Go Red for Dyslexia

On Friday 18th October, we invite all our students to wear a touch of red with their school uniform as we show support for Dyslexia. You may be aware that October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects 20% of our population's ability to read and has a significant impact on their schooling and life.

A local previous student at MacKillop College and member of St Agnes’ Parish, is Georgia Ryan who is the driving force behind raising awareness in Port Macquarie. Georgia has been a Dyslexia Mid North Coast Youth Ambassador since 2019. We were first introduced when Georgia reached out to Dyslexia Mid North Coast to attend Luminosity in 2018 to see one of her heroes, dyslexic sailor Jessica Watson. Since then Georgia has gone from strength to strength petitioning Federal and State governments to improve teacher training in specific learning difficulties and has been recognised in NSW Parliament for her contribution.  

Port Macquarie is one of the most ‘dyslexic aware’ towns in the world!  You can check out the amazing impact your support had last year by clicking this link - #GoRed for Dyslexia Awareness.

Thank you for supporting Dyslexia Awareness Month with us by encouraging your child to wear something red with their school uniform on Friday.

NSW Police Legacy Child Safety Handbook

Staff Development Day (Pupil Free) and Back to School for Term 4

We have a Staff Development Day coming up on Monday 14th October 2024 (Term 4 Week 1) which is Pupil Free. The children will return to school for Term 4 after the holiday break on Tuesday 15th October. Please mark these dates in your calendar as you plan your next few weeks.

In recognising the need for teachers to have the opportunity to work collaboratively on this day we are unable to offer child minding.

Staff will be spending time on this day participating in professional learning focused on behaviour development.

Thinking of Our Community

Our PCG on Wednesday 23rd October (Week 2 of Term 4), from 5:00pm to 6:00pm at Joey's is open to all parents and plays a vital role in supporting the mission of our Catholic school. It strengthens family-school partnerships, fosters parent connections and ensures effective communication about parent body initiatives within our community.

We would be delighted to have you join us!

Baptism for Children

Be open and honest if your child is reluctant to attend school. Contact the school if your child is regularly seeking to stay home. Working together is the best way to resolve school avoidance

It is essential to address the issue promptly to understand the underlying reasons and provide necessary support. 

Start by having an open and non-judgmental conversation with your child. Ask them about their feelings, concerns, or any challenges they may be facing related to school. Ask open-ended questions in a space where they feel comfortable. 

Examples of conversation openers include:

• Tell me about how you’ve been feeling lately.
• What are some things you don’t like about being at school?
• You’ve said you feel _______. Can you tell me what that feels like?
• Tell me when you feel happy at school? What do you like to do?
• If you could change two things about school what would they be? 

Actively listen to your child's concerns and feelings. It's important to understand their perspective and validate their emotions. Avoid being dismissive or judgmental, and let them know you are there to support them. Move to more specific questions like 

• Is there a specific incident that has made you feel this way with someone at school?
• Is school-work upsetting you?

Make a plan with your child to talk to the school. You can seek advice free from NSW ParentLine 1300 1300 52.

Please note these dates can change from time to time due to unforeseen circumstances and we will endeavour to advise you of any changes at the earliest possible opportunity. Our school Google calendar can be accessed via this link for additional advanced dates -

For your convenience 2023 school term dates are listed below. They are also located on our website. Click on the words “TERM DATES” on the home page.