Term 1, Week 1, 7 February

Upcoming Events

Principal's Update

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2025. What a fantastic first week we have had. Welcoming over 230 new students across Years 7-12, five new staff members, and many new families to our community, combined with the beginning of a new era in MacKillop’s history with the introduction of a new House structure, the College has had an excited buzz to start the year. Please enjoy just a few of the photos highlighting our first few days.

Welcome to 2025!

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Catholic Church Jubilee Year 2025—Pilgrims of Hope

Pope Francis says, ‘Christian hope is not mere optimism’ but a deep trust that God’s love is greater than any challenge.

2025 sees the Church celebrate a Jubilee year, also known as a “Holy Year,” since it is a time in which God's holiness transforms us. This year we pray for a hope-filled world.

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us,

Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

 May that same grace spread the joy and peace.

of our Redeemer throughout the earth.

To you, our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise forever.

Amen. (An extract from The Jubilee Prayer)

Introducing our New Staff for 2025!

Our 2025 Goals and School Improvement Plan

In living out our College motto of “Summa Tentabo—‘Striving for Excellence,’ each year the College leaders, in consultation with staff, students, and families and after analysing key data and feedback sets, determine our priorities and key goals for the following year. Each goal endeavours to improve faith, learning, or well-being outcomes for the students and is underpinned by the college's core values of faith, community, compassion, excellence, integrity, and respect.

In 2025 we are committed to achieving the key goals and prioritising actions to: 

• Assist students to recognise their experiences of service and worship as an encounter and relationship with Jesus. 
  
• Improve students sense of belonging.
  
• Increase student interest and motivation in learning
  
• Create a positive learning environment with high expectations for learning and behaviour.
  
• Increase the percentage of male students above proficiency in writing and reading.

For a detailed outline of the goals and targets, key actions, and links to our 2024-2026 Strategic Plan, please click on the link below.

Student Wellbeing

Click here to see some tips from Leader of Pastoral Care: Social and Emotional Support, Mrs Lisa Kable.

Compass Platform

MacKillop College introduced the use of the Compass Platform in 2023 for Families, Students & Staff. This platform is used for Student Profiles, Reporting, Billing & so much more. For a useful Guide on how to install & use Compass, please click the following link; https://www.compass.education/guide  

Traffic Management Plan

As we return to school we want to ensure the safety of all students, staff and families. Please familiarise yourself with the College Traffic and Road Safety Policy and Traffic and Parking Guidelines.

Secondary Colleges: Road Safety is an Essential Back-to-School Conversation for 2025 

As students return to school, safety remains a top priority. Engage your young person in conversations about safe travel to and from school to help them develop responsible habits.

Key Safety Reminders for Secondary Students 

• Entering and Exiting Vehicles Safely - Encourage your young person to always use the door closest to the curb when getting in and out of the car to avoid stepping into traffic. 
• Walking Without Distractions - Set the expectation that headphones/ earbuds and mobile devices should be put away while walking, especially when crossing roads or near traffic. Staying alert keeps them and others safe. 
• Being a Positive Role Model on Public Transport - Remind them that younger students look up to them. Encourage responsible behaviour when using buses, such as waiting safely, being polite to drivers, and setting a good example for others. 
• Using Wheeled Transport Responsibly - Ensure they understand that wearing a properly fitted helmet is a non-negotiable when riding bikes, e-bikes, scooters, or skateboards.  
• Safe Driving for Student Drivers - Encourage open conversations about peer pressure and safe driving practices.  
• New to the College - Ensuring they feel confident and prepared for their journey to and from school is essential. Establishing safe travel habits early on can boost their sense of security and help them adjust to the new environment at the start of the year. 
• Safety Over Convenience - Teach your young person never to sacrifice safety for convenience, even when it may seem easier to ignore safety practices. Responsible travel choices protect not only themselves but also their peers and the broader college community. 

For more road safety tips, visit the official resource: NSW Transport - Road Safety.

By reinforcing these habits, we can ensure students have a safe and smooth transition back to school in 2025. 

I wish all students, staff and families an enjoyable, hope-filled and successful 2025. 

Cath Eichmann
Principal

Starting Secondary School Tips

2025 Medical Updates

NSW School Vaccination Program 2025

Music News

“Music, great music, relaxes the mind, awakens profound sentiments and is, as it were, a natural invitation to raise one’s mind and heart to God in every situation of human existence, both joyful and sad. Music can become prayer.” Pope Benedict XVI

The role of the Co-curricular Music Program at MacKillop College is not only to provide musical enrichment to students but to provide a service to the parish and to the community. Ensembles participate in local festivals and events, provide music for Mass, attend workshops, perform at College assemblies and participate in band tours and competitions both nationally and internationally. Through these experiences, we hope to nurture a sense of camaraderie, teamwork, community, cultural and spiritual service and a pure love of making and sharing music with others. 

The music staff at MacKillop are excited to offer an extensive ensemble program. There are many proven benefits of learning a musical instrument relating to brain development. Playing music within an ensemble setting builds upon such benefits and reinforces social interaction, teamwork, discipline and goal setting.  Furthermore, it is imperative that students understand the importance of their ensemble membership. Ensemble members are expected to regularly and punctually attend rehearsals, participate positively and respectfully, understand their role as part of a team and participate to the best of their ability in performances. In order to maintain the positive growth of the music ensemble program at MacKillop College, students are asked to adhere to the expectations provided below.

Sign Up!

Students interested in participating in the co-curricular music ensemble program in 2025 are to ensure that they have completed the google form linked here. ALL students from years 7 - 12 are to complete the form regardless of previous involvement in the program.

Attendance

Ensemble members are expected to attend all rehearsals, performances, workshops and special events throughout the year. As a courtesy students are required to inform their ensemble director of any planned absences prior to a rehearsal or event. Rolls are taken at all rehearsals, performances and workshops. Students with unexplained absences will be required to provide written explanations signed by a parent to the leader of co-curricular music. It is important that students arrive at rehearsal five minutes before the scheduled start time to ensure that time is not lost to setting up instruments. Students are to move as quickly as possible to lunch rehearsals from class. 

Understandably there will be times when students are late to rehearsals or performances for a wide range of valid reasons. Ensemble directors and the leader of co-curricular music will always keep this in mind when discussing absence with students and parents.

Rehearsals

Rehearsal times for all ensembles are set out below (please read over this information and take note of times and venues) and included in compass for students enrolled in specific ensembles. Rehearsal schedules and other information is also posted on the music notice boards outside music classrooms and rehearsal spaces.

As a courtesy students are required to inform their ensemble director and the leader of co-curricular music in writing if they are no longer able to commit to membership of an ensemble. This information will assist with future planning.

Tuition

Many aspiring music students of today often find “DIY” musical instrument teaching resources through online courses, apps and youtube courses. Whilst such technology is a good aid for learning, research states that the best way to learn a musical instrument is through individual tuition from an expert teacher. Furthermore, the stage 6 music curriculum requires students to perform for assessment on an instrument of their choice. It is, therefore, necessary for schools with an interest in music excellence to provide opportunities for students to learn an instrument. As part of the MacKillop College Co-curricular Music Program, students are provided with the opportunity to arrange private instrumental tuition directly with tutors at their homes or studios or at school during breaks or during class time.

Students [parents] wishing to join the Music Tuition program are invited to complete the form linked here. The Co-curricular Music Coordinator will then provide you with the contact details for a suitable tutor. It is then the responsibility of families to arrange an appropriate lesson time with that tutor either at school or at their own private studio. If opting for lessons during school hours, tutors will set an alternating timetable to ensure that students are not missing the same lessons each week (lessons cannot be organised during timetabled sport).

Currently, drum kit, percussion, woodwind, brass, piano, strings (cello), and guitar tuition takes place on campus at the college. Other instrumental tutors will be invited to operate from the college when the demand is there.

Generally, the best time to contact tutors to arrange lesson times is during terms 4 (as HSC students move on) and term 1. It is more likely that tutors will have available time-slots during these terms.

Concert Band & Choir Parent Helpers

We are currently looking for parent/grandparent volunteers to provide support to the ensemble program. It might be that you currently play or sing in a local ensemble or have had previous experience at any level. Help is needed within the ensemble rehearsal to play/sing alongside other students and assist with note reading.

If you are interested and available could I please ask that you contact Robert Denham (Leader of Co-curricular music) for more information.

Ensemble Rehearsals

• Concert Band (directed by Ms Stewart) Monday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, Monday 17th February (week 3).
• Pop Choir (directed by Mrs Adams) Tuesday - 7:45am - 8:30am, Theatre *First Rehearsal, Tuesday 18th February (week 3).
• SAPSS Junior Drumline (directed by Mark Spence) Tuesday 3:30pm - 5:30pm, College Hall *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• Praise Band & Singers (directed by Mr Denham) Wednesday - 7:45am - 8:30am, Chapel *First Rehearsal, Wednesday 13th February (week 2).
• Junior Percussion Ensemble (directed by Mark Spence) Wednesday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• SAPSS Senior Drumline (directed by Mark Spence) Wednesday 3:30pm - 5:30pm, College Hall *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• Senior Percussion Ensemble (directed by Mark Spence) Thursday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, please contact Mark directly for confirmation.
• String Ensemble (directed by Michaeli Witney) Friday - 7:45am - 8:30am, J16 Music Room *First Rehearsal, Friday 21st February (week 3).
• Stage Band (directed by Mr Denham) Friday - 7:45am - 8:30am, Theatre *First Rehearsal, Friday 21st February (week 3)
  

LINKS & FORMS

Music Ensemble Sign Up Form 2025

Music Tuition Request Form 2025

Instrument Rental Agreement 2025

UPCOMING EVENTS

• MacKillop College Inaugural Mass (College Hall) Week 2 - Thursday February 13, period 1, Collective Praise Band & Singers, and Pop Choir.
• MacKillop College Ash Wednesday Liturgy (College Hall + Lochinvar Centre) Week 5 - Wednesday March 5, period 1, Collective Praise Band & Singers.
• Year 7 Mass (St Agnes Church) Week 5  - Friday March 7, Period 1 +2, Collective Praise Band & Singers.
• Youth & Family Mass (St Agnes Church) Week 5  - Sunday March 9, 5:00pm, Collective Praise Band & Singers.
• Caritas (St Patrick’s Day) Lunch Concert (COLA) Week 8  - Monday March 17, lunch 1, selected students and ensembles.
• MacKillop College Assembly Performance (College Hall) Week 7 - Wednesday March 19, period 1, Concert Band.
• Year 10 Mass (Middle Brother Mountain) Week 7  - Friday March 28, Period 1 +2, Yr10 Music Class and invited students.
• MacKillop College Easter Service (College Hall) Week 10 - Thursday April 10, period 1, Collective Praise Band & Singers.

Please contact Mr Denham with any questions relating to the co-curricular music program at MacKillop College.

Robert Denham
Leader of Co-Curricular Music

Sport News

Swimming Carnivals

The annual MacKillop College Swimming Carnivals are being held during Week 3. The Junior Carnival is on Tuesday, 18, and the Senior Carnival is on Wednesday, 19 February. Students and families are reminded that the carnival is a compulsory school day, and if your child is unable to swim due to injury or illness, they are to see Mrs. Johnston with a note explaining why they cannot participate. Students can cheer on their house or be helpers at the carnival if unable to participate.

• Students are allowed to wear their House colours to and from school and are reminded to wear enclosed footwear and to bring their swimmers, rash shirt, hat, towel, and sunscreen.

• Students are to come to school and will be transported by bus to and from the pool. If students wish to be picked up from the pool, a signed and dated note from their parent/guardian needs to be provided to their PC teacher in the morning.

• The 100m freestyle is swum during the senior carnival; however, for the junior carnival, the 100m freestyle will start prior to the carnival. Students need to be at the pool at 7.45am, ready for an 8.00am start. If your child wishes to participate in this event, they need to register online via Compass.

Students who wish to be considered to swim the 400m freestyle at the Diocesan Swimming Championships are to submit times through the Lismore Diocese Sport website—click on the registration link.

Online registration for Freestyle 400m: https://sport.lism.catholic.edu.au/registration_ Submit the application to the Lismore Diocese. Successful applicants will be notified by the diocese.

• Appropriate swimwear: The school has a policy on appropriate swimwear for any water activities. All students are requested to wear a rash shirt to protect them from the sun. Girls are ONLY permitted to wear full-piece swimmers or two-piece sports swimwear. Triangle bikinis are NOT permitted—if these are the only swimmers that your child has, they will be required to wear a rash shirt or t-shirt over their swimmers on the day.

• Spectators—we welcome spectators and parent helpers at our carnivals.

Finally, the swimming carnivals are a highlight on our school sports calendar. This is a day where students can embrace our House spirit and get involved. We ask that students get involved in competitive or novelty events and support the House Leaders to make our carnivals fun and enjoyable.

Year 7 Term 1 2025

Year 7 students will participate in their sport double once a fortnight.  Students need to come to school in their sport uniform when their timetable indicates a double sport lesson. 

From Week 3 onwards students will need to bring to school with them their swimmers, towel, rash shirt and shorts (bike pants are acceptable) to participate in the Swim & Survive course at either the Wauchope or Port Macquarie pool.

Year 8 Term 1 2025

Year 8 students will participate in a wide range of sports throughout the year. During Term 1 students will participate in various sports including AFL, Volleyball and Basketball, Soccer Netball, Endzone, Cricket, Tennis and Lacrosse.

Year 9 Sport Term 1 2025

Your son/daughter will participate in the Surf Survival Certificate during sport for Term 1, 2025.  This is an extension from the Swim and Survive Certificate that students completed in Year 7 Sport. Aquatics is a compulsory component of the PDHPE syllabus for all Year 9 Students. No students will be permitted to do Contract Sport in Terms 1 and 2.

This course will be run in conjunction with Surf Life Saving NSW and the Australian Lifeguard Service who will provide specialised instructors to assist our PDHPE/SPORT staff. All appropriate water safety measures will be in place to ensure the safety of our students in an open water environment. This course caters for students of all swimming abilities and aims to improve the safety of individuals in an aquatic environment.

The Surf Survival Certificate is a national swimming and water safety program that aims to provide participants with the skills and knowledge of basic patrolling and surf awareness in order to be able to participate in lifesaving operations.

Students will travel by bus to beach to complete the modules with their sport teacher.

Please ensure your child has a towel, hat, rash shirt or singlet, swimmers and shorts (bike pants are acceptable) for their swimming lessons. If your child has a wetsuit it is recommended that the students bring this each week. 

If your child has already completed the Surf Survival Certificate with a Surf Life Saving Club at a community level, please provide Mrs Johnston with a copy of this Certificate. These students will assist with Water safety each week.

If a student is unable to participate due to injury, illness or a medical condition appropriate documentation is to be provided to Mrs Johnston.

 Parents should have returned the digital permission form this week via Compass.  This is a legal requirement to take your child off site for Sport

• Week 2: Girls Round Robin at School. Boys CPR in the Lochinvar.
• Week 3: Jnr Swimming Carnival.
• Week 4: Girls CPR in the Lochinvar. Boys Round Robin at School.
• Week 5 -10: Girls are at Town Beach. Boys are at Flynn’s Beach.

Year 10 Sport Term 1 2025

Year 10 students will participate in seven weeks of sport for Term 1, 2025 beginning Week 2, 11 February, Week 10 8 of April. Parents and students are reminded that it is a legal requirement that the digital permission form is completed before the student can participate in sport, even if choosing school sport.

Both parents and students are reminded that there will be NO changes to any sports for any reason. Businesses rely on the student numbers we provide them and therefore we ask that you respect this commitment by not asking for your child to change sports during the Term.

Representative Sport 2025

Welcome to the 2025 school year. 

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the College’s Leader of Representative Sport. Within this role, I oversee the organisation of extracurricular representative sports. 

MacKillop College Representative Sport

In regards to extracurricular representative sports, MacKillop College provides a range of sporting opportunities for students to participate in organised team and individual competitions within the school, locally, and at diocesan and state levels. 

All representative opportunities are communicated through the MacKillop College newsletter and morning notices. Students express their interest to trial for a team through Compass by clicking on the star menu and scrolling down to Sport - Representative. Here, students will find the registration forms for all school-based teams. 

Once students have registered their interest, the coaches will run trial/training sessions to allow them to select a team, and then the team/s will be announced. Once selected for a college representative sports team, students will be required to attend training sessions prior to the day of competition. Trials usually take place during lunch times, with training taking place either during lunch times or before and after school training. 

Parents/guardians will receive permission notes for representative sports events via Compass, where parents provide permission and pay for the event online by the due date. 

NSWCCC Sporting Representation

Families with students who wish to nominate for trialling in a sport at the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges (NSWCCC) level should make themselves familiar with the Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) Sport website https://csnsw.sport/. Parents/carers will need to create an account to be able to register their child. Once a parent registers their child to attend an event on the CSNSW Sport portal, it will send the registration to me for college approval to attend the event. 

Some sports allow students to register directly through the CSNSW Sport portal without having to go through the Diocesan Pathway. E.g., individual triathlon. In other instances, students will be required to travel to a Diocesan trial and, if selected, continue to the NSWCCC selection trials, and communications for these teams will be sent through our Sports Desk. Please be prepared to travel if your child is accepted. Parents have the responsibility to register their child on the NSWCCC portal; please make note of the registration closing dates based on the calendar on the CSNSW Sport website. 

Representative Sport, Upcoming Events and Registration 2025

All registrations for MacKillop College Representative Sport teams are completed by;

1. Logging into COMPASS (Chrome browser).
2. Click on the Star button 
3. Click on the Sport - Representative link
4. Click on the relevant sport and fill out the google form.

Students will be notified through the morning notices of when to sign up and when trials will occur.

Sports currently open for registration are;

• Surfing
• Triathlon
• Diocesan Rugby League Trials u15 Boys, U16 Girls, U18 Boys & Girls
• Diocesan Touch Football Trials U15 Boys & Girls, Open Boys & Girls
• Diocesan Netball Trials U15 & U18 Girls
• Diocesan Soccer Trials U15 & U18 Boys & Girls
• Diocesan Swimming Championships 400m Freestyle
• Diocesan Lismore AFL Trials U15 Boys

NOTE: To register for the Diocesan Trials students need to complete the forms that can be found on the Lismore Diocesan Sport page. Click on the REGISTRATION tab.

 Upcoming MacKillop College Events 2025

Lismore Diocesan Events and Registration - 2025

Northern Country AFL Trials 2025

Here is the link for students to nominate for Northern Country AFL trials. This link is also on our Dio Sport website. 

Attached is the 'How to Nominate' doc (INSERT FROM DRIVE). Nominations are due by the 19 of February 2025. 

Parents of successful students will be notified if they have been selected by the afternoon of Friday 21 of February. Whilst we understand this is a tight turn around for making travel arrangements, this is the expectation from NSWCCC.

2025 Diocesan Individual Touch Football   Selection Trials- Nomination Form

2025 Diocesan Individual Touch Football   Selection Trials- Nomination Form

The Lismore Diocese will be holding trials for 15 Boys, 15 Girls, Open Boys & Open Girls Touch Teams on Tuesday 4 March in Toormina. The start time of these trials is 9.00am. To nominate for these teams, please fill out the form below.  Students will then be selected to trial for each squad and a team will be chosen at the trials. NOT ALL STUDENTS WHO NOMINATE WILL BE SELECTED TO TRIAL. 

Link to register 

Diocesan Teams will compete at the NSWCCC Touch Football Selection Trials at Tuggerah, Central Coast, on the Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 April (tournament also doubles as the NSWCCC Diocesan Championships).  

Closing date for nominations is Friday 21 February 2025.  Students selected to trial will be published on the Lismore Diocesan Sport Website and Sport Coordinators will be informed.

*The cost of the trial will be $12 plus any applicable travel costs to be paid to your school's coordinator upon selection to trial. Your school's sports coordinator will provide information to you regarding the total cost of the excursion if you are selected to trial.

** PLEASE NOTE: IN NOMINATING FOR THESE TRIALS, YOU ARE COMMITTING TO TRAVEL TO THE TUGGERAH, CENTRAL COAST IF SELECTED. THIS WILL REQUIRE PRIVATE TRANSPORT TO THE VENUE AT THE ATHLETE'S EXPENSE. 

NSWCCC & NSW All Schools Events and Registration

NSWCCC CALENDAR 2025

All individual sports registrations are completed on the CSNSW.SPORT website. The parent must have an account and add their child to have access. (Sport Registration HELP available on sport info page) SEE BELOW sports open for registration.

For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport website Sport pages. https://csnsw.sport

Students MUST be registered for the event with parent and Principal or Leader of Sport approval.

Registration is through the CSNSW.sport portal.

Details on how to register – Guide For Parents – Sport Registrations >>. 

Please note all close dates are firm dates. No registrations will be permitted after the close dates.

2025 NSW ALL SCHOOLS TRIATHLON & PARA-TRIATHLON – individuals

Entries are now open for the 2025 NSW All Schools Triathlon for 26 February at Penrith.

Individual entries are through the Sports Unit DASH system (not the CSNSW Sport portal)

Entry is $60 per participant.

For more information>> To REGISTER>>

 2025 NSW ALL SCHOOLS TRIATHLON - School Teams

27 February 2025 at Penrith – teams of 3 – 3 age groups – Junior, Intermediate & Senior.

$75 per team. Entry by school sports coordinator – through log in on CSNSW.sport portal. For more information  - https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/triathlon

TERM ONE SPORTS - 2025

Individual nominated sports for Term One – Expression of Interest registrations will open by the end of November – including softball, baseball, tennis, volleyball – 15s & 18s, cricket – 19s.

Related Link

https://csnsw.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/2/article/198901765?src=584134009

Community Sport

Congratulations once again to Lane Jordan on your selection in the NSW Country Team to compete at the Cricket Australia U16 National Championships in Ballarat recently. We look forward to hearing how you enjoyed the experience and the results from the competition. 

Erin Denham
Leader of Sport

Canteen Update

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 online.

Attention all QKR users!

Cut-off time is 8.00 am.

Any orders placed after 8.00 am default to the following day. It is very time-consuming for canteen staff to have to check all late orders every day and then contact parents about their order. 

If you make a mistake, please call the office or send your child to the canteen.

There have also been new gluten-free items added to the menu.

Need Some Study Help?

Community News

Information Links for School Bus Services 2025

1. Timetable information - busways.com.au or transportnsw.info
2. School bus travel pass - School Student Travel Scheme