Celebrations of Learning

Yesterday our 2021 Foundation students had their first school excursion to the Melbourne Zoo.  It was a day that began with lots of excitement, fun and laughter as our Foundies ventured on a big bus ride to the City.  After nearly two years in and out of Lockdown, Remote Schooling and COVID-19 restrictions, it was great to be able to participate in this excursion.  With the easing of restrictions we are very much looking forward to celebrating our students learning and continuing to provide rich and engaging learning experiences in the days, weeks and months ahead . . .

Please find below the Foundation level excursion to the Zoo - lots of great photos to view!

Student Leaders Process – Year 5 students

Included in this newsletter is our process for our Year 5 students to nominate for Student Leadership positions in 2022.   Planning is underway for the selection of our 2022 student school leaders.  The following positions are available for our Year 5 students to apply for:

• School Leaders (x 2)
• Faith Leaders (x2)
• House Leaders (4 x 1 per House)
• Learning Leaders (x2)
• Environmental Leaders (x2)

Our student leaders play a very important role in our school community.  They are ambassadors and role models for our school and participate in many and varied activities from leading assembly each week, guided school tours, Mass Ministries, sporting events, growing and selling garden produce.  Our current Year 6 school leaders have been exemplary role models to all students in our school community.  We are very proud of the leadership potential and development of our students and the school values they display in their interactions and leadership roles.

Welcome to our 2022 Foundation Students

Last Friday we held our first on-site 2022 Foundation Orientation Session. We were really excited to welcome our newest students in person and to we look forward to our next on-site Orientation session on Wednesday 24 November from 9.00 – 10.30 am.  Students will meet in the Lomas Gym and then spend time with Mrs Sally Lane and Mrs Claire Giles our 2022 Foundation Teachers.

SIMON Learning Management System – Reports and PAM

At Mary MacKillop Primary School, we believe assessment and reporting:

• Promotes a positive attitude to, and celebrates, student learning
• Provides on-going feedback to target student learning needs
• Fosters a growth mindset, student agency, ownership and sense of achievement
• Encourages the pursuit of the student’s potential in a wide range of areas
• Enables students to experience success and to develop confidence in their learning
• Is aligned with the student’s age and stage of development.

Our school has transitioned to the SIMON Learning Management System.  The SIMON Report meets the requirements of CECV (Catholic Education Commission Victoria) and VCAA (Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority) Reporting Guidelines.  Student Attendance data in the SIMON Report is automatically populated from our Teachers’ daily recordings in the SIMON Attendance module.  Your child’s Semester Two report will include the following and will be accompanied by teacher feedback and samples of your child’s learning in their Student Learning Portfolio:

• Report front cover and Report Information
• Attendance summary
• SIMON Reporting legend
• Class Teacher General Comment
• Class Learning Behaviours
• Remote Schooling Learning Behaviours
• Religious Education Learning Area overview and achievement standards
• English / English as an Additional Language [EAL] Learning Area overviews and achievement standards
• Mathematics Learning Area overview and achievement standards
• Inquiry Learning Area overviews

• The Humanities: History
• The Humanities: Geography
• The Humanities: Economics and Business (Years 5 and 6)
• The Arts: Dance, Drama, Music

• Specialist Learning Area overviews

• Technologies – Digital Technologies
• LOTE – Japanese
• Health and Physical Education – Physical Education
• The Arts – Visual Arts
• English Enrichment - Poetry

• Capabilities

Your child’s Semester Two Report is to be viewed in conjunction with your child’s Student Learning Portfolio.  The Student Learning Portfolio includes evidence of learning with Teacher feedback as well as samples of learning your child has selected to support and promote student agency and ownership of their learning. 

In recognition of our partnership with you in your child’s education, we aim to provide the Semester Two Report and Student Learning Portfolio as a celebration of your child’s learning journey throughout the 2021 school year, including evidence of student agency, progress, strengths and areas for improvement. 

Semester Two Reports and Student Learning Portfolios will be distributed to students and parents on Monday 13 December.  We hope you find the Semester Two Report and Student Learning Portfolio valuable documents to highlight and celebrate your child’s learning journey.

PAM – Parent Access Module

Information about PAM was emailed to parents on Tuesday 16th November.  PAM will begin at the beginning of 2022.  PAM will provide families with a one stop place to submit and view the following information:

• Parent Notified Absences (replacing SZApp Absentee e-forms)
• Student Medical Profiles (replacing Operoo)
• Permission Forms (replacing Operoo)
• Parent Teacher Interviews (replacing PTO)
• Sick Bay Notifications
• Student Attendance
• Access to your child’s Assessment Reports (Semester One and Semester Two)
• Student Learning Awards
• Daily Messages and upcoming events
• Student Timetable
• Student Permission eforms

PAM also includes accessible information to families through the Knowledge Bank.  The Knowledge Bank includes such forms as Medication Permission Forms, direct debit and fee concession applications.   If you require support to set up or access your PAM account, please contact frontdesk@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au

Return of Student Chromebooks and Family Charger

Student Chromebooks and family chargers will need to be returned on MONDAY 6 DECEMBER, 2021 to ensure they are packed away in their charging carts over the Summer Holiday period.  Repacking the Chromebooks and chargers back into their carts takes several days and your co-operation in returning them on 6 December is very much appreciated.

School Advisory Committee Annual General Meeting (SAC AGM) – Tuesday 23 November at 7.00 pm will be held in the Staffroom

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.

Camp & Swimming Levy Refunds

Families will receive a refund or credit on their fee account for cancellation of the following activities due to COVID-19 restrictions during 2021:

• Foundation, Year 1 & Year 2 Swimming $90.00/student
• Year 5 Camp $330.00/student
• Year 6 Camp $400.00/student

Levy credits will be applied in the coming weeks. Families who will not be returning to MMPS in 2022 will receive a refund of any overpaid fees before the end of the school year. Families returning to MMPS will have any overpaid fees credited and allocated towards your 2022 fee account.

Families who have a direct debit in place will have their final payment amended automatically.

Once fee credits have been applied to all fee accounts a revised statement will be emailed to all families. 

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.

The Season Advent  

The first Sunday of Advent begins on Sunday 28th November, which is also the first Sunday of the new liturgical year. The Advent season includes the four Sundays that precede Christmas. The key themes of the Advent season are watchful waiting, preparation, and justice. Each week a grade level will lead the school in prayer. Thank you to the senior students and their teachers who will lead tomorrow’s Advent liturgy, focussing this week’s prayer celebration as a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King (Thirty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Cycle B

Sunday, November 21, 2021

This Sunday is the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year. On this Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. Each year we set aside this Sunday to reflect upon this title that we have given to Jesus. We call Jesus our King, but he is not like the kings and queens of countries. He is a different kind of king.

In next Sunday’s Gospel, Pontius Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king.

Jesus told Pontius Pilate that his kingdom did not belong to this world. Jesus was not an earthly king. He is the king of heaven, our Lord and Saviour. He came to teach us the truth about God the Father’s love and forgiveness and to save us from our sins. He shows us how to live.

We hold in our prayers the students who have recently received and those receiving the Sacrament of First Eucharist during mass celebrations to be held this weekend, with the final First Eucharist celebration on the weekend of December 4th.

Lord Jesus Christ, bless the children coming forward to receive Holy Communion for the first time.

May this day be the step toward a life-long love of the Eucharist. May the strength of Jesus' love

and the joy of this holy day remain forever in your hearts. 

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

Resources to support parents and carers -  'Turn your anger around without yelling'

Most parents hate yelling, as do their kids. There are some simple strategies that every parent can use to stay calm and yell less. View the article below:

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/

On Wednesday 17th November the Foundation students went to the Melbourne Zoo. It was a very exciting day which began with many students' first bus trip. Upon arrival we ate our snacks and we were off to be zoo explorers for the day! The enclosures and a Wild Explores lesson enabled the students to look up, down and all around while incorporating their senses and making links from learning at school. We were most impressed with the new vocabulary students referred to throughout the day, such as nocturnal, camouflage, albino and habitat. Staff and parent helpers were regularly told “This is the best day ever!”.

In the Seniors we have been doing some great learning about dance and drama! We hope you enjoy are reflections and pictures below!! 

Year 5 - Dance

• Over the last few weeks, we have been learning about Dance. The purpose of dance is to express yourself to show a purpose or story that you can communicate using your body - Sienna (5-AB)
• Dance is fun and a great way to celebrate your culture if you have a traditional dance - Taysha (5-AB)
• We liked moving around a lot and we had fun practicing with our groups - Zac (5-SD) 
• We have done a lot of choreography is the past week and it has been fun - Shenaiah (5-SD)
  
  
  

Year 6 - Drama

• Over the last few weeks, we have been learning about drama. Drama is a really good way to entertain people and I have learnt lots of new things about the elements of drama - Grace (6-RJ) 
• I personally think that our sessions in drama introduced us to a new and interesting subject that we got to learn about. This was an awesome experience and I'm sure if other students did a reflection they would say the same - Jake (6-MV)
• I really enjoyed doing drama and getting to act out a script. 6-MV did very well with both changing the scripts and acting out the scripts. It was a fun activity and everyone participated - Georgia (6-MV)