Our Explicit Improvement Agenda

Student Voice and Agency

Planning for improved student learning - key focus in Mathematics

Mary MacKillop School welcomed the 2025 Foundation students today. The students met Mrs Gabby Nicol and Mrs Claire Knight, their 2025 teachers, at the first of two orientation sessions. We are grateful to their teachers, education support officers, administrative staff, and Mrs Sally Lane for creating a warm, welcoming environment and making sure the first session was very well-organized. The students engaged in various classroom activities, made new friends, and spent the time getting to know their teacher and support staff.

Student feedback

An integral part of our cycle of teaching and learning is student feedback.  Every week, staff record and acknowledge feedback to students and this is shared with them in class and  via the school newsletter, at Assembly and in MMPS News on Wednesday mornings. Read on for this week’s feedback to students...

Congratulations to all Year 1 students on a super fun excursion to Scienceworks! You all represented Mary MacKillop very well by being respectful and responsible while away from school. 

Congratulations to the Girls' Cricket Team for competing at the regional level this week! It was wonderful to hear about the improvement in your skills since the last competition, as well as your heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Tim for his time, effort, and support. You’ve truly demonstrated the meaning of ‘GRATITUDE,’ as reflected in your thoughtful thank-you cards.

Great work to all Year 3 students for demonstrating respectful behaviours as we have been getting through assessments at this busy time of the term. 

Congratulations to the Year Fives for demonstrating the Mary MacKillop School Values while your teachers attended a Maths PD last Thursday and Friday! It was wonderful to receive such positive feedback from the CRT’s. Your actions reflect excellent leadership. Well done, Mrs. Butler and Mrs. Knight.

Well done to all the Year 6 boys when they had their sport lesson with Mr Tim and Mr Kippen. All the senior boys focused on how to play soccer safely and refereeing fairly .They all did an outstanding job!

Congratulations to 2-EM & 3-CN on their recent buddy Mass.  Fr Michael spoke with administration staff as he was leaving and told us how impressed he was with the childrens’ preparation, excellent reading and their respectfulness.  Well done all!

Thank you to the Year 5 students who helped with our 2025 Foundation Orientation session this morning.  They did a wonderful job looking after the new Foundies and making them feel welcome.  It was touching to see the gentleness shown.  As one Year 5 said afterwards when asked how he enjoyed his time with the new Foundies, “It was exquisite!”

2024 School Dates and events to the end of the 2024 school year

With so many events and activities planned for our students, the 2024 school year is coming to an end quickly. These final weeks of this semester will be extremely busy. To guarantee that you can participate in the events taking place, please make sure you take the time to review the dates and times, etc.

WHOLE SCHOOL COLOUR FUN RUN FUNDRAISER - Only one week away!!

Friday 22 November 2024

Important information will be coming home with each child tomorrow regarding this fundraiser, including full details of the day's schedule.

Remembrance Day         

On Monday 11th November student leaders  lead a Remembrance Day Prayer Service in classrooms.   Many thanks to the Year 6 students for their leadership and their manner in which they conducted the service honouring armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.  The Welcome Garden is a wonderful reminder of  honouring all Australians who have defended our nation and pay our respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.       

We also honour the memory of our friends and family members who have passed away. Families are invited to put a loved one's name on a card (provided at the school office) and attach it to a poppy as a gesture of remembrance.  Please email Lize Privitera if you are unable to make it to the School Office and you would like a card made up.

Term 4 Liturgies

Advent  Liturgies will be shared over the next four weeks. As a school we will begin prayer celebrations tomorrow Friday 15th November as outlined in the table below:

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Mark 13:24-32
Jesus teaches about the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. 

Our world is always changing. We see many changes throughout the year. We know spring is coming when we see buds in the trees. The days start to get longer, and the weather gets warmer as summer approaches. In next Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us about another change that will happen one day. He tells of signs that will let us know that change is coming. Many things in the world may change, but Jesus’ words to us and God’s love for us will never change.

Throughout Term 4 our Foundation students have spent time being Buddies to Expeditions Kindergarten students. The Foundies have taken their Buddy role very seriously, ensuring they are a great help to the younger students during Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) lessons. Not only is it special having excellent community connections, but also special watching our Foundies supporting others in a confident and successful way. Congratulations Foundies, your teachers are very proud of you!

We are looking forward to continuing sessions this term, and hope the Kinder students are enjoying PMP lessons as much as our students are.

The last few weeks have been a busy time in Physical Education at our school!

O.L.H.C PARISH SCHOOLS CUP

This event was started last year to encourage links between our three parish schools (MMPS, Trinity and Don Bosco) and for students to meet and form connections through sport with fellow students they could potentially be attending high school with.

After a successful inaugural year , MMPS once again hosted the day On October 31.

Our senior students did a wonderful job representing our school again . This year our school were premiers in all 5 sports , Soccer , Teeball, Tennis , Volleystars and Basketball and, as a result,  were winners of the Parish Cup. 

Thanks to all senior staff for their efforts and parent helpers and spectators .

GIRLS CRICKET 

Congratulations to the following senior students who competed in the girls T20 Blast Regional Finals on Tuesday - Emily L, Rachel V, Layla M, Tilly B, Alexandra J, Lattika K, Katya K and Ashlee J.

The girls progressed through all the stages to finish up yesterday one level from the state finals . This is an outstanding effort from a team made up mostly of grade 5 students , the majority of which have never played cricket before. This shows their willingness to learn and grasp new skills quickly, of which we are very proud of. 

All senior girls had the opportunity of attending a clinic on Monday also, run by the Melbourne Stars WBBL team, with players Hasrat Gill and Liv Henry attending promoting girls involvement in cricket and sport in general.

The senior boys participated in a soccer tournament on the same day at school.

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.  The latest weekly Insight Article: Soft Eyes.  See below:

https://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news

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