Mary MacKillop Newsletter

Principal

Welcome back to Term 4. This will be a busy term so I hope that all have returned refreshed from the break. 

 

A Prayer for all those who are in the midst of Oppression, Violence, War, and Injustice.

I would like to share the following prayer for peace in relation to the outbreak of tension in the Middle East, particularly in the Gaza Strip. This prayer is also applicable to all people in places where there is the conflict, so please feel free to pray it with all those in mind who are suffering from violence and oppression.

Bring Justice and Peace

God of all creation, bring justice and peace to our world. 

Teach us to be peacemakers. Guide us in our pursuit of

justice and the common good. Inspire us to welcome all, forgive

all, and love all. Direct us as we walk in the shadow of Jesus: the

Way, the Truth, and the Life. Inspire us to perceive the world

through your eyes, that we might find hope and joy each day,

supportive of each other, for the sake of your Kingdom.

- Author Unknown

 

Sourced from - https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

 

Year 12 Graduation

Yesterday was the final day of formal classes for our Year 12 students and today they attended their last College Assembly. To celebrate the Year 12 Class of 2023's time at Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College we have had a number of events. 

 

These included a Netball game between the Year 12 and the Staff, assisted by students in other levels. In what was a very tight game in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd. The Year 12s were the eventual winners.

 

Whilst we were unable to go outside for the Tree Planting, due to heavy rain yesterday, the Class of 2023 along with a number of staff were able to symbolically plant the 2023 Graduation Tree in a ceremony in Pioneer Hall. The tree has now been planted on the driveway leading up to the school. This a relatively new tradition that commenced in 2019 and each tree is marked by a plaque that includes the College's annual theme, which for this year is “Be eager in your desires, but patient in their accomplishment”.

 

Today the students commenced at 7.00 a.m. with a breakfast prepared by staff, which was followed by the cohort gathering together to share memories and acknowledge each other. This activity was followed by a  moving and joyous whole school assembly. The Year 12s danced into the Pioneer Hall to the applause of the staff and Years 7 to 11 students. The highlight of the assembly was each student being called individually to be acknowledged by the community and to receive a commemorative gift.

 

Tonight, the students will be together for the last time. First at the Graduation Mass at St Joseph’s, Wonthaggi, and then when we gather at the Silverwater Resort in San Remo for dinner.

 

Below is an edited version of my address to the students at the College assembly this morning:

 

To the graduating class of 2023, I say on behalf of all of the Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College community we are proud of you. We want you to know that you have done so well this year and, I hope you are proud of yourselves for what you have achieved over the last 13 years of primary and secondary education.

 

You have faced challenges, taken up opportunities, been of great support to each other and are genuine role models with a strong sense of community.

 

It may be trite to say this, because everyone does, but it remains true, you have left the College a better place for you having been here. 

 

So, we have two hopes for you.

First, we hope that you continue in your life to be the epitome of the key elements of our College Vision, Mission, and Strategic intent as you journey into the wider world, and these are:

  • Be a person who is welcoming to others;
  • Strive to keep learning throughout your life;
  • Be guided by the inspiration of St Mary of the Cross, MacKillop, and the Jospehite charism, particularly that challenge to “Never See a Need Without Doing Something About It”; and to
  • Live out our motto Sapientia Domini Docet Nos, The Wisdom of the Lord Teaches Us, by remembering the past, honouring the present, and inspiring the future of all those you love and work with throughout life’s journey

Second is that you heed the advice the advice from Mary Mackillop which you chose as our theme this year:

 

Be eager in your desires, but patient in their accomplishment

 

So, with regard to this hope I want to give you a sense of what it is to accomplish your desires, or put another way, to be successful. To best express this I offer the following definition of success which is often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson or more correctly Bessie A. Stanley

 

Success

“To live well, to laugh often, to love much, to gain the respect of intelligent people, to win the love of little children. To fill one’s niche and accomplish one’s task, to leave the world better than one finds it whether by an improved flower, a perfect poem or another life ennobled. To never lack appreciation of earth’s beauty or fail to express it, to always look for the best in others, to give the best one has. To make one’s life an inspiration and one’s memory a benediction. This is success.”

 

Finally, I again congratulate you, our Graduands of 2023, and thank you most sincerely for your contribution to our school.  All of us here wish you every blessing, and the best of success in everything you do, and remember that you are welcome here and will be delighted to hear how you are succeeding in achieving all your hopes in your future.

 

Go well class of 2023.                           

 

Walkathon Presentation Assembly and Acknowledgements

Thank you to everyone who participated in the assembly on Tuesday, 3 October 2023. Particular thanks to Nicole Dudman and Zac Cox for all their work preparing for the first gathering of the College for Term 4. It was very well organised and the variety of presentations highlighted the myriad of ways our students can achieve.

 

Thank you to Jay Baker and Lisa Hogan for their presentations and thank you to Beth Winterhalter, Megan Doherty, Daniel Isgro, and David Robinson and all involved in supporting the choir

 

School Leadership 2024 – School Captain Speeches next week and voting

For the last several weeks Nicole Dudman and Scott Blencowe have been working with Year 11 students aspiring to leadership roles for 2024. Next week we will have an assembly on Tuesday where we will hear speeches from the Class of 2024 students who have put themselves forward for College Captain and Vice-Captain positions.

 

I wish all students presenting next week the best in both their speeches and the voting process that will follow.

 

Year 9 Camp

Thank you to Chris Spencer for his leadership of the Year 9 City Experience last week. He was supported by Daniel Sheahan, Rosemary Drennan, Jessica Stein, Peter Preston, Laura Muranty, Edson Letendrie, Jay Baker, Rahne Widarsito, Gerard Gordon, James Forrester and Kellie Davis. 

 

Also thank you to Zac Cox as well as Jodie Connell and Donna Wylie in regards to the planning of the Camp.

 

Principal’s Enrichment Leave

Thank you to everyone for their support of John Ryan and Jodie Connell as they took on the role of Acting Co-Principals whilst I was on enrichment leave for the last two weeks of Term 3.

 

As I advised in Newsletters last term I participated in the Catholic School Identity 2023 Study Program at the Catholic University Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium. 

 

This was a great experience shared with 32 other educators from the following Dioceses: 7 dioceses

  • Archdiocese of Adelaide (14)
  • Archdiocese of Brisbane (7)
  • Archdiocese of Melbourne (1)
  • Diocese of Cairns (4)
  • Diocese of Sale (2 – myself and Cathy Blackford at Star of the Sea in Cowes)
  • Diocese of Sandhurst (3)
  • Diocese of Townsville (1)

Additionally, we had a priest from Croatia studying for his doctoral join us.

 

Therefore, I was able to meet with a broad cross-section of Catholic educators in Australia and as stated Croatia, along with those we met in Belgium (we visited and spoke with staff at the Catholic Education Office for Flanders as well a secondary and primary school during the course). 

 

I feel confident that the course has deepened my theological and practical understanding of the work to enhance the Catholic Identity of our school and it will help formulate this area in our Strategic Plan for 2024 to 2027.

 

Staff News News:

Welcome to:

  • Ben Abbott – who will be teaching in the areas of Humanities, Mathematics, Science
  •  Nicole Bucilli- who will be teaching in the areas of RE, Humanities, and Legal Studies
  • Travis Newton- who will be teaching in the area of HDPE
  • Caitlin Reid – who is working as a Learning Support Officer 

Welcome back to:

  • Ken Myors – who will now commence as our Grounds and Maintenance Manager
  • Lynn Mills – returning from LSL
  • Tracey Bugbird – returning from LSKL
  • Tendai Nyamunduru – returning from LSL

Sapientia Domini Docet Nos

John M Freeman