Principal's Message

Dear Families,

Welcome back to all families and students after the summer holidays! It was great to welcome back to school all those happy smiling faces. Once the students return, the College truly comes to life. A special welcome to our 118 new Year 7’s and to all the students who have joined us at other year levels as well. The College has again opened with its largest ever enrolment, with over 630 students in all. We hope your time at Mary MacKillop is happy and successful.

Congratulations to our graduating Class of 2020. They did very well with University offers, apprenticeships and in gaining employment. About two-thirds of our graduating class received offers for their first or second preference. Many of them will be heading off to commence studies in the next few weeks, many have already started work in their chosen fields. We wish them all well on the next stage of their adventure. We held the Achievers Assembly earlier this week, socially-distanced due to Covid-19, to present our Achievers: students who achieved the highest study score in their subject. Particular congratulations to the winners of our major awards: The Cardell’s Accountants Humanities and Science Award winner Molly Kent, the Leongatha Medical Group Maths & Science Award winner Samantha O’Brien, and the College Dux, with an ATAR of 99.7, including the notable achievement of not one but two scores of a perfect 50 in Biology and Further Mathematics, Hannah Perry. There are photos and a full report of prizewinners in this newsletter. Congratulations to you all, we are proud of you. 

With the continuing growth of the College, we start the year by welcoming seven new teachers: welcome to Zac Cox, Jordan Miller, Stephen Ross-Bryant, Claire Cassidy, Richard Ogilvie, Melissa Fuller and Elise Dowling, a former student of the College. We also welcome back three returning teachers: welcome back to Lisa Hogan, Kathleen D-Auget and Patrick McCarthy. We are very pleased to have you all on board. We also welcome this year’s AFL Trainees: recent graduates Zali Hill, Kaitlyn Funnell and Caitlin Reid. We look forward to each of you having a long and happy association with the College. There are profiles to introduce the new staff in this newsletter.

School has started quickly: we have already seen a successful Year 12 Retreat and Year 8 Camp. I was able to have the pleasure of visiting both activities, and at each it was clear how much students and staff were enjoying the experience of sharing each other’s company, having fun and showing great participation and co-operation. Students have made a great start to the year. There are photos from each activity included in this newsletter.

Our major building project is nearing completion. We hope to move into it with our senior classes by the end of term. There is already a great sense of anticipation as we prepare to move into this magnificent new facility. the College Captains and Senior Students have already put forward a number of ideas of how they would like to make use of their new building. It should be a huge benefit for students and staff alike.

Wishing all our students and families every success as we begin the new year.

David Leslie

Principal