Mary MacKillop Catholic College | Mary MacKillop Catholic College

Our Futsal teams have been active in the SW Qld tournament this week. I was so fortunate to make time in my week to see some games on Wednesday. We have brought home 4 trophies at the time of this newsletter which is a great strike rate and one that any Principal would be very happy with. I think what passes that milestone though is the fact that a lot of these teams are co-coached by older players from the College. What a wonderful way for Mary Mac to create a culture of service and success. Thank you so much to those students, their parents and coaches who have supported this.

It is no secret that I am a Bruce Springsteen fan. When articulating the importance of his band, he stated that a great band makes 1+1=3. So does a great team. As a college, we are really starting to get teamwork right. This is not limited just to the sporting fields – we now have debating teams at the QDU tournaments, and we can see evidence of a broader team spirit in the way our students interact with each other.

This is Solidarity. In the Catholic tradition, Solidarity does not just mean working together. Rather, it is a conviction that we are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be.

Today, many community members gathered in the MacKillop Centre to attend a presentation by Camp Quality. This is a group who support childhood sufferers of cancer and their families. Their presentation to our P-6 College enabled that community with the common goal, and common intent, of keeping an immunosuppressed child in our college safe. This was a powerful act of Solidarity and support that I know we will commit to as a team.

In the spirit of Mary MacKillop, we are reminded of the importance of solidarity and social justice. As a school community, let us look for ways to support those who are marginalized and to act as beacons of hope and compassion in our world.

Have a lovely weekend. Take care.

Mr Chris Gabbett
College Principal

Your official role at the College: Administration Officer

What does a typical day really look like:

I start the day checking student absences, and submissions of rolls from PC. There is normally many voicemails to check from parents, and I follow up on messages to teachers. My day then gets a little hectic and I’m usually doing ten things at once – from answering phone calls, checking rolls, sending absence notifications, PA callouts to students, calling classrooms to get messages to students, helping in sick bay, and receiving and delivering forgotten items to the students.

Where are you based in the College: Senior Administration

Secondary School attended: Immanuel Lutheran College, Sunshine Coast

What do you like about working at Mary MacKillop?

I love that we have wonderful teachers who genuinely care about their students! And all of the staff here are so great! I also love my interactions with the students who come into the office - whether they are coming in because they’re not feeling well, or they are signing in or out, or they’ve forgotten something at home.

What are your hobbies/Interests? I am obsessed with interior design, I can’t walk into a room / house without mentally renovating it or redesigning the layout. I also love bushwalks with my beautiful family.

Other interesting facts about yourself or anything else you would like to share with the MMCC community:

I am a very blessed mum to three wonderful children, and being a mum is a huge part of who I am. My family moved to Toowoomba only 3 years ago, and immediately felt like we had found our place, and belonged. I feel that even stronger in our tight-knit community here.

How is your work related to the 6Ps?

Partnership- I have daily with my interactions with the students and families, I seek to make a positive difference in their lives as best as I can. I also have strong solid values and believe that kindness is the easiest trait to project on to those around us.

When someone says the word mission to you what do you immediately think about? Is it Mission Impossible the movie with Tom Cruise? Or is it your mind goes to Vision and Mission? Do you think about crusades and their mission? Wherever your mind goes the word mission still has a similar meaning - an important assignment given to a person or a group of people to achieve. This can mean travel but, in a Christian, meaning it is about spreading the faith - God's message.

Next week, two significant saints are celebrated - St Patrick and St Joseph. Both these saints had a mission.

St Patrick's was born into romanised family in Britain in the 5th Century. He was captured and enslaved at the age of 16 years to Ireland where he was a herdsman. During this 6-year period of time, he turned to his faith. Through a dream, he visioned an escape back to Britain. He enacted this and eventually was united with his family back in Britain. After some time, Patrick was called back / moved to go back to Ireland, which he did. His journey back to Ireland, had him baptising and confirming as he went.

He was spreading God's message of love and faith. Sources say, "he was a humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped “idols and unclean things” had become “the people of God.” (Britannica, 2024) You would most remember the legend of St Patrick as being the Bishop who drove out all the snakes from Ireland. As teachers of the Catholic faith, St Patrick, is the person who taught everyone about the Holy Trinity through the use of a shamrock leaf - three person in one.

St Patrick was a missionary whose mission was to spread the word about Christianity to Ireland and as a Bishop he did this every day. His mission was to spread God's message and teach people about Catholicism. St Patrick's feast day is 17th March and usually on this day to remember him people dress up in green and remember all things Irish. Here is a prayer you could pray on the day:

Lorica of St Patrick - like a Breastplate

Through God's strength to pilot me;

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's hosts to save me.

from snares of the devel,

From temptations of vices,

From everyone who desires me ill,

Afar and anear,

Alone or in a multitude.

(Sourced from prayers & Reflections for Catholic Teachers, complied by Ann Rennie.)

St Joseph's Feast Day is two days later - 19th March. St Joseph was Jesus' earthly father, foster father, husband, a carpenter, a refugee, a family orientated man but also someone who was very humbly. In the bible, no where is it recorded that Joseph spoke. We learn about St Joseph through his actions. His actions were honourable in protecting Mary when she announced she was pregnant; he protected her and her baby Jesus by not returning to his hometown after being warned in a dream to go home via Egypt; Joseph taught Jesus as his father his trade as a carpenter or a labourer.

So, what was Joseph's mission? To be all those things - a father, a husband, a protector, an example for us. He was given a special mission to care for Mary the mother of God's son, Jesus, as well as care for Jesus once he was born. He listened to God's messages through his dreams and followed what was asked of him even when he was frightened to do so as quoted in the bible: "When Joseph woke, he did as the angel of God had directed him." Matthew 1:24

These two saints have an impact on us through a variety of means: as a teacher, a parent but also a connection to our faith. These saints have given us examples of how we need to be open to the mission of the church, in hearing the call from God.

So, what is our mission here at the College?

It is stated in the Vision and Mission statements clearly that we will create young people who will be on their way to reaching their full potential by the time they leave our gates on the last day of Year 12. How do we do that? By ensuring that students are given the best opportunities to meet their needs - physically, mentally and spiritually. They will have academic success; involvement in sporting opportunities and be guided by the faith. Mary MacKillop is our inspiration for this as well as someone who ensured that the poor and vulnerable had access to an education. Education is the way to allow grow and maturity in a world that is ever challenging and changing.

In Mary MacKillop's words "Little did either of us dream of what was to spring from so small a beginning." 1891

Paula O'Rourke
Assistant Principal Religious Education

The words of our College Principal Mr Chris Gabbett shared during the Josephite Companions Breakfast resound as I write this article. We at Mary MacKillop Catholic College must be a community of the faith that built the lady and not of the lady herself. Coming to know our God means not only being people of prayer but people that live faith through action.

This past fortnight has been one that has truly showcased the living faith and evangelisation present in our college community. Some highlights of this part of the term include.

Buddy Program

Senior school Religious Education teachers have taken the initiative of building a stronger buddy system across the College. As a parent my own primary aged children coming home and sharing their enthusiasm about spending time with some of the senior students shows the benefits of this service initiative. Senior students are bearing witness to their community, bringing their gifts, talents and hospitality to our younger College members.

Ignite Conference

This Catholic Youth Conference will run again during the September school holidays. Senior student Rachel Williams is keen to get as many students attending as possible. It is held at St Laurence's College in Brisbane on the 19th-22nd of September. The theme is 'Rise Up' and like the phoenix encourages young people to ignite their own love for God. If you would like further information on this conference, please contact me directly or visit the Ignite Conference 24 website.

Click here to go to Ignite Conference 24 Website

Stationery Aid

Service learning within the senior school has been quite successful this year through our volunteering with St Vincent De Paul; cooking for those struggling in our College Community through our Healing Hands initiative; and in our parish Technology Tutorials for parishioners. We are hoping to extend these offerings by connecting with Stationery Aid. This charity operates to provide school stationery to struggling Queensland students. As a participating school we would receive donations and clean, sort and process these so that they can be distributed to those in need across our state.

St Patrick's Day Festivities

St Patrick's Day is celebrated on Sunday 17th March. Our AMMA students under the guidance of Mrs Megan Puhakka will lead many activities for the senior school students on the 19th with a bake sale, games, music and festivities during first break. Senior school students are encouraged to bring gold coins to purchase food at the bake sale, with all funds raised going to Project Compassion as part of our Lenten almsgiving.

Please reach out if you wish to discuss anything faith or service related. Take care and God bless, Ryan.

Ryan Cavanough
Acting Director

As parents, we play a crucial role in our children's education. One of the fundamental skills that sets the stage for lifelong learning is reading proficiency. In this article, we'll delve into the science of reading, demystify its key concepts, and provide practical strategies to support your child's reading journey.

What Is the Science of Reading?

The science of reading draws upon evidence from various disciplines, including education, linguistics, cognitive psychology, special education, and neuroscience. It sheds light on how children learn to read and the most effective instructional methods. Let's explore some essential aspects:

1. Cognitive Processes: Reading involves specialized cognitive processes. Unlike speaking (a biologically primary skill), reading is a cultural invention that requires deliberate teaching. Neural networks evolve to handle language and visual recognition, but they must be repurposed for reading and writing.

2. Oral Language Development: A strong foundation in oral language is critical. Children exposed to rich and complex language in their early years arrive at school with a broader vocabulary and better comprehension skills.

3. The Simple View of Reading (SVR): Reading comprehension hinges on two skill sets:

Word Recognition: The ability to decode words accurately.
Language Comprehension: Understanding the meaning of text.

Practical Tips for Parents

1. Read Aloud: Regularly read to your child. Discuss the story, ask questions, and build their vocabulary.

2. Phonics Practice: Help your child learn letter-sound relationships. Phonics instruction aids word recognition.

3. Vocabulary Building: Introduce new words during everyday conversations. Expand their lexicon.

4. Comprehension Strategies: Teach them to predict, infer, and summarize while reading.

5. Access to Books Create a home library. Encourage independent reading.

6. Monitor Progress: Observe your child's reading development. Seek professional help if needed.

Explore additional resources to support your child's literacy journey.

Remember, nurturing a love for reading begins at home. By embracing the science of reading, you empower your child to thrive academically and beyond. Happy reading!

1. Introduction to the science of reading | Australian Education Research ...

2. Parent Engagement and the Science of Reading

3. Intro to Science of Reading For Parents

4. Science of Reading for Parents: 10 Tips to Share with Students ...

5. Science of Reading Information for Parents - Mrs. Winter's Bliss

Mrs. Natalie Adler
Assistant Principal Teaching & Learning P-12/ P-2 Phase Leader

On Tuesday, 5 March our Year 10 students, along with Miss Niemeyer, Mrs Quinlan, Mr Richards, and Mrs Frame visited the Queensland Holocaust Museum in Brisbane. As part of their history studies this term, students have been examining significant events of WW2 which have impacted the modern world.

The Holocaust Museum has only been established for six months, and Mary MacKillop Year 10 students were only the second group of high school students to partake in the educational experience which the museum offers. Students rotated through two activities on the day. Half the group were taken on a tour of the museum, where they were taken on a visual journey through the events of The Holocaust, and they were also able to interact with digitised stories of survivors and victims of this terrible time in history.

At the end of the tour there is a wall filled with names of Holocaust survivors who lived in Queensland who have sadly since passed away. This museum is a memorial to their strength, courage, and bravery in the face of such prejudice, discrimination, and brutality. The other group participated in a workshop called "The 10 Stages of Genocide", where students were given a bag of artefacts which linked to Jewish people and The Holocaust, which they had to match to one, or several stages of genocide.

The lesson here was that once one stage was enacted without intervention, the second, third and fourth stages followed, which ultimately lead to the death of millions of innocent people. They were then shown several clips about more recent genocides, such as Cambodia and Rwanda. The purpose of the day was for students to understand the affects and impact of this period in history and how, unfortunately, it was not a one-off experience.

As young people, they must understand history to have some chance of history repeating itself. Museum staff have reiterated how engaged and well behaved our students were during the activities, and they are to be congratulated on the way they conducted themselves during such confronting understandings.

Students will have the opportunity next term to hear the stories of survivors first - hand when history classes zoom in with the museum. This will also help them with their online museum assessment where they will examine a more recent genocide and compare it to The Holocaust of WW2.

Liz Frame
Middle Leader - Humanities

Yesterday was the first of four free webinars that parents at MMCC will have access to this year. The College has recently partnered with a company called Wellio that helps students proactively improve their mental wellbeing using research-backed habits and techniques. Their program supports students in improving their sleep, managing social media use, building healthy relationships, improving physical well-being, and reducing anxiety. As part of our connection with Wellio we gain free access to parent webinars for anyone in our community.

Wellio will be delivering a webinar each term to parents. Wellio’s psychologists develop these webinars to give parents strategies to support their children’s wellbeing. For example, how to manage technology at home and support children with stress and anxiety. These webinars run for approximately 60 minutes each, and Wellio sends support materials after each webinar.

The upcoming webinar in Term 2 is titled “Phone Addiction & Social Media”. Drawing on the latest psychological science, this webinar helps you guide your child to better habits and beat back phone addiction. You can register for these webinars at https://www.wellioeducation.com/en_au/webinars. If you can’t attend, register anyway, as a recording will be sent through after the event.

The webinars are aimed at Year 7 and higher, however, parents across the College are welcome to register and select one of the higher age groups when prompted to select a grade for your child.

The topic of yesterday's webinar was managing anxiety, and I would love anyone who attended this to provide me with your feedback on the content and quality of the presentation.

Please see below the dates for our free parent webinars running across the year:

Tuesday, 14 May 5:30pm - Phones & social media
Thursday, 29 August 5:30pm - Building Healthy Relationships
Thursday, 31 October 5:30pm - Resilience & Setbacks
Parents can register to attend any or all of these sessions here.