Congratulations on Term 1 Achievements

We wanted to congratulate your daughters on the great start to the year.  As Term 1 comes to an end, we would like to thank you for your support in ensuring your daughters have come to school every day in the right uniform and ready to engage in their learning.  At Mary MacKillop Catholic College, our focus this year has been on Growing Together, and this term we have witnessed many examples of students demonstrating a Growth Mindset approach through their achievements in the classroom, on the sporting field, in raising money for charity and out in the community serving others.

 

ANZAC Day Ceremonies – Wear your Uniform if you are attending with your Family

Mary MacKillop Catholic College has a rich tradition in supporting our local RSL’s with their ANZAC Day Dawn Services. Below is a list of where we will be representing the College. We encourage students to wear their uniform (including blazer) if they are attending an ANZAC Dawn service with their families.

Venue	Address	Date	Service	Time of Service	Meeting Time	Coordinating Teacher
Fairfield RSL	14 Anzac Avenue, Fairfield	Sunday 23 April	Commemoration Sunday	1:00pm	12:40pm	TBC
Fairfield RSL	14 Anzac Avenue, Fairfield	Tuesday 25 April	Dawn Service	5:15am	4:50am	Miss Israel
Canley Heights RSL	26 Humphries Road, Wakeley	Tuesday 25 April	Dawn Service	6:30am	6:10am	Mrs Gesson
Smithfield RSL	Corner Cumberland Hwy and Neville Street, Smithfield.	Sunday 23 April	Commemoration Sunday	9:45am	9:20am	Mrs Simpson
Smithfield RSL	Corner Cumberland Hwy and Neville Street, Smithfield.	Tuesday 25 April	Dawn Service	4:30am	4:10am	Mr Grana
Cabra-Vale Diggers	1 Bartley St, Canley Vale	Tuesday 25 April	Dawn Service	5:00am	4:40am	Mrs Archer

 

First Day Back of Term 2 – Wednesday 26th April 2017

As per a previous letter sent to families, there are no classes on Monday 24th April 2017 due to a Staff Professional Learning Day (Please contact the College if you have any questions regarding the supervision of your daughter on this day) .  Tuesday 25th April is the Anzac Day public holiday.  Therefore classes for Term 2 resume on Wednesday 26th April 2017.

Uniform Reminders – Term 2 Winter Uniform

To ensure the year continues to be a successful one for both your daughter and the whole school community below are reminders regarding our College uniform and grooming regulations. These are highlighted to ensure that our high expectations continue to be made very clear to all members of our great College community.

As term 1 draws to a close we are writing this letter to firstly congratulate you on the respect your daughters have shown for our College uniform this term.  However it is very important that we continue to remind our students and families of our winter uniform requirements.

The winter uniform has the following Expectations:

–     All students must own a College blazer and MUST wear it to and from the College

–     Regulation grey stockings are to be worn at all times.

–     Any clothing worn under the College shirt must not be seen.  All undergarments should be neutral in colour.

–     High-collared skivvies are NOT to be worn.

–     The College Jumper is not part of the Sports Uniform

–   Scarves must be the College scarf or a plain maroon scarf. Scarves with extra fringing or of another colour will not be permitted.

–     College Skirts, which must cover the bottom of the knee-cap (ie covering the whole knee).  We ask parents to ensure that over the holidays this is rectified before coming back on the first day of Term 2.

If any student is NOT in the correct winter uniform on the first day of Term 2, she will be sent home to have the problem rectified.  Please ensure you refer to the College Dress Code in the College Diary.

 

A reminder regarding specific uniform regulations that all students must follow throughout the whole year:

What is allowed	What is NOT allowed
One (1) watch	Bracelets or rings
One (1) Gold or silver necklace with a Christian symbol (not to be seen under the blouse)	Anklets, chokers, leather bracelets, tribal or other types of necklaces
One pair of earrings in different lower earlobes only.	Multiple Earrings (will be confiscated). Other piercings such as nose, tongue. (will be sent home)
One (1) natural looking hair colour tied back, with a pink/light blue/maroon ribbon/headband	Dyed, coloured, multi-coloured, bleached, streaked hair, including balayage and ombre styles (will be sent home)
Knee Length Skirt (bottom of the knee-cap, must cover the WHOLE knee)	Skirts above the knee (must be taken down or purchase a larger size)
Black, leather, low-heeled and lace up shoes on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday	Coloured Nails (students will be asked to remove them) Acrylic/Shellac Nails ( students will be sent home)
	Sports Jacket on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday

 

Our uniform is something we are all proud of as a community. It reflects our values as a Catholic school and demonstrates our high expectations of all of our students at Mary MacKillop Catholic College. These are expectations that have already existed since the College was first opened.  We thank all parents for your support of our College uniform regulations and welcome you to call us if you are having any difficulties with ensuring your daughter is in the correct uniform.  We will also be happy to assist you with any difficulties where possible.

 

Meningococcal Vaccinations for Years 11 and 12 Students

NSW will be implementing a meningococcal ACWY school-based vaccination program targeting Year 11 and 12 students in secondary schools from Term 2 2017 that will provide protection against meningococcal serogroups A, C and Y as well as W. This is in response to the emergence of meningococcal W as a significant cause of invasive meningococcal disease in Australia in 2016. Evidence suggests that this strain of the disease is more severe than other types.

Students will be vaccinated on Friday 28^th April 2017. Vaccination packs have been distributed to Year 11 students and these are due back by Wednesday 26^th April 2017. Year 12 students will be given their packs on the first day back at school and will need to return them on Thursday 27^th April 2017.

 

Chickenpox

We have just been informed of one case of chicken pox in the College. Please read the fact sheet information below:

What is Chickenpox?

• Chickenpox (varicella) is a viral illness caused by the herpes zoster virus (also known as the Varicella-Zoster virus)
• In children it usually causes a relatively mild illness.
• Chickenpox in adults and immunosuppressed people can be severe.
• Infection in pregnancy can cause foetal malformations, skin scarring, and other problems in the baby.
• Before routine vaccination began in November 2005, chickenpox was a very common illness. The incidence of chickenpox appears to have decreased as more people receive the vaccine.

What are the symptoms

• Chickenpox begins with a sudden onset of slight fever, runny nose, feeling generally unwell and a skin rash.
• The rash usually begins as small lumps that turn into blisters and then scabs.
• The rash appears over three to four days. At any one time, the lesions of the rash vary in stages of development.
• Symptoms usually occur two weeks after exposure to the virus.
• Most people recover without complications, but sometimes the infection can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia and inflammation of the brain. Rarely, the infection can be fatal.
• Persons who are previously vaccinated can still get chickenpox. If chickenpox occurs in a vaccinated person it is usually mild and less contagious than in an unvaccinated person.

 How is it spread?

• Early in the illness, the virus is spread by coughing.
• Later in the illness, the virus is spread by direct contact with the fluid in the blisters.
• The infection is highly contagious to people who have never had chickenpox or who have not been vaccinated.
• People are infectious from one or two days before the rash appears (that is, during the runny nose phase) and up to five days after (when the blisters have formed crusts or scabs)
• Chickenpox infection triggers an immune response and people rarely get chickenpox twice.

 Who is at risk?

• Anyone who has not had chickenpox or been vaccinated in the past can get chickenpox.
• People with a past history of chickenpox are likely to be immune to the virus. Even adults with no history of chickenpox have a chance of being immune (because of past infection that was mild). Doctors sometimes perform a blood test to see if these people need a vaccination.

 How is it prevented?

• A free varicella containing vaccine (MMRV) is now recommended for all children at 18 months of age.
• Students in their first year of high school who have not previously received varicella vaccine and who have not had chickenpox are offered a varicella vaccine.
• Varicella vaccine is recommended for all non immune adolescents (>14 years ) and adults. This involves two doses at least 1month apart. It is especially recommended for people at high risk, for example, health care workers, people living with or working with small children, women planning a pregnancy, and household contact of persons who are immunosuppressed.
• People with chickenpox should avoid others (and not attend childcare or school) until at least five days after onset of the rash and all the blisters have dried.
• People with chickenpox should cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, dispose of soiled tissues, wash their hands well and not share eating utensils, food or drinking cups.
• Pregnant women should avoid anyone with chickenpox or shingles and should see their doctor if they have been around someone with these illnesses.
• Children with an immune deficiency (for example, leukaemia) or who are receiving chemotherapy should avoid anyone with chickenpox or shingles as the infection can be especially severe.

How is it diagnosed?

Most cases can be diagnosed based on the symptoms and by appearance of the rash. Sometimes the diagnosis is confirmed by testing samples taken from the rash or from blood.

How is chickenpox treated?

Chickenpox infection usually resolves without treatment.

 

This week I leave you with an important message as we prepare for the gift that the Easter season brings us all.

 

May we continue in our partnership of “Forming young women called to life to make a difference in the world.”

Mr Pablo Grana, Assistant Principal