Filter Content
Our Explicit Improvement Agenda
Student Voice and Agency
Planning for Improved Student Learning - key focus in Mathematics
Celebrations of Learning
Welcome back to Term 3! We have a very exciting Term ahead with lots of learning activities on offer to our students. The Welcome to Term 3 letter was distributed to families via PAM at the beginning of this week and is attached to this newsletter for your reference. The letter includes information on Term 3 Curriculum, Student Learning, Child Safety information, Staffing, Sacrament of Confirmation, Parish Family Mass, Feast Day Celebrations, Father’s Day Breakfast and Assembly, Student Intervention Groups and NCCD information for parents.
GREEN and GOLD Day & Potato Olympics
On Friday 2 August we will be holding a very special GREEN and GOLD day to celebrate the 2024 Olympic Games. Students will participate in a variety of activities including the Potato Olympics. Developed by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, and in support of our Explicit Improvement Agenda focus in Mathematics, the Potato Olympics is an amusing and engaging way for students to explore the numeracy in Olympic events through their potato athlete. More information will be sent home about GREEN and GOLD day and the Potato Olympics closer to the date.
On Thursday 8 August we will celebrate our Feast Day of St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop with Mass and activities throughout the day. We will conclude the day with the distribution of lollipops to students in recognition of the legacy of Mary MacKillop who always had sweets in her pockets to share. On Friday 9 August our Feast Day celebrations will continue with Kaboom Sports - Olympic theme games and Subway lunch fundraiser for Mary MacKillop Today. Families are invited to join us to watch their child/ren participate in Kaboom Sports and to join us for our Subway lunch and to bring along a picnic rug and take part in the day. More information will be sent home in the coming days about our Feast Day celebrations and events.
Student feedback
Student feedback is an important and valuable aspect of our teaching and learning cycle. Each week we ensure our student feedback is captured and celebrated in MMPS News on Wednesday mornings, in our newsletter and at assembly. It is an honour and privilege to work with such a dedicated staff who ensure our students, and their learning is our highest priority as well as our students’ progression along the learning continuum. We look forward to sharing our students feedback each week and to continue to celebrate their achievements. Here is the feedback for the last week of Term 2. Well done to all our students.
Fantastic start to all students on the start to Term 3! It’s been great to see across the levels how excited you are for the learning this term!
Great job Year 3 with your learning behaviours to start of the term and sharing ideas what more we could be doing in your learning.
Welcome back to all students. It is wonderful to see you walking through the gates, sharing your holiday experiences and ready to learn!
Student Learning Portfolios
Thank you to all students who have returned their Student Learning Portfolios ready to document and continue their learning journey throughout Term 3. Thank you also to parents who took the time to write feedback to their child on their Term 2 learning on the sheet provided in the Portfolios.
Staffing
Our warmest congratulations to Mrs Claire Giles on the safe arrival of Finn. We wish Claire and her family all the very best as they welcome their son and brother to Frankie. We warmly welcome Mrs Bec Fletcher who will be teaching Specialist Art in Semester Two for Students in Foundation to Year 4. We also welcome Mrs Gayanji Egan on Monday 29 July, who will be teaching the Tutor program to selected students from Monday to Wednesday for the remainder of the 2024 school year. Next week I will be on leave and Lize Privitera will be acting Principal in my absence.
Car Park
To ease traffic congestion & gridlock on Ernst Wanke Road at school pickup time, we are asking families to be mindful of the 'No queuing before 3.10pm' rules. Thank you to all those families who do the right thing by parking inbays prior to 3.10pm and not queuing up in the pickup lane. It really does make a difference!
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - Lize Privitera
Masses and Reconciliation celebrations
Parents and friends are welcome to join students when celebrating mass or reconciliation celebrations. Please refer to the Term 3 schedule.
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 First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. PARENT FORMATION NIGHT (Parents only) Thursday, July 25th and Wednesday, July 31st, 2024. Arrive at 6.45pm for a 7pm start Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Centre A $50 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 is open and will close on Monday, June 17, 2024, at 10:00am, and Friday, July 2, 2024, at 10:00am. For all enquiries, please contact our Sacrament Coordinator, Vea, by phone (03) 9704 7935 or email sacrament@olhc.org.au
The Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
Our Feast Day celebrations are fast approaching. A letter will be sent via PAM tomorrow to families outlining the forthcoming activities celebrating the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
A School Family Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady Help of Christians Church on Saturday 3rd August 2024 at 6.00pm. Students and families are invited to take on special roles for this Parish Mass. Students and their families are welcome to take an active role in the mass by being part of the Offertory procession, reading a prayer of the faithful or joining in a school choir. If you are interested please email lprivitera@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au A few families have sent in their expression of interest – a few more students are needed to read, be part of the choir and the Offertory procession. Send an email to secure your role!
Our whole school Mass will be celebrated on Thursday 8th August beginning at 9.00am in Allen Hall. Students are invited to wear clothes of Mary MacKillop’s time in celebrating and remembering our founding Saint. A family is invited to be part of the Offertory Procession during our school mass on Thursday 8th August. Please email lprivitera@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au if your family will be attending the school mass on this day and would like to participate in the Offertory Procession.
Further Feast Day activities are listed on the letter going home tomorrow via PAM.
Our Lady Help of Christians Parish News
Alpha 2
Parish 2024 Sacramental Booklet Link
Parish Bulletin Link
Parish Bulletin Linkhttps://olhc.org.au/parish-bulletin/
Parish Website Link
Our Lady Help of Christian Websitehttps://olhc.org.au/
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Mark 6:30-34
Jesus invites his disciples to rest after their ministry, and Jesus is moved with pity for the crowds who pursue them.
In next Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus talks about an activity that is important to do. Jesus’ disciples had just returned from preaching and healing the sick. Jesus told them to come with him to do something. What did he want them to do? Jesus and the disciples went off in a boat together, but the crowds followed them! Everyone wanted to see Jesus. When Jesus saw the crowd, his heart is moved with pity. In the Gospel, we learn that Jesus wanted his disciples to rest and relax after their work. Jesus also wants us to make time in our lives for rest and relaxation. Part of this time might be spent in prayer. Just as we need to set aside time for other activities and to plan for other important times in our week, we also need to plan for prayer. In prayer, Jesus renews and strengthens us to live as his disciples. When we pray, we can talk with Jesus about our own needs and the concerns we have for others. Just as Jesus was moved with pity when he saw the crowds, Jesus will hear us and respond with love when we bring these concerns to him in prayer.
Mental Health in Primary Schools, or MHiPS, is a partnership between the Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE) at the University of Melbourne.
The MHiPS Model comprises a Mental Health Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) role (an experienced educator) and an evidence-based training program. Lize Privitera has assumed the MHiPS role and members of the leadership team have embarked on the training program. The role of the MHWL is to build the capability of the whole school about mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention), provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs, establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress. Also, weekly information via the school newsletter will be communicated to the school community to keep parents informed of the latest evidence based strategies and current information on student’s mental health and wellbeing. Much of our current wellbeing information will now be included in this space.
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
Child Safe Policy
Child friendly version of Child Safe Policy (updated June 2022) Congratulations to our Year 6 Student Leaders on their creation of the student friendly version of the Child Safe Policy. This policy has been uploaded to our website. Child Safe page and can be found in the following link https://www.marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au/child-safety-standards
Parental Use of Mobile Phones (Privacy Laws)
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
Child Safe Resources to support Students, Parents/Carers
eSAFETY COMMISSIONER - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents.
FOR FAMILIES - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/parent-resources/online-safety-for-every-family
CCYP - Commission for Children and Young People https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/
SCHOOL TV - https://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news
BRAVEHEARTS - https://bravehearts.org.au/
WE ARE A HAPPY FAMILIES SCHOOL - Our school is subscribed to the Happy Families School Membership! Owned and run by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, the membership offers a wealth of parenting education and resources. We will regularly share resources available through our membership with you, including Insight Articles and Webinars. You can also access your resources at any time using the below URL (unique to our school) and password.
Unique URL - https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/mmnwn Password - happymmnwn
We recommend bookmarking this link. You should only need to put the password in once and the site will remember you.