Our Explicit Improvement Agenda

Student Voice and Agency

Planning for Improved Student Learning - key focus in Mathematics

Celebrations of Community

There is an air of excitement in our school community as our students prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day this Sunday 12th May.  Congratulations to our Year 6 student leaders on running the Mother’s Day Stall yesterday.  Students also had the option to purchase gifts today from the office. 

We are very much looking forward to our annual Mother’s Day Breakfast tomorrow - Friday 10th May beginning at 8.00 am - 8.40 am.  Our breakfast will be followed by time in the classrooms and then assembly at 9.00 am.  We look forward to celebrating this very special event in appreciation of all our mums, grandmothers and very special people in our school community.

Student feedback

Each week as a school community, we stop to reflect on the amazing things our students are collectively doing in their classroom and on the playground.  Here is this week’s feedback . . .

• Congratulations to the student in 3AB on the way he thanked and acknowledged Avril (grandmother who has contributed to our poppy display with knitted poppies, wreath and fence posters).  The kindness, thoughtful words and noticing others demonstrated by the student in 3AB is an exceptional quality to have, a credit to his family and to our school community.  
• Well done to our Year 6 student leaders on the way they demonstrate leadership in our school community.  We are most appreciative of the way they set up and ran the Mother’s Day Stall so all students had the opportunity to purchase gifts for Mother’s Day.
• Thank you to all students on the thoughtful way you decorated your Mother’s Day gift bags and taking the time to show your appreciation for all the many wonderful things our mums do for us.

Critical Teacher Shortage

As you are aware from media reports, there is a significant teacher shortage across all schools in our State.  From time to time, when our teachers are sick, attending Professional Learning or attending to school commitments, they are replaced with Casual Relief Teachers from Teacher Agencies.  Our school liaises with four agencies to fill our school teacher vacancies.  Unfortunately, Teacher Agencies are also significantly impacted by teacher shortages. 

On two occasions this week, the Teacher Agencies cancelled multiple teacher bookings and we were required to change specialist classes and our school timetable to ensure every class had a teacher.  A big thank you to our staff for their adaptability and flexibility and for our specialist teachers for being so accommodating in stepping into classes for the day, our ESO staff for working extra hours/days to support students and our part-time teaching staff for working extra days.  Where possible, we strive to ensure our students have familiar teachers and we aim to avoid displanning students to other classes. 

We are aware that many schools do not attempt to make up missed classes and we are in a fortunate position that both teacher release, student specialist classes and anything that may be missed due to changes, are made up. 

A big thank you to Lize Privitera for her expert organisation in the busyness of our school days most of which is done at 6.30 am in the morning and late into the evenings. Thank you also, to our parent community for their understanding in these very trying times of a critical teacher shortage.

Catholic Education Week 

Catholic Education Week 2024 will be celebrated in the Diocese of Sale from Friday May 17 - May 24.  This year's theme is 'I am making all things new' (Revelations 21:5)

Our warmest congratulations to Lize Privitera on being awarded the Spirit of Catholic Education Award - Inspiring Faith.  Lize will be presented with her award at the Catholic Education Week ceremony next Friday 17 May.  We are most appreciative of Lize’s dedication, guidance and commitment to Catholic Education and for ensuring our Catholic Identity is alive and visible to all.  Lize, through her words and actions, demonstrates living as witness, specialist and moderator in spreading the Good News and in all her interactions, in our school community, Parish and Diocese.  Well done Lize!

Keep an eye out for the interesting events that are scheduled during Catholic Education Week such as the following - we look forward to celebrating this very special week with you:

• Student Lead Fundraisers
• Open classroom afternoon
• Whole School Mass celebration

Walk to School Day TOMORROW!

Active Kids are Healthy Kids

Now in its 25th year, National Walk Safely to School Day (WSTSD) is an annual campaign and event which encourages all primary school children, their parents and carers, to walk safely and regularly to school. WSTSD will be held on Friday 10 May 2024. Until they’re ten, children must always hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road. Get together - ride, walk, scooter, walk all they or if you must use the car, try leaving it a good distance from the school and walk the rest of the way. Join in the fun and walk to school together!

First Eucharist

Online booking for the Parent & Child Workshop and Celebration will be available on www.schoolinterviews.com.au from Monday, 6th May at 10.00am and closes Monday, 13th May. The online booking for the Parent & Child booking to do a reading on the day of Celebration will be  available on www.schoolinterviews.com.au from  Monday, 6th May at 10.00am and closes on Monday, 27th May at 10.00am If you have any questions, please contact Vea,  Sacrament Coordinator, by phone (03) 9704 7935 or email sacraments@olhc.org.au

Caritas Australia’s 60th Anniversary - Online Photo Exhibition – Vote for your chance to win!

To mark the 60th anniversary of Caritas Australia, they have compiled a selection of their favourite 60 photos. Vote for your favourite photo to go into the draw to win a beautiful Indigenous Australian artwork from Djilpin Arts, the First Australian partner in the Northern Territory. The artwork is a painting by Harry Malibirr which depicts five dreaming stories.  Simply visit the website caritas.org.au/faces-of-caritas-australia-60th-anniversary, choose a photo from the gallery and vote via the online form. Entries close 30 June 2024

Mother’s Day home activity - due tomorrow!

As Mother’s Day approaches all mothers, carers, special friends and grandmothers are most welcome to participate in the take home activity. Each student has been provided with a template to complete at home and during the Mother’s Day Assembly families will be asked to place the completed task on the designated display area or if you are unable to attend, your child/children can add the completed template to the display area. The templates are attached for you to access.

Catholic Care - Gold Coin donation 

Those attending the Mother’s Day breakfast tomorrow are invited to donate a gold coin to Catholic Care. CatholicCare Victoria, is a social service agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Catholic Dioceses of Ballarat, Sale and Sandhurst. This service is available to all individuals or groups regardless of race, religious beliefs or economic status.Your donation is greatly appreciated. 

Catholic Education Week

Our school, along with the 45 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Sale, will celebrate Catholic Education Week from 17 May to 24 May.  This year's theme, A New Dialogue of Love, Hope and Joy is inspired by the Scripture passage ‘See, I am Making All Things New’, Revelation 21:5.

Our school will also hold a number of activities including:

• Members of staff will be attending a Leadership Eucharist and Awards ceremony.
• Whole School Mass Celebration on Thursday 23rd May 2024 9.00am in the Allen Hall. All parents, families and friends are invited to attend.
• Student Led Fundraisers – Thursday 23rd May -bring your coins to support the stalls!
• Cookie Treat
• Posters
• Photo Displays
• Faith Leaders speaking at a Parish Mass
• 3 Parish School gathering
• OLHC Feast Day celebration

Please refer to the PAM eform send out to all families last week,for further details. The eform permissino for the cookie is due by Wednesday 15th May.

A Prayer for Mothers

Mother’s Day is an opportunity for us to show love and appreciation for our mothers, or to those who have been mother-figures in our lives.  With Mother’s Day this weekend, below is a prayer you may use or adapt for your own purposes, whether it be for yourself, for your family or friends’ group.  We wish all mothers a wonderful and blessed Mother’s Day this Sunday.

Throughout the last few weeks, the foundation students have been busy learning about design and technology concepts, in particular all about different materials and their properties. They have made conclusions about effective uses for each material after trying to fold, wet, scrunch, bend, cut and alter paper, plastic and wood. Here is some of their findings:

Paper

Yixi: I can use paper to draw and cut and you can scrunch and rip it

Mia: We put paper in the water and it got wet, we scrunched it and it wouldn’t go back to normal. 

Nylah: We found out paper can rip in water and you can draw on it. It comes from trees. 

Plastic

Peter: you can scrunch soft plastic 

Tiana: Plastic can break easily and it can be really hard. It can be in lots of shapes. 

Wood

Leti: You can make a house using wood because it is strong 

Akos: You can use wood to make doors and houses because it can’t bend or break easily.

SOCCER CLINICS 

Next week , all students from years F-6 will participate in a soccer clinic during their PE lesson run by Football Star Academy Berwick.

SENIOR WINTER LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP DAY 

This event for all our Year 5 and 6 students will take place on May 15. Soccer will be played at Sweeney Reserve and Netball and Kickball will be played at Timbarra Primary.  Please complete your child’s PAM permission eform if you have not already done so.

YEAR 3- 6 CROSS COUNTRY 

This event was held at school last Wednesday.   House results:

• 1st - FITZROY
• 2nd - EDEN
• 3rd- PORTLAND
• 4th - PENOLA

All students participated to the best of their ability and we are extremely proud of their efforts and resilience in getting out of their comfort zone and participating in a physically challenging activity like cross country running.

Individual results as follows:

YEAR 3 BOYS - GOLD - Ethan E , SILVER - Alex T, BRONZE - Ethan C

YEAR 3 GIRLS - GOLD - Violet C, SILVER - Lea B, BRONZE - Ally T

U/10 BOYS - GOLD- Caleb K, SILVER - Liam J, BRONZE - Tyler Sm (4th - Ezra K, Gabriel M)

U/10 GIRLS - GOLD - Katya K, SILVER - Cassiana F, BRONZE - Liana B (4th - Esther G, 5th - Teebel H)

U/11 BOYS - GOLD- Thomas P, SILVER - Noah C, BRONZE - Toby W (4th - Dennish T, 5th- Ashton T/ Abyei D)

U/11 GIRLS- GOLD - Leah T, SILVER - Jasmine P, BRONZE - Chloe F (4th - Cecille S, 5th Aayliah B)

U/12 BOYS - GOLD - Tyler Su, SILVER - Jovan Lay, BRONZE- Rafael P (4th - Archer P, 5th - Adrian P)

All the children mentioned above have qualified for the school Cross Country Team which will compete in the Berwick District Cross Country Carnival on May 21 at Sweeney Reserve. 

Could all parents of these students please complete the PAM permission Eform and make payment for the excursion before the due date (via CDFpay), as no child is permitted to attend without permission AND payment by Friday 17 May. The children will do some training at school, however it would also be beneficial to them if they trained under parental supervision out of school hours.

LOST AND FOUND

Have you lost a wallet? 

We also have a terrific Batman costume left behind from Book Week.

If you think these might be yours, please pop into the office.

Fee Accounts

Fee Accounts have been emailed to all families earlier this week.  Thank you to families who continue to support their school fee commitment. Families who have a current direct debit in place, please ensure your payments are up to date and if required please attend to any declined payments as a matter of importance.

Term 2 fees are due on Monday 13th May for those families who do not have a direct debit or Centrepay agreement in place with the school. If you are experiencing hardship we ask you contact the school to discuss options available to support your family and support your fee commitment to the school.

CSEF and Health Care Card Concession

All CSEF and Health Care Card Concessions have been applied to fee accounts. Please check your fee statement and contact the office if you believe you are entitled to these rebates and they do not appear on your fee account.

Do you have a current Centrelink Health Care Card, valid from 01 Jan 2024? If so, have you completed a CSEF & Health Care Card Concession Application and provided this to the office? If no, please do so before 25th June to  access the government CSEF funds and a generous fee rebate. Application Forms can be found in PAM, our school website or contact the office.

Please email your hand your forms in the office prior to 25th June. NO LATE applications will be accepted after the CSEF cut off date, Friday 28th June.

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