Contents
- From the Principal
- Professional Learning Gallery
- 2/3 Class News
- Community News
- Playgroup Information
- Early Learning at Mary Mac
- Catholic Identity
- Year 2/3 Liturgy Gallery
- Coins, Cans and Casuals Day
- Counsellor’s Corner
- MMMS Sports News
- Occasional Care Week 6 Gallery
- Reconciliation Art Occasional Care Gallery
- Occasional Care and Year 6 Afternoon
Dear Families and Friends,
It’s hard to believe we’re already in Week 6 and officially past the halfway point of Term 2! The term has been full of energy and enthusiasm, with a strong focus on literacy across all year levels. It’s been wonderful to see students so engaged in their learning.
Staff Professional Learning
Our staff have been involved in valuable professional development this term. Yesterday we participated in the Made in the Image of God training, a key part of our commitment to Catholic education. We were pleased to welcome staff from St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, Millicent, to join us for this important day of learning, led by Valeska Laity and Sue Coghlan: Education Advisors in Religious Education from the Catholic Education Office.
In addition, today our teachers are continuing to build consistency in literacy instruction through the Mary MacKillop Literacy Agreement. We’re also exploring evidence-based strategies from Teach Well, which draws on cognitive science to support high-impact teaching. This part of the training was led by our Leader of Learning, Chloe Fry, and has already sparked great ideas for classroom practice.
Our Education Support Officers have also been busy, completing online training in Autism and the Disability Standards for Education. This learning helps ensure we’re creating inclusive and supportive environments for all students.
In Year 2/3, Miss Oneil's students are focusing on building our knowledge of multiplication and division facts! Our 2/3s are working hard to answer them quickly and in any order. In the gallery below, Year 2 students are practising their 5 times tables, while the Year 3 students are focusing on their 3 times tables. Through the use of flashcards, we are making great progress and developing confidence in our understanding of multiplication and division!
Updated Home Reading Program
Reading at home is crucial for literacy growth, so we've improved our Home Reading Program across all year levels.
Reception to Year 2: Students now bring home InitiaLit decodable readers—books carefully matched to what they learn in class. These help build key reading skills like decoding, blending sounds, and recognising common words, leading to confident, independent reading.
Years 3 to 6: Older students pick books they enjoy and can read comfortably. This approach boosts fluency, comprehension, and a lifelong love of reading—whether it's fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, or chapter books.
Families play a key role in their child’s reading journey. Daily reading—whether listening, sharing a story, or encouraging independent reading—builds skills, confidence, and a positive connection to books.
Together, through strong home-school partnerships, we are helping students become confident and engaged readers and writers.
Combined School Board Meeting
Celebrating Catholic Education in the South-East
On Wednesday, June 18, the School Boards of Mary MacKillop Memorial School, St. Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, and Tenison Woods College will gather in Penola for the annual Combined School Board dinner and meeting—an evening dedicated to celebrating Catholic education in the South-East.
We are pleased to welcome Kim Wigg, Allied Health Manager at Catholic Education South Australia, as our guest speaker. Kim will share insights into the CESA Improved Learning through Allied Health (CILAH) program, which integrates allied health expertise into CESA schools, supporting inclusion and equity for students with disability.
We look forward to this special event and Kim’s presentation on this important initiative.
Occasional Care is offered on Mondays and Tuesdays (morning and afternoon sessions available) Ebonie Moulton, our early learning educator, plans new and exciting experiences from the Early Years Framework for all children aged 3–5. We are proud of the caring and nurturing environment that we are able to provide for little ones.
Call the school today for further information of how to secure a spot for your child!
See gallery below for 2025 Early Learning so far!
Our school constantly strives to be:
A Christ centred community which challenges students to develop their unique gifts and talents through a supportive partnership of school, parents and parish. Christ, as we know, was an inspiring and courageous leader. St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was a passionate, faithful and committed leader. At Mary MacKillop Memorial School we display the qualities of leadership, where we flourish in our living and learning. We ‘walk the walk’ of trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and Mary as a Christ centred community.
On Tuesday, the Year 2/3 students gathered for a special liturgy at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, where they reflected on the theme of kindness. Fr Peter shared heartfelt messages about the importance of showing kindness in our words and actions every day. He encouraged the students to follow the example of Jesus by being caring, patient, and compassionate towards others, especially those in need. The students participated reverently in the readings, prayers, and singing, creating a warm and prayerful atmosphere. It was a beautiful reminder of how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in our school and wider community.
This week we kick started our Vinnies Winter appeal with our annual Coins, Cans and Casuals Day. It was fantastic to see so many of our students participating in this worthy cause. Thank you to all of our amazing families for your support. The donated items will be taken to St Vincent de Paul in Mt Gambier in the coming weeks where they will be divided up to support local families and individuals doing it tough this winter. Should you wish to contribute more to this worthy cause donations can be made via the front office until Monday 30th June.
At Occasional Care on Monday, the kids practised letter matching, made nature people, created paper planes and had fun in the Autumn leaves. What a great day!
Our little artists at Occasional Care celebrated Reconciliation Week with heart and creativity last week! Through dot painting, finger painting and more activities, Ebonie introduced the beauty of Indigenous art and culture — learning, connecting, and showing respect one colourful stroke at a time.
Last Monday, our Year 6 students spent some time with our Occasional Care kids! Making use of the cold, wintery weather, our older students made hot Milo’s for the little ones before exploring Dreamtime Stories and having some free play.
Important Dates
Public Holiday
Occasional Care
Playgroup
Playgroup & Ready Set Progress
Sunday Family Mass
Crazy Hair Day (Week 8)
Whole School Mass
R/1 Assembly 2:30pm
Yr 4/5 Class Mass 9.15am
R/1 Liturgy 10.30am
Toastie Tuesdays
We are excited to be introducing Toastie Tuesdays at Mary Mac next week! 🥪🧀
Every Tuesday, students can enjoy their own custom-made toasted sandwiches for lunch. Here’s how it works:
- Prep Your Sandwich: Bring sandwich from home, made exactly how you like it.
- Wrap It Right: Make sure it’s wrapped in baking paper with student name written (no foil or plastic wrap, please – it needs to go in the sandwich press!).
- Drop It Off: In the morning, students head to breakfast club to hand in sandwich to the staff who’ll take care of the toasting. This MUST be done straight away and before the bell.
- Delivered to You: Student's freshly toasted sandwich will be delivered to their classroom at lunchtime – ready to enjoy!
Penola High School Tours
Book your tour now!
Don't miss this year's Penola High School Tours - a unique opportunity to see classroom learning in action and experience our vibrant learning environment firsthand.
Book now to explore how we inspire curiosity, creativity, and academic success every day.
📞 Call Penola High School on: 8737 0000
SAPSASA Netball🏐
Congratulations Lola!
We are so proud to announce that Lola has been selected to represent our school in Adelaide with the SAPSASA MSE Netball team!
We’re sending her all the best wishes and luck as she prepares to take the courts in Week 9. We can’t wait to hear all about her experience and achievements once the competition kicks off!
SAPSASA Football🏉
Well done Charlie!
We're incredibly proud of Charlie, who has represented our school in SAPSASA Football in Adelaide last week! Not only was he selected to be part of the team, but he was also named Vice Captain — an amazing achievement!
Despite a wet and challenging start to the week, we were so excited to have Charlie back at school to hear all about the team’s experience and results.
MMMS Playgroup
Text Absentee Number
A reminder that if your child is absent from school, for any reason, it is important that this is communicated with the school. The Catholic Education system has advised all schools to follow up on unresolved absences with families. Your support and communication in this matter is greatly appreciated.
📱0488 280 771
When texting the Absentee Line to explain your child's absence from school please make sure you put both their name and reason so it can be recorded properly.
Resilience Project
Mary MacKillop Memorial School fosters a supportive and resilient learning community, with wellbeing at its core. By promoting confidence, resilience, and emotional intelligence, we empower students to excel academically, build strong relationships, and lead responsible, fulfilling lives. That's why this year we are engaging in The Resilience Project as one of our wellbeing initiatives!
For us, resilience is the ability to adapt and thrive when faced with challenges, adversity, trauma, or stress. It’s not just about overcoming difficulties but also about developing the strength to grow and move forward with confidence.
Click here to learn more about the Resilience Project
NetSetGo!
Social Media
📣 Stay Connected with Mary MacKillop Memorial School! 🎓💙
Want to stay in the loop with all the amazing things happening at our school? Follow us on our Social Media Platforms!
- See what’s happening in the classroom and beyond
- Celebrate our Students and Staff
- Stay updated on events, news, and important reminders
- Be part of our joyful, faith-filled community
Click here to view our Mary MacKillop Memorial School Facebook Page
Click here to view our Mary MacKillop Memorial School Instagram Page
Reconciliation Week (Week 5)
Sorry Day was last Monday, 26th May, with Reconciliation Week following on.
This year at MMMS, we commemorated this week by engaging students in learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories, fostering respectful relationships, and encouraging discussions about reconciliation.
Reconciliation Week Activities
Activities suggestions above were provided for families to celebrate Reconciliation Week last week.
We encouraged our community to take a look and try to implement these ideas into their everyday lives.
Catholic Education South Australia
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