Student Voice and Agency

Planning for improved student learning - Mathematics

Pentecost

This weekend, at Mass, we complete our Easter season with Pentecost. Pentecost can be likened to a birthday as prior to Pentecost there was no church. After Pentecost, the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and went out (despite the danger) to fulfill their mission by continuing Jesus’ ministry.

School Review 2025

A very big thank you to our students, staff and families for the support given for the School Review last week. The Reviewers were very impressed with the way our students were engaged in their learning and the way in which they could speak about their learning and the life of Mary MacKillop school. We were rated High and/or Outstanding in all 9 domains from the School Improvement Tool - something to celebrate and be very proud of! I would like to thank the staff and the Leadership Team and the Parish Team (including Father Michael and Father Arjun) who have worked so hard over the last four years to achieve this result. 

Celebration of Term 2 Learning - Science and Design and Technology

On Wednesday 2 July 2025, students and staff are invited to dress up as a Scientist or a Designer or an engineer or someone related to Science or Design and Technology. Students might wear a lab coat (or a white shirt), a hard hat and hi-vis vest or any clothing that depicts a person working in one of these areas. Students will participate in a buddy activity on this day.

Helpers Needed

Book Covering - We have many new Home Books ready for covering and wondered if there would be any parents who could assist with this. We are happy to provide some training, if needed, and you can take the books home and cover them in your own time. If you can help please let us know at the Office.

Second hand Uniform sorting - Thank you to all the families who have sent in uniforms no longer needed.  We have quite a large pile of donations needing sorting.  If you have a little time to spare, please pop into the office.

Before and After School Care - Camp Australia

Approximately 14 families attended an Information Evening on Tuesday night to learn more about Camp Australia and the program they will be offering our students from Monday 21 July. Any family who thinks they may need this service must register with Camp Australia in order for their child/children to attend from Monday 21 July. A brochure will come home to every family next week. We have also attached an information flyer at the end of today's newsletter.

SAVE THE DATE!  The Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop: A School Family Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady Help of Christians Church on Saturday 2nd August 2025 at 6.00pm. Students and families are invited to take on special roles for this Parish Mass.  Watch this space for further details.

Pentecost Sunday, Cycle C

Sunday, June 8, 2025

John 20:19-23
Jesus appears to his disciples and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The season of Easter concludes with the celebration of Pentecost, marking a special moment in the life of the Church. Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem. This powerful event marks the beginning of the Church’s mission in the world.

The Gospel reading from John recounts how the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples. He greeted them with the words, “Peace be with you,” and breathed on them, giving the gift of the Holy Spirit. This was a promise fulfilled—Jesus sent a helper, the Holy Spirit, to guide and strengthen his followers to share his message of peace and forgiveness.

Families are encouraged to take time this week to reflect on the message of Pentecost and explore how peace can grow in the home. One meaningful activity is to create paper hearts and write on each one a way to be a peacemaker within the family—such as sharing, saying kind words, listening to others, or forgiving quickly. Place the hearts in a central space and take turns sharing what each heart says.

Discuss how these actions help bring peace to family relationships. Then, read the Gospel together (John 20:19–23) and reflect on the words Jesus used to greet the disciples: “Peace be with you.”

End the activity with a prayer to the Holy Spirit, asking for guidance to live with peace, love, and understanding in every relationship.

May the message of Pentecost inspire all families to be guided by the Holy Spirit and carry peace into the world.

Winter Appeal 2025 – “Put the Warmth in Winter”

As the colder months set in, the need for material support—especially food—becomes even more important. This year, our MacKillop Kids Group is once again leading the Winter Appeal, focusing on collecting tinned and packet soups to help those doing it tough in our community.

We invite all families to take part in “Put the Warmth in Winter” by donating canned or packet soups. All donations will support the Narre Warren St Vincent de Paul Conference, who work directly with individuals and families experiencing food insecurity during the winter season.

A few reminders to support this cause with dignity and care:

• Please ensure all food donations are non-perishable and undamaged
• Items must not be due to expire for at least 6 months
• Donations can be placed in classroom collection boxes

Thank you for your generosity and compassion as we support our wider community through practical action and heartfelt giving.

Our Year 3 students have been thoroughly enjoying writing information reports, especially about their favourite animals! They’ve been eager researchers, discovering fascinating facts and organizing their ideas into clear, well-structured reports. From wombats to dolphins and everything in between, the students are excited to share what they’ve learned and take pride in their growing writing skills. It’s been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and curiosity shine through in their work.

In Maths, students have been learning about fractions! They’ve been developing a strong understanding by identifying fractions both on a number line and within collections of objects. Whether it’s finding one-half of a group of counters or locating one-quarter on a number line, it’s been great to see their confidence develop in these areas.

As part of our Design and Technology lessons, students recently took on the exciting Tallest Tower Challenge! Working in teams, they followed the design process, which involved planning, building, testing, and improving, in order to create the tallest and most stable tower they could. It was wonderful to see their teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills in action as they discussed ideas, tested materials, and adjusted their designs. The students had a fantastic time and learned the value of collaboration and perseverance in design.

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: Teaching Our Kids Self Control

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 

Upcoming SchoolTV webinar . This exclusive, one-off event is fast approaching and we’d love to see families benefit from the insights of two of Australia’s leading experts, Susan McLean and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.  They will share invaluable insights on how to empower young people to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

WEBINAR: Digital Media Literacy & Safety (Part II)
DATE: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
TIME: 7:30 pm

Topics in this webinar include:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Misinformation & Algorithms
• Sexting and Sextortion
• Online Grooming

Please note: Participants MUST REGISTER PRIOR to the commencement of the webinar to gain access.

http://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/webinar/east-coast-digital-media-literacy-safety-part-2

Supporting Smooth School Separations

At different times throughout the year, children of all ages may find it tricky to separate from their families in the morning. This can be due to a range of reasons—changes in routine, tiredness, weather, or simply big feelings. These moments are completely normal and part of growing up.

Here are some helpful tips to support smoother morning separations:

Establish a consistent morning routine:

Predictable steps each morning can help children feel secure and calm. You might gently guide them by saying things like, “Let’s put on our uniform,” followed by, “Now let’s brush our teeth.” Celebrate each small step to build confidence and routine.

Allow extra time:

Rushed mornings can increase stress. Try and aim to build in a few extra minutes to help everyone feel more relaxed and prepared for the day ahead. (easier said than done sometimes!) 

Stay positive and confident:

Children take emotional cues from adults. A calm and upbeat goodbye helps them feel that school is a safe and positive place.

Create a special goodbye ritual:

A quick hug, a unique handshake, or a cheerful phrase like “See you at pick-up!” can provide comfort and a sense of routine.

Avoid lingering:

While it’s tempting to stay and settle your child, lingering can make it harder for them to adjust. A warm, confident goodbye works best. For some families, using the drive-through drop-off can help build independence—followed by parking and reconnecting later to celebrate their success.

Talk positively about school:

Focus on the fun activities, friendships, and caring adults at school to help build excitement and ease nerves.

The Hug Button:

Draw a little heart on your hand and one on theirs, which they can press to send you a hug if they are missing you. Let them know that you will press your hug button if you are missing them.

Remember, many families experience separation challenges from time to time.  If your child is finding drop-offs especially difficult, please reach out to their teacher or a member of our wellbeing team.  We’re here to support every family and help each child start their day with confidence.

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

Please see below information about our new OSHC provider Camp Australia....