Mr Gabbett as photographed by Feast Day Photography Students.
Today, we have celebrated the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
As a growing P-12 College, we have been deepening our understanding of what it means to walk in the footsteps of St Mary MacKillop. We have been encouraging all students throughout the College to reflect on her example and think of ways that they can model partnership, perseverance, passion, search for possibilities, support others through practical action and find resolve and peace through prayer. The world of children today is dominated by other noises and priorities and we have to work hard to show them the worth of a focus on doing things that support the person beside them.
St Mary's example presents a strong challenge to me personally. In a challenging time, she walked the talk. As a leader, she was resolute in supporting others, even if it meant weakening her own position. She had many moments of strength but genuine heartache too. I cannot imagine the pain she would have felt during the period of her excommunication, when she must have felt so many forces combined against her.
We still have many of her letters, which show a correspondence with her fellow nuns based in compassion, warmth and a deep and shared faith. In our busy lives, we find it too easy to forget to check in - but she did so continuously and selflessly. She had complete focus on getting recognition from the Pope for her order which showed vision and strength. His decision to support the Sisters of St Joseph gave our country a wonderful gift - the thousands of nuns who established schools all over - but particularly in the regions.
Today, her charism stays alive with us and, we hope, maintains a desire to walk alongside the vulnerable, the weak and the needy. We carry her message today.
Chris Gabbett College Principal
Arts in the Park
Join us for the second year of Arts in the Park at Mary MacKillop Catholic College.
When: Friday, 2 September 2022
Where: Mary MacKillop Catholic College, Highfields QLD
What's on: Music, Dance and Instrumental Performances, Art Exhibit, Food Stalls, Busking and so much more!
As a part of the build up to Arts in the Park we will be releasing new competitions and information about amazing guest entertainment, so make sure to keep an eye out in our newsletters and on social media for the latest updates - like the below competition.
Staff Profile: Matt Rohde
Your official role at the College: ICT Support Officer
What does a typical day really look like:
My days are not very typical, any amount of different issues can crop up at any time. In my first two weeks we had a bout of broken student devices that needed replacements and warranty claims. Some days are quieter than others but there is always something to do or something to fix.
Primary School attended: I attended Rangeville State School for Year 1 to 3 and then St. Thomas More's Primary School from Year 4 to 7.
Secondary School attended: I graduated from St. Joseph's College Toowoomba in 2018.
What do you like about working at Mary MacKillop?
Working at Mary MacKillop has been awesome, the staff and students are kind and friendly, and the scenery quiet and peaceful.
What are your hobbies/Interests?
I like to build and collect Lego models, I used to be an avid PC and Console gamer but with work and social commitments I log on maybe once a fortnight, I've just started a small vinyl collection (mostly stuff from the 70's and 80's) and I am a huge Dungeons & Dragons, and Magic: The Gathering nerd.
Other interesting facts about yourself or anything else you would like to share with the MM community:
Previously I worked at KFC for 6 years as a Shift Supervisor, I'm the eldest of four boys, and I like to rock out to music from the 70's and 80's.
Mary Mac Meals
Mary Mac Meals are freshly prepared meals from our College Chef, perfect to take home and feed the family after a long day at work!
Please click on the below link to see our menu, and place your order!
The 'Couldn't Do It Without You' Award for 2022, featuring Shayne Cleary, Emma Ehrlich, Carla Adams and Rowena Voll.
Each year the PPF acknowledges a member of our parent community who goes above and beyond to support the College in all its endeavours.
During our Feast Day Mass, Emma Ehrlich was awarded the 'Couldn't Do It Without You' Award by PPF Co-Chairs, Shayne Cleary and Rowena Voll along with PPF member, Carla Adams.
Congratulations Emma...we couldn't do it without you!
Mission & Identity
Living in Faith and Hope
Today we celebrated our namesake's feast day. What is a feast day I hear you ask?
According to the Catholic church, a feast day is the day a particular saint is remembered and celebrated. The church has a calendar that reflects all saints' days throughout the year. It is usually an annual religious celebration where prayers and readings are said to reflect about the saint. Mostly a feast day is the day of the saint's death as it is believed that this is the day they enter heaven - their 'heavenly birthday' (Aleteia) Mary MacKillop's day is 8 August - the day she died in North Sydney in 1909 and entered into heaven.
So what do we do?
Today we began our day with a whole College mass celebrating living with faith and hope. The students processed into the sacred space with symbols of Mary MacKillop - scripture, her large picture, a brown coat, work boots and basket of fruit, vegetables and bread. All things that reflect Mary MacKillop's hard work living in the 1800's where faith was very important and the driver for her hope of a future that will enable children to know God as well as be able to make choices. Through prayer, we asked God to help us be more like Mary MacKillop and acknowledging her passion, perseverance, practical action, possibilities, prayer and partnership.
The day then continued with an Amazing Race for Year 3 to 9 students while Prep to Year 2 were treated to old school games with Year 10 to 12 students. After a picnic with a sausage sizzle near the Café, for first break, the students were involved in age appropriate activities that were fun, reflective, active and enjoyable.
Second break saw the cutting of the cake and everyone sharing in a celebratory piece. The afternoon concluded with tug-o-war competitions and reflective videos.
Why is this important?
Our feast day is important to us. As we grow as a College, our identity as a Catholic school also grows but more importantly our charism develops. The spirit of Mary MacKillop is fostered through the 6P's and celebrating her feast day is just one of the activities.
It is a day where learning happens in a fun way but it also enables different age groups to work in partnership and develop relationships that might not happen any other time. It is also a day to be involved in activities that they may not otherwise do at school.
We look forward to seeing our feast day grow each year.
Happy Feast Day!
Paula O'Rourke Assistant Principal Religious Education
Fun Feast Day Activities
The Amazing Race Trivia Quest
For the last three years, students in Years 3 to 9 have participated in the Amazing Race Trivia Quest. Occurring after our Feast Day Mass, this Quest has students working in House teams, searching the College to find answers to a variety of trivia-style questions. This year, the Amazing Race Trivia Quest comprised of 25 questions, including:
What is the full name of the AMMA group?
Which eight words you can find printed at the Outdoor Chapel?
What is the fourth line of the College Prayer?
According to the message engraved on one of the totem poles in Junior, what can the carpet snake teach us?
Finish this sentence: Fr Julian Tenison Woods (SJ) was a….Hint: you’ll find the answer somewhere on the Senior campus.
What brand of shoes is Mrs Rillie wearing today?
It was fantastic to see students working together to decipher the answers and to witness older students assisting their younger peers in their Houses. There is always excitable chatter and squealing as the Year 3 to 6 students run frantically around the Junior and Senior campuses, trying to find the answers before their opposing teams. Secretly, even though they can't use their phones to Google the answers, I think the Year 7 to 9 students enjoyed the challenge too!
Well done to all Junior and Senior teams involved in this year's Amazing Race Trivia Quest! Winning teams will be revealed shortly.
PC Challenge 6Ps Video
What a way to end the day! At the conclusion of Feast Day, we were fortunate enough to have the time to reflect on the day's festivities and come back together as a community. Earlier this year, the PC groups in the Senior College were tasked with the challenge of creating a short video for Feast Day which had to include elements of Mary MacKillop's 6Ps.
These 6Ps – Passion, Possibilities, Prayer, Perseverance, Partnership and Practical Action are integral to our understanding of Mary MacKillop's mission.
Well done to the PC groups and their teachers who created entertaining skits, role plays and lip syncs while also teaching their peers what Partnership and Practical Action look like in our College community. The featured PC videos included students displaying the power of team work and collaboration, as well as what serving others and supporting the vulnerable means at Mary MacKillop Catholic College.
The ultimate winner of the PC Challenge will be revealed at Senior Assembly in Week 5.
Leisa Radley Director of Formation and College Culture (7-12)
Teaching and Learning
Science Week 2022 - Glass is more than meets the eye
National Science Week 2022 will run from 13 to 21 August. This celebration aims to raise the profile and increase the public understanding and public appreciation of science, innovation, engineering and technology, and their role in maintaining and improving our society, economy and environment. It also aims to encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public, and to encourage younger people to become fascinated by the world we live in.
The school theme for National Science Week in 2022 is Glass: More than meets the eye. It is based on the UN International Year of Glass. It will celebrate the many roles that glass plays in our lives – from phone screens to optical fibre to glassware in labs – plus investigating glass as a part of our sustainable future. The uses for and intrinsic nature of glass in science make it a suitable topic for investigation across all strands of science education.
When Australia launches its first mission to the Moon, we will be watching through the lenses of telescopes and on the screens of our televisions and devices, using power collected from our solar panels and communicating with each other via fibreoptic cables, while toasting the Australian Space Agency’s success with our recycled drinkware. Today, glass touches virtually every aspect of our lives, and it holds a myriad of possibilities for the future.
Did you know?
Glass is chemically inert. It is composed of silicon dioxide, the same as sand. It is also infinitely recyclable.
Glass can be blown and crafted into intricate shapes, which is useful not only for making laboratory glassware but also for artistic pieces.
Glass can also be made into fibreglass, which is an excellent insulation material, and also used in the aerospace industry for making fibreglass composite.
The chemistry, material science and engineering of glass is fascinating.
Did you know?
The glass used in windows and drinking glasses is made by heating and mixing silica (quartz sand) with limestone, soda ash and other ingredients, and then cooling it so quickly that an orderly crystal structure can’t form. Instead, the particles are spread out randomly. This gives glass its properties as a hard, yet brittle material with a smooth surface.
Glass can also be made naturally. Lightning strikes on beach sand create natural glass structures called fulgurites. Meteorite impacts melt silica in Earth’s crust that rains down as glassy pebbles called tektites. Lava, when cooled quickly, forms volcanic glass called obsidian.
Glass is an amorphous solid – all its particles (molecules, atoms and ions) are jumbled up at random. This makes glass smooth, hard and brittle. Although it is strong, it can shatter.
Activities will be staggered across Weeks 5 and 6 in Term 3. The weeks will be jam-packed with lunchtime and classroom activities across Prep to Year 12. From problem-solving and critical-thinking challenges to constructing terrariums to take home (secondary school activity) there is something for everyone!
Prep and Year 1 classes will be exploring nature with magnifying glasses. The magnifying glass will introduce students to lens.
Year 2 classes are going to explore mirrors and reflection when they make a kaleidoscope.
Year 3 classes are going to explore microscope lens and look at minibeasts.
Year 4 classes are going to watch Pyrex glass disappear.
Year 5 classes are going to make a refracting telescope like the one Galileo used to study the planets.
Year 6 classes are going to investigate the properties of honey and molten glass.
Be sure to check with your classroom teachers (Primary) or Mr Nielsen (Secondary) for a full run-down of what is on offer.
Natalie Adler Assistant Principal Teaching & Learning: Junior
Jared Nielsen Middle Leader: Science & Technology
Senior School
Faith in Action
As we approach the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, it is important, I think, to acknowledge the ways in which our Year 12 Praxis students have been witnesses to their faith and have "come as guest" to the vulnerable.
Many of the everyday works of Mary MacKillop revolved around her deep sensitivity to those who were suffering. In 1899, Mary MacKillop wrote, "Be a gift of love and compassion for one another". This year, our Year 12 Praxis students have completed 40 hours of service learning through which they've found opportunities to enact these words of Mary MacKillop.
In their interactions with the patrons of Rosie's – Friends on the Street, when they've assisted Prep students from their cars to their classrooms, when they've prepared food and served in the College Cafe, or when they've brought their own life experiences and learnings to Junior school classrooms, Praxis students have lived their faith.
In the words of Year 12 students, Riley Clatworthy: "I have really enjoyed the chance to reach into different parts of the community, particularly the Junior school, to participate in ways I probably wouldn't have normally."
Additionally, Reagan Pugsley, another Year 12 Praxis student, reflected on his outreach at Rosie's: "Working with Rosie's allowed me to have a genuine experience of serving the less fortunate members of our local community".
Of course, there are always challenges involved in authentically engaging in service learning. But, even Mary MacKillop acknowledged the difficulties of a lived faith. In 1874, she wrote: "In working for God, we must have little trials".
Mr Ashley Jones, Year 12 Praxis teacher, stated: "our senior students are often so busy with their academic, social, and work commitments. Praxis challenges the students to find time to make a positive and authentic difference to their communities".
While external outreach has been an ongoing challenge due to continued COVID-19 restrictions, particularly in nursing homes, retirement villages and at some charity organisations, the Year 12 Praxis students have tried to look for opportunities to serve in their own College community. Importantly, students are expected to reflectively journal about the challenges and opportunities of these service learnings. Partly, this is an opportunity to decompress – sometimes Rosie's or other outreach experiences test our patience, compassion and our values–but it is also a chance to make connections with scripture, individual faith and personal experiences.
Alongside their service hours, students have designed and lead liturgies; worked with Vinnies Youth to break down misconceptions surrounding homelessness and poverty; raised awareness of the importance of mental health by organising activities for R U OK? Day; and will engage in and lead parts of the Year 8 Formation Day in the coming weeks.
Importantly, to conclude their year of Praxis, these students will soon present a reflection on Living Waters - Praxis, to their fellow Year 12 students and some staff. This event is an opportunity for students to share their learnings – the good and the bad–and for us to acknowledge their achievements.
At the end of the day, Praxis is not just about attaining 110 hours through service, advocacy, retreats and liturgies. It is about what our Year 12 students take with them in four months' time when they walk out the College gates for the final time. Mary MacKillop wrote: "There, where you are, you will find God" (1871). Truly, it is in these experiences of encounter, when our students are humbly serving others, that they are genuinely experiencing God. Notably, for this small group of seniors, Praxis has bridged the gap between the teachings of Jesus written in sacred scripture and a contemporary, lived faith.
Leisa Radley Director of Formation and College Culture (7-12)
School Based Apprenticeships - providing gateways!
Please access the below link to find our more information about School Based Apprenticeships from the Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools.
If you would like your child to complete the up coming annual Barista course held on 12 to 14 September, please complete the attached enrolment form.
This skill set provides students a qualification that they can make use of in any career pathway after Year 12, and on completion of this course students will receive 2 QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education) points.
Due to the high number of students that completed this qualification last year, Aurora Training have offered us the subsidised rate of $180.00 per student. If you agree for your child to participate in this course, this amount will be added to your fees account which can be paid directly through the College administration.
See careers in action and participate in hands-on activities that will get you excited to start studying.
Get your questions answered by our team of lecturers in the Refectory or attend the information sessions to find out more about your area of interest.
Discover what it’s like to study on campus and check out all the student clubs, leadership opportunities or sporting teams you could join.
Tour the three on-campus residential colleges and find out what it’s like to live on-campus. Accommodation options are flexible and range from self-catered, or shared bathrooms to fully-catered and private ensuites.
If you’re not sure where to start, UniSQ's student support teams are there to help point you in the right direction. Discover what you'll love about UniSQ Open Day.
Do you know what degree you'd like to study? Our Degree Advisors will be available all day in the Refectory.
Junior School
Year 1 Adventures to Amaroo!
This week the Year 1 students went on an exciting adventure to Amaroo Environmental Education Centre at Kleinton, to experience a nature play program called ‘Garbarlah the Greater Glider’.
We were introduced to Gabarlah and explored Gabarlah’s home through nature play. Throughout the day, we engaged in various activities including mud, sand and rock play, construction using loose parts, creative play outdoors, we chiseled for fossils, played a traditional Murri game, went bushwalking, and enjoyed many other sensory activities.
The day was exhausting... especially for our amazing parent helpers and teachers! We learnt through play, using our senses to develop a sense of connection to land and country, and learn about the wonderful environment that exists just down the road from us!
Thank you to Cam at Amaroo, who always gives us an amazing experience when we visit him.
Michelle Lever, Susan Jones & Annabelle Cowen Year 1 teachers
Our ongoing commitment to support mental health and wellbeing became a bit sweatier last month. We committed as a College to run to raise money and awareness for RU OK?, which is an Australian non-profit suicide prevention organisation that advocates for people to have conversations with others. We raised a total of $3128.
This is a very important organisation that works collaboratively with experts in suicide prevention and mental illness, as well as government departments, corporate leaders, teachers, universities, students and community groups. The key message is that 'A CONVERSATION CAN CHANGE A LIFE', and that all should be inspired and empowered to meaningfully connect with the people around them and start a conversation with those in their world who may be struggling with life.
I enjoyed the challenge of my 100kms for July (it was a final 10km dash on Saturday night that tipped me over just before the final siren) and I know that many of my colleagues feel the same.
Thank you very much to the parents and students who joined us. A significant achievement was by Bella Scrivens who ran 520km for the month and raised $790 - simply outstanding. I recognise though that there were many who engaged in regular running for the first time which is just as great.
We will again be supporting RU OK? in September via our College supported Parish Mass on 11 September and other activities.
Chris Gabbett College Principal
Support for students experiencing symptoms of anxiety
With Anxiety being one the most common mental health disorders experienced by young people, we wanted to promote the following resources to empower both students and parents/carers with the knowledge and skills to adaptively manage this experience.
Please note that anxiety symptoms are experienced along a continuum, and whilst those that sit at the more severe end may be consistent with an Anxiety Disorder, anxiety symptoms are a common experience for most people at some time in their life. Therefore, these resources should not only be considered by those with an Anxiety Disorder, but in fact, we could all benefit from skills and tools to manage our anxious symptoms if/when they present.
The BRAVE Program is a free online program that provides children, teenagers, and their parents with information and skills to help cope with worries and anxiety.
Fear-Less is another free online program for parents to help your child manage anxiety and become more emotionally resilient.
We also have an Anxiety tip sheet for parents on our Guidance Counsellor Resources page, along with additional resources.
Jasmin & Khara College Guidance Counsellors
Extra-Curricular
Sporting News
The business of schools never ceases to amaze me and sport continues to thrive at the College. A snapshot of current events is as follows:
Futsal - 4 College teams (13 Boys, 10 Boys, 10 Girls, 9 Boys) travel to Brisbane this week to contest the Champions of Champions Futsal tournament for the South East Queensland region. The standard of play at this tournament is very high and students will experience the thrill of playing at Nissan Arena in Brisbane.
Athletics - Congratulations to Piper York, Calan Griffiths, Stetson Schutt, Nash Adamski, Nate Domin, and Jett Vanderzee who all successfully qualified to represent Inner Downs at the forthcoming Darling Downs Track and Field Selection Trials. Several of these students set new area records and won their events which is wonderful for the future of sport at the College. Earlier this week, 25 students contested the Inner Downs Carnival for 13-19-Year-Olds. Jackson Clark, Hayley Cuthbert, Emily Kentish, Angus Leckie, Isaac logan, Levi logan, Chloe O'Rourke, Isabelle Pannach, Sophie Randall, Nicolene Snyman, and Isabella Trost all posted DD qualifying performances. A special mention to Jackson Clark who broke a number of records on the day and was named Boys Age Champion for 13 Years Boys.
Rugby - the 15 Years Boys team Rugby team has recorded strong victories over Faith Lutheran and Scots Warwick to commence the 2022 Darling Downs Super Schools Cup. Matches against TAS, St Mary's and Downlands will decide their finals opponent. We play home matches at Highfields to close out the regular season and would love to see some spectators there to cheer us on and support the Highfields Redbacks Rugby Club.
Catholic Schools Touch and Netball Gala - Last Thursday, as a part of Catholic Education Week, students from Years 5 & 6 competed in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Touch and Netball Carnival. The students were entered in competitive and non-competitive draws against other Catholic schools from the around the Diocese. All students played multiple games, demonstrating good sportsmanship, and representing our College with pride. Congratulations to the Year 5 competitive for making it all the way to the Touch Football grand final, losing a tough game to St. Mary’s College. Congratulations also to the Year 5 competitive Netball team who tied for 1st place with Mater Dei. Well done to all students involved.
Breaking Eisteddfod Success!
Over the last five days we have had 20 performances in the Instrumental Music and Speech sections of the Toowoomba Eisteddfod and news just in.... we have gained a total of 13 prizes!
5 x 1st
2 x 2nd
2 x 3rd
4 x highly commended
A huge congratulations to all students ranging from years 3 to 11 who performed and represented the College proud and successfully.
We wish our dancers the best of luck as they perform in 5 categories to end the event.
6 of MMCC's most outstanding young musicians have been selected to participate in the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University State Honours Ensemble Program Queensland to be held at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University from Thursday September 29 to Sunday October 2.
We are extremely proud to have so many students accepted and wish them the best of luck.
Secret's out...
Announcement of the first guest performers for Arts in the Park....
The Queensland Police Pipes & Drums
The QPP&D are the only professional band employed by the Queensland Government and bring a powerful presence and air of tradition to formal and ceremonial occasions.
The "Kops in Kilts" is both entertaining and educational. It introduces children to a different aspect of policing, perhaps challenging their perspectives of police.... and may even share some ‘dad’ jokes.
Community Noticeboard
OSHC welcomes Noah!
Noah Gunders has joined our Mary Mackillop OSHC team! He has already had a huge impact on our service and the children absolutely love him. Noah is a current student at Mary Mackillop with a passion for helping children of all ages learn and grow. He is regularly participating in and organizing group activities for the children. Noah is a huge boost of energy for our service. Make sure you say hello to Noah next time you see him!
