Term 1 Week 3 – Macquarie Messenger

Term 1, Week 3

MACQUARIE Messenger

From the

Principal As we settle into Term 1, I have been speaking with students about something fundamental to their learning, wellbeing, and long‐term success: the power of good habits.

4. Fuel for learning Nutritious food and hydration improve concentration, energy, and resilience.

Healthy breakfasts and balanced lunches support a positive learning mindset.

While we often focus on major milestones, it is the small, everyday routines that quietly shape a child’s confidence, readiness for learning, and ability to thrive.

Importantly, these habits begin with the choices students make each day, and families play a vital role in supporting them.

5. Staying active and connected Outdoor play, sport, friendships, and family time build wellbeing, confidence, and social skills.

1. Routines that help children thrive Consistent bedtime routines support wellbeing. Quality sleep improves focus, mood, and emotional regulation. Devices should also be kept out of bedrooms.

2. Preparing for the day ahead Simple steps like laying out uniforms and packing bags the night before reduce morning stress and help students arrive calm and ready to learn.

3. Attendance and punctuality matter Regular attendance and arriving on time support learning and confidence. Being present each day helps students engage, ask questions, and succeed.

6. Building responsibility and independence Age-appropriate responsibilities help students grow – from remembering belongings to managing study routines – building confidence and independence.

Why these habits matter Habits formed in childhood and adolescence often carry into adulthood.

Skills such as organisation, healthy sleep patterns, punctuality and self-discipline provide a strong foundation for future success – both in and beyond school.

With the support of families and our school community, these positive routines help students feel their best, learn effectively and grow into confident, capable individuals. Wishing you and your children a wonderful start to the year.

Mrs Alison Mitchell PRINCIPAL

From the

Deputy Growth Mentoring – Careers Year 10 have commenced their Careers lessons for 2026 with a strong focus on selfdiscovery and future planning. Students have been reviewing their personal character profiles and exploring career pathways that align with their strengths, interests, and traits.

In the coming weeks, students will begin preparing for their Work Experience placement, scheduled for late in Term 2. This process includes exploring a range of industries and considering the opportunities available to them as they move into Stage 6.

Throughout the remainder of the term, I will be meeting individually with each Year 10 student to support the development of their senior pathway planning.

Mrs Natalie Cole and Mrs Lynne Fleming are also working closely with our Year 11 and Year 12 students, focusing on the specific skills, documentation, and preparation required for employment, apprenticeships, and university pathways, ensuring they are work-ready and future-focused.

Year 11 Leadership Evening Last week, our Year 11 cohort reached a significant milestone in their education at Macquarie as we gathered for the annual Year 11 Leadership Evening. It was a night of reflection, community, and looking toward the future.

Mrs Mitchell addressed our new senior students, speaking of the weight and the privilege of servant leadership, and challenging them to consider how they will use their influence to better our school community, and in turn their own experience of these final two years.

Students were presented with their senior ties and Macquarie Bibles, both symbols of their role as leaders tasked with the responsibility of upholding the motto of Faith in Action.

It was heartening to see the room filled with students, parents, and staff engaging in vibrant conversation and moments of connection, and we are enthusiastic for the journey our students will take in this final chapter of their time at Macquarie.

Mrs Marina Simcox DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

Head of

Term Dates

Teaching and Learning The beginning of the new school year brings with it the promise of fresh goals and plans.

We have renewed our endeavours in these key ways: Our Classrooms: The classroom or learning space is the site and “seat” of our learning. It should be bright, engaging, familiar and safe. It must always be clean, curated and well-maintained.

Students should know where resources are, the role of displays as learning guides and prompts and how patterns of movement around the classroom are linked to learning. The teaching and learning “ownership” of the classroom must be subscribed to by all.

Routines and expectations must be established and revisited so that students always find a “welcome” in their familiar space.

Our Diaries The excitement and resolution of a new diary never fades. I urge students to use their diaries as a partner in their learning and welfare. Perusal of the diary opens up the careful collation of learning, spiritual and welfare resources inside. It is a technology-free ready reckoner and guide! Diligent diary keeping is an invaluable organisational and character training. For Junior School families, the diary is a trusted communication tool with the classroom teacher.

Our Learning Framework The dispositions of Relational, Reflective, Resourceful and Resilient continue to underpin our Teaching and Learning at Macquarie.

Our Assessment Practice This year, Stage 6 (Preliminary) Assessment Notifications will include explicit guidance around the use of Assistive Technologies. This will provide intentional and supportive information to students and teachers as they negotiate the delicate balance between innovation and authenticity.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): The permitted level of AI use for this task is indicated below and is highlighted for your reference.

Level

Description

Examples

Level 1 No AI

No AI tools allowed

Complete task independently without AI assistance.

Level 2 AI for Ideas

Brainstorming only

Use AI to generate ideas or organise thoughts; no AI text in final work.

Level 3 AI for Editing

Improving clarity

AI can check grammar/spelling; original draft must be included.

Level 4 AI for Sections

Limited content creation

AI may assist with examples or summaries; cite all AI content.

Level 5 AI Integrated

Full support with transparency

AI used throughout; all contributions cited and explained.

Head of

Junior School Term 1 in Full Swing!

The school year is well underway, and it has been a wonderful start across the Junior School. Classrooms are busy with learning, playgrounds are full of activity, and friendships continue to grow. Our Prep and Kindergarten students have settled in beautifully, and our Year 6 Student Leaders have confidently led our first Junior School Assembly for the year.

We aim to nurture a welcoming and inclusive environment where every child feels they belong. Through our Second Step lessons and classroom discussions, students have been exploring practical ways to make others feel welcome – smiling, greeting one another kindly, inviting others into games, and celebrating both our similarities and differences. We have also welcomed many new students to our community, and we are incredibly proud of the way our Junior School students have shown care and kindness in helping them settle in.

This week also marked the beginning of our Kindergarten Buddy Reading program for 2026. Our Year 6 students met with their Kindergarten buddies for their first reading session together, and this will now take place each Friday throughout the year. The students are already enjoying building relationships through shared stories, and earlier today, they also begin Buddy Recess, giving our youngest learners supportive older friends to play alongside.

The Power of Reading In Junior School, there are many optional ways students can extend learning at home, but there is only one compulsory element from Kindergarten to Year 6: reading. We hold this consistently because reading underpins success in every Key Learning Area.

Students who read regularly build vocabulary, strengthen memory, develop knowledge of the world, and grow in confidence as learners. The Australian Curriculum highlights literacy as a general capability required for learning across all subjects, not just English, and research from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) consistently shows that frequent reading practice is one of the strongest predictors of academic progress. Reading is not just an English skill – it is a learning skill.

What Reading Looks Like at Different Ages Kindergarten – Year 2 Children benefit enormously from being read to. Listening builds comprehension before independent decoding catches up. Hearing fluent reading helps children understand how stories sound and how language works. At the same time, they should also practise reading the texts sent home in the Home Reading Program – these are carefully matched to their developing decoding skills.

Year 3 – Year 6 Students still benefit from shared reading! Even confident readers grow vocabulary and comprehension when adults read aloud to them. Alongside this, students should read their home readers independently to build fluency and stamina. From Year 3 – Year 6, students should also be engaging in independent reading for enjoyment — books they choose themselves, that interest them and bring them joy.

Developing a love of reading is just as important as developing reading skill. When children read widely and willingly, they encounter richer vocabulary, more complex ideas and longer sustained.

So, the goal is threefold: Read to your child Listen to your child read Encourage independent reading Supporting Decoding (segmenting and blending words) Help your child work out unfamiliar words rather than telling them straight away.

Try prompts like: “Say the sounds and read the word” “What sound does that letter group make?”

“Can you break the word into parts?”

“Does that sound right?”

If they are stuck after a genuine attempt, then help “this word says… or s-i-n-k says sink”. The goal is supported independence, not struggle.

Supporting Fluency (smooth, confident reading) Encourage rereading the same text this builds automaticity Model reading a sentence fluently, then have them copy you Take turns reading pages Celebrate effort, not speed

Supporting Comprehension (understanding the text) After reading, discuss the text. Talk, not test! You might ask: “What happened in this part?”

“Why did the character do that?”

“What do you think will happen next?”

“Does this remind you of anything in your life?”

Some of the most effective habits are also the simplest – read at the same time each day, let your children see you reading, or plan to visit the library and borrow books for enjoyment. Daily reading, even just 10–15 minutes, compounds over time. Across a year, that small habit becomes hundreds of’ thousands of words encountered, ideas explored, and skills strengthened.

Mrs Keera Job HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Prayer & Praise Praise God For:

The beginning of a new school year, full of opportunities for growth, learning, and fresh routines.

The children and young people in our care, each uniquely gifted, loved by God, and capable of developing strong habits that will shape their future.

The partnership between home and school, and the dedicated families and staff who encourage and nurture our students each day.

Please Pray For: Wisdom and perseverance for our students as they develop healthy routines – sleep, organisation, learning, and relationships – that help them thrive.

Parents and caregivers, that God would give them strength, patience, and encouragement as they guide their children in building positive habits.

Our whole school community, that we would grow in wellbeing, kindness, responsibility, and a shared commitment to helping every student become the person God created them to be.

Announcements & Updates

P2 Pickup To support safe and smooth afternoon collection: Prep: Finish at 3:00 pm. Prep students are collected from front of A Block.

Kindergarten–Year 2: Finish at 3:00 pm. Students are escorted to P2 to wait for parents/buses (please do not arrive before 3:00 pm to collect your child/ren).

Year 3–Year 12: Finish at 3:10 pm. If you arrive earlier than 3:10pm you may be asked to wait in the car park.

Students are seated in class/year groups and assisted to cars by staff. When using the drive-through bay, please remain in your vehicle. If parking, meet your child inside, and along the front fence of P2. Please do not crowd the entry/exit gate.

Students cannot be collected from the internal roundabout.

Thank you for helping us keep students safe at home time.

Term Dates 23 February WAS Netball Trials 25-27 February Year 6 Camp 27 February “Clean Up Macquarie” Day WAS Touch Football Trials 28 February ACER Scholarship Testing 5 March Yr 7 Waypoint Dinner Universities Showcase 6 March Exeat Weekend AFL Trials 10 March Early Years Open Day 11-13 March NAPLAN 12 March HICES Swimming GRIP Leadership Conference 16-20 March NAPLAN 17 March SS Science & Engineering Challenge 18 March Yr 8 Camp Information Evening 19 March JS Science & Engineering Challenge 20 March National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence 23 March NAPLAN 23 March Glen Gerreyn Guest Speaker

Uniform Guidelines As we continue to uphold a culture of excellence at Macquarie, we would like to reinforce the importance of our Student Uniform Policy. A well-presented uniform supports school pride, belonging, and a positive learning environment.

Our Junior and Senior School Uniform Guidelines are available on the website and outline expectations for dress, hair, makeup, and jewellery. Key reminders include: Students should wear their uniform neatly and with pride at all times.

Formal shoes: Black leather lace-up school shoes (black leather joggers are not permitted).

Sport shoes: Designed for running/outdoor activity and worn only on sport days (no slipper-style or high-top sneakers).

Jewellery: One watch (no Smart Watches) and one small plain stud or sleeper per ear lobe (gold, silver, or pearl). Earrings must not be taped or covered.

Boys: No piercings permitted.

Hair: Shoulder-length hair or longer must be tied up neatly. No half-up, half-down hairstyles.

Accessories limited to white, navy, blue, green, red, or gold.

Boys’ hair not extending past the collar.

Hairstyles should not obstruct vision or attract undue attention. No mullet hairstyles permitted.

Medical or sensory exemptions require approval from the Principal or Deputy.

Learning to follow dress expectations helps students understand presentation and professionalism. We appreciate your support in maintaining our standards.

Parent Information Webinar and Handbook Families have received a link to view our 2026 Junior School Parent Information Webinar, along with the accompanying Parent Handbook. We encourage all parents to watch and read these resources, as they provide helpful information about routines, expectations, and processes within the Junior and Senior Schools.

We look forward to a fantastic year ahead together.

Year 7 & 10 School Vaccination Program First School Immunisation Clinic Wednesday 25 March (Week 8 – Term 1) Catch Up Immunsation Clinic Wednesday 1 April (Week 9 – Term 1) Each year NSW Health partners with schools to offer the vaccines recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for adolescents as part of the School Vaccination Program.

If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, you can now provide online consent for their routine school vaccinations. Our first School Vaccination Clinic is on Wednesday 25 March, during periods 1 & 2. We are also offering a Catch-Up Vaccination Clinic the following week on Wednesday 1 April, during periods 1 & 2. This is for any students unable to attend the first clinic.

In Year 7, students are offered the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough Vaccine (1 dose) and Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine (1 dose). In Year 10, students are offered the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine (1 dose).

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received. To provide consent please refer to the email that was sent to Parents and Carers.

Latest News YEAR 11 LEADERSHIP EVENING

STUDENT SUCCESS – LUCY D., YEAR 10 Congratulations to Lucy D., Year 10, whose Touch Football team was named Secondary Team of the Year for 2025 at the NSW Combined Independent Schools Awards Ceremony – an outstanding achievement!

This recognition reflects the team’s dedication, teamwork, and commitment to excellence. We are incredibly proud of Lucy and her teammates for this welldeserved honour.

REFLECTIONS ON LEADERSHIP: SERVICE OVER STATUS Recently, we had the privilege of joining over 700 student leaders from across the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation at St. Andrew’s Cathedral for the Archbishop of Sydney’s Leaders Commissioning Service.

While it was a wonderful opportunity to gather together, the purpose of the day went far beyond taking photos or receiving a formal commissioning. It was a chance to think deeply about what leadership actually looks like. We heard from Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, who challenged us to rethink the definition of power and influence.

The Archbishop shared a fascinating historical perspective on "humility." He noted that in the Roman world – during the time of Jesus – humility wasn't considered a virtue. In fact, the ancient Romans viewed lowering oneself to serve others as shameful; they prized status, honour, and reputation above all else. The Christian message flipped that worldview upside down. We were challenged to value others above ourselves and to look to the interests of others, not just our own. Regardless of faith background, this principle resonates in our culture today: true leadership isn't about power; it is about service.

The Archbishop was also refreshingly honest about the realities of responsibility. He reminded us that the more responsibility you have, the more likely it is that something will eventually go wrong. The real test of a leader isn’t perfection. The test is accountability. It is having the courage to go to a person and say, "I was wrong, I am sorry."

Finally, we heard from a fellow student leader regarding the pressure we all feel facing the HSC. Her advice was a great reminder to keep things in perspective – to remember that we are not alone during times of stress, that we are loved, and that we can trust God to guide us through the year.

We came away from the city feeling both challenged and encouraged. It was a timely reminder that the roles for Ed and Sarah as Captains and we as Vice Captains isn't about status. It is about looking out for the interests of others and serving our school with humility.

Sam Luck and Calliope Hurford, Vice Captains

JUNIOR SCHOOL SWIMMING CARNIVAL In Week 2, we enjoyed a beautiful day at our Junior School Swimming Carnival, with fantastic participation from students in Years 3–6. It was wonderful to see students challenge themselves, encourage one another, and show great house spirit throughout the day. Thank you to the many parents who came along to support our students and to those who assisted with timekeeping.

Congratulations to Mitchell Gadsby, Year 4, who broke five records, some standing for almost 20 years – an incredible achievement! The always-popular bomb competition was once again a highlight. Congratulations to Bill Sheehan, Year 5, for taking out the title this year! Our overall champion house was Dunlop. We were also delighted to present our Age Champions at assembly earlier this week, and we look forward to cheering on our students as they compete at the upcoming HICES carnival. This fortnight’s Head of Junior School Award was presented to Georgie Campbell for her outstanding effort at her very first swimming carnival.

Georgie participated in individual races, relays, and house challenges with enthusiasm and courage. Well done, Georgie!

AICES BASKETBALL CUP On 18 February, the Opens Boys Basketball team travelled to Castle Hill to compete in the AICES Basketball Cup. As the only country team in the competition, and with a squad of ten inexperienced but enthusiastic boys, we knew the day would present a significant challenge.

Our first game was against a well-drilled William Clarke College side. Despite our best efforts, we were defeated 51–10. With the nerves shaken off, the boys regrouped and recommitted to our core values of giving 100% effort and working for one another.

Game 2 saw us face a strong Central Coast Sports College team. Although the scoreboard showed a 74–13 loss, the improvement in confidence and teamwork was already evident.

Despite two tough losses, the team continued to grow with each match. In our final pool game, we came up against St Euphemia College, who were in a similar position to us on the ladder. It was a competitive, back-and-forth contest, but unfortunately, we went down 43–21.

This result placed us fourth in our pool and set up a crossover playoff against Emanuel School.

The playoff proved to be a tough and physical encounter. The boys competed with determination and resilience but were ultimately defeated 44–10.

While the results may not have gone our way, every single player should be incredibly proud.

The improvement shown throughout the day was outstanding, and the team looked more cohesive and confident with each game.

A massive thank you goes to Mr Manusu’s brother for travelling up to assist with scoring duties, and to Mrs Connors for her positive influence and encouragement from the bench.

Your support was greatly appreciated.

Well done boys!

FREE Positive Parenting Seminar BUILDING BETTER FAMILIES WITH GLEN GERREYN

Monday 23 March 6-7pm @ Macquarie Anglican Grammar School TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE: How to help your child find a vision The rules of encouragement How to be where you are Teaching your children how to fail How to say you're sorry Making the home a refuge RSVP is required via link: https://forms.gle/7BzxMdQ8WNqGGHX17

MACQUARIE NETBALL

READY, NET go!

Registrations for the 2026 Netball Season are now open!

Macquarie Netball Club will offer competitive trials for players aged 12 years and over who wish to be considered for our top teams. Trials will take place in Week 2 of Term 1.

Participation in trials is optional, and all players are welcome to register regardless of ability or experience.

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are also being collected to assist with planning and grading.

Everyone is welcome, including boys up to 12 years of age.

EOI Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSesR-t0j8Kisxe4N0gD5bHQ8C9fPS5JHF6i8QXZH4ZcwN2IQ/viewform?usp=dialog Registrations: 10 years – Seniors: https://www.playhq.com/netball-australia/register/fde261 8 & 9 years: https://www.playhq.com/netball-australia/register/7a3fdc Players must be registered to participate in trials.

Further details regarding trials and team placements will be communicated via email.

Join the Dubbo Demons in 2026 We are the mighty Dubbo Demons, Famed throughout the land!

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Junior registration is FREE in 2026 !!

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Juniors Teams u/10's Mixed,u/12's Mixed, u/14's Mixed,u/17's Girls & u/17's Boys Training Thursdays 5pm at South Dubbo Oval Auskick 5-12year olds Games 27th April - 6th July 2026 Sundays 9.30am4.30pm-5.30pm at South 12.30pm Dubbo Oval