Catholic Education Week - Pilgrims of Hope

What a joyous few days we have had as a community celebrating Catholic Education Week for 2025. Last Sunday morning at 9am Mass at Our Lady Help of Christians, Narre Warren, seven of our Year 6 Student Leaders, participated directly in the Mass and some highlighted what being in a Catholic school means to them. A very big thank you to their families who supported them in attending Mass.

On Tuesday families exited the school promptly (thank you!) so that staff could attend a Catholic Education Week prayer service with our two other Parish schools - Don Bosco and Trinity. We participated in a Lectio Divina - a scripture reading is read several times and between each reading of the Scripture, the listener is invited to reflect on particular words or phrases that have meaning for them. 

Yesterday, all of our Year 6 students as well as their teachers, myself and Lize Privitera travelled by bus to St Francis Xavier Beaconsfield. We celebrated Mass along with many other schools from the Sale Diocese. Bishop Greg spoke about his recent trip to Rome to attend the installation of Pope Leo the fourteenth. He also spoke to the students about being filled with hope and going out into the world as hope filled people. Our Year 6 students conducted themselves beautifully and listened attentively throughout the Mass.

Our Mary MacKillop Catholic Education Week Mass occurred this morning - another opportunity for us to stop and reflect on what it means to be part of Mary MacKillop primary school.

It has been wonderful listening to students in the Middle and Senior School collaborate together over the last few weeks to organise a stall for our Fundraising Stall activity today. They have listened to each other, collaborated with ideas for their stall, made products to sell and also asked their parents for support. They have given up their own time to organise this and used their gifts and talents to raise money for others. This is Catholic Social Teaching in action - well done everyone. I would like to thank Mrs Lize Privitera for all the work that has gone on behind the scenes to support the students with their stalls as well as classroom teachers and parents/carers.

Students with PAM permission are bringing home a cookie today to celebrate Catholic Education Week.

Cross Country - Go Mary MacKillop!

Well done to all the students who participated in Cross Country this week. We have 13 students going through to Division next Wednesday. Good Luck!

Review

Next week, from Tuesday to Friday our School Review will occur. We will have Ms Lisa Harkin (Principal - Marist Secondary College), Mr Nick Hall (School Leadership Consultant - DOSCEL) and Mr Brett Morris (St Mary’s primary school Sale) on site each day speaking with students, parents and staff. 

Uniform Policy

All students are now required to be in full winter uniform. A reminder that we have free second hand uniform clothing available for all families if you need to stock up. Conversely, if you find your child has outgrown uniform pieces, please bring in any good quality, clean clothing you are happy to donate.

Parental support in adhering to our Uniform Policy would be greatly appreciated:

Jewellery

• Only the following jewellery can be worn as part of the school uniform:
• Plain stud earrings or sleepers worn in earlobes only
• Watches
• Necklace that displays religious symbols eg: crucifix, Mary, Jesus, Saints.

Hair

• Hair colour must be of natural colouring.
• Hair of shoulder, or longer, length must be tied back with hair accessories in school colours.
• Decorative hair accessories must not be worn.  

Items not permitted

• Nail polish must be removed before attending school.
• Temporary tattoos must be removed before attending school.

Shoes

• Black school shoes.
• School shoes cannot be skate shoes or slips due to OH&S concerns.
• Sports shoes must be non-slip and non-marking.
• Shoes with high heels are not acceptable.

Road Safety

A very big thank you to all those cars who are using the drop off and pick up lane correctly. If your child requires extra hugs or takes a long time to get out of the car please consider parking and walking your child to the gate so that others are not held up in the line.

Additionally, if you know you are blocking the flow of traffic on Ernst Wanke Road, due to our school entrance being full please consider driving on and parking at Lowry Gate (there is lots of parking on this side) and walking in and collecting your children. Ernst Wanke road is very busy and we can only accommodate so many cars on site each afternoon. The Lowry Gate area is a great alternative.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Before enrolling in the Sacrament of Confirmation, children must have been baptised in the Catholic Church and have received the Sacraments of  Reconciliation and First Eucharist.  PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT (Parents only) Thursday, May 29th and Wednesday, June 4th, 2025. Please arrive at 6.45pm for a 7pm start Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Centre  

A $50.00 levy is payable via CDF online at https:// olhc.cdfpay.org.au - Making a payment through CDF confirms your participation in the Parent Formation Night. CDF Payment opens Monday, 5th May and closes on Friday, 6th June, 2025, at 10:00am.  For all enquiries, please contact our Sacrament  Coordinator, Vea, by phone (03) 9704

Thank You to Our Student Leaders & Year 6 students– Parish Mass Ministry & Diocesan CEW Mass

We extend our sincere thanks to the student leaders who represented our school with pride and reverence during the 9:00am Parish Mass at Our Lady Help of Christians Church last week end.

As part of Catholic Education Week in the Sale Diocese, our students embraced the opportunity to share the message of hope, faith, and service that is central to Catholic education. Their involvement in the liturgy reflected their leadership and deep sense of community.  A special thank you to our Faith Leaders – Thomas and Aaliyah, who spoke so clearly and confidently in sharing the significance of Catholic Education Week. Your words were both meaningful and inspiring, helping the parish community to reflect on the impact and importance of Catholic education.  We also commend Noah A, Fleur and David who delivered the Prayers of the Faithful with care and reverence, and Tilly and Jasmine who participated in the Offertory Procession with such respect and presence. Each of you contributed to a truly beautiful and prayerful celebration.

Well done to this group of school leaders – your participation was a shining example of faith in action and a wonderful representation of our school values.

Thank you to Year 6 students for respectful and enthusiastic participation in the special Catholic Education Week Mass held at SFX Beaconsfield yesterday. Special acknowledgement to Faith Leaders Thomas and Aaliyah for the beautiful reading of the Prayers of the Faithful, and to Kyden and David for representing the school with pride while processing with the school banner during the entrance procession.

Well done to all involved – a wonderful representation of the school community with spirit and reverence!

Thank You for Supporting Our Student-Led Fundraisers

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful school community for your incredible support of this afternoon’s student-led fundraisers. Your generosity and encouragement helped make the day a great success!

Congratulations to all the students who, with the help of their families, showed great initiative and teamwork in planning and running their stalls. These efforts are a shining example of our school values in action—service, community, and compassion.

The funds raised from the stalls will go directly towards supporting charitable causes, helping those in need both locally and beyond. This aligns with our commitment to Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the call to serve the poor and vulnerable. Through these efforts, our students are not only learning about social justice but are actively living it.

Prizes from the stalls will be distributed tomorrow, and winners of competition-style fundraisers will be announced at our school assembly. Look out for next week’s newsletter featuring a photo gallery from the afternoon and a thank you from the stallholders for supporting their causes.

A big thank you to Phil from Phil's Pies at Parkhill Plaza for the cookies the children are bringing home today.  Phil is also raising funds for brain cancer by holding a 'Baking for Brain Cancer' day on May 31.  We have attached a link with more information: http://www.bakingforbraincancer.com

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle C

Sunday, May 25, 2025

John 14:23-29
Jesus promises his disciples that the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (John 14:23–29), Jesus prepares the disciples for the events of his Passion, death, and Resurrection. A promise is made: the Holy Spirit will come, bringing peace and comfort. The message is clear—do not be troubled or afraid.

At home, take time to reflect as a family on the importance of preparation. Whether facing surgeries, funerals, vacations, or the first day of an event, being prepared brings strength and clarity. Use these conversations to better understand how Jesus prepared his followers for what was to come, helping them to believe and remain faithful in challenging times.

This Gospel reminds all to approach life with readiness, guided by peace and trust.

From the Year One students:

In Maths, the Year 1’s are learning new strategies to help us solve addition problems. They are called addition strategies. We know: 

• Count On
• Friends of 10
• Doubles
• Near Doubles
• Numberlines
• Think Big, Count Small 
• Jump Strategy
• Turn Around Facts 

“Doubles always end in an even number. 7+7=14 and 6+6=12 - they are both even” - Mia

“Near Doubles always ends in an odd number” - Chris

“We learnt to turn around the numbers because the order doesn’t matter in addition” - Mila

“When we use the jump strategy we have to split the number into tens and ones. Then we can add two digit numbers!” - Izzy 

“We can solve problems in lots of different ways!” - Zaccy 

From the Teachers: 

The Year 1’s have also learnt how to solve worded problems applying these strategies, drawing a visual representation and demonstrating the problem in a variety of ways to prove our answers and develop our reasoning skills. Wait until you see how good their work is when you get their portfolios at the end of the term! 

Ask your child at home and we are sure they will be able to teach you how to use all of these strategies!

The next topic we are learning about is subtraction. We encourage you to ask your children at home about the strategies they are learning and to practice simple subtraction problems at home to consolidate their learning. 

In 4-AB, our prayer cloth quote is “Trust in God”. Mary MacKillop said this quote in 1874. (Joel)

As a class, we chose this quote because it’s a reminder that we always need to trust in God and that God is always with us and trusts in us. Even though we may not see him, we know that he is always there. (Florence)

The symbols on our prayer cloth are hearts and crosses. The hearts symbolise love. A reminder of Jesus’ love for us. The giant cross in the centre is a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. (Ethan.E)

We each had our own heart to draw in. All of the hearts and crosses are together because it shows that we are all on a journey together spreading good news and kindness, which connects to this year’s Jubilee year, being Pilgrims of Hope. (Fletcher)

The giant cross in the middle represents our connection to the Indigenous people. The cross is filled with Indigenous patterns that look like pathways. Again, reminding us that we are all on a journey to inspire hope for others. (Alex A)

Well done to all students who participated in district Cross country on Tuesday. You represented our school proudly and showed great enthusiasm and resilience. You should all be very proud of your efforts!!

The year 3 students need to be congratulated on the way they worked together in teams as part of the tallest tower challenge. It was lovely to see how they showed respect and listened to their team members as they designed and created the tallest tower from limited materials.

Great Job the Year 6 students who attended Catholic Education Week Mass at St. Francis Xavier College. You represented our school proudly and displayed the Mary Mackillop school values. Excellent Job.

Great start Year 6’s to your Inquiry Design project. You all seem very enthusiastic and keen in creating your model houses ! Keep up the great attitude.

Well done to the Year 1 Students who are remembering to speak kindly to each other and play nicely outside. We love hearing about your positive play times! 

Well done to the Foundies for working so well in their groups for their design project. You listened to one another, shared ideas, and cooperated with one another really well. Great job! 

Well done to all the Year 2 students for the way you approached our Design and Technology Inquiry. You all demonstrated a growth mindset and used trial and error to improve your plane designs.

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.  

Here is this week’s Term 2 Insights Article: The Three Ds Every Parent Should Know

School TV 

Our school has partnered with SchoolTV – a trusted resource that prioritises student mental health and wellbeing. Because parenting doesn’t come with instructions, SchoolTV is now accessible through our school to help you navigate some of the more complex issues young people face. It provides practical strategies and trusted guidance to support your child.

Parenting is a learning journey, and with a little help from SchoolTV, you can engage in meaningful conversations with your child on topics that may sometimes feel awkward or difficult to address. SchoolTV covers a vast range of topics, each featuring interviews with leading global experts and a carefully curated selection of resources from key organisations. We encourage you to explore and utilise this platform, as it serves as a valuable tool in building relationships, fostering connections, and deepening understanding.

By breaking down barriers, it helps pave the way towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. To stay informed about the latest topics, we also recommend signing up for ‘Get Alerts’. This feature ensures you receive updates as new content becomes available, and you can easily register through the link provided within each topic. Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in shaping a young person’s life, and SchoolTV is here to support you in nurturing confident and informed parenting. Explore SchoolTV today!

The Resilience Project:

We’re excited to introduce TRP’s evidence-based whole-school wellbeing program. Students participate in weekly lessons to develop and strengthen their skills in Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness, and Emotional Literacy. Our staff actively support students in practicing these wellbeing strategies throughout the school day.

Attached is a copy of these strategies that you can print out, discuss with your child, and even incorporate into family routines.

Gratitude

• Recognising and expressing appreciation for the people, places, and things in our lives.
  
  
• Helps us focus on what we have, increasing happiness and fostering a positive outlook.
  

Empathy

• Understanding others' feelings and perspectives through kindness, compassion, and curiosity.
  
  
• Strengthens connections, encourages kindness, and promotes positive emotions.
  

Mindfulness

• Being aware of life as we experience it, allowing us to respond rather than react.
  
  
• Supports balance, presence, and deeper connection in daily life
  

Emotional Literacy

• Learning to identify, label, and regulate emotions effectively.
  
  
• Reduces the impact of uncomfortable emotions and enhances positive ones.

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