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Student Chromebooks Distribution and Remote Schooling
Thank you to our parents who braved the cold on Tuesday to collect their child’s Chromebook via our drive through service.
The Chromebook ensures our students’ continuity of learning in the Remote Schooling space and provides the opportunity for your child to meet with their class teacher via Google Meets and / or during targeted learning sessions. As soon as the formal announcement of a lockdown is made, every effort is made by school staff to ensure students are provided with the resources they need for their learning continuity.
The distribution of the student Chromebooks is a massive co-ordinated team effort undertaken by school staff. When the Chromebooks are at school they are stored in charging carts that takes up to approximately 50 Chromebooks per cart. Dismantling the Chromebooks from the charging cart and untangling the chargers is a time consuming task. Once the Chromebooks are unplugged and assembled in ‘family’ groupings, the packing, labelling and distribution process begins. We are blessed and fortunate to have a dedicated team of highly professional staff who are driven to ensure our students receive the very best learning opportunities at all times both on-site and in Remote Schooling. Thank you to all staff for their support and tireless efforts to prepare once again for Remote Schooling, On-Site Supervision and the distribution of Chromebooks.
As we enter into another week of Lockdown, we ask all families to please take care, stay home and stay safe.
Updates to School Events
Please refer to the calendar of events below for updates to school events with the recent Lockdown. Every effort is made to reschedule cancelled events due to COVID-19 restrictions. When events are unable to be rescheduled, online variations will be offered where possible.
School Advisory Committee [SAC] Meeting - Tuesday 27 July and SAC AGM - Tuesday 31 August
The SAC operates in an advisory capacity to the Principal. The responsibilities of SAC are to:
- Promote the Catholic ethos of the school.
- Provide feedback on and review of school policies.
- Plan for the future of the school and its ability to accommodate future enrolments.
- Provide advice on budget planning and finance related matters.
- Contribute to the selection process for the school principal.
- Provide advice on the appropriate provision of faith development and Religious Education programs.
- Promote child safety in the school.
The sole purpose ultimately is to serve and work toward the mission and vision of our school.
Our next SAC Meeting will be held on Tuesday 27 July via Google Meet and the SAC AGM will be held on Tuesday 31 August at 7.00 pm.
Nomination forms for positions on the School Advisory Committee 2021 – 2022 are available from the Administration Office. You can also request a nomination form via email frontdesk@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Sacramental Program
Sacrament of Confirmation
The Confirmation Enrolment and Parent Only Workshop was held last evening via zoom due to lockdown restrictions. If for any reason you missed either enrolment night enrolment will need to occur in the new year, as the parish is unable to offer any catch-up workshops for those who are unable to attend. For more information please refer to the Sacrament Program Booklet 2021 on the parish website www.olhc.org.au
Winter Appeal
The St Vincent de Paul Society appreciates the great support provided by schools. Participating in the annual Winter Appeal has a lot to offer our students in terms of helping to deepen their understanding of social justice – particularly with seeing the needs of people in our own neighbourhood and beyond.
Student representatives from Years 3-6 have worked together as members of the MacKillop Kids Group to organise this year’s Winter Appeal – this year our Appeal will focus on essential items in particular we will be collecting wipes and facial tissues. Your donations can be left in collection boxes in classrooms upon return to school. We thank you in advance.
The Feast of Mary MacKillop- Thursday 5th August
The following whole school events are planned to celebrate our feast day and are dependent on Government restrictions and DOSCEL permitted activities at the time:
- Dress up with clothes/costumes representing Colonial Australia
- Celebrate a whole school Mass 9.00am in Allen Hall
- Share a special morning tea for students and staff - Scones with jam and cream (supplied by FOMM). A permision form will be sent home tomorroe (Friday) via Operoo. Unfortunately students without permission cannot participate. Students with allergies are welcome to bring an appropriate alternative.
- Class/Level Fundraiser supporting Charity Mary MacKillop 'Today' Education was close to Mary’s heart and she knew its power to lift communities out of poverty. To celebrate Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day, our School has been registered to conduct a fundraiser in support of the charity foundation Mary MacKillop 'today' to give vulnerable children in Fiji access to early education. Each grade or level will conduct a fundraiser to support the charity close to our hearts. Visit the website Mary MacKillop 'Today' for further information about their projects.
- Each student will be supplied with a small commercially produced palm size cross made from pine ply. These are able to be drawn/painted on by students. It is the shape and the line marking on these pieces which allows students to be creative in expressing the School’s story/Catholic identity. The provided crosses may be kept at school for use during prayer times and can be sent home for family use.
- A school family has kindly donated an iconic blue lollipop for each student – a huge thank you to the Vena family. A lollipop has been provided for each student to take home at the end of the day. The following brief story is attached:
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop is known for her habit of carrying sweets in her pocket to reward good effort in her students. Each child received a lollipop kindly donated by the Vena Family in the tradition of St. Mary MacKillop herself, who was known to dig deep into her pockets and offer sweets to the poor or orphaned children who otherwise never would have enjoyed lollies.
Term 3 Class/Level/School Mass and Reconciliation Celebrations
The following liturgical celebrations scheduled over the next two weeks are postponed due to the timing of Government restrictions and clergy availability:
Year 5 Reconciliation 5SD and MASS - 1ER & 5SD
Thank you for your understanding and patience under these circumstances.
A message from Catholic Care Victoria
On behalf of CatholicCare, I am delighted to have this opportunity to express our appreciation of Mary MacKillop’s Primary School’ s generous donation towards strengthening families and communities. Thank You for responding so warmly to our invitation to celebrate all that our families mean to us as individual and as a community. Because of Mary MacKillop Primary school’s generosity refugee families will receive the social, emotional and practical supports they need to rebuild their lives and settle well in Victoria. We thank you, the school staff, students and the whole school community for your fundraising efforts and involvement in Family Week 2021. Together we can put faith in to action and give those who are vulnerable every opportunity to live life to the full.
Fan the Flame - Towards Plenary Assembly One October 2021
‘Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready’ John 6:1-15
Grace moves God’s people to ask questions grounded in the call we received at Baptism: how do we better nourish, accompany, give witness, support, invite, welcome, engage and be present to others, such that we all grow in holiness?
(Prayerful and Eucharistic – Discernment Paper p. 6)
www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au/fantheflame/
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Sunday, July 25, 2021
John 6:1-15
Jesus feeds the crowd of more than five thousand people with five barley loaves and two fish.
In next Sunday’s Gospel Jesus invites his disciples to help him do a wonderful thing. But the disciples don’t think they can help Jesus do this. Jesus taught his disciples that he can take their small offerings and make amazing things happen. When we offer God our works and our actions, God will bless them and will help us do amazing things.
WELLBEING
Riding the COVID waves
There’s no magic bullet to make living through the pandemic easy. These strategies will help the family stay upright as they ride the coronavirus waves of uncertainty and change. A worthwhile read as the article provides insightful messaging.
View the article below:
TIPS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN'S WELLBEING DURING LOCKDOWN
COVID-19 continues to shape who we can see and what we can do - at home, school, work and play. No-one really knows yet what the long-term impact, if any, will be on children.
However, snap lockdowns can put pressure on these relationships when stuck at home together on short notice. Here are some tips ...
Read more see attachment:
OLHC PARISH
Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Information
Mary MacKillop Primary School is one of the three Parish Primary Schools belonging to the Parish of Our Lady Help of Christians, Narre Warren within the Diocese of Sale. Fr Brendan Hogan is our Parish Priest and Fr Isuru Weliwatte is our Assistant Priest. We are grateful for their ongoing prayers, involvement and support of the students, families and staff of Mary MacKillop School.
Parish Bulletin -Click on the link below to download the weekly newsletter.
Intention to return to Mary MacKillop School in 2022
An Operoo eform was sent home recently regarding 2022 intentions. Please ensure that you complete the eform by the due date to assist us with 2022 planning.
On-site supervision registration - 26 & 27 July
Please make sure that you complete the relevant Operoo eform ASAP if your child/ren are eligible for onsite supervision to ensure we have enough staff rostered.
こんにちは、
This week in Japanese, students were challenged to complete tasks celebrating the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Students made the Japanese flag from found objects and created hachimaki headbands that are traditionally worn during sporting events.
Year 5 families interested in enroling their child at St Francis Xavier in 2023 are invited to register their interest in the on-line Parent Information Night. Details in the attached flyer below: