Celebrations of Learning

Our students have settled in well to the 2022 school year, with all classes engaging in specialist lessons over the past two weeks.  In their Art lessons, all students drew their self portrait to create a beautiful rainbow representing our school community.  Photos of their art work portraits are on display below.  Thank you to our students, Tamara Cunningham and Emma Adcock (our Art Teachers) for their creativity and talents in the Visual Arts.

Congratulations to Sensei Claire Marshall - our Japanese teacher on her acknowledgement and recognition of her Japanese teaching and engaging student learning by the Chetan Japanese Department of Education.  Of particular recognition made by the Japanese Department of Education is the partnership Sensei has established with our sister school in Japan.  We are very lucky to have such talented, enthusiastic and student centred teachers at Mary MacKillop.  

Student Learning Conversations (Parent Teacher Interviews)

Our Student Learning Conversations, which were scheduled to be held in Week 5 will now be held in March with the hope that restrictions are eased and we can meet face to face.  The new dates for the Student Learning Conversations are:

Wednesday 16 March, 2022 from 3.40 to 6.20 pm

Thursday 17 March, 2022 from 3.40 to 6.20 pm

Information on how to book your Student Learning Conversation will be sent home to parents/guardians via PAM in the coming weeks.

Newsletter - SZapp - PAM

Further to the push notification sent out today via SZapp, we remind families that the Newsletter is distributed weekly on a Thursday afternoon.   We strongly encourage you to subscribe to the Mary MacKillop SchoolZine app to receive the newsletter, school information, updates on school events, alerts and emergency information.

SchoolZine – SZapp https://www.marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au/szapp

P.A.M. The new Parent Access Module known as 'PAM' is up and running! Excursion and Event permissions such as Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day, will be coming home via PAM in the next few weeks.  Unfortunately students without PAM permission for these events will be unable to participate  Please see the instruction sheet below for a copy of the instructions if you are having any difficulty setting up your child's account:

Vaccination Clinic

A Vaccination Clinic for 5 - 11 year olds will be set up this Saturday 12 February from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm in the Allen Hall.  Parent consent and attendance is required if you would like your child to be vaccinated.  St. Mark’s Medical Clinic will administer the vaccines.  Mary MacKillop School Staff will not be in attendance.  Bookings are preferred and walk-ins are also accepted.  To make a booking, please clink on the link below

Booking for Vaccination Clinic - 5 to 11 year olds - Saturday 12 February

https://www.hotdoc.com.au/medical-centres/cranbourne-north-VIC-3977/st-

marks-medical-centre/doctors/mary-mackillop-primary-school-paediatric-covid-19-vaccination

COVID-19 Restrictions - change of dates

An updated list of dates for Term 1 is attached to this newsletter.  Events in Term 1 were reviewed in light of current restrictions and re-scheduled, where possible.  The new Student Learning Conversation dates are listed above and School Photos have been moved to Friday 1 April.  We apologise for any inconvenience, but hope the rescheduling of dates will ensure our students get to fully experience the events we had planned.

SAC (School Advisory Committee) Meeting

Our first SAC Meeting for the 2022 school year will be held on Tuesday 29 March, 2022 at 7.00 pm.  Our SAC Membership includes:

• Danielle Davis (Secretary and Parent Representative)
• Julie Gubbels (Parent Representative)
• Marina Valladares (Parent Representative)
• Stephanie Miller (Parent Representative)
• Lize Privitera (Deputy Principal and Religious Education Leader)
• Helen Fourna (Staff Representative)
• Liz Jones (Principal and Chairperson)

At our SAC meetings our agenda covers the following areas:

• Welcome and Prayer
• Attendance and Apologies
• Child Safety
• OH&S
• Friends of Mary MacKillop (Fundraising Committee) Report
• Principal Report
• Religion and Wellbeing Report / Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour (WSAPBS)
• Staff Report
• Financial Report
• General / Questions
• Date of next meeting.

Sacrament of Reconcilliation

Parents are invited to book their child for the Sacrament of Reconciliation for 2022. Your child should have received the Sacrament of Baptism before enrolling for their First Reconciliation. The Parent only Enrolment Night is tonight Thursday 10th and Wednesday 16th February at 7pm. You are required to only attend one of these enrolment nights. (No Bookings required). A pre-payment before the enrolment is required. This can be made via https://olhc.cdfpay.org.au. Bookings for payment are open and will close on Thursday, 17th February at 3.30pm 2022. For more information visit https://www.olhc.org.au/ parish-sacrament-program/

Synod 2021-2023 Walking Together

As the Diocesan Consultation period for the Synod 2021-2023 continues until the end of this month, you are invited to join in one or more virtual gatherings organised by the Diocesan Gaudium et Spes Diocesan Plenary team.  Three conversations, one for each of the Synod themes of Communion, Participation and Mission.

Join one or more conversations:

Conversation on Communion - Tuesday 8th February at 7.30 pm [completed]

 Conversation on Participation - Thursday 17th February at 1.30 pm [completed]

 Conversation on Mission - Wednesday 23rd February at 7.30 pm

Please register at https://www.trybooking.com/BXFJB  Further details can be found on the attached flyer below:

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Sunday, February 13, 2022

Gospel Reading

Luke 6:17,20-26  

Jesus teaches the crowd the way to happiness.

The people in the crowd were probably surprised when they heard Jesus’ teaching. He said that thinking only about ourselves and having lots of things wouldn’t make us truly happy. We are blessed and happy when we rely on God, who always loves us and never changes. We are blessed and happy when we make good choices and think of others, living as Jesus teaches us to live.

Jesus teaches us to share, to be patient, and to show concern for others. These actions bring us true happiness and help us share Jesus’ peace. How might you share Jesus’ peace?

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 - Managing school stress during the pandemic

Being prepared for different contingencies as the pandemic continues will help alleviate school stress in the year ahead.  View the attached article below:

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 Ajin Albarnas 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:

Parish-Bulletin

As part of our explicit improvement agenda, the Senior students are focusing on student voice and agency. We have started the year with developing student ownership of our learning spaces and setting learning goals. We are looking forward to sharing our goals with you soon. 

Here are some of our thoughts and feelings about the process: 

• Setting goals helps me with my learning as it shows me what I need to improve on. Whenever I write a goal, I always think I will be able to achieve it - Lilly (5-SD) 
• We worked together as a class to set up our classroom space, it is not just one person's ideas but it is everyones. We know that when you make a mistake, that is okay - it is how we learn - Taylor (5-SD) 
• I like having student voice because everyone has an opportunity to be heard and making the classroom a space where everyone can grow and learn - Sienna (5-AB)
• I have been enjoying setting goals around my learning because it makes it clear for me on what I need to work on. Goals help me as a learner to work harder in achieving my goals and setting new ones - Jake (5-AB)
• I like setting up learning goals because it helps me to learn new things and stay focused on what I am trying to learn in terms of something very specific - Aiden (6-PF)
• The learning environment is a free space where students can share their ideas and look at different options for learning away from just what the teacher is telling us. It helps us to learn in different ways and if we have questions, our environment can sometimes give us the answer, just as well as our friends and teachers - Jazz (6-PF) 
• I believe that creating our Learning Goals helps us in our responsibilities as Leaders. It will prepare us for high school and heading into the future. We are also setting up the classroom to help us be independent learners by using the ‘3 Before Me’ poster to help us solve problems when we get stuck.  - Scarlett (6MV) 
• I think contributing to setting up our classroom is really good as it helps us to be more responsible with our learning and to be more independent as learners. - Natalie K (6MV)

こんにちは、

This week in Japanese, students explored Japanese New Year customs and traditions.  They learnt how Japanese people celebrate this very important holiday. We all enjoyed creating tiger craft to celebrate the year of the tiger.

Fee Statements

Fee statements will be emailed home next week. We have many payment options including BPay, Direct Debit, EFTPOS and Centrepay (if applicable).  Term 1 fees are due 7th March, unless other arrangements are in place eg Direct Debit 

PAM Profiles

All students should now have their PAM profiles finalised.  Instructions are below for those families having difficulties: