MacKillop Chronicles Term 3, Week 6

Thursday 29 August, 2024

A Message From Our College Principal

Dear Families

Good Men as Role Models

It is important that our students have good men in their lives. Good fathers, uncles, brothers and grandfathers who show them respect and nurture their journey in life. Often the manner in which these men interact with our young people can help them establish lasting and respectful relationships in their future lives. These pivotal relationships have the power to support and encourage young people through turbulent periods in their lives and through adolescence.  

Steadfastness

Sometimes, during those awkward growing years between pre-pubescence and puberty, young people may feel uncomfortable about their changing body shapes and these physical changes can sometimes shake their confidence.  It is especially important that during this growing phase that male figures provide steadfastness and affirmation of their talents and skills. Having a male figure who does not judge a person for their shape or appearance can greatly support the developing identity of young people.  

Teenage Turbulence

Sometimes the teenage years can be a little difficult to navigate, and some young people can tend to push their fathers away during these years. Even, if you feel that your daughter, niece or granddaughter is pushing you away, please make an effort to be part of her world. Some teenage boys may appear despondent and uninterested but in reality, they are yearning for approval and engagement with the significant male figures in their life. 

All families are Different

Not every family has a father figure in their lives, and it is important on days such as Father’s Day that we keep in mind the diverse range of family structures.  Recently, I was talking to a Senior student and she relayed to me that she buys her Mother a gift on Father’s Day because she grew up with her Mum raising her. She said, “Mum was both Mum and Dad in my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I commended her for caring deeply for her Mother and took the time to reflect on her appreciation for having this special person in her life.

A Prayer for the Men of Significance in our Lives

Heavenly Father, bless all fathers and men in the lives of our children. Give them strength, tenderness and patience, give them the ability to love in a way that reflects your love, like St Joseph. Give them hearts that never tire of serving those they love and gently turn their gaze to seeing You, who is Love.

We entrust them to you.

Amen.

God Bless,

Tanya Appleby,

College Principal

Primary Matters

22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Acclamation: 

“The Father gave us birth by his message of truth, that we might be the first fruit of his creation.” James 1:18

Dear Parents and Carers,

Message from the Principal

Book Week is a wonderful time when we acknowledge the gift of reading.  Mary MacKillop understood that education was the way out of poverty and her vision provided thousands of young people with a better life. Mary’s original schools had very simple resources and basic books to teach students to read.

In today’s world, the Science of Reading is an interdisciplinary study of scientific-based research on how we read. It combines elements of cognitive neuroscience, psychology, education and linguistics.  All of these elements have led scientists, psychologists and teachers to conclude that students need systematic, explicit instruction to read successfully. Students need to learn the foundations of word recognition (letters, sounds and other phonics concepts) and language comprehension (syntax, vocabulary etc.) to be successful readers. If you want to see this in action, just ask a student in our K-2 classes about phonemes and graphemes.

The ability to read is a skill we should never underestimate and developing a love of the written word, of reading and of books is vital to our individual growth and the development of our nation. So many talented authors have produced countless books over the centuries, providing magical gateways into other times places and imagined worlds.  I buy lots of books and opening a new book always fills me with joy. I hope that Book Week brings beautiful memories of your own most loved stories and I encourage you to pass this love on to your children and grandchildren. Next week’s Book Fair will provide an opportunity to purchase some new additions for your bookshelves or put them aside for Christmas.

  Thank you for your support.

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Father’s Day

I want to take an opportunity to thank all Fathers, Dads, Stepdads, Grandfathers, Pops, Uncles and good men who inspire us.

Father’s Day is a day when we show our appreciation for all the men in our lives who give us care, protection, love and direction.  We remember the fathers of our heritage—First Nation elders, colonial fathers, Church fathers, fathers of our country, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. 

As we gather in liturgy we honour and thank God for the gift of our fathers and other men who are like fathers to us. On this day we also remember in a special way those fathers in our community who are not able to be with us in celebration.  

Above all, we will remember our Father in Heaven and Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. We pray that we might come to know and love you, God our heavenly Father more deeply as your children. Happy Father’s Day!

Parent Code of Conduct

I have provided a link to the CSBB Parent Code of Conduct.  This document reminds parents about the expectations of CSBB as partners in the growth and development of all children in our care. It reminds parents of their responsibilities in regard to parent access and engagement. At Dismissal, we ask that parents wait in the areas near Ryan’s Garden, the Canteen Bridge or near the Kiss n Drop Area. Please do not wait at the Classroom Door as these areas are high traffic zones at the end of the day as students leave and teachers move to afterschool duties. Please remember to collect your children from a familiar and /or designated place so they are secure in this process. Communicating with other students without their parent/s present is inappropriate, especially in regard to friendship or other relational issues. Thank you for your support in these matters.

Chronicles and what they mean

Compass is a wonderful communication tool for members of the MCC Community. It allows teachers, students and parents a single source of communication, information, approval, reporting and behaviour records. It is for this reason that parents and carers must read all notifications that come through to them, so that important information is not missed.

Some parents have asked for further clarification regarding the issue of student behaviour and Long Time Outs, and how these are communicated to parents. Compass provides a consistent template that teachers use to record behaviour incidents and Long Time Outs. The template is then generated into a letter that is delivered to parents, informing them about the incident. The classroom teacher, Stage Coordinator and Leadership also receive notification about this.

I have included a copy of the template (to illustrate the teacher’s record of the incident) and the generated letter (to illustrate the connection between the two). The Chronicle is then preserved to allow for accurate record keeping. A Long Time Out (LTO) is a period of playtime dedicated to the process of restorative action. This time and the associated conversation with a teacher provide feedback to the student about their decision making process and seeks to encourage improved choices in the future. Parents, students and teachers can work together to use the Chronicle as a tool for positive partnerships.

Stage 3 Maths Groups

Budding mathematicians have been challenging themselves with rich tasks and challenging problems that require the students to think deeper and use problem-solving skills and critical and creative thinking to work out answers. We’ve looked at finding the volume of 3D objects, multiplication, addition and subtraction and Cartesian planes. I’m so proud of how these children persevere.

Cathy Whitmore | Leader of Learning - Numeracy /Stage 3 Co-ordinator 

Blessings for a wonderful weekend,

Kerry Power

Acting Primary Principal

Primary Events

Secondary News

Dear Community,

Book Week and Reading

I’m writing this not long after having the pleasure of sitting with Year 7 in the theatre listening to our guest speaker, Bradley Christmas.  Bradley is the author of the young adult novel Saltwater Boy, a coming-of-age story exploring themes of family, conservation and reconciliation with Australia’s First Nations peoples.  Away from his writing desk, Brad is often found performing with bands Copperline and the Gin Palace, as well as touring with acts from Boney M to Steve Kilbey (the Church).

I am so grateful to all the staff at MacKillop who contributed to a wonderful Book Week and are such strong advocates for the importance of reading in the lives of our students.  For our students to reach their academic potential, I don’t think there is anything more important than reading.  It doesn’t have to be reading specifically associated with their learning either, simply reading for pleasure will assist our kids incredibly in accessing the curriculum.

Reading Daily – Why your child should be doing it!

As parents, many of us spend lots of time reading to our children in those early years and then as their reading skills develop, we have our children read to us.  Daily reading has benefits that go way beyond childhood.  Developing the skills needed for reading is vital for work and everyday activities like filling in forms or following instructions.  There is no bigger gift you can provide to your child than the ability to read but equally important is the encouragement to keep reading into adulthood.

What are the benefits of reading?

Enhanced brain activity

Unlike watching television or streamed entertainment, reading requires focus.  This engages the mind and stimulates more brain regions than passive forms of entertainment.  The bottom line is that there isn’t much to be gained from watching Netflix or YouTube for five hours a night.  A book is better for your brain.

Improved vocabulary

By exposing students to new words, reading can expand vocabulary.

Developing critical thinking

Reading widely allows students to encounter different ideas and ways of understanding the world, compelling them to consider what they believe and why.  Critical thinking skills are also some of the most highly valued in the workplace, and are linked with experiencing fewer negative life events.

Increased ability to understand others

Encountering different ideas also helps us to understand others.  Furthermore, reading can enhance mental and emotional wellbeing.

More recently, research has proven the health benefits of reading, which include:

• Reduced stress – reading can lower stress by 68 percent, reading was more relaxing than listening to music, going for a walk or having a cup of tea or coffee.
• Management of depression – reading appears to be effective in the reduction of depressive symptoms in the long-term period, providing an affordable prompt treatment that could reduce further medications.
• Reducing memory loss – people who engaged in more cognitive activities (like reading) throughout their lives had slower late-life cognitive decline than those who did not.

Students who read daily perform better at school

If the benefits mentioned already are not enough to convince you why your children should be reading regularly, research has consistently linked reading outside of school hours to improved performance across all grades.  Students who read independently have greater reading comprehension, verbal fluency and general knowledge than those who do not.  They become better readers, score higher on achievement tests in all subject areas, and have greater content knowledge than their non-reading peers.

Numerous studies support the finding that students who self-selected literature for pleasure performed better in English, Mathematics, Science, and History.

As the authors noted: “Reading helps students think critically and improves reading comprehension skills, which is beneficial in every subject area measured in this study.  However, the benefits of pleasure reading do not end in the classroom.  Students take the skills they have honed through reading into adulthood and, in turn, into the workforce and society.”

My experience as a teacher has shown me time and time again that students who engage in reading for pleasure experience more academic and future success.

How can you motivate your child to read?

By now I hope you have no doubt that reading books is important (it’s essential).  Fortunately, research shows there are numerous ways you can motivate your child’s reading habits.  One of these is the value students place on reading, so simply teaching them about its benefits can help.

Strategies you can use at home are listed below:

• Lead by example – let your children see you read.  Discuss what you’re reading with them, what you’re learning and describe why you love reading.

• Allow them to choose their own books – research indicates this boosts motivation and reading skills.  Your local library will have an abundance of age-appropriate books across different genres to choose from.

• Introduce them to a book series – once they’ve found a series they like, they’ll be hooked!

• While it remains a subject of debate, there is some evidence that carefully chosen rewards may enhance reading motivation.  Apply parental wisdom as you seek to provide some just rewards for your child’s reading efforts.

How much should your child be reading?

It seems that 15 minutes per day (not including time spent reading at school) is the ‘magic number’ for reading gains.

In contrast, those who read less than five minutes per day had the lowest levels of growth, and 5–14 minutes per day still led to gains below the national average.

Students reading for just over a half-hour to an hour per day saw the greatest gains of all.

References

https://www.acc.edu.au/blog/reading-comprehension-student-performance/#:~:text=Students%20who%20read%20independently%20have,than%20their%20non%2Dreading%20peers.

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MCC Represent

This week, our Year 7/8 Girls represented the College at the OzTag Champions of Champions, State Cup event where they were extremely successful and earned themselves the accolade of being the most successful Catholic School Team in the state.

This tournament brought together the top 2 school teams from each region. Our girls played some action-packed OzTag and after 4 games, were first in the pool and ranked 2^nd overall in the tournament. The results are as follows:

We started strong with a 3-1 win against Engadine High!! 

This was soon followed by a convincing win of 10-0 against Quirindi High Tamworth.

We then had to face Gilroy Catholic College, Castle Hill, the team that won their region. At half-time, we were down 1-0. With a half-time rev up, we came back firing scoring 2 tries in the first 4 minutes. We held them out and won 2-1!!

The following morning, the girls lifted and brought home a 2nil win against Hills Sports High, which was impressive.

Our luck changed very quickly when cross over games were announced and MacKillop had to play another first-placed team from a different pool, Endeavour Sports High. This match was close and the girls went down 3 - 1. The final rankings were established going into quarters and MacKillop pulled Endeavour once again, and unfortunately lost this match and were knocked out.

To finish 5^th overall, behind 4 sports high schools is an impressive result and one we can be very proud of here at MacKillop. We are very thankful to the many parents and friends who came to support the girls, local businesses who sponsored the girls, Sanitarium and East Coast Juice and to the MacKillop community who donated food to assist with keeping the costs down, thank you so much.

Congratulations girls, you did us proud.

Rachael Elcoate | Acting REC - Evangelisation & Leader of Pastoral Care - Year 7 

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HSC Visual Arts Showcase

This coming Monday, September, it is our Visual Arts students' time to showcase their major works please come see their hard work hung at the MCC gallery in the Arts Centre.

Year 8 Spirituality Day

Next Thursday, all Year 8 students will be participating in their Spirituality Day. This is an annual event and the theme for the day is 'Respect for All'. The day encourages the students to reflect on their spiritual and faith journey and recognise why everyone deserves respect.

Along with our Year 8 cohort, students from the Year 10 Youth Ministry class will run icebreakers and workshops for the students.

Maisie Tenev  | Youth Ministry Coordinator

HSC Japanese continuers oral examination

Konnichiwa! 

These very happy Japanese Continuer students completed their HSC oral examination on Saturday24 August. A big Omedetou Gozaimasu to them. Smiles all around!

Helen Beech | Leader of Learning and Teaching – Japanese

Ngara Message Stick AECG

On Tuesday, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives Charlotte and Sari from MacKillop Catholic College proudly passed on the Ngara AECG Message Stick to Lakes Grammar Junior School. 

This act of passing the stick symbolises a shared journey, where each school it visits becomes a custodian of its rich cultural significance. The message stick is more than just a physical object; it is a beacon of connection, wisdom, and resilience, carrying the spirit of our traditions and the collective knowledge of the communities within the Ngara Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. MacKillop Catholic College were honoured to be a part of this journey.

Taylor-lee Cheney | Aboriginal Support Teacher 
Catholic Schools of Broken Bay Diocese| Aboriginal Education. 

Share the Dignity

Last week at assembly, Mrs. Martland spoke to all students about the Share the Dignity project. MCC has registered to be a collection point for this initiative, which supports those in need by providing access to new period products, such as tampons, pads, period underwear, etc.

Students have been asked to bring these items to their Pastoral meetings over the next two weeks for collection. Additionally, a box will be available in the library and the East Wing if students would like to drop off their donations before school or during breaks.

Thank you for your support Dignity Drive (sharethedignity.org.au)

God Bless,

Paul Lynch

Acting Principal Secondary

Scholastic Book Fair - Week 7

MCC Presents: Starlight Cinema

Little Lighthouse Playgroup

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, Primary open classrooms

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.

Primary Open Classrooms 9am - 9:45am

SchoolTV - Healthy Study Habits

HSC Art Exhibition 2024

Broken Bay NSWCS Road Safety Newsletter

Free Webinar for Parents and Carers

Religious Creative Arts Competition 2024

Mary's Faithful Wardrobe and Mary's Formal Closet

Term 3 Dates