Welcome to the 2025 school year

We welcome all families to the 2025 school year. As a new Principal at Mary MacKillop school, I have been meeting families at the Welcome gate each morning and afternoon and visiting classrooms in order to get to know all parents/guardians, students and staff. It is evident that our school values (respect, responsibility, courage, compassion and problem solving) are being explicitly taught through the establishment of routines, work habits and building relationships. This helps ensure the learning environment (both the classrooms and the playground) is safe and supportive for our students. By doing this, we all play a part in enacting our school vision - In the spirit of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop - we are a Catholic community Inspiring Hearts and Minds.

We especially welcome our Foundation families. The Foundation students have settled into school life beautifully. I was present for morning prayer (Bless This Day) on Monday morning and the student’s ability to focus and be still during prayer was to be commended.

Our School Improvement focus for 2025 will continue to be:

• Student voice and agency
• Planning for improved student learning – key focus in Mathematics.

School Review and VRQA

Throughout 2025 we will be engaged in the School Review and VRQA process which occurs every four years. This is an opportunity to review our impact in regard to the school improvement strategies and practices over the last four years and to strategically plan for deliberate and targeted school improvement in our School Improvement Plan (SIP) and Annual Implementation Plan (AIP). This then informs our Professional Learning Implementation Plan (PLIP) and helps us determine what Professional Learning our staff need to enact the goals we have in our plans.

Sharing of Food

For the health and safety of all students (particularly students with allergies) and to ensure your child is eating only the food provided from home, students are not permitted to share food. 

We also ask that students do not bring food gifts or other gifts to school for other students (this includes birthdays, Easter eggs, Christmas chocolates/candy canes etc). Gift giving (whether it be food or other gifts) can sometimes create pressure for families. If a student wishes to give a gift to another student, this can be done outside school time during a mutually agreed upon time by the parents/guardians of the students.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we continue to create a safe and positive environment for all students.

Morning Routine

Each morning gates are open at 8.30am. This is the time to aim to arrive at school. When students are here at 8.30am they have plenty of time to make their way to classrooms (which are open from 8.40am) and unpack and get ready for the day. By 8.45am all students need to be in class ready for the roll and prayer. Any student arriving after 8.45am is late and therefore, must come via the Office for a late pass.

Staff Collective Feedback to Students

Thank you Year 5s! You have made an excellent start to the year, entering the senior building enthusiastically and ready to embrace new challenges. Your teachers look forward to strengthening student voice and agency and celebrating your progress throughout the year.

School Events and Calendar

We encourage as many parents/guardians as possible to attend the Michael Carr Gregg evening on Tuesday 18 February at 7pm. Michael is well known as a Child and Adolescent Psychologist and his presentation on raising children and resilience will be helpful to all families. This is a free event and for adults (students do not attend).

Please keep checking the calendar for events below: