setting sheet for you to work with your child before the interview on the goals to be achieved for this year. Teachers use this information to design a contemporary class profile. Term Overviews of learning will be sent home by next week for you to learn about what your child will be learning in Term 1. All class teachers set homework where you can expect a reading fluency and comprehension component as well as Maths Mentals or problems. It is not the responsibility of the teacher to see that the homework is completed. Their responsibility is to set it and correct it. As parents the expectation is that you will supervise the homework at home.

Canteen

Please note that there are no cash sales through the canteen and all parents need to establish an account through Flexi schools. Could all parents please go into Flexi schools and change the class allocation for your child to reflect this year’s class. Lunches are being sent to their old class from 2022. If in doubt call the office for help!

Assemblies

Each Friday an awards assembly is held in the College Hall @ 1:20pm. All parents are invited to attend. Tomorrow we will honour those students who did well at our end of year swimming carnival. Year 2 – 6 students will attend tomorrow’s assembly. Please be aware that the assemblies are held each fortnight Friday on odd school weeks.

Second Step Social and Emotional Learning Program

This year all students K – 6 will be undertaking the Second Step SEL program to teach resilience and to foster in all children healthy social and emotional development. Please go to secondstep.org for an overview. During the term Mrs Denneman and Ms Owen will be doing parent education sessions on this program and why it was chosen for our school needs.

Principal Coffee n Chat Friday 17^th February @ 9am

Parents are welcome to come and have a chat with me on Friday 17^th February. I will talk about the year ahead, building program, parent helping in rooms and much more. This will be in the library if you can make it. A zoom will also be set up for those unable to attend.

A Thought for the Week…

“Life is an opportunity and not an obligation.” Tao

God Bless

Frank Cohen

Primary Principal

Open Day 2023

Registrations for this years Open Day will be opening next week. This is a great opportunity for Families wanting their children to attend our College. If you have a business or know of a Business that would be happy to display a poster, banner or flyers please let the front office know and our Marketing Office, Zoe Farrell will reach out.

Tell Family and friend to "Save the Date" Wednesday March 8, 4pm -6pm Tours and exhibits, 6-7pm breakout sessions for 2024 Year 7 and Kindergarten enrolments.

Kinder Connect

For all families wanting to start their preschoolers in 2024 at Big School, Kinder Connect is a fantastic follow up to the Open Day. Run as a FUN playgroup style morning for under 6's full of games, craft, art, sport, storytime and games. 'Save the Date' on this one also Thursday 9 March 9.15 - 10.45am.

Term Dates

Remember to check Compass for up to date news and information on events and contact us on 4392 9399 for enquiries.