Edition 9,
22 October 2021

The end of Term 3 was a great success.  We finally had M Factor, which was delayed due to the Lockdown at the beginning of Term 3 and then we finished off the day with the Colour Run. I was very proud of the students who organized this, they raised money for charities and made a conscious effort to raise awareness of those in need. It took multiple shampoos to wash the green dye out of my hair! Now we are back into all of what Term 4 has to offer, saying farewell to our wonderful 12s, finishing off those last few assignments and looking forward to warm summer days.

Farewell Class of 2021

It has been an emotional week for our Year 12 cohort and their teachers.  A final liturgy and presentation of awards was held in St Joseph’s Chapel on Wednesday. It has been almost 2 years since we have been allowed to visit the Chapel. We are so grateful to the Sisters for allowing our Year 12s to spend some time in this very special place during their last week at school. The Year 12 Parent Breakfast at Sferas was a beautiful event. I am so grateful to Martina O’ Connell, Lauren Sutton and the Year 12 PC teachers for their hard work and commitment in making this event a success.

Our final Year 12 College Mass and Assembly was held in the College gymnasium and was a fitting tribute to the class of 2021. We acknowledged and celebrated their achievements, laughed as they remembered moments from camps and retreats and finally they walked down the driveway for the very last time. Well done girls!

Staffing

Lauren Sutton has been appointed to the position of Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School at St Peter’s Girls’ School from 2022. Lauren has been at Mary MacKillop College for nine years and during this time has developed as a leader through experience and further study. She works extremely hard, is very reliable and shows great initiative. We congratulate Lauren on achieving this wonderful new position.

Melissa Couzner, Future Pathways Coordinator, has gained a full-time position with another organisation. Throughout 2021, she has developed strong professional relationships with staff and students. We will advertise for a new Future Pathways Coordinator in the next few weeks.

NAPLAN Results

I congratulate all students on their NAPLAN results. The students in Year 7 and Year 9 are above the National Average and the CESA average in Reading, Writing, Spelling and Grammar and Punctuation.

As well as the NAPLAN data, we have PAT data and student grades from reports – these sets of data are enough to identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth in all students. It is important to remember that NAPLAN and PAT data does not examine all subject areas.  We aim to provide a holistic education where success is not only defined by grades in a narrow group of subjects. As Greg Whitby, Director of Catholic Education in Parramatta has stated,”The continual focus on ranks and comparisons diminishes us all. I hope every educator sees the outcomes of our work as being something bolder and far more human than PISA scores.”

Yesterday we celebrated and said farewell to the Class of 2021, a group of young women who have delighted us throughout their time at the College. They have been wonderful role models for the younger students, actively participating in all facets of College life this year, particularly in JJAMM week. The Year 12s were the first on the jumping castles and last off!

College Captains Alessia and Janine, who in their final act yesterday handed over leadership of the school to the 2022 College Captains Anida and Alexis, have led the cohort with vision, excellence and fun. They have been a calm duo, who have worked tirelessly throughout the year. Under their guidance, the Student Leadership Team have flourished and been an ever-visible presence in the school community. The group introduced new activities and events throughout the year which were a hit, but also ensured MacKillop traditions lived on. The group was flexible and quick to adapt when a snap lock down came and while disappointed it affected Feast Day they quickly regrouped to plan new and different ways to bring the school together.

Perhaps one of the best days on the school calendar this year was the last day of Term 3. The Student Leadership Team hosted  M Factor and introduced the Colour Run. The girls came together, practiced for weeks and then pulled off some outstanding performances, dance moves and acting. Then everyone headed onto the oval to be covered in colour. It left smiles on the faces of staff and students alike, it was a perfect way to end a busy term.

The Year 12 Cohort left us on Thursday after five years at the College. While it is always sad to see a group leave, it is also very exciting knowing they are entering the next phase of their lives. We have had the pleasure of watching the Class of 2021 build connections, develop resilience and build on their optimism. They have demonstrated persistence, made many connections and, in the footsteps of Mary MacKillop, shown compassion. The joined us in 2017 as girls and they leave us as young MacKillop women, self-assured and ready to take on the world.

Congratulations Class of 2021.

“Courage and Justice” - 2021 College Theme

At Mary MacKillop College, we value the times where we unite to celebrate and develop our faith.

Despite the challenges of 2021 and not being able to attend St Ignatius Church as a whole school, the College community was able to join together in prayer by celebrating the Year 12 Farewell Mass. Fr Stan Lim was our celebrant who blessed the Year 12 Cohort and we were very fortunate to listen to Sr Mary Cresp rsj, who gave a beautiful reflection. We will gather as a whole school in the gym for Remembrance Day on Thursday 11 November.

Social Justice Outreach

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

In Term 3, the College was involved in a Sock Drive, donating 408 new pairs of socks to St Vincent De Paul Society to help those less fortunate. Our students continue to show their generosity by being involved in year level fundraising activities, where each cohort supports their chosen organisation. The Year 7 cohort made bags of love for St Vincent de Paul; the Year 8 students were involved in their annual Vinnies Can Drive for Charity, where they design a sculpture using the cans donated. The Year 10 cohort held their Charity Run, raising $1229.50 for Catherine House. The Year 9 students are currently taking part in Socktober, with a penalty shoot out Friday 29 October. They are raising awareness and money for Catholic Mission to support the development of a school in Thailand. The whole school can show their support by wearing crazy socks that day for a gold coin donation. In addition to this, the Colour Run for Caritas led by the 2021 Student Leadership Team which took place at the end of Term 3, truly demonstrated how Mary MacKillop girls love to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. The total funds raised for Caritas was $2545. We thank you all for your generosity!

Our School fundraiser this term will be the Vinnies Christmas Hamper Appeal. These hampers will be donated to St Vincent De Paul Society so they can be distributed to those in need, to make their Christmas a season of great joy. Hampers will be placed in classrooms next week.

“Let us keep God with us by charity in thought, word and act.” - St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

Adriana Sotira
Religious Education Coordinator

Flexischools

Thank you to everyone who registered with Flexischools and have continued to place lunch orders through the new online ordering system. The introduction of online ordering has significantly increased the volume of lunches being placed. To download the app, please visit flexischools.com.au.

The menu is available to view on SEQTA and is regularly updated each term. We have many delicious foods available, with gluten free options.

Chicken nuggets, lasagne (vegetarian or beef), sushi and cold rolls are only a few of the options that are gluten free.

Turkish bread, sandwiches, wraps, muffins, banana bread are also gluten free options available to order online and in person at the canteen.

Many new options are available to purchase at recess and lunch. We have introduced breakfast wraps, breakfast muffins, croissants and chicken burritos. I am always looking to vary and update the menu to keep choices healthy and exciting. We also stock oat milk which is dairy-free and vegan-friendly.

 I would like to thank our parent/student/staff volunteers who have helped throughout the year. Your continued support has helped the canteen thrive during what has been a very challenging time with COVID-19 restrictions. I look forward to working with some of you again this term.

Jayne Langley
Canteen Coordinator

City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters - Work Placement Program

The City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters asked the College to partner with them and other local schools in a pilot Work Placement Program. The purpose of the program was to build connections with local young people and create pathways to employment by providing a place for them to develop work skills. The idea of the program was for the students to get to meet and interact with experts in each area of Council, providing information as well as a hands-on activity for the students to participate and get an idea of work activities within each area.

Three of our Year 10 students participated in the program from Monday 20 to Friday 24 September and found it to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

The opportunity given to me and my fellow peers from Mary MacKillop College was an honor. It was such an amazing and extremely valuable experience that I was fortunate enough to participate in. I enjoyed this week as it was interesting to learn about all parts of the Council. Coming into this experience I had no knowledge of the Council, and I have now come out knowing more and more about the Council, what they do, and how they benefit the community. It was so beneficial to understand why our Council is important and where money is funded towards, and our host Jenah Bambrick made this such an amazing experience. I am so grateful for this experience, and I hope this work experience week continues and is offered to more schools because of how beneficial and enjoyable I thought it was.

- Charlotte

Completing work placement with the Norwood Payneham and St Peters Council was a wonderful experience for me. I was able to meet new people and work with different departments of the Council each day. This opportunity gave me a better understanding of the Council itself and what job opportunities they had to offer. We were also fortunate enough to spend a day with a department of our choice on the final day. I would highly recommend this experience to other MacKillop girls in future years to come.

- Kimberley

My time at the Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council was fun, engaging and an educational experience. Throughout the week, we were introduced to local government and the different career pathways within Council through various workshops and activities. I enjoyed the experience as I was able to learn real-world skills that I know will assist me in the future. I highly recommend the program to other students as it is a great opportunity to explore the work environment. One of my favourite moments was the chance to work one-on-one with an employee of a department of my choosing for a day and explore what they do in their day-to-day working life.

- Tara

$5000 Aerospace Engineering Scholarships

The Playford Trust, the Andy Thomas Space Foundation and the University of Adelaide are jointly offering six $5000 scholarships for high-achieving school leavers hoping to begin their pathway to an engineering degree, majoring in aerospace, in 2022.

Each successful student will receive $5000 to support their first year of study at the University of Adelaide.

Applications are now open and will close on 16 December 2021. For more information, visit playfordtrust.com.au/scholarships-and-awards.

For more information about the University of Adelaide's aerospace study pathway, visit adelaide.edu.au/degree-finder.

To find out about the Andy Thomas Foundation, visit andythomas.foundation.

The University of Adelaide - On Campus Parents Information Session

Adelaide University are pleased to be hosting their next Parents’ Information Session on Tuesday 23 November at 6.00-7.30pm. Current SA COVID-19 Guidelines allow the University to welcome parents back to meet them in real life and at their amazing North Terrace campus!

This event will feature a presentation about 2022 university applications and study options, a panel of current university students, campus tours, and a chance to meet with their expert Student Recruitment Officers.

This event is free but registration through Eventbrite is essential. To register, visit EventBrite.

The University of Adelaide - How to Get the Offer You Want

Applying to university is an exciting time, The University of Adelaide understand that before students have received their final Year 12 results there can be some uncertainty.

Students can check out their instructional video hosted by their Student Recruitment Officers to guide them through getting the offer they want.

The university is also offering a ‘How to Get the Offer You Want online Q&A session’ held from 7.00-9.00pm on Tuesday 30 November. To register, visit EventBrite.

South Australian Police (SAPOL) is Recruiting

SAPOL is currently looking for enthusiastic people with diverse experiences and backgrounds including students who are finishing Year 12 who want to make a difference.

If you think you’re ready for the challenge of a career in policing, SAPOL want to hear from you. To begin your journey to becoming a police officer, register for a seminar, or apply now.

Working as a Protective Security Officer- COVID-19

SA Police is currently recruiting 114 new Protective Security Officers (PSOs) to provide vital security services as part of our state’s response to COVID-19.

If you are interested in finding out more information on PSOs undertaking COVID-19 duties, visit police.sa.gov.au/join-us/achievemore/protective-security-officer-covid-19

Space Industry Work Experience-3 (SIWE-3) - Applications are open

This structured work experience program organised by the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC) and the Commonwealth funded SA Student Pathways Program within the SA Department for Education allows South Australian secondary school students aged 15 and over to complete 2-5 days placements (depending on host capacity) with ‘Space Industry’, ‘Space Research’ or ‘Space Skills’ hosts.

Placements for this Space Industry Work Experience pilot program are strictly limited and ALL applications will be assessed by a panel of representatives from SASIC and the Department for Education. Applicants will be shortlisted for the positions and Interviews may be required to determine the successful final applicants.

Further information can be found at Space Industry Work Experience Program-3  https://dlb.sa.edu.au/atmoodle/course/view.php?id=70 and students must complete all questions and submit all completed/signed documents listed online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GMB3FVP. 

Applicants will be notified by email about their completed application registration within 2 weeks and advised whether they have been shortlisted after applications have been reviewed by SASIC and the Department for Education personnel by late November, 2021.

Please note that in 2020 we had 162 applications and have only been able to place just over 20 shortlisted students in 2020/2021 from these applicants. As the SIWE program is so highly competitive and we cannot guarantee all applicants placements, if you have a compulsory School Work experience to complete, we recommend that you look at other types of placements such as local companies that may provide some of the technical skills useful for a Space Industry Career (research, engineering, robotics, Advanced Manufacturing and Program management) or enterprise skills such as critical and creative thinking, problem solving and communication.

Please address any queries to Dr Sarah Baker at sarah.baker@sa.gov.au  and apologies if you have received this email twice, please let me know as I am trying to consolidate my network lists.

Farewell

I want to extend my warmest thanks to you for embracing me and my role at the beginning of the 2021 school year. Working with the parents, staff and students at Mary MacKillop College has been such a pleasure and an experience that I will always remember fondly. Sadly, I have resigned from my role at the College as Future Pathways Coordinator, which is bittersweet.  I have taken on a full-time role as a Group Training Manager.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all students well with their future studies and career pathways, in particular the Year 12 students who have been such a wonderful cohort to work with. I have no doubt they will go onto achieving great things throughout their lives.

Melissa Couzner
Future Pathways Coordinator

Sports Assembly

Thursday of Week 1, Term 4 saw the College come together to celebrate the year (thus far) in sports at our Sports Assembly. During this gathering, I reflected on how, despite beginning my role in a peculiar time, that being in COVID-19 lockdown, I was able to see the spirit of MacKillop students stand out. The one thing that has impressed me in my short time at the College is the commitment, enjoyment and, most importantly, the friendships that all teams display, play and train with. As much as we love to win and do well, it is pleasing to see most students being perfectly content with having a laugh and some fun with their teammates, which after all is why we should be playing sports.

Our sports program prides itself on three core values from our sports charter: commitment, respect and perseverance (CRP). I had the pleasure of presenting a student from each of our co-curricular sports teams with a ‘Sport Award’. This award acknowledges students who have displayed these values in their teams, as recognised by their coaches. A massive congratulations to those students who received this award. We also presented our premiership teams with their medals. Congratulations again to those from our Middle Touch Football Team and Senior Tennis Team for going all the way in 2021!

We honoured and farewelled our 2021 Sports Captains Ava, Rosalie, Stephanie and Amber as hosting the Sports Assembly was their last official duty. At the conclusion of the assembly, they passed the baton as well as some lovely gifts and sage advice to the 2022 Sports Captains. On behalf of the College community, we are incredibly thankful for the 2021 Sports Captains service. We wish them and all of our Year 12 students the very best in their final weeks and for their futures. We also wish our 2022 Sports Captains Ella, Abigail, Tara and Matilda well as they settle into their new roles.

In other news, Term 4 sports has kicked off with plenty of representation from MacKillop students across numerous sports. I, and am sure many of you, are looking forward to the nicer conditions for summer sports! We wish all of our sports teams the best and above all to echo my previous words. I hope you have fun representing the College, but it would also be nice to add a few trophies to our new display cabinet!

Reminders:

• Please contact Mr. Channing via the sports mobile or email if your daughter is unable to attend training or a game
• Information for training and games is accessible via the Sports Portal on SEQTA
• Year 7-9 teams will compete for six rounds, and Year 10-12 teams will compete for five rounds in Term 4
• Premierships for Term 4 Sport are decided upon placings on the ladder upon completion of the season and there will be no play-off matches

Huw Channing
Sports Coordinator

Australian Space Forum, Lot Fourteen & Australian Space Discovery Centre

At the end of Term 3, we and two other Year 11 students attended an excursion to the Australian Science Forum at the Adelaide Convention Centre. We learnt about the different careers within space and were clued in on the South Australian Government's plans to build the industry in the future.

After listening to various leaders within the space industry, including Premier, Steven Marshall, we spoke to a number of exhibitors, all of whom gave us insight into their jobs and careers. We also ran into Old Scholar, Stephanie Hoang.

Following this, we had a guided tour of Lot Fourteen. We saw the future plans for the site and the new cyber safety room. Finally, we visited the Australian Space Discovery Centre, where we participated in a range of activities and learnt about the world beyond our atmosphere. 

Analissa and Jamie
Year 11 Students