Term 3, Week 5
MACQUARIE Messenger
From the
Principal Preparing for the Future - Leadership and Legacy This week marked an important milestone for our Year 12 students as they completed their Trial Examinations. With this significant step behind them, the Class of 2026 now enters the final phase of their school journey as they prepare for the Higher School Certificate examinations and life beyond Macquarie. At the same time, a number of Year 11 students participated in the Senior School Student Leadership selection process, submitting applications, attending interviews and delivering speeches at assembly. I commend each candidate for their courage, initiative and willingness to serve our school community. The calibre of candidates was exceptional, with students demonstrating maturity, confidence and a genuine commitment to making a positive difference. With 18 students seeking eight positions, there will naturally be some disappointment. However, as I reminded students throughout the process, a badge does not make a leader. True leadership is demonstrated through our choices, the way we treat others, the example we set and our service to others. Our 2027 Senior Student Leaders will be announced at the Year 12 Valedictory Assembly on the final day of Term 3, and formally inducted in Term 4. Earlier this week, we also announced our Junior School Student Representative Council (SRC) leaders at assembly, followed by a morning tea with students and their families. The SRC provides a wonderful introduction to leadership, allowing students to represent their peers, share ideas and contribute positively to our school community. We congratulate all students elected. Our Senior School SRC has also launched a recycling initiative, collecting eligible bottles and cans through the 10-cent container return scheme. Funds raised will support studentled initiatives across the school. Families can contribute using the sky-blue collection bin near the Clothing Pool bin at P2. As we celebrate leadership across Macquarie, we are reminded that it is not defined by titles alone, but by the everyday choices our students make to support, serve and contribute to those around them.
Mrs Alison Mitchell PRINCIPAL
From the
Chaplain FIJI SERVICE TRIP Earlier this year, we announced to our school community the exciting opportunity for students to participate in an international service-learning trip to Fiji in July 2027. The trip is being offered to students who will be in Years 10 and 11 in 2027. We currently have a number of places available and are reopening expressions of interest to current Year 9 and Year 10 students who may be interested in being part of this unique experience. The Fiji Service Trip will give students the opportunity to serve alongside local communities, experience Fijian culture firsthand, and be challenged to grow personally and spiritually through a shared service-learning experience. As this will be the inaugural MAGS Fiji Service Trip, the students who participate will have the opportunity to help establish what we hope will become a lasting relationship between our school and the communities we visit in Fiji. We are excited about the potential for this first group to create a legacy for future MAGS students. The trip will run for 8 days in July 2027, with a total cost of $5,195, payable in instalments through school fees. Further information about the itinerary, inclusions and cost can be found through the Infuse Travel Hub: https://proposal.infusetravel.com.au/Macquarie-AnglicanGrammar-School-Fiji-Service-and-Culture-Immersion-2027-Ed4zeW5QFWOp We would love for you to discuss this opportunity with your child and consider whether they would be interested in being part of this unique experience. We encourage families to explore the information together and consider whether this opportunity might be right for your family. Please complete this form if you wish for us to discuss this trip with your child https://forms.gle/8MbwDkCzPqFHDMHeA. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the trip, please contact Tom Owen (tom.owen@mags.nsw.edu.au) or infuse travel (alejo@infusetravel.com.au).
Rev. Tom Owen CHAPLAIN
FIJI SERVICE TRIP
From the
Deputy Attendance Matters Strong, consistent attendance is essential for every student across Prep–12. Being at school each day supports academic progress, strengthens friendships, builds positive routines and helps students feel connected to their teachers, peers and the wider school community. Regular attendance also ensures students can fully participate in the learning experiences and opportunities available to them. All absences must be verified by parents and carers through the Edumate App. We ask families to complete this as promptly as possible following an absence. Timely verification ensures the School can maintain accurate attendance records, identify patterns and provide support where needed. Please note that unverified absences cannot be adjusted after one week, making prompt submission particularly important. The School continues to monitor student attendance closely. Where a student’s attendance falls below 85%, families will receive a letter outlining this concern. This is not simply a notification, but an opportunity to reset expectations, ensure families are aware of their child’s attendance rate and work together to strengthen attendance habits moving forward. We understand there are times when students may need to be away from school due to illness, family circumstances or other approved reasons. Attendance exemptions may be requested through the link on our website for specific circumstances, and families are encouraged to review the relevant guidelines before submitting an application. Maintaining strong attendance is a shared responsibility between students, families and the School. By verifying absences promptly, keeping communication open and supporting consistent daily routines, families play an important role in ensuring students remain engaged in their learning, confident in their relationships and connected to school life.
Mrs Marina Simcox DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
Head of
Junior School Leading, Connecting and Serving in Junior School Term 3 continues to provide valuable opportunities for our students to connect, lead and serve through our Peer Support Program and Junior School Electives. Led by Year 6 students, Peer Support brings together Kindergarten to Year 6 students in small, mixed-age groups, building positive relationships and a strong sense of belonging across Junior School. This term, students are exploring themes including Feeling Safe Being Me, Strong Me, Including Others, Make the Change and Know Your Rights. Our Year 6 leaders have embraced their roles with maturity and enthusiasm, developing confidence as they facilitate discussions, encourage participation and support younger students. Alongside Peer Support, students have begun our Term 3 Electives program, with a focus on Service Learning. These electives encourage students to use their gifts and creativity to positively impact others while developing collaboration, leadership and problem-solving skills. This term’s projects include: First Responders: Thank You Campaign – creating messages of appreciation for local first responders. Dubbo Homestead Care Community – connecting with residents and learning the importance of caring for others. New Student Welcome Packs – helping new families feel welcomed and connected. Reading Buddies & Story Makers – promoting a love of reading and storytelling. Playground Makers – creating activities that encourage positive interactions during break times. Animal Welfare Warriors – supporting animal wellbeing and responsible care. Moments that Matter – celebrating everyday acts of kindness, gratitude and connection. These projects provide meaningful opportunities for students to serve others and see how their individual gifts can make a difference.
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As 1 Peter 4:10 reminds us,
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. Through these programs, our students are putting this principle into action and learning the value of service to others.
Mrs Keera Job HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
Term Dates
Acting Head of
Senior School Leadership, Learning and the Importance of Respectful Relationships
This week, the school body was immensely privileged to witness Year 11 Leadership candidates delivering their Speeches at Senior School Assembly. Their reflections were a wonderful representation of the wisdom and idealism of youth. They spoke meaningfully on the qualities of leadership: authenticity, strength, responsibility, loyalty, service-mindedness, resilience, and empathy. Inspiring also were the students’ reflections on “Faith in Action” and their resolve to live out and model our core school values Faith, Community, Character, and Excellence. I commend and thank Year 11 for their contribution. We welcome back Year 12 from their Trial Examinations. These students are applauded for the focus, diligence, and sincerity with which they faced this challenge. We support them as they lead Macquarie’s participation in the inaugural Trinity Shield Competition. We look forward to the season of celebration and culmination. A rapid and purposeful refocus is also in order as Trial Results are returned; these results represent an unrivalled opportunity to learn from mistakes, to hone skills and to strategise individual and collaborative study approaches. My point of reflection this week is relationship. Our society is sadly awash with opportunities to say unkind things under the cloak of anonymity. The net effect of this is that the boundary between what is acceptable and unacceptable becomes blurred and contested. Students must apply themselves to respectful relationships with others. Unkind words and actions strain relationships and build ongoing resentment and hurt. It must be our priority as a school to be a place of kindness and civility.
Mrs Lynne Fleming ACTING HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL
Head of
Wellbeing Bullying – important conversations to have with your child Macquarie is proud to participate in the Bullying No Way: National Week of action – 17 to 21 August 2026. By working collaboratively within our community, we can collectively help reduce bullying. Families play an important role in helping children understand bullying and how to respond to it. If your child tells you about things at school, or you observe something in public that involves conflict or bullying, take the opportunity to talk about what bullying is. You can learn more about what defines bullying at bullyingnoway.gov.au. Questions you could ask: What do you think bullying is? Have you seen it? How did you feel? Have you ever felt scared at school because of bullying? As well as me, who are the other adults you would talk to when it comes to things like bullying? Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not? Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again? Remind your child that bullying is never okay and discuss how they can respond safely if they experience or witness it. Encourage them to seek help from a trusted adult and keep seeking support if needed. By promoting open communication, we empower children to stand up against bullying and create a safer environment where everyone can feel that they belong. For more information, visit bullyingnoway.gov.au.
Mr Wade Richardson HEAD OF WELLBEING
Acting Head of
Boarding Why Students Travel from Across Australia to Board at Macquarie This weekend marks a significant milestone in the Term 3 calendar – EXEAT. For our boarding families, this is one of the most anticipated weekends of the term. Students make their way home on Friday, and we welcome them back through the doors on Monday afternoon refreshed, recharged, and ready finish off the term. EXEAT falls at roughly the halfway point of the term, and that timing is no accident. By this stage, students and staff alike have been running at full pace with early mornings, long afternoons, sport commitments, assessments, and the everyday demands of communal living. A break is not just welcome, it is necessary. We hope every boarding family makes the most of the weekend together, whether that means a home-cooked meal, a sleep in, or simply being under the same roof. For some of our students, however, the weekend will bring an added layer of excitement – and nerves. Several of our boarders will be pulling on their jerseys this weekend to compete in semi-finals across a range of winter sports. It is the moment all the training sessions, the missed social gatherings, and kilometres travelled this year, has been building toward. We wish every student competing the very best and hope the hard work pays off. Of course, in sport there can only be one winner. Some of our students will return on Monday on a high, and others may return quietly disappointed. Both outcomes matter. One of the greatest lessons sport teaches young people is how to be gracious in defeat and humble in victory – and in a boarding environment, where teammates, and even opposition players all share the same dining hall, that lesson becomes very real, very quickly. We are proud of the character our students show, regardless of the result. To all our boarding families – enjoy your weekend. We look forward to having everyone home on Monday.
Mr Patrick Connors ACTING HEAD OF BOARDING
Prayer & Praise Praise God For: The perseverance and dedication of our Year 12 students as they completed their Trial Examinations and continue preparing for their final HSC examinations and the opportunities that lie beyond school. The leadership shown by students across our school, from our Year 11 leadership candidates to our newly elected Junior School SRC representatives, who have demonstrated courage, maturity and a heart for service.
Please Pray For: Wisdom, peace and confidence for our Year 12 students as they navigate the final weeks of their schooling, prepare for the HSC, and make decisions about their future pathways. Our student leaders and leadership candidates, that they may continue to serve others with humility, integrity and compassion, remembering that true leadership is reflected in daily actions and positive influence.
Term Dates TERM 3 24 August Year 5 Camp Group Tour Book Week - Character Parade and Book Fair 26 August Kindergarten Pizza Lunch 27 August Year 3 Camp Zoo Snooze CAPA Night 31 August The Trinity Shield HICES Gifted and Talented Camp 2 September Indigenous Literacy Day 4 September Student For A Day 9 September Girls Rugby 7s Tour 10 September Macquaries Got Talent 14 September Year 11 Exams 21 September Year 12 Retreat Year 11 Work Placement 24 September Valedictory Chapel Service 25 September Valedicotry Breakfast Valedictory Assembly Valedictory Dinner
TERM 4 21 October Year 4 Camp Lake Burrendong
Announcements & Updates
Music Lessons Did you know students can access instrumental music lessons right here on campus? If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument at Macquarie, please use the following contacts: Lyndal Elder Piano, Violin Phone: 0429 040 503 Macquarie Conservatorium Woodwind, Brass, Strings, Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums Phone: 6884 6686 Website: https://www.macqcon.org.au/ Vocal Please email Mrs Jodie Barber regarding voice lessons jodie.barber@mags.nsw.edu.au
Announcements & Updates
Friendship Problems and Social Stress Webinar As part of our ongoing partnership with Wellio this year, we're continuing to support our community with proactive, consistent pastoral care. Many of our parents and staff joined the Wellio Webinar series earlier this year, and we're pleased to share the next session, running this Term. FREE Parent Webinar: Friendship Problems and Social Stress Thursday 10 September, 6:30–7:30pm AEST Helping kids manage social issues on and offline. In this session, you'll learn how to: Understand why friendship issues feel so big: why fallouts and shifting friendships can hit kids so hard Make sense of bullying and exclusion: how social dynamics, online and in person, can escalate quickly Support kids through conflict: practical ways to help them navigate fallouts and social stress Can't make it live? Complete the registration and Wellio will send the recording and any supporting resources to all registrants after the session. Register Here
Latest News TRAINEE OF THE MONTH Congratulations to our Trainee Teacher’s Aide, Mr Dominic Manusu, who has been named Skillset's Trainee of the Month! Mr Manusu has made a fantastic impact at Macquarie, building strong connections with students, supporting learning in and beyond the classroom, and even taking the initiative to establish a school basketball team. A wonderful recognition of Mr Manusu’s enthusiasm, initiative and positive contribution to our school community. Congratulations!
AUTHOR TRISTAN BANCKS JOINS YEARS 7 AND 8 Tristan Bancks is one of Australia's most popular writers for young people, known for fastpaced, high-stakes stories such as Two Wolves, Detention, Cop and Robber and Scar Town. A former actor and filmmaker, he now writes full time and travels widely to speak with students, and his books have been shortlisted for numerous awards including the Prime Minister's Literary Awards and the CBCA Book of the Year. Our Year 7 and 8 students recently joined Tristan for a live Zoom session, and the hour was every bit as fast-paced as his novels. Tristan spoke about his books and the journey behind them, offering students an honest look at how a story moves from a scrap of an idea to a finished manuscript. Much of the session focused on where writers find inspiration; in overheard conversations, childhood memories, small moments of curiosity and the question every good story begins with: what if? Students were encouraged to keep their eyes open and their notebooks close. The workshop was a natural fit for our English classes. Having explored how he keeps readers turning pages, students will now apply those techniques to imaginative writing pieces of their own, with a particular focus on crafting narratives with strong pace and tension. Our thanks to Tristan for such a generous and engaging session. We look forward to reading the writing it inspires.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY We’ve had an action-packed week in the library, and there is so much more excitement just around the corner! Fired Up for Reading with Tristan Bancks Our library was very proud to host an online author talk with Tristan Bancks this week! It was incredible to see our students get so fired up about reading and creative writing. The enthusiasm has been contagious, and it’s wonderful to hear so many students now asking to explore more of his fantastic books. Graphic Novel Shelves are Flying! Have you checked out our brand-new Graphic Novel bookcase yet? It has been an absolute hit with students! Popular series like Cat Kid, Dog Man, The Baby-sitters Club, Wings of Fire and Percy Jackson are flying off the shelves faster than we can restock them. It’s fantastic to see so many readers engaging with these vibrant stories. Get Ready for Book Week Next Week! The wait is almost over. Book Week arrives next week (Week 6), and the classroom chatter is all about upcoming parade costumes. Here is what you need to know: Tuesday & Wednesday: Keep an eye out for Book Week Wish Lists coming home with students. These must be returned on Thursday morning for order collection. Thursday, 27 August: Our big Book Week Parade, Picnic and Book Fair! Book Parade and Fair details: Parade from 9.30am to 10.30am – prizes given for the best costumes. Followed by the Family Picnic from 10.30am to 11.10am – bring some snacks and enjoy morning tea with your children. Book Fair will be open until 1pm. The library is also holding a ‘Create a Book Mark’ competition. Entries available in the library. We can’t wait to see everyone’s creative costumes and celebrate reading together. See you at the parade!
Year 12
CHARITY Raffle
Macquarie Anglican Grammar School Year 12 are hosting araffleinsupportoftheDubboSing OutDementiaChoir. Foryourchancetowinoneoffive prizes,scantheQR codeandpurchase a ticket!
!!!
Every ticketsoldhelpssupport the choir'svaluablework in bringing connection,joy and supporttopeople living with dementia and theirfamilies.
Drawn Tuesday 1 September Closes Friday 28 August at 11:59PM
TICKET
$5ONLY!
1st Prize Valued At Over $1,000! Evedure Kiln Pizza Oven Cutting Board Pizza Cutter
Via 123tix
A range of products generously donated by The Littlle Big Dairy Co.
Movie Hamper Which includes: Reading Cinema Voucher, Chocolates, Popcorn
aiwa Boom Box Party Speaker/ Karaoke Machine
Hamper full of goodies generously donated by Ewetwo Trangie
MACQUARIE NETBALL
PRESENTATION
NIGHT
Tuesday 15 September STARTING 5:30PM AT HENDERSON HALL, MACQUARIE ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL