Mary MacKillop Review

Our reviewers (Ms Lisa Harkin, Mr Nick Hall and Mr Brett Morris) received a tour of our school from our student Leaders on Tuesday when they arrived at our school.   They have since met with myself and our School Leadership Team several times, as well as speaking with most teachers and many students. In addition, two groups of parents have spoken with them also.  Thank you to our students, staff and families for your support for our Review.

All of Leadership will be in a Review meeting this Friday afternoon and, as a result, there will be no Assembly tomorrow.

Reports and Student Learning Conversations

Staff are currently writing reports and working on Student portfolio pieces with students. Student Learning Conversation bookings will open on Monday 16 June. Please begin to think about whether Tuesday 1 July from 3.40 - 6.20pm or Wednesday 2 July 3.40 - 6.20pm would work better for your family.

This year several staff will be on leave during Week 11 and so, some families will need to attend Student Learning Conversations on Monday 23 June from 3.00  - 6.20pm. More information will be provided to the relevant families next week.

Out of Hours School Care 

There is a flyer in this newsletter reminding any family who may wish to continue or begin to use Out of Hours School Care that a meeting with Camp Australia has been organised for next Tuesday evening - 3 June - in the Chapel (at school) from 5.30pm (earlier start time) to 6.15pm.   This session will provide families with information about Camp Australia, the costs and enrolment processes. All families who currently have children attending YLV must register with Camp Australia in order to be able to access the program.

Camp Australia commence in our school Monday 21 July (Term 3) and will operate from the same space. Over the holidays the kitchen floor will be replaced, the floor will be cleaned and re-sealed and the entire area will be painted.  As a result, YLV will operate out of the Allen Hall from Thursday 3 July.

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 FORMATION NIGHT TONIGHT (Parents only) Thursday, May 29th and Wednesday, June 4th, 2025. 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 7935

Student Led Fundraisers

Student-Led Fundraisers Celebrate Success!

At last Friday’s Assembly, our Student-Led Fundraiser Groups wrapped up their competitions and handed out prizes from their creative and engaging stalls. Students will share the total amounts raised for their chosen charities at this coming Friday’s Assembly.

A heartfelt thank you once again for your generous support during Catholic Education Week. The atmosphere in the hall was filled with energy and joy as students from Foundation to Year 6 visited the stalls, supported each other, and championed their fundraising causes.

Congratulations to all stall holders and their families for the thoughtful planning, smooth running, and clean-up of each event. Special thanks to the parents who stayed back to sweep and tidy the hall—your support made a real difference!  These fundraisers were a wonderful example of student voice and agency in action. Our students demonstrated compassion, leadership, and a strong sense of social justice in their outreach to help those in need.

National Reconciliation Week – “Now More Than Ever”

This week, our school community recognised National Reconciliation Week (NRW) with a renewed commitment to truth-telling, justice, and unity. The theme "Now More Than Ever" reminds us that the journey toward reconciliation is ongoing — and that standing up for equity, respect, and relationships with First Nations peoples is as important now as ever.

Across the week, students engaged in age-appropriate learning experiences to deepen their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, and contributions. Through story, art, prayer, and reflection, we honoured the past while looking to a more inclusive future.

We continue to walk together in reconciliation, listening with open hearts and taking meaningful steps forward.

A Prayer for Reconciliation

God of all peoples,
Help us walk together in the spirit of reconciliation.
May we listen deeply, act justly, and stand in solidarity
— now more than ever.
Amen.

Coming Soon: Winter Appeal 2025 – “Put the Warmth in Winter”

Our annual Winter Appeal is just around the corner! Led by the MacKillop Kids Group, this year’s focus will be collecting tinned and packet soups to support the Narre Warren St Vincent de Paul Conference.  Stay tuned for more details on how you can get involved and help bring warmth to those in need this winter.

The Ascension of the Lord, Cycle C

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Luke 24:46-53
Jesus is taken to heaven and the disciples remain in Jerusalem awaiting his sending of the Spirit.

Next Sunday, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension. This special day marks the moment when Jesus, after rising from the dead and spending 40 days with the disciples, was ascended into Heaven. Before ascending, Jesus gave a mission to go out and share the Good News with the whole world. The Ascension is a joyful reminder that Jesus is still present, watching over everyone from Heaven and sending the Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, and strengthen. Even though Jesus is no longer seen walking on earth, love, peace, and hope continue through acts of kindness, prayer, and faith.

Take a quiet moment this week. “How can love be shared today?” A kind word, a helping hand, or a smile can bring a little bit of Heaven to someone’s day.

Upcoming Autism Workshop for Parents and Carers

Positive Partnerships will be hosting a free workshop for parents and carers in Warragul on Tuesday, August 5. These workshops are designed to support families of children on the autism spectrum and provide valuable insights and strategies.

This event is part of a wider series of workshops running across Victoria during Term 3 and Term 4, 2025.

To find out more about upcoming workshops and explore available resources, please see the flyer attached. You can scan the QR codes at the bottom of the flyer for further details and to get in touch with the Positive Partnerships team.

Families holding a current eligible Centrelink Health Care Card who have not yet submitted a completed CSEF and Health Care Card Fee Rebate application are encouraged to do so by 30 June 2025. Applications received after this date may not be eligible for these generous grants and fee rebates.

If you have applied for the School Savings Bonus (for CSEF eligible families only) and have allocated all or part of your funds toward uniform purchases, please ensure you provide receipts from Noone Imagewear to the school by 4 July 2025.

Fee Accounts 

Fee accounts were emailed to all families last week. We kindly ask that you review your account and address any issues, including declined payments, as soon as possible. Please note that Term 3 fees are due by 7 July 2025, unless you have an current direct debit arrangement in place. Families who are not able to address their fee arrears are asked to contact the office to make arrangements to support their fee commitment to the school.

DIVISION CROSS COUNTRY 

Congratulations to the following students who participated in Division Cross Country yesterday: Ethan E, Ethan C, Zeplin R, Lea B, Cassiana F, Esther G, Katya K, Teebel H, Liana B, Thomas P, Noah C, Amala H, Jasmine P.

Special congratulations to Ethan E and Noah C who finished in the top 10 and have qualified for Regional Cross Country on June 18.

The Year 2 students have been busy exploring strategies to help them in developing their understanding of multiplication and division. They have enjoyed using our new ‘Show Me’ boards, as well as other concrete materials to create arrays and ‘groups of’ to help demonstrate their understanding. 

As part of their Design and Technology unit, the Year 2’s went through the design process to create a paper plane that could fly further than 3 meters using a variety of materials. Needless to say, lots of fun was had! 

The writing focus for the last few weeks has been ‘procedural writing’. Students have discussed various language features and structures for this genre. They were very creative when writing their very own recipe for ‘Bush Stew’ and practised their typing skills to publish their pieces. Hopefully these recipes are not tried at home! 

The students were extremely excited to be part of the student led fundraisers and brought their enthusiasm in droves to the hall on Thursday afternoon. The excitement was almost tangible as they raced around to as many stalls as possible, trying to support as many charities as they could.

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 Liking Gap: Helping Kids Feel More Confident in Friendships

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 

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!

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