End of Term

As Term 1 finishes I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all - students, staff and parents for the very warm welcome I have received as a new Principal at Mary Mackillop primary school. We have had a very busy term filled with rich opportunities to connect. There have been may events such as the Michael Carr Gregg parent evening, Andrew Chinn 30 year anniversary mural and concert, Reconciliation for some students, netball clinics, swimming tournaments, Lynton Allen artist in residence, Open Days and Evenings for 2026 families, Footsteps Incursion, Harmony Day liturgy and concert, Beginning Year Mass, Ash Wednesday Mass, NAPLAN, Lightning Premiership and our Lenten liturgy. It’s been busy! 

As we move into the school holidays please take some time if you can to breathe, slow down and enjoy your beautiful children. There are so many free community activities (see further in the newsletter) and the weather at this time of the year is usually great for visiting parks.

Staffing

This week we wish Claire Knight and her husband well as they await the birth of their baby in a few weeks. I would like to thank Claire for the way she has settled our Foundation FKC class into school life and for building close ties with all families. We look forward to hearing some special news in Term 2.

We welcome Jasmine Hay to Mary MacKillop school as she transitions with Claire Knight into FKC. We also welcome Katelyn (Katie) Best in Year 5CM two days a week (Thurs and Fri) - this allows Caitlin McLeod to fulfill her Mental Health in Primary School Leader role.

During the second week of the holidays we have Palm Sunday (Sunday April 13) and then the Easter Triduum - Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday/Easter Sunday. This is a three day period commemorating the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Our Parish, Our Lady Help of Christians, has the following program which you may like to attend:

• Sanelli Family
• Gill Family
• Monahan Family
• Bou Harfoushe Family
• Gerges Family
• Jackson Family
• Ajish Family
• Neveur Family
• De Run Family
• Rohlf Family

A HUGE thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers who put together then folded up all the raffle ticket books - Kirsten (mum of Lula), Christine (mum of Olivia ) and Natasha (mum of Phillip & Leo). 

A massive thank you also, to Nicole (mum of Ally-May) who put together the ten magnificent easter prizes.

And finally to the many many families who so kindly donated eggs and other Easter treats so we could have ten enormous prizes and raise $2,120 - thank you!!  

Stations of the Cross: A Prayerful Reflection

As a school community, we came together this afternoon to prayerfully reflect on Jesus’ journey through a powerful freeze-frame presentation of each station. Using this dramatic technique, our students created still, silent images that depicted key moments of Jesus’ Passion. Each freeze-frame captured the emotion and significance of the station, providing a profound opportunity for reflection.

We are grateful to all who joined us in this meaningful experience as we reflected on the journey of Christ together.

As Lent concludes, here's a prayer for your family to express gratitude and reflect on the journey, seeking God's blessings for the coming Easter season:

"Loving God, we thank you for guiding us through this Lenten journey. May we carry the spirit of renewal and compassion into our lives. Bless us with a joyful Easter, filled with your grace and love." 

EASTER

We wish you and your loved ones

a blessed and joyful Easter!

Commemorating Anzac Day 2025

The City of Casey will support a number of Anzac Day services being held throughout the municipality to honour the occasion. These events are organised by local community groups and proudly supported by Council.  

Thursday 24 April 

Endeavour Hills
Time: 11:00 am service 
Location: Endeavour Hills War Memorial, Heatherton Road, Endeavour Hills

Friday 25 April

Berwick
Time: 10:40 am march, 11:00 am service 
Location: Berwick Cenotaph, High Street, Berwick

Cranbourne
Time: 6:00 am service 
Location: Cenotaph Area, High Street, Cranbourne

Cranbourne
Time: 10:40 am march, 11:00 am service
Location: Cenotaph Area, High Street, Cranbourne            

Hampton Park
Time: 6:00 am service 
Location: ANZAC Memorial, Arthur Wren Hall, 16-20 Stuart Avenue, Hampton Park

Narre Warren
Time: 6:00 am service 
Location: Bunjil Place, 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren

Narre Warren North
Time: 9:00 am service
Location: Narre Warren North War Memorial, Memorial Drive, Narre Warren North 

Thank You for Supporting Project Compassion 2025! This Lent, students shared the powerful stories of three remarkable individuals who have overcome immense challenges. Thanks to the kindness of supporters like you, their lives - and the lives of those around them - have been transformed. In Samoa, Toefuata'iga’s life was changed with access to clean water through Caritas Australia’s partnership with Caritas Samoa. Her school now has a water tank, improving health and allowing the school to focus on education.

Lam, from rural Vietnam, overcame the challenges of living with a disability by joining the I-SHINE program. He now runs a successful freelance graphic design business and inspires others to pursue their dreams.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Irene, a single mother, found hope through Caritas Australia’s partnership with Caritas Kongolo. By learning sewing and farming skills, she now provides for her extended family and mentors other women in her community.

Thank you for supporting Project Compassion 2025 through the classroom donation boxes. Caritas Australia extends a heartfelt THANK YOU to our school community for your generous support of Project Compassion 2025. Your kindness and contributions will empower vulnerable communities to overcome challenges, build resilience, and create a brighter future for generations to come.

The donations collected through each grade’s Project Compassion boxes will be forwarded to Caritas Australia, helping to bring hope and lasting change to those in need.

Thank you for making a difference!

FIRST RECONCILIATION CELEBRATIONS - 2025

Congratulations to the following students who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time:

Lucas B, Chloe C, Logan C, Levi C, Ezekiel G, Maliana P, Katalina P, Mattaious V, Jordan A, Nathaniel D, Jaxon F, Maikeli F, Ivy J, Mackenzie L, Mia M, Jade M, Nicholas N, Christian U, Maximus V,  Gabriel F,  Fabian K  and Eden  D   

2025 Student Led Fundraisers Years 4-6

Exciting Fundraising Opportunity for Years 4-6 Students!

Many of our students have expressed enthusiasm for planning a fundraiser to support a charity of their choice. With the support of a parent, students in Years 4-6 are invited to collaborate with their peers and organize a fundraising stall during Catholic Education Week. (DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED)

Now is a great time for students to start discussing ideas with their families and thinking about the type of stall they’d like to run. A meeting will be scheduled with Mrs. Privitera for interested students to begin planning in early Term 2.

Each stall must have a parent helper present on the day to assist with setup and pack-up. Please ensure that parent volunteers have an up-to-date Working with Children Check (WWCC). The upcoming holiday break is a perfect time to start getting everything in place.

Stay tuned—more details to come!

Fifth Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Sunday, April 6, 2025

John 8:1-11
Jesus does not condemn the woman caught in adultery.

The Gospel for the fifth Sunday of Lent continues to offer lessons about God's mercy and forgiveness. Last Sunday we heard the Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Gospel of Luke. Today we hear not a parable, but the report from John's Gospel of an encounter among Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees, and a woman who made a poor choice. God knows us well, and he does not judge us. God sees the big picture, not just one puzzle piece. He always forgives us and shows mercy toward us. When we look at other people, we can try to see all the puzzle pieces, not just one. We can show others love and mercy.

We have had a busy time this Term in Art, with many exciting projects students have engaged in. Some main highlights have been working on the wall mural and adding their hand print, our Lynton Allan incursion experience, creating whole school artworks to brighten up our learning environment and working on our Pilgrims of Hope artworks. We are very excited to see what next Term has in store for students in Art!

We made one big prayer cloth in Year 1 because we sit together for Prayer every morning. The quote we chose to put on our prayer cloth is “Be full of forgiveness, hope and love”. Mary MacKillop said this in 1873. 

We all put a flower on our prayer cloth to show how we grow. In Year 1 we are growing to be more like Jesus. Flowers need water, sun and soil to grow. We put watering cans to show what we need to grow to be like Jesus. We are being watered with forgiveness, hope and love. 

Our flowers are made from material inspired by indigenous art. The indigenous people cared for our land. 

Jesus forgave people so we try to forgive others. We can say sorry if we say mean things. If we forgive others we can start again. 

We hope to be like Jesus because Jesus was kind, forgiving and loving. 

God wants us to love one another. We show love to each other at school by being kind and helping each other.

We are a Happy Families School!

Our school is subscribed to the Happy Families School Membership! Owned and run by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, the membership offers a wealth of parenting education and resources. We will regularly share resources available through our membership with you, including Insight Articles and Webinars. You can also access your resources at any time using the below URL (unique to our school) and password.

Unique URL - https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/mmnwn

Password - happymmnwn

We recommend bookmarking this link. You should only need to put the password in once and the site will remember you.  

Dr Justin Coulson is a dad to 6 daughters and grandfather to 1 granddaughter. He is the parenting expert and co-host of Channel Nine’s Parental Guidance, and he and his wife host Australia’s #1 podcast for parents and family: The Happy Families Podcast. He has written 9 books about  families and parenting. For further details visit happyfamilies.com.au. 

School TV 

This month on SchoolTV - Cybersafety

Young people today are growing up in an increasingly connected world where technology is part of their everyday lives –– for learning, socialising, and entertainment. While the digital world offers enormous benefits, it also comes with serious risks. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and screen time concerns, navigating the online environment can be challenging for young people and their families.

Cybersafety is not just about blocking access –– it's about empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes understanding privacy settings, recognising scams, and developing healthy digital habits. At the same time, it's important for parents and caregivers to stay informed, have open and judgement-free conversations with their children, and lead by example through positive online behaviour.

In today's digital age, safeguarding a child's wellbeing must also include protecting their online life. This edition of SchoolTV will help you better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating and offer practical strategies to help them stay safe, confident and in control online.

Here is the link to your Edition https://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/cybersafety-au

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