Week 4, Term 2 2025

Dear Friends and Families of Mary MacKillop Memorial School,

What a wonderful weekend was had by all. The Penola-Coonawarra Arts Festival was a terrific success. A huge thank you to the staff for their outstanding efforts in the lead up to the festival and for helping out on Sunday. I especially would like to acknowledge our parents who assisted with the BBQ and also to the many students who served and organised the MacKillop Markets and helped many children of our community and visiting children make special magnets to keep! A fantastic team effort by Mary Mac!

Volunteers Week 

This week we recognised the people in our community and thanked them for the vital role that they play in our lives. Our helpers in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen, volunteers to supervise excursions, to coach teams, to score for sports games, to assist at sporting events, to cook BBQs and to assist at special events at school and in the community. Plus, our wider Penola Community volunteers who co-ordinate events, volunteer with the CFS, ambulance service and other important services to our community. You are something to everyone and one in a million. 

We also recognise our hard-working staff who are also something for everyone and willingly volunteer with many extra activities of our school life. They put in the extra effort behind the scenes so that we are all able to enjoy unique and fantastic experiences. Their actions show that they truly care for every student at Mary Mac. 

All parents and friends of the school community are welcome to become involved in the Mary MacKillop Memorial School community. The following steps are to be completed to become a volunteer. 

• Obtain a working with children check 
• Complete the personal information form, available at the front office 
• Complete the Reporting to Abuse and Neglect Training for volunteers online. 

For further information, please contact the front office.

National Simultaneous Storytime 2025

The Truck Cat On Wednesday, 21 May, our school joined thousands across Australia in reading The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell, as part of the 25th annual National Simultaneous Storytime. This heartwarming picture book follows Tinka, a cat who travels with his owner Yacoub, a migrant truck driver navigating a new country. The story explores themes of home, belonging, and resilience and gently encourages kindness and compassion, making it a perfect shared reading experience for our students.

National Reconciliation Week 2025

 Bridging Now to Next From 27 May to 3 June, we observe National Reconciliation Week, a time to reflect on our shared histories and work towards a more united future. This year's theme, Bridging Now to Next, highlights the connection between past, present, and future, urging all Australians to come together for reconciliation. Throughout the week, our school will engage in activities that promote understanding, respect, and a commitment to walking together towards a more inclusive Australia.

Professional Learning Days – Student Free

Thursday 5th June and Friday 6th June are Professional Learning Days for staff. These days are extremely important in building the capacity of our staff. This year we will engage in two different areas. Firstly, MITIOG (Made in the Image of God – core curriculum for Religious Education) focusing on the essential training that all teachers need to undertake to be able to teach this core curriculum.

St Anthony’s, Millicent staff will join us for this day facilitated by Catholic Education South Australia consultants.

Staff will then engage in further development of our Mary MacKillop Memorial School Reading Agreement with the intent to have this in draft form for use. Our Education Support Officers will take part in online learning in the space of Autism and Students With a Disability Standards modules.

We look forward to these important days as a region to build our capacity as educators.

Today we celebrated a whole school Mass for the Feast Day of Mary, Help of Christians. This feast day is of particular importance to us here in Australia because Our Lady, under the title ‘Help of Christians’, is a spiritual Patron of Australia, along with St Mary of the Cross. This means that Mary holds a special place for all Australians.

Enjoy your weekend and God bless 

Nicole

MISSION STATEMENT

Spirited by our Founders, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods, our community is a place of welcome, inclusion and kindness as we live out the Josephite Motto,

In All Things Love

VISION STATEMENT

Children, educators, families and the parish work in partnership to advance each individualslove of life and to experience learning through curiosity, discernment and endeavour and support them as they, Learn to Flourish.

“Hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5)

If your child turns 5 on or before the 31st October, they are able to start mid-year. If you are interested in your child starting mid-year, please contact the school as soon as possible. All Reception mid-year intakes are fee free and our popular Joey’s Jumpstart Program is currently running on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

As planning begins for 2026 I strongly encourage all families considering Mary MacKillop Memorial School for their child’s education in 2026 to contact the school today!

You are able to book a tour with either the Principal, Nicole Coote or with our school captains, Camilla and Charlie.

For families already at MMMS, if you have a little one starting in 2026 Reception, please complete your enrolment form and return to school.

Playgroup is held every Friday morning from 9 – 10.30 capably coordinated by Ebonie Moultion.

All you need is yourself, your children and a gold coin donation. Come and enjoy the inviting learning environment where experiences are set up for you to engage in with your child!

Occasional Care takes place on a Monday and Tuesdays (morning and afternoon sessions) 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.

Children need to bring a water bottle, morning and/or afternoon snack, lunch and a hat.

Call the school today for further information of how to secure a spot for your child.

Laudato si Week 

This week marks the observance of Laudato Si’ Week, a time dedicated to contemplating our responsibility in caring for God's creation. This year is particularly significant as it commemorates the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis's 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’, which calls upon every individual to take action for our planet and those most vulnerable to environmental harm. 

In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis emphasises that Earth is "our common home," deserving of our care and respect. He invites us to undergo an ecological conversion—a transformation in our hearts and habits that foster a deeper appreciation of the Earth as a divine gift. The encyclical highlights the connection between environmental degradation and the suffering of the poor, urging us to live with simplicity, gratitude, and responsibility.

Throughout this week, our classes are dedicating time to prayer and reflection, focusing on the stewardship of our common home. By engaging in these activities, we join a global movement of faith and action, contributing to a future where care for our planet and its people is central to our communities. 

Here are some simple things families can do at home:
Switch off lights and appliances when not in use
Walk, bike, or carpool when possible
Recycle, compost food scraps, and reduce single-use plastics
Use water wisely—shorten showers and fix leaks
Say a family prayer each day for creation and for those most affected by climate change

All:
Loving God,
You created the world with beauty and love.
Help us to care for the Earth, our common home.
Teach us to live simply,
To love generously,
And to act justly.
May we protect your creation and care for one another,
Especially the poor and the vulnerable.
Guide us to be stewards of your gifts.
Amen.

Let’s use this week as a chance to renew our commitment to care for the Earth, our shared home. Small acts, done with love, can make a big difference.

Friendship Skills: Helping Kids Be Kind and Inclusive

Being a good friend means being kind, sharing, and including others. Children learn friendship skills by watching adults and through practice. We can encourage our kids to use kind words like “please,” “thank you,” and “Do you want to play?”

Talk to them about how to notice if someone is feeling left out and how to invite them to join in. You can play simple games or role-play situations at home, like taking turns or saying sorry after an argument.

Reading books about friendship can help children understand how others feel and why kindness matters. Praise them when they show friendly behaviour like helping a classmate or including someone new.

With practice, children learn that being kind and including others helps everyone feel happy and safe 😊

Vinnies Winter Appeal

In week 6 we will be kicking off our Vinnies Winter Appeal for 2025. Right now there are over 1 600 people in Australia that are being forced into homelessness every single month. The work of the St Vincent de Paul society aims to support these people in finding new homes and safe spaces to live. Winter is a particularly difficult tie for these people as life becomes increasingly more difficult in the harsh conditions. Here at Mary MacKillop Memorial School, we aim to support these people where we can. Our values of love and service encourage us to help. 

This term we will be holding two very special fundraisers to support the Vinnies Winter Appeal

Coins and Cans for Casual Day – Wednesday the 4th June

Students to bring in cans and unperishable goods and a cold coin to support the works of St Vincent de Paul in Mt Gambier. Students are able to wear casual clothes on this day.

Crazy Hair Day – Wednesday 25th June

In exchange for a gold coin donation, students can bring a bit of fun to winter by wearing their hair in crazy styles. This day is an initiative by our SRC (Student Representative Council).

Please keep an eye out for detailed information regarding these two important events over the next few weeks.

Church Cleaning

We are looking for a volunteer to help out with cleaning at St Joseph's Church! If you are available just 4 weeks per year, please contact our front office.

• Patrick  – 5th place
• Isla  – 6th place
• Otto  – 8th place

Dear parents, guardians and carers,

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

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).  

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes: 

• year of schooling 
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional 
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive. 

This information assists schools to: 

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools  
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools 
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability. 

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability. 

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information.

To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy: Click here to access the Australian Government's Privacy Policy

For further imformation about the NCCD, please refer to the NCCD Portal:

Click here to access the NCCD Portal

Kind regards 

Nicole Coote 

Principal