PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

I am providing this update from Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney. I am grateful to have attended the recent Association of Josephite Affiliated Secondary Schools (AJASS) Principals Conference. The theme this year was "Pilgrims of Hope – Didn’t our hearts burn?!"

The conference began with Associate Professor Sr Michele Connolly RSJ, guiding us through the gospel story of the apostles walking to Emmaus after the resurrection of Jesus (Luke 24:13-35). This theme set the tone for our discussions on what it means to serve as a Principal in a Josephite school, particularly through our Eyes-Heart, Hands-Feet, and Mouth-Ears.

As we proceed with the initial planning stages of development at our new school site, I have been paying particular attention to the Josephite images, place names, and language used within our schools and at Mary MacKillop Place. Recently, staff and students were invited to suggest names for the two campuses of St Mary MacKillop College. I have been impressed by the number of thoughtful responses received. Assigning distinct names to each campus will enhance clarity in our communications. A voting process for staff and students to select preferred names will be conducted next week.

Please refer to today’s newsletter for the current stage one development plan and the design of the first building, which will serve as a Science and Technology facility and accommodate Year 9 students starting in 2027. Planning for stage two will commence soon, with plans to add classrooms and office spaces to support additional year levels on the site. This is an exciting period of growth for our community.

I would like to acknowledge that I did not submit a report in the previous newsletter, as I was on two weeks of long service leave. During my absence, Mrs Kath Jones addressed students regarding school uniform expectations. However, some remarks made during this assembly did not align with our school values or our commitment to inclusion. Mrs Jones took time to reflect on her comments and subsequently met with me upon my return. She requested and delivered a heartfelt public apology to staff and students on Monday.

It is understandable that there may be differing opinions about this matter. Moving forward, we will take opportunities to reaffirm our commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all individuals, both within our school community and in the broader society.

There has been an uptick in community illnesses, including influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. Our staff have been advised to ensure air filtration units are operational, maintain clean surfaces, and promote hand hygiene. I strongly recommend immunisation where possible, and encourage staff and students experiencing symptoms to remain at home until fully recovered. Thankfully, we are approaching the end of the term, with only one week remaining before the upcoming break.

Finally, we will be saying farewell to Mr. Bo Kronberg at the end of this term. Mr. Kronberg has been with us for 12 months since relocating from Sweden. A principal’s letter to families, to be sent during the first week of the break, will outline upcoming changes to student timetables. We sincerely thank Mr. Kronberg for his contributions over the past year and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

Michelle Haeusler

Principal