MacKillop Chronicles Term 3, Week 4

Thursday 15 August, 2024

Primary Matters

20^th Sunday on Ordinary Time

Gospel Acclamation: 

“All who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I in them, says the Lord.” Jn 6:56

Dear Parents and Carers,

Message from the Principal

The last four weeks have presented Feast Days for three significant Marys. July 22^nd was the Feast of St Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles. Jesus’ loyal friend and the first disciple to meet Jesus, post Resurrection.  Last week, on August 8th, we celebrated the Feast of Australia’s first Saint and MCC’s Patroness, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.  This Thursday, August 15, we celebrate The Feast of the Assumption of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, into Heaven, body and soul.  The Bible recounts the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, and The Acts of the Apostles reflect on the activity of the Apostles following Ascension and Pentecost. The mystery of Mary being assumed or ‘taken up’ into Heaven is one of the great Teachings of the Catholic Church. Something I meditate on at this feast is the great love Jesus had for his mother and God’s willingness to bring Mary to Heaven in her complete and spotless way. It is a reminder that there are great mysteries in our tradition, but in faith, nothing is impossible for God.

This Sunday, our Parish, and particularly the Maltese community, celebrates the Feast of the Assumption with its annual Sante Maria Festival.  This festival is rich in tradition and culture. You are most welcome to come and enjoy some traditional Maltese treats, followed by fireworks in the early evening.

Welcome Catholic Schools NSW

On Wednesday, we welcomed a contingent of visitors from Catholic Schools New South Wales.  The visitors were invited by the Director of Catholic Schools Broken Bay, Mr Danny Casey, to see our campus, speak to our leaders, both staff and students and also observe a Religious Education lesson in action. Fr Philip and some members of the Parish Pastoral Council also joined the group. I spoke to these visitors about the wonderful connection we have with our parish and the sense of shared mission we have in bringing the Good News to all in our community. We are truly blessed to have our church on site as it provides opportunities for our students to connect with their faith and prayer life in a natural and authentic manner. Mr Lynch reflected on the truly unique nature of our K-12 community and the blessings of our dedicated and hard-working staff who inspire our students to ‘know Christ and love learning’. He spoke about the wonderful plans in place to develop the College in the months and years ahead, encouraging our young people to contribute to our local community and beyond as confident, compassionate and future-ready citizens. Our Kindergarten and Year 1 teachers and students wowed the group, who described them as calm, focused and reverent. Thank you, Mrs Dacey and Kinder Banksia, Mr Bondfield and Year 1 Grevillea, Mrs Shelley and Year 1 Myrtle, for your wonderful hospitality in welcoming our visitors and sharing your learning. You were all sensational!

Mr. Dallas McInerney, Chief Executive Officer of CSNSW stated, “ It was an honour to visit McKillop Catholic College and spend time with staff and students; we were treated to warm hospitality and a tour of the learning areas. The recent growth and achievements of the College community is a credit to all involved. It is so reassuring to observe Catholic Education with such a confident future, I look forward to a return visit.”

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MCC Represent

Congratulations to the MacKillop students who proudly represented themselves, their families, and our school at CSBB Primary Zone Athletics on Friday. In a fabulous team effort, MacKillop placed third overall in School points.

Special mention to the following students (listed above records & age champion): 17 students have qualified for Broken Bay Athletics Week 6, including 3 Relay Teams. Very exciting!!!!

Records:
Cameron  12 Yr 200m
Charlotte 12 Yr Long Jump
Taleah  11 Yr High Jump
Age Champion - Lia 12 Yr Girls

Congratulations to Aoibhinn, who last week travelled to Geelong to represent NSW in the School Sport Australia Primary Girls AFL Championships. What an experience! NSW finished 4th overall.

We are so proud of you, Aoibhinn.

Farewell Mrs Colleen Heffernan

This week, we bid a fond farewell to Mrs. Colleen Heffernan, who is retiring after an incredible teaching career that has spanned over 40 years. Mrs. Heffernan has dedicated her entire professional life to the Diocese of Broken Bay, beginning her journey as a classroom teacher in 1984. 

In the past 17 years at MacKillop, she has been a beloved member of our school community, sharing her wisdom, kindness, and enthusiasm for learning with countless students. Throughout her career, Mrs Heffernan has juggled the responsibilities of teaching and motherhood, raising four beautiful children while impacting the lives of hundreds of students.

Her dedication is evident in the over 1,200 reports she has meticulously written and the numerous parent meetings she has participated in, always aiming to support her students' growth and success. Mrs Heffernan's commitment to education and her passion for teaching has made her an invaluable asset to our school, and her influence will be felt for years to come.

As Mrs Heffernan retires, she reflects on her time at MacKillop with gratitude, cherishing the friendships she's formed with colleagues, parents and students. It has truly been a privilege and an honour for her to be part of this vibrant community and I am proud to say I have worked with her for part of that time.

We thank Mrs. Heffernan for her outstanding service and wish her all the best in her retirement. She will be dearly missed but remembered by many.

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K-6 Public Speaking 

This term, as part of the English curriculum, all students K-6 will have the opportunity to learn and practice essential communication skills through a dedicated Public Speaking unit.

In the coming weeks, K-5 students will be working on writing their own speeches in class. This process will teach them valuable skills in crafting and delivering effective speeches. Once their speeches are prepared, they will come home for additional practice. We encourage you to support your child during this time, as practicing at home will be an important part of their preparation. Our Year 6 students have undertaken their learning early, to allow us to select some students to represent the school at the Central Coast Public Speaking Cluster Final to be held in the next few weeks. 

Students will be assessed on the speeches using a rubric, and from this, later in the term, a few students from each class will present their speeches at the Stage Final. This event will be a fantastic showcase of the students' hard work and progress as they put their new skills into action in front of an audience. This experience will not only enhance our students’ public speaking abilities but also boost their confidence and presentation skills. I look forward to witnessing their growth and the impressive speeches they will deliver!

Blessings for a wonderful weekend,

Kerry Power

Acting Primary Principal

Primary Events

Secondary News

Dear Community,

High Expectations

At MacKillop, we are working hard to adopt a culture of high expectations for our students both inside and outside the classroom.  I discussed this with our students at last week’s assembly.

When teachers hold high expectations of their students, they know their students well, value them as learners, and understand how to support their learning. In the classroom, teachers promote high expectations of their students when they differentiate instruction, provide individualised feedback, and engage in ongoing and meaningful classroom interactions to challenge their students and encourage continuous improvement. 

Teachers’ beliefs about their students influence how they teach and interact with them.  This can affect students’ confidence and motivation, which in turn impacts learning and achievement.  High expectations matter at all stages of schooling, from early childhood through to the end of secondary school.  All students deserve to experience and benefit from high expectations.

We strongly encourage all of our parents to also hold high expectations of your children, whether that is for their learning, their behaviour, their relationships, their interests, etc.  You can do this by consistently challenging them to learn new things, by establishing clear and consistent expectations for them and by guiding and supporting them towards meeting expectations.

When I arrived at the College I outlined our high expectations to the students, I reinforced this message again last week.  It saddens me that some students still don’t heed this warning and as a result suffer significant consequences such as lengthy suspensions. Sometimes it means leaving MacKillop entirely.  I gain no satisfaction from meeting with parents and students to discuss their ongoing enrolment, but I’m steadfast in my desire for this school to be all that it can be.  That will continue to mean that we will not relent on holding high expectations, there will be clear boundaries and there will be firm consequences for any student who engages in anti-social behaviour not befitting our community.

In all my years of teaching, I have become convinced that children will strive to reach the bar we set for them, and more often than not, they’ll get there.  They are way more capable than we give them credit for, which makes it even more important to set that bar high enough to ensure they reach their full potential.  If parents and teachers truly work together in the education of our children, I have no doubt that the sky’s the limit.

Winter Sleepout 2024

On Friday, August 23, we are having our annual Winter Sleepout. This event brings us together as a MacKillop community, allows us to hear from guest speakers about the realities of being homeless, and allows us to participate in activities that help raise funds for the Vinnies Appeal. 
 
If you are interested and in Years 7-9, you have the option to attend the event from 5:30-9 pm to participate in guest speakers and games, or if you are interested and in Years 10-12, you have the option to attend the event from 5:30 and rough it for the night, leaving at 6 am on Saturday 24 August.

 If your child is interested, please complete the attached form.

Complete this form to register your interest. 

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Beeson: michellie.willner1@dbb.catholic.edu.au

Sister School relationship with Nihon Daiichi Junior High School 

A BIG Arigatou for Hosting the Nichidai Students

We would like to say a BIG Arigatou (Thank you) to all the host students and families that opened up their homes and hearts to the Nihon Daiichi Junior High School students. This Sister School relationship would not be as successful as it is without the support of the amazing host students and families. We hope you stay in touch with your student and we look forward to seeing them again in 2025.

Helen Beech | Leader of Learning and Teaching – Japanese

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Science Week

One of the highlights of Science Week is our visit from the Reptile Park. Students engaged in a hands-on visit with some of the Reptile Park's cuddliest inhabitants whilst learning about our native reptilians, their extinction rates, and what the Reptile Park is doing to help conserve these important members of our unique ecosystem.

Education Perfect runs a world-wide science competition each year to celebrate Science Week. Over 55,000 students have entered this competition, and we have 3 students in the top 40! As a college, MCC is at the top of the Australian leaderboard. Well done!!!!!

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Pathways in Commerce

Year 9 Commerce and Year 11 Business Studies students extended their learning with a visit from the Integrated Innovation Network—University of Newcastle and Startups.

Students had the opportunity to learn more about the world of startups, entrepreneurship and business planning. One of the highlights of the visit was hearing the personal story shared by the startup founder, Matt. Through his journey, students gained insights into the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship and were encouraged to think outside the box.

-  Shana Kuziow | Pathways and Partnerships Leader/Student Achievement

God Bless,

Paul Lynch

Acting Principal Secondary

MCC Presents: Starlight Cinema

Father's Day Breakfast and Liturgy

We warmly invite all dads, granddads, and significant male figures to join us for a special Father’s Day liturgy. This is a wonderful opportunity to honour and celebrate the important role you play in the lives of our students.

When: Friday 30 August

What: Breakfast and liturgy in the Church

The liturgy will take place at 7:30 am in the morning. 

Join us for Breakfast before or after the liturgy starting at 7 am.

An invitation with RSVP details for catering purposes will be sent via Compass in the next few days. You can also start sending your special photos for the liturgy slideshow to Mrs Farrell by email  zoe.farrell@dbb.catholic.edu.au. Max 3 pictures per student, jpg or png only.

Free Webinar for Parents and Carers

Religious Creative Arts Competition 2024

Mary's Faithful Wardrobe and Mary's Formal Closet

Term 3 Dates