Mary MacKillop Catholic College | Mary MacKillop Catholic College

What do you remember about the September holidays when you were a child?

The structure of our school year at Mary MacKillop is pretty much a carbon copy of the past 50 years. There's a rhythmic pattern to the four terms/two semesters of Australian schools and the different events that are the bookends of the school activities. I know many community members will be watching excitedly to see who wins the finals of the AFL and the NRL - events that - for many Australians - define September in Australia. Our young cricketers will have their first net soon and the sounds, heat, sweat and sun of summer will soon be upon us.

When we return to the College on Tuesday, 6 October, we will only have nine full weeks of school left. Years 10 and 11 will only have eight weeks. And, of course, our graduating class will only have seven weeks. This is not much at all! I know that our senior class will be feeling a mix of nostalgia, excitement, worry, stress and fatigue. Although some have received early offers to university or employment, the exam period is still a challenging time. They are a wonderful group of young men and women though and I know their results will make us proud. I can remember studying during a lot of my September holidays in the heady days of 1992 so I hope they study as well.

In the second week of next term, we will begin the transition of our new Prep class and Moving On Up Day will be shortly after that. These are pretty exciting events from the perspective of a Principal. There aren't that many occasions where we get to be a part of something totally fresh and new - so I really look forward to meeting new families and students who come to us with a blank slate, ready to learn in our community and to be a part of our mission and witness.

As I have communicated elsewhere, we have waiting lists for Prep and Year seven for next year and very limited space in almost all other year groups. This largely a result of the community that you as parents and students have formed. I want to thank you all for the support of that community over the past three terms. Our teachers are already considering the awards recipients for next term, and I know this will not be straightforward. We really do have a rising tide in many of our classrooms and I am sure that a lot of students will be rightly celebrated. How wonderful that is!

I hope you and your family have a really restful, safe and rejuvenating break. Please take care - see you in October.

Mr Chris Gabbett
College Principal

You may have watched the movie, read the book or seen interviews with Danny Wallace – often referred to as the “Yes Man” as he spent a year of his life saying “yes” when previously he would have said “no”.

In the book/film the lead role spent most of his life saying no. No because it was too hard. No because it was too weird. No because it was out of the comfort zone. No because of how it ‘would look’ to others. No because there would be a cost – be it financial or reputational. He then goes to a seminar focusing on the power of saying “yes” – to everything.

Now, I am not advocating saying ‘yes’ to everything – decisions do need some discernment and consideration – but I strongly believe that we often find reasons not to do something rather than reasons for doing something or giving things a try. As an educator and a parent I find myself looking at our young people and reflecting on how many of them are “yes” people and how many are “no” people. As young people, they are probably in the best position of their lives to say “yes”. Time is more plentiful, responsibilities are lower, energy is higher, bodies are usually more compliant.

As a ‘kid’ they should be more spontaneous, open to new things and more curious – but that is not always the case. I am seeing all too often, our young people becoming more self-conscious, more inclined to reach for safety rather than adventure, and less open to opportunities that present themselves.

If you spoke with your child, how often have they said ‘yes’ to the following:

Trying out for a sport team?
Auditioning for an arts ensemble
Taking an active part in liturgy or mass – singing, playing, reading?
Volunteering at school?
Volunteering in the community?
Attending academic tutoring sessions at school?
Seeking nomination for leadership positions?
Attending voluntary catch up/ revision sessions?
Helping at open evenings or tours?
Exploring ‘headstart’ programs at University?
Exploring additional qualifications like the barista course?
Learning a new language?
Attending information sessions?
Fundraising such as ‘greatest shave’ or ‘out of the shadows’?
Completing non-mandatory homework?
Entering an Eisteddfod or public speaking competition?

This list is not exhaustive nor is it arbitrary. These are just a few examples of opportunities that were available to students at Mary MacKillop Catholic College in Term 3. In surveys run with Year 7-10 just this week we asked students about their participation.

Results from Year 10 (sample size 49)

Results from Year 9 (sample size 90)

Results from Year 8 (sample size 121)

Results from Year 7 (sample size 101)

Whilst the results show that many students ARE saying ‘yes’, they also demonstrate that the courage to participate and engage more so that students may enjoy “fullness of life” can be further encouraged and developed. The two areas I challenged students most about were attending tutorials and taking a more active role in mass, liturgy or assembly at the College because (a) students regularly talk to me about how they are finding work, exams, concepts challenging and (b) faith worship is at the very heart of our culture and identity as a Catholic College.

I thank the parents, staff, students and community members that work tirelessly to provide rich, affirming, developmental opportunities for our young people and I commend those young people who make the most of these wonderful experiences. I also encourage us all to keep looking out, seeking those that are hiding in the margins and do all we can to enable them to say “yes” and find those chances to shine, grow and learn.

Have a wonderful September holiday, stay safe and take care.

Mr Richard Coe
Deputy Principal

From mould to magnets, gummy bears to fertilisers, and everything in between, the MacKillop Centre came alive with curiosity, excitement and discovery on Wednesday evening as we hosted our annual Year 3-6 Science Fair.

Our 33 budding young scientists proudly showcased their investigations, findings and learning to members of our College community. For many weeks, students have been busy developing hypotheses, conducting experiments, recording observations and drawing evidence-based conclusions. Their enthusiasm, dedication and depth of knowledge were truly impressive.

The Science Fair was a wonderful celebration of the skills and dispositions we value so highly in our learners. Throughout the evening, students demonstrated confidence, courage, curiosity and resilience as they explained their investigations, responded thoughtfully to questions and shared their discoveries with others.

It was a joy to see students take such pride in their learning and watch their faces light up as they discussed their projects with visitors. Events such as these remind us that learning is not simply about finding the right answer; it is about asking questions, embracing curiosity, persevering when things do not go to plan and discovering something new along the way.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our supportive parent community for encouraging curiosity and fostering a love of learning in their children. We are also extremely grateful to the College PEN for their generous donation of the fantastic prizes, as well as to our dedicated staff and families who attended the evening and showed genuine interest in the students' work.

A very special congratulations goes to all 33 students who participated. Your hard work, enthusiasm and willingness to share your learning made the evening such a success. We also congratulate the students who received special recognition for their outstanding efforts and achievements.

Congratulations to our 2026 winners:

What a privilege it is to watch our young people question, investigate, discover and share. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of our budding scientists and look forward to seeing where their curiosity leads them next.

Who knows what amazing discoveries the future may hold?