School Improvement Agenda

This year our School Improvement Agenda for 2025 is:

• Student Voice and Agency
• Planning for Improved Student Learning - key focus on Mathematics and Reading

Over the last few weeks, staff have been analysing NAPLAN data and whole school data sets to further understand the strengths of our students and to identify specific areas where we can help our students improve in their learning. A few years ago, Liz Jones (the previous Principal) and staff made the decision to implement Little Learners Love Literacy (LLLL) - an explicit synthetic phonics approach to the teaching of Reading. The Year 3 NAPLAN data this year showed tremendous growth and this can be attributed to the LLLL and the increase in our teacher’s expertise with the teaching of Reading. Well done Year 3!

Raising Kids in a Digital World 

At the moment we have 12 families registered for this evening on Thursday 11 September: @ 6.30 - 8pm in MMPS Allen Hall. In order to enable more families to attend we will offer a movie in a classroom if you are unable to find babysitters/carers. We do ask, that if you do access to a baby sitters/carers that you use them but if you are not attending because of this barrier, then please bring your children with you and they can watch a movie in a classroom and be supervised by staff. There are 210 families in our school - it would be wonderful if at least 50% attended this evening.  For more information please go to:

https://www.informandempower.com.au/program/parent-seminars

Please register by using the link below:

Book Week 2025

Don’t forget to wear your Book Week costume tomorrow - we will enjoy a Book Week Parade at 9.00am in the Allen Hall. Families are most welcome to come along to watch.  Please ensure that you have signed in as a visitor at the office.  

Please note - there will be NO ASSEMBLY this Friday afternoon, due to Book Week.

REMINDER - Planning for 2026 School Year

2026 Student Class Placements

Teachers will begin planning for our 2026 classes in the coming weeks.  We respect and value parent input and ask that you email me – gverstraete@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au, or put in writing and leave at the Administration Office, if you have information about your child that could impact on their placement for 2026.  

Please ensure your request is received by Friday next week - 29 August, 2025.  Requests received after the cut off date of Friday 29 August are very difficult to take into consideration. 

We ask parents to be mindful of our teachers’ preparation and time that goes into student/class placements, which is not an easy task, taking into account all the areas mentioned below:

• Staff use their professional judgement and a range of information when placing students into classes.  This information includes student learning progress, learning strengths, learning needs, NCCD Data, gender balance within classes and across the level to provide an optimal learning environment for ALL students. 
• Parent requests are forwarded onto staff when placing students into their 2026 classes. Please note, the 2025 class teacher places students from their 2025 grade into the 2026 class groupings.
• Please be aware that your letters of request are not a guarantee of your child’s placement. 
• Please note that requests made in previous years are not necessarily considered in the process.  Historical information provided by parents regarding their child’s placement will need to be re-submitted if the concerns expressed in previous years are still relevant for consideration in 2026.

Foundation to Year 5 Students - Please ensure that you have completed your child's 'INTENTION TO RETURN IN 2026' which was sent out via PAM a couple of weeks ago.  This eform must be completed by Friday 29 August 2025 to ensure class placement for the following year.

Father’s Day Breakfast - Thursday 4^th September 2025

This year we are again organising a special breakfast to celebrate Father's Day. We invite all children to come along with their father, grandfather or other 'special person' to join us for a delicious breakfast of a bacon and egg roll, juice or water.

When:         Thursday 4^th September 2025

Where:       Allen Hall

Time:          8.00am - 8.40am                    Breakfast

                   8.40 am - 9.00am (approx)     Classroom prayer time and activities

                   9.00am (approx) - 10.00am    Whole School Assembly

This breakfast is provided free of charge however a gold coin donation to ‘Trinity Families’ would be appreciated.  A donation box will be placed in the Hall foyer for 'Trinity families' who provide many different support services for families throughout our Diocese.  All donations will be gratefully appreciated. 

Father's Day Stall – Wednesday 3rd September 2025

We have organised a fabulous range of gifts for the children to choose from at this year’s Father's Day Stall.  Gift options will be displayed in the classrooms prior to the stall for the children to see (no peeking dads!)  This year, due rising costs, we have had to make all gifts $8.00 each – our last price rise was over ten years ago!! Please ensure that children wishing to purchase a gift bring the correct money on the day as we will only have limited change.  (Depending on available left-over stock, there might be an opportunity to purchase an additional gift on Thursday or Friday.)

Calling all mums – Your help is needed!

We will also need the help of our mums (or dads!) to help with the cooking, serving and clean-up of the breakfast for the dads:

Wednesday 3^rd September:  Preset up of tables and BBQ @ 2.00pm – 3.00pm

 Thursday 4^th September:

• 7.30am – 8.00am - Setup/cooking
• 8.00am – 8.40am - Serving
• 8.40am – 9.00am - Clean up

If you can help at all, please email your name, contact phone number and eldest child’s class to:

frontdesk@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au   

Footy Day Sausage Sizzle

Thursday 18 September (last day of term 3)

Information will be coming home tomorrow to all families, via PAM email, regarding details of how to order for this event via CDFpay.  

Feedback to Students

Well done to our Year 5 students for the wonderful way they conducted themselves on our excursion to Coal Creek.

Amazing work, Year 4 students, on our excursion to Polly Woodside last Thursday! Your curiosity, thoughtful contributions to discussions, and infectious enthusiasm during every activity made the day so special. We are all incredibly proud of the way you lived out the MMPS school values. Well done, superstars!

Unfortunately, from time to time, teachers need to miss teaching their class. A replacement teacher is organised, and they teach what the teacher planned for that session or full day. Teachers then collect feedback everytime there is a replacement teacher, and it is with great pleasure we can share messages the replacement teachers wrote about working at MMPS recently. The feedback includes: 

• During morning prayer, students were very respectful with several students sharing prayers for their loved ones.
• All students were engaged and focussed on their writing task throughout the session, working responsibly and respectfully. 
• Watching MMPS News has been one of my favourite ways to start a day.
• One student enthusiastically shared his narrative titled ‘Joking Joey’ and discussed the background to his story.
• Students volunteered to set up activities and were very helpful throughout the day.
• In one session, a student was an outstanding classroom helper, tidying up at the end of the day and assisted other students.
• It was so nice to be welcomed by students when I walked around doing yard duty - thank you!  
• Students on the senior oval were playing and interacting very respectfully with each other. 
• The students at MMPS are lovely - thank you for a great day!

Staff at MMPS care greatly and are very proud of all students - the replacement teacher comments prove we are all part of a fantastic school - great job everyone! 

Fantastic work to all Year Three students for the positive behaviour that was displayed on our excursion to the museum. You displayed the school values whilst being out in public. We are very proud of you.

Road Safety Reminder

We thank the driver on Ernst Wanke Road who was alert and brought to our attention a recent incident involving students crossing without an adult. For the safety of all children, please remember that outside of school crossing supervisor hours, students must be accompanied by an adult when crossing the road. We appreciate your support in keeping our students safe.

Father’s Day Photo Gallery

As part of our Father’s Day Morning Liturgy, we will be presenting a special photo gallery to celebrate our dads and father figures. Families are invited to contribute a photo to be included in the presentation. Please send your contribution to the slide show to lprivitera@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au  All photos are due by COB on Monday 1st September. 

Congratulations to First Communicants

Congratulations to the students who received the Sacrament of First Eucharist last weekend. May this special step in faith bring many blessings as you continue to grow in God’s love.

• Jenson
• Casiana
• Isabel
• Ethan
• Zayden
• Aurora
• Charles
• Philip

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Sunday, August 24, 2025

Luke 13:22-30
People will come from north and south, east and west, and take their place in the Kingdom of God.

In next Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us a parable about people who arrive at a house too late.  

The master of the house had already locked the door. He did not allow the people to enter. They did not pay attention and arrived too late.

Jesus offers an invitation to share eternal life with God in heaven. This invitation is accepted by using kind words and choosing actions that bring closeness to God. Saying “yes” to Jesus happens through living in loving and respectful ways. What is one way to grow closer to God this week?

Book Week

2025 Book Week Celebration – Dress Up Day!

Get ready to celebrate Book Week 2025 with a fun-filled Dress Up Day tomorrow!  This year’s theme is “Book an Adventure!” On Friday 22nd August 2025, students are invited to come dressed as their favourite book character – from a classic story, fairy tale, or a much-loved new read.

Costumes don’t need to be elaborate – creativity and a love of books are what matter most!

Families are warmly invited to join us for the Book Week Parade at 9.00am in Allen Hall on the day.  Please note there is no Assembly in the afternoon.

Let’s celebrate the joy of reading and bring stories to life through costume and imagination!

Health, Wellbeing and Personal Safety Programs

Wellbeing & Safety Programs – Semester Two 2025

This semester, students across all year levels will take part in a range of wellbeing and safety programs designed to build confidence, awareness, and respectful relationships.

Foundation & Junior Levels (F–2):
Life Ed Program – Monday 25 & Tuesday 26 August
Students will engage in age-appropriate sessions exploring healthy choices, safety, and emotional wellbeing through the Life Education program.

Middle Level (Years 3–4):
KIDS ROAR – Thursday 11 September
This program empowers students with personal safety skills, focusing on body safety, assertiveness, and recognising unsafe situations.

Senior Level (Years 5–6):
Victoria Police Visit – Wednesday 10 September
Senior students will hear from local police officers on topics including personal safety, making positive choices, and being responsible citizens.

Years 4–6: Inform & Empower Cyber Safety Workshops
Across workshops, students will explore digital safety, respectful online behaviour, and strategies for navigating the online world confidently and safely.

Parent Workshop 

To support parents/carers a Parent Seminar called Raising Kids in a Digital World  on Thursday 11 September: @ 6.30 - 8pm will be held at  MMPS in Allen Hall, presented by Marty McGauran, founder and an expert educator, and Carley McGauran, an experienced psychologist.

https://www.informandempower.com.au/program/parent-seminars

Last week F-GN shared all about their prayer cloth at assembly. On their prayer cloth they have included the Mary MacKillop quote “Find happiness in making other happy” and they have drawn all the ways they can make their families and friends happy. They shared that when you make others feel happy you feel happy too!

Last week Year 5 students consolidated History learning by playing ‘olden day’ games with their Year 1 Buddies, and also travelled to Coal Creek to witness exactly what life was like in the past. The experiences have enabled far greater detailed being described in student Historical Narratives. Here are a few paragraph examples of student work:

When Natasha got to Australia she worked harder and harder. ‘’When is this going to end? Is 7 years nearly over? I want to go home and live my own life!’’ said Natasha. “Hey, you work harder or else you’ll get whipped.’’ shouted a worker. Natasha kept working. Then a bell rang. ‘’Lunch time!” Natasha  walked to the dining area and all she got was a small bread roll. After a few hours Natasha walked to her bed and laid down on a wooden hard bed. (By Esther)

The little girl was shivering and shaking , she was so scared because it was her first time on a ship. She had to wear prison ankle chains so she does not try to escape and she had to go to a mysterious, creepy and dark cell. (By Nakira)

Here are a few more pictures from the recent Year 4 excursion to Polly Woodside:

‘Write a Book in a Day’ is a fun, creative and collaborative competition for students in years 5 to 12 and adult writing groups. Teams of up to ten have just twelve hours to write and illustrate a book from start to finish. To make it even more fun, unique parameters must be included in the story. Digital editions of the completed stories are made available on the Online Library and shared with hospitals across Australia. Funds raised through sponsorship go to The Kids’ Cancer Project, a national charity supporting childhood cancer research.

Our wonderful team of writers and illustrators took on the challenge to Write a Book in a Day yesterday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.  Well done to Chloe, Kyden, Awur, Coral, Noah A, Lattika, Toby, Rachel, Ashton, Jasmine for all their hard work.

We still need help in raising money for this event and we are holding a Lucky Dip throughout the school where we ask students to bring $2.00 to have a turn at the Lucky Dip competition.

The Lucky Dip  will continue into next week - Monday 25th August, Tuesday 26th August and Wednesday 27th August 

Students are invited to bring along a $2.00 coin on these days if they would like to participate.  Please Note: Students participating can have more than one turn but every turn requires the $2.00 donation - the number of turns may need to be limited based on the amount of prizes.

We invite our school community to get behind this exciting event — celebrating creativity, championing social justice, and raising funds for a cause that truly changes lives. 

Thank you from

THE MARVELOUS MARY MAC WRITERS!

CAMP AUSTRALIA

Child Safe Standards

Our school is safe, student centred and animated by our school values.  

We aim to Inspire Hearts and Minds.

"Children are the future of the human family: all of us are expected to promote their growth, health and tranquillity." Pope Francis 2021

At Mary MacKillop Primary School, we believe that ensuring the safety of the students in our care is an integral part of who we are as a Catholic faith community. We adhere to Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order No. 1359.  We embed a culture of child safety and the matter is taken very seriously.

MMPS Child Safe Standards

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV)

The updated CECV Statement of Commitment to Child Safety - A safe, nurturing and empowering culture for all children and young people in Catholic schools, is attached to this newsletter.  This statement has been updated in light of the revised Child Safe Standards coming into effect from 1 July 2022 and the supporting Ministerial Order No. 1359

We are a Happy Families School

Our school is subscribed to the Happy Families School Membership! Owned and run by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, the membership offers a wealth of parenting education and resources.  We will regularly share resources available through our membership with you, including Insight Articles and Live Webinars.

Insights Articles

A new Insights article is released weekly during the term and we will include these with the school newsletter. Insights articles are written by Dr Justin Coulson and provide parenting education and support for a wide variety of traditional and contemporary parenting challenges.

Here is your weekly Insights Article Three Conversations Every Family Needs To Master - Written by Dr Justin Coulson

Want fewer conflicts and deeper connections with your kids? Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, shares a simple framework to transform family communication. Learn the three types of conversations every child needs—and how to get them right.

ANSWERS with Dr JUSTIN COULSON is a live webinar series for all schools across Australia. Each term, Dr Justin will tackle a hot-button parenting issue, providing your parent and teacher community with timely and relevant support.

Upcoming live webinar

Wednesday 20 August, 2025    7pm AEST   Anxious: Helping Your Child Navigate a World of Worry

It’s heartbreaking to see our kids struggling with anxiety. The statistics paint a stark picture: anxiety disorders are on the rise, affecting approximately one in seven primary school children and one in four adolescents. We see our kids burdened by fears and worries, their confidence fading, and sometimes even experiencing panic attacks. As parents, we desperately want to help but often feel lost or unsure of what to do.

Anxious: Helping Your Child Navigate a World of Worry offers a lifeline. In this presentation, Dr Justin Coulson will unpack what anxiety looks like in children and provide you with simple, practical strategies that are both clinically proven and easy to implement at home.

Empower yourself with the knowledge and tools to support your child’s emotional wellbeing and help them build resilience in the face of anxiety.

PERSONAL ACCESS Individual Sessions $49 each

Positive Partnerships National online sessions Positive Partnerships is once again providing on-line information webinars regarding autism. There are also sessions for Parents/Guardians/Carers.

Parent Carer (PC) online sessions- registration through links below:

• Tuesday 19 August 12:00-1:30pm(AEST)- Session 1 – Diversity of Autism
• Tuesday 26 August 12:00-1:30pm (AEST)- Session 2 – Sensory Processing
• Tuesday 2 September 12:00-1:30pm (AEST)- Session 3 – Understanding Behaviour
• Tuesday 9 September 12:00-1:30pm (AEST)- Session 4 – Working Together

1. Separate registrations for each session

School TV

Here is the link to your Edition https://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/sibling-relationships-au

• SchoolTV, we would like to invite parents, carers, and grandparents, to attend an exclusive webinar supporting primary and secondary students.  This exclusive, one-off event is fast approaching and we’d love to see  families benefit from the insights of two of Australia’s leading experts, Susan McLean and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.
• They will share invaluable insights on how to empower young people to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

WEBINAR: Digital Media Literacy & Safety (Part III)
DATE: Wednesday, 3 September 2025
TIME: 7:30 pm

Topics in this webinar include:

• New Social Media Regulations
• Digital Footprint and Reputation
• Screen Time and Brain Development
• Parental Controls

• Participants MUST REGISTER PRIOR to the commencement of the webinar to gain access.

• OR click  the  link to access registration -

• http://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/webinar/east-coast-digital-media-literacy-safety-part-III

Anxiety & Young People

Anxiety is a natural and expected part of growing up. In fact, it plays an important role in helping young people prepare for challenges, stay alert to potential dangers and adapt to new situations. It can motivate them to study for a test, practise before a performance, or tread carefully in unfamiliar settings. However, for many children and adolescents today, anxiety can shift from being a helpful response to becoming intense, persistent and disruptive.

The world young people are growing up in is fast-paced and often demanding. Academic pressures, social expectations, family changes and the constant presence of digital media, can all contribute to heightened stress and worry.

When anxiety is left unrecognised or unsupported, it can begin to affect a young person's wellbeing, learning, friendships and self-confidence. That's why it's so important for adult carers to understand how anxiety may present in children. Everyone experiences anxiety differently, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

This edition of SchoolTV raises awareness and provides families with practical strategies to help young people manage anxiety in healthy, constructive ways.

Here is the link to your Edition https://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/anxiety-young-people-au