I would like to extend a warm welcome to all students and families to a year of learning at Mary MacKillop Catholic College. I would especially like to welcome our new families and students to the MMCC community.

Welcome to our New Year 7 Students

A big Mary MacKillop Catholic College Welcome to our new Year 7 students who had the special opportunity to spend their first day on their own before the rest of the school came back to start the year. Our College community is very happy to welcome you and we hope the next six years are full of life long learning.

On the first day our new Year 7 students had an opportunity to meet with Ms Pussich and I who went through an intensive induction session that covered topics such as:

• Catholic Life
• Respect
• Learning Culture
• Bullying
• Kindness
• College Diary
• Classroom behaviour
• Acceptable use of ICT Devices
• Attendance
• Uniform and Grooming
• Being Inclusive

 

Important Reminders to Begin the Year

Our College community began the year on 1 February with the afternoon in lessons and the morning on administration, ensuring students were presented with very important aspects of MMCC expectations before they started their classes. The presentations were centred around:

• Learning Management: All students were reminded of their rights and responsibilities of being a member of the Mary MacKillop Catholic College Learning Community.
• Attendance: Ensuring all students are clear on the expectations of attendance for academic success.
• Diary: Clear understanding of the importance of the diary being the central form of communication and organisation between school and home.
• Uniform: Clear guidelines regarding grooming, jewellery and expectations for their school and sports uniform.

A huge thank you to the Homeroom Teachers who have worked very closely with your daughters in ensuring they began the year well informed and ready for learning.

 

Compass App

Compass is our Student Information System where parents can communicate and receive communication from the College. Compass can be accessed on your mobile phone or computer. It is essential that every parent has access and keeps their password private. Please do not give your daughter your password.

Please access Compass regularly to update absences for your daughter, access reports and receive messages from the school. Here are some helpful links below:

1. The app store: gl/9FHGg6
2. Google play: gl/iSmC64
3. Browser: https://mmcwakeley-nsw.compass.education/

 

Mobile Phone Policy Reminder

The purpose of the Mobile Phone Policy is to ensure the safety of students, promote appropriate and safe use of mobile phones within College grounds, and encourage interaction and communication without distractions.

Below are the key elements of the policy:

• All mobile phones are to be out of sight (stored in the student’s locker), switched off or on silent as soon as the student enters the College front doors of a morning.
• Mobile phones can only be used on College grounds once students have been dismissed out of their classroom by their teacher after the end-of–school-day bell rings.
• If a mobile phone is sighted on school grounds from the moment the student walks into the College front doors, for any reason, they will have it confiscated immediately by staff.
• Refusal to give a confiscated phone to a teacher will automatically result in a Thursday Afternoon RAP detention.
• Continued abuse of this policy may result in further consequences.
• The school accepts no responsibility for replacing mobile phones that are lost, stolen or damaged whilst on school premises.
• If students need to contact their parents/carers they are to go to Student Services and request to use a phone.
• If parents/carers need to contact their daughters they can call the College reception on 9725-4322 and a message will be passed on to their daughter.

We appreciate the support of parents in having their daughter’s adhere to this policy and ask that you please do not text or call your daughter throughout the day.

 

College Dress Code

The students began the year in a tremendous way when it comes to their uniform. We thank parents for their support in ensuring that your daughters started the year excellently dressed and groomed, respecting the College’s high expectations. To continue our commitment to high standards in presentation, a reminder of the dress code related to jumpers:

The College Jumper cannot be worn during Terms 1 and 4. If the weather is cool, students wear the College Blazer.

I thank you for your continued support of our College uniform and grooming policies.

 

COVID-19 Reminders from NSW Health and Sydney Catholic Schools

As per the latest COVID-19 advice and guidelines, here are a few important reminders for all members of our College community.

Hygiene

Students are reminded of the following hygiene advice:

• Use the hand sanitiser stations throughout the College before, during and after school
• Bring their own hand sanitiser if they wish to use it throughout the day
• Continue to wash their hands before eating, after eating and after using the bathroom at all times
• Follow the correct hand washing procedures and advice from NSW Health
• Avoid sharing food or drinks
• Cough or sneeze into their elbow, or a tissue which should be discarded immediately

Other Guidelines

• Maintain, where possible, 1.5m distancing
• Avoid, where possible, mixing with other cohorts
• Take a Rapid Antigen Test (distributed by the College) twice a week, Monday and Thursday, and if it is positive
  • Contact NSW Health and isolate for the time period specified
  • Contact the College (ASAP) and provide documentation regarding the period of isolation
  • Only return if you are symptom-free

Feeling Unwell with COVID-19 Symptoms

Please remember that students are not to attend school if they are unwell, even if they only have the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms. Those who have been unwell, are required to return a negative COVID-19 test, be symptom-free and send their test result to the school via info@mmcwakeley.catholic.edu.au before returning to school.

Masks

The NSW Government requires the wearing of masks to help reduce community transmission of COVID-19. Currently it is mandatory for those over 12 years of age to wear masks in certain settings including on public/shared transport and waiting areas for public/shared transport (e.g. bus stops and train stations) and places of worship. Students over 12 years of age must comply with the Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Order 2021 when travelling to and from school and during transport for school excursions, sport, carnivals etc. Masks are mandatory for all secondary students while indoors at school. 

Please ensure that your daughter carries a mask with her at all times to ensure that she has one for certain school events as well as for traveling and waiting for transport.

Masks can be purchased from Student Services for $1.

More Information related to COVID-19

For more information, please visit:

• NSW Health
• Sydney Catholic Schools Coronavirus Updates

 

College Photo Day – Monday 21st February

By now you would have received the photo ordering envelopes for our upcoming College Photo Day on Monday 21st February. We take this opportunity to remind parents to ensure that your daughters adhere to our daily uniform and grooming expectations. We ask that you take note of the following specific reminders:

• Makeup of any kind is not allowed (including eyeliner, eye-shadow, mascara, foundation)
• Necklaces – only Christian cross, inside their blouse may be worn
• Other than a simple pair of studs or sleepers (Gold or Silver), one per ear in the lower lobe. There is to be no other jewellery present
• Hair tied back for all hair below shoulder length (i.e. a ponytail or similar. NOT to the side, no bows/flowers or clips). No incorrect hair styles, including balayage, ombre or other banned hairstyles or cuts.
• No eyelash extensions
• No tattoos including henna
• Simple elastics in College colours
• Blouse pockets must be empty
• Year 12 students must bring their blazers with them for the Year 12 group photo.
• Year 11 and 12 leaders and Year 10 Homeroom leaders must bring their blazers with them for the leadership photos.

If your daughter is not following the above regulations (which are the daily expectations of any student), then we will not allow her photo to be taken.

A letter was recently sent via Compass to parents outlining the College Photo Day.