Our Explicit Improvement Agenda

Student Voice and Agency

Planning for improved student learning - key focus in Mathematics

Celebrations of Community

Mary MacKillop Feast Day Celebrations

Today we celebrated our Feast Day with a whole school Feast Day Mass at 9.00 am in the Allen Hall. Tomorrow (Friday 9 August) we welcome back KABOOM SPORTS with their OLYMPIC extravaganza on the small oval 11.30-1.00pm. Parents and families are welcome to join us and bring along their own picnic blankets and chairs and enjoy a Subway lunch (if ordered). Students can wear their sports uniform on this day. Assembly in the afternoon will commence at 2.15pm due to the altered timetable for the day.

GREEN and GOLD Day and Potato Olympics

Last Friday was an amazing day celebrating the Olympics with our GREEN and GOLD Day and Potato Olympics.  During MMPS News this week the middle level shared their potato athletes and some of the activities they engaged in.  It was a fantastic day with lots of fun, laughter and outstanding potato athletes.

A special thanks to Jacqui Meunier who has come in early each morning to add to our Olympic medal tally on the Welcome Garden fence.  With Australia winning so many medals in Paris, it has been a very big job indeed!

Celebrations of Learning

Foundation 100 days of learning

On Monday we celebrated our Foundation students 100 days of learning!  It was fantastic to see so many excited and engaged centenarians enjoying this milestone in their first year of school.  A big thank you to Mrs Lane, Mrs Lardner and Mrs Nicoll for their preparation to make this day a special celebration.  

Year 2, 3 & 5 Excursions

As part of their inquiry learning (History) Year 5 students visited Coal Creek yesterday and our Year 2 and Year 3 students are waiting in excitement and anticipation for their upcoming excursions to Como House (Year 2) and IMAX/Melbourne Museum (Year 3).  Throughout Term 3 students are engaged in a wide variety of learning activities / events including Feast Day celebrations, Australian Mathematics Competition, Write a Book in a Day Competition, Book Week, Child Safety Week, Sacrament of Confirmation and Footy Day at the end of Term.  All upcoming events are published at the end of the newsletter.

Year 6 Camp

From Monday 5 August to Wednesday 7 August, our Year 6 students attended Camp at The Ranch, Cape Schanck.  A big thank you to Marg Vlajankov, Josh Kippen, Sally Lane, Clint Timothy and Beatrice Camilleri for attending camp and for the preparation, planning and going above and beyond, for our students to have such a memorable and fun camp experience.  Photos of the camp will be included in next week’s newsletter.

Planning for 2025 School Year

2025 Student Class Placements

Teachers will begin planning for our 2025 classes in the coming weeks.  We respect and value parent input and ask that you email me – ejones@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 2025.  Please ensure your request is received by Friday 30 August, 2024.  

Parents please be mindful of the following:

• 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 2025 classes. Please note, the 2024 class teacher places students from their 2024 grade into the 2025 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 2025.

Requests received after the cut off date of Friday 30 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 above.

Today, we have also sent out a form via PAM for all Foundation to Year 5 students regarding their intention to return in 2025.  Please ensure that you complete the eform by Friday 23 August.

Student feedback

An integral part of our cycle of teaching and learning is student feedback.  Every week, staff record and acknowledge feedback to students and this is shared with them in class and  via the school newsletter, at Assembly and in MMPS News on Wednesday mornings. Read on for this week’s feedback to students.

Many thanks to families and students for attending the School Family Parish Mass. Well done to the students who read prayers, participated in the processions and choir. A lovely occasion for all to share and be part of.

Amazing work by the Year 2 students during the Potato Olympics. You cheered each other on with enthusiasm and created a wonderful atmosphere.

Well done to all the Year 1 students for showing fantastic teamwork when participating in the Potato Olympics activities! 

Fantastic work Year 3 students on your enthusiasm and encouragement during the Potato Olympics. We had such a fun day together!

Congratulations to the Foundation students on their 100 days of school! There was so much excitement around the day and we loved seeing all the effort put into your costumes! 

Great job to the Year 5 and 4 students who stepped in for the Year 6 students this week while they were at camp for Bless This Day and MMPS News.

Awesome job Year 6’s on a successful camp! You went out of your comfort zone and showed resilience in having a go at all the activities! You worked well as a team in your activity groups and displayed empathy towards others! Great Work!