From the Principal

HSC 2019

The HSC examinations have progressed well this term. Our Year 12 students have worked diligently over the past six years to get to this significant part in their school life. As the HSC examination comes to the end, I again take the opportunity to wish our students happiness and success for their future. I look forward to catching up with them at their formal, on Friday 22 November and at their special lunch with the staff on Wednesday 18 December.

Professional Leave

I had the privilege to be provided with Professional Leave where I travelled to Scotland and Italy. The focus of the leave was to engage in a renewal program called Living Traditions: Unfolding Futures. This program focussed on transforming the minds and hearts of participants, experienced leaders in Catholic education, to enhance their schools as innovative places of learning that are an authentic expression of our mission within the church.

The program allowed me to engage with academics from the University of Glasgow and experts from various Vatican departments and other church agencies. The highlights were visiting Notre Dame High School, a Catholic givernment run secondary school in Glasgow, meeting the founder of the Sant’Edigio Community in Rome which is dedicated to social service, and celebrating Mass in the Vatican crypt.

Enrolments 2020 & 2021

Some year groups for 2020 are full and others have a few spaces left. If you have yet to enrol your daughter, or know of someone who wants to enrol their daughter for 2020, please stress the urgency of submitting their enrolment application.

Year 7 2021 is filling fast. Please submit your daughter’s application as a matter of priority. Please pass on this message to other families interested in enrolling for 2021.

Parent Advisory Group

A thank you dinner has been arranged for 2019 members of the Parent Advisory Group on Thursday 14 November. If you have attended a meeting this year an invitation has been sent via email. Please RSVP by Monday 11 November to Pina Varano (pina.varano@syd.catholic.edu.au). If you have not received your invitation and have been part of the PAG this year, please contact the College.

Pastoral Home Visits

Please find within this newsletter a special message from Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.

Our Lady of the Rosary Church Pastoral Home Visits

On 28 March 2013, Pope Francis called on the world’s priests to bring the healing power of God’s grace to everyone in need by being “shepherds living with the smell of the sheep”. Accordingly, the priests of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish will be phoning their parishioners to make a time to make pastoral visits.

If you reside in Fairfield Parish and you receive a phone call from Fr Josh, Fr Bhaskar, Fr William or Fr Michael, they will be looking forward to making a time that suits you to visit you in your home to discuss how they can support you in your faith and meet your spiritual needs.

Thank you,

Very Rev Fr Michael de Stoop AdvDipPhil BTh MA GCerts in Spiritual Direction & Pastoral Supervision

Dean of the Archdiocese of Sydney’s South West Deanery

Director of the Initial and Ongoing Formation Program of Permanent Deacons

Parish Priest | Our Lady of the Rosary Church | 18 Vine Street, Fairfield

Parish Office: 2 Weston Street, Fairfield  NSW  2165 | t 9724 5997 | f 9754 1439

e: pp@olrfairfield.org.au  | e:  www.olrfairfield.org.au

Guy Zangari MP Community Recognition Statement

MMCC Open Day 2020

From the Assistant Principal

Advanced Notice – Christmas Mass, CLC Leaders’ Commissioning and Christmas Carnival

Our College Christmas Mass will be held on Thursday 12th December 9.30am.  All parents/carers are welcome to attend.  If you wish to attend, please email Mrs Grace Labbozzetta (grace.labbozzetta@syd.catholic.edu.au) with your name and then names of all of your guests, or alternatively, contact her on 9725-4322.

The Christmas Mass will be followed by our 2020 CLC Leaders’ Commissioning. An invitation will be sent to parents/carers of our new leaders.

Our annual Christmas Carnival will be held on Friday 13th December during school time. Further information regarding ticket prices and organisational details will be provided shortly via Compass and future newsletters. This is a compulsory school day.

Update: Shade cloth in Courtyard

As you would be aware, last term we had the shade cloth covering the central courtyard structure damaged by high winds.  We have been working with Sydney Catholic Schools to get the shade cloth replaced.

Due to the shape and colour of the cloth, there has been a delay in getting it installed. The estimated date for final installation is Friday 15th November.

In the meantime, we will ensure that students will be given access to the corridors on designated hot/sunny days at lunch time. We ask students to stay tuned to announcements regarding when corridors will be permitted to be accessed during lunch.

We thank the College community for your ongoing support and patience.

Reminder to Provide a Reason for your Daughter’s Absence

There are a number of parents/carers who have not provided a reason through a paper note or through Compass when their daughter is absent from school. A reminder that as per NSW and Federal Government legislation, parents/carers must provide a legitimate reason for every day or part day their child is absent from school. Also, this must be provided within 7 days of the absence.

Students with high numbers of unexplained absences must have an Attendance Improvement Plan. Parents/carers are required to attend a meeting with school staff, where an appropriate plan is developed to ensure the student attends school daily and provides appropriate reasons for any absence.  For further information, please refer to the College Diary that contains the Sydney Catholic Schools Compulsory Student Attendance Guidelines.

The link below also provides a great help video for all parents/carers to assist you in entering Past Full Day and Partial (Late/Leave Early) Absences in Compass.

A reminder that parents must only enter in explanations for absences that have already happened.  Please do not enter in any explanations for future full or partial absences.  Please wait until the absence has occurred before entering in an explanation.

Thank you in advance for your ongoing support of our College attendance processes.

How parents enter past full day and partial absences in Compass.mp4

eSafety Commissioner – Updated Website 

The eSafety Commissioner has updated their website recently.  Below are some fantastic links to support parents with a range of advice regarding different safety topics related to the use of technology.

• eSafety for Parents – The Big Issues
• eSafety and NSW Police eSafety Fact Sheets
• Explore online Safety Advice in other languages

Catholic Weekly Article – What to do when your teen is sexting

“What to do when your teen is sexting” is a very informative article to assist parents with this topic of concern, as a result of the increased use of smartphones amongst teenagers.  Please find the link below:

What to do when your teen is sexting

Important Dates for Term 4

Mon 11th November – Year 10 2020 CLC Leaders Speeches and Voting

Mon 11th November – Remembrance Day

Mon 11th – 15th November – Year 12 2020 Work Placement Week

Mon 11th – 15th November – National Recycling Week

Thu 14th November – Parent Advisory Group Dinner – 6.00pm

Mon 18th November – Year 5 Feeder Schools – “To Be a High School Student”

Tue 19th November – PAT Testing – Years 7 and 10

Wed 20th November – PAT Testing – Years 8 and 9

Wed 20th November – Year 7 2020 Information Evening – 7.00pm

Fri 22nd November – Year 12 Formal – Oatlands House – 6.30pm – 11.30pm

Mon 25th November – Year 4 Feeder Schools – “To Be a High School Student”

Thu 28th November – Year 8 and 9 Advent Program

Fri 29th November – Year 7 2020 Orientation Day 2

Mon 2nd December – Year 10 2020 CLC Leaders Induction and Planning Day

Tue 3rd December – International Day of People with a Disability

Thu 5th – 12th December – Year 10 Activities Week

Tue 10th December – Year 10 CLC Leaders Commissioning Liturgy and Assembly

Wed 11th December – Awards Night 

Thur 12th December – Last Day of Classes and Christmas Mass

Fri 13th December – Christmas Carnival – 9.45am – 2.45pm

Mon 16th – Semester 2 Years 7-11 Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews

Tue 17th December – HSC Results Released (6.00am) and ATAR Released (1.00pm)

Wed 18th December – HSC Luncheon

Inspirational Quote from Pope Francis

Student Expectations at Local Shops and Businesses

We have recently received some reports regarding the behaviour of our students in local shops and businesses, particularly at the Wakeley Shopping Centre.

Many schools do not permit their students to enter local shops/businesses whilst in their school uniform. We have not introduced this rule as we want to ensure our students are given access to purchase items before and after school and as such we want to treat all of them as young adults. For us to continue allowing this privilege to our students the following expectations need to be met by all students at our College:

• Bags are not to be brought into the shop/business. At the IGA Supermarket, students are to leave their bags at the Service Desk Counter.
• Large groups of students can send the wrong message when they are in a shop. If students are in groups, only a pair, (two) students, are to enter the shop/business, the remaining students are to stay with the other students’ bags. Bags left unsupervised are left at the risk of each individual student. The shop or school are not responsible for loss, theft or damage.
• Items are to be purchased before they are eaten, open or used.
• Students are to always be polite and respectful at all times with business/shop owners, employees and members of the public.

All local businesses/shops have access to my phone number and email address and will contact me if any student’s behaviour is contrary to this letter. We are confident that all of our students will respond in the ‘MacKillop Way’ with respect and kindness.

Mr Pablo Grana

Assistant Principal

Traffic Safety in and Around the College

We have recently updated the signage around the College roadway to ensure the safety of all of the members of our College community, especially our students.  Please find the updates below:

Speed Limit – There are clear signs to indicate the 10km/h speed limit  and painted arrows on the road to indicate the direction that all cars should be going.

Morning Drop Off inside the College – We ask parents to move their car to the furthest point of the drop off zone to allow as many cars as possible can come into the College ensuring traffic flow is not stopped or interrupted.  When parents park their cars nearest the gates this causes traffic jams on Hamilton and Bulls Roads. Please also check your mirrors when leaving and give way to prevent any collisions. Please stick to the 10km/h speed limit within College grounds.  Students are to exit the vehicle from the passenger side only. 

Below are images of the roadway signs and painted arrows.  Please take note of the following:

1. Speed limit sign and a reminder that there is no double parking/setdown allowed
2. From the first staff carpark (nearest the entrance gate), left turn only is permitted
3. Please follow the direction arrows on the roadway
4. Left or right turn is permitted either towards the hall carpark (left) or towards the exit gate (right)
5. Please stop at the line to trigger the exit gate (if it is closed)

Afternoon Pick up – The College gates are closed in the afternoon and only buses are permitted to enter the College grounds.  This is to ensure student safety, as 900 students leave our College grounds at the same time, it is not safe to have cars driving through the College at such a peak time of pedestrian traffic.  A few reminders regarding afternoon pick up.

• Carnarvon street is a No Stopping area as buses must go through the narrow road and cars must not be parked between 2.30pm and 4.30pm.

• We ask parents to park in the surrounding streets (refer to the images and instructions below).

Below are other important reminders to parents/carers dropping off or picking up students on nearby streets around the College, regarding traffic safety, to ensure your daughter and all members of our community are kept safe:

Speed Limit – A reminder that during the times listed on the school zone signs, 40km/h speed limits apply.  We ask all parents to ensure you are vigilant with your speed and stick to the speed limit within our school zone at all times.

Safe drop off – Please observe the road and parking rules to ensure you are dropping off or picking up your daughter in the correctly marked zones. Parents are not permitted to park or stop at any time in a No Stopping Zone.  In Carnarvon Street, stopping blocks buses from entering of an afternoon preventing our students from getting home at a reasonable time.

Pickup and Drop Off Zones – A reminder that these zones can only be used for a quick pick up or drop off only.  The following applies:

• maximum stop time is two (2) minutes
• driver must remain in or within a vehicle
• vehicle must not be left unattended
• zone applies only during hours of operation

Police and Council Rangers regularly patrol the area around our College.  Please ensure you observe all road and parking rules.  These reminders are in place to ensure the safety of all members of our College community.  We thank all parents for your continued support and care of our students. Please contact the College if you have any questions or concerns.

Mr Pablo Grana

Assistant Principal  

Catholic Life @ MMCC

Senior Retreat 2019

“Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well”  (Mt 6:33)

“God seeks us, God waits for us, God finds us..before we seek him,
before we wait for him, before we find him.”
(Pope Francis – My Door is Always Open)

On Wednesday 23 October to Friday 25 October Year 12 (2020) students attended the Senior Retreat at Naamaroo Conference Centre, to contemplate the place of God in their lives and to reflect upon their journey in faith now and into the future. As part of the program students spent time working in small groups on various activities, in prayer, Adoration and Mass.

We thank Fr William for being in attendance for the 3 days of retreat and Fr Mac for joining us on Thursday for Adoration, Reconciliation and Mass. We also had the opportunity to wish Fr Mac a very Happy Birthday. Thank you to all the teachers who made this a memorable experience – Ms Pussich, Mr Sacca, Ms Ayoub, Mrs Orlando, Ms Tate, Mrs Arapi, Mr Tomich, Mr Samuel, Ms Brown and Ms El-Azzi.

Mrs Annette Flanagan

Leader of Religious Education

Society and Culture Intercultural Exchange Day at Hawkesbury High School

Theresa Bui, Year 11

Winter Reading Challenge 2019

As part of their English Course, all students in Years 7 to 10 participated in the Winter Reading Challenge in Term 3. In consultation with their teachers, students were asked to set a personalised ‘Reading Goal’ and aim to read a variety of books which they registered in their Winter Reading Challenge Booklets over the term.

Some students really excelled and I would like to congratulate the following students on their exceptional efforts. They were awarded Certificates of Excellence at a special Pizza Lunch in their honour on Tuesday 22 October with their English Teachers.

Mrs Maria Thomson, Teacher Librarian

High Achievers

I would also like to congratulate the following group of students who made an outstanding effort in the challenge. They were also awarded Certificates of Excellence at their respective Year Meetings.

Share the Care with Your School

Changes in a child or young person’s physical or mental health can affect their schooling and relationships.  Support is available for Mary MacKillop Catholic College students experiencing either mental health or physical health concerns.

Please let your child’s CoL (Year) or the Leader of Wellbeing know if your child has presented at or been admitted to hospital or an emergency service for any physical or mental health concern so that we can discuss further support with you. 

You or an advocate can speak with the Principal, Assistant Principal, CoL (Year), Leader of Wellbeing or School Counsellor to develop a plan together.

Ask us for help with:

• Keeping your child safe
• Returning to school following a physical or mental health incident
• Identifying school staff your child can talk to
• Developing an individual support plan to help stay connected with school during tough times.  This might include flexibility around school hours, homework or catching up with school work
• Accessing support from the school and outside agencies

We know that looking after your kids is your number one priority – and it’s ours, too.  Let’s work on it together.

Mrs Jennifer Lowe

Leader of Wellbeing

Recycling Week November 11 – 15 2019

Coming Events

Mass Times