Principal
The last few weeks have seen numerous opportunities for students to engage in the holistic program that we offer at Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College. Below are some of the highlights.
Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and Walkathon
On 8 August, we celebrated the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop with a Mass and then our annual Walkathon and Students versus Staff Netball game. We were blessed with outstanding weather, and the day was a great success.
Thank you to all involved in the organisation of the Mass and Feast Day. In particular, I want to highlight the work of Scott Blencowe. The other significant contribution was from Bekk Anthony. However, there were contributions from the Student Mission Team, the Administration Team, the Maintenance Team, the Choir, which was supported by Beth Winterhalter and Meg Doherty, and many other staff who assisted before and during the day.
The Mass, celebrated by Fr. Stanley Devasia, was a fitting and prayerful way to start the day, and Nicole Dudman and John Ryan provided a fabulous presence at the commencement. We were blessed to have the presence of several members of the community, including members of the Josephite Associates, as well as parents and past staff.
The Walkathon was well run. This was a new route, and the addition of a “colour run” was a good initiative.
We concluded the day with the staff vs students Netball game, which was played in good spirit and enjoyed by all. The result is obviously irrelevant, but for the record, I recall a close match with the students winning by a relatively narrow margin.
The work will continue over the next few weeks, with various fundraising activities to take place to support our charities this year:
- The Movember Foundation
- Refugee and Migrant Homework Club Program
- Trinity Families
- Mackillop Today
Below you will find a link to a video on YouTube with messages from the school leaders from the associated schools in the Southeast AJASS cluster:
AJASS Southeast Cluster Meeting
On Maday, 4 August we hosted four principal and the executive officer from the AJASS South East Cluster: Chris Caldow from MacKillop College, Werribee, Victoria; Michelle Haeusler from St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill, Victoria; Joe Sandric from St James Catholic College, Cygnet, Tasmania; Elizabeth McDougall, Sacred Heart College, New Town, Tasmania; Ernie Pisani, Executive Officer for the cluster.
Thanks to Scott Blencowe, Nicole Dudman, Beth Winterhalter, Meg Doherty, senior members of our choir, and College Student Leaders, who provided a wonderful prayer liturgy for our guests from other AJASS schools in the southeast cluster. Attending were:
Other schools in the cluster are: Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College, Leongatha, Victoria; Mount St Joseph Girl’s College, Altona, Victoria; Penola Catholic College, Broadmeadows and Glenroy, Victoria; MacKillop Catholic College, Hobart, Tasmania; St Mary Mackillop College, Tuggeranong, ACT; Cullinane College, Whanganui, New Zealand; and Marian College, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Year 7 2026 Interviews
Earlier this term, we interviewed over 90 students and their families who will be joining us in 2026 as our new Year 7 students. We are continuing to interview families who were unable to attend the evening interviews.
Applications are still being submitted, and we will make every reasonable effort to enrol students.
Yarram Eisteddfod
Congratulations to our Music students for their success in the Yarram Eisteddfod.
Thank you to Beth Winterhalter for her outstanding support of the students throughout the Eisteddfod—also much appreciation to Meg Doherty in relation to the choir and Rob Damon with the transport.
More information can be found at https://yarrameisteddfod.com/ and the results are in this Newsletter.
Music Camp
Thank you to Beth Winterhalter and all the staff engaged in the Music Camp, which helped our students prepare for their performances at the Soiree.
Music Soiree and Art Show
Thank you and congratulations to everyone in the Arts and Technology faculty for their work both before and during the Music Soiree & Art Show.
This was an enormously entertaining night that displayed the talent of our students and staff at our College. There is so much we can be proud of.
The evening was attended by over 120 people, not including families, staff, current and old Collegians, who were there to support family and friends.
Whilst there is a risk to name people, as there are many people who contributed, I did want to highlight the work of Claire Mangs as the Faculty Leader, who, in her quiet, unassuming, but very thoughtful way, ensured everything was in place for the Art and Technology Show in the Learning Centre.
Also, my heartfelt appreciation to our music staff – Meg Doherty, Daniel Watson, Phil Schumann, Yuki Hama, and Beth Winterhalter, who did so much work to prepare the students. They were supported by Christina Lomagno, Richard Henwood, Carly Johnson, and a special guest contribution from David Robinson.
School Captains meeting with Bishop Greg Bennet
Thank you to Hannah Collocott, who accompanied me and our College Captains – Eleanor Pedlow and Patrick Wilson – to Warragul. Student leaders from all the Secondary Colleges in the Diocese of Sale had the opportunity to meet with Bishop Greg and respond to the following questions:
- If God were to whisper into our hearts, what would God urge us all to do to grow strong as a school or parish?
- How could you, as leaders, inspire your school community to be Pilgrims of Hope in 2025?
How will you accompany one another as the leaders of your school community in 2025?
This was a fruitful meeting, and all students enjoyed the experience of talking together.
Confirmation Retreat Day
Thanks to Nicole Dudman and the Year 11 Youth Ministry class for their work with students from our Catholic Primary Schools to prepare them for the sacrament of Confirmation on Friday, 15 August.
Briefly, the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic Church is one of the three sacraments of initiation, along with Baptism and Eucharist. It is a sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts, strengthening the individual's bond with the Church and empowering them to witness to their faith. Through Confirmation, Catholics receive a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, strengthening them to live out their faith more fully.
For more information, you can read - https://www.catholic.au/s/article/Confirmation-What-is-this-Sacrament-about. Also, the links on this page provide a deeper background.
SSV Sport
Our commitment to SSV Sport also continues.
Highlights this term are the success of our Senior Girls, Senior Boys, and Year 7 Boys Netball and Intermediate Boys Soccer Teams, who have won the Regional Finals and will now progress to State finals soon.
Thank you to Travis Newton and all staff for their support of this program. Details are in this Newsletter
Deputy Principal Wellbeing – Students and Staff Appraisal
Recently, John Ryan has undertaken a mid-term appraisal. The process consisted of staff surveys, a self-reflection by John, and then interviews by the appraisal panel with over 30 staff and a selection of students from various year levels.
The Panel consisted of:
Panel Chair: Oronzo Farina, educational consultant, former School Leadership Consultant, and experienced Principal.
Principal’s Nominee: Cindy Foat, experienced Deputy Principal, currently Campus Director at Kildare Campus, Lavalla Catholic College, and previously Deputy Principal at Catholic College Sale.
Appraisee’s Nominee: Stephen Dunning, Deputy Principal, Students at Nagle College, Bairnsdale
This was a valuable process for John and the College.
Staffing News
This week, we welcome Alison McIntyre, who will be with Nia Robinson. She will be working alongside Nia Robinson for training as the Acting Executive Assistant to the Principal in anticipation of Nia commencing maternity leave early next term.
Recently, we farewelled Sharnee Allan, one of our Student Health Officers. We wish Sharnee and all her family all the best of success.
Congratulations to Hannah Collocott, who submitted her final assessment for her Master of Education last Wednesday.
Sapientia Domini Docet Nos
John M Freeman