Our Explicit Improvement Agenda

Student Voice and Agency

Planning for improved student learning

2024 Student Leader Positions

Our warmest congratulations to the following students on being awarded Student Leadership positions in 2024.  All Year 5 students are commended for the quality of their speeches and the way they supported each other throughout the leadership formation and application process.  They were inspirational in overcoming nerves, to memorise their speech and present them in an engaging way to our Year 5 and Year 4 students.  Congratulations to:

• School Leaders              Alyra and Jovan
• Faith Leaders                 Dior and Jayden
• Learning Leaders           Tiffany and Jeremy
• Environment Leaders     Sophie and Adam
• Eden House Leader        Romeo
• Portland House Leader  Leo
• Penola House Leader     Hanisi
• Fitzroy House Leader     Milania

A handing over ceremony will form part of our end of school year Mass next Thursday 14 December.

Foundation Zoo Excursion

Our Foundation students will attend their Zoo Excursion tomorrow (Friday 8 December).  Thank you to Sally Lane, Gabby Nicoll and Laura Fonti for their organisation and planning of this very special event for our Foundation students.  It is great to see so many parent helpers assisting on the excursion - our school is blessed with so many offers from parents to assist and join in the fun.  We look forward to hearing all about our Foundies zoo experiences.

Victorian Water Safety Certificate

Intensive Swimming Program Year 4 students

The week the Year 4 students have been participating in their intensive swimming lessons as part of the progression of learning towards the Victorian Water Safety Certificate.  These lessons are important as they focus on specific water safety skills and water safety knowledge.

Victorian Water Safety Certificate - Rescue and Survival Year 5 & 6 students

The Year 5 & 6 students have been participating in learning how to be safe around all waterways and the essential skills of rescue and survival.  Rescue skills focus on rescuing a person using non-swimming rescue techniques, a non-rigid aid, weighted rope and a buoyant object.  Students are taught how to perform survival sequences wearing light clothing, entering the water safely, scull, float and to tread water for 2 minutes and signalling for help intermittently.  Your child’s learning of the Victorian Water Safety Certificate will be included in their Student Learning Portfolio.

Last Week of Term 4

Tuesday 12 December - 2024 Meet and Greet Session

• We are very much looking forward to our 2024 Meet and Greet Session next Tuesday 12 December.  Students will be given the opportunity to meet their 2024 teacher/s and new class.  Many hours of preparation goes into the class groupings which include gender balance, learning needs and the parent requests that were due at the end of Term 3.  Class changes and/or requests are very difficult to accommodate at this late stage.

Wednesday 13 December

• Student Portfolios distributed and end of Semester Reports uploaded into PAM
• Year 6 Graduation
  • 5.00 pm - Year 6 student only dinner
  • 5.45 pm - Year 6 Graduation Mass and Presentation

Thursday 14 December

• Mass & Christmas Concert (changes to recess and lunch break times)
  • 9.00 am - Whole School End of Year Mass (including leadership handover)
  • 10.00 am to 10.30 am - Recess
  • 10.30 to 12.30 pm - Rehearsal
  • 12.30 - 1.00 pm - Lunch
  • 1.00 pm - Christmas Concert with special guests from Bupa Aged Care (parents to sign in via the welcome gate - parents please join in the fun and wear  something Christmassy)
  • 3.10 pm - Student Christmas activity bags sent home
• Friday 15 December (recess and Lunch breaks as usual)
  • 1.45 pm - Advent Liturgy, Foundation and Year 6 powerpoint
  • 2.50 pm - Year 6 Community Farewell on the Small Oval
  • 3.05 pm - 2024 Student leaders blessing to Year 6s and Countdown to the end of the school year

2023 End of Year Planning - Reminders

• Student Chromebooks Years 4 to 6
  • Please return all student chromebooks and chargers are to be returned by Monday 11 December for stocktake over the Summer holiday period.  For student safety, students do not have access to their student email accounts during holiday breaks. 

• Library books
  • Please return all student library books by Friday 1 December.

2023 School Dates and events to the end of the 2023 school year

The 2023 school year is fast winding to a close with so many activities and events on for our students.  It is going to be a jam packed last few weeks of term.  Please ensure you take the time to look through the dates, times etc so you are able to join in the events going on.  

Christmas card giving

It is beautiful to witness students sending each other well wishes during this joyous time of year. We do request that parents keep an eye on their children's exchange of Christmas cards. Given the possibility of food allergies, kindly do not include any food items, lollipops, chocolates, or the like. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

FOOTSTEPS

Today Footsteps Dance Company led the second of three dance sessions for our students in Foundation to Year 6 levels. New dance routines to Christmas-themed music are being taught to the students. At our annual school concert on Thursday, December 14, starting at 1:00 pm, the students will showcase the dances they have learned. All parents, families, and friends are welcome to attend and watch the performances. The afternoon's presentations will begin with two songs performed by residents from the Bupa Aged Care Berwick Centre. Remember to wear something festive!

Second Sunday of Advent, Cycle B

Sunday, December 10, 2023

John the Baptist appears in Judea preaching repentance

In next Sunday’s Gospel it tells us how John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. One of the things that the Church invites us to do during the season of Advent is to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. During Advent, we seek forgiveness for our sins and look for ways in which we can be better followers of Jesus.

The Advent Wreath

The lighting of a different candle on each Sunday in Advent invites us to pause and reflect. Each candle has its own symbolism, while the intertwined evergreen leaves of the Advent wreath remind us of the promise of eternal life that Christ brings. In most Christian traditions the first candle, lit on Advent Sunday itself, represents hope – a sign of our hopeful expectation as we await the coming of the Messiah. The next three candles mark the themes of peace, joy and love. The large white candle is the ‘Christ candle’, lit as we mark the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.

Parish Schools Parent Prayer Group

Many thanks to everyone who attended the three Parish Schools Parent Prayer Groups. We are especially grateful to Fr. Brendan and Fr. Ajin for their availability, and to Trinity and Don Bosco for hosting during the weeks that sessions were not held at Mary MacKillop School.

All parents and friends are invited to attend our end of year thanksgiving Mass on Thursday 14th December at 9.00am in Allen Hall. After recess, our annual Christmas concert will commence. Please note altered times for recess and lunch in the Principal section of today's newsletter.

This year's Annual Christmas Gift Appeal in support of St. Vincent de Paul is organised by the Mary MacKillop Kids group. This is a wonderful chance for the school community to help those in our neighbourhood who need assistance over the Christmas season. The MacKillop Kids group gathers to uphold the values of Catholic Social Teaching and are committed to support this social justice initiative.  Your donations are greatly appreciated. Please place donations in the classroom collection boxes by TOMORROW Friday 8th December. The collection will be handed over to the St Vincent de Paul Society representatives during tomorrow’s Assembly! Thank you!

Please see below link for Bishop of Sale, Greg Bennet’s 2023 Christmas video message:

https://bit.ly/47Hyiic

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