Term 1, Week 4, 28 February

Upcoming Events

Principal's Update

Child Safety

The College has comprehensive policies and procedures that are part of our commitment to child safety and are in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Standards. See https://www.pmaclism.catholic.edu.au/policies

One important aspect of our procedures at MacKillop College is to have child-friendly materials that remind them of the ways the College, their teachers, and peers can keep them safe. I encourage parents to discuss these matters with your young person and ensure they know that if they, or a friend, ever have any concerns, it is important to discuss these with a trusted adult. The poster below, which both staff and student leaders were consulted about, will shortly be displayed in every classroom.

Parent Partnerships

I refer parents to the email sent earlier this week, inviting you to join the College Leadership team for a ‘Wine and Cheese’ evening on Monday, 10 March. It would be fantastic to have you join us. The evening will also provide opportunities for parents to share with leadership ways in which we can support you in the partnership of raising your young person. To join us, please click here. 

On Monday, March 24, 2025, we will have an information evening—Fathering Teens; an evening to further support fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, and any man who plays a significant role in the life of teenagers. The evening, presented by two male psychologists from Redstone Psychology, will cover tips for being a better father to pre-teens and teenagers. The guys will share the latest stats and science to help you in the most important role of your life and provide you with opportunities to chat and share experiences and ideas. 

Topics covered on the evening will help answer questions many fathers often ask, including:

• How can I connect more with my teenager?
• Can a balance between firm discipline and love co-exist? 
• What is my parenting style and how does it differ from other Dads? 
• Teens and technology: how should I manage?
• How can I manage anger and emotions? 

Please click  here to join us for a great evening, commencing at 6.00pm in the MacKillop College Theatre.

Parents and carers are also invited to join the Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) free webinars in Term 1. Please take a look at the below flyer and register your interest using the link or QR code provided.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Cath Eichmann
Principal

Media Information Required

As we navigate the world of social media, we understand our families' concerns with what can / cannot be published on digital and printed platforms. 

If you have any concerns and would like us to ensure images or names are not published, please complete the following link.

Leaders of Wellbeing: Stage 4

This year at MacKillop College we have introduced a new House Structure. All students have been placed in one of three new Houses. As a result, we now have three Leaders of Wellbeing for Stage 4 which encompasses Years 7 and 8.

Year 7 Information

Welcome to all our new Year 7 students and families. We are very happy to be working with you and your children this year. Parent partnerships are very important as we often talk about the importance of a “village” when it comes to raising children. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Leader of Wellbeing or Pastoral Care teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

There are a number of upcoming events for our Year 7 students and families this term.

• Year 7 Mass and Belonging Day - Friday 7 March (Week 5). This is a compulsory school day for all students and will involve a variety of activities at St Agnes’ Catholic Church and Parish grounds. The students will have the opportunity to spend the day with their year group, getting to know each other and learning about our Parish. All information will be sent to parents via Compass. Please ensure you consent on Compass for your child to attend the day.
• Year 7 Family BBQ - Friday 7 March (Week 5) 5.00-7.00pm. The Family BBQ is a wonderful opportunity for the students to spend time with their old and new friends as well as parents having the opportunity to meet new parents from MacKillop. A sausage sizzle will be provided on the night for families. Please respond via the Google Form, the link is in the letter sent via Compass to parents to enable catering numbers for the event.
• PC Volleyball - Starts Monday Week 6. This is a fun activity for all Year 7 PC groups. The 4-Way Volleyball Competition will take place every Monday during Lunch 2 in the College Hall. All students are encouraged to come along and play with their PC class. Students participating will be able to wear their sports uniform to school every Monday from Weeks 6-10 this term.

Year 8 Information

Welcome back to school for all our Year 8 students and their families. We are looking forward to another positive year with your children. This term all Year 8 PC classes will be involved in our Community Connect Program on a Friday. Each PC class will attend a volunteer activity in one of our Parish facilities, either Emmaus Aged Care or one of the Parish Child Care Centres, followed by Mass at St Agnes’ Church, serving morning tea to the parishioners and finally a fun afternoon of Ten Pin Bowling. Four of our Year 8 PC classes have already participated in the program this term.

Please see the schedule below for when your child will be attending the program on Fridays:

Year 7 and 8 Uniform

Thank you to all the students who have been coming to school every day wearing their uniform with pride and following the College Code of Presentation. Just a few reminders regarding uniform:

• skirt length is to be to the knee;
• sport shorts are to be mid-thigh;
• 2 earrings only in each ear and must be small studs and sleepers only;
• black socks only and must be covering the ankle;
• no nose piercings;
• one ring may be worn on a hand;
• leather shoes are to be worn with the formal uniform and joggers are to be worn with the sports uniform (no skate or canvas shoes); and
• necklaces, bracelets or anklets are not to be worn.

Students will be given two warnings which will appear on their Compass feed, then the third infringement will result in an Afternoon Detention. We would appreciate your support on this issue in ensuring your child attends school each day in the correct uniform.

Tracey Bewicke
Stage 4 Leader of Wellbeing St Paul’s House

Leader of Wellbeing: Stage 5

Introducing the Stage 5 Team

It is my pleasure to work with students and their families during the key middle years of their education within our new house structure, which is sure to benefit our students. While I will be the Stage 5 Leader of Wellbeing for St Paul’s House, I am delighted to collaborate with Mrs Nicole O’Connell, who will support students from St Agnes’ House, and Mr Glen Littler who will lead St Joseph’s House.

As we transition to our exciting new house structure, it is important for parents to understand the appropriate points of contact. The first point of contact should be your child's Pastoral Care teacher. Beyond this, correspondence should be directed to your student’s Leader of Wellbeing, aligned with their house group (outlined below).

While we enjoy some healthy competition as we represent and drive our respective houses to success, we also work closely together with a unified approach to best cater to the needs of Stage 5 students.

Requirements for Stage 5

The initial stages of the school year are often referred to as the establishment phase, making it crucial to set up for success. Some new and existing initiatives at the College help ensure this:

• Ready to Learn Routines: Consistent entry and exit procedures for all learning environments.
• Diary: Students must have a hard copy diary, which is a vital organisational tool.
• Charged Device: Students must arrive at each lesson with a fully charged device.

Uniform 

The College Code of Presentation is essential in promoting excellence, belonging and pride among our student body.

There have been some changes to how uniform compliance is managed at the College. When a breach of the Code of Presentation occurs, a notification will be issued via Compass. Upon reaching three breaches, an Afternoon Detention will be assigned.

Please note:

• Hair should not be of an extreme style. Hairstyles that draw unnecessary attention are not permitted; including but not limited to mohawks, mullets, rat tails or shaved lines.
• Academic uniform shoes must be black, polishable, with a leather upper.
• Sport uniform requires a jogger with a rolled toe.
• All items from the previous uniform have now been phased out and are no longer permitted.

We appreciate your support in maintaining these standards and ensuring a positive learning environment for all students.

Swimming Carnival Success

Congratulations to the St Agnes’ Eagles for their success in taking out the Junior Swimming carnival. It was a great community day whereby students socialised and enjoyed some healthy competition throughout. A big shout out to our Year 9 and 10 students who had the best participation rates throughout the day, often requiring 4 to 5 heats for each stroke!

Tom Salter 
Stage 5 Leader of Wellbeing St Paul’s House

NAPLAN 2025: Term 1

In Weeks 6 and 7 of this term, all students in Years 7 and 9 will be sitting National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing. NAPLAN testing is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. Students participate in tests in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

These tests assess the literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the format of the tests before the NAPLAN test window. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN Online is not recommended. Students can use the public demonstration site to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and tools available in the NAPLAN Online tests if they wish.

It is important to remember that NAPLAN is not about passing or failing, but about assessing learning progress. The best approach for preparing your child for NAPLAN is to encourage your child to do the best they can on the day.

For your planning and to ensure all students attend school and arrive on time, please see the times below for our tests. 

Catch up testing for absent students will take place 20-22 March (Week 7).

Parents may choose to withdraw their child from NAPLAN tests, or your child may be exempt from NAPLAN tests if they have:

• significant disabilities that severely limit their capacity to participate in the tests, or
• a language background other than English, and have recently arrived in Australia (less than a year before the tests).

In the lead up to the tests, we would just appreciate your support in ensuring that Year 7 and 9 remember to:

• Completely shut down and restart their device the night before, to allow for any updates to take place on their device.
• Bring their earphones to listen to the Audio aspects of the tests (preferably corded, not wireless).
• Fully charge their device and bring a charger to top up power if needed.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN or wish to withdraw your child, please contact Mr Michael Peck (Leader of Curriculum and NAPLAN Coordinator) via email michael.peck@lism.catholic.edu.au or by phone via the College Office 6583 2632.

Michael Peck
Leader of Curriculum

Leader of Wellbeing: Year 11

Year 11 has made a wonderful start to their senior schooling. Heads down, tails up as they make the adjustment into the changing workload and homework expectations that are anticipated in senior school. The first two weeks are a time for settling in, establishing relationships, and building routine.

Parents—how can you help your child?

Over the last couple of weeks, and at the Year 11 Information Night, I spoke to Year 11 and parents about goals and systems.

• Goals - At this early stage, it would be great if your son/daughter could think about a goal for their senior years. What do they want to achieve? Where do they want to go after school finishes? What university course do they want to do? Having something to aim for makes it far more likely that they will adopt the next steps in order to achieve their goal.
• Putting the correct systems in place - Systems are habits. Systems are things you adopt that help you achieve goals.

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. - James Clear

For example:

Goal:

• I want to get an ATAR of 90 and go to uni to become an engineer.

Systems:

• I have no devices in my room from 7:00pm till 9:00pm every night.
• I use a whiteboard in my room to record when things are due.
• I make a list of what I need to achieve before I leave homework club, and I don’t leave until I’m finished.
• On weekends, I do homework on Saturday morning so that the rest of my weekend is free.

These are examples only, and every student is different. Systems that work for one person will not necessarily work for another. Our students are still working out what works for them and deciding what systems to put in place. 

As parents, it would be great if you could chat with them about the systems they’re trying, give them your wisdom, help them stick to a weekly/fortnightly routine by supporting that in the household, and tell them that the small changes they make, the small sacrifices, will help them to achieve big dreams.

It’s an exciting time for our young people, and the Year 11 Pastoral team is excited about helping them become organised, independent, academic, and community-minded young men and women who will make a difference.

Bruce Smith
Year 11 Leader of Wellbeing

Leader of Wellbeing: Year 12

As Year 12 students begin their final year of formal schooling, it's been inspiring to see how seamlessly they’ve settled back into their studies. Their focus and commitment to making this year count are evident, and they’ve embraced the challenges that come with it. This year marks an exciting chapter in their academic journey, and I have no doubt they will rise to the occasion.

During the first year meeting, I spoke to our students about a series of countdown timers that I started setting for key moments coming up in 2025. This included counting down to the last swimming and athletics carnivals, when their first class and assessments were, when the HSC starts and finishes and when their HSC results are released. I shared that I’m particularly focused on the timer counting down to the day after they receive their results. This is the most significant time for me because it symbolises the moment when we truly see the fruits of our efforts. My goal is to prepare them for whatever results they get. If we’ve managed to equip them with the mindset, resilience and skills they need to face the outcome with confidence, then we’ve done the right thing.

This year, there have been several changes for Year 12 students and all MacKillop students, including the introduction of the Ready to Learn routine, updates to the Code of Presentation and new guidelines surrounding mobile phone usage. It’s been impressive to see how quickly the students have adapted to these changes. Their positive attitude and willingness to embrace these new expectations demonstrate their maturity and readiness for the year ahead.

Year Book Quote

At this week’s year meeting, I showed the Year 12 a video from their Year 7 days. This was designed to help them reflect on their favourite memories and think about what they’d like to include in their Yearbook quotes. The video was a hit, sparking many fond memories and offering a wonderful opportunity for the students to reflect on their journey at MacKillop College. It was heartwarming to see how much they’ve grown since those early days and how their experiences continue to shape them as individuals.

Year 12 Learning Conversations

Year 12 Learning Conversations will be held on 17 March, offering an excellent opportunity for parents and carers to engage with their child’s class teachers. These conversations provide valuable feedback on academic progress, strengths and areas for improvement. They also serve as a chance to discuss strategies and set goals that will help your child succeed in their final year of schooling. We encourage all Year 12 families to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure their child is on track and fully supported as they navigate this important year. Your involvement is key to their success!

Worldskills

We are proud to share that two of our talented students recently participated in the prestigious Regional WorldSkills Competition. This event showcases the incredible skills and dedication of young professionals across various trades, and our students represented us with excellence.

A special congratulations goes to George Worner, who secured the silver medal in the highly competitive cooking category. This remarkable achievement is a testament to his exceptional culinary skills, resilience, integrity, determination, and outstanding work ethic. Competing at such a high level requires not only technical expertise but also perseverance and passion, and George demonstrated these qualities every step of the way.

We commend George and all participants for their hard work and dedication, and we look forward to seeing their continued success in the future!

Daniel O'Dell
Year 12 Leader of Wellbeing

Learning Conversations: Year 12

On Monday 17 March (Week 7) we will be holding Learning Conversations in the College Hall on the junior site from 3.30-7.00 pm for families with children in Year 12. 

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

As per all conversations in relation to our students’ 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. 

Chantelle Seears, Inclusion and Diversity Team, will be available for families (10 minute timeslots from 3.30pm - 6.00pm - please allow for this time when doing your other bookings). 

In addition to class teachers, Jo Pilgrim, our Leader of Careers and Pathways will be available for Careers discussions with students from 3.30pm - 6.45pm (10 minute timeslots - please allow for this time when doing your other bookings). 

Please note we will be using COMPASS again this year as our platform to make bookings. 

Once bookings open in Compass on the afternoon of Friday, 28 February, please use the following instructions on how to use the Conference Booking section for either a desktop or phone:

Conferences - Making a Booking

Conferences - Making a Booking on Mobile App

Bookings will close on Friday 14 March.

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

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

Adam Kelly
Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

Music News

“Music, great music, relaxes the mind, awakens profound sentiments and is, as it were, a natural invitation to raise one’s mind and heart to God in every situation of human existence, both joyful and sad. Music can become prayer.” Pope Benedict XVI

Bravissimo!

On Tuesday, February 11, elective music students from MacKillop College, along with other students from the mid-north coast, got the inspiring opportunity to see the celebratory ‘Bravissimo’ at the Glasshouse. 

Bravissimo 2025 showcases the talents of students from a diverse range of regions, including Lismore, Taree, Tuncurry, Coffs Harbour, and Tamworth. Not only are those selected to perform skilled in musical practice but are also passionate and dedicated ensemble members and committed to their analytical studies. Students presented an entertaining programme inclusive of percussion, vocals, brass, woodwind, strings, and piano. Most of the musicians were nominated for the prestigious state-wide ‘Encore.’.

Over 52 students received a Bravissimo nomination, including three of our own students, Lara Inman, Liam Delandemare with their wonderful performances, and Tara Mitchell, who did an amazing job as a compare for the event. 

Concert Band & Choir Parent Helpers

We are currently looking for parent/grandparent volunteers to provide support to the ensemble programme. It might be that you currently play or sing in a local ensemble or have had previous experience at any level. Help is needed within the ensemble rehearsal to play/sing alongside other students and assist with note reading.

If you are interested and available, could I please ask that you contact Robert Denham (Leader of Co-curricular Music) for more information.

Ensemble Rehearsals

• Concert Band (directed by Ms Stewart) Monday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, Monday 17th February (week 3).
• Pop Choir (directed by Mrs Adams) Tuesday - 7:45am - 8:30am, Theatre *First Rehearsal, Tuesday 18th February (week 3).
• SAPSS Junior Drumline (directed by Mark Spence) Tuesday 3:30pm - 5:30pm, College Hall *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• Praise Band & Singers (directed by Mr Denham) Wednesday - 7:45am - 8:30am, Chapel *First Rehearsal, Wednesday 13th February (week 2).
• Junior Percussion Ensemble (directed by Mark Spence) Wednesday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• SAPSS Senior Drumline (directed by Mark Spence) Wednesday 3:30pm - 5:30pm, College Hall *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• Senior Percussion Ensemble (directed by Mark Spence) Thursday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• String Ensemble (directed by Michaeli Witney) Friday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, Friday 21st February (week 3).
• Stage Band (directed by Mr Denham) Friday - 7:45am - 8:30am, Theatre *First Rehearsal, Friday 21st February (week 3)
  

LINKS & FORMS

Music Ensemble Sign Up Form 2025

Music Tuition Request Form 2025

Instrument Rental Agreement 2025

UPCOMING EVENTS

• MacKillop College Ash Wednesday Liturgy (College Hall + Lochinvar Centre) Week 5 - Wednesday March 5, period 1, Collective Praise Band & Singers.
• Year 7 Mass (St Agnes Church) Week 5  - Friday March 7, Period 1 +2, Collective Praise Band & Singers.
• Youth & Family Mass (St Agnes Church) Week 5  - Sunday March 9, 5:00pm, Collective Praise Band & Singers.
• Caritas (St Patrick’s Day) Lunch Concert (COLA) Week 8  - Monday March 17, lunch 1, selected students and ensembles.
• MacKillop College Assembly Performance (College Hall) Week 7 - Wednesday March 19, period 1, Concert Band.
• Year 10 Mass (Middle Brother Mountain) Week 7  - Friday March 28, Period 1 +2, Yr10 Music Class and invited students.
• MacKillop College Easter Service (College Hall) Week 10 - Thursday April 10, period 1, Collective Praise Band & Singers.

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

Robert Denham
Leader of Co-Curricular Music

Sport News

Year 7 Term 1 2025

Year 7 students will participate in their sport double once a fortnight.  Students need to come to school in their sport uniform when their timetable indicates a double sport lesson. 

From Week 3 onwards, students will need to bring to school with them their swimmers, towel, rash shirt and shorts (bike pants are acceptable) to participate in the Swim & Survive course at either the Wauchope or Port Macquarie pool.

Year 8 Term 1 2025

Year 8 students will participate in a wide range of sports throughout the year. During Term 1 students will participate in various sports including AFL, Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Netball, Endzone, Cricket, Tennis and Lacrosse.

Year 9 Sport Term 1 2025

Your son/daughter will participate in the Surf Survival Certificate during sport for Term 1, 2025.  This is an extension from the Swim and Survive Certificate that students completed in Year 7 Sport. Aquatics is a compulsory component of the PDHPE syllabus for all Year 9 Students. No students will be permitted to do Contract Sport in Terms 1 and 2.

This course will be run in conjunction with Surf Life Saving NSW and the Australian Lifeguard Service who will provide specialised instructors to assist our PDHPE/Sport staff. All appropriate water safety measures will be in place to ensure the safety of our students in an open water environment. This course caters for students of all swimming abilities and aims to improve the safety of individuals in an aquatic environment.

The Surf Survival Certificate is a national swimming and water safety program that aims to provide participants with the skills and knowledge of basic patrolling and surf awareness in order to be able to participate in lifesaving operations.

Students will travel by bus to the beach to complete the modules with their sport teacher.

Please ensure your child has a towel, hat, rash shirt or singlet, swimmers and shorts (bike pants are acceptable) for their swimming lessons. If your child has a wetsuit, it is recommended that the students bring this each week. 

If your child has already completed the Surf Survival Certificate with a Surf Life Saving Club at a community level, please provide Mrs Johnston with a copy of this Certificate. These students will assist with water safety each week.

If a student is unable to participate due to injury, illness or a medical condition, appropriate documentation is to be provided to Mrs Johnston.

Parents should have returned the digital permission form this week via Compass.  This is a legal requirement to take your child off site for Sport

• Week 5 -10: Girls are at Town Beach. Boys are at Flynn’s Beach.

Year 10 Sport Term 1 2025

Year 10 students will participate in seven weeks of sport for Term 1, 2025, beginning Week 2, (11 February) to Week 10 (8 April). Parents and students are reminded that it is a legal requirement that the digital permission form is completed before the student can participate in sport, even if choosing school sport.

Both parents and students are reminded that there will be NO changes to any sports for any reason. Businesses rely on the student numbers we provide them and therefore we ask that you respect this commitment by not asking for your child to change sports during the term.

Representative Sport, Upcoming Events and Registration 2025

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

1. Logging into COMPASS (Chrome browser).
2. Click on the Star button 
3. Click on the Sport - Representative 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.

Sports currently open for registration are;

• Diocesan Netball Trials U15 & U18 Girls
• Diocesan Soccer Trials U15 & U18 Boys & Girls
• Diocesan Swimming Championships 400m Freestyle
• Diocesan Lismore AFL Trials U15 Boys

NOTE: To register for the Diocesan Trials students need to complete the forms that can be found on the Lismore Diocesan Sport page. Click on the REGISTRATION tab.

 Upcoming MacKillop College Events 2025

Lismore Diocesan Events and Registration - 2025

NSWCCC & NSW All Schools Events and Registration

NSWCCC CALENDAR 2025

All individual sports registrations are completed on the CSNSW.SPORT website. The parent must have an account and add their child to have access. (Sport Registration HELP available on sport info page) SEE BELOW sports open for registration.

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

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 all close dates are firm dates. No registrations will be permitted after the close dates.

TERM ONE SPORTS - 2025

Individual nominated sports for Term One – Expression of Interest registrations will open by the end of November – including softball, baseball, tennis, volleyball – 15s & 18s, cricket – 19s.

Related Link

https://csnsw.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/2/article/198901765?src=584134009

Erin Denham (Leader of Representative Sport)
Tahnee Johnston (Leader of School Sport)

Canteen Update

PLEASE NOTE: Ash Wednesday, 5 March, there are no meat products available in the canteen or for lunch orders.

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.

Attention all QKR users!

Cut-off time is 8.00 am.

Any orders placed after 8.00 am default to the following day. It is very time-consuming for canteen staff to have to check all late orders every day and then contact parents about their order. 

If you make a mistake, please call the office or send your child to the canteen.

There have also been new gluten-free items added to the menu.

Need Some Study Help?

Community News

Information Links for School Bus Services 2025

1. Timetable information - busways.com.au or transportnsw.info
2. School bus travel pass - School Student Travel Scheme