I had the pleasure of interviewing scholarship applicants last week. Mary MacKillop is a big institution, and as Principal it is possible to go a couple of days without having a genuine encounter with a student. This has become even more pronounced recently as a lot of my time is devoted to building plans, both on-site and off-site. So, to have two full days speaking with students about such positive things was an incredible plus. 

In the interviews, every student was asked about their role model - the person they looked up to and wanted to most be like. I would say that 95% of students picked one of their parents. Hearing the students articulate so glowingly, and emphatically, the respect they hold for their parents was just lovely. Praise was well beyond comments about care and support. The applicants spoke about courage, resilience, leadership, strength of character and service. 

I reflected during these conversations that, as first educators of your child, you light the path for the College to walk. What a blessing it is for us to serve a community that is so dedicated to these things. It reassures me that when talking to your children about the value of such attributes, they are seeing such positive examples in their every day. 

Many thanks to the families who tuned in to our Prep Transition and Moving on Up presentations. It was very exciting to welcome our new students in Prep, Year 7, and a few other year levels in between. 

You will have seen the many new opportunities being offered in Sports and the Arts - it is our desire that every child from P-12 have the chance to excel in these areas. Please do keep a look out next year for all of the opportunities.

Thank you very much for your ongoing support.

Mr Chris Gabbett

College Principal

The College is excited to welcome Chef Sarah Welch to the community.

The College has identified the need to expand the traditional Food Technology curriculum into Hospitality qualifications, so Sarah will be providing support in this area.  The vision is that the students have a pathway to year 12 that enables them to complete qualifications in food preparation, beverage service and hospitality.  In addition, she will be bringing industry experience to procurement and operations of the Tuckshop and the Food Technology area.  She will work alongside our Tuckshop convenor, Catherine Rothwell as well as Mrs Holman in Food Tech.  

A qualified chef, with over 20 years experience, including a number of years at St Mary’s Tuckshop in Toowoomba, Sarah comes to us with fresh new ideas to invigorate the staff and student menu in our Tuckshop! Furthermore, to match the mouth-watering menu, we will be renaming this space to The Café!  It’s not just the name and menu getting a refresh either – over the coming months The Café area will be livened up to welcome both students and staff to sit, relax and take a breather from their busy days. 

More about Sarah – she loves to travel, cook and eat good food, especially beef cheeks! And while she knows it’s a school favourite, she’s not a fan of curried sausages…sorry Mr Albion.

Sarah loves cooking for students because it provides an opportunity to present options that they may or may not have tried at home, and cooking healthy wholesome food in a school directly links how they learn. Sarah believes it is extremely important to fuel the body with the right energy to keep their brains and body alert and active on a busy school day - what you put in is what you get out!

The Cafe aims to bring a menu that is freshly sourced and cooked on site to offer students and staff wholesome, quality meals, avoiding all those prepacked nasties!

You might also notice as we phase in the new menu, many of the prepacked items will be replaced with freshly baked goods. When we talk about home baked items on the menu, we are excited to tell you that Sarah and the team will be baking and cooking almost everything inhouse! The Cafe will be open from Breakfast (before school) each day and while Flexischool orders will continue for the lower junior years (P-2) pre-order for upper junior, senior and staff will no longer be required. We encourage all students to visit The Cafe and try something from this tasty new menu!

We hope to also welcome parents into this space when restrictions ease!

A friendly reminder that Term 4 fees are due today, 16/10/20, unless your family elected to pay via direct debit or entered a payment plan. If this is the case, all fees are due to be finalised by end of term, 04/12/20.

If your family is experiencing financial difficulty please contact kirsty.gillett@twb.catholic.edu.au or call Kirsty on 4698 7777 as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements for you.

The 2021 Schedule of Fees are due to be finalised in the next few weeks and we will be sharing these with you as soon as this is available.

Please also keep an eye out for information regarding Direct Debits for 2021 and details on how to utilise this payment arrangement next year which will accompany this communication.

A friendly reminder as the weather warms up to keep your child's packed lunches safe and fresh, please note the following:

• Please add an ice brick or frozen waterbottle to your child's lunch pack to keep lunches cool.
• If you send your child to school with warm meals (soups/pasta etc.) pack in a thermos to maintain a hot temperature.
• Student lunches cannot be reheated by any member of staff at the College, including tuckshop staff.

17th October, 2010, was a very exciting time in the life of an Australian Catholic but especially for Josephites - the Canonisation of Mary MacKillop. This weekend we celebrate the milestone of the 10th year anniversary of this significant cultural and religious event.

Who is Mary MacKillop for you? Growing up I went to a Josephite school until I was 10, before moving to another area and attending state schools from then on. I was to come into contact again with this significant Australian when I started teaching at St Finbarr's Catholic School in Quilpie. This is where I started my journey learning about her and her role in establishing catholic schools around Australia and New Zealand as I then continued to teach in Josephite schools - St Joseph's Tara and then St Maria Goretti School, Inglewood. 

Mary MacKillop for me was a pioneering women who saw a need to establish schools that would teach poor catholic children in rural areas and provide shelter for homeless people and young women. She was a visionary women following the call of God to establish the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart order. An order that would challenge the church hierarchy because Mary wanted the order to be independent and not controlled by the Bishops. St Mary listened with her heart to God's call to create the order but also travel to various places in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. 

How can we take fresh courage today, from St Mary's message but also her example? That is what we are being called to do - take fresh courage. Have the courage to stand up for the injustices around us; have courage to stand up and help others; have courage to contribute towards a better world. Mary challenges us to stand up for others and the injustices that we see. We don't need to receive recognition for it. Our recognition will come from God, knowing we have helped. 

Students will have opportunities this term to help others through activities at school. We look forward to our students helping others through their donations and participation in events like Socktober and Christmas appeal.
I finish with this quote from Pope Francis' new encyclical "Fratelli Tutti", 'Tenderness is love that draws near and becomes real. A movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears and the hands. Tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women.' Mary MacKillop was this and we are asked be this today.

God bless.

Paula O'Rourke

Assistant Principal Religious Education

Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop 10th Anniversary Rosary Beads

These rosary beads are designed and handmade in Italy by the Ghirelli family who have been producing stunning rosaries for over thirty years, including the official rosaries for the last three Popes. This set features Mary MacKillop as the central medal with her name and canonisation date on the reverse side. The Our Father medals are specially designed showing Our Lady, St Joseph, the Sacred Heart and Mary MacKillop’s words ‘Trust in God’. The crucifix is intricate, emphasising the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All the medals and links are finished in vintage bronze and the actual beads are 6 mm faceted copper Bohemian glass. Each rosary comes in its own keepsake pouch and features the assurance of a high quality devotional item made by one of Italy’s most renowned rosary makers. 

I love Term 4! I have been teaching for 15 years and undoubtedly Term 4 is my favourite. It's not just because it's the last one of the year either. There is a certain buzz in a school during Term 4. Spring has sprung, the winter uniform has been packed away and the hope that comes along with the season of Advent and Christmas begins to creep in. The anticipation and excitement are tangible. 

Although Term 4 is brief, it is filled with opportunity. Here are some of the great opportunities for students to be involved in this term:

Socktober - Supporting AMMA and Catholic Missions

During Week 4, which also happens to be Wellbeing Week, the Actioning Mary MacKillop Advocacy (AMMA) group is running Socktober. On Thursday 29 October, all students and staff from Prep to Year 12 are invited to bring a gold coin donation and wear their brightest and craziest socks! On this day, staff will verse some of the Senior College students in a game of futsal, the Junior College AMMA raffles will be drawn and the Year 7-12 students will have an opportunity to buy a square on the hundreds board. Additionally, during Week 4, students who have registered will play in the Socktober Cup competition. Registration is $15 per team (or $3 per player in a team of 5 students).

All proceeds from the raffle, gold coin donations, hundreds board and Socktober Cup will go to the Socktober Catholic Missions and the AMMA group for future initiatives.
Thank you to parents who have sent money with their children to buy raffle tickets and in anticipation of your support of the Socktober Day in Week 4.

H.O.P.E - Years 10 and 11 students

On Saturday 24 April, St. Ursula's College, in collaboration with the Householders' Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc, are hosting a Youth Summit as a part of National Youth Week. 
As a lead in to this Youth Summit, HOPE are seeking input now from students in Years 10 and 11 regarding issues or interest or concern. It is anticipated that prizes will be allocated to the best submissions from each year level. 
Part 1 - Issues of interest and/or of concern

HOPE is seeking input on students' issues of interest or concern regarding the environment, social justice, animal welfare and heritage. 
Responses received from students will be used to guide the program for the Youth Summit, helping to determine guest speakers, workshops and information displays. 

Part 2 - Photovoice Competition

Students are also invited to submit a foolscap size "photovoice" item for display at the Summit. Photovoice involved participants taking photos under a particular theme and then including a short paragraph explaining the photo; this gives the photo a "voice". 
Submissions must be returned by Friday 27 November, 2020. Students who are interested in entering should see Mrs Radley for a submission form. 
Praxis Intensive Day #1

On Wednesday 4 November, the Year 11 Religion and Ethics class who are participating in the Living Water - Praxis program will have their first Intensive Day. This day is a compulsory part of the 110 hour program. As we have a small cohort, we are fortunate to be joining with St. Saviour's College Praxis students for this event. 
An excursion form will be sent to parents of Year 11 Religion and Ethics students this week; however, some of the details of the day are included below:

Where: St. Saviour's College, Toowoomba

When: Wednesday 4 November from 8:30am to 3:00pm. Students should arrive by 8:15am.

How: Students are asked to find their own way to and from the venue.

What to wear: Students are to wear their formal summer uniform and bring their College hat. 
What to bring: Students are to bring their pencil case, notebook, water bottle, morning tea and lunch.

Students who have an SBA or after school commitment (such as work or sport) on this day are expected to make alternative arrangements with their employer or coach. 

Mrs Langerak, Mrs O'Rourke and I look forward to a fantastic day with these students who are just beginning their Praxis journey.

Leisa Radley

Director of Formation

Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 8 am in the MacKillop Centre.  We would love for you to celebrate with our wider community.  Please use this link to register your attendance - Mass Registration 

Being a member of a wider Diocesan community of schools has significant advantages. At Mary MacKillop, we are supported not only by the resources at Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office but also by a strong network of Catholic secondary schools from across the Darling Downs. During the September break, these resources were marshalled to produce the External Exam Preparation Program. Year 12 students from the Diocesan Catholic schools were invited to attend revision sessions led by some of our system’s best teachers. Mr Chris Bracken, who will be Dean of Senior Studies from 2021 and Mr Piers Dudin, our new Head of Maths, were two of them. As Principals, our objective was to give our students a head start in negotiating the first external exams delivered in Queensland for almost half a century. There were sessions on study/revision skills, as well as subject specific lessons aimed at helping students de-code exam questions and unpack difficult concepts. The teachers oversaw mock exams which were returned the following day with specific actions for improvement. 

The Mary MacKillop students who attended were very impressed with the support. Personally, it made me very proud to work for a system of Catholic schools so devoted to enhancing student outcomes. The program, that involved Mary MacKillop (Highfields), St Mary’s College, St Saviours College, St Joseph’s College, Good Samaritan College (Toowoomba), Assumption College (Warwick), Our Lady of the Southern Cross (Dalby), St Joseph’s (Stanthorpe) and St John’s (Roma) was also reported on by local media. 

https://www.facebook.com/WINNewsToowoomba/videos/335401361248440

This program will be available to our year 12 students in future years.

One way of promoting positive transitions to school is to participate in our Prep Transition Program. Our program generally focuses on helping children settle into the College environment before they commence school. It enables children to become familiar with the new environment, teachers, activities, and peers. In addition, participation in the transition program has been shown to be associated with better adjustment to the first year of school, greater confidence, fewer behavioural difficulties and higher levels of social skills and academic competence and achievement. (Giallo et.al., 2010; Margetts, 2002)

This week we welcomed our 2021 Preps into the College. They will graduate in 2033!

Transitioning to school is a dynamic process of continuity and change as children move into their first year of school. Our goal is to ensure children and families feel a sense of belonging at the College. The transition into school is especially significant as “readiness” for school is predictive of long-term academic and occupational achievement.

Our transition program covers a wide range of experiences to cater for a wide range of readiness and diverse background experiences of the children who join us. Knowing who is who, where things are, being familiar with the surroundings, and knowing what to expect is very important to the emotional wellbeing of each child and parent.

2021 Preps will have the opportunity to experience time at ‘big school’ twice more.

Mrs Natalie Adler

Assistant Principal Teaching & Learning: Junior

Welcome to Your Pathway! The College is excited to announce a new initiative for 2021 aimed at assisting senior students in developing ideas around their future pathways. Your Pathway is determined by YOU! The new Your Pathway team are here to help you discover opportunities that are available to you now, while you're still in school, all the way through to graduation.

Your Pathway Team had a busy end to term 3 and we are keen to share with you what we have learnt and plans that we have in place for term 4.  But first, who makes up Your Pathway Team?   

• Kris Naiker  - Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning Senior 
• Jennifer Stevenson - Career Development Practitioner
• Christie Richardson - Careers Support Officer 

We are all very excited about our new positions and looking forward to working together to develop Your Pathway to the future.
Ever thought of becoming an Acoustic Analyst Submariner, Geospatial Intelligence Analyst, Carpenter or a Chef?  We are sure, like us, many of these careers are new to you.  But as we learnt the Australian Defence Force has endless opportunities available to those interested in a university or trade pathway.  We recently attended the defence careers nights and were informed of ways that you can sample the Australian Defence Force to see if it is the right fit for you.  A gap year can be completed in the Australian Defence Force with no commitment to enlist.  During this year you sample different trades or positions to assist you in making an educated decision about your future pathway.   Once the restrictions of COVID-19 are lifted, the Australian Defence Force is keen to recommence their work experience or camp program, they offer to school age students.  To ensure Mary MacKillop students are aware of all their career options we have asked the Career Promotion Team from the Toowoomba defence force office to come and speak to our year 9, 10 and 11 students on Tuesday 20 October.  Be on the lookout for more details about this event. 

Your Pathways Team also attended the Qantas Group Pilot Academy at Wellcamp Airport.  This academy is a joint venture between Qantas and Fta as the training provider. Opening in September 2019 the academy plans to build a long-term talent pipeline not just for Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar, but for the industry more broadly.  Beyond COVID-19 it is predicted that 790 000 additional pilots will be required worldwide over the next 20 years.  The facility at Wellcamp is of world standard, where students are trained in single engine Diamond DA40 or DA42 multi-engines to complete Diploma of Aviation – Commercial Pilot Licence, Advanced Diploma of Aviation and Diploma of Aviation Instrument Rating.  It was delightful to listen to current students speak of the passion they have for learning to become pilots and how exhilarating their first solo flight was.  So, if you have a hidden dream of becoming an aviator, come and see how you can take advantage of this sensational facility right here in Toowoomba. 

We understand that for a lot of our students the first step into the World of Work is applying for your first job.  Your Pathway Team has orgainised for a professional resume writer to hold a workshop for our year 9 and 10 students to ensure you have the best structured and most eye-catching resume in the Toowoomba area.  On Monday 23 November Life After School will teach us, what employers are looking for, both on paper and beyond the paperwork.  They will demonstrate how to communicate these during an interview and provide us with a template to complete our resumes.  Life After School have kindly offered to stay after school to assist students to compile their resumes. Year 11 and 12 students are most welcome to attend the two hour after school session.  A big thank you to the parent community for their support with this opportunity.  Please be on the lookout for more details about this day.  

During the holidays, I led English sessions for Year 12 students across the diocese in the External Examination Preparation Program. The program ran all week with sessions on English, Mathematics and the Science subjects. We had 5 year 12 students attend the week and they came away with renewed vigour that they're well-prepared for the exams which begin in Week 4. The English sessions focused around an exploration of the assessment objectives and the marking guide for the External Exams. Students completed a mock exam and the feedback from these mocks formed the basis of our second session where they worked with students from other schools to deconstruct a range of unseen questions. Our students at Mary MacKillop took the knowledge from these sessions into their mock exam block which concluded this week. 

Term 4, as always is a short and busy term. Year 11 students in English and Essential English are completing Unit 2 and will begin work on Unit 3.

There is a strong visual literacy focus in year 7 - 10 this term. Year 7 students identify and analyse visual literacy techniques in graphic texts with a specific focus on Varmints. Their assignment is an spoken task on the impacts of visual literacy techniques on the reader. Year 8 students complete a unit on how visual literacy features are used to represent good and evil across a range of texts. This is the focus of their exam this term. Year 9 students explore visual literacy in film with a specific focus on filmic adaptions of Roald Dahl texts. Year 10 students complete a unit on satire. They explore a range of satirical texts, including short stories, poetry, cartoons, TV shows and short films, which critique different elements of society. Year 9 and 10 students will write an analytical essay, in response to a seen question, in exam conditions.

Christopher Bracken

Director of English and Literacy

Year 12 student, Grace Kaiser has been selected to exhibit her work ‘COVID 2.0’ in the digital regional exhibition of the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art. This is a spectacular achievement.

The initial stimulus for this work came from the film “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” by Werner Herzog, a film about that investigates the achievements of unknown artists from 35,000 years ago. Additionally, Grace embraces the work of Jean Paul Basquiat and Banksy. This unique combination of artists and history has inspired her large-scale multi paneled works.
Grace works experimentally using any available material. Her body of work in 2020 evolved in parallel with the events of COVID 19. Her ideas are informed by the media but also in her personal observations of society. Grace uses not only layers of images reminiscent of cave art in her works, but she also uses humour to underline the absurdity of the hoarding mentality and the behaviour of Australians during the pandemic. In particular the warrior figure symbolically references an argument and confrontation observed between a shopper and staff at a supermarket not surprisingly over toilet paper.

The work is intuitive and quite reactionary. Multiple layers float within the piece yet all are uniquely intertwined with a narrative of fear, excess, wastage and changing social norms. With humour, though there is also darkness. On the 16 July 2020 the official number of deaths from COVID 19 worldwide was 580000 people. This was the day that the work was officially completed. The plus signs echo simple grave markers and are an indication of knowledge that this mortality figure would continually grow. The decision to add this number as a conclusion to her work effectively dates it to a specific time and place and as of the current figure in excess of 1.05 million reveals the growing enormity of the pandemic.

You can read more about Grace and her artwork on the exhibit page here.

Congratulations Grace!

Matt Chivers

Visual Art Teacher

Week 1 Award Recipients

Week 2 Award Recipients

This week has been QLD Mental Health Week, an annual awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing. QMHW encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. The week also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives and encourages help seeking behaviours when needed. This year’s theme is Take time — for mental health. 

'Take time' is about the simple yet proven things everyone can do to boost mental wellbeing. It is also about breaking down the stigma associated with mental illness and reaching out to people in our communities who need support.

While a specific week to promote the importance of taking time to boost mental health and wellbeing is beneficial, this is something we MUST maintain awareness of, and proactively work towards, every day of the year. Remember, wellness is not a state of being, but a state of action - we need to be proactive and engage in strategies and activities to maintain optimal wellbeing.
Research shows there are six simple actions we can take to improve our moods, build resilience, and boost wellbeing. These include:

• Take time to get healthy — being active and eating well is good for your mind as well as your body
• Take time to keep learning — learning new things can make you more confident as well as being fun
• Take time to show kindness — practising small acts of kindness, volunteering time, or simply helping a friend in need can help you feel more satisfied with life
• Take time to connect — spending time with other people is important to everyone’s mental wellbeing
• Take time to take notice — paying more attention to the present and the world around you helps relieve stress and enjoy the moment
• Take time to embrace nature — connecting with the outdoors and taking care of the planet is the best recipe for world wellbeing.

Ensuring you speak with your children and broader family unit about mental health and wellbeing is vital. This creates a safe space for your children to share and ask questions, and assists to normalise and encourage a narrative around the indicators of positive mental health and wellbeing, and signs or experiences of difficulty. 

Additionally, we know that the mental health and wellbeing of others is intricately linked to that of our own. So by taking time for self-care and self-regulation you will also be supporting those around you to be more regulated and mentally healthier.

What can you do today to take time for your mental health?

Information sourced from www.qldmentalhealthweek.org.au

Dr Jasmin Slack-Smith & Khara Saunders

Guidance Counsellors & Clinical Psychologists

Week 4 of this term is a dedicated 'Wellbeing Week' at our College. This week is an opportunity for us to engage in a range of activities informed by

• P- positive emotions
• E- engagement
• R- relationships
• M- meaning
• A- accomplishments

Through out the week, all students will be involved in whole college meditation, a whole college picnic along with a range of activities relevant to their age group. 

HOMEWORK FREE WEEK

One initiative for the week is to focus on family time and encourage positive interactions in our homes. For this reason, students will not be provided homework for this week. Instead, take the time to share a meal together, go for a walk, play a board game, or engage in an activity your family enjoy.

DIGITAL DETOX- UNPLUGGED

On Friday, 24 October,  all students will receive a digital detox challenge. To support the 'no homework' initiative, we are encouraging students to have a detox from technology in their leisure time. Every day your child/ren doesn't use a digital device, they will receive a ticket into a prize pack. Each child will receive a 'raffle ticket pack' with instructions at the Friday assembly in Week 3. 'Unplugged' referes to umplugging from the internet, gaming, social media, screens, television. At the whole college picnic on Friday, 31 October, tickets will be drawn for a range of amazing prizes!

Bridget Rillie

Assistant Principal Wellbeing: Junior

Welcome back to Term 4, it is hard to believe we are already 2 weeks into the term. This time of the year is always extremely busy but also exciting because there are new students entering the College for transition days, students in every grade maturing and showing new qualities and the end of year rituals that come with each school year. This year is the first time we will celebrate a Year 12 cohort as a College and the preparations for these celebrations are well underway. In Week 7 there will be a number of events and rituals to ensure our Year 12's leave well and are farewelled appropriately by students and staff at the College. More information regarding these events will be put out to our Year 12 parents and students. 

Year 11 Leadership Process

We are currently in the process of electing our College leaders for 2021. These students have handed in their applications and I look forward to viewing these applications with Mr Gabbett before shortlisting appropriate candidates for the leadership positions. I would like to congratulate all of the students who have nominated for these positions for showing their willingness to serve the community. I would also like to remind all families that a large part of the culture of our community is set and maintained by the students in Year 11 and 12, all of these students are leaders within our community that the younger students regularly look to for guidance and support. It is therefore imperative that we as staff and parents support the Year 11 to develop qualities to help them lead our community in 2021. 

Student Engagement and Behaviour

Experience has shown that towards the end of Term 3 and into Term 4, as we head into spring and then summer, that this is a pertinent time to remind students and parents about maintaining expectations and finishing the year well. Student behaviour and engagement in the learning environment can easily drop off during this time of the year due to the many distractions that come with rituals, celebrations and seeing the finishing line in sight. In the coming weeks I will be meeting with a number of students identified by staff at the end of last term, to create individual plans for them to remain focussed and get the most out of this term. If you are concerned about your child's engagement or behaviour please make contact with their Pastoral Care teacher to start a partnership to support them.
I hope you enjoy this time of the year as much as I do and find ways to live in the moment as the term rushes by.

Sean Albion

Assistant Principal Wellbeing, Senior

My name is Mrs Jessica Burke and I have been appointed the position of Music/History teacher & Co-Curricular Coordinator for 2020 and in 2021, Middle Leader: The Arts & Student Engagement. I have commenced at Mary MacKillop this term in a teaching capacity and planning towards implementing programs and events to promote and educate in the Arts. I was previously at St Mary’s College and before that, was the Co-Curricular Arts Coordinator at St Thomas More College, Sunnybank, Teacher in Charge of Music P-12 at Xavier Catholic College and Head of Visual and Performing Arts at Fraser Coast Anglican College.

I would also like to introduce Mrs Natalie Rawle to the Arts team who will also be joining the College in the capacity of Music/Performing Arts Music teacher. Natalie has transferred to Toowoomba from Sydney and has extensive experience in classroom music from primary to senior and is proficient in piano performance.

MARCHING BAND AND COLOURGUARD

We are very excited to grow instrumental music department with the introduction of the first MMCC Marching Band and Colourguard. We invite any instrumental and percussion students as well as trick flags and gymnasts to attend rehearsals starting this week. Please don’t hesitate to email with any clarifications or questions.

STRING AND GUITAR ENSEMBLES

These ensembles will be returning this term! Please keep an eye out for emails and further information as to rehearsal times.

Jessica Burke
2021 Middle Leader: The Arts & Student Engagement

Term 4 has started in a flurry with the following activities commencing:

• Girls Futsal (Senior School)
• Club Touch Football (Junior and Senior School)
• Boys 7s Rugby (Senior School)
• Girls Netball (Junior School)

Many thanks to the staff and parents who are involved with these activities and make these opportunities possible for our community.

Week 1 saw MMCC travel to Brisbane with 41 students and 4 staff for Queensland All-Schools Touch Football. The 5 am meeting on Wednesday was a little much for some students and one staff member in particular! What followed was some great touch footy, many laughs, lolly overload, and long-lasting memories for our students. All teams competed to the best of their ability in a competition that attracts teams from around Australia and from across the Asia-Pacific region (COVID prevented that this year).

Our 13 years girls team had a wonderful tournament, only missing the top 16 in the State by one win. The team was a mix of established touch players and first-timers, so this was a remarkable achievement. Our 15 years boys team were competitive in most matches and had the honour of playing against a Keebra Park team littered with NRL contracted players. The boys learned that if you prepare well and be ready from the start of your games, you can compete with anyone. Our 15s girls had many players that had not played touch before this tournament. It was a steep learning curve for some, but the highest compliment I can pay them is that they NEVER gave up and didn't once complain about results or anything else. You can hold your heads high ladies!

Many thanks to Sean Albion, Troy Brunner, and Paula O'Rourke for accompanying the teams and to Bec Morgan for assisting with the coaching in preparation for the tournament. We are looking to return to Brisbane next year with even more teams.

Watch this space - MMCC Senior students to participate in Friday Sport in 2021...stay tuned!

Brad Griffiths

Sports Coordinator

Queensland Schools Orienteering Championships

Alara Williams competed in the Girls 11 years division at the Queensland Schools Orienteering Championships on the first weekend of the winter holidays. Alara finished second in the sprint event at Nudgee College, and came first in the forest event at Ripley. Well done Alara.

Darling Downs Sport Selections

Congratulations to Josh Cranston (Year 6 - Cricket) and Lucy Williams (Year 7 - Cricket) for their recent Darling Downs School Sport selection. We have a number of boys soon to compete for selection in the 15s DD Cricket team so we eagerly await their news.

Mai Connor (Year 11 - Hockey) represented DD in the last week of Term 3. Mai is a regular representative hockey player and we congratulate her on her dedication to her sport. We are looking forward to fielding a competitive MMCC hockey team in the DD Schools Cup in 2021, Covid permitting of course!

Maybe you have enjoyed some of Gardening Club’s fresh snow peas in a tuckshop salad this week? Gardening Club students were pleased to deliver their abundant crop of snow peas to the tuckshop. The snow peas were quality tested or should I say, quantity tasted by students to ensure quality before delivery. 

Gardening is a busy and rewarding job for the Gardening Club students and we are always kept busy maintaining the gardens. Recycling is a big part of gardening and we hope to introduce a worm farm to our gardens. The Gardening Club are wondering if anyone is able to donate an 800mm off cut of 90mm PVC down pipe with a push on cap to utilise for our worm farm? 

Did you know that gardening provides many health benefits, including being a self esteem booster?

Creating life, growing your own flowers, trees, fruit and vegetables are an incredible feat. Gardening can be the bridge that makes accomplishing new things possible, and you can look at yourself a little differently. Learning to nurture and raise plants will ultimately help nurture yourself. - MD Robert Hutchins Internist.

Trudi Samin

Support Officer

New Library Staff

We would like to welcome Mrs Dianne Tate who will be joining Mrs Calvert and I in providing Library services at Mary MacKillop Catholic College. Mrs Tate previously worked in Learning Support and is known to many of our students. Mrs Tate is a qualified Library Officer and has experience working in school libraries. She is enthusiastic to assist students in discovering new titles and authors and to develop their love of reading.

Borrowing Reminders

Students may renew loans (by bringing their books to the library for scanning) if they require more time to finish reading.

Overdue Loans
Last week reminder letters were sent home with all junior students who have overdue loans from Semester 1. While we are fortunate to have a well resourced library, overdue loans prevent other students from borrowing these items and limit loans for students who have overdues. Replacement cost of overdue books is invoiced once a semester.

Thank you for supporting your children in returning their library loans.

Angela Irvine
Teacher Librarian