Thank You

As the news broke yesterday that the lockdown will be extended by another 7 days in metropolitan Melbourne, it was hard not to feel disappointment and despair.  This lockdown appears to have hit our school community a little harder than the past five lockdowns.  The daily grind of balancing working from home or on-site, remote schooling or on-site supervision is taking its toll, as is the constant threat of a highly contagious virus circulating within our community. However, over the past week, we have had the privilege to witness acts of kindness in the generous donations of our families, teaching staff swiftly shifting into Remote Schooling mode and being ready and willing to assist with the dual roles of on-site supervision and teaching remotely from home, ESO staff arriving early to set up the on-site supervision areas and ensuring they balance their support to the increasing numbers of on-site students, the admin team arriving at 7.00am last Friday morning to unpack Chromebooks and their chargers from charging carts so the Chromebooks could be distributed to families in the afternoon in preparation for Monday morning Google Meets and gratitude from our families as they came through the drive through area with their own acts of kindness – doughnuts for staff, chocolates, flowers and words of thanks.  So while the news of lockdown was hard to hear again, we have a lot to be thankful for – our students, our families, our staff and our school community . . .

Cyber Safety

We have been made aware there is increased social media usage by some of our students and some inappropriate content/comments being made by students in the social media space while in Remote Schooling.

As a school, we have very limited control over students engaging in social media in their homes, but we do ask parents to be vigilant in supervising their child, ensuring there are appropriate parent controls in place to ensure cyber safety and to incorporate strategies to eliminate cyber bullying on social media platforms.  Please find attached a link for parents from the eSafety Commissioner Website for information on how to ensure your child is safe when online - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents. 

We thank you for working in partnership with us to ensure our students' safety when online.

Kaboom Sports – Olympics Theme

We were very much looking forward to holding an Olympics Theme sporting event for our students last Friday and we are in the process of trying to reschedule this event for our students to enjoy when they return to school.  More information will be provided when students return and COVID-19 restrictions have eased.

Book Week Celebrations – Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds

We will be holding our Book Week Celebrations – dress up as your favourite book character on Thursday 26 August.  We look forward to this very special day of bringing our favourite book characters alive in our school community.  This year’s Book Week theme aligns beautifully with our History and Geography Inquiry units this term – Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds.

Student Learning Conversations (Parent Teacher Interviews)

Student Learning Conversations have been rescheduled to Tuesday 17 August and Wednesday 18 August.  Information on how to book your time for the Student Learning Conversations was sent out via email to parents.  Unfortunately restrictions and density limits continue to be in place which do not allow for face-to-face interviews. Parents have the option to choose from a Google Meet or phone conversation.  We look forward to sharing your child’s learning progress, achievements and learning goals.

Planning for 2022 School Year

Intention to return to Mary MacKillop in 2022

Student numbers impact significantly on staffing levels and class structures for the following year.  An Operoo form has been sent to families with students in Foundation to Year 5 for your child/s intention to return OR not to return in 2022.  We ask that all families please complete this form by TOMORROW 13th August,  to allow for future planning and class structures.

2022 Class Placements

Teacher will begin planning for our 2022 classes at the end of Term 3.  We respect and value parent input and ask that you email me – ejones@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au, or put in writing, if you have information about your child that could impact on their placement for 2022.  Please ensure your request is sent by Friday 27 August.  Parents please be mindful of the following:

• Requests should be based on individual student needs. 
• Requests are forwarded onto staff when placing students into their 2022 classes. 
• Staff use a range of information to ensure an effective balance within classes across the level and to provide an optimal learning environment for all students. 
• Please be aware that your letters of request are not a guarantee, they provide an opportunity for your input and assist us in the process of class placements. 
• Please note that requests made in previous years are not necessarily considered in the process, so previous 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 2022.

School Advisory Committee [SAC] AGM - Tuesday 31 August

The School Advisory Committee met on Tuesday 27 July via Google Meet.  We went through all the past of Term 2 and the upcoming events for Term 3.  In particular we will be holding our SAC Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 31 August at 7.00 pm. 

Nomination forms for positions on the School Advisory Committee 2021 – 2022 are available from the Administration Office or you can request a nomination form via email frontdesk@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au

The responsibilities of the School Advisory Committee are to:

• promote the Catholic ethos of the school
• provide feedback on and review of school policies
• plan for the future of the school and its ability to accommodate future enrolments
• provide advice on budget planning and finance-related matters
• contribute to the selection process for the school principal (when the position is advertised)
• provide advice on the appropriate provision of faith development and Religious Education programs
• promote child safety in the school

Learning Awards