As a P-12 College, we are well placed to promote and embed a seamless transition from junior school to senior school.  

When I interview children for the senior school at Mary MacKillop, I always tell them they should forgive themselves any feelings of anxiety or worry.  Transitioning into a senior school is famously one of the most challenging things our children do.  Many very large books have been written on academic transfer and transition.  Analysis varies from the way it can impact detrimentally upon academic performance, increase anxiety for families, or decrease feelings of inclusion or wellbeing. 

Our vision at Mary MacKillop is to secure for our junior children not only a commitment to aspiration regarding senior school outcomes, but also a sense of comfort, a feeling of belonging and a knowledge that transition will be stress-free.  Our 'moving on up' days are just one part of this.  Academic transition has already begun for the current year 6, who have spent a series of lessons in the senior school. 

We are cognisant that some children in our year 6 cohort will be following siblings to other institutions, and we ask please that you let us know if that's the case.  If we do not hear from you, we will be planning to welcome your child into year 7, 2021, after a smooth and comfortable transition.  

Thank you all very much for the way that you supported the College in celebrating the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop last week.  I was very upset to miss the festivities.  These activities are part of what assists us in creating culture of aspiration, inclusion and welcome.  A huge congratulations to the children who took part so positively.  

Lastly, a huge thanks to the year 1 cohort who participated so beautifully in the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism for one of their classmates yesterday.  It gave me such joy to be able to witness that.  

I hope you are all well and looking forward to a glowing spring.  

It is normal practice for schools to encourage a building fund. Traditionally, these are formed from parent subscriptions and donations that are fully tax deductible. Parents who have been members of the community for a while will remember that the College once had a Building Fund levy which was charged alongside fees.

We are re-introducing this, but in a voluntary capacity. Families are encouraged to consider making voluntary contributions to this fund. Tax invoices are issued, and these contributions are 100% tax deductible.

Please contact the Business Manager, Kirsty Gillett, via Kirsty.gillett@twb.catholic.edu.au if you are interested in supporting our building work here at Mary MacKillop.

Communication at the College comes in many forms, and we would like to ensure we are communicating with our community in the most effective way possible.

We are requesting all families to take 5 minutes to complete this Parent Communication & Publications Survey. 

Your response will be anonymous, but every voice counts! 

This survey closes at midnight, Sunday 23 August.

Feast Day

When we made the decision to postpone our celebrations for the Feast of Mary MacKillop, it was so dependent on it going to be a rainy day.  Well it did rain then wed had a beautiful sunny, hot day for our day of activities.

Our day of fun on the Feast of St Mary of the Cross is culture building.  As we grow our Josephite school, this will become an important part of who we are and how we celebrate this significant day.  This year, did have some Covid restrictions in that parents were not allowed to attend but we know this will be different in the future.

Our day started with Mass for Years 3 to 12 students while the Prep to Year 2 students celebrated a liturgy in Billabong.  Celebrating the Eucharist was extremely important for Mary MacKillop even up until her final days.  Fr Brian explained to the students that the meaning of Eucharist is 'thanksgiving' coming from the Greek word eucharistia.  Last Friday, we were thankful for Mary MacKillop and the legacy she has left behind for us to following; for the school that we have; for the teachers who teach us; and our parents who care for us.  

After our liturgies, students then completed activities that focused on Mary MacKillop and our school.  Prep to year 3 completed a chatterbox about Mary MacKillop with support from Year 10, 11, 12 students while Years 3 to 9 students completed an amazing race around our school.  Congratulations to the winning team from Penola B team with Mr Chivers.  They earnt themselves a $5 tuckshop voucher.   

After this session, students then completed activities on a rotation.  These varied from art and craft ideas to drawing to media to sports to cooking to games to trivia.  A huge thank you to all staff for their involvement in running activities for the students.  Congratulations to all students on their engagement in our Feast Day.  We look forward to next year when we can build a greater day around the Josephite Charism of our school.

Social Justice Actions

As part of the Feast day some students helped cook biscuits for Rosies and Tony's Kitchen.  Both volunteer organisations really appreciate our contribution to their support for the disadvantaged.  We also provided training for Rosies.  Through conversation with Jim and Fay Stein from Rosies, it has been decided that no school support will happen for the rest of this year.  I thank students for their contribution to these organisations.

Sacramental Programs

The Parish has recommenced the sacramental programs.  Confirmation will be celebrated on 16th September with Bishop William Morris in two groups - 5 pm or 7 pm.  The sacramental committee would appreciate all paperwork being returned and payment made before the practice day on Monday, 14th September.  I ask you as a community to pray for the families especially the children who will be receiving this sacrament. 

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated next term so a preparation meeting will be held on 8th September, at 3:30 pm in the MacKillop Centre.  Information has been forwarded to families for this.   The Sacramental committee would appreciate you confirming if you are participating in this sacrament this year.  If you have any questions regarding these sacraments please don't hesitate to contact myself at school.

Mass

Mass is celebrated at 8 am each Sunday morning in the MacKillop Centre.  If you wish to attend then please complete the registration via this link...

Click Here to register for Mass.

Father's Day

Thank you to the families who have already provided a photo of dad, granddad or father figure for our liturgy.  If you haven't and would like to do so please upload it to this link - Father's Day Photo.  The liturgy will be a virtual one, same as Mother's day one in May.  A link will be sent out so that you can watch it at home with your family.   UPLOAD YOUR FATHER'S DAY PHOTOS HERE.

Reflective quote

Mary MacKillop reflective quote for this week is "May God bless and keep you strong"  1875.

May God bless you and keep you.

Last fortnight in our Feature Teacher we put Mrs Rebecca Lynch, one of our amazing Senior school Religious Education teachers, in the spotlight. Thank you Mrs Lynch for sharing some of your Catholic Education journey and reasons why you have a passion for teaching Religion.

This week, Mrs Megan Puhakka - Middle Leader: Arts, HASS, LOTE - who also happens to teach Year 7 and Year 8 Religious Education, is our Feature Teacher.

What do you teach at Mary MacKillop Catholic College?

Visual Art and Religious Education (Year 7 and Year 8).

How long have you taught in Catholic schools?

I have taught for 14 years within Toowoomba Catholic Diocese.

How do you live out your faith every day?

By showing care and compassion for those I teach; showing love to those who I am grateful for; forgiving (although at times it is hard); and living life intensely and having faith that God will guide me.

Why do you think Religious Education is important for our students?

Religion emphasises respect and compassion for others despite race, social status, and beliefs. It is important for students to have an understanding of world views and how various people live. Religion can help them to become the best version of themselves. Showing care and compassion for others is truly a great quality to aim for.

Which topic/s in Religious Education do you enjoy teaching most?

World religions.

Year 1 Social Justice Project - Book Drive

Earlier this term, the staff of Mary MacKillop Catholic College participated in professional development which revolved around the outreach and mission of Mary MacKillop. Embedded in this session was a request for staff to work with their students, whether that be in their year level cohorts, PC classes or Houses, on a mission or outreach initiative. 

As a result, the Year 1 teachers–Julia Ryan, Jodie Inskip and Kim McCosker–together with their students, are promoting the Josephite call to 'never see a need without doing something about it' via a Book Drive this term. One of the aims of this social justice project is to prepare the Year 1 students to be thoughtful and kind members of society. 

The Year 1 teachers are asking for every student in Year 1 to donate a pre-loved (in good condition) or new picture book to give to three local charities. Inside every book, the children will write a letter to the new owner of their once loved book. These books will be presented to the charity organisations in Week 10 of this term.

We ask for all books to be brought into school by Friday, 11 September (Week 9).

Well done to Year 1 and their teachers for enacting the MMCC vision  – engaging minds, igniting hearts, and serving others.

Leisa Radley
Director of Formation

Last time I wrote, I explained what Digital Technologies and ICT were and how important they were in the curriculum landscape to shaping and preparing a student for the 21st Century.

Today I would like to discuss the benefits of using technology in the classroom. Students are digital natives. They have grown up with technology. But using computer technology in the classroom is not just about digital devices in class – it relates to anything that facilitates an interaction between student and teacher.

Student learning is an area with enormous potential to benefit from information technology. Information dissemination is, after all, a core strength of today’s technology. And technology offers versatile platforms to streamline classroom teaching. Some of the advantages of using technology in the classroom include:

1. Access high-quality, current information. The latest and most up to date information is at our fingertips, ensuring the best educational experience. Teachers can direct students to trusted sources of accurate information.
2. Student Performances: Technology allows teachers to perform their job more efficiently and effectively. Platforms that use data analytics can support teachers to pinpoint areas of student weakness and strength, allowing the teacher to quickly adjust the content and strategies to support the student learning. Another use of technology that allows teachers greater ability to support student learning is the concept of a Flipped Classroom. A Flipped classroom requires students to do the easy learning at home and the hard learning at school with the support of the teacher. For example, instead of spending 15 minutes viewing a video clip during class time, the teacher would send the clip home for the student to view for homework – flipping the learning – then the next day in class, the teacher can better utilise the 15 minutes for deeper learning opportunities.
3. Learning Skills: Working with technology in the classroom naturally provides opportunities for students to learn technology skills. Teachers can give students freedom in how they present tasks.
4. Improved student participation: Data suggests that student engagement in learning is boosted when using technology. Technology caters for a range of student needs. For example, the reserved student can participate more fully in a class discussion when using technology, i.e. an online poll could be used to get everyone’s opinion about a topic. Online platforms allow teachers to be more creative and flexible in the way they deliver content and meet the needs of all students. When technology is woven through a lesson by a skilled teacher, technology can increase student engagement. Student achievement may also be boosted if they have opportunities to continue working on projects outside of the classroom.

In the last edition of the newsletter, I outlined the benefits of USQ Head Start program. This week, I would like to share with you how a School-Based Traineeship Program can be a viable option for some Year 10-12 students.

School-Based Traineeships allows students to work in an industry of interest. There are many businesses that support students in this pathway. Currently, we have students involved in industries such as diesel mechanic, childcare, retail, hospitality and aged care. Students are able to develop their hands-on skills in that particular industry. Students are also required to complete set modules which allows them to attain a Certificate III qualification upon completion of traineeship in Year 12. This makes the student highly employable as not have they have attained theoretical knowledge but also have industry experience.

Furthermore, by completing a traineeship, students will attain 8 points to contribute to their Queensland Certificate of Education. By comparison, completing a subject such as English in Year 11 and 12 provides 4 points.

Additionally, some universities offer entry into courses based upon completion of a Certificate III course. Therefore, a traineeship qualification can be used strategically to gain entry into university if required.

Here at the College, we can tailor your child’s learning pathway based on their interest and skill. If you think your child could benefit from undertaking a traineeship, please contact me at the College.

Teaching & Learning Award 

W.E.S.T.I.E Awards

New Students receiving their badge

Early in Term 4, students in Year 7 - 9 will sit their annual Progressive Achievement Tests in Reading (Pat-R) test. Students are tested on their reading comprehension skills, vocabulary knowledge and spelling. 

In preparation for these tests, students have been exposed to a test-based comprehension strategy across all their subjects this term. All teachers completed professional development in a staff meeting, earlier in the year, on the skimming and scanning comprehension strategy and have implemented it into their teaching. Rebecca Morgan and myself popped into a number of lessons during the past two weeks, and observed how students actively engaged in skimming and scanning across a range of texts and genres.

Skimming and scanning is an essential comprehension strategy in any time-pressured exam. Time is precious and students do not necessarily have time to read every text. We skim a text to gain a general understanding of it and scan to locate a specific word or idea. Through reading the question and identifying the focus of the question, students could save valuable time by skimming or scanning a text. It could be a word, a number, an image, italics, a linking sentence or a subtitle they're looking for. Then, return to the question and ensure they have identified the correct area of the text. 

Early in Term 2 we conducted some pre-testing and gathered our base data for student achievement in a comprehension test. Having been exposed to skimming and scanning for some time now, we're looking forward to analysing the data from our post-test in Week 10 of this term. This test will also guide our teaching early into Term 4 in preparation for our Pat-R testing. 

Of course, skimming and scanning is something we do all day, every day, including social media, advertisements, newspaper articles, magazines and even this newsletter! I do it, you do it and our young adults do it. Hopefully, this skill will rub off in their testing in Term 4!

Chris Bracken
Director of English & Literacy

The year 7 students have been producing artworks that are based on portraits of themselves. They have experimented with paper and textured materials to produce their portrait collages. An extension of this task was the use of text to produce a self-portrait.

The year 8 students had a fantastic time creating Picasso inspired mixed media artworks. They had fun using a variety of materials such as watercolour, charcoal, collage and ink.

If you have a chance be sure to view these artwork displays in the Junior School office.

Positive Learning Behaviours

Positive Learning Behaviours are used to support a culture of learning throughout all learning environments in the College. Students who have displayed positive learning behaviours will receive a Joey point and will receive the following after accumulating points:

• 10 points – certificate
• 15 points – ribbon
• 20 points – badge

Over the past few weeks, the following Positive Learning Behaviours have been the focus:

Three students in the Junior School have received the first certificates of the term. Well done to Hadley Saunders (Prep Koalas) Malika Stokes (3 Tabletop) Claire Moylan (5 Balonne). As at the end of week 6, there have been more than 1200 Joey points awarded in the Junior school. Congratulations to the students who have been demonstrating a range of positive learning behaviours. Keep it up!

Positive Learning Behaviour Reflection from Year 6 students:

The positive learning behaviours are really good as they encourage us to learn from our mistakes. The teacher gives us feedback and we can learn more. The positive learning behaviours create higher expectations for us as learners. 

Gabby Semmens

Joey points are great for motivating students. Positive learning behaviours help us stay on topic and strive a bit further. I really liked the behaviour that focused on working well independently and in groups. I think that when you work independently you have to rely on your self, but when you are in a group you need to be mature and stay on track. I think that the different focus each week or fortnight is great as it offers a broader spectrum of things to do to make yourself the best version of yourself.

Adele Adams

Something pertinent to this is the idea of GRIT and a growth mindset. A person's mindset refers to their belief about their own talents. If someone has a fixed mindset, they believe they are what they are and they can't change that. On the other hand someone with a growth mindset believes their talent can grow and continue to improve. They are not deterred by setbacks, rather see them as an opportunity to learn and become better and strive for this unlimited potential.  

Grit is the ability to persist after setbacks, people with a growth mindset are more likely to be resilient and show grit. This term our student's have been able to get involved in more activities that were on hold during COVID. It is great to see the smiles and hear the laughter that goes hand in hand with these activities, it also gives students an avenue to use their growth mindset and show grit. This week I have loved being able to go and watch soccer, netball and rugby union and at each one of these there was obvious grit on display. 

I recently watched the Netflix series on Michael Jordan and whether you love him or hate him he has a growth mindset:

“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”― Michael jordan

There is only 4 weeks left this term and we are moving into a period that is often heavy with assessment. Let's challenge our student's to step up and show grit during this period. Keep encouraging them to 'take the shot' and even if it misses, use it as an opportunity to grow. 

We invite you to visit our Guidance Counsellor resources page. We are hoping this will provide a source of support to not only enhance your family's coping with the inevitable stressors of life, but to also inform your proactive efforts to promote mental health and wellbeing.We have included a range of resources for the Junior and Senior school, in addition to specific resources for parents. These resources have been selected to strengthen the social and emotional wellbeing of the MMCC community. This is an important area of development for all, with research identifying a relationship with academic performance, mental health, and general health indicators across the lifespan.We have also linked to additional services such as Kids Helpline, ReachOut, Headspace, Family and Child Connect, and Parentline that provide a range of resources and support options. We recommend you review these for targeted or specific information and support as required.

Children thrive when their parents have the support they need.

Did you also know Triple P (a world-renowned positive parenting program that helps make raising children and teenagers easier) is FREE for Queensland families, thanks to Queensland Government funding. Triple P can help you learn simple but proven ways to parent more effectively and give your children the best opportunity to reach their full potential. The programs are either targeted from toddlers to tweens, or pre-teens to teens, and aim to give you practical skills and tools, and help build the confidence you need to: manage your children’s behaviour; set family routines and rules that everyone follows; develop positive relationships, so you can get along well with your kids and argue less; raise happy, healthy and confident children; balance work and family without stress; and create a happy, safe environment where your family can thrive.

The course is also conveniently available online and is self-paced to support parents to learn about the full suite of Triple P parenting strategies.  Click here to register for the free online Triple P course.  

We have launched an instagram page dedicated to all things sport at Mary MacKillop. Follow us to show your support!

If you don't already follow our main College instagram account, click the link below to follow that too.

Student interviews, and instagram stories are shared regularly through these channels.

FOLLOW US @MARYMACSPORT

FOLLOW US @MARYMACKILLOPCATHOLICCOLLEGE

Book Week will officially begin next week with Book Fair open to students in the Junior Library during First Break on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Parents, while unable to attend Book Fair onsite this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, will be able to access Book Fair online at https://www.thebookwarehouse.com.au/ No login is required. Parents will need to enter the Bookfair ID - 3606, their child's name and class once they go to the checkout section of the website. All orders will be mailed and distributed to classrooms once finalised. Please see attached flyer. All purchases result in new library books for the College.

Both Junior and Senior Libraries are currently running competitions for students to create (draw or build) their own Curious Creature in line with the 2020 theme, Curious Creatures, Wild Minds. Entries are due Friday, 28 August 2020.

Junior School Readers Cup and Senior School Trivia Cup will be held on Friday, 28 August. Students are also welcome to dress as their favourite Book Character or as a Curious Creature/Wild Mind on this day. A reminder that all entries for the Premier's Reading Challenge are also due on this date - no late entries will be accepted.

Some exciting development regarding Touch Football at Mary Mac! Parents should have received an email with details of the 2020/21 season. There are some fairly stringent guidelines in place that clubs and schools will need to adhere to. Full details can be found in the email. Please note, registration is not complete until the edsmart form is responded to AND the Microsoft form found here is completed. Please contact Mr. Griffiths if you have any questions.

Mary Mac has partnered with QLD Touch Football to offer students the opportunity to participate in the Q Performance Academy, a program designed to elevate the performance of touch players to 'the next level.' The Q Academy is open to all students, regardless of whether they play summer touch for Mary Mac or for a club. Please see the attached flyer for details.

Don't forget we have a pool of good quality second hand uniforms at Senior Admin available for all current families.  These are free and have all been donated to the College as families move away.  Please make use of this wonderful free service provided by Mary MacKillop Catholic College.  Nadine at Senior Reception will happily check her stocks to assist any students missing articles of uniform or just needing spares.

https://rhee-aus.com.au/

Class Times & Locations

MT LOFTY

TOOWOOMBA STATE HIGH SCHOOL

Swim & Sports Centre Stuart St, Mount LoftyMondays & Wednesdays: 6:00pm – 7:00pm