Upcoming Events

19-23 May 2025	Book Fair
21 May 2025	National Simultaneous Story Time
22 May 2025	Year 1 and Year 5 Combined Liturgy 8:30am
28 May – 03 June 2025	Reconciliation Week
02 June – 04 June 2025	Year 11 Retreat
05 June 2025	Year 10 Immunisation (Meningococcal)
05 June 2025	MacKillop Board Meeting 6:00pm
06 June 2025	Years 7-12 Athletics Carnival
11 June 2025	Years 7 and 8 Readers Cup
12 June 2025	Years 5 and 6 Readers Cup
13 June 2025	Years 4-6 Athletics Carnival
16-20 June 2025	Year 10 Work Experience
19-25 June 2025	Cairns Eisteddfod
19 June 2025	St Vincent De Paul Appeal – Sleep Out
20 June 2025	Primary Free Dress Day – Red for Rosies
24-26 June 2025	Year 12 Retreat
27 June 2025	Prep – Year 3 MacKillop Games
27 June 2025	LAST DAY OF TERM
14 July 2025	FIRST DAY OF TERM 3
14-16 July 2025	Year 6 Camp

Student Absence

Parents/carers whose children are absent are asked to contact the College Office by Telephone 4081 7600, Email studentabsent.mcc@cns.catholic.edu.au or Parent Portal before 8:30am if possible. If a student has not arrived for class and the College Office is not aware of the student’s whereabouts, parents will be sent a SMS text message to their mobile phone (to the Main Contact as nominated on the Enrolment Form). It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to then inform the office immediately of the reason for the student’s absence. Parents/carers are asked to advise the College Office and Classroom Teacher via Email in the event of a multiple day absence, so it can be recorded prior to the date of absence. A medical certificate is requested for an illness absence of two (2) or more days.

Early Departure

Students are not permitted to leave the College grounds during school hours unless accompanied by a parent/carer. Prior notification must be given if a student needs to leave the College during the school hours to the Class Teacher via Seesaw, email or written note and by telephone to the College Office. Parents/carers must report to the College Office to collect and sign out their child. If leaving for an appointment and returning, students must be signed back in through the College Office.

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24 February 2025

News from the College Principal, Mrs Janelle Newman

Dear Parents and Carers,

Although 2025 has started with some wet weather, this has not dampened the joy of seeing friends after a summer vacation period, or the enthusiasm of our students for learning. More than 180 new students and their families joined our community this year – predominantly in Prep and Year 7. We welcomed 23 new staff members to the College this year – mostly in the Secondary sector as we complete our journey into Year 12 for the first time. The expertise and professionalism of our new staff will complement and continue to strengthen student learning and smooth operation of the College.

Our students have all made a great start to the year - there is a settled, engaged vibe around all of our classrooms, and plenty of old and new connections with friends. We dedicate several lessons at the beginning of each year practising our routines and learning/revising our expectations – our Mackillop Way. I have been most impressed with the level of engagement in learning and positive interactions that I see around the College every day.

We have already had many key events. During our Opening Liturgy, we formally commissioned our Year 6 House Leaders, our Year 12 College Captains, Ambassadors and Leaders. We have had our Secondary Parent Meet and Greet afternoon, our Year 10 Parent Career Induction evening, our Secondary Academic Assembly to celebrate the outstanding achievement and progress of our students in Semester 2, 2024. Last week, we finished the week with our Secondary Swimming Carnival.

Setting our Children up for Success

Success in learning is indeed a partnership requiring a strong commitment from both parents and staff. It is so important that we establish a positive and supportive relationship between home and school. Open, honest and respectful communication is the key to this; I encourage all parents to take the time to get to know their child’s teacher. The more we communicate, the more a teacher knows about your child, and the more effectively staff can care and support your child as young people and learners.

College Calendar and Key Events for 2025

Each family will have received by now, a copy of our College Calendar which outlines key events and activities for the 2025 school year. I would like to take this opportunity to invite parents and carers to become as involved as possible in our community. We love to see you at our events and functions, especially our Meet and Greet sessions, our Open Classroom afternoons, our Information Nights, and our Mother’s / Father’s Day celebrations. It is through a strong school-home partnership, that our children will have a year full of achievement and success.

Traffic and Carparking Update

I wish to communicate again, the need to adhere to our parking and entry/exit process. It is imperative for the safety and wellbeing of our children and community members. I have published some information on our Facebook Hub explaining progress on addressing safety concerns and traffic congestion. Details and proposed plan is shown below.

Our site planning approval from Cairns Regional Council in 2015 to build MacKillop Catholic College at Mount Peter stipulated 1 exit only and that the College would fund the construction of MacKillop Road to access the College.
Traffic issues surrounding the College is now a Council issue and the College can not complete any works without approval from Cairns Regional Council.
After much consultation over the last 3 years with Council, our local Member of Parliament and Transport Main Roads Department, the Masterplan option (below) was presented to and rejected by Cairns Regional Council last year. This plan includes an additional exit onto MacKillop Road, a designated crossing, and additional on-street parking.
We are continuing to lobby the Council to improve the traffic and safety issues surrounding the College, and approve a solution asap.
Parents are encouraged to discuss concerns with me directly, or by contacting Cairns Regional Council – Major Amy Eden (Eden@cairns.qld.gov.au), our local Councillor Brett Moller (Brett.Moller@cairns.qld.gov.au), or Terry James, our Member for Mulgrave (Mulgrave@parliament.qld.gov.au ).

Gate Process

A few parents have asked for clarification around the entry and exit process at both our Primary and Secondary gates, including the installation of additional internal gates at entrances. The second set of gates were installed last year after a WPHS audit by CEDC, due to 2 separate incidents of unwelcomed visitors entering College grounds. The audit confirmed that we followed our Safety Procedures perfectly. The only recommendation was the possible installation of these additional gates to add another layer of security to discourage unauthorised entry, especially before and after school hours. Please also note the following:

The school day starts at 8:30am.
Both external gates are open from 7:30am in the morning.
Primary students are required to attend OSHC if arriving early each morning. Students who arrive just prior to 8:00am are to remain inside the gated area as there is no supervision in Primary until after 8:00am. The internal gate is opened at 8:00am and students can move down into the avenues. We are awaiting a large shade sail over this area.
Secondary students are required to remain in the Secondary Library (which opens at 7:30am) or in the Library courtyard until 8:00am. Only students attending scheduled training groups will be allowed access to Sport / Performing arts areas before 8:00am.
Grounds and Cleaning staff perform tasks that have a higher safety risk such as edge trimming, mowing, cleaning toilets from 6:00am – 8:00am, and 4:00pm – 6:00pm.

Prep and Year 7 2026 Enrolments

Our enrolment process for 2026 has begun and we start interviewing for Prep and Year 7, 2026 from this week. Existing families who have children, not already completed an enrolment application for Prep and Year 7 next year, please complete an online enrolment form as soon as possible. Please note that current Year 6 students are automatically enrolled for Year 7, and families do not need to re-apply.

Annual College Goals – School Annual Improvement Plan 2025

Our 2025 College Annual School Improvement Plan focuses on the four main areas.

Encounter Catholic Identity *To create and implement a College Formation Plan that enhances the spiritual growth and Catholic formation of staff, students and community members.	Honour the spirituality and legacy of Mary MacKillop, and charism of Sisters of Saint Joseph Actively engage community in life and mission of the Church, including service and outreach, and Parish partnership Staff and Student Leadership and Formation through lens of Catholic Social Teachings – Dignity of Human Person and The Common Good
People and Place *To develop our shared knowledge and understanding of First Nations culture, perspective and pedagogies in curriculum.	Develop a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in partnership with First Nations staff, students and community members Provide professional development sessions that support First Nations Ways of Knowing.
Engagement – Wellbeing and Learning To support every child to strive towards and achieve their personal best - in learning, personal and spiritual growth To consolidate our College shared knowledge and understanding of our Agreed Practices in Learning, Teaching and Wellbeing	Learning to Learn (Mackillop Way, Positive Relationships Framework, learning routines, engagement in learning) Teaching (curriculum scope and sequences Prep – Year 12, collaborative unit planning, evidence-based pedagogies, literacy/ numeracy focus P-10) Wellbeing and Pastoral Practices (Multi-tiered support, Differentiation, Diverse needs, Pastoral Care Prep -12, behaviour processes and tracking, attendance processes) documented induction process and program for new staff, Early Career Teachers and teacher mentoring/ peer support.
Capability To continue to strengthen and build capacity of all staff to allow each person to perform their role at a high level with appropriate knowledge, skill and confidence. To continue to journey towards College financial stewardship and building masterplan	Continue to create processes and handbooks that support development of and provide quality PD for all staff within the College Build staff knowledge, understanding and witness of Catholic faith and charism of SOSJ (Sisters of Saint Joseph) and the example of Mary MacKillop. Continue building program (H Block – 8 Secondary classrooms, double size of Secondary MPC, J Block Design Technology roof extension, G Block re-model of Year 6 space)

College Policies and Procedures

The beginning on the new year is a great opportunity to remind our community of some key policies and procedures. Please review the following when you have time.

I look forward to working in partnership with all our families to ensure that 2025 is a great year of learning and positive growth for all of our children.

Kind regards,

Janelle Newman
College Principal

News from the Deputy Principal –Primary, Ms Caitlin O’Meara

Newsletter Term 1 Week 4

A very warm welcome to the 2025 school year! All our students have settled exceptionally well into their new classrooms and have been arriving at school eager to learn. As I walk around our primary classrooms each morning, I see every student engaged and ready for rigorous learning. I feel proud to be part of such an extraordinary learning community like MacKillop. Thank you to our staff who have been so welcoming and nurturing to our students and to our parents and carers who have already started building a positive partnership with our teachers.

Attendance

At MacKillop, we want to ensure our students start each day with the right tools for learning. Each morning our primary students participate in the Morning Routine and explicit instruction, which builds students’ schema for all areas of learning. This is a vital part of every child’s day and success for learning. It is important that all students are at school ready for learning by the 8:30am bell. Every second counts!

NAPLAN

Our Years 3 and 5 students will participate in the NAPLAN practice tests this week, so students are aware of what to expect for the NAPLAN tests from 12 March until 20 March 2025. NAPLAN is made up of tests in the domains of: Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar and punctuation), and Numeracy. The NAPLAN test schedule has been sent out via Parent Slip to our Years 3 and 5 families.

Home Learning

We value the role of parents in the education of their child and encourage a strong relationship between the home and school learning environments. The purpose of home learning is to revise and practise basic knowledge and skills, reinforce and consolidate curriculum, develop self-organisation skills, self-discipline and study habits and to involve parents in their child’s educational journey.

Reading at home is the most important form of home learning; students are expected to read at home daily. Regular reading is essential for fluency and comprehension. It is important to complete your child’s reading logbook or diary, daily.

The time periods below are a general guide for how long students should dedicate to home learning every week (including daily reading):

Prep – Year 2             15-20 minutes
Year 3 and 4               20-30 minutes
Years 5 and 6             30-45 minutes

During Week 9, our teachers will be running Parent Teacher Interviews from Monday 31 March until Thursday 03 April 2025. PTO invitations will be sent to families in the coming weeks.

A very big thank you to our P & F, as they have generously provided half of the monies towards one the shade sails covering the Primary playground.

Curriculum Updates

We take pride at MacKillop in delivering the Australian Curriculum through a structured, evidence-based approach that ensures all students have the best possible opportunities to succeed in their learning journey.

Morning Routine

Each school day begins with a 30-minute lesson known as the Morning Routine. This lesson is designed to support our students’ learning in English, as well as other areas of the curriculum. The main purpose of this lesson is to build background knowledge (schema), which students can draw upon when reading, writing, or engaging with other subjects. The Morning Routine consists of four parts:

Day/Date/Weather/Calendar
Talk for Learning
Sentence of the Day
100 Days of Learning

English

In English, students progressively develop their grammar knowledge through the Sentence of the Day activity during the Morning Routine, which is directly connected to the writing unit. In the Talk for Learning segment, students learn the necessary concepts to improve their writing pieces. In writing lessons, students are introduced to an exemplar text related to the writing unit. This text is analysed in depth, and students are taught the grammar, conventions, and structure. They are given multiple opportunities to practice their writing and apply the vocabulary learned during the Morning Routine.

For reading, our approach is systematic, focusing on the key areas of Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. In the early years (Prep to Year 2), students concentrate on Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Vocabulary, using a resource called Get Reading Right. As students’ progress to Years 3 to 6, they focus more on Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension, having already mastered decoding skills.

For spelling, we use the Spelling Mastery program to teach students general spelling rules, which they can apply in their writing.

Mathematics

Our approach to teaching Mathematics follows a three-stage framework: Concrete, Pictorial/Representational, and Abstract/Symbolic. To further support student learning in Mathematics, we have adopted the PR!ME resource from Scholastic, which offers a spiral curriculum designed to reinforce and extend learning. Teachers ensure that students thoroughly understand each concept before progressing to the next. We encourage parents to review and complete any missed pages at home to further support their child's learning.

If you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher.

Our Diversity Team

The MacKillop Catholic College Diversity team supports a wide range of students such as those with a disability, students with a first language other than English and students requiring additional support in various learning areas.

The team:

Undertake screening for hearing in Prep and reading throughout the Primary sector.
Liaise with therapists, both internal and external, as well as other allied health and education professionals.
Support smooth transitions between Kindy and Prep, and Primary to Secondary school.
Provide intervention for identified groups of students and monitor their progress.
Engage in personalised planning related to the learning or wellbeing needs of students.
Work in consultation with families of new enrolments where there may be an identified learning, medical or wellbeing need.
Ensure the wider team is supported to meet professional standards in catering for diverse needs.

On a day-to-day basis, the diversity team can be found undertaking student testing, interviewing new families, meeting with a student’s family and their external therapists, teaching a class, resourcing for a specific need, implementing intervention, and much, much more. The work of the Diversity Team is as vast as the students they support.

If you have concerns about your child’s learning, or may have concerns regarding your child’s disability please reach out to your child’s teacher as the first point of call.

We hope that this update provides valuable insight into the progress and development of your child's learning for 2025.

We look forward to a year of partnership in supporting your child’s learning journey.

Kind regards

Caitlin O’Meara
Deputy Principal - Primary

News from the Deputy Principal –Secondary, Ms Melissa Headridge

I am pleased to introduce myself as the new Deputy Principal – Head of Secondary at our wonderful school. Having served as the Assistant Principal Administration for the past two years, I am excited to continue my journey here in this new role. As Deputy Principal, Head of Secondary, my goal is to foster a positive and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and empowered to achieve their best. I am committed to maintaining open lines of communication and working collaboratively with all members of our school community to support our students' academic and personal growth.

As we embark on 2025, we aim for another successful year at MacKillop Catholic College, highlighted by the graduation of our first Year Twelve cohort. With our school now at full capacity, we are excited to offer an expanded range of curriculum and co-curricular programs that provide students with fantastic opportunities to learn and discover their interests.

Already we are at the midway point of Term 1, and it has been great to see our classrooms filled with engaged and focused students. We are incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated teachers who are committed to providing the best possible learning experiences for our students.

I look forward to connecting with each of you—whether at school events, meetings, or through casual conversations—as we work together to make our school a place where everyone thrives. Below, you’ll find further information on the secondary sector.

Assessment

The Semester 1 Assessment Calendar has been sent to students and parents. This calendar outlines the due date for assessment for the term, and we recommend keeping a printed copy in a visible location for easy reference at home.

If your child requires an extension, they must collect an extension form from their teacher and submit it to the Head of Department at least three school days before the due date for planned absences (e.g., recovery from illness). For unforeseen illness preventing work in the final days before an assessment, requests should be submitted as soon as possible. Please note, as per the Assessment and Examination Guidelines, family holidays do not qualify for extensions or exemptions under Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority guidelines.

All extension requests must include a medical certificate or a parent letter, and absences from exams require a medical certificate.

For any assessment-related questions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher as the first point of contact.

Study Schedule

Creating a study schedule alongside the Assessment Calendar helps students stay on track with their assessment requirements throughout the term. By planning study sessions in advance, students can manage their workload effectively, avoid last-minute stress, and ensure they allocate enough time for revision. A structured approach to study also reinforces key learning and builds strong study habits.

As a general guide, students should aim for the following daily study times:

Years 7-8             30 minutes to 1 hour;
Years 9-10           1.5 to 2 hours; and
Years 11-12        2 to 3 hours.

Parents and caregivers can support this process by encouraging a consistent routine and providing a quiet, distraction-free environment.

NAPLAN

During Week 5, our Year 7 and Year 9 students will participate in online NAPLAN familiarisation across Writing, Reading, Language Conventions, and Numeracy. This familiarisation platform allows students to practice answering NAPLAN-style questions and understand how the online platform operates.

In my experience, students adapt well to the online version of NAPLAN as it feels more like their everyday classroom learning rather than a formal test.

The actual NAPLAN tests for Year 7 and Year 9 will take place in Week 7, from Wednesday, 12^th March to Friday, 14^th March 2025.

Parents or legal guardians may withdraw their child from NAPLAN after consultation with me. If you decide to withdraw your child, you must complete a Student Withdrawal form available at the College by Monday, 03^rd March, 2025.

Meet and Greet

Our recent Meet and Greet evening was a resounding success! This informal gathering provided a wonderful opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet their child's teachers and get to know the school community in a relaxed setting. It was fantastic to see so many families engaging with our staff and each other, fostering a sense of connection and collaboration.

Additionally, the tours of our secondary college were well-received, offering attendees a chance to explore our facilities and learn more about our programs. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event so enjoyable and informative.

Academic Assembly

In Week 4, we celebrated the academic achievements of our students for the Semester 2, 2024 reporting period. Awards were presented in the following categories: Academic Excellence, Merit and Growth, and MacKillop Way Excellence and Merit. It was wonderful to have families in attendance, showing their support and strengthening our school community. Your encouragement makes a meaningful difference in our students' success.

The Academic Excellence Award is given to students with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.5 or higher, while the Merit Award recognizes those with a GPA of 4. The Academic Growth Award acknowledges students who have improved their GPA by 20% or more between Semester 1 and Semester 2. The Way Excellence Award celebrates students who have consistently achieved high grades across all dispositions and subjects, while the Way Merit Award is for those with no more than two 'Generally' grades in each disposition.

Thank you to the staff and parents who have played a role in supporting our students' academic growth. This celebration reflects the strong partnership we share as a community.

Congratulations to all our awardees!

Year 8 Academic Awardees

Year 9 Academic Awardees

Year 10 Academic Awardees

Year 11 Academic Awardees

Year 12 Academic Awardees

God Bless,

Melissa Headridge
Deputy Principal – Secondary

News from the Deputy Principal – Identity and Outreach, Miss Anna Harris

Identity and Outreach – Term 1, 2025

It’s been a wonderful start to the year for our students, staff and families at MacKillop – with the example of Jesus Christ and St Mary MacKillop underpinning all we do at the College.

Inspiring Hearts

After reviewing our mission, vision and values as a leadership team in 2024, we landed on the theme of Inspiring Hearts for 2025. Our College Formation Plan has been updated to reflect this; intentionally mapping out weekly themes and scripture to focus on as a community. This pertains to all we do, including formation experiences for staff and students, liturgical celebrations and opportunities for prayer within classrooms and staff gatherings. We look forward to unpacking Inspiring Minds and Inspiring Spirits in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Commencement & Commissioning Liturgy

We celebrated our Commencement and Commissioning Liturgy earlier in Week 2 to mark the beginning of the school year and bless our newly appointed student leaders. We were very honoured to have both Bp. Joe and Fr. Sabu presiding. They were very impressed with our wonderful college, the warm welcome they received and the conduct of our students. Bp. Joe also took the opportunity to explore the campus, touring around the Primary and Secondary with College Captains, Tiara and Stanley.

JJAMM 2025

As an integral part of their formation journey, I was honoured to chaperone our College Captains, Tiara and Stanley, and our Identity and Outreach Prefect, Aaron to Sydney last week to participate in JJAMM (Joseph, Julian and Mary MacKillop) 2025 – a leadership retreat for student leaders from Josephite schools across Australia. We gathered firstly at Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney, then moving to St Joseph’s Convent at Baulkham Hills. It was a wonderful formative experience and networking opportunity for our leaders. I look forward to working with the greater student leadership team to bring to life the fantastic initiatives that have sprung from their time spent in Sydney. Tiara, Stanley and Aaron’s hearts were truly inspired!

Outreach – Rosies and Project Compassion

Our affiliation with Rosie’s - Friends on the Street continues this year. We participated in our first fortnightly outreach evening for 2025 last Thursday, which was enjoyable for both our senior students and the patrons they served.

We will also be raising funds for Project Compassion throughout the Lenten season, through various activities and initiatives around the College. Our Senior Student Leaders began fundraising early by facilitating Valentine’s Day card making sessions which was a wonderful success!

Year 7 and Year 12 Combined Liturgy

In Week 5, we will be celebrating our combined Year 7 and Year 12 Liturgy. This will be the first of such occasion where we ritualise the exchanging the Year 7 and Year 12 badges. This liturgy will highlight the significance of us, in the words of St Mary MacKillop, being ‘but travellers here’ and the key milestones that both our Year 7s and Year 12s have reached in their schooling journey. This liturgy will be created with and facilitated by our college captains and prefects.

Lent

Week 6 marks the beginning of Lent. We will be recognising Shrove Tuesday with the sale of delicious pancakes to be prepared by our senior hospitality students, before gathering for our Primary and Secondary Ash Wednesday Liturgies the following day.

Year 12 Retreat – We are but Travellers Here

Our Year 12 Retreat planning is well under way. Our cohort will be travelling to Paluma to participate in a 3-day retreat based around the theme of ‘We are but travellers here’ and the call for our young people to use their God-given gifts to have a positive influence, wherever their journey may take them beyond school. To say we are excited for this special ‘first’ in our history as a College is an understatement!

Holy Week

We will conclude the term in commemoration with our Holy Week Liturgy, in preparation for Easter. Our students and staff will also have the opportunity to better understand the Passion of Christ through an interactive Stations of the Cross walk throughout the College.

Be calm and full of hope!

God bless,

Anna Harris
Deputy Principal – Identity and Outreach

News from the Acting Assistant Principal – Administration, Mr Wayne Duda

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the first edition of our College newsletter for 2025. The start of the school year is always a time of energy and enthusiasm as students settle into their new classes, form friendships, and engage in learning.

Discover MacKillop Evening

We are excited to invite families and prospective students to our upcoming Discover MacKillop Evening on Tuesday 04^th March from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. This event offers a unique opportunity to explore the outstanding educational pathways available at MacKillop Catholic College. Whether you are considering enrolment for your child or simply curious about what we offer, this is the perfect chance to get an in-depth look at our school community and academic programs.

The evening will feature a range of displays and presentations, showcasing each of our Secondary departments and Primary year levels. Attendees will have the chance to engage with our dedicated teaching staff, who will provide insight into our diverse curriculum, extracurricular opportunities, and the values that shape our vibrant learning environment.

From innovative programs in the arts and sciences to our strong emphasis on character development, Discover MacKillop is designed to highlight the depth of the educational experience we offer. It is an evening dedicated to helping families understand how MacKillop Catholic College prepares students for success in the classroom and beyond.

We look forward to welcoming you to this special event and sharing with you the many opportunities that await at MacKillop!

Mark your calendars, and we hope to see you there!

Keeping Our College Car Park Safe and Smooth

At MacKillop Catholic College, the safety of our students, staff, and families is always our top priority. To ensure a smooth and stress-free experience for everyone using our car park, we kindly remind all parents and carers to follow a few simple guidelines.

Our friendly staff are on hand to assist with traffic flow during busy drop-off and pick-up times. We ask that all drivers:

✔️ Follow staff directions to keep things moving efficiently.
✔️ Exercise patience and courtesy towards other drivers and pedestrians.
✔️ Adhere to designated no-parking areas, clearly marked on the road, to avoid congestion and safety hazards.

By working together and following these guidelines, we can make the car park a safer and more efficient space for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the College.

Kind Regards,
Wayne Duda
Acting Assistant Principal - Administration

Primary News

Prep

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Secondary News

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Religion at MacKillop encourages open dialogue and promotes discussions that encourage respect, empathy and understanding. We provide a platform for students to ask questions, share their beliefs, and learn from one another in a supportive and safe environment. Whether it is through religious studies, special events, or guest speakers, our goal is to help students navigate the complexities of religion in a thoughtful and open-minded way.

It has been wonderful to see the range of activities happening in our classrooms. The engagement in learning is very exciting.

Kind Regards,

Rebecca Flockhart
Acting Leader – Head of Religious Education

SCIENCE

Welcome back Science families of Mackillop

It seems like only a short time ago we only had up to Year 10. A lot has happened in my short time here of which I am immensely proud of and yet there is still a lot to look forward to.

At the end of this year, we get a glimpse of what our College will truly look and feel like when our inaugural seniors graduate. More buildings are on their way and your teachers are busy expertly navigating changes in senior curriculum, refining and delivering our kids a world class education.

Our general subject senior students got to experience high quality data collection camps last year and are fine tuning their data analysis skills for their first summative assessments coming up in Week 6. Our Applied Science seniors will get the opportunity to obtain their recreational marine drivers licenses later this year.

The Year 7 students have transitioned very well, some a little too well to Secondary College life and their knowledge of digital literacy has improved exponentially in a short amount of time. That is a true testament to our Primary school for producing independent and confident learners.

We are able to expand our Citizen Science offerings this year with EcoMarines (please see the attached student created poster) and Reef Guardians so stay tuned for some incredible opportunities coming up in this space.

Lastly, I have attached a 2025 Science landscape for your information, outlining the teachers, units and assessment items coming up for your students in 2025. As always if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask your student’s teacher or myself, preferably via email. Please respect our right to disconnect though, many of us will get back to you immediately but rest assured a response will always be timely.

Click here to download the MCC Science Landscape 2025 flyer

Yours in Science,

Andrew Hislop
Leader – Head of Science

MATHS

Welcome to the 2025 Mathematics Department!

Kind Regards,

Ian Coleman
Leader – Head of Maths

ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS

Our students have been busy tackling exciting texts, ideas, and assessments this term.

Year 7 is immersed in Blueback, exploring its themes and memoir. Year 8 is time-travelling through music, discovering how songs reflect history and society. Our Year 9s are analysing the hero’s journey in The Dark Knight.

Year 10 General English is exploring dystopian stories with I Am Legend, while Essential English students are refining their resumes. Literature students are delving into magical realism and creative writing.

Year 11 General English are busy preparing for a persuasive speech task, Essential English students are getting ready for their Week 8 short response exam, and Literature students have short story drafts due in Week 6.

Year 12 General English students are finalising persuasive speeches for Week 5. Essential English students have their short response exam in Week 6, and Literature students are completing their short stories for Week 7.

The Japanese Department (Years 7–10) is honing reading and writing skills in hiragana, katakana, and kanji while integrating speaking practice into their classroom routines.

We’re proud of everyone’s efforts—let's keep turning the pages of success!

Kind Regards,

Lincoln Lally
Leader – Head of English and Language Arts

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Welcome to 2025, MacKillop Community

We hope this message finds you well and as enthused about the new year as we are. As we embark on another exciting term, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt appreciation for your ongoing support and partnership. Together, we are fostering a nurturing and inspiring environment where students develop the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage meaningfully with the world around them.

The Humanities encompass a wide range of disciplines, including History, Geography, Civics, Economics, and Business. These fields help students understand human culture, society, and the forces that shape our world. By studying the past and present, we equip students with the knowledge and critical thinking skills to navigate the future. Through inquiry, debate, and analysis, our students learn to ask the big questions, evaluate perspectives, and engage as active global citizens.

The term has started off wonderfully! In Humanities, we are dedicated to inspiring curiosity and teaching students to see the world with their eyes wide open.

Assessment materials are being distributed. We encourage you to take a moment to check the assessment calendars to stay informed about key dates. Staying up to date will help support your child’s learning journey. If you have any concerns or questions, do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher. We are here to help! Please have a chat with your children about what they are learning, and their assessment, and explore the support resources available on Canvas. Modern and Ancient History, as well as Business students, will receive their exam stimulus next week. These assessments will challenge students to analyse sources, construct arguments, and apply their understanding of historical, geographical, civics and economic concepts.

Nominations for co-curricular activities will open next week. These activities enhance students' understanding of the humanities through debate, Model UN, and history and business competitions. Be sure to check out the flyer for more details!

We are thrilled to have you as part of our Humanities and Social Sciences community. Together, we will explore diverse perspectives, challenge ideas, and develop the skills necessary for success in an ever-changing world.

Your support plays a vital role in fostering a love of learning and curiosity in our students. Thank you for being a part of our journey in making our school a vibrant and enriching place for all learners.

We look forward to a wonderful year ahead, filled with learning, growth, and collaboration!

Kind Regards,

Sarah Coleman
scoleman@cns.catholic.edu.au
Leader – Head of Humanities and Social Sciences

PERFORMING ARTS

Dear MacKillop Families,

Performing Arts at MacKillop started in Week 3 with Instrumental Lessons. Yuri Kang and Patrick Boey have worked hard to prepare our timetables and student registers. MacKillop offers its students the opportunity to study many different instruments including, Brass, Woodwind, Strings, Percussion, Voice and Piano. Our talented tutors welcomed new and returning students back to learning and are busy developing confidence and music skills. Extra-Curricular Music groups started last week. Miss Isabella Weiss and Ms Yuri Kang rehearsed with the Training Band on Wednesday morning, while Mini Mac choir rehearsed with Ms Sugars on Wednesday at second Lunch. The Kensington Singers are about 30 Primary aged students, and they sang with enthusiasm on Thursday morning. We look forward to working with The Concert Band on Monday afternoons and Penola Singers on Thursday after school. There are concerts and Eisteddfod planned for 2025. We look forward to performing at ‘Discover Mackillop’ on 04^th March. The Performing Arts team wish you well in your musical and theatrical pursuits this year.

Year 9 Music

In Term 1, students in music class are studying Australian singer songwriters and performing chosen songs in collaborative groups. We are having so much fun with this class. Students are revising musical elements and using their instrumental skills to produce performances.

Kind Regards,

Sarah-Jane Rennie
Leader – Head of Performing Arts

THE ARTS

Year 8 Visual Art

This term, students are researching and exploring the rich traditions of Ardmore and Hermannsburg potters. Inspired by the vibrant flora and fauna of South Africa, students will draw on the intricate designs of Ardmore potters, while delving into the storytelling traditions of the Hermannsburg Potters, who capture the essence of their environment, daily life, and special occasions in their unique ceramics. Students will reflect on these artistic practices and processes to develop their own ceramic ‘Fascinating Vessel’.

Years 11 and 12 Visual Arts in Practice

In Term 1, Visual Arts in Practice students have been developing a Design Proposal for a mural for the College, they must carefully consider the following information to design their collaborative mural.

Inspire students and staff by reflecting the values, culture, and mission of the College.
Celebrate the natural environment, cultural diversity, and faith-based foundations of the College.
Honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledge the rich history of the region.

The mural should incorporate the following elements:

Landscapes and Natural Environment
• Iconic local landmarks such as Djarragun/Pyramid, Mount Peter, and nearby waterfalls.
• Symbolic representation of regional birdlife and fauna, particularly those associated with the College’s House system.
College Identity and Symbolism
• Quotes reflecting the College’s values, such as:
• "Respect, Engagement, Personal Best"
• "Never see a need without doing something about it" (Saint Mary MacKillop)
• The College motto: "Inspiring Hearts, Minds, and Spirit"
• Colours drawn from the College House system, totems, and school uniform.
• Representation of the House Emblems and the significant elements of the 'MacKillop Spirit' and the 'Josephite Charism'.
Cultural and Community Respect
• Acknowledgement of the Gudju Gudju story, reflecting Indigenous wisdom and connection to the land.
• Inclusion of visual elements that honour the Elders past, present, and emerging, on whose land the College stands.

Kind Regards,

Traylea Sexton
Leader – Head of Creative Industries

TECHNOLOGIES

Greetings Technology Families of MacKillop,

Welcome back to a dynamic start to 2025.

The Technologies Department covered and gained a lot of ground in 2024, and we are bearing the fruits of all that hard work and effort this year. The list of our achievements is too many to list, but some amazing accomplishments include:

Delivering Digital Technologies Curriculum for Year 7 to 10 for the first time since 2020.
Prepared for and commenced Senior Syllabus subjects to include Senior Design, Industrial Skills, Hospitality Practices and Cert II in Hospitality.
Expanded our teaching department and added a few new staff members to allow us to deliver a wider variety and range of skills and concepts across the Technology Subject areas.
Refined our curriculum practices, practical and safety procedures in our Industrial, Design workshops as well as our Food Technology and Hospitality Kitchens.
Established catering services that were delivered and managed by our Hospitality Team.

This year our team has grown even more to include Mr Paul Gray who comes in as our lead Industrial Technologies Teacher; and Ms Alex Procter to our Food Specialisations team. We are very excited to have both of them join us at MCC.

In addition, to these changes, we have a few more subjects on offer for 2025, for Year 11s, this year is the first time students will have the opportunity to study the Applied ICT subject. While Year 10s have even more choices, with three new certifications coming onboard: Engineering Principles and Systems; Cert II in Hospitality and as mentioned above Cert I/II Construction.

Excursions are also becoming more elaborate and frequent as well, as we endeavour to provide rich and relevant learning experiences with trips this year to include visits to the various hotels in the heart of Cairns such as Shang-ri La; Pullman and Crystalbrook; FNQ Incubator; Cairns Show as well as many other possibilities.

Students by now have re-established routines and expectations, know how to access resources and are aware how and where to apply the new skills and knowledge that they are learning, and we are finally transitioned back into another academic year.

Over the next few weeks, if you have not already, you will receive emails from various teachers from the Technology Department, outlining the expectations for your child’s workload, assessment, safety procedures, and uniform requirements (especially for Industrial Technologies). Please take the time to read this information carefully to ensure that your child can meet the expectations and make the most of their time, and learning during the next term, semester and year.

Great to have everyone back and as always if you have any science related questions your teachers or myself are but an email away.

Kind Regards,

Lorena Goodall
Leader – Head of Technologies

SPORT

Dear Parents and Carers,

Introduction to TCS

TCS/Peninsula district/regional trial age groups generally start at 10years (i.e., 2015 born) and continue up to Open/19 years, for most sports. The TCS district trials are at various time points and locations throughout the year. I have attached below a list of upcoming trials for this month and the students can find the same information on the TCS Notice Board in Corpus Christi, where hard copies of the TCS/Peninsula booklets are also readily available.

In order to trial, the TCS/Peninsula Booklet will need to be filled out by students and/or parents and returned to the TCS Form Folder outside the Corpus Christi Staffroom or via email (sshirley@cns.catholic.edu.au) at least 1 week prior to the trial date for the school to sign off and return to the student to take with them to the trials.

We welcome Ms Stephanie Shirley to the new position of Student Learning Assistant - Sport at the College. Ms Shirley’s role will generally be assisting me and Physical Education staff with anything sport related across the College and will be largely involved in delivering information about TCS Sport Trials.

If you would like to be notified regarding any particular upcoming trials (including younger age groups for any siblings), please send through the sport/s as well as gender and birth year of the student who is interested in trialling via email (sshirley@cns.catholic.edu.au) and we will forward through TCS information as we receive it.

Best of luck to those currently trialling!

Kind Regards,

Kristy Peel
Leader – Head of Sport

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Dear Parents and Carers,

My name is Mitch Gardner, and I have the privilege of being the Head of Health and Physical Education (HPE) at MacKillop Catholic College in 2025. I am excited to already be well immersed in the MacKillop Way and I enjoy getting to know more members of the MacKillop community as the year progresses.

We have some new staff joining our experienced team members in HPE this year. Mr Grant Lean, Mrs Kristy Peel and Miss Emma Van Dorssen return as our established staff members. Joining myself as a new member of the HPE team this year is Ms Alex Procter, Mr Reece Williams and Miss Andrea Smith. This teaching team is committed to providing your children a high-level education modelled from the Australian Curriculum and catered to student’s needs.

This term has and will continue to provide opportunities for our students to delve into essential Health and Physical Education topics. The weather has certainly not been kind to us, however I must commend all students’ attitudes and spirits overcoming adversity and being resilient in trying circumstances.

Our Junior Secondary topics for this term include puberty, understanding sport and health related fitness strategies, fostering respect and resilience, exploring motor learning skills in sport, and making health-conscious choices. Students will also explore body image, positive and negative relationship traits, biomechanics, ethics and integrity.

Our Year 11 Sport and Recreation students are studying Aquatic Recreation and opportunities that exist for employment in this industry. Year 12 Sport and Recreation students are studying Emerging Trends in Sport and how these are impacting modern society. Year 11 Physical Education students are studying Motor Learning, Functional Anatomy, Biomechanics and Volleyball. Year 12 Physical Education are studying Tactical Awareness, Ethics and Integrity and Volleyball. Our curriculum this term has equipped our students with success in empowerment and personal growth.

We have several excursions planned for students throughout the term. Some of these include our senior Sport and Recreation students attending a Barramundi Farm and CHALK CrossFit Gym for curriculum purposes. Our Year 12 Fitness students will attend Genesis Gym to gain qualifications for their certificate. Our Year 11 Physical Education students will attend the JCU Careers in Health Breakfast to establish relationships with members of the community and James Cook University. This will be a terrific opportunity for them to gain insight into their fields of interest as well experts answering any questions they may have.

If they have not already, students will be delving into assessment very soon. It is crucial that positive study plans and habits are put into place and established now to set students up for a successful year. Please feel free to reach out to myself or any of our wonderful staff if you have any questions regarding the Health and Physical Education at MacKillop Catholic College.

Kind Regards,

Mitch Gardner
Leader – Head of HPE

PATHWAYS

Thank You

After nine (9) months traversing the wonders of our great land and sneaking over to Japan and South Korea for a touch of J and KPop, it is a warming feeling to be back amongst the MacKillop fold. During my sojourn, Mrs Rebecca Flockhart so aptly kept the fires burning in the career and vocational education space. She is a guru, a legend who worked tirelessly with students and parents, developed pathways with industry and ensured that the real world sneaked into curriculum offering. I would like to publicly thank Mrs Flockhart for her leadership, passion and dedication last year in my absence.

Economic Climate

The Cairns economy is bubbling away nicely with unemployment dropping to 4.1% with the Health Care and Social Assistance and Construction industries leading the way. With our first seniors about to smash into the labour market it is important that they look at those industries where significant growth will occur.

A quick gander at the data shows that in the next 5 (blue) to 10 (green) years significant growth will occur in Allied Health, Hospitality, Education, Construction and Professional, Scientific and Technical industries. Our current senior students (Years 10 – 12) should be looking at vocational pathways that fall within these growth industries.

VET Pathways

Over 80 students are currently enrolled in the VET Sector, ranging from a Diploma level to Certificate I, or engaged in School-based Traineeships/Apprenticeships. For a college, so young, this is an impressive statistic. These VET options provide employability skills that are recognised throughout Australia and provide the students with a foot in the door approach to their learning and vocational pursuits.

UMAT and University

It is important to note that Certificate III/IV and Diploma courses provide direct entry into Queensland universities.

For those Year 12 students hoping to study Medicine/Dentistry in universities other than JCU there is a need to undertake a UMAT test. It is important that they have a look at the URL https://www.ucat.edu.au/register/test-centre-locations to register and to see when and where the testing will occur.

All students seeking to go to university, whether in Queensland or interstate must have a tax file number. No tax file number, no enrolment. The tax file number is used to generate HECS payments.

Principal Early Recommendation Scheme

For those students who do not wish to wait for their published ATAR in December to be offered a course at university there exists the ‘Principal Recommendation Scheme’. This scheme is an early entry pathway open to all Year 12 students. It is based on the Principal's recommendation rather than ATAR scores. Applications will generally open in July/August.

Work Experience – School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships.

Year 10 are embarking on their work experience journey having just completed their first steps via an induction held by VPG and face to face interviews. The work experience program is an integral part of the holistic development of the student and provides them with an insight into the workings of the real world.

Outside of this, students can do 25 additional days work experience. If you are interested in your child experiencing additional industries or experiences, please feel free to contact me. Also, if you are interested in taking on a student in a school-based traineeship/apprenticeship or interested in your child exploring such an option then please also contact me.

Excursions

A few excursions are being organised for the students so they can get their hands dirty (Try a Trade) and become educated in the skills required to work in the Allied Health area. (Health Expo 2025)

Kind Regards,

Brad Greene
Leader – Head Pathways

HEAD OF YEAR

Year 7: Lee Staddon – lstaddon@cns.catholic.edu.au

Year 7 Mid-Term 1 Update

Can you believe we are already halfway through Term 1? Time flies when you are navigating new subjects, routines, and the occasional lost lock! Our Year 7 cohort has taken the leap into Secondary schooling like pros, showing enthusiasm, resilience, and a talent for adapting (especially when it comes to finding their classrooms on time!).

Formal Hats – Get Ready for Term 2. Formal hats should be restocked and ready for Term 2. I know, at times, they have a habit of disappearing into the unknown, but let’s aim for all students to have one handy when we return after the break. A well-dressed student is a happy student (or at least one who won’t have to frantically search their bag while hoping their teacher does not notice!).

Year 7 Camp – Coming Soon! Exciting news: Year 7 Camp is just around the corner! Keep an eye on your inbox (and your child's schoolbag, where notes sometimes mysteriously vanish) for all the details. The camp will take place in Term 2 at Mungalli Falls Outdoor Education Centre (280 Junction Road, Millaa Millaa), where students will swap their screens for the great outdoors. This adventure-packed experience is not just about getting muddy (though that is a bonus)—it is a vital part of our Health and Physical Education (HPE) and personal development curriculum. Students will build resilience, strengthen friendships, and discover just how long they can last without Wi-Fi.

SEL: Year 12 Mentorship Program. A big shoutout to our Year 12 mentors, who have joined SEL classes to support our Year 7s as part of our 2025 SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) program. This mentorship gives Year 7 students a real-life Secondary school guide, helping them develop study skills, a growth mindset, and an appreciation for the wisdom of their older peers (yes, Year 12s are wise—just ask them!). Through this program, Year 7s will receive invaluable guidance on mastering the ins and outs of Secondary school, developing key study habits, and embracing challenges with confidence. Most importantly, they will form meaningful connections that enrich their journey and create a strong sense of belonging.

Thank You! A huge thank you to our parents and caregivers for your ongoing support—it truly takes a village (and maybe a few extra lunchbox snacks) to guide these wonderful students through their first term. Here’s to an exciting second half of Term 1!

Warmest Regards,

Lee Staddon
Head of Year 7

Year 8: Michael Johnstone – mjohnstone@cns.catholic.edu.au

Dear Year 8 Families,

As we embark on a new school year, let us make kindness our focus. A simple smile, a thoughtful word, or a helping hand can make a world of difference in someone’s day. Together, we can create a positive and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and encouraged to do their best.

Let us lift each other up, celebrate our achievements, and approach challenges with a spirit of teamwork and respect. Here’s to a fantastic start to the year—one filled with kindness, growth, and success!

Kind Regards,

Mike Johnstone
Head of Year 8

Year 9: Adam Vander Zant – avanderzan@cns.catholic.edu.au

Welcome to a brand-new school year! As our Year 9 students step into this important stage of their learning journey, it is fantastic to see them embracing new challenges with enthusiasm and determination. There are bound to be a few hiccups along the way, but I am impressed and proud with the cohort on how they have started their 2025 journey.

The start of the year for Year 9 is a crucial time for developing good habits, staying organised, managing time effectively, and setting clear goals. Whether it is tackling new subjects, engaging in extracurricular activities, or strengthening friendships, our students are already showing great initiative and a positive mindset. I started the year with an assembly and spoke about students trying to unlock their own potential, and ways in which they can build their ‘brand’. I stressed the importance of how they are perceived by others and taking the time to reflect on each day that passes to ensure they are happy with how they are progressing towards adulthood.

Our focus this year is on building independence and resilience. Year 9 is a time to take on more responsibility, both academically and personally, and I encourage all students to make the most of the opportunities ahead. Support is always available from teachers, counsellors, mentors and peers, so don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed.

A great opportunity for students to step outside their comfort zone in the upcoming Year 9 Camp at Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre in Week 1 of Term 2. Students will be challenged in team building situations, on the water, and socially/emotionally with new friendships bound to emerge. There will be more information about this event in the coming weeks, but please be on the lookout for the consent form sent through Parentslips in March.

Let us continue this strong start and make 2025 a year of growth, success, and memorable experiences!

Kind Regards,

Adam Vander Zant
Head of Year 9

Year 10: Shynade Hohenhaus – shohenhaus@cns.catholic.edu.au

Welcome to year 10! As we begin the new term, it has been fantastic to see our Year 10 students returning with a positive attitude and settling back into their routines. For the most part, students have made a strong start, demonstrating engagement in their learning and a commitment to their studies.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our families for their ongoing support of the College. Your efforts in ensuring students arrive each day in the correct uniform and equipped with the necessary materials contribute greatly to their success.

At the heart of success is wellbeing— in order to do well, we must first be well. We understand that Year 10 can be a challenging time, both academically and personally, as students navigate increasing responsibilities and expectations. If you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing, whether it be academic, social, or emotional, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is here to support students in every way possible, ensuring they feel confident, capable, and ready to succeed.

We look forward to a productive and rewarding term ahead. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Kind Regards,

Shynade Hohenhaus
Head of Year 10

Year 11: Alice Reilly – areilly2@cns.catholic.edu.au

2025 - Year 11’s Road to Greatness

Welcome back to a new school year. I hope our students and families have had a chance to rest and recharge in our time away.

Last year we farewelled many of our peers as they completed their compulsory schooling at the end of Year 10 and transitioned into full-time training, employment or a combination of both. Those students who have returned this year as 11 have actively chosen to continue their educational journey and are now on the path to achieving their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) at the end of Year 12. I have themed this year as the “Road to Greatness” and invited students to embark on a journey of self-discovery and academic excellence, with each step leading them closer to their goals, aspirations, dreams and ultimately the greatness in their destiny.

The first step in helping them on the road to greatness is to assign each student to a member of staff to be their QCE mentor. Students were asked to think about a staff member whom they had a good rapport with, that they would feel comfortable asking about their subject and pathway options. Over the course of Years 11 and 12 their QCE mentor will continue to check in with them and support them towards achieving their QCE. Some 11 students have still not chosen a QCE mentor. I encourage you to speak with your child and ask who their QCE Mentor is and if they have not asked anyone encourage them to reach out to a staff member and ask them to be their mentor. If you want to know more about the QCE process and our support at MacKillop please check out the link:

The Year 11 Semester 1 Assessment Calander was sent out via a Broadcast last week. Students have been encouraged to print this and record all their relevant dates in their diary – crucial in the 5 Ps of success “Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!”. Please check your child’s diary to support this process. EXAM BLOCK WILL BE IN WEEK 8.

Finally, following on from the above point, part of being prepared means having a lock for their locker. A locker without a lock is just a cupboard! Please check that your child has a lock for their locker. It is expected that every student has one. If students do not have one, they will be issued lunchtime consequences from their Pastoral Advisor and myself.

I look forward to a great year ahead!

Warm Regards,

Alice Reilly
Head of Year 11

Year 12: Alice Reilly – areilly2@cns.catholic.edu.au

2025 - “Legacy Builders”

Welcome back to a new school year. I hope our students and families have had a chance to rest and recharge in our time away.

This year will be filled with a lot of “lasts”. The last first day of school, the last opening liturgy, the last swimming carnival etc. Thinking about this, I prefaced this year to the Year 12s with “What will be your lasting legacy?”. I called our foundation cohort to be inspired into action this year and now, more than ever, “Be of Good Heart” – Mary MacKillop.

Throughout this year I will be encouraging them to leave a positive mark on our College and community. Whether that be through academic excellence or through community outreach. We all have a responsibility to lead more by example than by word. I am very proud to see students already taking this in their stride with their efforts in class and beyond, including many involving themselves in a mentorship with the Year 7 students and a large number of students volunteering to do Rosies outreach again this year!

Seniors Hub + Privileges

Given this year's significance, I thought it would be nice for our Legacy Builders to have their own space and privileges. We have moved the Year 12 lockers back into Ngabi Gabay (the block outside stop-drop-go) and with it I have created a “Seniors Hub” where students in Year 12 have access to a fridge, microwaves, sink, notice board and calendar. It has been great to see the students enjoying this space and keeping it clean!

Another privilege that comes with being in Year 12 means wearing a senior jersey to school. We just finalised our 2nd order of jerseys (which students were sent communication about) for an arrival date in early Term 2. Just a reminder that they should only be wearing their own jersey and they must have their College shirt on underneath.

As more and more students gain their provisional licence, a reminder that if they wish to park on College grounds they need to submit the correct paperwork to apply for a parking permit. They can get the forms from the Parent Portal or from their Pastoral Advisor. Having a permit does not guarantee that a park will be available on the day - there are only 10 spots currently (with another 10 coming). If all student parks are taken, they are required to park in the next legal parking available. My recommendation would be to park at Peterson Park (Edmonton Storm Football grounds). We have permission to park there during the school day. It is a short walk to school from there but with the morning and afternoon traffic, they will probably find they end up getting away earlier.

Assessment + Organisation

We are well into IA1 and even IA2 for many students. The Year 12 Semester 1 Assessment Calendar was sent out via a Broadcast last week. Students have been encouraged to print this and record all their relevant dates in their diary – crucial in the 5 Ps of success “Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!”. Please check your child’s diary to support this process. EXAM BLOCK WILL BE IN WEEK 6.

I look forward to a great “last ever” school year ahead!

Warm Regards,

Alice Reilly
Head of Year 11 and Year 12

STUDENT COUNSELLORS

Parenting is a tough gig!

While it can be rewarding, it can also be puzzling, difficult and at times frustrating.

If you’re struggling, Parentline is available to support you.

Parentline offers confidential phone and WebChat counselling and support for parents and carers of children in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Their phones are open every day from 8am – 10pm, and WebChat is available every day from 8am – 9pm.

What can they help with?

People call for all different reasons, but here are a few examples:

To talk through the different stages of childhood and what to expect
For help managing unexpected problems with children
During times of crisis
When needing someone who can listen and not judge during difficult family times
To put in place strategies to manage longer term problems with children
When cultural values conflict with a child’s environment
Sharing an achievement or milestone

They also have a range of parenting-related information on their website.

Phone: 1300 30 1300
Website: https://parentline.com.au/

Kind Regards,

Ashlee Meerten
Secondary School Counsellor

News from the Business Manager, Ms Joanne O’Brien – Finance News

TERM 1 School Fees and Levies

Fees were issued Friday 21^st February with a due date Monday 10^th March.

Reminder letters will be sent out to families who do not have a payment plan on Friday, 14^th March.

REMINDER – Expired Health Care Cards

Reminder to all families with expiring Health Care Cards. New cards and the HCC application form must be submitted to the finance department.

FAMILY CONCESSIONS:

1. Application for Fee support - The school wants to help families who are struggling personally or financially, and we can offer a special concession to those in need. Please contact Business Manager, Joanne O’Brien jobrien3@cns.catholic.edu.au for a confidential interview and complete the Application for Fee Support.

Click here to download the MCC Application for fee support

2. HCC Tuition Fee Discount Scheme – for eligible Centrelink Health Care Card or Pension Card holders. This is a great saving of 70% discount off Tuition fees.

Click here to download the HCC Tuition Fee Discount Scheme Form

Click here to download the MacKillop Direct Debit Form

Please remember to contact the Finance department accounts.mountpeter@cns.catholic.edu.au if you need to discuss payment extension or a new payment calculation.

School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) BUS PROGRAM

All Year 6 families will need to reapply for their STASS card in preparation for secondary school in 2025. Their current cards will not be valid in 2025, as they will be secondary students.

We encourage all families to apply for STAS card to use the Kinetic bus services to and from school. If you hold a current Health Care Card you are automatically eligible for the STAS regardless of how close you reside to a state school, however applications are still required. Please use the link below to complete your application to ensure our school is entitled to receive Translink School buses.

Click here to download the STAS Online Form – Assistance for Parents

For those families who live too close to a state school, and ineligible for the STAS program, your next step is to apply for the new Kinetic Smartcard system (tap/go operation).

Kinetic Smartcard System

Most families have applied for the new Smartcard. The Smartcards will be mailed out to families’ residential address. The application form is attached with Passenger Application ‘load and go’ instructions provided. There is no need to reapply for this card, it will simply roll into the following years.

Click here to download the Kinetic Smart Card Application Form Cairns

Click here to download the Kinetic Smartcard Instructions

2025 TUITION FEES

Tuition fees have been set by Cairns Catholic Diocesan with a 3% increase. This has been communicated to all parents by the previous Executive Director, Bill Dixon in 2024.

School levies for 2025 have been set by the College with no increase in school levies.

Click here to download the CEDC 2025 Tuition Fees standard

Click here to download the 2025 Fee Schedule

Kind Regards,

Joanne O’Brien
Business Manager

College News

MCC is Nut AWARE!

Please remember that due to sever allergy and health reasons MacKillop is a NUT AWARE College. Please be mindful of this when packing your child/ren’s lunches.

Your co-operation and support in this matter is appreciated.

Student Absence – Late Arrival – Early Departure

Student Absence/Student Absence Process

Any absence from school should be for one of the following reasons (as outlined by the Education Act 2006 and Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) Assessment Guidelines):

Illness
Medical related procedures
Misadventure (accidents)
Family tragedy (including Sorry Business)

Parents/carers whose children are absent from school are asked to contact the College Office by Telephone 4081 7600, Email studentabsent.mcc@cns.catholic.edu.au or Parent Portal/MyCE App before 8:30am if possible. If a student has not arrived for class and the College Office is not aware of the student’s whereabouts, parents will be sent a SMS text message to their mobile phone (to the Main Contact as nominated on the Enrolment Form). It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to then inform the office immediately of the reason for the student’s absence.

A Notification for Student Absence form should be completed for an absence that is greater than five consecutive school days. Please email this form to the College office studentabsent.mcc@cns.catholic.edu.au

Parents/carers are asked to advise the College Office and Classroom Teacher via Email in the event of a multiple day absence, so it can be recorded prior to the date of absence.

If the absence is for a medical reason for three or more days, a medical certificate is also requested.

If the absence is for representative sport or cultural events, please send an email to the office and attach a copy of the relevant TCS/competition forms.

If a student is unable to then attend sport trials/cultural events, please email the College office so attendance records can be updated.

PLEASE NOTE:

If an absence from school is approved for students in Secondary, the following documents will be attached to the College approval email, and will need to be completed and returned asap.

Years 7-9	Application for Assessment Extension form
Years 10-12	Application for AARA (Assess Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments – Illness and Misadventure – Confidential Medical Report) form which is a requirement of QCAA.

Late Arrivals

If a student arrives at school after 8:30am and before 9:00am, they are to enter via the Main Gate and register their late arrival at the Secondary Library and receive their late slip to hand to their classroom/homeroom teacher.

Early Departure

Students are not permitted to leave the College grounds during school hours unless accompanied by a parent/carer. Prior notification must be given if a student needs to leave the College during the school hours. This can be communicated via email studentabsent.mcc@cns.catholic.edu.au and copied to the College Office. Parents/carers must report to the College Office to collect and sign out their child. If leaving for an appointment and returning, students must be signed back in through the College Office.

Student Protection Contact Officers

Tuckshop

Uniform Shop

Click here to download the 2025 MCC Uniform Shop Price List

Safety at MacKillop

Safety remains our key consideration during student drop-off and collection. Please note the following:

Students are to be dropped only via the door near the kerbside. Dropping via the roadside is dangerous.
Students in lower Primary levels will not be permitted to walk unsupervised into/through to the carpark to parents/cars.
Students riding a bike or scooter should follow road safety rules and wear a helmet.
Student devices such as phones can be especially distracting. Please reinforce with your child/ren, the need to be alert when crossing roads.
Drive carefully as you enter/exit the College, and follow the correct flow of traffic at all times.
Be mindful of residents that live around the College.
Do not use the NO STANDING zone outside the eastern-side of the College entrance – this is an exit pathway for students walking home and driving/parking here puts lives in danger.

Changes have been made in response to safety concerns and to allow for the smooth exit of those families using the College carpark. It could also attract a fine issued by the Cairns Regional Council.

Unfortunately, there continues to be vehicles using this area for dropping off/picking up students. The College will continue to work with Cairns Regional Council and the Queensland Police Service to enforce parking restrictions in this area. The College requests that all families dropping off or picking up children use the carpark and associated load and go areas. By working together patiently we can ensure all students can arrive and depart safely.

Marketing and Communications

P & F News

News from your MacKillop Catholic College Parents and Friends Association

Welcome

Your MCC P&F would like to wish you all a very warm welcome to our 2025 school year at MCC! We hope you all had a safe and wonderful festive season with family and friends and that our MCC kids have settled into school life for another year. #inspiringheartsmindsandspirits

We look forward to continuing with our efforts in providing our annual initiatives for our MCC children and families.

FUN FACT: Your MCC P&F is a Whole College P&F, not just for Primary or Secondary.

In short, during the 2024 school year, your MCC P&F contributed approximately $60,000.00 worth of fun, engagement initiatives, equipment, facilities, resources and milestone gifts to our MCC Children, College and Community. With your ongoing partnership, we hope to be able to achieve just as much, if not more than that during 2025!

In fact, at our first General Meeting of 2025 (12 February 2025), your MCC P&F has committed the amount of $27,877.00 (incl GST) for the following:

**   $18,227.00: Half cost of Smaller Shade Sail over Primary Playground.
**   $5,700.00: Internet Safe Education - Brett Lee Cyber Safety Presentations and 12 Month Hub Access for the Whole College.
**   $3,950.00: School TV, 12 Month Premium Subscription for Whole College and Families.

“Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
Mother Teresa

Thank you to those who attended our first meeting and we hope to see you again and many more of you throughout the year and to have more voices of contribution and collaboration!

Your MCC P&F’s remaining Meetings for 2025 are scheduled to be held at 6.00pm on Wednesdays in the Secondary Library (Admin Building) on the following dates. We hope to see you there!

* 14 May 2025 – General Meeting;
* 16 July 2025 – General Meeting;
* 13 August 2025 – General Meeting;
* 17 September 2025 – General Meeting; and
* 15 October 2025 – Annual General Meeting and General Meeting.

MCC Secondary Sports Precinct

During 2024 your MCC P&F committed $40,000.00 (incl GST) to various projects for the Sports Precinct in the Secondary Campus, including but not limited to:

* Secondary Oval works;
* Four Lane Long Jump/Triple Jump Pit, Shot Put and Discus Circles to be constructed on and/or around the Secondary Oval – for Whole College benefit;
* Outdoor Beach Volleyball Court;
* Outdoor Basketball Hoop and 1/3 Concrete Court; and
* Free-Standing and Removable Netball Hoops including anchoring on concrete slab.

**Please note, these works have been and will be carried out in order of priority as well as funding availability for the College.

These works not only assist our Secondary children but our College as a whole. THANK YOU to our MCC Leadership Team, Mrs Peel, Mr Bromell, Grounds Staff for all of your hard work thus far for our MCC Children!!

Upcoming MCC P&F Initiatives/Meetings for Terms 1 and 2:

* Prep to Year 12 Cross Country events at MCC (Term 1) - Icy poles will be provided for all students for their respective events.
* Mother’s Day Stall – Thursday and Friday, 8 and 9 May 2025 (Week 3, Term 2) – Mother’s Day gifts for sale to students to purchase for loved ones.
**MCC P&F General Meeting – Wednesday, 14 May 2025 at 6.00pm (Week 4, Term 2)**
* Mother’s Day Stall Primary Class Gotcha Awards (ie. Classes displaying brilliant MacKillop Way dispositions whilst attending Stall) (Term 2) – All awarded classes will receive a Class Award Certificate and Icy Poles. #respect #engagement #personalbest
* Prep to Year 12 MacKillop Games/Athletics Carnivals (Term 2) – Icy Poles will be provided for all students.

Volunteers - We need you!

Our events/initiatives would not be able to proceed without the help of our valued MCC parent/carer volunteers. It is a great way to connect with our College, other parents/carers and being part of your child’s learning journey.

In order to volunteer within our College, you are required to participate in a short online induction (link to quiz below) along with the provision of a few completed and signed forms to the College (which can be emailed to you or collected from the College Office) which will cover you for 12 months.

Please email the College Office (office.mountpeter@cns.catholic.edu.au) or your MCC P&F (pandf.mountpeter@cnsstu.catholic.edu.au) if you are interested in volunteering with one of our initiatives and/or at one of our events throughout the year OR to assist our College in any way. As the saying goes, many hands make light work.

Any grandparents/carers/non-parents wishing to assist are required to have a valid Blue Card which will need to be linked to the College. Please contact the College Office for assistance in this regard. #everythingwedoisforourMCCkids

Online Volunteer Quiz: https://www.cns.catholic.edu.au/volunteer-training-quiz/

**All volunteers MUST have successfully completed the Volunteer Quiz and provided all required documentation to the College Office. This needs to be completed each year.**

Mother’s Day Stall (Week 3, Term 2)

**Volunteers Needed: With our Mother’s Day Stall coming up in the first half of Term 2, we will require the help of volunteers to operate the Stall on Thursday and Friday, 8 and 9 May 2025.

If you have the day or even just an hour or two to help assist, that would be amazing. Come along and help our little purple people choose from the wide range of gifts for their loved ones. It is always a lot of fun and awesome to be part of the kids’ excitement and deep deliberations!

Please reach out to us at pandf.mountpeter@cnsstu.catholic.edu.au.

For any volunteers assisting for the whole day, lunch will be provided.

NB. As set out above, to assist as a volunteer, you will need to have completed the 2025 Volunteer Induction.

Safe Delivery and Collection of MCC Children, to and from the College and Surrounding Areas

Along with our College Leadership Team, we implore our parents, carers and grandparents to all please adhere to the practices regarding safe delivery and collection of our precious MCC children to and from the College grounds.

With the implementation of parking restrictions just outside the school grounds near the entrances to Mt Peter Estate and MacKillop Catholic College, we must work together to ensure safety for ALL. This does not just include along MacKillop Road but also the surrounding areas including along Mt Peter Road and near the Carruthers Street and Petersen Roads intersections.

EVERYONE’S time is precious, however, time will be inconsequential should the unthinkable happen and we sincerely hope this never eventuates ….

Please also be particularly mindful of ensuring local residents and pedestrians are able to safely enter and exit streets/crossings, free of vehicles impeding clear view and/or passage.

We also encourage our Parents and Carers to teach their children the road rules and safety practices regarding being a pedestrian, riding bikes/scooters etc. Reports have already been made by concerned local residents regarding MCC children who either do not know or are simply flouting the road rules and/or basic safety practices. It goes without saying that foolish behaviour on the roads could eventually result in the unthinkable happening.

Abuse of MacKillop Catholic College Staff, Parents, Council Offices and/or QLD Police Offices will not be tolerated.

THANK YOU to all of our MCC parents, carers and grandparents who are doing their best to adhere to the guidelines in place, the general road rules and being considerate of the broader community.

The safety of all must be paramount. Our MCC children are encouraged to practice the ‘MacKillop Way’ and this must also apply to all.

The Entertainment Book is NOW The Entertainment App – Another way to support your MCC P&F

We have again proudly partnered with The Entertainment App to raise funds in 2025.

Please consider buying an Entertainment Membership today as 20% of the proceeds go directly to our Fundraiser.

Your Entertainment Membership not only unlocks exclusive access to unbeatable discounts at the best fine dining and family restaurants plus attractions and more, but also supports our community’s fundraising goals.

Support Us Now: https://subscribe.entertainment.com.au/fundraiser/957j343

Locals Supporting Locals – IGA Edmonton’s Community Benefit Fund

Don’t forget to support IGA Edmonton and whilst you’re there, please consider allocating your Community Benefit points to MacKillop Catholic College. #localssupportinglocals

Through the generosity of IGA, your MCC P&F benefit financially through the points collected in their Community Benefit Fund. During 2023-2024, your MCC P&F received the sum of approximately $7,100.00 from this Fund.

THANK YOU IGA Edmonton for your ongoing commitment and support of our MCC P&F Association, which in turn ultimately supports our MCC children!

MacKillop Catholic College – Code 5154.

Kind Regards,
Your MacKillop Catholic College P&F Association
Email: pandf.mountpeter@cnsstu.catholic.edu.au

Upcoming Events

24-28 February 2025	Primary NAPLAN Practice
26 February 2025	Year 10 Immunisations
26-27 February 2025	Prep 2026 Interviews
28 February 2025	State Census
03-07 March 2025	Year 12 Block Exam
04 March 2025	Shrove Tuesday
04 March 2025	Discover MacKillop Evening (4:00pm – 5:30pm)
05 March 2025	ASH WEDNESDAY
06 March 2025	Prep 2026 Interviews
10-14 March 2025	Prep – Year 5 Water Safety Program
12-14 March 2025	Year 7, 2026 Interviews
14 March 2025	Years 4-6 Swimming Carnival
17-21 March 2025	Year 11 Block Exam
18-20 March 2025	Year 12 Retreat
25 March 2025	Primary Parent-Teacher Meetings
26 March 2025	Prep – Year 3 Cross Country
27 March 2025	Years 4-6 Cross Country
28 March 2025	Years 7-12 Cross Country
03 April 2025	Secondary Holy Week Liturgy
04 April 2025	Primary Holy Week Liturgy
04 April 2025	Last Day of Term 1
18 April 2025	GOOD FRIDAY
19 April 2025	HOLY SATURDAY
20 April 2025	EASTER SUNDAY
21 APRIL 2025	EASTER MONDAY
22 April 2025	First Day of Term 2
22-24 April 2025	Year 9 Camp
25 April 2025	ANZAC Day Public Holiday

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