Mary MacKillop Catholic College | Mary MacKillop Catholic College

Thank you so much to the students, staff and parents who have sent messages of welcome since I returned from sabbatical on Monday. Thank you also to Mr Coe who acted as Principal in my absence, Mrs Radley who supported as Assistant Principal: Administration, and of course all other staff who picked up things in my absence. It is really wonderful to be back.

One of the goals of my sabbatical was to dig further into Jesuit spirituality. Jesuit spirituality is special because it blends deep reflection with active service, helping people find God in everyday life and inspiring them to live with purpose, love, and justice. For a Catholic leader, this is vital - it encourages thoughtful decision-making, compassionate leadership, and a commitment to forming communities grounded in faith and action. The Jesuit charism had a big impact on St Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison-Woods.

In Sicily, I had the privilege of visiting the Chiesa del Gesù in Palermo - a church that stands as a bold expression of Jesuit spirituality. From the moment I approached its exterior, I was struck by its solid, almost austere façade. The stonework is strong and simple, giving little away. It feels like a fortress, grounded and immovable.

But stepping inside was like entering another world.

The interior bursts into life with colour, movement, and meaning. Marble swirls across every surface. Frescoes climb the walls and ceilings, telling stories of saints, sacrifice, and salvation. Gold leaf glimmers in the light, and every detail seems to point upward—to something greater.

This contrast between outside and inside is no accident. It reflects the Jesuit message in stone: faith is not always loud or showy from the outside. It is often quiet, disciplined, and grounded. But within, it is rich, alive, and deeply personal. The Jesuits have long taught that God meets us in the depths of our hearts, and the Chiesa del Gesù captures that truth in architecture.

I found this deeply moving. Our College, too, must be a place where the exterior—our routines, our discipline, our structure—creates space for the interior to flourish. Within our classrooms and communities, we nurture the spirit, encourage reflection, and invite students to encounter God in their own lives.

The Chiesa del Gesù reminded me that beauty and truth often lie just beneath the surface. And that our mission, like the Jesuit mission, is to help others discover it.

Mr Chris Gabbett

College Principal

Last Friday, our staff and students celebrated the annual Socktober Day which is facilitated by the AMMA Group. Socktober is an opportunity for our College to raise money for Catholic Mission to support communities across the globe who are experiencing hardship, often due to lack of resources, war or civil unrest. This year's focus country is Zambia.

Our Socktober Day is always decorated by brilliantly bright and crazy socks which are a fantastic way for our staff and students acting in solidarity to collectively advocate for Catholic Mission. At First break, our social justice group, AMMA, organised a sausage sizzle with the delicious sausages provided by Highfields Gourmet Meats. Thank you again to Christian and his team for donating half of the sausages for our Socktober cause! We appreciate your contribution to our mission.

But it wasn't just sausages being enjoyed at First break. Our Year 5 Mini Vinnies students also led an array of soccer-related activities such as shoot outs, skills and drills and mini games. We are so proud of the efforts of our Year 5 students who ran these activities for the Prep to Year 4 students. What a wonderful display of service to our community!

Finally, we ended the day with what has become a Mary Mac tradition–our staff versus Year 12 Soccer match on Fitzroy oval followed by House games. This year, we changed things up a little and asked staff and Year 12s to play 'walking soccer'...mostly for safety but also for laughs. Indeed, there was powerwalking to rival the best of Kath and Kim–of particular note was Mr Hamerli's style and he powerwalked at an incredible speed across Fitzroy oval. It appears, however, that walking soccer is quite hard and it took a while to earn a goal. Eventually though, the Year 12s showed their skill (and their youth), putting their first point on the scoreboard. While the staff fought hard in 35 degree heat, the students prevailed, sealing their win 3-0 at full time.

To finish the day, Cunningham and Penola versed each other in two well-fought Year 7-9 and Year 10-12 matches on Kratzke Road Oval, and Tenison and McCormack followed suit, battling it out on Fitzroy Oval. Well done to all students and staff who played in, or refereed, these games on the day! Thank you also to families who purchased sausages or made donations to Catholic Mission. All proceeds will be split between Catholic Mission and the AMMA group.

Leisa Radley

Director of Formation and College Culture (7-12)

Year 9 Unique Student Identifier (USI) and Work Experience

What is a USI?

Your Unique Student Identifier (USI) is your personal education number required for all nationally recognised study, including university and vocational education and training (VET).Made up of 10 letters and numbers, it is free and stays with you for life. (www.usi.com.au)

Welcome to USI - Unique Student Identifier

This term on Thursday or Friday of Week 8 Year 9 students will be creating a USI as school.

Students will need to have:

a copy of either -

Medicare card, or
birth certificate, or
passport

created a personal email account. This is one they will use when they leave school. School emails cannot receive nor send to outside sources. Student computers cannot access personal emails.

Mobile phone - students will need to access their personal email on their mobile phone to verify their USI. Permission has been granted for students to bring their mobile to class on this day. They will need to keep their mobile in their locker throughout the rest of the day. School rules for mobile use will be in place as per usual with the exception of access in the USI class.

Work Experience (WEX) Year 10 for 2026

We are currently encouraging the Year 9 2025 cohort to start the search for Work Experience placements. 2026 Year 10 students will be able to access WEX throughout the Easter holidays and the first week of Term 2.

Dates

Week 1 Holidays - 7 -10 April (4 days)

Week 2 Holidays - 13 -17 April (5 days)

Week 1 Term 2 - 20 - 24 April (5 days)

Mrs Goddard, Mrs Richardson or a teacher will visit each student during their placement.

The placement needs to be within 45mins of Highfields/Toowoomba.

Work experience is a period of unpaid work undertaken as part of your careers education to provide some insight into the world of work.

Work experience is aimed at providing you with:

An improved understanding of the world of work
Increased self-awareness, especially of your strengths and abilities in relation to the workplace
Improved self-confidence
Learning which skills and competencies are required in the workplace, and therefore an improved understanding of the link between school and work
Increased motivation to continue study and training
Workplace experience which can be used to improve further study, job or apprenticeship opportunities

If students need help with finding WEX please encourage your student to drop into the Pathways Office, where we can offer support and an opportunity to call the employer.

Access to the WEX placement form is in the students OneNote - Class of 2028.