Mary MacKillop Catholic College | Mary MacKillop Catholic College

I am aware that I say this in the newsletter at the end of most semesters – but the holidays really do always come at the right time. Twenty weeks of classroom learning, extra and co-curricular activities combined with just the overall intensity of life can make for a very tired community. I am so grateful to the staff, parents and students who have enabled such success and seen us get to this point. It is so clear from the feeling in the College that we are doing well, and that doesn't happen without a lot of hard work from a lot of people. Thank you.

You will have received student reports from P-12. Our students have demonstrated outstanding dedication to their work – and their teachers have led learning exceptionally. This has been alongside intentional spiritual formation: we’ve celebrated Masses, liturgies, retreats and smaller prayer experiences throughout the semester. In a Catholic school, these two things must align and support each other, as both assist in our young people being more ‘whole’.

That ‘fullness’ that we aspire to chimes with our College motto - to 'celebrate God in all things'. I believe that by coming close to potential, in any area, we are coming closer to God, because we are attaining dignity. It would be a mistake to look for physical evidence of God in say, doing really well in a Maths exam or winning a soccer game. What we could look for though is a change in ourselves. The concept of “celebrating God in all things” is deeply rooted in spiritual and religious traditions.

Excellence enables us to find joy, and satisfaction, and excitement amongst family and community. We can find God in the joy of parents who have seen a child succeed in something that previously challenged them, or a teacher who has encouraged a student over a particular hurdle. To push the concept further, the phrase “God in all things” reflects the sacramental life, where the invisible becomes more real than the visible. It’s a life in which we consecrate everyday things to God’s service and receive them as blessings.

When you rest over the next two weeks and take stock of the semester, try focus on the moments of success, gratitude, amazement and wonder. Think hard on the micro-moments where you felt a sense of awe. They are there so often and if we slow down to a gentle pace, they will make themselves known to us.

Thank you all so much for the impact you have had on a wonderful first Semester. Please stay safe and warm over the two-week break.

Mr Chris Gabbett
College Principal

This week, sixteen children received the gift of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Ken Howell presided over the ceremony retell the story of the Pentecost for the students. He linked how the apostles received the Holy Spirit for the first time and it helped the apostles to go into the world and tell the story of Jesus' new commandment of loving one another. Bishop Ken encouraged the students to go about their lives trying to live out the mission of loving one another.

We are reminded that each and every day we are all called to live out Jesus mission of loving one another. This may be difficult at times but we must look for the dignity of each person we meet and not their behaviour as we encounter them.

Congratulations to the following students:

Students
Lachlan Adams
Willow Barnes
Sophie Butler
Ryan Carrigan
Emily Cowie
Tess Ehrlich
Austin Griffiths
Calan Griffiths
Robert Hohn
Jackson Hughes
Liam McCloud
Madison McCloud
Liliana McCotter
Sasha O'Connor
Sophia Smith
Dylan York

These students will make their First Eucharist in August with the Parish.

Paula O'Rourke
Assistant Principal Religious Education

This week students across the College have been participating in a variety of First Nations activities. Prep - Year 2 has been connecting with the land and revamping their garden and play area. Year 3 - 6 students have been looking at their identity and creating a flag that will become a part of a class banner. This banner will be used for celebrations in the future.

Year 7 - 9 students have participated in Indigenous games on Fitzroy Oval. These games teach young children the traditional skills that Indigenous children would have learned as part of their culture and growing up. In years 10 - 12, the students have created baskets using a traditional weaving technique. This would have included the use of traditional grasses and seeds.

The students have also left a message around our school in various locations, about being proud and loud during NAIDOC Week.

The Your Pathway team has had a productive term, gaining valuable insights into university admissions, new degree programs, and the future of work. The updates from The University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) seem particularly beneficial for guiding students along their educational journeys.

The University of Queensland offering 10,815 places for Semester 1, 2024, indicates a strong demand for higher education, especially in the health sciences fields. Their tertiary studies pathway program is an excellent initiative, providing an alternative for students to pursue their desired degrees if their ATAR scores aren’t quite what they hoped for.

Click Here to Read about Alternative University Pathways

Ashley Fell’s presentation on the future of work was enlightening, shedding light on how demographic shifts, technological advancements, and global trends are shaping the job market. Her slides are interesting and informative.

The ‘speed dating’ format at QUT was engaging, allowing for a dynamic exchange of information across various disciplines. The admissions team discussed the Year 12 early offer scheme and the changes that are being made to it to follow the direction of the university accord that was released earlier this year. Results from semester 1 of year 12 will now be used and early offers will be made from 15 November. In 2024 QUT sent 7000 invitations to students to apply for early offer.

QUT’s expansion of the QUT College offerings and the emphasis on real-world learning experiences align with the current educational trend towards practical, hands-on learning. The introduction of new degrees like the Bachelor of Business – International and Bachelor of Design - International is an exciting development, offering students a global perspective on their education, as it includes 1 year of study abroad.

For families with students in Year 11 or 12, attending University Open Days is indeed a fantastic way to explore the myriad of opportunities available and to plan for the future. It’s clear that both universities are committed to providing diverse and flexible pathways to higher education, which is encouraging for all prospective students.

2024 Open Days

Click Here for QUT Open Day - 2024 Click Here for UQ Open Day 2024 Click Here for Griffith Open Day 2024 Click Here for UniSQ Open Day 2024 Click Here for ACU Open Day 2024 Click Here for Southern Cross Open Day 2024 Click Here for UniSC Open Day 2024

Your Pathway Team
Jennifer Stevenson and Christie Richardson

At the start of Week 9, Year 2 students were treated to an adventure to Amaroo Environmental Education Centre in Kleinton. Students arrived at the school, bubbling with anticipation for the day ahead.

For some, the bus ride there was as just as exciting as what was to await them at Amaroo! Upon arriving at the education centre, students were on the lookout for the sneaky resident crocodile, hiding in the pond at the entrance way.

Students participated in “What’s the bush about?” program, designed to educate students on the fauna and flora of our local region, whilst also discussing First Nations people’s connection to country.

Educator Shelley welcomed the students to Amaroo with an Acknowledgement to Country and a discussion about the land on which we were meeting today, the Giabal country. Students were eager to share their own learnings of Acknowledgements to Country and their knowledge of the Jarowair and Giabal people and country.

Students then had the opportunity to create their own clay native Australian animals. Despite the clay being freezing cold, the classes took to this activity with excitement and enthusiasm. Each class had a wide variety of creations and it was wonderful to see how imaginative students could be, creating only with natural resources.

This was followed with lunch and a much-anticipated play in the natural playground spaces at Amaroo. It was here that teachers and school officers were impressed with the connections students were making between our learnings in Art, HaSS, and English this term. Some students sat in the yarning circle to tell sand art stories, some were using natural resources in an attempt to make a hunting spear (and soon discovered how long it would have taken for indigenous people to do this). Others were happy exploring the gardens spaces and relaxing natural environment that Amaroo offers.

Later in the day, students went for a bush walk and Shelley shared some amazing information regarding their small bush space. Students were so engaged and curious along the way and asked some amazing questions that even Shelley had to come back and answer at a later time. There may be some future botanists or zoologists in the Year 2 cohort!

Students closed out the day with a fabulous puppet show accompanied by indigenous story telling. Year 2 had such a tremendous day and here is what some students had to say in their reflections:

"I was looking forward to the bush walk because I like to go to the bush." - Sophie W

"I like learning about how to survive in the bush and wild." - Miller

"We went on a bush walk and we found snakes skin and a tail." – Riley

"I give the excursion 5 stars because I loved the little possum in the tree, eating all of the apple, because he was cute!" - Matti