Mary MacKillop Catholic College | Mary MacKillop Catholic College

Next week, I will join 16 other leaders of Josephite schools on a 'Journey to the Heart'. Principals will gather in Fitzroy, Melbourne, to walk the streets that St Mary MacKillop walked and receive a guided tour of the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre which is very near to where she was born. The following day we embark on a pilgrimage to Penola, where she established her first school with Fr Julian Tenison-Woods, via Portland, where she lived and taught for a time.

As a P-12 College, we are members of the Association of Josephite Affiliated Secondary Schools (AJASS) which spreads across the country and to New Zealand as well. The mission of this group is to maintain the message and witness of the Sisters of St Joseph and St Mary MacKillop. We are fortunate as school leaders to be consistently guided by the nuns in North Sydney and Melbourne, and as many are aware we have commenced sending our senior school students and staff to residential events at Mary MacKillop Place in Sydney.

I often speak to all of our students about enacting the 6Ps of Mary MacKillop in the way that they approach their membership of our community and how they ensure that they continue to grow and improve. It is important also that I model these. This journey is about partnership with fellow school leaders who share my mission, and enhancing our passion to lead our school as Mary MacKillop led. It is also about collective possibilities and how we can, as a group of schools across the country, maintain the presence and witness of the Josephite spirit in 21st Century Australia. It is also about prayer - which for me is very important - and the opportunity to be a pilgrim in the place where she first discerned to become a nun and establish the Sisters of St Joseph.

I will be maintaining a video diary so that our College community can share in the journey and get a feel for the places where St Mary MacKillop walked.

Thank you all for your ongoing support for our wonderful College.

Mr Chris Gabbett
College Principal

Pope Benedict, XVI, encouraged people to grow in their devotion by saying:

Every person needs to a centre for his own life, a source of truth and goodness to draw from in the daily events, in the different situations and in the toil of life. Every one of us, when he/she paused in silence, needs to feel not only his/her own heart beat, but deeper still, the beating of a trustworthy presence, perceptible with faith's senses and yet much more real: the presence of Christ, the heart of the world. Therefore I invite each of you to renew in the month of June his/her own devotion to the Heart of Christ .... (James Kubicki, s.j., 2012, A heart on fire)

How often do you stop to listen to your heart beat?

Our heart is the life blood, literally, of our own existence - without it we would not be able to have life. It is what keeps us moving, ensures our body has the blood supply it needs. The blood transports the oxygen needed in all our cells for life and regeneration but also the blood comes back to our heart with the deoxygenated blood which is then recycled again. The heart works very hard pumping this blood around our body every second of our life. These things are all physical aspects of our body.

What about the spiritual side of things?

Our heart is where love comes from. Love for one another, love to chocolate, love for coffee, love for simple pleasures in life. Love can bring joy and happiness. Our heart can also be a generous one - giving of ourselves to others. Volunteer work to support those that are vulnerable through the giving of time but also the giving of food, clothing, whatever it is that is needed.

Just stop and listen now!

But it is this stopping to listen. We need to be aware of a presence. The presence of God and it is through this presence that we can also be open to the message from God and what we are being asked to do to show love for others and ourselves.

Jesus gave his life for us on the cross. In scripture, John 19:33-37, it reads "But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “None of his bones shall be broken.” And again another passage of scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.”

Jesus gave his life - whole heartedly - through his death and resurrection. Today, we remember this every time we celebrate the Eucharist - sharing in his body and blood - in receiving the bread and wine when we go to communion. During the month of June we are encouraged to engage in the sacrament of Eucharist more attentively. And it is not just on receiving the body and blood of Christ but it is also looking at how we life our life when we walk outside the church doors or outside our College gates.

This image here is an interpretation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Your will notice the heart is the centre of the stain glass signify how it is the centre of life for us. The heart has the crown of thorns around the centre - this heart belongs to Jesus who had the the crown of thorns placed on his head as a symbol of kingship but in a cruel, torturous way. This challenged Jesus. His suffering as a human being was real and out of his control. It was God's will - his will to show people the new covenant. A covenant of love.

During this month, reparation or repair is a focus. As part of loving others and ourselves we have to be willing to repair broken hearts, broken relationships and broken people. So the challenge for us this month, is to repair things that are in need of love - especially other people. This can start with Eucharist. It is through the Eucharist that we can repair our relationship with God and with other people. It is with Jesus (and God) that we can repair the brokenness. When Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection, sending them out to the world to repair brokenness. We are part of this today. WE ARE his disciples, TODAY, going out into the world, to repair the brokenness - poverty, slave trade, environmental pollution, waste, exploitation, injustices.

What will you do this month?

How will you repair brokenness?

Why is this important to us at Mary MacKillop Catholic College?

St Mary MacKillop formed the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. In the name, Mary referred to Jesus through the use of the Sacred Heart. Jesus was a very important person who inspired Mary throughout her life evident in the receiving of the Eucharist even up until her very last days on this earth. "From the beginning Mary and Fr Julian Tenison Woods encouraged the sisters to share the lives and the concerns of people with whom they would minister. Held in God’s hospitable heart they would draw strength to respond to places of violence, fear and insecurity in the world." (www.sosj.org.au/our-story/who-we-are/) This hospitable heart was a heart of love for the poor, vulnerable, those experience injustices, women and children. This continues today as we grow our students in the charism of Mary MacKillop looking for opportunities to support those in need within our community and beyond.

I finish with this prayer:

O most holy heart of Jesus,

fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I love You,

and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer You this poor heart of mine.

Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to Your will.

Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in You and for You.

Protect me in the midst of danger.

Comfort me in my afflictions.

Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs,

Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death.

Amen.

Paula O'Rourke
Assistant Principal Religious Education

Students are currently preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is one of the intiation ceremonies for the Catholic faith.

This ceremony will take place on Thursday, 15 June, at 7:00pm with Bishop Robert McGuckin, in the MacKillop Centre.

If you have any flowers OR shrubbery - white or red - we would really appreciate your donations to the evening. Please contact Paula O'Rourke if you are able to provide this.

Please continue to pray for the young people and their families as they prepare for this very special celebration.

If you have any questions, please contact one of the sacramental team:

Name	Contact Number
Fr Brian Noonan	0458 967 094
Nadine Dolan	0425 210 444
Trish Gall	0418 356 181
Liz Eilers	0439 777 121
Paula O'Rourke	07 4698 7777 (College Number)

Paula O'Rourke
APRE & Sacramental Team member

When thinking about what reading growth is, it is important to not just consider the growth made in levels, but growth which encompasses measuring the immeasurable. How a student develops and changes as a reader in a school year under the expert guidance of a teacher isn’t quantifiable.

In fact, if you were to ask a teacher what reading growth is, the answers would be varied. For example:

Reading growth can mean finding a new series.
Reading growth can mean reading for longer stretches of time.
Reading growth can mean choosing to read when there is extra time.
Reading growth can mean determining and learning lessons in a novel.
Reading growth can mean talking with a new partner.
Reading growth can mean learning more about a topic.
Reading growth can mean talking about your thinking as a reader.
Reading growth can mean changing your mind after reading about an issue.
Reading growth can mean discovering a new author or genre.
Reading growth can mean having a wider repertoire of decoding strategies.
Reading growth can mean understanding that putting in effort leads to growth.
Reading growth can mean finding new favourites.
Reading growth can mean feeling that you are a reader.

In schools we are mandated to also measure reading growth using a set formula. (See below) A one-on-one reading test is conducted with the student by the teacher to determine the reading ability of the student. Comprehension is also assessed.

Calculating Semester 1 Growth P – 6

Year Level	Low Growth	Average Growth	High Growth
Prep	Not yet on a PM Less than 80% on SLK Letter Name and Sound	1 - 2 PM Levels	3 or more PM Levels
Year 1 - 2	0 - 2 PM Levels	3 - 4 PM Levels	5 or more PM Levels
Years 3 - 6	Still within a PROBE Set	1 PROBE Set	2 or more PROBE Sets

Part of my role each semester is to analyse the Reading data and report to TCSO. Part of this process requires an analysis of growth made from Semester 2 2022 to Semester 1 2023. Measuring growth is an important way to measure a student’s reading achievement. Growth indicates improvement and learning over time. I am particularly interested in the ‘High’ growth which a student makes.

To be acknowledged for achieving high growth in reading for Semester 1, a student is required to either:

move 2 or more Probe Reading Sets (years 3-6) or
move 5 or more PM Reading Levels (years 1-2)

The end of year expected standards are as follows:

Year	Level
Prep	PM 4 - PM8
Year 1	PM 14 - PM 18
Year 2	Probe Sets 6 - 7
Year 3	Probe Sets 8 - 9
Year 4	Probe Sets 10 - 11
Year 5	Probe Sets 12 - 13
Year 6	Probe Sets 14 - 15

An excellent result across the College with a large percentage of students already achieving at the end of year expected targets.

Class	% of students at or above end of year target	Class	% of students at or above end of year target
1A	42	4A	71
1B	40	4B	60
1C	17	4C	68
2A	58	5A	67
2B	75	5B	64
2C	60	5C	73
3A	29	6A	60
3B	23	6B	48
3C	22	6C	67

It’s crucial to look beyond the measurable. As a teacher, the data that measures growth is used in conjunction with the immeasurable data to attain the best possible outcome for a student.

Mrs Natalie Adler
Assistant Principal Teaching & Learning : Junior

Last week our Year 10 students were involved in a retreat experience held in the beautiful Currumbin Valley. The purpose of the retreat was to reflect on their window of tolerance and how to support themselves and others when they are outside this window.

Every student's experience was different and they were all able to share their own blockers and builders that hinder or support them to make positive connections with others. I commend the Year 10s on the way they engaged with the experience and challenge them to continue to explore how they can expand their window of tolerance by supporting and understanding themselves and others.

Thank you very much to Mr Nielsen, Mr Varley, Mrs Duncan, Mrs Gurr and Mr Fowkes who also gave up their time away from families to support this valuable experience.

Sean Albion
Assistant Principal Wellbeing Senior

Last Friday Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 students participated in a series of workshops on cyber security skills and careers and potential pathways in the cyber security field. The cyber security field is one of the fastest growing, well-payed and rewarding careers in Australia with up to 17,000 workers needed by 2026.

These workshops were facilitated by the Australian Signals Directorate, University of Queensland and Life Journey. We were lucky enough to be one of 4 QLD schools to be invited to take part in these workshops.

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is an Australian government intelligence and security agency. If you want to know more watch this short video: ASD

Below are the workshops the students were involved in:

Cryptography - this workshop introduced students to the fun world of cryptography where they will learn how to leverage skills in maths to create and solve different coded messages.

Careers & Pathways - this workshop introduced students to different career paths in cyber security through ASD Cyber Experience, which covers skills and capabilities for the field and recommended tertiary pathways.

Digital Forensics - in this workshop students learnt how to gather evidence, investigate, analyse and solve a simulated digital Incident in a team based format.

Capture the Flag - in this team based exercise, students solved a range of short cyber security challenges that test their knowledge and skills.

Our students and staff enjoyed the opportunity to meet and engage with professionals within the industry and found the Cyber Security Workshop series program highly valuable for all not just those interested in IT.

If you want to know anything more about the opportunities available within the Australian Signals Directorate please contact the Your Pathway Team.

Your Pathway Team
Jennifer Stevenson and Christie Richardson

The traditional 9-to-5 office grind isn’t right for all of us. If you have a passion for business but are searching for something a bit more unconventional, below explores seven unusual jobs for business enthusiasts – see if there’s one that might be right for you.

Business coach

Are you passionate about helping others unlock their full potential? Consider becoming a business coach. Many people out there have a great idea or possess exceptional talent but lack the business knowledge to monetise their work effectively. As a business coach, you can guide them in developing marketing strategies, managing finances, and building their brand, while also providing the encouragement and support they need to thrive.

Ethical hacker

Do you have a knack for technology and a strong moral compass? If so, a career as an ethical hacker might be just what you’re looking for. Ethical hackers, also known as white-hat hackers, work with organisations to identify and fix potential security vulnerabilities in their systems. By using your business and technical expertise, you can help companies safeguard their sensitive data and protect their reputation from cyber threats.

VR experience designer

Are you fascinated by the possibilities of virtual reality (VR)? Combine your love for business and technology by becoming a virtual reality experience designer. In this role, you’ll create immersive virtual environments for various industries, such as real estate, tourism, construction, or education. By using your understanding of consumer behaviour and market trends, you can design VR experiences that drive engagement and boost brand recognition for your clients.

Influencer or celebrity social media manager

In the age of social media, being famous is a dream for many. However, behind every successful influencer and celebrity is a dedicated social media manager who handles their brand partnerships, negotiations, and overall business strategy. If you have excellent communication skills, a keen eye for trends, and a knack for relationship building, consider becoming a social media manager. This exciting job allows you to collaborate with talented celebrities and content creators and help shape their brand while ensuring their long-term success.

Futurist consultant

Are you a visionary thinker with a strong business knack? Embrace your forward-thinking mindset by becoming a futurist consultant. As a futurist, you’ll analyse emerging trends, technological advancements, and societal shifts to predict the future of various industries. By providing valuable insights to businesses, you can help them make informed decisions, adapt to change, and gain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving world.

Professional organiser

Are you naturally organised and enjoy creating order out of chaos? Becoming a professional organiser might be the perfect fit for you. As a professional organiser, you’ll help individuals and businesses declutter their spaces, streamline their workflows, and optimise their productivity. Your business skills will come in handy as you develop customised organisational systems, provide practical advice, and guide your clients towards a more efficient and harmonious environment.

Event marketing specialist

Are you the life of the party, with a knack for marketing and organising? Consider becoming an event marketing specialist. In this role, you’ll plan and execute innovative marketing campaigns centred around events, conferences, or trade shows. By combining your creativity, strategic thinking, and business knowledge, you can create unforgettable experiences for attendees while generating valuable leads and boosting brand awareness for your clients.

Remember, the world of business is constantly evolving, and new opportunities are emerging every day – so don’t be afraid to think outside the box and explore pathways that align with your passions.

Your Pathway Team
Jennifer Stevenson and Christie Richardson

Reaching the end of week 8 may be providing mixed feelings for parents and students; on one hand the school holidays are fast approaching but on the other, the end of term means that assessments and exams are in full swing. Whilst each student is different and has their own ability to tolerate the anxiousness that comes with this time, it is still a difficult point in the school calendar.

Stress and pressure are important to differentiate as part of the student experience. Pressure is associated with the build-up of expectations that for some students is a positive motivator to get organised and get things done. For others though, this pressure can build up to feelings of stress that become overwhelming and counterproductive.

KidsHelpline (2023) have ascertained from their work with many teenagers that key causes of exam stress include:

Fear of failure
Self-deprecating thoughts
Unrealistic expectations
Feeling unprepared
Performance anxiety

KidsHelpline (2023) also report that the supportive adults around the teenager might be able to see warning signs of stress levels building through:

Increased levels of frustration or lashing out
Change in sleep patterns
Complaints of stomach pains or nausea
Self-isolation
Skin breakouts or nail-biting
Difficulty with decision-making
Negative talk of self, others, or the future

There are lots of ways to work alongside young people as they manage pressure and potential stress of exams, assessment, and other worries they may have as they journey through high school. Teaching young people positive and helpful strategies now can be key in how they continue to navigate tricky times in their future. Helpful strategies from KidsHelpline (2023) can include:

Breaking study into manageable chunks of time
Encouraging consistent and positive sleep and eating routines
Encourage help-seeking behaviours, such as reaching out to teachers or other supportive adults
Listening to their worries without criticism

KidsHelpline is an incredibly comprehensive website with an abundance of useful resources for children, young people and parents navigating life’s complexities. KidsHelpline also have a free, private, and confidential phone and online counselling services for children aged 5 to 25.

Their website is: Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800

Leah Moffett
Guidance Counsellor

Last Saturday, 3 June, 16 MMCC students took on the challenge on trekking 18km through the Brookfield Reserve as part of the Kokoda Challenge. The challenge required teams, consisting of 4 students and 1 team leader, to tackle 18km of steep hills and hot, steamy conditions.

Mary Mac Gold, consisting of Year 10 students; John Condon, Jarrah Sunatwanitkul, Jayden Sunatwanitkul and Ben Chappell with Mrs Carmen Campbell as team leader, ran the 18km and was the 2nd school team in 2hrs 19 mins and 4th overall.

Mary Mac Silver, consisting of Beckie Peters (Year 7), Piper York, May Davies, Susie Bullock (all Year 6), with team leader Mr Drew Davies were our next team to finish in 3hrs 33mins.

Mary Mac Blue, consisting of Ed Ehrlich (Year 6), Connor Murphy (Year 7), Ashley Williams (Year 7) and William Ehrlich (Year 8) lead by Mr Steve Thomas completed the trek in 4hrs 2mins.

Mary Mac Seniors, consisting of Year 11 students, Bridie Mattocks, Sarah Mattocks, Lucy Hutchinson, Riley Cuthbert, lead by Mrs Di Tate finished in 4hrs 10mins.

The Kokoda Challenge aims to support Australians by inspiring them to do extraordinary things. Through hiking endurance events, students are challenged, abilities explored, and given opportunities for physical and mental growth.

Central to this event, is the Spirit of Kokoda, which embodies Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. These values take their origin from Australian soldiers who fought on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea during WWII. Still relevant today, the events mission is to reignite these timeless values into our students and encourage a growth mindset.

The Spirit of Kokoda demonstrates that when we work together, look out for each other, and show commitment to a task, things that at first seem impossible, suddenly become achievable. Our 16 students who completed this challenge demonstrated these qualities and should be extremely proud of themselves. We also raised over $3400 for the Kokoda Foundation.

We are looking to taking on this challenge again next year and maybe even having a team tackle the 30km or 48km event. Anything is possible.

Mrs Carmen Campbell
PE Teacher

Mary MacKillop Catholic College students, staff and parents stepped out again to support a local running event, 40 for Fortey, which aims to raise funds for Queensland Police Legacy Scheme. This year we entered 4 teams, which involved 31 runners, with each team completing 4km laps, totalling 40km per team.

College Principal, Mr Chris Gabbett was amongst the runners sporting the bright new running club shirts and had this to say about the turn out…

“I am so proud to have four teams from Mary MacKillop completing the 40 for Fortey this year. This is a wonderful opportunity to show solidarity with the Queensland Police Service and bear Witness as a community. Thank you so much to our Parent Engagement Network who were the driving force in organising our participation, and to the 31 runners who braved the cold temperatures. We modelled partnership, passion and perseverance and had a really good time”.

If you would like to be involved in another fun community event, keep an eye out for information about the MSswimathon in November.

Carmen Campbell
Junior PE Teacher

Students involved in MMTA are currently working on a play called The Scene Project. Last Thursday they welcomed a visit from

Steve Pirie (the writer of the script we are working with ‘Thousand Points from Zero’) from Queensland Theatre.

The Scene Project is Queensland Theatre’s largest Education offering and encourages drama students across the state to engage in the creative process of performance from rehearsal through to presentation. Each year, a playwright creates an original work and the participating schools are tasked with the challenge of creating their own unique 15minute version or interpretation of the play. During the rehearsal phase, Queensland Theatre artists visits the participating schools to check in on progress and offer a fresh perspective of the emerging work.

The project concludes with local schools coming together in a professional theatre venue (our venue is UniSQ Arts Theatre) to share their performance. On this day, a cast of professional Queensland Theatre actors also present a full interpretation of the play (under the same ‘minimalist’ parameters that schools have), providing young artists and their teachers with new ways of making and shaping texts that can be taken into their classrooms. The final stage of the project is a learning forum that allows for students to acknowledge the skill and artistry of their peers as well as engage in robust discussions around process and performance building.

The script for 2023’s Scene Project is “A Thousand Points from Zero” written by Steve Pirie and explores the complexities of the digital world we live in and the not so positive influences of Facebook, You-Tube, Tik Tok and other social media platforms.