Term 3, Week 9, 10 September
Principal
FATHER'S DAY CELEBRATIONS
I hope last Sunday was a great day for all our Dads, Step-Dads and Grand-Dads, and to all those men who play a fatherly role in our young people’s lives. While the weather didn’t turn out to be so great, I hope families had the opportunity to share a meal, watch some movies or play some games together; whatever it was, it is the time spent together that your young people appreciate and gain so much from.
Recently I had a young Dad who is a close family friend ask me how to cope with teenage daughters (he has 13 year old twin girls!). My advice was simple, “Mate find 30 minutes a week where they can have your undivided time one on one. No devices, no interruptions, something they enjoy… shopping together, cook together, a walk or exercise together.” He has said he notices this made a big difference to their relationship. I encourage all parents to try and find this time with each child.
I asked students to send me a photo of how they spent Father’s Day with their Dad and also a sentence on why they love their Dad. Below are two of the beautiful replies I received.
STUDENT SUCCESS - TOM REGIONAL FINALS 2021
Congratulations to our Regional Tournament of Minds (TOM) STEM Champions. The team is now off to the State Finals. In a great display of perseverance, problem solving, creativity and collaboration, the 'Elite Fleet Team' scored a perfect score to win the Regional Championships with their submission. Team coach Mandy Palin said she was extremely proud of the team's effort and received amazing feedback from the judges. Below is Mandy’s insight into this year's competition.
“Like so many other student activities, Tournament of Minds took on a different look this year due to Covid restrictions. Throughout the 6-week period, TOM took many twists and turns with changing circumstances, eventually resulting in our teams in lockdown, unable to collaborate in person to complete the challenge.
As all of NSW went into lockdown, the TOM directors reflected on the challenging position of schools and students but decided to continue with the 2021 challenge. To overcome the challenges that lockdown presented, facilitators and teams were encouraged to embrace the founding values of TOM, being problem solving, creativity and working as a team.
The MacKillop College students did this with gusto, displaying incredible perseverance, resilience, collaboration and flexibility to produce some outstanding solutions. In our mind all students involved were champions before any judging took place. We are so proud of what they have achieved under such difficult circumstances.”
Congratulations also to our Language Literature team who placed runners-up, receiving Honours, in their category.
Congratulations to the following team members:
Language Literature
- Lara Inman (Yr 9)
- Harmony Mitchell (Yr 9)
- Abby Wagner (Yr 9)
- Olivia Green (Yr 7)
- Charlotte Memmott (Yr 7)
STEM
- Tia McGrath (Yr 10)
- Elliott Worner (Yr 10)
- Georgia Ryan (Yr 10)
- Milly McGrath (Yr 8)
- Molly Bridle (Yr 8)
- Jessica Miles (Yr 7)
- Catalina Toth (Yr 7)
We wish our STEM team all the best as they progress to the State Final on Sunday, 19 September.
Congratulations also to students, Jiya Jamu and Harmony Mitchell in Year 9 who are doing some community service during lockdown sending cards to the elderly at St Agnes' Aged Care facilities.
CATH EICHMANN
PRINCIPAL
Assistant Principal Learning & Teaching
It is hard to believe I have only been Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching for a month as so much has happened in that time, and whilst the current circumstances have been challenging, I have been so impressed by both staff and students of MacKillop College who have risen to the challenge of working remotely.
Firstly, congratulations to our Year 12 students who made the transition to online HSC Trial Exams with only two days' notice. The manner in which they conducted themselves during these assessments was outstanding, and I have nothing but praise for the entire cohort. Well done Year 12!
Currently, our Year 11 students are midway through their assessment block online. These students have also demonstrated their ability to be adaptive and should also be congratulated on their transition to online assessment.
Other updates include:
Extension subject applications for the current Year 11 have now closed
Year 8 into Year 9 Elective selections have also closed
Year 10 students will be receiving letters next week confirming their subject selections for Year 11
and
Year 7 students should be in the process of completing their elective choices for Year 8 2022 (closing Monday, 13 September)
Finally, I would like to especially thank our Leader of Curriculum, Ms Sarah Warby, who has been instrumental in the implementation of online assessment. It has been an enormous logistical operation that she has coordinated so brilliantly. And thank you to all the staff of MacKillop who have been working very long hours adapting assessments, marking, providing feedback and zooming in order to ensure the continuity of learning for all of our students.
CHRISTINE HARMER
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL LEARNING & TEACHING
Evangelisation
MACKILLOP COLLEGE YOUTH GROUPS AND INSTAGRAM
Our amazing Youth Ministry Officers have continued their work in offering our students faith and wellbeing experiences, through our MacKillop Youth Instagram (mackillop_youth_ministry) and our Youth Groups.
All students have been invited to continue to meet in their respective Youth Groups, through an email from YMO's Ella and Jules and their Google Classroom. These meeting are taking place over Zoom and offer a chance for students to meet up outside the school classrooms.
WONDER & DIRECTION – Year 7 & 10 (Tuesday Lunch 2 – 1:35 pm)
SENIOR YOUTH MINISTRY (Wednesday Lunch 1 – 11:00am)
SUNDAY MASS AND GOSPEL REFLECTION
While our St Agnes' Parish Church is temporarily closed, there are still ways for everyone to access a Mass online or Gospel Reflections.
Bishop Greg continues to provide Sunday Mass online via the Diocese of Lismore YouTube channel.
Mass on Demand is accessible at CathNews – YouTube
Father Paul will continue to provide his reflections each day, Monday to Saturday, to help us through this time. To have the reflections arriving automatically in your inbox each day, please contact the parish office on the following email address: communications@stagnesparish.org.au
Or you can spend some time reflecting on the Sunday Gospel below.
MARG GOBIUS
LEADER OF EVANGELISATION
Year 10
Blended Learning
Parents, carers, teachers and students are doing an amazing job with blended learning. At times it feels very difficult and overwhelming for some. I have included some tips that may reduce this. Please note that some may already be doing this and for some this may just not work. Whichever it is for you, I strongly encourage you to communicate with your child's teacher/s and if it is across many subjects, then communicate with their PC teacher or myself.
We would prefer to put plans in place to see your child succeed rather than seeing them fail. This is difficult for teachers to know if they are just not motivated or if they are struggling. That is why it is vital that parents, carers and students communicate with their teachers. We have found that the students attending their Zoom classes regularly and asking for clarification are the ones that feel more in control of their learning.
If you feel some of the tips below might be helpful, then you can read more about them and other tips from this website: https://www.teachthought.com/technology/remote-learning-tips-for-parents/
- Set (and keep) a schedule.
- Make sure they have any materials necessary to complete all assignments.
Whether its pencil and paper, a stable WiFi connection, log-in information for all accounts, a PDF reader, or note-taking apps or reading strategies – whatever they need to get the work done.
- Provide an environment conducive to learning.
This isn’t always easy. If they’re too isolated, it’s difficult to check in with them. If they’re at the kitchen table, depending on the child or their environment, they may be too distracted. This is even more challenging when everyone is home and the house is full.
Background noise can help, as can music. I also use this app myself to keep me from needlessly scrolling social media or checking for messages too frequently.
- Create a daily plan.
Creating a daily plan isn’t just a matter of scheduling. A daily plan looks at the schedule and then identifies to-do items for that day and combines the two for a specific plan for that specific day. This is a plan specific to MacKillop
- Don’t teach – help them understand.
- Make sure all work is completed.
Any work that remains incomplete is incomplete for a good reason and has a time-bound, actionable next-step (e.g. email the teacher asking for clarification on Step 3 of the activity so that you can turn it in tomorrow by noon).
- Help them check messages and communicate with school.
Check for messages daily from teachers and other students and make sure to reply to any messages that require one.
- Keep in mind that it’s about the child, not the work.
- Learn to identify the barriers.
- Use school resources.
If you feel your child needs assistance please do not hesitate to ask your class teacher, PC teacher or myself. Each student should be attending Zoom with their PC teacher in the morning; this is a great chance to flag any concerns.
Please make sure students have a balance in their schedule and spend some time during breaks away from devices like they would at school.
GLEN LITTLER
YEAR 10 LEADER OF PASTORAL CARE
Year 11
Congratulations to Year 11 students who have completed many of their online assessments this week. It was a change and a challenge that the students handled exceptionally well.
WEEK 10 PLANS FOR YEAR 11
The following information was sent to year 11 this week so they know what to expect and what is expected during Week 10.
Monday - Wednesday: Exams continue (No formal lessons).
Thursday: 8:40am - 10:00am: Motivational Speaker, Luke Kennedy. This will be presented via Zoom and all students are expected to attend.
Thursday Period 2 - Friday Period 6: Normal timetabled lessons. Class teachers will inform you as to whether you have a Zoom lesson as per your usual Thursday/Friday Day 9/Day 10 timetable. If teachers are able to, they will provide feedback or results. As this falls well within the expected two week turnaround for exam results and feedback, many teachers, dependent on the date of your exam, may not have had the time to complete the marking or collate the results. It will be up to individual teachers as to what they do in this timetabled lesson.
Also on Thursday between 10:30am - 4:30pm: Year 11 are able to pick-up resources or feedback from the JMC (Senior Library). The HSC English texts that you have ordered will be available to pick up on this day and class teachers will let you know if there is anything else for you to pick up. Please make arrangements to collect the resources either between scheduled classes or after school before 4:30pm. Collection is contactless. All students must sign in and wear a mask.
So I will see students again next Thursday at 8:40am for a Year group Zoom with a special guest speaker. If you have any questions or concerns about any of this information or anything else for that matter, please don't hesitate to email me.
ANDREA HUXLEY
YEAR 11 LEADER OF PASTORAL CARE
Wellbeing
The world needs us to not lose sight of our compassion and generosity
or our active seeking of ways to help,
make a moment meaningful and ask, “Are you really OK?”
Yesterday, Thursday 9 September was R U OK? Day - a day dedicated to inspiring and empowering everyone to meaningfully connect with people around them by starting with the question “Are you really OK?”.
The conditions in lockdown and blended learning have been tough on everyone in the family and the value of a deeper conversation is timely and worthwhile to keep in touch with what is really going on in that teenage mind.
Yet as we all know, having a meaningful conversation with teenagers can be tricky.
Parenting experts suggest:
Make time and space to talk. Get comfy and sit beside them on the couch or outside or whilst you are doing an activity such as cleaning up the kitchen or walking. Remove distractions such as phones. These all signal that you are present, you want to listen, and you are ‘there for them’.
Allow your teen to talk through problems and use you as a sounding board. You don't need to fix their problem or make them feel better; you just need to listen. Try not to judge what they are saying. Just nod and say things like, 'Ok', 'Ah ha', 'Yeah'. This will let them know that you're listening positively and will encourage them to keep talking. We all sometimes just need to ‘vent’, get stuff off our chests, whinge, complain, or let our family know we’ve had a bad day. We don’t need anyone to give us a solution or to ‘fix’ a problem; we just need someone to remind us that we are loved and supported. Your teen needs the same opportunity; they are looking to feel loved and supported.
If you feel the urge to suggest a solution, to give them a lecture, or to try and solve their problem for them, try saying instead:
- "That sounds tough, do you want help to find a solution or do you just need to get it off your chest?"
- "How did that make you feel?"
- "And then what happened?"
Be empathetic. Learning how to talk so teens will listen starts with putting yourself in your teen’s position and understand the situation from their point of view. Your teen is more likely to keep coming back to you to talk about things if you make it clear that you are on their side, even when they’ve made a mistake. You can do this by saying things like:
- "I can see why you're so (frustrated, sad, annoyed)."
- "How did you feel about that? Yeah, I think I would have felt like that too."
- "Why do you think (the other person) did/said that?"
Talk often. Take the opportunity to really check in with your child regularly about the little things that are going on in their life. By remaining positively engaged in their life, it will be easier to have difficult conversations when the need arises. If your child knows you will ‘be there for them’, to listen to, love and support them, then they are much more likely to see you as someone to turn to first when they need help in working through bigger problems. One of the joys of parenting is seeing the interesting and maturing person they are becoming.
Dad of two, Paul, shares how he connects with his teenage daughter Thoma and gives her support without pushing her one way or another. His main advice? Don't be a plumber or a policeman, meaning don't offer a solution or take action straight away, support your teen to figure it out and just listen. See: Reach Out: How Paul and Thoma talk about serious stuff
Learning from you as to how to go about or develop the conversation will also help your teen have a meaningful conversation (even if it is difficult) with a friend or someone they would normally see at school but haven’t heard from them.
The guide below may help them too.
NICOLE O'CONNELL
LEADER OF WELLBEING
Sport
Due to Level 3 restrictions students WILL NOT be going off site for sport next week. Alternative arrangements will be made on-site at school. Further instructions will be emailed to students in Years 7, 9 and 10 by Monday.
YEAR 7 -10 SPORT CHALLENGE
How did you go last week with your physical activity levels? Did you manage to rack up 60 points from the matrix or at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day?
We recommend students are engaging in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. To help you plan we have created a Physical Activity Matrix that you can choose to use during your sport doubles.
The aim is to reach at least 60 points each week. You can keep a track of the activity that you complete by using the Activity Tracker table.
Both the Physical Activity Matrix and Activity Tracker can be found on the MacKillop College Moodle page by clicking on the Representative Sport link.
YEAR 9 and 10 TERM 4 ELECTIVE SPORT SELECTIONS
Students in Year 9 and 10 selected their Term 4 sport this week. Once the sport groups are finalised, students will be emailed the sport that they have been allocated.
COVID Sports Restrictions – Update
CSNSW UPDATE
Cancelled All Schools events in Term 4
In line with the Premier’s announcement regarding COVID-19 restrictions and back to school roll out, we wish to advise the following events have been cancelled:
- NSWCCC Secondary Rugby League Girls 16s Trials
- NSW All Schools Cross Country Championship (primary and secondary) on Monday 18 October at Eastern Creek
- NSW All Schools Secondary Hockey 16 years Tri-Series on Thursday 21 October and Friday 22 October at Broadmeadow
We understand the disappointment that may follow this announcement, however, as always, the health, safety and wellbeing of all members of the school community was at the heart of this decision.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this challenging time.
The CSNSW Sport Team
DIOCESAN CANCELLATIONS
Unfortunately the Lismore Diocese has had to make the difficult decision to cancel the following Dioccesan Sports for Term 4. As always, the health, safety and wellbeing of all members of the school community was at the heart of this decision. COVID 19 restrictions are also a major factor in cancellations.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.
The following Term 4 Lismore diocese sporting events have been cancelled:
- Lismore Diocesan Primary Athletics Carnival
- Secondary Volleyball Championships
- Secondary Gymnastics Championships
- Secondary Water polo Championships
- Secondary Golf Championships
- Lismore Diocesan Touch Football
- Lismore Diocesan Athletics
- Lismore Diocesan Netball
- Lismore Junior and Intermediate Diocesan Basketball Championships
NSW CSNSW
- NSWCCC Hockey Championships
- NSWCCC Football (Soccer) Knockout
- NSWCCC Athletics
- All Schools Water Polo
- All Schools Open Touch
The following events have been RESCHEDULED for Term 4
- NSW All Schools Triathlon Individual ONLY, 25 October
- Cochrane Cup, 13 October Coffs Harbour
- MNC Rugby 10s Wednesday, 15 September Port Macquarie (Boys and Girls)
No official announcements have been made yet on the following events.
- Katrina Fanning Cup (Girls Rugby League)
CRICKET NSW COUNTRY BLITZ 2021 - VIRTUAL 1 ON 1 WITH PLAYERS. Follow this link.
MACKILLOP COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE SPORT
If your child registers for a Representative sport at any level (School, Diocesan, NSWCCC) and can no longer attend can you please notify the relevant person so our attendance records are accurate.
- MacKillop College – Erin Denham (Leader of Sport) erin.denham@lism.catholic.edu.au
- Diocesan Team - John Coociola (Leader of Sport Lismore Diocese) john.cocciola@lism.catholic.edu.au
- NSWCCC Trial or Team – Robert Rush or Ann-Marie Miranda (CSNSW Sport) Robert.rush@csnsw.catholic.edu.au
HOW TO REGISTER FOR A MACKILLOP COLLEGE SPORT TEAM
To register to trial for a MacKillop College sport team follow the steps below:
- Log into the school Moodle page.
- Click on the Student Links tab on the left hand side
- Click on the Representative Sports Registrations link.
- Click on the relevant sport and fill out the google form.
- Listen to notices and check your emails for relevant trial information
NSWCCC Sport Registrations 2021 for Pathway Sports
- Registrations are via the sport portal.
- For instructions on how to register go to – Guide For Parents – Sport Registrations >>
- For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport Website Sport pages https://csnsw.sport
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sport | Event | Date |
Rugby Union | MNC Rugby Union 10s Boys and Girls Port Macquarie | TBC Term 4 |
Volleyball | Lismore Diocesan Volleyball Coffs Harbour | 8 October |
Rugby League | Under 14 Cochrane Cup | 13 October |
WORTH A READ…Everyday resilience for kids.
This article below written by Michael Grose offers some great insights into building resilience in our young people and demonstrates a great comparison to sport.
COMMUNITY SPORT
If your child has achieved outstanding sporting results in their community sport, we would love to hear about it. Please email myself, or your child’s respective Leader of Pastoral Care, so we can acknowledge these achievements.
If you have any questions regarding sport at MacKillop College, please do not hesitate to contact me either by email or phone at the College.
ERIN DENHAM
LEADER OF SPORT
Canteen
No helpers currently needed for canteen assistance.
For your attention; the canteen is still operational for students attending the college during lockdown.
To order from the canteen:
1. Orders can be written out at the canteen (bags supplied free of charge).
2. Orders can be written out at home and handed in at the canteen.
3. Download the QKR! app and order on line.
ALL ORDERS TO BE IN BY 8:30AM PLEASE
Please remind your child/children if you have ordered for them, and what their order is.
If your child is sick and you have ordered, please phone the canteen (6583 2632) to arrange a credit.
From the Mathematics Vault
Welcome to our weekly Maths Vault!
We will provide a mathematics problem for solving, with the answer published the week after underneath a new problem. Good luck!