DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING 

Vision for Teaching and Learning at St Mary MacKillop College - a statement that drives the development of a high performance learning culture at SMMC

At St Mary MacKillop College we have high expectations of our students as we equip them with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. We pursue excellence through a teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, engaging and encourages growth. We value collaboration, innovation and building strong relationships.

2025 College Production – Grease

‘Grease is the word!’ This year’s production of the musical Grease was outstanding and I congratulate everyone involved. Every year I am truly blown away by the talents of our students on stage. To remember lines, movement, blocking, entrances and exits are all important in the world of theatre. Theatre is a discipline in itself and teaches students so many skills. Of course, the actors are a very important part of any musical production, but there is another team of people working behind the scenes to ensure what is seen on the stage is delivered seamlessly during every performance. A school musical production really does bring our community together. We have people working front of house, backstage crew, wardrobe, makeup, sound and lighting, scenery design and props, and of course the amazing band. Many thanks to Mrs Henderson for her incredible vision as Director of the production, and for her amazing and inspirational work in organising all aspects of the production from the performance rights to the auditions, rehearsals and performances. A huge thank you to the team of staff who have supported Talia throughout the year, and to Mrs Quaife for organising the band and spending many hours rehearsing the music.

VCE Year 12 

Our Year 12 students have almost completed three terms of their formal teaching time for VCE Units 3 and 4. Students will then have an opportunity to complete trial exams before the official examination period commences in October.

We know as the exams approach stress levels will increase. It is important for our students to remain focused and look after their physical and emotional wellbeing. Here are some strategies that may help our students as they head into the busy exam season.

• Maintain a regular sleep pattern. Sleep helps to refresh the mind and body. Sleep Health Foundation Australia recommends teenagers from 14 to 17 years sleep for 8 to 10 hours each night.

• Create a timetable so you know when you will study and take breaks.

• Eat healthy foods and drink lots of water to keep hydrated. Minimise sugar and caffeine intake.

• Ensure you study in a quiet place away from distractions.

• Use your computer when you have to for your study, and not be distracted by playing games on it when you should be studying.

• Attend school every day. Attendance at VCE level is very important.

Parent Access Module (PAM)

We find ourselves over the halfway mark for Term 3. I would like to encourage all parents and guardians to take the time to log on to the Parent Access Module (PAM) and review their child’s progress and workload as communicated in their Teacher Advisor reports, class tasks, assessment task grades and teacher feedback. We encourage conversations at home around learning and the following questions may assist in these conversations:

• What progress have you made?

• What learning do you still need to do in order to improve your performance?

• What learning goals have you set for yourself?

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact the relevant teacher directly.

Year 11 and 12 Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews – Wednesday 13 August

On Wednesday 13 August, we held progress interviews for Year 11 and 12 students. Many thanks to our Year 11 and 12 teachers for their support of these interviews. These interviews provide an opportunity for teachers to meet with families, and discuss learning and strategies to maximise progress. We know that parent engagement in student learning has a positive impact on student achievement. If you were unable to attend these interviews, we encourage you to contact your child’s teachers to discuss the progress they are making in their learning. Please let me know if you have any feedback on the interviews. We wish our VCE and VCE VM/VPC students all the best with their studies.

Nathan Lane

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning