Edition 11,
3 December 2021

Farewells & 2022 New Staff

As this school year draws to a close we farewell a number of people who have generously contributed to the life of the College. We are grateful for their presence and service.

We farewell Lauren Sutton who will take up her new position of Deputy Principal/ Head of Senior School at St Peter’s Girls’ School. Lauren has been at Mary MacKillop College for nine years and held a number of leadership positions. If there was a task to be done, Lauren would give it a go. She has been an outstanding leader and a huge support to me over many years.

We also say farewell to Martina O’Connell who will take up the position of Director of Mission at Loreto College. Martina has been at Mary MacKillop College for four years. I will miss her calming presence, wit and attention to detail.

Shauna Fragomeli is retiring after 21 years at the College (41 Years of service in Catholic Education). We hope that Shauna enjoys this next stage of adventure, relaxation and fun.

Angela Marveggio has been on Maternity Leave and has now resigned from her position at the College. We thank Angela for her contribution to the College and in particular introducing Dance as a curriculum subject.

Huw Channing has been our Sports Coordinator for the last 6 months while Zoe Duffy has been on Maternity Leave. Huw leaves us to join Adelaide High as a Wellbeing Coordinator.  We have appreciated Mr Channing’s calm and thoughtful manner and we wish him every success in this new role.

Ida Parente will be taking some Long Service leave at the beginning of Term 1. I am delighted to announce that Mary Lepore will take on the role of Year 8 Pastoral Care Coordinator during Ida’s leave.

Stephanie Adam, our Sports Assistant leaves us for a full time position. We thank Stephanie for her contribution to the PE department.

We must also mention the enormous contribution that Sr Colleen Roberts has made to our school community and that of Catholic Education through the Catholic Schools Music Festival. Sr Colleen is now going to have a well deserved rest and enjoy a more relaxed pace of life.

There will be a number of new staff for 2022.

• Zoe Politis (Sports Coordinator and PCC), Semester 1
• Jess Di Iorio (Maths, Science and Digital Technologies)
• Lisa Turley ( Maths, Scince and Digital technologies)
• Melissa Loy (English, Italian and Religious Education)
• Astrid Powell (Physical Education)
• Tracey Kermond (ESO)

There will be three new members of the Leadership Team, Kate Kilpatrick (Acting Deputy Principal), Jasmin Eckert as Director of Teaching and Learning, and Jeanene Corbo as Senior Years Coordinator.

COVID-19 Update

Over the last few weeks we have yet again experienced the uncertainty due to the pandemic. Many of us who were hoping to see family and friends from interstate or overseas have now had those plans thwarted by new restrictions. Schools are at the forefront of ensuring that communities are safe and whatever your opinion on various measures we have been directed to put certain requirements for staff, volunteers and contractors into place. It is required that all staff and volunteers will be double vaccinated against COVID-19 by the beginning of the 2022 school year.

Class of 2021 - 10 Year Reunion

Last week we held a tour of the College for a group of young women who graduated from the College in 2011. They delighted at many of the changes that had been made around the College, they were particularly impressed by the Year 12 Common Room, they swapped stories and made promises to catch up more often. One of our 2011 Graduates had her own little baby with her and she slept peacefully throughout the reunion. Hopefully we will be able to do more of these reunions more often next year. Please contact the College if you would like to organise a reunion for your Graduating class.

New Building Project

The new Arts and Science Building is progressing well and during Term 1 next year we hope to be able to share with the community our new plans.

Year 12 Graduation Dinner

The Year 12 Graduation Dinner at the Entertainment Centre went extremely well. During the Awards part of the evening, I announced that Tess McCormack was awarded the Mary MacKillop Award for her outstanding contribution over five years to the College community.

Best Wishes!

I would like to thank everyone who has supported the College community during 2021. We have achieved so much in a very challenging year. I look forward to sharing with you our final Year 12 Academic results next week.

We are now in the wonderful season of Advent. This is a season of hope and longing. When the true Christmas season is upon us, I wish you a peaceful and joyous Christmas with family and friends. Best wishes for the summer holidays and I look forward to seeing you all again in 2022.

Kath McGuigan
Principal

This year, the College introduced Pulse, a wellbeing tool used to “check in” with our students and measure how they are feeling. Each week, students answer questions about their wellbeing. We have discovered that Pulse assists students to request help from a teacher should they want it. When reflecting back on the data, MacKillop girls have felt valued and safe at school, and they believe they have access to basic material objects necessary for success in life. They also feel as though they have opportunities to learn and to participate in their learning and they have a positive sense of self-identity and culture. An area where there is room for growth is in managing challenging situations and emotions. Adolescence is a time of great change and sometimes turmoil. Your best friend one day can be a stranger the next or a failed test might seem like the end of the world. No doubt these situations can cause negative or uneasy feelings and emotions for our young people. While we never want to see our girls upset or disappointed, these are also experiences that must be had. The learning we take from changing friendships or failure is what continues to build resilience for both the young and old. Instead of trying to solve their problems or prevent them from ever having a bad experience, sometimes the best thing we can offer is an ear to listen. To actively listen, to acknowledge the pain and disappointment but not jump in to defend straight away is often all someone wants.

I encourage all students to continue accessing Pulse next year. This places our girls in control of their wellbeing, understanding times of struggles while also noting moments, situations or experiences that build and maintain their positive wellbeing.

I take this opportunity to thank all MacKillop Girls and their families both past and present for their support, guidance and sense of fun. It has been an absolute privilege to be a part of the Mary MacKillop College community these past nine years. It is a place of excellence, a place of history and tradition and a place of laughter. I will miss this community tremendously but will take all that I have learnt and the courage of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop with me.

Take care and stay safe over the Christmas break, may it be a restful time with family and friends.

Lauren Sutton
Director of Students

End of Year Mass

At Mary MacKillop College, we value the times we unite to celebrate and develop our faith. Despite the challenges that continued in 2021 due to COVID-19, the College community was able to gather together in prayer, celebrating the End of Year Mass at St Ignatius Church. Fr Stan Lim allowed us to reflect on the College theme of “Courage and Justice” and to continue to follow in the footsteps of our Patron, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. As Christmas time is approaching, let us celebrate the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love sent to us by God in the birth of our Saviour Jesus. Let us continue to offer our blessings to all those we meet.

Social Justice Outreach

MacKillop girls truly know how to do more and never see a need without doing something about it.

Throughout this year, students have been involved in many social justice events. This term they focussed on the Vinnies Christmas Hamper Appeal, where donations of food and other suitable items were placed in hampers. We thank you all for your generosity. These hampers will be given to St Vincent De Paul Society so they can be distributed to those in need, to make their Christmas a season of great joy. Thank you for helping to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

Wishing you all blessings for the Christmas season. May it bring you much joy and peace. May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the magi and the peace of the Christ child.

Adriana Sotira
Religious Education Coordinator

Term 4 Sport

Term 4 Sport has wrapped up for another year, with our Senior School Teams finishing their season at the end of Week 5 and our Middle School teams at the end of Week 6. Well done to all of our volleyball, touch football, tennis and basketball teams on their commitment and enthusiasm for the season. Premiership placings are determined by the ladder position after the final round of competition and a special mention goes to our Senior Tennis team who went undefeated, and not just this term but also in Term 1. Well done to Analissa, Alexis, Jen, Kahlea and Jasmine as well as their coach and Old Scholar Elicia for their fantastic effort this term.

Year 4/5 Girls Netball Day

On Friday 19 November, we hosted close to 80 Year 4 and 5 girls from numerous primary schools for our second annual Netball Day. Our Old Scholar coaches, 2021 Sport Captains, Ella, Abigail, Tara and Matilda, and student volunteers did a wonderful job, showcasing the school's netball program with an exhibition match, taking the girls for skill sessions and then coaching teams throughout a netball tournament. It was lovely seeing our MacKillop girls take on leadership roles, offering support and encouragement as well as teaching netball skills to younger students within the community. A special shout out goes to the White Team for winning the spirit award for the day, as voted by all of the coaches and staff. We thank our Old Scholar coaches, Sport Captains and student helpers for their involvement in making the day a huge success. After a full day of chasing around and trying to keep up with young children, I think some of our students gained a new perspective on the pleasures/pains of being a teacher or a carer of a child!

2022 Swimming Carnival

We recently shared our Swimming Carnival theme for 2022… Iconic Groups!

Students are encouraged to team up with their friends to dress up as iconic groups and duos with their house colours.

We cannot wait to see what our students come up with and look forward to our Swimming Carnival on the Friday 4 February 2022. Nominations for Swimming Carnival events will be held during Pastoral Care in Week 1 of Term 1.

Farewell!

This will be my final communication before moving on from my role at Mary MacKillop College. I wish to thank all students, staff and community members for their support of myself and sports at the College. It has been a pleasure to work within such a welcoming and supportive community and I am definitely leaving with mixed feelings of excitement as well as sadness. In my short stint I hope that I have made a positive impact with students and the community and have aimed to make a positive contribution to the PE department.

In closing, I would like to share a little joke that I shared with the Sports Captains…

Knock knock.

Who’s there?

Gratty

Gratty who?

Gratitude!

Huw Channing
Sports Coordinator

Visual Art

In Visual Art this term, the Year 7s became Archaeologists and discovered a new species of insect while exploring the Egyptian pyramids. The students combined parts of common bugs to design their own new insect or arachnid. The finished creatures were painted in watercolour, and creatively presented as specimens in jars or on sticks.

The Year 8s explored the shapes and colours of Summer. Using pattern with positive and negative shapes, they created beautiful wallpapers using the organic forms of seashells.

Year 9s worked on the theme of ‘My Home, My Environment’ while studying Indigenous art. They researched their communities and aerial views of their neighborhoods. Students added shapes and symbols to their maps of home, which were then carved into lino and printed as an abstract representation of their communities and environment.

Music

We would like to acknowledge the contribution Sr Colleen Roberts has made to the Music department at Mary MacKillop College. Sr Colleen Roberts has been teaching Music and Piano for many years and has been influential in Music Education in Adelaide. Along with over 40 years of service to Music Education, Sr Colleen was a founding organiser of the Catholic Schools Music Festival in Adelaide. We have been fortunate to have Sr Colleen as a piano tutor at Mary MacKillop College, where she has influenced many students over her time here.

AHOMINGS is an organisation supporting Music teachers and one of the things they do is promote and recognise the efforts of all Music teachers in schools. Sr Colleen was recently awarded the ‘Significant Contribution to the Profession’ Award in recognition of her life-long achievements. We would like to congratulate, recognise and thank Sr Colleen for her tireless work in the area of Music Education and wish her the very best of health in her retirement at the end of this year - a well-deserved rest.

Drama

Drama classes have enjoyed performing to their peers this term, proudly presenting work they have explored in class. The Year 8s performed their three Revolting Rhymes plays featuring Cinderella, Red Riding Hood and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Their hilarious take on the twisted tales was a lot of fun and a great way to finish their semester of Drama. Also inspired by well know stories, the Year 7 Drama students presented shadow puppet plays adding their own twist to these stories. Students had a lot of fun while learning about this ancient art form through creating their own puppets, experimenting with various lighting effects and developing a range of character voices and sound effects to compliment their puppets.

Dance

Dance students have been involved in commemorating some recent important events in the school. The Year 9 Dance class were honored to perform their lyrical dance piece “We Will Remember” as part of our school's Remembrance Day Service this term. The piece expressed the diary entries and experiences of a soldier through dance. The class performed with compassion and connection, reflecting the ability, cohesion and maturity of this group of dancers. 

As part of “The Sounds of Asia” closing ceremony, Year 8 students Akaldeep and Gurmanat enthusiastically shared their Bhangra dance performance. Bhangra originated in the Punjab area of India, farmers performing the dance as a cultural celebration during the harvesting season. Having recently participated in the Bhangra World Cup with Rooh Punjab Dee Bhangra Academy their highly energetic routine placed third in the world! Performing the group routine as a duet, usually with six other dancers, the use of the Chikke and striking traditional costuming added to the impact of the dance. Thank you for sharing this wonderful performance with us.

Our End of Year Mass was a wonderful conclusion to our school year and the Year 7 and 8 dancers were delighted to be involved in this important school event. The dancers reflected the importance of love, growth, patience and resilience through their moving liturgical dance “The Rose”, the song encouraging us to be strong in the face of hardship. Thank you to this dedicated group of dancers for your expressive performance.

We wish all of our students a happy and restful break as we look forward to new opportunities in 2022.

The Arts Learning Area

Spring Poetry

Students often regard poetry as outdated and tiresome, yet with the performance poetry of Spoken Word poets such as Rupi Kaur and Prince EA, the joys of poetry are being reawakened in a new generation.

With many finding pleasure in poetry once again, it is with much delight that the English Learning Area announces that 11 students from Mary MacKillop College had their poems published in the 2021 SAETA Spring Poetry Anthology. Selected from 357 poems submitted, from 34 schools across the state, our students used their words and imaginations to impress the judges.

We congratulate the following students on their outstanding poems and look forward to more publications in 2022.

• Soha (Year 7) - “The Takers”
• Harleen (Year 8) - “Three shining stars, three lonely creatures”
• Zarah (Year 8) - “Fire crackling, pleading for more”
• Olivia (Year 9) - “We Have The Right To Vote”
• Lily (Year 9) -  “Rain”
• Piper (Year 9) - “Little Moments”
• Kahlea (Year 9) - “Stay At Home”
• Sofia (Year 10) - “Reality”
• Hailey (Year 10) - “You Say That…”
• Tayla (Year 10) - “The Beauty of Self-Destruction”
• Mia (Year 11) - “The Winter Days”

ICAS English

Each year the College provides students with the opportunity to enter the ICAS competitions in the subject areas of Digital Technologies, English, Mathematics and Science. Designed to assess students’ abilities and apply their classroom learning to new contexts, the competitions engage higher order thinking and problem solving skills.

Once again, the English Learning Area congratulates the 9 students who entered the English competition of their own accord and challenged themselves in the process. We especially acknowledge our Merit, Credit and Distinction recipients.

• Merit recipient – Year 9 – Scarlett
• Credit recipient – Year 9 – Naaz
• Distinction recipient – Year 9 - Khalea

The ICAS Competitions will again be offered in 2022 and we hope to see many more students enter the ‘stretch zone’ and participate.

Mini Del Corso
English Learning Area Leader

Stained Glass Windows

The Year 8 Maths students have recently been exploring geometry and measurement. The students were given an assignment that gave them the opportunity to apply their measurement skills to produce something creative. They were asked to design a stained glass window and measure the area of each shape they used in their design. Part of the process involved the costing of glass and other materials that were used. The girls worked with many geometric shapes to create their colourful windows that exhibited their accuracy and creativity with excellent results.

Kay Christopher
Mathematics Learning Area Leader

People's Choice Community Lottery

This year, the College is taking part in the People's Choice Community Lottery to help reach our fundraising goals for a new capital development project.

Tickets are only $2 each. The lottery has 40 fantastic prizes worth over $300,000.

To buy tickets, head to https://bit.ly/3C8UEZh.

Feel free to share this link to family and friends as anyone can purchase tickets online. 100% of proceeds raised under our group name will be provided to the College. Be quick to get online before tickets sell out.

Thank you for your support.

Parents and Friends Association