MACS Annual Report 2024

The MACS Annual Report 2024 is now available to access. You may notice that the image of Sophie W (5/6CM) features on the front cover. Further images of Sophie and Edward C (5/6DG) can be found within this document. To access the report, simply select the image below:

Vision for Engagement

A few week ago, I wrote about attending the official launch of MACS Vision for Engagement. Vision for Engagement is a companion document to Vision for Instruction (MACS 2024), forming the basis of the Flourishing Learners strategic program, a key element of the MACS 2030 strategic plan.

Together, these two visions reflect a unified approach where high-quality teaching drives meaningful student engagement, and recognises that the impact of such teaching cannot be truly realised unless students are fully engaged.

Vision for Engagement builds on the strong foundation laid by Vision for Instruction. These two position statements are intentionally interdependent. They reflect a unified approach that places high-quality teaching and meaningful student engagement at the very heart of learning (Dr Mary Oski, Director Education Excellence at MACS).

Why Vision for Engagement?

Students today face many challenges, including declining mental health, rising anxiety and social isolation (MACS 2025a, p. 4). Vision for Engagement partners with schools and families to address these issues by promoting environments where calm and respectful behaviour is taught and practiced, and where every student feels safe and supported.

MACS aims to become the benchmark for excellence in teaching and learning by providing access to a coherently integrated and academically competitive education for all students, regardless of their background or circumstances (MACS 2023, p. 10).

What is Vision for Engagement?

The Vision for Engagement is an evidence-informed and authentically Catholic commitment to nurturing calm, respectful and inclusive classrooms where every student can thrive academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually (p. v).

It is deeply rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, which calls us to recognise that true human flourishing requires an integrated understanding of the whole person. It is a perspective that honours the material, the social, the educational, the spiritual, and the emotional held together with compassion and care (Bernadette Cronin, Chief of Student Services, MACS).

Vision for Engagement describes high-impact practices derived from research on how students learn and thrive, and studies of the most successful teachers. These practices are designed to ensure that every student at a MACS school can flourish.

At its core are two overarching implementation expectations:

a whole-school approach
tiered system of supports.

These expectations are applied across the following six engagement practices:

teaching respectful behaviour
fostering belonging
focusing on attendance
promoting mental health and wellbeing
enabling motivation
targeting individual learning needs.

New Synthetic Turf

Over the forthcoming school holidays, works will take place on the synthetic turf at the Northern end of the school property. Essentially, the turf adjacent to the sandpit and ultimately extending to the rear of the property will be removed. The base will be repaired with overlay, three drainage pits will be installed, the ground will be laser graded, and new synthetic turf with linemarkings will be reinstated.

The entire project is forecast to be completed within the two week holiday break, but we have allowed an additional week should the weather not be favourable.

NAIDOC Week: 6 -13 July

NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is held each year during the first week of July and is an important annual event where everyone is invited to join in the celebrations.

Each year NAIDOC will choose a theme to build the celebrations around. 2025 is the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week, and the theme this year is ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy’, which celebrates the achievements of the past and a bright future ahead.

NAIDOC Week is a chance for everyone, not just First Nations people, to celebrate all aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

NAIDOC Week is a good time to discuss the significance of the OHR mural, Our Special Place, that was painted in early 2024. It tells the story of our school in the context of the Boroondara landscape.

Our Special Place

The mural captures our school motto 'Grow, Learn, Succeed'. ‘Our Special Place’ celebrates the journey and steps taken throughout primary school. Guided by Christ, the nurturing staff, and a strong community presence, ‘Our Special Place’ celebrates the uplifting spirit of connection.

Nestled on top of the hills of Boroondara, where the Wurundjeri/Woiwurrung people have continuously cared for and nurtured the thickly shadedland, 'Our Special Place’ teaches us to respect, protect and preserve the land and waterways for our future generations.

‘Our Special Place’ depicts a variety of blue, green, orange, yellow, and soft white shades to represent colours within the environment, changing seasons and landscapes throughout time. The central meeting place in blue represents our school, branching out to further coloured central gathering spaces of learning within classrooms. The long pathways on either side take us throughout our learning journey, with smaller gathering spaces reflecting areas within the school where, eating, sharing, playing, sport, church and learning opportunities are shared in peace and harmony with each other and our teachers.

Amongst the large hills are emu and kangaroo tracks, varied symbols of families and community, sacred waterholes, men and women symbols of children and staff, rockshaped patterns, yellow stars of Christ, and the repetition of dot work. These symbols represent the movement of our school, the environment and a strong connection to country and place.

A variety of traditional Yorta Yorta and Juru symbols alongside common Aboriginal symbols, transform our school’s story and the ongoing respect we have with our Aboriginal Culture.

‘Our Special Place’ shares a unique story of uplifting experiences for all, within a safe and nurturing learning environment. Filled with diversity, enthusiasm, and core values to encourage growth and strength for all students at Our Holy Redeemer Primary School.

Parent-Teacher Conversations

Parent-Teacher Conversations will be held on:

Wednesday 30 July: 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Thursday 31 July: 1.30pm - 4.30pm

Therefore, the students will be dismissed from school at 1.00pm on Thursday 31 July. During the first week of Term 3, details will be emailed to families enabling parents to book their preferred time/s.

About Real Life - Term 3

The About Real Life Progrm commences early next term. Please head to the Student Wellbeing page for further information.

End of Term 2 & PFA Sausage Sizzle

Don't forget that the students will be dismissed at 1.00pm tomorrow to commence their school holidays. The end of term PFA Sausage Sizzle will be held prior to dismissal time. The cost for a sausage in bread is a gold coin donation.

Ryan Davis would appreciate a few helpers on the day. Please contact Ryan, if you can assist.

Term 3 School Closure Day

There will be one school closure day in Term 3 enabling the OHR staff to continue their work on fine-tuning the implementation of pedagogical practices detailed in MACS Vision for Instruction. The school closure day will fall on Monday 4 August.

And Finally ...

Last week, I was speaking to some of our Prep parents who could not believe that were approaching the halfway mark of the year. They commented on how far their children had come in less than six months of schooling, both in terms of academic and social growth.

The Winter school holidays provides the opportunity for children and parents to take a good break from the busy nature of school life. It’s apparent that the children become tired during the middle of the school year with the onset of winter. It’s time for them, and you for that matter, to have a break from the school routine.

The second term has been busy with plenty of great learning and extra curricular opportunities on offer for the children including, but certainly not limited to: the ANZAC Day Commemoration; the Year 3/4 Camp at Phillip Island; Eucharist Reflection Day; an Open Morning; 2026 Family Enrolment Meetings; lunchtime chess program; Excursion to the Melbourne Museum (Prep and Yrs 1/2); Inform and Empower Cybersafety Sessions; Visits by members of the Richmond AFLW and AFL teams; Friday Inter-school Sport; House and District Cross Country; Mother's Day Breakfast and Stall; Lamont Book Fair; Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day; OHR Public Speaking Season; Members of Parliament meetings (SRC); etc. etc. … It certainly has been a busy one.

Next term will provide many highlights for the school community including: The MASH Rotary Primary Schools Speech Competition; OHR Kids' Disco; 100 Days of Prep; District Athletics Day; Book Week; Fathers' Day Breakfast and Stall; the OHR School Concert; Footy Colours Day; and the list goes on.

Thanks to all our parents for your ongoing support and all that you do to make our school community great.

I would like to wish everyone well for a good holiday break,

Frank Dame

School Community