Mary MacKillop will celebrate Catholic Education Week with some special events from Friday 16 May 2025.  This year’s Catholic Education Week theme is, Pilgrims of Hope to align with the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope proclaimed by Pope Francis, inviting communities to reflect on the significance of hope and faith in their lives.  Our school will be helping to spread the message of ‘hope’ in our community as part of Catholic Education Week.

This is a special week in the Catholic Education calendar, along with our other DOSCEL schools, particularly our three Parish schools. By providing opportunities to gather, we celebrate and thank all who are involved in Catholic Education including our wonderful teachers and families.

Tuesday 20 May

• Staff, along with the staff of Don Bosco and Trinity, will gather for Mass at Our Lady Help of Christians church after school.

Wednesday 21 May

• Year 6 students will attend the Catholic Education Week Mass at St Francis Xavier Beaconsfield.

Thursday 22 May

• All families are invited to our Mary MacKillop Catholic Education Week Mass at 9am in the Allen Hall.
• Students from Years 4-6 will also have their Fundraiser Stalls from 1.30pm on this day. Students, with parent support, will be selling products they have made or sourced. All profit made on each stall will be donated to a charity of the student’s choice.
• Special CEW cookie will be sent home with each child (subject to parental permission via the PAM eform sent home on Tuesday)

Friday 23 May

• We will have our usual Assembly and also acknowledge Catholic Education Week.

Sunday 25 May

• We join our Parish in celebrating the feast day for Our Lady Help of Christians at 9am Mass.

2026 Foundation Enrolments

We are currently exceeding demand for 2026 Foundation classes. As a result, we have families on waitlists. Any current families who have not yet enrolled their child for 2026 please contact the Office as a matter of urgency.   We are also not able to take any further enrolments in Year 2 (Year 3 2026).

Mother's Day

We hope that all our mums, grandmothers and other special women had a lovely Mothers Day last Sunday.  Thank you to the wonderful dads (and one mum!) who came to school very early to help cook and serve nearly 550 egg and bacon rolls!  A huge thanks also to the many staff who gave up their time to help as well.  Without your help, events like this could not take place.

Hope you enjoy some photos from the day below:

Student Feedback

Well done 4-AB in our Reconciliation celebration last Thursday. You demonstrated reverence through your reflections and contributions to Fr. Michael’s homily. You should be very proud of the respectful behaviour that you all demonstrated. 

Well done to the Year 6’s for their consistent role modelling when the music is playing to stop their games and making their way back to class waiting for their teacher. Words that teachers can hear are; ‘pick up the ball’ and ‘let’s go back to class’. Keep up the good work.

Well done to the Year 6’s in their responsibilities during this busy week with the Mother’s Day stall, Child Safety booklet and setting up for Mother’s Day breakfast. Your continued enthusiasm is great to see.

Well done 4FW for the way you demonstrated reverence during our Reconciliation celebration. You should be proud of the way you behaved during this time. 

Well done Year 3 & 4 students for the way you demonstrated respect and responsibility during the Cross Country event this week. Congratulations to all who participated in this great team sport. 

Catholic Education Week – Diocese of Sale (16th–23rd May 2025)
Celebrating 30 Years of Faith, Learning and Community as “Pilgrims of Hope”

Catholic Education Week (CEW) is a time to come together in celebration of the values that shape our Catholic schools – faith, learning, community, and hope. At Mary MacKillop School, we are proud to participate in this important week with a variety of meaningful events that reflect our shared mission and values.  This year’s theme, “Pilgrims of Hope”, reminds us of the role we play in spreading hope in our community. Throughout the week, our students and staff will be actively involved in a number of events and initiatives designed to deepen faith, celebrate learning, and serve others.

CEW Events and Activities....

Diocesan Mass and Student Showcase - Wednesday 21st May 2025
Staff and Year 6 students will attend a Diocesan Mass at St Francis Xavier College, Beaconsfield, followed by a special celebration of student learning from both primary and secondary schools. This is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the richness of Catholic education across the Diocese.

Whole School Mass – All Welcome - Thursday 22nd May at 9.00am
Our Whole School Mass will be celebrated in the Allen Hall. We warmly invite all parents, families, and friends to join us in prayer and celebration.

Student-Led Fundraisers - Thursday 22nd May from 1.30pm in the Allen Hall
Our Grade 4–6 students are living out the values of compassion and service by organising their own fundraising stalls to support a cause or charity of their choice. All families are welcome to attend, support the stalls, and visit classrooms during the afternoon. Items will be available for purchase, ranging from 50c to $5. A separate letter has been sent outlining the events held during CEW.

Please refer to the advertising poster below for an overview of the stalls being set up by students and their families. We look forward to welcoming you and thank you in advance for your support!

To highlight Catholic Education Week, each student will receive a special commissioned cookie from Phil’s Bakery, Berwick. This delicious treat will be provided to all students with  parental/carer permission via the PAM eForm sent out last Tuesday (permission is due by Tuesday 20 May 2025).

Please note: Ingredients include flour, sugar, vanilla essence, butter, margarine (animal fats & vegetable oils, water, salt, emulsifiers (soybean lecithin 471), acidity regulators (331, 330), flavours, antioxidants 320, 310, and colour 160a).

Parish and Community Involvement
We are proud of our strong partnership with Our Lady Help of Christians Parish and our fellow schools, Trinity and Don Bosco.

• Sunday 18th May - Year 6 student leaders will attend Parish Mass, sharing their experiences at Mary MacKillop School and promoting Catholic Education Week.
• Tuesday 20th May - Staff from all three schools will gather at the Parish for a reflective session led by Fr. Michael and the Religious Education Leaders (RELs). This is a time to strengthen our commitment to Catholic education and our shared mission.

Celebrating Our Parish Feast Day - Friday 24th May
We celebrate the Feast Day of Our Lady Help of Christians  Our school has prepared special well-wishes and prayers to share with Frs. Michael and Ajin, the Parish Team, and the Narre Warren Parish community.

Spreading the Word
Posters celebrating Catholic Education Week and our school are proudly displayed across the school, the OLHC Parish Bulletin, and our school website. A series of photos highlighting student work and school initiatives will also be on display in both the school and the OLHC Parish Centre.

We look forward to a meaningful Catholic Education Week filled with faith, hope, and community spirit. Thank you for your continued support as we celebrate the gift of Catholic education at Mary MacKillop School.

30th Anniversary Logo Competition Winner Announced

Congratulations to Shanaaya (FKC) and her sister Zara and their family for designing the winning logo in our 30th Year School Anniversary Logo Competition! Their design will feature on special merchandise to commemorate this milestone. All participants received a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of their effort and creativity.

Thanks for Supporting Catholic Care During Our Mother's Day events

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the families who generously supported our Catholic Care appeal during the Mother's Day events. Your thoughtful donations helped make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need within our wider community.  Your kindness and generosity reflect the true spirit of giving, and we are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support. It was wonderful to see our school community come together to celebrate and honour the special women in our lives, all while contributing to such a worthy cause.  Thank you once again for your compassion and generosity. A total of $409-95 was raised.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Before enrolling in the Sacrament of Confirmation, children must have been baptised in the Catholic Church and have received the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist.  PARENT FORMATION NIGHT (Parents only) Thursday, May 29th and Wednesday, June 4th, 2025. Arrive at 6.45pm for a 7pm start Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Centre.  A $50.00 levy is payable via CDF online at https:// olhc.cdfpay.org.au. Making a payment through CDF confirms your participation in the Parent Formation Night. CDF Payment opens Monday, 5th May and closes on Friday, 6th June, 2025, at 10:00am.  For all enquiries, please contact our Sacrament Coordinator, Vea, by phone (03) 9704

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle C

Sunday, May 18, 2025

John 13:31-33a,34-35
Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment - love one another.

This Sunday’s Gospel shares a powerful message spoken by Jesus before his death: love one another as I have loved you. Jesus demonstrated this love through actions—healing the sick, forgiving others, washing the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, giving the gift of the Eucharist, and offering his life on the Cross.

By following Jesus’ example and living according to his words, discipleship is embraced and a more compassionate, loving world is brought to life.

Walk Safely to School Day TOMORROW Friday 16th May 

Our school is proudly participating in Walk Safely to School Day TOMORROW!  This national event encourages children to lead a healthier lifestyle by walking to school where safe to do so, while also promoting road safety, environmental awareness, and the benefits of physical activity.

We invite all students and families to take part—whether it's walking all the way, or just part of the journey. Every student who participates will receive a special Walk Safely to School Day sticker to celebrate their involvement!  Let’s all step up for our health and the environment. See you on the footpath!

Over the past few weeks the Foundation year level have been taking part in the Inquiry topic, Design and Technology. We began our unit by investigating different materials such as wood, plastic, and paper and the features of each material. Students have been given the challenge of designing and building their own mini playground. Here are some comments from the Foundation students about their learning so far:

Thomas - We investigated wood and paper and wood is much stronger than paper. Our doors and cupboards are made out of wood. 

Leo L - We investigated plastic, some were strong plastics some were soft. We could fill the plastic container up with water and it wouldn’t break.

Rocket – We had to talk about what equipment playgrounds have like slides and a bridge. Real playgrounds are  made out of plastic and metal because they are strong.

Olivia - We worked in a team to design a mini playground. Our team was called ‘The Good Team’. 

Tia - We are using cardboard, bubble wrap, paper and icy pole sticks to make our playground. We need to use glue and sticky tape to stick it all together. 

Sarah – We made a plan and worked out what materials needed for our mini playground.  We had to work out what jobs we were doing in our group one was the builder, one was the drawer and one gets all the materials.

Child Safe Standards

Our school is safe, student centred and animated by our school values.  

We aim to Inspire Hearts and Minds.

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

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. 1359.  We embed a culture of child safety and the matter is taken very seriously.

MMPS Child Safe Standards

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV)

The updated CECV Statement of Commitment to Child Safety - A safe, nurturing and empowering culture for all children and young people in Catholic schools, is attached to this newsletter.  This statement has been updated in light of the revised Child Safe Standards coming into effect from 1 July 2022 and the supporting Ministerial Order No. 1359

Congratulations to the following children who have received learning awards so far this term: