Dear Mary MacKillop community - welcome back to our wonderful College.  I hope that you have come back rested, looking forward to the learning ahead, and ready for a really exciting year.  

I am sure all Australians are still in a slight state of shock by the summer we have experienced.  I certainly am.  It was a summer of extremes - of heat, of destruction, of anguish and at times of anger.  At the same time though, we saw the best of our communities, and there were equal extremes of compassion, fortitude, service and selflessness. 

One of the images that has stayed with me is of a collection of lyrebirds on a farm in New South Wales.  Lyrebirds are very singular and territorial - it is extremely rare to see more than two together.  As the fires drew near though, the birds all collected at one spot and stayed near to each other until the danger had passed.  It stands as a metaphor for how we ourselves respond to crisis.  So often, we stay alone, looking after our own patch, until there is a risk to ourselves or a risk to others.  That so many people locally and internationally have acted to support Australia is a real blessing, and we should pray that seasons like this are not indeed our 'new normal'.  We should also pray for the people who have to revive farms, businesses and towns now that the fires are being slowly extinguished.  

Thank you very much to the parents and students who attended the Welcome gathering on Tuesday.  The event clearly worked as a rain dance, as the weather offered a challenge!  Regardless, those who attended heard a consistent message regarding the academic and wellbeing focus of Mary MacKillop Catholic College for 2020.  The clear direction from my desk is high aspiration, positive learning, outstanding behaviour and no excuses.  We have our first year twelve in 2020, and the offering of a full suite of ATAR subjects.  Our inaugural year twelve class will be beacons for us, and my vision is that their attainment will be exceptional.  

The culture of positive learning that I want throughout the College cannot just start in senior though.  Mr Albion told senior parents on Tuesday of the Wellbeing element of the College, which incorporates student behaviour.  Part of this is codifying and celebrating the types of behaviour that we want to see.  We reward these under the banners of 'Heads', 'Hearts', and 'Hands'.   EVERY student in our College can receive awards - because they are given for excelling - and we want our students to aspire.  

We will also be submitting a grant bid for the next stage of our building by the end of June.  This is really pleasing.  The senior College is ready for a significant investment that better supports the learning of students, the aesthetics of the site, and the stewardship of the wider College.  I have already asked a year eleven student to lead a student stakeholder group so that the College community can contribute to ideas.  Parents will be consulted via the P and F in the first instance.  

I have asked Mr Naiker to seek expressions of interest for a European trip in 2021.  Please do look out for that in this newsletter.  As we will be offering Modern History and Italian in the senior College, I feel it appropriate that we begin to look at biannual trips to Europe to access immersion.  

Thank you again for your continued support.  I wish you the very best for 2020.

We had a lot of activity around the College over the Christmas break. You'll notice that 77 Highfields Road was turfed and looks great with the gorgeous rain we've been receiving, in addition to the supply of water from our bore. We are waiting on final council approval before throwing open the gates to our Junior students to enjoy.

You'll note we have not started any work on the promised Sports Oval between the MacKillop Centre and Ignatius Centre. This too is stuck in town planning and we await council approval before we can turn soil.  

The Junior school continued with updating of paint and fascia repairs in the Prep classrooms. The normal carpet cleaning and pest control took place over the break, and our grounds team were kept busy keeping our gardens tidy and lawns mowed.

2020 sees Mary MacKillop approach a BGA application year with our expanding enrolments in our Senior school desperately requiring more space and learning areas. On the agenda is a potential extension to our Science labs, Senior library and an Arts/Music/Drama hub. Watch this space!

We have engaged an architect as we look at further developing our College Master Plan to look at bringing together the Junior and Senior schools, meeting the growing demand for classrooms and specialist learning areas in the Senior school, whilst addressing our traffic management and sustainability agendas. If you'd like to be part of these discussions, keep an eye out for our community consultations which will be part of this plan. We value your ideas, comments and feedback.

Did you know we've completed a school traffic management plan to increase safety in our community?

The plan is a tool schools use to identify and address traffic management issues to ease congestion, streamline pick-up and drop off periods and create safer school streets.

Please read the attached College Traffic Procedures document carefully to understand all of the procedures for parking, drop off and pick-up on the College grounds for parent and student drivers.

Look out! Program cards can be collected at either the College Administration or Junior school reception. Drivers can use these cards to display their family name on the vehicle visor to speed up the pick-up process.

School photos will be taken by advancedlife and are scheduled for Monday, 17 February.  All students must be in their formal uniform, shoes polished, hair neat and tidy and boys cleanly shaven.

Catch-up day: Tuesday, 18 February

All orders are online and can be purchased by clicking here.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• A sibling photograph will not be taken without an order.
• Sibling photographs can only be taken of children enrolled at the school
• Sibling photos will be taken before school
• Photos will be returned for distribution approximately six weeks after photos are taken

Orders for Sibling photos close 16/02/20. No orders accepted after this date.

Orders for all other photos close 27/02/20. Late fees/additional charges will be applied for purchases after this date.

Advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to Mary MacKillop Catholic College for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money-back guarantee on our products, for your peace of mind, and are also here to resolve any issues you may experience to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience, please contact us at: enquiries@advancedlife.com.au

Mary MacKillop Catholic College contact person is Leander Kennedy, email: leander.kennedy@twb.catholic.edu.au

Welcome back to the start of a new Teaching and Learning Journey for 2020!

In the Teaching and Learning space this year the focus is ‘Planning for Personalised Learning’. What exactly is this? Simply put, it is when teachers focus on student learning. Of course it is anything but simplistic!

Planning for Personalised Learning is………

• An approach to curriculum and instruction that systematically takes student differences into account.
• A response to the differences in students’ current and developing levels of readiness, their learning profiles and their interests.
• A teacher’s response to the diverse learning needs of his/her students.

The success of Planning for Personalised Learning comes when students achieve more in the classroom and they become more involved in classroom discussions, smile more during school days, and even score higher on various assessments.

In order to better meet the needs of individual students, teachers analyse student data. This analysis informs the teaching and learning direction for the individual.

Planning for Personalised Learning allows teachers to meet the needs of the whole child, (Academic Support, Social Emotional Support and Behavioural Support). It is important to note that Planning for Personalised Learning is not just for the child who finds an area of the curriculum or school day challenging, it is also for the high achieving student.

An easy way that parents can support their child/ren at home is to use positive Growth Mindset Language. Having a growth mindset is just as important for the child who excels as it is for the child who faces challenges.

I would like to share with you four principles that will shape the teaching and learning in the Senior School.

1. Culture of No-Excuses:

Successful teachers have high internal benchmarks, they set their expectations high, and try to exceed them. Effective teachers do not make excuses as to why a particular child did not grow in their learning. Rather, they hold themselves and their students accountable for how they are performing.

2. High Quality Learning in Every Classroom:

Effective teachers engage students in active learning. They make their expectations for high-quality work very clear and provide constant feedback that helps students improve as they continuously revise their work toward the established standard. While this happening, effective teachers build positive relationships by getting to know their students. They find out about their strengths, weaknesses, fears and their dreams. Finally, effective teachers involve parents in the learning process and help create strong connections between home and school, so that students have fewer obstacles.

3. Professional Learning Teams (PLTs):

This year, teachers will meet in small groups (PLTs) to share ideas to enhance their teaching practice and create a learning environment where all students can reach their fullest potential. There will be a focus on Literacy, Learning Support, Digital Pedagogy and Wellbeing. During these sessions, teachers will look at all the available data and implement changes that will improve the academic outcomes for all our students.

4 . Learning Non-Negotiables:

All of our lessons will contain:

• Planning for Personalised Learning (Our students learn at different speed)
• Learning Intentions (Main focus of the lesson)
• Success Criteria (How will I know my students have achieved?)
• Effective Pedagogy (What are the best ways to teach this to my students?)
• Feedback (How can we improve this work?)

2020 will be a significant year as we will see our first group of Year 12 students graduate. I look forward to sharing with you success stories of our students throughout the year.

This year we welcome a number of new staff to the senior school STEM team including Mrs Julie Brophy, Mrs Rebecca Vichie, and Ms Rebecca Manners.  Each of these exceptional educators bring a wealth of knowledge and genuine industry experience to their classrooms.  In the junior school we will see technologies rotations begin to enrich student experiences in the Digital Technologies learning area.

Planning for a range of student enrichment activities has begun in earnest with a number of excursions being prepared in the STEM area.  Watch this space and your emails for further information as these events are finalised.

In the technologies learning area we are incorporating a range of new equipment into our design areas with a laser cutter and a number of large heavy-duty 3D printers in the senior school.  Planning is underway to embed a Makerspace within the Junior School Library (with a range of Lego EV3 robotics and 3D printers in the junior school).

Welcome back and I hope that all families enjoyed the break and are ready to commence the new year.

As a new teacher to the College, I look forward to being a part of the Mary MacKillop community and working amongst a group of dedicated and enthusiastic staff and students.

This year we have excellent teachers in the junior and senior college who shall work with students. The staff in the humanities department this year are Mrs Quinlan, Mrs Vichie, Mr Naiker, Miss Murdoch, Mrs Niemeyer, Mrs Langarek and Mr Connolly.

I look forward to working with your children during the year.

Megan Puhaka - Middle Leader Arts, Hass, LOTE

2020 is gearing up to be an exciting year in the English classrooms across the College. Our dedicated members of the English department, Tim Connolly, Shannon Quinlan, Kate Murdoch and Leisa Radley provide high quality teaching and learning in all lessons through the implementation of explicit learning intentions and success criteria which allows for effective pedagogy to empower all students in their classes. Each week, in Year 7 to 9, students have a 'skill-based lesson' where they learn, develop and implement some of the fundamental and essential skills that underpin the way they write and comprehend texts. 

Across the College The Reading Improvement Strategy (RIS) is in full swing. In the Senior College there are three strands to the RIS:

1. Tier 2 words of the week: Every Monday during PC students in Year 7, 8 and 9 are exposed to two new Tier 2 words. With the help of their PC teachers and the students in Years 10, 11 and 12 they engage in activities to develop their understanding of the words. Tier 2 words are high frequency words that appear across a range of KLAs. Throughout the week teachers expose students to these words in a range of different contexts. 
2. Comprehension strategies: All staff in the Senior College have received professional learning on a range of comprehension strategies which they then implement into their own teaching and learning. Miss Rebecca Morgan is a valuable asset in the development of reading improvement in the College. Her role this year is to work closely with teachers in a team teaching and coaching role and continue supporting all staff with the implementation of these strategies.
3. Read Aloud: Every Friday in PC the teacher reads aloud, as an expert reader, to their PC in which they expose students to new vocabulary, promote a culture of reading for enjoyment and allow for rich and valuable discussion around themes and concepts raised in the text they're reading. 

My challenge for all students this year is to pick up a book, whether it be a fiction or non-fiction, dedicate some time each day and escape into the world of Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen or become inspired by what made Jonathon Thurston or Elysse Perry the people they are today.

I, along with the rest of the English department, look forward to working with you all this year. 

Instrumental Music

Mary MacKillop Catholic College offers instrumental music lessons for the following instruments:

• Woodwind: Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Saxophone
• Brass: Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba
• Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello• Guitar: Acoustic, Electric and Bass
• Percussion: Drums
• Keyboard: Piano
• Voice

Our instrumental music teachers are all excellent in their field. If you are interested in your child attending instrumental music instruction please contact me.

We have had a great start to the year with some of our visiting teachers beginning this week and some scheduled for next week.

Some sad news from Janelle Fletcher greeted us this year. She is so in demand that she can no longer fit us in her schedule. We would like to thank her for all the time and effort that she has put into our students and their musical journeys. She will be missed.

I would also like to welcome to the instrumental music team Mrs Sandra (Sandy) Maughn. Sandy is an excellent woodwind teacher and has a lot of teaching experience in Crow’s Nest and Highfields. She also is a member of the High Country Community Band where she shares her expertise with beginning band players.

Mary MacKillop Catholic College also offers the following ensembles:

• Junior String Ensemble – Friday 8:00am in the Large Music Studio (MacKillop Centre)
• Senior String Ensemble – Friday 7:30 am in the Large Music Studio (MacKillop Centre)
• Concert Band – Currently on a hiatus as we build the experience of our Brass and Woodwind students.
• Guitar Ensemble – Monday 7:45 to 8:25 am in the Large Music Studio (MacKillop Centre)
• Year 2/3 Choir – Wednesday, First break. Students bring their lunch to Condamine (all are welcome)
• Year 4/5/6 Choir – Tuesday 7:30 am in Condamine (classroom closest to the road and the MacKillop Centre). All are welcome.
• Senior School Choir- Thursday 7:30am in the Senior School Music Room. All are welcome.

Sing Out

Sing Out is a non-competitive Choral Festival for upper primary school choirs, held once every two years, in our beautiful Empire Theatre in Toowoomba. The festival is run over three days, however each choir attends one day only. The day program consists of choral workshops with a guest conductor and individual choir performances. The highlight of the festival is the spectacular Sing Out Concert each evening, which showcases individual choirs and culminates with a massed choir of every student involved.

I have been involved in Sing Out since 2002. It is a spectacular event and every student that participates enjoys an amazing experience. As do the parents who attend the concert. The massed choir is breathtaking. If your child has any interest in singing and is in Year 4, 5 or 6, I would encourage them to join choir and be a part of this festival.

Choral Eisteddfod

The 2/3 Choir will be attending the Toowoomba Eisteddfod in May and will get the experience of performing on stage at the Empire Theatre. It has been decided that the Year 4/5/6 choir will not perform at the Eisteddfod because of the commitment of Mary Poppins and Sing Out.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you require any information about the above music opportunities at Mary MacKillop Catholic College.

The College is planning to visit Italy, France, England and Germany during the September school holidays in 2021. The trip will reflect the History and Language curriculum taught at MMCC. At this stage, the trip is offered to students in Year 10-12 in 2021. If you are interested in your child attending this amazing trip, please send your expression of interest to kris.naiker@twb.catholic.edu.au

Welcome back to another fun-filled year of learning, discovering new information and of course, reading. Hopefully the holidays provided you with some opportunities to share stories with your children and discover new titles and authors.

All Junior classes (Prep to Year 6) resume Library borrowing this week and it has been lovely to see students browsing the shelves in search of old favourites and new discoveries. A special welcome to our new Prep students who were excited to learn that the Junior Library offers not just a wide variety of picture and information books, but also lunchtime activities such as Boardgames, Drawing, Colouring and Lego.

Students and parents are able to access the Library database online to search for resources, view new items and read about upcoming events.

Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, and without judgement. Grounded in science, mindfulness can support relaxation and emotion regulation. Additionally, mindfulness has been found to reduce worries, anxiety, and distress; create a sense of calm; improve sleep and energy levels; improve concentration and productivity; enhance awareness and creativity; and support the development of empathy and connectedness.

Specific to the school context, regular mindfulness practice has resulted in better emotion and behavior regulation, better academic performance, lower depression and anxiety scores, and better social skills compared to students who did not practice mindfulness.

Based on the evidence outlined above and the College's ongoing commitment to student wellbeing as we collaborate with parents and guardians to educate the whole-child, the Mindful Zone will commence next week.

The Mindful Zone will run during first break at different times throughout the week for Prep - Year 2, Year 3 - Year 6, and Senior students. This will be an optional space for students to attend and engage in a number of mindfulness-based activities, to learn strategies that can support their capacity to calm/regulate, and to connect with fellow peers.

Information was sourced from www.smilingmind.com.au

Located within our College Wellbeing Framework there is a section entitled processes and procedures - consequences for unacceptable behavior. The behavior support process is part of these procedures.

The aim of the behavior support process at Mary MacKillop Catholic College is to have a clear and consistent process to manage student behavior in a fair and just manner for every student. The behavior support process ensures all parties are supported and the learning environment continues to maintain our College expectations:

• Be Safe
• Be Respectful
• Be a Learner

The behavior support process is used to support students who display disruptive behaviors. Disruptive behavior infringes on the rights of students to learn and teachers to teach. At MMCC someone disrupts when they interrupt the learning of others and or the teacher; also, when they create a safety hazard for themselves or others. If disruptions continue after a teacher has used good classroom management techniques (10ESCM attached), the teacher will use the behavior support process.

This is done by using basic questions to highlight to the student what they are doing and redirecting their focus to what they should be doing. If this occurs a 2nd time in a lesson the students will be referred to behavior support at First Break to work with the behavior support teacher. (Mr Albion or Mr Chivers)

The idea behind questioning a student on what they are doing is to help students look within themselves and compare their choices with the expectations of wherever they are, and to decide whether their ways of handling themselves are violating the rights of others within that environment. The questioning is as simple as-

What are you doing?

What should you be doing?

What will happen if this behavior continues?

Everywhere our students will go in life, there will be expectations, rules, standards, and procedures. Their purpose is simple: they provide guides for how we should act to accomplish our goals without in any way interfering with others who are trying to achieve their goals. This is how all of us can live in harmony with each other. The aim of referring students to behaviour support is to support students to respect the rights of others within the classroom. If they respect the rules of wherever they are, they shouldn’t negatively impact on others. Whether it is on a football field, in a public forum, at work, at a restaurant, while driving, or in a school, the purpose of rules remains the same.

The process of behavior support is derived from the RTP (Responsible Thinking Process) and focuses on the way students think rather than the way they behave. If you want to teach students to behave responsibly, you must first teach them to think responsibly. Other forms of discipline which may have benefits in the short term tend to focus on changing a student’s behavior without addressing their thinking. By focusing on reordering a student’s thinking we can get away from focusing on a student’s action and move to a higher order of thinking on which our college expectations are based; the dignity of the human person and respect for another’s rights.

If your child receives a referral to behavior support this is an opportunity for them to reflect on their choices and make a plan to address this behavior when they return to the classroom or playground.

Please contact me if you would like any further information about the behavior support process. 

Welcome back everyone and welcome to the new families who have joined our College. As we begin the school year, it is important for all families to know that the work we do with students in 'Wellbeing' is guided by our College Wellbeing Framework. This framework outlines what everyone's responsibilities are, how we support all students, along with the processes we follow. The framework is located on our College web page under 'About Us/Policies and Reports'. I encourage you to have a look at this to gain a deeper understanding of how your child is being supported at school. There are also a range of initiatives in the Junior College supported by a team of people. 

Who's on the Wellbeing team?

Bridget Rillie- Assistant Principal Junior School: Wellbeing

Sean Albion- Assistant Principal Senior School: Wellbeing

Kate Carroll- Middle Leader

Stephen Coren- Middle Leader

Dr Jasmin Slack-Smith- College Counsellor

Khara Saunders- College Counsellor

Merit System

At the beginning of Week 3, each classroom will begin to implement the College Merit System. In the Junior school, children earn Joey points by working towards 'Positive Learning Behaviours'. Each fortnight in Prep and Year One, and each week in Years Two - Six, a new positive learning behaviour is focused on. These behaviours are designed to encourage your child to become an independent learner, be resilient, use a growth mindset and to take responsibility for themselves. We use the language- Head, Heart and Hands (see image). These words connect to our College Charism and the work of Mary MacKillop and the Josephite Sisters. 

What's Coming Up?

February 28 - Prep students and all new students in the Junior school will receive their house badge on assembly. All families are welcome to attend.

March 20- The National Day of Action Against Bullying Junior School activities.

I do hope your child/ren have had a positive start to the 2020 school year. If you have any concerns regarding your child/ren, please ensure you make contact with the classroom teacher either through email or by making an appointment to see them

Thank you to everyone who attended our whole College Commencement mass last Friday.  Please note that future masses are in the College calendar both on the app and in printed form that went home last week with students.  You are always welcome and we encourage you to celebrate with us.

(St)"Mary MacKillop embodied all that is best in your nation and its people:  Genuine openness to others, hospitality to strangers, generosity to the needy, justice to those unfairly treated, perseverance in the face of adversity, kindness and support to the suffering.  Think of Mother Mary MacKillop and learn from her to be a gift of love and compassion for one another, for all Australians and for the world."  Pope John Paul II, Sydney, 1995. 

The question that we are asking ourselves is how does this happen in our school?  How do we show genuine openness? hospitality? generosity? justice? perseverance? To those around us but more importantly to the strangers we encounter? those who need it the most?  These are big questions that we shall be exploring with staff and students throughout the year with staff meetings, retreats and other student activities.

We have started this year well and I look forward to meeting families throughout the year and certainly getting to know all students.  Your students are our focus and this is evident in the following aspects: a) Our College focus of 'No excuses' culture will build students resilience through goal setting; b) All Religion units will have explicit teaching of knowledge and skills associated with the year level.  c) Lessons will also have the non-negotiables that are consistent across our College - Learning intentions and success criteria, high yield strategies that include formative assessment.  Religion is an academic subject that demands that same focus as all other learning areas to ensure that all students achieve.

This year, we welcome Mrs Leisa Radley to our team as the Director of Formation for our College and so we look forward to Leisa's support of the spiritual development for our students and staff. 

We look forward to getting to you know you and your students this year.  I leave you with this reflective quote that comes from one Mary MacKillop's letters - "I entreat you, my dearly loved ones to forgive from your hearts." 1890  (https://www.sosj.org.au/resources/marys-spirituality/daily-reflections/wednesday/ )

Greetings! My name is Leisa Radley and I am excited to be the new Director of Formation at Mary MacKillop Catholic College. For the past three years, I was situated at St. Mary’s College where I taught Study of Religion, Religious Education and both Junior and Senior English. Prior to St. Mary’s, I was a teacher and Curriculum Leader for Religious Education at St. Joseph’s College, Toowoomba. Having been a student at Catholic schools in Brisbane and then an educator at various Catholic Education schools in Brisbane and Toowoomba, I am motivated to share some of my own story of what it means to be at a Catholic school with the students of Mary MacKillop Catholic College.

During our staff week at the beginning of this term, we considered the Mission of the College and our Josephite charism – a spiritual gift that we can give to our community. Mary MacKillop and her mentor, Father Julian Tenison Woods, were not only loyal to their Church. They were radical in their trust in God, they were courageous and willing to risk failure and they were ready to act on the urgent needs of their community.

A great example of such consideration for community and working towards a Common Good is the Actioning Mary MacKillop Advocacy (AMMA) group who, last year, collaborated to fundraise and arrange care packages for other schools in the Toowoomba diocese. With this in mind, continue to watch this space for Formation news and service opportunities! It is my hope this year to affirm a culture in which students do not just learn about religion and our Josephite values in their classroom, but one which inspires our students to bear witness to their faith by modelling justice and compassion in all they do. This is especially timely for our current Year 11 Religion and Ethics students who will be the first group at MMCC to engage in the Praxis – Living Water program in 2021.

Following the College Commencement Mass last Friday, I spoke to my Year 11 and Year 12 Study of Religion classes about the unique opportunity they have, as the first seniors of Mary MacKillop Catholic College, to unleash their potential and shape the narrative of MMCC. In 2020, we want Mary MacKillop Catholic College to be a place of ‘no excuses’, where students feel empowered to be courageous and ready – just like Jesus’ mother Mary – to say ‘yes’ to God and ‘yes’ to the opportunity to serve. After all, we are a Christ-centred, educational community – engaging minds, igniting hearts and serving others. I look forward to working with your children this year, as we continue to form the identity of our College.

The decision to cancel the carnival on Wednesday was not taken lightly. The forecast and radar images hinted that there would be consistent showers and high winds throughout the day. The welfare of staff and students is always in our thinking when planning events. On a positive note, student interest in the carnival was significantly higher than last year, with many students electing to compete in competitive races.

New arrangements will be advertised once they have been made.

11 February 2020

10-12 yrs IDZ Swimming selection trials, Pittsworth

DD 16-19 yrs Boys Cricket Regional Trials

12 February 2020

TCPSSA 9-12 yrs Swimming Carnival, Dalby Aquatic Centre

13 February 2020

13-19 yrs DD Multi-sport Cluster Day 1

19 yrs Softball

13-19 yrs Tennis

15 & 18 yrs Touch Football

15 & 19 yrs Volleyball

23 February 2020

Laura Geitz Shield Netball (Years 7-9)

25 February 2020

10-12 yrs IDZ AFL selection trials

26 February 2020

13-19 yrs IDZ Selection Trials Cluster Day 2

Do you play club Rugby Union? Are you aged 13 to 17? Do you want to show your leadership by serving others in your community? Do you think you could be a mentor?

What is it all about?

The Modified Rugby Program (MRP) focuses on creating an inclusive community where boys, girls and young adults with Autism, Asperger’s, and learning and perceptual disabilities have the opportunity to be involved in sports-related clubs, communities and activities.

How can you I involved?

Player Mentors are currently sourced for two existing partner Rugby Clubs in Toowoomba. If we receive some interest, we will be able to link Mary MacKillop Catholic College to the Redbacks Rugby Club to fulfill the same for their 2020 MRP Season. (For 2020 we would only be seeking 4 or 5 students, with greater numbers in 2021).

Why is this a great opportunity for me?

The MRP will give you the opportunity to share your love and talent for Rugby Union with the community, to support another student who has difficulties. 

How can I find out more?

Access the following links:

Ten News Reports on MRP

Rugby Australia #PartOfMore Series

Creating #Bondsthatwontbreak Through the Modfied Rugby Program (MRP)

I'm interested! Who should I contact?

Find or email Mrs Radley, Mr Albion or Mr Griffiths.

• leisa.radley@twb.catholic.edu.au
• sean.albion@twb.catholic.edu.au
• brad.griffiths@twb.catholic.edu.au

The 2019/2020 season continues this term with all teams playing last week. It is vital that all registered players fulfill their commitments to their team. If for any reason your child is unable to play, please email Mr Griffiths - brad.griffiths@twb.catholic.edu.au so that alternate arrangements can be made if necessary.

Due to some coaching changes, all Under 10 players will be welcome to attend the training sessions held at 3:15pm on the AFL Oval on Wednesday afternoons. These sessions will be facilitated by College staff.

Mary MacKillop will be hosting an Aussie Hoops program for students in Years 1-6 this term. This activity will not be organised by the College and all questions should be directed to Aussie Hoops. Please see attached flyer for details.

The Peak2Park is great community event which encourages all to be active within our community. It attracts runners from across the community, companies & school teams.

There will be a 4 km or 10 km course to choose from, and these are open to walkers, recreational runners or the serious athlete.

This will be a great way to develop our active school community for 2020. Please find attached an entry form and further information.

The College will have a number of staff running on the day, so feel free to join us for some huff and puff for a great cause.

Welcome!!

The P&F Committee of Mary MacKillop would like to welcome back all of our previous students and families and welcome new students and families, especially the gorgeous Preppies, to the 2020 school year.

The P&F's main role at Mary MacKillop is to be the voice of the parents or carers of the students. Every member of the College community is also a member of the P&F. Your child's education and wellbeing at school is a partnership between the school and parents or carers and your voice matters. The aim of the P&F is to enhance the day to day life of the students whilst at school.

Upcoming events this year that the P&F are involved in are the Mary MacKillop Feast Day College Celebrations, World Teacher's Day, Junior School Disco and Senior School Event.

The P&F Executive meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month at 7pm in the Junior School Staff Room and this is an opportunity to come along and find out what is happening or planned to happen in the school through the Principal's Report, find out what events the P&F are involved in, how the P&F levies are being spent to assist the students, how you can help and be an active member of the P&F and to come and have you ideas and opinions heard.

First Meeting for 2020

Tuesday, 11 February at 7pm

Junior School Staff Room (behind the Junior School Office)

Everyone - parents, carers and students - are welcome to attend.

Current Executive Committee members are:

President - Leanne Andrews

Vice President - Bec Lopez

Treasure - Joanne Maloney

Secretary - Jodine O'Connor

Special Committee Members - Emma Ehrlich and Naomi Preston.

Notifications about the meetings, agenda items, minutes of previous meetings and notifications of events are sent out via the College Newsletters, School App and the P&F Facebook Page.

To contact the P&F directly, please email HIGPandF@twb.catholic.edu.au or send us a message through our Facebook Page. We hope that you have a fantastic 2020 at Mary MacKillop Catholic College.

Healing Hands

Healing Hands is a group that supports families in need of extra care through the provision of meals.  

Healing Hands is supported financially by P&F and by the Mary MacKillop community through donations of meals.  When stocks are low, requests are generally sent out via the school app or the Healing Hands Facebook Page. If you know of a family in need, please email healinghandsmmcc@gmail.com

Welcome to the new school year!

A very warm welcome to everyone, and a special welcome to families new to the school and our program.
 
At Camp Australia, we provide an engaging and supportive outside of school hours space for children to play, connect, learn and grow. We work together with your school community to deliver a tailored program that is designed to bring out the very best in each individual child. Creating a unique place where children can practice real-life skills in a fun, exciting environment that challenges them to succeed. In our sessions, children will be provided with a healthy snack while given time to relax, socialise with friends and learn some life skills along the way. Come to the OSHC room to meet the friendly team and discover how we can help your family.

It’s FREE to Register. 

To attend our program, you must register your child. You can register an account with us at pp.campaustralia.com.au/account/login. Once registered, it’s easy to make bookings and manage your booking options online via our parent portal. If eligible, to help you with the cost of child care, you may be entitled to receive the Australian Government Child Care Subsidy. Visit my.gov.au to find out more.

Program Details 

For more information on our service and fees, visit our website www.campaustralia.com.au. If you prefer to speak to us, you can contact our Customer Care Team, available to support families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - except for National Public Holidays. Alternatively, you’re welcome to visit us in service and chat with our qualified Educators about the Camp Australia program at your child’s school.
 
We look forward to seeing you and your family soon!
From the Team at Camp Australia

A wonderful way for our College community to support our parish is through participation at Mass. If you have made your first Communion and you are willing to assist as an altar server it would be lovely to hear from you. It doesn’t matter if you have not served before; it is not hard to learn at all. It is hoped that there will be a rota of servers to support, so you may only be needed once every 5 or 6 weeks. This is open to all students at Mary MacKillop Catholic College. Please contact Mr Gabbett if you are willing to serve our community in this way.

Attention parents, teachers, staff and friends! 

Do you feel like you need the Dummy’s guide to public speaking? Or that your self-confidence could use a boost? 

Highfields Toastmasters Club is hosting an open house in February so come along and find out how we can help you with your communication and leadership goals. Our fun and relaxed atmosphere is the perfect incubator where you can learn how to reduce your nerves when speaking, how to give and receive effective feedback and just what to do with your hands when speaking. Join us at Mary MacKillop Catholic College at 6:15pm on Wednesday, 26 February to check out our program and members.