Heavenly Father,
we give you thanks and praise for your mercy and healing.
May we be open to receive your grace this Lent.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
give us the strength to resist all temptation
and bestow on us every gift
that we need to share in your mission
to bear witness to your Son, Jesus Christ.

Lent

Lent is fast approaching with Ash Wednesday on 2 March. As a College we will provide our staff and students with the opportunity to receive the ashes.

We hope that you will use the season of Lent as a time for conversion, conversion in relation to God through Prayer, conversion in relation to oneself and conversion in relation to others through almsgiving.

Note: In Australia, abstinence from meat, and fasting, must be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All who have completed their eighteenth year and have not yet begun their sixtieth year are bound to fast. All who have completed their fourteenth year are bound to abstain.

Welcome

We welcome our new students, new parents and new staff to our community and welcome back those who were part of the MMCC community last year.

Our Year 7 students and their parents have been taking part in our Making Connections pastoral care program, designed to create an atmosphere of welcome and a sense of belonging. The major features of this program is connecting both Year 7 students and their parents with the Homeroom Teachers, and the Year 7 Camp which will be held next week. Thank you to the Year 7 students and their families for attending our Zooms on Tuesday 15 February and to the Homeroom Teachers for their presentations.

We welcome to our new staff who join our:

• College Leadership (Executive) Team –
  • Mr Ryan Zammit (Leader of Teaching and Learning)
• Teaching Team –
  • Mr Shivneel Kumar (HSIE)
  • Ms Kristina Kechagias nee Macri (CAPA/RE)
  • Miss Celine Ayoub (HSIE)
  • Miss Katya Floyd (RE)
  • Mr Daniel Viana (RE)
  • Mr Christopher Shelston (PDHPE)
  • Mrs Vanessa Governatori (TAS)
  • Mrs Fiona Malone (English) 
  • Mrs Emma Coluccio (English)
  • Mrs Maria Mezher (ILS)
  • Miss Victoria Kulen (TAS)
• Office Team –
  • Mrs Linda Mudaliar (Bursar)
• Learning Support Team
  • Mrs Nicole Chungue (LSO)
  • Mrs Fumiko Yonao Rutups (LSO)
  • Mrs Catalina Valdivia (LSO)
  • Mrs Lydia Kako (LSO)

HSC 2021 Results

MMCC’s thirtieth year (1991-2021) was marked with our BEST EVER HSC results. The HSC Class of 2021 shone with impressive individual results and collective school and course (class) results. Congratulations to our amazing Year 12 2021 students and to their exceptional teachers. We will shortly share with you our annual HSC Newsletter. Below is a snapshot of our results.

Individual Achievements:

• 99.35 Highest ATAR  – Shirley Nguyen
• 2 students on the NSW All Rounder List – Diane Tran and Amily Aishia
• 1 students on the NSW Top Achievers List – Diane Tran, 5th in the State for Community and Family Studies
• 6 First Places in the Archdiocese of Sydney:
  • Diane Tran – Community and Family Studies
  • Diane Tran – French Beginners
  • Amily Aishia – Food Technology
  • Rita Esho – Arabic Extension
  • Damyana Moma – Arabic Continuers
  • Nadeen Mayoma – Arabic Continuers
• 46 Distinguished Achievers 
• 8 students with an ATAR >95
• 19 students with an ATAR > 90
• 51 students with an ATAR > 80

School and Course Achievements

• MMCC Listed in the Top 150 Schools – Rank 139
• Highly Competitive – 91% of Courses Above State Average
• 102 HSC Marks were a mark of 90 or over (in highest bands Band 6 or E4) 
• 48.5% of all HSC Marks were in the highest Bands (5, 6 & E4)
• Impressive Learning Gain for students

MMCC Enrolling Now 2023 and 2024 

Each year there is a great demand to enrol at Mary MacKillop Catholic College. With our exceptional 2021 HSC results, the demand has increased. To avoid disappointment please contact the College today if you have daughters in Year 5 or Year 6, or have family members or friends keen to enrol their daughters.

Please contact Mrs Rosemary Gerardis, Enrolment Officer – email: rosemary.gerardis@syd.catholic.edu.au OR phone: 9725 4322

Open Day

This year Open Day will be held after school allowing more prospective students and their families to attend. Open Day will include student-led tours of the College, subject room interactive and static displays, and a short presentation by students, a parent and the Principal. Please let family and friends know the details of our Open Day:

Parent Advisory Group

Our Term 1 Parent Advisory Group (PAG) will be held on Tuesday 15 March commencing at 6pm. The PAG meets once a term where they hear, from the Principal, Assistant Principal and other members of the College Leadership Team, about what is happening in the College, provide valuable feedback and offer items for discussion. We invite back our previous members and invite new members. There is no obligation to attend every term.

For information about the PAG or to accept our invitation to attend, please contact Pina Varano, Principal’s Assistant via email at info@mmcwakeley.catholic.edu.au or by phone on 9725 4322.

Master of Secondary Teaching

The University of Notre Dame is offering a Master of Secondary Teaching that might be of interest to parents or relatives. Teaching is an honourable and enjoyable vocation where you can make a difference.

The Master of Secondary Teaching course may be useful for someone who is unable to use their university qualifications because they have not been working recently or are a refugee or immigrant. This course can be completed in as little as 18 months. Graduates of this course will be added to the pool of applicants for teaching positions at Sydney Catholic Schools.

There is an online Zoom information session at 7pm on Monday 21 February If you are interested please email jennifer.lawn@nd.edu.au to register your interest in attending this session.

The course details and Zoom information are included in this newsletter: Master of Secondary Teaching

 Year 11 Information Evening

Thank you to the Year 11 students and their families who joined us for an informative Zoom on 8 February.  The evening providing important assessment information and advice for senior study. Thank you to Mrs Lowe, Mr Reutens and Mrs Harding for their presentations.