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Welcome back
It is wonderful to have our students back to face to face learning after their two week period of Lockdown and Remote Schooling. We thank all our families for their resilience and support during this time and look forward to getting back into the routine of learning at school. Thank you to all families who returned the student Chrome books and the family chargers. The process to return the Chrome books to the charging carts began today. Please ensure all Chrome books and chargers are returned by tomorrow - thank you.
Curriculum and Student Learning
Attached to this edition of the newsletter is our Curriculum outline for Term 3 - Student Learning Overview. The Student Learning Overview outlines all Victorian Curriculum Learning Areas covered in our students’ learning this term along with Specialist lessons. If you have any questions relating to the Curriculum Overview, please contact your child’s class and/or specialist teachers.
We are in the process of rescheduling our Student Learning Conversations (Parent Teacher Interviews), based on the updated DOSCEL Permitted Activities list distributed yesterday. We will communicate the updates over the next few days.
Community Safety – COVID-19 Restrictions
In accordance with public health advice, all schools are required to apply density quotients of one person per four square metres in all areas of the school, except in areas used by students.
Therefore, parents are unable to attend assemblies, or assist with classroom activities, until restrictions are eased. Parents visiting on-site, are required to sign in using both the Government and School QR code. Face masks are to be worn at all times. Thank you for your understanding in helping us to keep our school community safe.
School Advisory Committee [SAC] Meeting - Tuesday 27 July and SAC AGM - Tuesday 31 August
The School Advisory Committee met on Tuesday 27 July via Google Meet. We went through all the past of Term 2 and the upcoming events for Term 3. In particular we will be holding our SAC Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 31 August at 7.00 pm.
Nomination forms for positions on the School Advisory Committee 2021 – 2022 are available from the Administration Office or you can request a nomination form via email frontdesk@marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au
The responsibilities of the School Advisory Committee are to:
- promote the Catholic ethos of the school
- provide feedback on and review of school policies
- plan for the future of the school and its ability to accommodate future enrolments
- provide advice on budget planning and finance-related matters
- contribute to the selection process for the school principal (when the position is advertised)
- provide advice on the appropriate provision of faith development and Religious Education programs
- promote child safety in the school
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Sacramental Program
Confirmation Enrolment Masses:
Parents who attended the online Confirmation enrolment night on 22nd July, your child’s workbook and enrolment forms have been distributed through the school. The enrolment forms are to be handed in by the candidate at one of the upcoming Parish Masses. Parents are reminded to book online at www.olhc.org.au to attend Mass. The booking code is 5xks8
Winter Appeal
Student representatives from Years 3-6 have worked together as members of the MacKillop Kids Group to organise this year’s Winter Appeal – this year our Appeal will focus on essential items in particular we will be collecting wipes and facial tissues. Your donations can be left in collection boxes in classrooms. We thank you in advance. The Appeal will run for the next two weeks.
Shanti Bhavan Children's Project
Tanisha Cowell has reached out to our School seeking support for an organisation in India which provides education and accommodation for children from poorer socio-economic situations. Please take the time to read her story. All donations can be sent to the School Office.
The Feast of Mary MacKillop- Thursday 5th August
The following whole school events are planned in line with DOSCEL permitted activities at the time. The following events are planned to celebrate on our feast day -
- Dress up with clothes/costumes representing Colonial Australia
- Due to DOSCEL permitted activities our Feast Day School Mass will be celebrated in the Chapel with a limited number of students in attendance. It is hoped that the Mass will be live streamed to the classrooms and recorded for families to view through ClickView.
- A special morning tea for students and staff- Old-Fashioned Scones with butter and jam. Please complete the permission notice sent via Operoo. Students without permission unfortunately cannot participate. Students with allergies are welcome to bring an appropriate alternative.
- Class/Level Fundraiser supporting Charity Mary MacKillop Today Education was close to Mary’s heart and she knew its power to lift communities out of poverty. To celebrate Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day, our School has been registered to conduct a fundraiser in support of the charity foundation Mary MacKillop today to give vulnerable children in Fiji access to early education. Each grade or level will conduct a fundraiser to support the charity close to our hearts. Visit the website Mary MacKillop Today for further information about their projects.
- Each student will be supplied with a small commercially produced palm size cross made from pine ply. These are able to be drawn/painted on by students. It is the shape and the line marking on these pieces which allows students to be creative in expressing the School’s story/Catholic identity. The provided crosses may be kept at school for use during prayer times and can be sent home for family use.
- A school family has kindly donated an iconic blue lollipop for each student – a huge thankyou to the Vena family. A lollipop has been provided for each student to take home at the end of the day. The following brief story is attached.
- St Mary of the Cross MacKillop is known for her habit of carrying sweets in her pocket to reward good effort in her students. Each child received a lollipop kindly donated by the Vena Family in the tradition of St. Mary MacKillop herself, who was known to dig deep into her pockets and offer sweets to the poor or orphaned children who otherwise never would have enjoyed lollies.
Term 3 Class/Level/School Mass and Reconciliation Celebrations:
The following schedule is planned for Term 3 and Term 4 pending Government restrictions and DOSCEL permitted activities:
Plenary Assembly Fan the Flame
Towards Plenary Assembly One October 2021
‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst.’ Matthew 28:16-20
The ethical and missionary implications of the Eucharist for the Church’s communion of faith will always be incomplete while the poor go hungry, for “we cannot properly receive the Bread of Life without sharing bread for life with those in want”.
(Pedro Arrupe, “Address prior to Eucharistic Congress 1976”, The Portal to Jesuit Studies, accessed 23 April 2021, https://jesuitportal.bc.edu/research/documents/1976_arrupeeucharist/.)
www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au/fantheflame/
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Sunday, August 1, 2021
John 6:24–35
Jesus teaches the crowds that he is the “bread of life.”
In next Sunday’s Gospel we hear that the people were seeking out Jesus because he had fed them with bread and fish (recall last week’s Gospel). Jesus tells the people that God gives them an even more wonderful gift. Jesus says that he will give them the gift of himself, that he is the bread of life. This is the gift that Jesus has given to us in the Eucharist.
WELLBEING
The drive, leadership and organisational skills of first-born children contributes enormously to society. Their perfectionism and conscientiousness makes them susceptible to anxiety, so positive wellbeing habits are essential.
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 Isuru Weliwatte 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.
こんにちは、
This week in Japanese, Grade 3 students learnt more about the Tokyo Olympics. They investigated the Olympic medals and Olympic torches and designed their own.
Fun fact: The Tokyo 2021 Olympic medals are made from recycled electronics!
