Our Explicit Improvement Agenda

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Planning for improved student learning

Celebrating Catholic Education Week and National Reconciliation Week 2022

This week we acknowledge and celebrate Catholic Education Week and National Reconciliation Week.  The theme for Catholic Education Week is to “Spread the Good News” and National Reconciliation Week “Be Brave, Make Change”.  Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for our school to acknowledge and celebrate how we “spread the Good News” through our thoughts, words and actions within our daily interactions in our school community.   The call to “Be Brave, Make Change” is a time for us all to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in our daily lives.  The beginning of National Reconciliation Week - 27 May, marks the anniversary of the 1967 referendum when Australians voted to remove clauses in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and 3 June marks the historic 1992 Mabo decision in which the High Court of Australia recognised native title - the recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples rights over their lands survived British colonisation.  This past week is a significant time in our year to be brave, make change, to stop and reflect on our past, present and future actions and to spread the Good News.

‘Go out into the world and spread the Good News to all creation’, (Mark 16:15) is the theme for Catholic Education Week, which concludes on Friday 3 June.

This morning’s celebration was an opportunity to mark the ethos of our Catholic school and highlight the inspiring life of Catholic schools today. We thank Fr Brendan from OLHC Parish for his ministry as we celebrated mass together. Many thanks to our parents and friends who were able to join us.

As a special treat all students received a commissioned cookie from Phil’s Bakery, Berwick, to commemorate this event which is held each year in the Diocese of Sale.

Many thanks to all students, families and staff for supporting the recent fundraisers supporting Trinity Families. A total of $532-15 was raised. initially known as Bishop’s Family Foundation, provides funding for service providers who support families in the Gippsland and outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thankyou!

Sunday, June 5, 2022

John 20:19-23

Jesus appears to his disciples and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Next Sunday celebrates the Feast of Pentecost which is sometimes called the birthday of the Church. The Gospel for Pentecost reminds us that the Church begins with the command to forgive. Within the family, the domestic Church, we learn how to forgive and we learn to accept forgiveness. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to do both. As a family read the gospel passage which is about how Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us in the work of forgiveness and to bring us peace.

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION - SAVE THE DATE:  Enrolment and Parent only workshops for Confirmation 2022 will be held on Wednesday, 15th June and Thursday 23rd June, please arrive by 6.45pm for a 7pm start. Parents have to attend only one of these information nights. Attendance is compulsory if your child is preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this year. Children should be baptised in the Catholic Church and should have received the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist prior to 2022.

A prepayment of $50.00 must be made via olhc.cdfpay.org.au and this will open on Wednesday, 8th June at 10am.

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

Parent Education - Webinars for parents and carers

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 2022 at no cost. We’re pleased to let you know about an upcoming webinar.

Attend a webinar for parents at no charge, presented by Dr Justin Coulson - Bestselling author and professional speaker.

Encouraging good behaviour

Discipline is one of the most confusing and challenging topics that parents grapple with. When you look up the word discipline in the dictionary the first definition is “punishment”. But this is a relatively new way of understanding the word. Until a couple of hundred years ago, to be disciplined meant to be shown a way to follow.

This webinar, presented by Dr Justin Coulson is for every parent who has ever been so desperate to get their kids to ‘behave’ that they’ve tried Triple P, Super-Nanny, 1-2-3 Magic, and pretty much everything else out there, and still found themselves stuck. It explores the concept of discipline and how parents can encourage good behaviour in children.

Key learning and discussion points include:

• Why the centuries-old strategies we still cling to should be left in the past
• How we get discipline wrong and why
• Real world examples of discipline that are as imperfect as parents and their kids, but that still work
• Ideas for discipline that turn everything you thought you knew about the topic on its head
• Applicable strategies for everyone

Video overview - Click this link to view the video overview: https://vimeo.com/658442514

When: Wednesday 8 June 2022 at 8:00pm - 9:00pm AEST

Redeem your webinar now - it's easy

• Click this link: https://www.parentingideas.com.au/parent-resources/parent-webinars/webinar-encouraging-good- behaviour
• Click ‘Add to cart’
• Click ‘View cart’
• Enter the coupon code ENCOURAGE
• 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 8 September 2022. If you’re unable to make the broadcast time, just register anyway and you will get access to the recording.

Safer online gaming

Help your kids stay safe by learning about the benefits and risks of online gaming.  This webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 8 to 13 years of age.

It will cover:

• the games young people are using and how they are engaging with them
• the benefits of gaming and how to mitigate the risks
• practical strategies to use at home and where to find help and support if things go wrong.

Term 2 dates (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

• Thursday 9 June 12.30 - 1.30 pm
• Friday 17 June 12.30 – 1.30 pm
• Tuesday 21 June 7.30 – 8.30 pm

Register your attendance at eSafety's parent guide to online gaming

Principles for savvy parenting in a digital world

Screen-based media use is a hot topic when it comes to modern parenting. Helping your children develop digital literacy, safety and wellbeing skills requires a balance between clear guidelines, curiosity…Read the attached article for further information:

This week in Discovery Centre, Grade 1 students investigated creating algorithm loops. They built sandcastles using simple directions. They then used this experience to create loops for a Cubetto to navigate a map.

We have had a very active term in the Discovery centre. All three year levels have been using a 'Makey Makey' device. It is an invention kit designed to connect everyday objects to computer keys. 

Year 4 students used 6B graphite pencils to draw a variety of pictures. They then connected their drawings to the makey makey and used the Scratch program to code a variety of sounds. 

Year 5 and 6 students worked in groups to make a sound machine and used the Scratch program to code a variety of sounds or a musical instrument. There were some very impressive machines including drum kits, musical gloves and game controllers.

In Foundation and Year 1 Visual Arts we have had a very busy term learning about a variety of different art forms including collage, construction and modelling. 

The foundation students learnt about how Eric Carle uses tissue paper to create the illustrations in his books. The students were inspired to create their own butterflies, caterpillars and other animals of their choosing.  In recent weeks they have be discovering plasticine, a form of clay. We have learnt a variety of skills such as rolling, stretching and pinching. 

Year 1 students have been using paper to make 3D objects. They used a variety of techniques such as folding, cutting and glueing to make their insect appear 3D.

こんにちは、

This week in Japanese, Foundation students investigated the Children’s Day festival in Japan. They made koinobori (carp kites). These kites symbolise a wish for strength and health in children.