Welcome back to our students

It was great to have our students back together on-site at school yesterday.  To continue to ensure student, staff and community safety, we will follow our COVID-19 Safety Management Plan.  The COVID-19 Safety Management Plan is reviewed regularly in line with Chief Health Officer directives and DOSCEL Guidelines.  In Learning Areas – weather permitting – the windows and doors will be open in classrooms to ensure adequate ventilation. Sanitising stations are set up at the entry of all learning areas for students to have ready access to hand sanitiser at the beginning of the school day and throughout the day.

Student Chromebooks

As students settle back into school and school routines, they will continue to keep their Chromebook with them.  This is to ensure continuous learning in the event of possible further lockdowns and/or any quarantine orders if we endure a COVID-19+ case within our school.  Please ensure your child’s Chromebook comes to school fully charged as we have limited charging facilities in the classrooms. 

2022 Foundation Parent Information Night 7.00 pm

Wednesday 10 November

Our 2022 Foundation Google Meet Transition Sessions have been a great opportunity to ‘welcome’ our newest Mary MacKillop students to our school.  Sally Lane and Claire Giles have been working very hard alongside our Administration Team, to ensure our students feel a sense of welcome and connection.  We will hold our 2022 Foundation Parent Information Night next Wednesday 10 November at 7.00 pm via Google Meet.  We are very much looking forward to meeting our 2022 Foundation students and their parents in person when the current COVID-19 Restrictions are eased.

Student Welcome Garden – Poppy Display

Our Remembrance Day Poppy Display is set up in our student Welcome Garden in preparation for Remembrance Day.  The idea for the display began way back in March 2020 at the beginning of our first Lockdown and Remote Schooling in the midst of a lot of anxiety and uncertainty.  The Poppy display has evolved into our symbol of hope, connection and community effort.  Each poppy is unique and creates a space that provides an opportunity to reflect on and remember those we hold dear in our hearts in this month of remembrance.  The poppies help us to focus on what really matters – our family, the gift of our loved ones and those people in our lives who help to make our world a better place. 

Community Safety

For our community safety, we are unable to have parents and visitors on-site at school until further notice.  We also are required to minimise groups of people gathering and therefore, during school drop off and pick up times, we ask parents to remain in their car and to utilise the drop off / pick up facility at the front of the school OR Lowry Court.

Student Drop Off – Mornings Classes will open at 8.35 am and the school day will begin as usual at 8.45 am with Morning Meditation and Prayer. 

Staggered Student Pick Up – Afternoons (A-K 3.05 pm and L-Z 3.10 pm)

Canteen

The canteen is OPEN for student orders via CDF pay on Mondays and Fridays.

School Uniform / School Hats – Sun Protection Policy

Just a reminder that students are to wear their sports uniform on their specialist sport day.  During Term 4, students are required to wear their school hat as part of our Sun Protection Policy. 

Term 4 Events

As we transition back to on-site learning at school, all events scheduled for Term 4 are currently being reviewed in line with DOSCEL Permitted Activities Register and social density limitations that are currently in place.

School Fee Relief for families

Many in our school community continue to face financial impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to supporting families experiencing financial challenges through our School Fee Concession programs, and encourage any parent/carer/guardian experiencing difficulties to contact us regarding fee assistance. Please contact Jacqui Meunier – 8794 5777 jmeunier@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au to explore confidential financial support arrangements or to obtain further information.

School Advisory Committee Annual General Meeting (SAC AGM) 

Tuesday 23 November

The SAC AGM will be held on Tuesday 23 November at 7.00 pm. If you would like to nominate to be a parent representative on the School Advisory Committee, please leave your name at the administration office or email frontdesk@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au

If you have any questions regarding the role of SAC, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Socktober & Universal Children’s Week events will be held tomorrow Friday 5th November 

Students will have the opportunity to take part in a Socktober, fundraiser for Catholic Mission. A $2 donation per student would be greatly appreciated.

Students who have received parental permission via the Operoo permission eform, will be provided with an icy pole to enjoy at lunchtime and a special take home smiley cookie from Phil’s Bakery as part of Universal Children’s Week.

 Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Sunday, November 7, 2021

In next Sunday’s Gospel, we hear about a woman who was generous. Jesus called attention to her generosity. The widow gave only two small coins to the collection box at the Temple, but her contribution was greater because she gave everything that she had. She trusted God to provide for her. We are called to be generous like the widow. Many of us can feel that we have little to give to a world that has so many problems. As he did with the widow, Jesus is telling us that what is most important to God is to give what we have with a generous heart.

Next Thursday 11th November, students from Years 5 & 6 will lead a class remembrance service in each grade. All families are invited to contribute to the Remembrance Knitted Poppy display in the Welcome Garden. Please place your requests with our School Office staff via email or a phone call.  We gather as one in holding these people in our hearts and prayers.

“We have loved them in life. Let us not forget them in death.”

Remembrance Day 11 November is universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in the First World War. Most of the funds raised through RSL Appeals with the sale of Poppy merchandise support various Welfare Projects. Students and their families can purchase items ranging from $1 - $5 items. Our school Leaders will assist with the sale of merchandise supplied by Berwick RSL by visiting each classroom and helping students purchase a remembrance item.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.”

LEST WE FORGET

Child Safety and Wellbeing

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. 870.  We embed a culture of child safety and the matter is taken very seriously.

“Children are the future of the human family: all of us are expected to promote their growth, health and tranquillity,” Pope Francis 2021

Day for Daniel is Australia’s largest child safety education and awareness day. Usually held annually on the last Friday of October, Day for Daniel honours the memory of Daniel Morcombe. Due to the staggered return to school, as a school community we will hold our own Day for Daniel event next Tuesday 9th November 2021. Students are invited to wear red casual clothing and contribute a gold coin donation to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.

Resources to support parents and carers

Screen time habits for good eye health

As children and teenagers spend more time online it’s important that adults equip them with the skills and strategies to protect the health of their eyes.

Read the attached article below:

Attend a webinar for parents at no charge

Our school has a membership with Parenting Ideas, one of Australia’s most trusted sources of parenting education and support. As part of this membership, all the parents in this school community can attend some fantastic webinars in 2021 at no cost. We’re pleased to let you know about an upcoming webinar.

Using birth order knowledge for a parenting edge

Effective parents and carers are always looking for an edge to help them raise happy, confident, resilient kids. Many people do a brilliant job of learning on the run, but can miss a rich vein of knowledge that’s right in front of them – a child’s birth order position. In this webinar, Michael Grose explains how birth order position impacts on a child’s personality, attitudes and behaviour. He provides insights to help bring out the best in every child, reduce destructive sibling rivalry and increase family harmony.

Key learning and discussion points include:

• how birth order works and why it sometimes doesn’t make sense
• why birth order applies to both large and small families
• how to conduct a birth order audit for your family
• the impact that your own birth order has on your parenting
• essential parenting strategies for kids who don’t quite fit the birth order mould

Presented by Michael Grose - Bestselling author and professional speaker

Video overview - Click this link to view the video overview: https://vimeo.com/505493809

When:     Wednesday 10 November  2021 at 8:00 PM AEDT

Redeem your webinar now - it's easy

• Click this link:  https://www.parentingideas.com.au/parent-resources/parent-webinars/webinar-using-birth-order-knowledge-for-a-parenting-edge
• Click ‘Add to cart’
• Click ‘View cart’
• Enter the coupon code ORDER
• Click ‘Apply coupon’ 
• Click ‘Proceed to checkout’
• Enter our school’s name to verify your eligibility. The $39 discount will then be applied.
• Fill in your account details. These are the details you will use to login to your account and access your webinar and resources
• Click ‘Place Order’

This offer is valid until 31 December 2021. If you’re unable to make the broadcast time, just register anyway and you will get access to the recording.

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 Parish newsletter.

https://olhc.org.au/parish-bulletin/

We have loved having the Year 1 students back onsite over the last few weeks! We are very proud of the way they have transitioned back into the classroom, especially with their positive attitude and motivation to learn. The Year 1’s have been busy learning about procedural texts in reading and writing. The students have loved making, building, playing, creating and following procedural texts in the classroom. Check out some of our newspaper hats that we created below. The students had to follow the steps in order to ensure they created the final product correctly. It was a great learning experience for the Year 1’s to recognise how important it is to follow instructions carefully as well as refer to the pictures if they were unsure. 

Over the next few weeks in Numeracy, the students will be learning about Fractions and Time. These are two very important concepts that the students will develop their understanding of and have already shown a keen interest in. Check out some of our learning so far in developing an understanding of fractions where students are now able to recognise that fractions are made up of equal parts. Well done to the Year 1’s for making a smooth transition back into the classroom!