Term 1, Week 10, 5 April

Upcoming Events

Principal's Update

STUDENT SUCCESS

Easter Card Delivery To Our Neighbours In Aged-Care

During Week 9, students across years 7 to 12 spent their lunch times busily crafting handmade cards for our elderly friends residing in St Agnes Nursing homes. Today some 290 cards were delivered by some of our College Leaders at Emmaus, Mount Carmel, Maryknoll and St Agnes' Hostel. It was obvious to see the cards and conversations with our seniors were warmly appreciated, but even more special to witness the smiles and social connection between the generations. A special mention goes to Year 11 students Shayla and Harmony Mitchell, who initiated this very thoughtful project and to our College Captain Fleur Sherlock who made it all happen. 

Year 10 Retreats

During Week 8 I had the privilege of visiting our Year 10 Retreats held at Bonny Hills and Stuarts Point Retreat Centres. The retreats, in both Years 10 and 12, hold a special place in the calendar of the College as they allow our young people important reflection time, away from the distraction of devices and their busy world, to reflect on what is important in their lives. It also allows for deeper connection with their peers, teachers and God. 

MacKillop College Mock Trial Team Success

The 2023 MacKillop College Mock Trial team has won the first round of the Law Society Mock Trial competition against Macquarie College. The team is made up of 9 Year 11 Legal Studies students, who only had 5 hours in total to prepare their entire case, which included witnesses learning scripts off by heart. The MacKillop team presented a difficult case as the prosecution, and were commended on their ability to confidently argue very weak evidence that was provided to them. The students will now progress to round 2 of the competition with new case material. 

Congratulations to the successful students! 

PARENT PARTNERSHIP

Parent Cafe - Wine and Cheese Night 

On Monday night we had a wonderful evening with parents and college leaders sharing some wine and cheese. More importantly, parents were able to contribute to the formation of the College values and the behaviours that we believe will be evident from all members of the college community if we are to see these values lived out. If you missed the evening but would like further input into the future direction of the College please see the upcoming feedback opportunities below. 

Parent Feedback opportunities 

At the beginning of Term 2 we have the opportunity to participate in two highly valuable feedback processes to gather data on what’s working well at MacKillop College and what might be some areas for improvement. The feedback will then be used to assist in strategically planning the goals and priorities for the College for 2024 - 2026. 

Students, staff and parents will all be invited to contribute to both processes. 

The first will take place durings Weeks 1-3 and will be an invitation to complete an on-line survey which you can read more about in below under the heading Tell Them From Me survey. Parents will be emailed the link to the survey once the survey opens after the 26 April. 

The second opportunity is an invitation to parents to come into the College during Week 3, on Wednesday 10 May 2.45pm - 3.30pm to meet with external reviewers who will be conducting a 4 day review of the college. The reviewers will be chatting to over 85% of staff, a number of students and would love to meet with some parents also. 

The parent conversation will be in a small group of 4-6 parents and be an informal discussion about how the College meets the learning and wellbeing outcomes of young people and involvement of parents in achieving these outcomes, (there are no right or wrong answers). If you are interested and able to attend the College on Wednesday 10 May 2.45pm - 3.30pm please let us know via this link. 

Tell Them From Me Survey for students:

As part of our focus on school improvement, MacKillop College will be participating in an online survey for students - Tell Them From Me® (TTFM®). The survey will provide us with valuable feedback on what our students think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. 

Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help them improve.

During April, all students will be given the opportunity and time to participate in this survey during regular school hours. Students will be given a random username and password to access and complete the survey online. Students’ names cannot be linked to their responses which allows it to be completely anonymous. Results will show all student scores combined together - it is not possible to single out individual students in the results.

The survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. The survey measures include such topics as emotional and social wellbeing, physical health, and behaviours and attitudes linked to student success. The survey also allows students to give their thoughts and feedback in open-ended question responses.

Participation in the survey is entirely voluntary. Your child will not take part if either you or your child do not wish to. If, during the survey, your child is uncomfortable answering any question, he/she should leave it blank and move on to the next one. Your child can stop the survey at any time.

If you do not want your child to take part in the survey, please indicate this preference via the TTFM student non-participation form.

Uniform Term 2

I spoke briefly recently to the students about the upcoming holidays and the importance of ensuring their uniform is correct for the return in Term 2. I thank parents for ensuring your child meets the College Code of Presentation prior to Day 1 Term 2. Students return to the College on Wednesday 26 April.  College photos will take place in Week 2 and any student who does not meet the Code of Presentation may be excluded.

Some key areas I mentioned to students to be conscious of were:

• Ensuring any holiday haircut will meet the Code of Presentation on return.
• That all skirts meet the standard of ‘to the top of the knee’. Many girls have grown throughout Term 1 and need to have their skirts taken down over the holiday break.
• New piercings must meet the Code of Presentation and therefore may be best done in the Christmas break to allow the six weeks without removal. 
• Socks need to be one of the College pairs and must be at a minimum ankle height.

Administering Paracetamol (non prescription medication) to Students

When a student presents to the (school office/administration/sick bay) and is feeling unwell or experiencing significant or acute pain, a member of staff is able to contact their parent or guardian seeking permission to administer paracetamol. If a parent or guardian can not be contacted, the student will stay in (school office/administration/sick bay) however we will not be able to give them any non-prescription pain relief medication until verbal consent has been received. Any previous permission to give non-prescription pain relief no longer applies. You will receive a phone call each time your child presents to the (school office/administration/sick bay) seeking consent. Alternatively, students are able to carry a small stock of Panadol with them in their bags if need be. 

Year 7 2024 Enrolments Now Open

For all Enrolment Enquiries or to complete your Enrolment Application for year 7 2024, head to the MacKillop College Website where you will find everything you need to get started now. 

https://www.pmaclism.catholic.edu.au/how-to-enrol

Information Evenings 

Choosing a Secondary College for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent to ensure your child's future educational development.

Come to our Year 7 Enrolment Information night to meet our teachers and learn more about the St Agnes' Parish Education pathway.

St Agnes' Education schools support the mission and vision of St Agnes' Parish by:

• Promoting an attitude of excellence among students and staff;
• Providing students with Catholic education in a caring, supportive and disciplined environment;
• Maintaining the self-esteem of all students by applying Christian values of love, kindness and understanding in all we do;
• Working with students and colleagues to maintain a professional and cohesive team, accept responsibility for our personal and professional development, and always respect one another's dignity and self-worth.

St Joseph's Regional College Information Night
Date: Monday, 1 May 2023
Time: Tour starts at 5.00 pm, with the Information session beginning at 6.00pm
Address: St Joseph's Regional College, College Drive, Port Macquarie
Before the Information session, you will have the opportunity to tour the school and talk to teachers and other parents.

MacKillop College Information Night
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023.
Time: 6.00pm start (tour straight after).
Address: MacKillop College (junior campus), Ocean Drive, Port Macquarie.
After the Information session, you will have the opportunity to tour the school and talk to teachers and other parents.

Please check your zoning before registering to ensure you attend the information session aligned to the school zoned for where you live.

Term 1 Thank you and Happy Holidays

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank parents and carers for your ongoing support in Term 1. Special thanks to families who have joined our community in 2023; I hope you and your child(ren) are feeling very much a welcomed part of the community. 

I wish everyone a Blessed Easter season and hope you have time with family over the next few days to rest, reflect and give thanks for the sacrifice that Christ made in death. I warmly invite families to participate in the parish Easter liturgies which are listed below.

Cath Eichmann
Principal

Evangelisation

Year 7 Transitus Retreat

"Transitus was an overnight stay at the Yarrahapinni Adventist Youth Centre, in Grassy Head for 2 days. We participated in group activities to grow our faith, and grow our connection with Jesus. I met lots of new people that attended different schools to me through the group activities, and I had a great time with my school friends too. Although some of my friends and I weren’t in the same cabin, everyone still had a great time. Everyone received a comfort cross and a simplified bible to keep. The Year 10 leaders, teachers and students made Transitus a fun experience to grow closer with God, make new friends and try something new."

Maeve, Year 7

Year 10 Retreat & Mass

The Year 10 Retreats are one of the highlights of the College calendar. Each student gains tremendous personal benefit and recalls this experience with fond memories. The aim of the Retreats is to provide space and time for students to reflect on their lives, priorities, relationships and their faith. In short, the Retreats encourages students to reflect in a peaceful environment on their lives and their relationships with others and with God.

On Friday 24 March, Year 10 students had their final day of their Retreat, where all the students came together for our Mass on the top of North Brother Mountain. The theme of the Mass was related to our Year 10 Mary MacKillop quote: “How truly wonderful are God’s ways”. Students and staff walked through God’s beautiful creation, on a short pilgrimage to experience Mass in a place that honours God’s incredible love for us. The day concluded with lunch and games at Lake Cathie, which the students appeared to enjoy.

Marg Gobius
Leader of Evangelisation 

Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

Years 8, 9 and 10 Learning Conversations

On Monday, 15 May (Term 2 Week 4) we will be holding a Learning Conversations evening in the College Hall on the junior site from 4.00 pm - 7.30 pm for families with children in Years 8, 9 and 10. 

This is an opportunity for parents to put a face to the name of their child’s teachers and share any knowledge that they feel would strengthen our partnership. 

If these dates do not suit you, or your child’s teacher is not available, I encourage you to make contact (by phone or email) with your child’s teachers. 

Daniel Blackman, Leader of Inclusion and Diversity, will also be available if you wish to book an appointment. He can discuss any diagnosis your child may have and the options for in-class adjustments, intervention programs or co-curricular activities.

As per all conversations in relation to our student’s learning, we encourage your child to also attend the evening. These interviews are one part of the very important process of our students gaining the most from their schooling and provide an opportunity for parents and teachers to meet to ensure open and collaborative communication which assists students not only in their learning but in their growth as young men and women. 

In addition to class teachers, Jo Pilgrim our Leader of Careers and Pathways will be available for Year 10 students via the booking system. 

You can now book interviews at times that suit you at www.schoolinterviews.com.au and follow these simple instructions.

Please ensure you provide your full name, and your child’s full name when entering your details.  Please note bookings will close on Friday, 12 May.

When you click finish, your interview timetable will be emailed to you automatically - check your junk mail folder if you do not receive your email immediately. 

Interviews are strictly 5 minutes and spaces are limited. If you require more time, please contact teachers directly to make alternative arrangements.

Parents can change their interview bookings, any time prior to the closing date, by re-visiting the www.schoolinterviews.com.au website and using the event code. Remember to use the same name and email address you used when you made your original booking. 

Years 7-11 Student Learning Profiles

As we end the term, all students from Years 7-11 will be issued with a Student Learning Profile (SLP). This is a snapshot of your child's approach to learning across all of their subjects. These reports are issued via Schoolworx and can be accessed by following the instructions in the link below. If you have any questions or concerns please make contact with your child's teacher via email or alternatively make an appointment for our upcoming Learning Conversations (Years 8-10) next term. 

Schoolworx Parent Portal Guide

Christine Harmer
Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching

Assistant Principal, Mission

Year 10 Retreat

A key theme that I picked up from this retreat has been connection, Connection to God, connection to environment and the place around us, yet I feel the strongest connection has been to each other. I observed, during the games last night, a group of students, instead of sitting as separate groups, sat together and played a clapping game. Many different cabin groups, many varied friendships came together and connected 7in the one student initiated game.

Through this retreat, I have been grateful to strengthen connections as we build new friendships and repair damaged ones. We have learnt so much. The conflict management allowed us to understand ourselves and others better. Thanks to the teachers, we also better understand the connections of family. In the spider web activity, we saw that everything we do affects them. Then, in the letters, we were all expecting to be too cool to cry… I thought I was, but the connection in that letter had other plans for me, just as it had for you and each person I spoke with after the letter writing.

I’m thankful that this retreat was at the start of the year, so now, connected together, we can move forward as an entire year group. For some of us this will be our last year to grow together, build and repair these connections. Thank you to all who made this retreat such a great experience, staff, Francis Retreat Centre, and students. Connection is paramount, and I’m glad we had the opportunities to build connections here.

Tobias Toohey Year 10

Easter – He Is Risen!

John 20:1-9

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

All the Gospels stress that Jesus’ resurrection was completely unexpected by his disciples, even though Jesus had told them on a number of occasions that he would rise from the dead. It seems they did not understand what he was saying. In Sunday’s Gospel we see Mary Magdalene going to the tomb early in the morning while it is still dark. She is like you and me going to the cemetery to visit the grave of someone we love who had died. She is going to mourn, to grieve, to remember him, perhaps even to ask the question ’Why?’, though she doesn’t expect an answer. When she finds the stone rolled away and the tomb empty, she is shocked and confused. She thinks someone has stolen the body. The thought that he has risen doesn’t enter her mind.

Later, while still searching, she meets a man she thinks is the gardener, and she asks him if he knows where they have put Jesus’ body. The person says simply ‘Mary’ and suddenly, totally unexpected, she realizes that she is in the presence of the risen Christ.

We also will meet the risen Christ in unexpected moments during the Easter season. Surely, we will meet him in the Mass and in the sacraments and in moments of prayer. But, like Mary, we will also meet him in our brothers and sisters, perhaps in the gardener, or in the stranger you meet along the way, or in those in need: ‘For I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was frightened and you comforted me, alone and you came to see me’. Then, like Mary, our Joy will be full.

God bless
Peter Murphy

School Photos Week 2, Term 2

School photo envelopes were sent home with students during PC classes this week in preparation for Week 2, Thursday 4 & Friday 5 May. Both Senior and Junior College Offices have a small supply of spares along with Sibling and Friend photo envelopes should your student require one. 

Years 10 - 12 photos will be done on Thursday, 4 May in the Lochinvar Centre on the Senior Campus. 

Years 7 - 9 photos will be done on Friday, 5 May in the Main College Hall on the Junior Campus.

Year 7

Easter Raffle

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all Year 7 students and their families for the generosity and goodwill you have shown through your donations to Project Compassion especially through your support of the Easter Raffle for Caritas.

Special thanks to Tanya Poppleton in Student Services who generously took on the huge challenge of organising all the chocolate donations into wonderful prizes!

There will be a lot of very happy faces at the end of our raffle, thank you to everyone who contributed – your efforts will make a positive change in the lives of so many through Project Compassion.

Happy Holidays

The #WeThrive conversations we had at the start of the year between families and PC teachers, now feel like a distant memory. Since then, our Year 7 students have undergone a significant transition into the life of a secondary school student.

Despite facing challenges along the way, they have shown incredible resilience and strength, coming together as a caring community. As we reflect on our first term together, it's clear that while there were obstacles to overcome, there were also many rewards and highlights. From making new friends to navigating a large school and taking on new subjects with new teachers, our students have achieved a great deal.

It has been great to cap off such a busy term with our Year 7 Community Day, an opportunity for students to build on the connections with their peers and teachers they have formed over this first term (and a great excuse to have a bunch of fun).

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With the term winding down I encourage parents to sit down with their child and discuss their end-of-term progress report. Heading into the school holidays, it's important to remember the value of taking a break from routine. This break provides an opportunity to gain perspective, relax, recharge, and connect with family and friends.

Have a safe and happy holidays

Adam O’Brien
Year 7 Leader of Pastoral Care

Year 8

Year 8 has demonstrated growth in their love of learning this term. Staff often comment to me that they enjoy working with Year 8 because their classes are involved enthusiastically in studying new skills and knowledge and persist through challenges. 

Below is a snippet of students working well in Ann Palmer’s geography class studying ‘Landscapes and Landforms’.

Upcoming: Parent-Teacher-Student Learning Conversations

There have been many personal and educational achievements and successes this term. Please take the time to sit and reflect with your child on their end-of-term progress report; affirm what they are doing well and chat about how they can address any areas that need work next term.

Learning Conversations give parents the opportunity to speak with their child’s teachers face to face in order to find out how students are engaging in their courses and to explore their Term 1 Student Learning Profile.

Monday 15 May (Term 2 Week 4) we will be holding a Learning Conversations evening in the College Hall on the junior site from 4.00pm -7.30 pm for families with children in Year 8.  

I encourage all parents to take this opportunity to discuss their child’s learning opportunities. Booking details can be found in the Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching section of this newsletter. 

Thank you

It has been such a rewarding term with students flourishing and settling into life as Year 8 students. A huge thank you to all Year 8 students and their families for the generosity and goodwill you have shown through your donations to Caritas Project Compassion. 

Reminders

As the holidays come around it’s an opportunity to relax but also enjoy yourself. A reminder that as we head back into Term 2 after a well-deserved break, students still need to adhere to the Code of Presentation.

Hair should be clean, tidy, of natural colour and worn off the face. Hair should not be of an extreme style. Hairstyles that draw unnecessary attention are not permitted, including but not limited to mohawks, mullets or shaved lines. 

Makeup is not permitted in Years 7-10. Artificial nails, nail polish and false eyelashes are not permitted.

We know that too much screen time has many adverse effects on our young people. Parents may find of interest the ability to make particular apps inaccessible for certain periods of time to allow our young people more downtime. Below are instructions as to how to turn on “downtime” on an iPhone:

Whatever our young people choose to do in their settings, we want them to make sure that they stay smart and stay safe. Keeping location data, like any other information, as private as possible helps optimise their safety on the Internet. See the link: How to Disable Location Services in Social Media.

Happy Holidays

During the holidays students need downtime, as do their teachers, to recharge and return to school with renewed spirit and enthusiasm. On behalf of the Year 8 Pastoral Care team, I wish all students and staff a peaceful and relaxing break.

I wish all Year 8, carers and teachers a safe and relaxing Easter and holiday period – may you have many shared moments of rest and recreation these holidays with your families and friends. 

Take care. 

Nicole O'Connell
Year 7 Leader of Pastoral Care

Year 9

It’s been another busy fortnight for our wonderful students. They successfully completed NAPLAN, multiple assessment tasks and were addressed by internet safety guru Dave Smith from ySafe (https://www.ysafe.com.au/) on Monday. The students were fantastic during the presentation which covered the legalities around safe online use, their responsibilities online and the potential impact of their online footprint on their future. One important note to come from the meeting was the process for students who are being harassed or bullied online and the need for them to report issues to both the social media platform and to the eSafety Commissioner (https://www.esafety.gov.au/) for follow-up. 

Below are the eSafety Commissioner’s 10 top tips to help protect your children online:

1. Build an open trusting relationship around technology — keep communication open and supportive so your child knows they can come to you if something goes wrong or does not feel right online.
2. Co-view and co-play with your child online. This will help you understand what they are doing and why they enjoy an app, game or website, as well as providing a great opportunity to start conversations about online safety.
3. Build good habits and help your child to develop digital intelligence and social and emotional skills — such as respect, empathy, critical thinking, responsible behaviour and resilience — and practice being good online citizens.
4. Empower your child — wherever possible, help them make wise decisions for themselves, rather than telling them what to do. Try to provide them with strategies for dealing with negative online experiences that will build their confidence and resilience.
5. Use devices in open areas of the home — this can help you manage and be aware of who your child interacts with online through phones, tablets, smart TVs, gaming consoles and other connected devices.
6. Set time limits that balance time spent in front of screens with offline activities — a family technology plan can help you to manage expectations around where and when technology use is allowed — search online for templates or examples.
7. Know the apps, games and social media sites your kids are using — make sure they are age-appropriate and learn how to limit messaging or online chat and location-sharing functions within apps or games, as these can expose your child to unwanted contact and disclose their physical location. The eSafety Guide includes information to help parents and carers choose safer apps and report and block unwanted contact and sexual approaches.
8. Check the privacy settings on the games and apps your child is using and make sure their profiles are turned on to the strictest privacy setting. Restrict who can contact your child or ask them to check in with you before accepting new friends.
9. Use available technologies to set up parental controls on devices that can filter harmful content, monitor your child’s use and limit or block their time on connected devices or functions (e.g. cameras, in-app purchases).
10. Be alert to signs of distress and know where to go for more advice and support.

On Monday, 15 May (Term 2 Week 4) we will be holding a Learning Conversations evening in the College Hall on the junior site from 4.00pm -7.30pm for families with children in Years 8, 9 and 10. Booking details can be found in the Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching section of this newsletter.

Have a wonderful Easter break!

Dave Kennedy
Year 9 Leader of Pastoral Care

Year 10

Year 8, 9 and 10 Learning Conversations

Monday 15 May (Term 2 Week 4) we will be holding a Learning Conversations evening in the College Hall on the junior site from 4.00-7.30pm for families with children in Years 8, 9 and 10. Booking details can be found in the Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching section of this newsletter.

Retreat 2023

Retreat Week is one of the most important compulsory events in the Year 10 calendar, and is always a highlight for the cohort; where friendships are strengthened, reflection and growth occur and positive memories are made. From all reports, it was a great success!

I hope you have had a chance to sit and talk to your young person about their experiences. Some of the reflections and activities really tested the students emotionally and spiritually but we all came away with a sense of purpose and a greater appreciation of the important things in life.

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Daniel O’Dell
Year 10 Leader of Pastoral Care

Year 11

Term 1 Done and Dusted!

The Year 11 Pastoral team are extremely proud of Year 11. They have taken the challenge and stepped up to the tasks in front of them. They have turned themselves into senior students by applying themselves to their work from the very beginning of the year. They have set goals, initiated systems, developed courage and are monitoring their inner voice to help them be resilient.

For those that finished the term with great results, congratulations, you can move ahead with confidence.

For those that finished the term a little disappointed, let’s let it go. We’ll have a wonderful break and we’ll try again next term.

Have a happy holiday everyone, and may the Easter message bring renewal and love to you and your families.

Bruce Smith
Year 11 Leader of Pastoral Care

Year 12

As Term One draws to a close I would like to congratulate Year 12 on their hard work, resilience and positive attitude this term. The last few weeks have been very busy and stressful at times as the workload has increased and emotions have been high. Now is the time to take a break and recharge for Term Two.

I would like to wish all our parents, students and staff a very happy and safe Easter break. Safe travels if you are planning on going away and I hope you enjoy the break with family and friends.

Tracey Bewicke
Year 12 Leader of Pastoral Care

JMC Academy Competitions

JMC's competitions are back for 2023! This is exclusive for students across NSW, VIC and QLD in years 9-12.

Mocktail Film Awards

We invite high school students to submit their short film and go into the running to win 1 of 3 DJI Osmo Pocket 2 Gimbal Kits + MORE!

The 2023 Mocktail Film Awards is open to all New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland based high school students who have completed a short film.

Students can submit their best short fiction, short documentary, short animation, television commercial or music video clip, which will be reviewed by industry professionals. You can check out the 2022 winners here.

Each year JMC Academy holds an exciting film and animation event; The Martini Film Awards. This event screens the best of JMC's student and alumni work and includes a category known as the Mocktail Award where High School students are invited to submit their best short film to be reviewed by industry professionals.

Submissions for the 2023 Mocktail Film Award close on Sunday, 14 May 2023 at 11:59pm

Canvas Art Award

Students can win a Wacom One Creative Pen Display!

JMC is excited to run the popular Canvas Award Art Competition for 2023, showcasing the incredible work of young artists and designers from all around NSW, Victoria and QLD who are taking creativity to the next level.

The Challenge:  Creatively interpret the below into an illustrative scene:
"What the world will look like in 10,000 years' time and how humans will evolve to adapt"

Please Include: 

• A human character situated within their relevant environment
• A "Pink Iced Donut" (Sprinkles are optional!)

Check out the competition page for full entry requirements.

Submissions for the 2023 Canvas Art Award close on Sunday,14 May 2023.

JMC Songwriting Competition

Students can win the opportunity to work with JMC Academy staff to record, mix and master their song valued at $2,500!

Our songwriting competition invites students to submit a demo of an original song (that they've written individually or as a team) and the lyrics to the song in written form.

The demo can simply be recorded on their phone and only include the vocals, however, instrumental accompaniment is encouraged. Students are also welcome to record the demo in other ways too if they have the means.

Submissions for the 2023 Songwriting Competition close on Sunday, 27 August 2023 11:59pm AEST

Music News

MacKillop College Music News

“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”- Martin Luther

Easter Liturgy & College Praise Band & Singers

Music ministry at MacKillop College is alive and well and plays an important role within the college community and spiritual fabric of the school and parish.

As such, I would like to acknowledge the continued efforts and support to music ministry that students of the college Collective praise band & singers provide. These students are regularly assisting at Youth Mass and provide music for year Mass and whole school masses at out school.

Liam Ayres, Samrina Adhikari, Alexandra Bransdon, Abbie Brennan, Joshua Ball, Meredith Davies, Rhys Kendall, Neha Philip, Eva Philip, Adam Bryant, Sophie Bryant, Lara Inman, Seppe Beeckmans, Emily Galvin, Alira Neale, Jiya Jamu, Georgia Ryan.

We are certainly blessed to have such wonderful students committed to sharing music with others and giving to our school and parish community the wonderful gift of music! Thank you!

Year 7 Information Night

The MacKillop College Concert Band have been invited to perform at the Year 7, 2024 Information Evening taking place in the MacKillop College Hall on Tuesday, 2 May.

Students are required to arrive at 5.15pm and meet the ensemble director Ms Cara Stewart in room J16  to tune up and warm up. The Concert Band will perform from approximately 5.50pm to 6.10pm. Parents are welcome to stay and listen to the performance and arrange to take their child/ren home from approximately 6:15pm.

All students will need to arrange their own transport to and from the event.

Students are to wear an ensemble performance shirt with black trousers, black shoes (no joggers please) and black socks. There are a small number of spare ensemble performance shirts available on request. Please organise this with the music trainee Michael Nixon. Alternatively, students can wear a black collared shirt if necessary.

Year 7 Jazz Band

It is wonderful to see and hear so many year 7 students participating in concert band on Monday mornings. In an attempt to further develop and engage these students in music making we will be running an additional Year 7 Jazz Band rehearsal starting Week 2 Term 2. More information with regard to this ensemble will be communicated to students soon. This ensemble will be offered to students who play trumpet, trombone, saxophone, drum kit, piano and bass guitar only.

Links & Forms

Music Ensemble Sign Up Form 2023

Music Ensemble Shirt Order Form 2023

Music Tuition Request Form 2023

Co curricular Music Google Classroom

Please contact Rob Denham with any questions relating to the co-curricular music program at MacKillop College.

Upcoming Events

Year 7 Information Night

• Tuesday 2 May - College Hall, 5.15pm - 6.15pm, concert band.

Robert Denham
Leader of Co-Curricular Music

Sport Update

Term 2 Sport 2023

Representative Sport And Upcoming Events

Northern NSW AFL Trials

We are so proud of Mitchell White, Freycin Hostettler and Riley Bates who recently attended the U16s Northern NSW AFL trial. The boys trialled extremely well with Mitchell and Riley being named in the team. Congratulations, boys we are very proud of you all.

Northern Country Rugby League Trials

Congratulations to the following students who recently attended the Northern Rugby League trials at South West Rocks against students from the Maitland/Newcastle Diocese in trying conditions; Cruz Lewis, Arliah Morris, Niah Evans, Penny Sprague, Angele Field and Tess McWilliams.

Congratulations to Penny, Angele and Tess who will now represent their respective Northern Country teams at the NSWCCC RL Championships in May.

Thank you to Glen Littler who coached and selected at the trials.

NSWCCC Swimming & Diving Championships

The NSWCCC Swimming & Diving Championships took place at Homebush last Friday. The following students represented Mackillop College and the Diocese and came away with fantastic results.

Swimming

Biannca Harrison – 12 Year girls

Bianca came away with a staggering 5 NSWCCC Medals qualifying Bianca for the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships in June.

• 3 Gold (50 freestyle, 50 Breaststroke, 100 Freestyle)
• 1 Silver (50 Butterfly)
• 1 bronze (50 Backstroke)

Owen Hilkemeijer swam a 4 second  PB in the boys 15-16 years 400m Freestyle

Thank you to Zac Nancarrow for attending as a Diocesan Manager.

Diving

Congratulations to Sienna Goldie and Bronte McAllister who competed at SOPAC in the NSWCCC Diving Championships. Bronte has been competing since Year 7.

Both Bronte and Sienna Goldie placed 2nd in 17+ and U12's – they now qualify for the NSW All Schools Diving Championships in June. It is so great to see Bronte do well in her last NSWCCC Championships as she mentors Sienna in her first.

Bronte is also to be commended for the hours that she gives to the coach our up and coming Diver’s on a Saturday morning at Wauchope pool. Well done Bronte, your dedication, passion and commitment to Diving over the years is second to none.

Best wishes Bronte, Sienna and Bianca at the NSW All Schools Swimming & Diving Championships in June.

Futsal

MacKillop College recently entered teams in the Eastcoast Futsal Championships held at the stadium over the course of five days. It was fantastic to field Futsal teams again, coming away with some impressive results. Well done to all players and coaches.

Under 13s

Blue team (Champions)

The boys played an extremely strong game throughout the whole tournament. They started off well but got stronger as the competition went on. They never dropped their heads and fought throughout the tournament despite many injuries and difficult draw changes. After winning in the semi final against MacKillop Yellow we brought it home strong against a tough Bellingen side winning 3-0 in the end. 

MVP: Iestyn Gallagher

MacKillop Yellow

After a very strong start, these boys were lucky enough to move straight into the semi finals after regular play. They had skill and they played hard and structured throughout the tournament. Unfortunately, they dropped to the semi final to MacKillop blue 2-1. 

MVP: Ekana Pemberton

Mitchell Buchtmann - Coach

Under 14 Girls & Boys

On Tuesday, 28th March MacKillop College had 3 teams represent at the Hastings Futsal Competition.

The MacKillop girls team took to the courts with little experience but big enthusiasm. As coaches we were impressed with their positive attitude and continually trying their best throughout the tournament. Despite the girls efforts, unfortunately they did not progress to the finals. However, the experience was enjoyed by all and I’m sure a few skills were picked up along the way. MVP of the day goes to Amarlie Gregory. The team consisted of the following: Grace Ashton, Amarlie Gregory, Leah Hanson, Poppi Maltman, Grace Morris, Amelia Pettitt, Ava Ribot de Bressac, Lily Rowlatt, Emily Ryan and Annalise Southwell.

MacKillop Yellow Boys team were strong in their pool and impressed with their individual skills, they won majority of their round games displaying solid teamwork and communication. Sadly, they bowed out due to ending up equal 3rd in their pool. MVP of the day is shared between Aidan Wadwell and Blaze Colthorpe. The team consisted of the following: Jackson Hollis, Aidan Wadwell, Bailey Rowlatt, Albie Watson, Stirling Wickham, Blaze Colthorpe, Xavier Dunn and Billy Brockhouse.

MacKillop Blue Boys team were very impressive bunch of young men who turned up for each other. They progressed through the round games only losing one. In the last round game, the boys combined to put on a spectacular 9-0 win. The final against Heritage Christian School ended in a convincing 3-0 win. Unfortunately, after a hard fought battle we went down in the grand final 2-1 to St Clare’s High School. Although the boys were disappointed to not take 1st place they still showed great sportsmanship and gave it everything they had till the final whistle.

MVP of the day goes to Patrick Green. The team consisted of the following: Noah Pociask, James Owen, Charlie Cameron, Patrick Green, Jack Robb, Wil Clarke, Louis Dimmers and Lucas Boath.

Renae Bignell - Coach

Under 15s

The U15s Yellow Team played a strong game on the 29th! We ended the day with 3 wins and 4 losses. We took it to all the teams and only lost to the top 3 teams. The boys played extremely well in the semifinal and began the game with a 2-0 lead before conceding in the second half of the game. 

Caleb Sajko was MVP for his extremely strong defence and consistent control of the ball and game tempo. He played for the majority of every game and never wavered in his ability to set up his teammates and make goal saving plays. 

Mitch Buchtmann – Coach

Under 16 yellow

The boys started the day all guns blazing with goals galore. A 6-0 win against Heritage Christian School was quickly followed by a 4-0 win against St Columba Anglican School and then a 4-1 victory against Kempsey Adventist School. Max Gardner, Daniel Mercer and Jarvis Lineham were scoring goals for fun.

A close game against Camden Haven High School saw us come away with a 2-1 win. Our next game was against Mackillop College Blue and in a tightly fought game we had to come from behind to earn a 1-1 draw. This was followed by another close game against Hastings College with us gaining full points win a 2-1 win. Ashley Bell, Alex Ball and Jack Gould chipping in with a couple of important goals.

We completed the group stage with two 1-1 draws against Belligen High School and Taree High School which meant that we topped the group. We were drawn against Belligen High School in the semi final and our defensive players – Braeden Fuller, Jarvis Lineham, Ashley Bell and Ethan Hatch were keen to keep a clean sheet. A composed performance saw us run out 2-0 winners.

The final saw us take on Taree High School and this time we ran out comfortable winners, beating Taree 3-0. All the boys played exceptionally during the day and best and fairest was our top scorer Max Gardner.

David Pugh – Coach

Under 19s

On Friday, the under 19 girls wowed every team at the Hastings Futsal Competition.

Winning the first 2 games 4-0 each. The girls already knew how to use their own talents and pool them all together which made the games even more interesting. Winning all of their round games it came down to the final against Camden Haven, one of the stronger teams in the competition but the girls put up a strong fight and only conceded one goal, it was an on the edge of your seat game but the girls held out strong and brought the trophy home. 

The MVP goes to Sophie Gallagher who was the master of all our set pieces.

Well done girls .

Susie Coster - Coach

Under 19’s

Similar to the under 16’s team, the boys started off the day with two convincing wins. The first game was a 4-1 win against Hastings Westport White and then a 4-2 victory against Camden Haven High School. However, the next game against St Columba Anglican School Maroon ended in a disappointing 3-1 loss.

With no margin for error if we wanted to qualify for the finals, assistant coach Liam Mercer made a few tactical tweaks to the formation that we were playing. This led to a 5-0 win against St Columba Anglican School Blue and a 3-0 victory against Bellingen High School.

We were feeling confident going into the finals with our defensive players Braeden Fuller, Cooper West, Mason Swain, Luke Hancock and Angus Goodman keeping two clean sheets. Sam Blain, James Hindmarsh, Tyler Morris and Lochie Jones were scoring for fun at the other end of the pitch.

The semi final saw us drawn against hot favourites St Clare’s High School who had won their group. In a fiercely contested game we had to be at our best with the game being played at a frantic pace. We lost Cooper West early to a hip injury and conceded a goal when we were put under intense pressure. The boys didn’t panic and worked their way into the game and were rewarded an equaliser from Sam Blain. Braeden Fuller pulled of a wonder save in the last minute and the game went into overtime. A mistake by the St Clare’s defender led to a free kick and Mason Swain scored the golden goal to get us into the final.

The final was against St Columba Anglican School Maroon and it gave us a chance for revenge from the group stages. The final did not disappoint – It was a very fast game with both sides giving everything and played some excellent football. St Columba was putting us under pressure and we were trying to hit them with quick counter attacks. It looked like the game was going to be a stalemate with both keepers making excellent saves. However, a mistake from a corner let St Columba score the opening goal. With time running out Tyler Morris pressured their defender and squared the ball to Mason Swain who made no mistake smashing the ball into the top corner.

The game went into overtime and it didn’t last long as Sam Blain pounced on a defensive error to score the winning goal as Mackillop College ran out winners. It was a great team performance and Mason Swain was best and fairest. The boys will now take part in the next round which will be in June.

David Pugh - Coach

Rugby 10s

It was so great to see Rugby Union back on the calendar after a two-year hiatus. Our four teams played entertaining Rugby at the Hastings Rugby 10s at Coffs Harbour last week.

16 Girls

On Tuesday 23 March the combined girls team, consisting of a range of ages from Year 7-11, travelled to Coffs Harbour to compete in the Under 16 division of the girls 10 aside tournament. The team played four games. The first match saw the girls winning 4-2, with one try each from Jenna Bryan and Charlee Bailey and two from Ruby O'Brien. The next opponents proved more formidable in size and intensity and although the girls put up a good defence, they ended up going down 4-0. The next game was very evenly matched, a tight battle was fought and the result was a 1-1 tie with Jenna Bryan scoring our side’s only try. The final game was another closely fought match, unfortunately the girls went down 1-0 with some good defence throughout the match and a few close misses near the end.

Overall the trip was a great experience for the team with many lessons learned and improvements shown throughout the tournament. Good team spirit was shown by all. Congratulations to Evie Hewens who was nominated as most valuable player.

14 Boys

MacKillop 1 started their campaign against a big and physical St Paul's team. The boys defended well but a couple of lapses in concentration led them going down 2 tries to 1. 

Our second game saw us come up against a well-drilled Bishop Druitt College (BDC) team. The MacKillop boys held the ball for long periods and some well worked passing movements saw them dominate the game ultimately running out 4 tries to nil winners which meant we would meet John Paul College in the semi-final. 

Sadly, JPC were too big and too strong and won 4 tries to 2. The MacKillop boys defended gallantly and did themselves very proud. The ultimate reward followed this game with MacKillop 1 now scheduled to play MacKillop 2 in the penultimate grudge match, which essentially counted pride and bragging rights. The game was played in good spirits with the result a small victory to MacKillop 1. 

It was a great day out for our students who battled warm and humid conditions and played all their games in the right spirit which was fantastic to see. MVP was Stirling Wickham.

Dave Kennedy – Coach

Under 14's Mackillop 2 faced St John Paul College in the first game. Our team developed good team work and communication in our narrow defeat.  Excellent ruck work and agility enabled our team to evade a much larger pack from Grafton in their second game. Some clever kicking and backline chasing level the game in a draw. Mackillop 2 drew Bishop Druitt College (BDC)  in the Preliminary Pool final.  BDC with a bolstered team, narrowly escaped with a victory. The loss ensured that Mackillop College 1 and Mackillop College 2 would face-off against each other for ultimate bragging rights. The two teams showed talent, pride as well as professionalism in their showdown match, with Mackillop 1 being the victors. 

Rhys Jones - Coach

On Thursday the 30th March, the Under 16s took part in the Mid North Coast Rugby 10 a Side Gala day. 

The Under 16's  had some good wins in the earlier games against St Paul’s and Melville High. Although the score was tight early on against John Paul College we scored some late tries to win comfortably. In our last game in the competition, we came up against Bishop Druitt College who were also undefeated. They scored early and we were able to counter with a try but they controlled possession well and scored several more tries. We ended up losing 4-1. 

It was great to see great sportsmanship displayed throughout the day and players being respectful towards the referees and the opposition. Hopefully there will be more opportunities for rugby throughout the year as it was an enjoyable day for all.  It was great to see moments of individual brilliance but it was even better to see the boys working well as a team. It was a very close decision, the Best and Fairest selected by the team was James Strahorn. Thank you to all those who attended the trials and the training sessions. Thank you to Riley Trotter for running water and assisting throughout the day.

The team was Joe Carrick, Beau Chegwidden, Eddie Coombes, Seamus Cummings, Patrick Field, Riley Hollis, Luke Jones, Cooper Lorger, Hunter Mayes, Jake Morgan, Will Oliver, Jacob Queripel, Lucas Scott, James Strahorn, Darwin Tink, Tobias Toohey, Riley Trotter.

James Way - Coach

Representative Sport and Upcoming Events

Representative Sport, Upcoming Events, MacKillop College Events and Registrations

All registrations for MacKillop College Representative Sport teams are completed by;

1. Logging into the school Moodle page (Chrome browser).
2. Click on the Student Links tab on the left-hand side
3. Click on the Representative Sports registrations link
4. Click on the relevant sport and fill out the google form.

Students will be notified through the morning notices of when to sign up and when trials will occur.

Click on this link to register.  Sports currently open for registration are;

• Touch Football – 7/8 & 9/10 Boys and Girls
• AFL – Under 15s Boys and Girls

Lismore Diocesan Events and Registrations

The following sports are currently open for students to be able to sign up to or register their interest to trial. These sports have been advertised to students through morning notices over the past week.

Please click on the link below to register for the sports.

NSWCCC Events and Registrations

Students MUST be registered for the event with parent and Principal or Leader of Sport approval.

Registration is through the CSNSW.sport portal. Details on how to register – Guide For Parents – Sport Registrations >>

Please note that the NSWCCC Sport registrations for individual nominations for 2023 selections are open for the following trials:

For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport website Sport pages. https://csnsw.sport/

NSW All Schools Events

The selection for these events is a result of the NSWCCC events.

Community Sport

AFL – Sydney Swans

Congratulations to Grace Morris who was recently named in the Sydney Swans Academy. It is great to see many of our students being named in the Academy as it offers such an incredible opportunity for our AFL Players in regional areas.

If your child has achieved outstanding sporting results in their community sport, we would love to hear about it. Please email myself, or your child’s respective Leader of Pastoral Care, so we can acknowledge these achievements.  

If you have any questions regarding sport at MacKillop College, please do not hesitate to contact me either by email or phone at the College.

Erin Denham
Leader of Sport

Canteen Update

Monday 24 April
Staff Professional Learning Day (Pupil Free Day)

Tuesday 25 April
ANZAC DAY Public Holiday

Wednesday 26 April
Jaci Zimmerman & Amelia Browne

Thursday 27 April
Sue Ryan & Help please

Friday 28 April
Priscilla Turnbull, Mel Collins & Jen Wickham

Monday 1 May
Mayo Brumby & Kate Perkins

Tuesday 2 May
Jodie Butsworth & Emily Duffy

Wednesday 3 May
Peta Clancy & Clarissa Morris

Thursday 4 May
Holly King & Pauline Smith

Friday 5 May
Ronnel Skea, Kelly Dingle, Rowena Beukers & Renee Bullock

To order from the canteen:

1. Orders can be written out at the canteen (bags supplied free of charge).

2. Orders can be written out at home and handed in at the canteen.

3. Download the Qkr! app and order online.

All orders to be in by 8.00am please.

There is hot food available over the counter to purchase, however to avoid disappointment it is best to order.

Please remind your child/children if you have ordered for them, and what their order is. 

If your child is sick and you have ordered, please phone the canteen (6583 2632) to arrange a credit. 

Please note to change your child's year group when using the QKR! app to order lunch for 2022.

Now available: Gluten free pies $5.00 and gluten free sausage rolls $4.00; these items must be ordered.

Canteen Help Needed

The canteen is desperately seeking volunteers for one hour per month. No cooking, cleaning or stocking needed, just serving our lovely students. Even if you can only do one half hour shift it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all of our current volunteers, we appreciate your help.

Sign up and receive a Welcome Pack (coffee voucher, chocolates, voucher for your child to use at the canteen).
Please contact Maxine at the College 6583 2632 or via email maxine.stone@lism.catholic.edu.au 

Rockfest 2023

Maths Tutorials

Tuesday 7.45am-8.30am and  Friday 7.45am-8.30am

Room 12 Main College with Elizabeth Robertson