From the Assistant Principal

Uniform Reminders

I would like to thank the majority of students for the way they dress and groom themselves. They are representing the College on a daily basis with great respect, pride and dignity. It is important though to remind parents and students of the following uniform and grooming issues:

Jackets, jumpers and hoodies that are not part of the uniform are not to be worn. If found, they will be confiscated from students.
A reminder that students can wear white/neutral undershirts to keep them warm, also, scarves (school one, plain grey or maroon) and also beanies (plain grey/maroon) only worn outside.
The blazer is the outside garment that your daughters must wear to the College and when they leave the College. The jumper is an OPTIONAL item and can only be worn, under the blazer when coming to and from the College.
The sports jacket is the outside garment that your daughters must wear to the College on a Thursday and when they leave the College. The jumper is an OPTIONAL item and can only be worn, under the sports jacket when coming to and from the College.

I thank parents/carers in advance for your support in ensuring your daughters are appropriately dressed and groomed on a daily basis.

Health and Safety Reminders

Hi-Energy drinks such as V, Mother etc.. are a health risk and are not to be consumed at school.
Hot liquids such as coffee and tea are not to be consumed at school as they pose a major burn risk.
Roll on deodorants are only to be used at school, spray on deodorants pose a health risk to students with Asthma
Blankets are not to be bought into the College as they pose a major trip hazard. They are not necessary for our weather conditions. (Please refer to the uniform reminders article that supports other methods of staying warm).

Tips for a Healthy Headspace – For Family and Friends

Good mental health allows young people to deal with the changes and challenges life throws at them and live their lives in a positive and meaningful way. It includes things like being able to work and study, deal with day-to-day life stress, feel connected to others, be involved in activities in the community and ‘bounce back’ when things go wrong.

Just like physical fitness, mental fitness takes regular effort. There are lots of things that family and friends can do to support a young person to look after their mental health. Here are some things you can encourage your young person to do to build their mental fitness every day.

One of the most effective ways to support young people to look after their mental health is to model healthy habits yourself, so it’s a good idea for you to practise some of these tips as well.

For the full article – Please visit https://headspace.org.au/friends-and-family/tips-for-a-healthy-headspace-for-family-and-friends/

Compass Update – Logging Student Absences

On Compass, you now have access to log your child’s absences. If they have been away from school, you can explain their absence via Compass online or in the app, rather than sending in a handwritten note or phoning the office. Please note that any planned leave still requires you to fill out an Application for Leave Form which is available from our school front office.

Some important things to note:

Only add an absent note for FULL DAY absences. Any half day absences will be logged by the school office when your child arrives late to school or leaves school early.
If your child is not at school because they are representing Mary MacKillop Catholic College in a sporting event or other organised school activity, they are not considered absent. Please don’t enter an absent note for this. Your child’s class teacher will note their participation in this event for that day.
When filling out an online absence, it will ask you to select a date. This date is the date of absence, not the date you are filling out the online form (unless you are filling out the form on the day they are absent).
Please ensure you check the selected date and times BEFORE you save the note as once it’s saved it can’t be edited. You will need to contact the school to have the incorrect note removed.

Below are the steps outlining the simple process to log online absences:

Logging a Student Absence on Compass

Log into Compass using your unique Username and Password.

https://mmcwakeley-nsw.compass.education/

Once inside Compass and at your Home Screen, click ‘Add Attendance Note/Approval’ beside the photo of your child (see image below).

Fill in the required details when the prompt screen appears. Please ensure that the details are accurate as this information will appear on your child’s class roll and is a legal document. Be sure to check that you have selected the correct date and time (noting again that it is the date and time of the absence, not the date and time that you are completing the form). The start and finish time for the absence will automatically appear on Compass as 08:00AM and 5:00PM. Please change the start time to 8:50AM and the end time to 3:15PM (except on Thursdays which is 3:00pm). You need to select a reason for the absence from the drop down menu. Only the drop down reasons will be accepted by Compass:

Medical – Illness
Medical – Appointment
Holiday (do not use at is requires a form)
Other Explained Absence
Natural Disaster

You cannot create your own reasons. The details/comments section is optional. Only add information here if you feel it is necessary. Select ‘Save’ once you are finished.