2025 Upcoming Events & Public Holidays

Student Voice and Agency

Our staff are currently working very hard completing end of Semester 1 reports for all students. In addition, Student Learning Portfolios are currently being added to in order to showcase student learning. 

Student Learning Conversation bookings will open on Monday 16 June at 3.30pm. Families from 6-MV, 5-CM and 1-BC have been contacted regarding their Student Learning Conversations occurring on Monday 23 June from 3.10 - 6.50pm.  2-JE families have been contacted and their Student Learning Conversations will occur on Monday 23 June from 3.10 - 5.50pm and Tuesday 1 July from 3.30 - 5.50pm.

All other classes Student Learning Conversations will be held on Tuesday 1 July and Wednesday 2 July from 3.30 - 5.50pm and these will occur in the Allen Hall.

First Eucharist

This weekend, many of our students will receive their First Eucharist at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish at either 6pm (Saturday), 9 or 11am (Sunday) Mass. Please pray for them as they prepare to receive Eucharist for the first time.

Year 5 Camp

Next week our Year 5 students are off to camp. They will spend two days participating in activities such as archery, Reptile encounter, flying fox, candle making and the giant swing. Thank you to the staff who have supported this event and spent many hours planning this great camp for our students.

Regional Cross Country

Next week we have three students competing in Regional Cross Country. We wish them the best of luck and thank their parents for supporting them to compete in Hastings. I would also like to thank Mr Clint Timothy for his ongoing support for our students - Clint has ensured our students have many opportunities to compete in inter school events as well as sourcing Sporting Schools funding for extra clinics in school.

Staff Feedback to Students

Well done to all the students who participated in the Soccer Clinics last week. We were so impressed with your engagement and enthusiasm towards the clinic and showing good sportsmanship towards others. You should all feel very proud of yourselves.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Cycle C

Sunday, June 15, 2025

John 16:12-15
Whatever the Father has is mine. The Spirit of truth will guide us.

This Sunday marks Trinity Sunday – a special time to remember the love of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, Jesus makes a beautiful promise to the disciples. Jesus promises that, even after death, the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of truth – will be sent to guide and be with the disciples. That promise continues today. At Baptism, the Holy Spirit is received, filling hearts with God’s life and love. The Holy Spirit provides guidance, brings comfort in times of uncertainty, and offers a reminder that no one is ever alone. A family conversation could be a meaningful way to reflect on how God's presence is felt each day and how the Holy Spirit offers guidance. What a powerful reminder that Jesus always keeps promises!

Save the Date – St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Feast Day Mass

To celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, a special School Family Mass will be held at Our Lady Help of Christians Church on Saturday 2nd August 2025 at 6.00pm.  All families are warmly invited to attend. There will be opportunities for students and family members to take part in the celebration – including readings, the entrance and offertory processions, choir, and reflection.

If interested in being involved, please keep an eye out for further details in the coming weeks. We look forward to sharing this special evening together as a faith community.

Winter Appeal 2025 – “Put the Warmth in Winter”

As the colder months set in, the need for material support—especially food—becomes even more important. This year, our MacKillop Kids Group is once again leading the Winter Appeal, focusing on collecting tinned and packet soups to help those doing it tough in our community.

We invite all families to take part in “Put the Warmth in Winter” by donating canned or packet soups. All donations will support the Narre Warren St Vincent de Paul Conference, who work directly with individuals and families experiencing food insecurity during the winter season.

A few reminders to support this cause with dignity and care:

• Please ensure all food donations are non-perishable and undamaged
• Items must not be due to expire for at least 6 months
• Donations can be placed in classroom collection boxes

Thank you for your generosity and compassion as we support our wider community through practical action and heartfelt giving.

30th Anniversary Celebrations in style!

Next Tuesday, our students will come together to form a spectacular aerial “30” to mark our special 30th Year Celebration. We are grateful to our school photographers for generously offering their time and expertise to capture this unique moment. Their support helps us create lasting memories as we celebrate this milestone year. Stay tuned for the amazing photos!

2EM and 2JE decided to do a joint prayer cloth, as we join in prayer together each morning. We discussed what we wanted our prayer cloth to look like, giving all students the opportunity to contribute and use their student voice and agency. This year, the Mary MacKillop quote we chose was, ‘Be calm and full of hope’ (1871). 

We chose this quote because it reminds us that God has a plan for all of us. We included a heart in the middle to remind us of God's love and put our thumb prints around the outside as God loves us all. We chose the symbol of a rainbow as rainbows are bright and colourful and give us hope. Water can be very calming and relaxing which is why we included the water symbol. We cut hearts out of the Indigenous material to represent each student and teacher and to remind us to be respectful to the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of the land, and each other. 

How we use Show Me Boards in Year 4

Show Me Boards are mini whiteboards that are used as a tool to help us with our learning. We have been using them in Spelling, Religion, Inquiry and Mathematics. (Chase)

It’s called a Show Me Board, because after we have some time to show our thinking, our teacher will say “3..2..1 Show Me”. Then we get to show and talk about our strategies with others. (Fletcher)

We use Show Me Boards in the classroom to show our thinking, show our strategies and recording notes about our learning. (Florence)

Show Me Boards are a huge help in Mathematics as we can show our working out. (Roko)

Sometimes we take our Show Me Boards back to our tables and use our notes from the class discussions to help with our learning. (Lea)

It’s great because it saves us from using paper - more sustainable and fun! (Alex. T)

Congratulations to the following students who have received Learning Awards over the past month:

We are a Happy Families School!

Our school is subscribed to the Happy Families School Membership! Owned and run by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, the membership offers a wealth of parenting education and resources. We will regularly share resources available through our membership with you, including Insight Articles and Webinars. You can also access your resources at any time using the below URL (unique to our school) and password.

Unique URL - https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/mmnwn

Password - happymmnwn

We recommend bookmarking this link. You should only need to put the password in once and the site will remember you.  

Here is this week’s Term 2 Insights Article: Unhurrying Childhood: Why Slowing Down Is the Best Thing for Our Kids

School TV 

Our school has partnered with SchoolTV – a trusted resource that prioritises student mental health and wellbeing. Because parenting doesn’t come with instructions, SchoolTV is now accessible through our school to help you navigate some of the more complex issues young people face. It provides practical strategies and trusted guidance to support your child. Parenting is a learning journey, and with a little help from SchoolTV, you can engage in meaningful conversations with your child on topics that may sometimes feel awkward or difficult to address. SchoolTV covers a vast range of topics, each featuring interviews with leading global experts and a carefully curated selection of resources from key organisations. We encourage you to explore and utilise this platform, as it serves as a valuable tool in building relationships, fostering connections, and deepening understanding. By breaking down barriers, it helps pave the way towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. To stay informed about the latest topics, we also recommend signing up for ‘Get Alerts’. This feature ensures you receive updates as new content becomes available, and you can easily register through the link provided within each topic. Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in shaping a young person’s life, and SchoolTV is here to support you in nurturing confident and informed parenting. Explore SchoolTV today!

Supporting Smooth School Separations

At different times throughout the year, children of all ages may find it tricky to separate from their families in the morning. This can be due to a range of reasons—changes in routine, tiredness, weather, or simply big feelings. These moments are completely normal and part of growing up.

Here are some helpful tips to support smoother morning separations:

Establish a consistent morning routine:  Predictable steps each morning can help children feel secure and calm. You might gently guide them by saying things like, “Let’s put on our uniform,” followed by, “Now let’s brush our teeth.” Celebrate each small step to build confidence and routine.

Allow extra time:  Rushed mornings can increase stress. Try and aim to build in a few extra minutes to help everyone feel more relaxed and prepared for the day ahead (easier said than done sometimes!) 

Stay positive and confident:  Children take emotional cues from adults. A calm and upbeat goodbye helps them feel that school is a safe and positive place.

Create a special goodbye ritual:  A quick hug, a unique handshake, or a cheerful phrase like “See you at pick-up!” can provide comfort and a sense of routine.

Avoid lingering:  While it’s tempting to stay and settle your child, lingering can make it harder for them to adjust. A warm, confident goodbye works best. For some families, using the drive-through drop-off can help build independence—followed by parking and reconnecting later to celebrate their success.

Talk positively about school:  Focus on the fun activities, friendships, and caring adults at school to help build excitement and ease nerves.

The Hug Button: Draw a little heart on your hand and one on theirs, which they can press to send you a hug if they are missing you. Let them know that you will press your hug button if you are missing them.

Remember—many families experience separation challenges from time to time.  If your child is finding drop-offs especially difficult, please reach out to their teacher or a member of our wellbeing team.  We’re here to support every family and help each child start their day with confidence.

Child Safe Standards

Our school is safe, student centred and animated by our school values.  

We aim to Inspire Hearts and Minds.

"Children are the future of the human family: all of us are expected to promote their growth, health and tranquillity." Pope Francis 2021

At Mary MacKillop Primary School, we believe that ensuring the safety of the students in our care is an integral part of who we are as a Catholic faith community. We adhere to Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order No. 1359.  We embed a culture of child safety and the matter is taken very seriously.

MMPS Child Safe Standards

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV)

The updated CECV Statement of Commitment to Child Safety - A safe, nurturing and empowering culture for all children and young people in Catholic schools, is attached to this newsletter.  This statement has been updated in light of the revised Child Safe Standards coming into effect from 1 July 2022 and the supporting Ministerial Order No. 1359