MacKillop Chronicles Term 1, Week 5

Thursday 7 March, 2024

A Message from our College Principal

Dear Families,

Open Day Thanks

I was delighted to see so many interested families seeking to tour the College and meet with our staff and students. I feel that the growing enrolment trend at MacKillop will hold the College in good stead as we progress our further expansion plans.

I would also like to acknowledge the work undertaken in preparation for the Open Day from our entire staffing community. None of the work would have been possible without their support and genuine interest in the prosperity of the College. A huge thank you to the many students from Primary and Secondary who volunteered their time as tour guides or other roles such as buskers, mascot wearers, food servers and demonstration assistants. I believe that nothing promotes a school better than the voices of these young people who speak with authenticity.

For many of these young people, it was their first opportunity to demonstrate their leadership, and I was so very proud of the manner in which they represented the College.

Progress of the new Primary School

I would like to share some of the architectural drawings of the upcoming building of our new Primary School, which will have the capacity to hold up to 800 students.  Plans are currently sitting with the Central Coast Council, and I look forward to hearing from them soon. There is a presentation available to view in the Library.

Strategic Plan

Please remember that a copy of our College Strategic Plan is available for viewing on our website and in the College Library.

The MacKillop Educational Model

The Educational Model will be completed this week, and I will be able to share this with families very shortly.

In the meantime, take care and God Bless,

Tanya Appleby,

College Principal

Primary Matters

SUNDAY  

4^th Sunday of LENT

Gospel Acclamation: 

John 3:16 “God loved the world so much, he gave his only Son, that all who believe in him might have eternal life.”

Dear Parents and Carers,

Message from the Principal

International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March, is an opportunity to applaud women in all walks of life who inspire and encourage others to be the very best they can be.  The theme of this year’s international event is #inspireinclusion, meaning when we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world. 

As a woman of the 21st century, I am inspired by the suffragettes who, in 1911, courageously spoke out against inequality and campaigned for the right to vote. I’m inspired by Mary MacKillop, who, with her Sisters, travelled across the country on horseback, educating the poor children of regional Australia. I’m inspired by my own mother who rode her motorcycle to work, often in the pouring rain. I pray for girls of the world who do not have access to quality education and training, for girls in the world and their equal participation in sport and the arts, and for girls in the world who seek safe and secure homes free of violence and exploitation.

Sharing Food

I had a very interesting conversation this week about allergies and anaphylaxis.  Anaphylaxis is a severe and sometimes sudden allergic reaction to an allergen. It is important to raise awareness for the serious and intense reactions many members of society have when they ingest or encounter various allergens found in food.  We would like you to join us in reminding your children that the food you pack for them is not for sharing. 

Birthday Cakes and Parties 

If you would like to supply a treat for the class on your child’s birthday, it would be appreciated if cupcakes, lollipops or ice-blocks were provided as an alternative to cakes that need to be cut up. If your child has any food allergies, we suggest you supply suitable foods that can be stored at school in the event of a celebration so that your child does not miss out.  

MacKillop Catholic College is concerned for the safety and well-being of all our students. Many of you will know someone who is affected by anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. Our school does its best to be an allergy-aware school. Staff have had training in severe allergy management, and we have implemented lots of strategies to help keep students at risk of anaphylaxis as safe as we can. We have a number of students who live with the risk of anaphylaxis to foods and insect stings. Whilst these children are being taught to care for themselves at an age-appropriate level, we ask that you help us educate your child on the importance of not sharing food with others, washing hands after eating and informing an adult if they think their friend with allergies is sick. With increased awareness and understanding of anaphylaxis, you will be able to help protect those around you.

I have included this extract from allergyfacts.org.au

A food allergy is an immune system response to a normally harmless food protein that the body believes is harmful. When the individual eats food containing that protein, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, triggering symptoms that can affect a person’s breathing, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and/or heart. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life- threatening. It must be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment and urgent medical attention.

It is estimated that up to 400,000 (2%) Australians, including 1 in 20 children suffer from food allergies and some of them will experience a life-threatening (anaphylactic) reaction.

Symptoms of food allergy can include:

Mild to moderate allergic reaction

• Tingling of the mouth
• Hives, welts or body redness
• Swelling of the face, lips, eyes
• Vomiting, abdominal pain (note these are signs of a severe allergic reaction if the person has insect allergy)

Severe allergic reaction - ANAPHYLAXIS

• Difficult/noisy breathing
• Swelling of the tongue
• Swelling or tightness in the throat
• Difficulty talking or hoarse voice
• Wheeze or persistent cough
• Persistent dizziness or collapse
• Pale and floppy (young children)

9 foods cause 90% of food allergies. These foods are:

• Egg
• Sesame
• Milk
• Soy
• Peanut
• Fish
• Tree nuts (cashew, almond, pistachio etc)
• Crustacea (prawns, lobster, crabs etc)
• Wheat
  

Peanuts are the leading cause of severe allergic reactions, followed by tree nuts, shellfish, fish and milk. Adrenaline (epinephrine) is the first line treatment for severe allergic reactions and can be administered via an injector.

To learn more about anaphylaxis and food allergies, go to www.allergyfacts.org.au and www.allergy.org.au

As the only way to manage a food allergy is avoidance, the College has implemented several strategies to help prevent a severe allergic reaction. We can never totally eliminate the risk of anaphylaxis, but we can all do things that will help lessen the risk. Please consider children with a food allergy when packing your child’s lunch or when sending in food for any occasion, including school excursions. The school canteen has removed peanut butter as a safety measure. Foods that ‘May contain traces of xx or xx’ are fine for students without allergies to consume at school as long as they do not share food. Students will be learning about allergies, including severe food and insect sting allergies, during their PDHPE classes.

MacKillop is a nut-free school, and we have students in our community who have allergies to dairy, eggs, shellfish, and a variety of nuts. Please be aware of this when packing your children’s lunchboxes and speak to them about the importance of not sharing their food. Thank you for your consideration.

Safety around our school

I would again like to raise concerns about safe access to the College. Parents have contacted the College to voice their concerns about the safety of students entering and exiting the grounds each day.  They also complain about parents who display risky, illegal or unnecessary behaviour.  I have reached out to Central Coast Council to guide us through many elements of parking and access to our campus, including signage and route issues for buses and cars during peak periods.  We ask that you please be patient and adhere to parking signs that are already present near or around the school.  A parking ranger will occasionally visit the streets around our school in an effort to restrict inappropriate parking. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Open Day

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OPEN DAY & Kinder Connect

It was wonderful to welcome so many families to our Open Day.  I want to send a special ‘shout out’ to our wonderful student tour guides who led and spoke about our community with knowledge and pride. 

Many parents thanked the college and particularly the tour guides at this morning’s Kinder Connect session.

A teacher reflection:

'Parents were so impressed with how well spoken and articulate our leaders were. They had thought that we must have had a mentor program to facilitate their talents. I explained that in Primary we support them and offer opportunities like running assembly, or addressing the school to accept sport awards. We also have our leadership camp in Year 5 that unpacks what leaders do and we work with them from where they are comfortable to take them to where they want to go.'

Congrats to all on a wonderful Open evening and Kinder Connect morning.

Representative Sport

In the last week, we have had a number of Primary students represent the college at Broken Bay and PSSA Winter Pathway Sport trials.

Congratulations to Aoibhinn T and Sofia W, who have been selected for the Mid North Coast & Inland Girls AFL team. They will travel to Albury in May to compete in the NSWPSSA Competition with Mrs Denneman, who is one of the coaches.

The following students have also been selected to represent Broken Bay at Polding Trials in Tamworth early next term:

Nicholas B  - Hockey and  Hallie W - Netball

Congratulations also to Carter H, who represented MacKillop in the Australian Mountain Biking Interschool Championships at Thredbo this week. A fabulous effort finishing 22nd in Flow & 25th in All Mountain Downhill with a cracking time.

We are very proud of you all!

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Our focus for the next two weeks is about intentionally attending to our actions and behaviours and how they affect others, including the community to which we belong.

Respecting ourselves and others is one of our school rules at MacKillop!

As a community, we are called to:

• Be in the right place at the right time.
• Include others and be fair.
• Use kind words and actions.
• Care for our appearance and belongings.
  

Inside the classroom

1 Banksia have been investigating mini beasts in Science. To present what they have found out about their chosen mini beast, Mrs Ellmore's students created some very informative and creative dioramas. Thank you for sharing your findings 1 Banksia.

Blessings for a wonderful weekend,

Kerry Power

Acting Primary Principal

Primary Events

Little Lighthouse Playgroup

Secondary News

Dear Families,

Mrs Appleby and I had the pleasure of attending the “Belong Day” on Wednesday last week.   ‘Belong – The Amazing Race of Faith’ is a groundbreaking, festival-style experience designed to empower and uplift Year 7 students on their spiritual path.  

Belong seeks to meet students at every level of their faith journey, reminding them of the importance of belonging to their individual Catholic school community and the wider Diocese of Broken Bay community.  

I was so pleased to see our students enjoying each other’s company on this day, as well as that of other students from our Diocesan schools. It was a wonderful mix of fun and learning throughout the day, and I trust that all of our Year 7s would have benefitted from this experience.

I want to pay a special thank you to our amazing staff and our senior students who assisted on the day. Whilst I have only been at MacKillop for a short period of time, it is abundantly clear to me that there is a wonderful community feel within the College and a strong culture of care and compassion for one another. It was an absolute pleasure to spend the day at “The Light of Christ Centre”, and I sincerely hope our Year 7s carry the messages and the momentum from this event back into their everyday lives.

Belong

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NAPLAN Years 7 and 9

NAPLAN commences Wednesday, 13 March, with tests scheduled over a two-week period. Catchup tests are scheduled for students who may be absent on the day of a test.

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. Students sit assessments in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The questions assess content linked to the Australian Curriculum: English and Mathematics.

Online NAPLAN tests are tailored (or adaptive), which means that each test presents questions that may be more or less difficult depending on a student’s responses. Tailored testing allows a wider range of student abilities to be assessed and measures student achievement more precisely. Your child should not be concerned if they find questions challenging; they may be taking a more complex test pathway. All Year 3 students will continue to complete the writing assessment on paper.

Years 7 and 9 students will complete the Writing test in the Library, where they can use the desktop keyboards. The other tests will be on their iPads in the Hall. Students must have their devices fully charged and with the NAP 2024 app installed. A set of headphones/earbuds and a pen are also required.

NAPLAN provides schools, education authorities, and governments with information about how education programs are working and whether young Australians are achieving important educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy. MacKillop specifically uses the results to identify the individual strengths and areas for improvement for each student so that we can focus our teaching. The results also provide valuable data to review and improve the effectiveness of teaching programs.

YMCC Student Leaders – Year 7 Belong Day 

On Wednesday, 28 February, 16 of our student leaders from Years 10 and 11 attended the Year 7 Belong Day at the Light of Christ Centre, Waitara. The YMCC student leaders were tasked with supporting the Year 7 MacKillop students and led small group activities and games. We are so proud of these student leaders, especially since this was their first experience leading a group of students. 

 Youth Ministry Equipping School (YMES) 

On Thursday, 29 February, three students and Mrs Tenev journeyed to Canberra for the annual YMES conference. The group visited Parliament House and paid their respects at the Australian War Memorial. The conference had age-appropriate workshops for students, young adults and teachers/leaders in Catholic Education. The speakers and workshops challenged participants to reflect on their faith and how they might share it with others. The participants also experienced Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation and Prayer Groups. New friendships were formed with other students from Broken Bay, Victoria, Canberra, Goulburn and Sydney. Well done and congratulations to Olivia (Year 11), Lilly and Shaan (Year 10). 

YMCC

JUMP - Josephites Undertaking Mission Projects

Some of our Year 8 and 9 students recently attended Coast Shelter Community Kitchen at East Gosford to lend a hand, cooking up sausage sandwiches for the clients who visited. They also received a certificate for the wonderful service our JUMP students offered to the local community in 2023! Well done to everyone who volunteered and for your continued service.

Last Thursday, Year 8 JUMP students attended Our Lady of Loreto Gardens Nursing Home, Hamlyn Terrace, to take part in the Intergenerational Program. This first session for the term focused on getting to know each other and forming relationships. Next week is BINGO! A slightly modified version to ensure all of the residents are able to participate and join in with all the fun.

JUMP

Swimming Carnival

Last Friday, our secondary students took part in the annual MCC Swimming Carnival. This is always a highlight on the College Calendar. Not only is it an incredible swimming competition, but it is also a chance for students to really show their House Pride in Cheer and Costume.

Age Champions from the event and House Champion will be acknowledged in our Friday assembly. 

U12 Riley H and Ava F

U13  – Phoenix W and Krystal L

U14  Jackson G and Anatalia J

U15 Cooper B and Lauren B

U16 Brayden L and  Sienna C

17 plus Cooper M  and Emilie L

Congratulations to House Champion – Penola

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The Resiliance Project Survey

Resilience and wellbeing are key factors to ensure a happy and fulfilling future for our young people.

We are proud to partner with The Resilience Project to assist our students in their wellbeing journey. In order to gain an accurate understanding of our students’ strengths and challenges, we will be conducting a resilience survey developed by Resilient Youth Australia and the University of South Australia. In recent years, they have surveyed more than 500,000 Australian school students.

We will administer the Resilience Survey this year online in class time. Students typically take 30-50 minutes to complete the survey.

More information will be coming home soon regarding the surevy which will take place in Week 8.

God bless,

Paul Lynch 

Acting Secondary Principal

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