Whole School News
T4, Week 4
The Parent Portal is coming soon!
We are excited to announce that we are rolling-out a custom-built Parent Portal (App) which includes the ability for families to:
Notify the school of illness or absence
View your child’s subjects and teachers
Receive real-time announcements
View the school events that matter to you
Check attendance history at a glance
View and download your child’s academic reports
Update your family’s personal information
With more to come. . .
Shortly, you will receive a system generated email inviting you to set up an account and create a password to access the portal.
MCS is looking forward to having the portal back for our community to increase communication and connection with us!
Upgrading Student Devices over the Christmas Break?
As the school year draws to a close, we know many families consider updating or purchasing new devices for their children over the Christmas holidays.
To help ensure any new technology is fully supported in the classroom next year, please take a moment to review our Student Technology Requirements document before buying.
A few key reminders when considering a device:
iPads (Primary K-6): Must be able to run the latest operating system (iPadOS) and feature a USB-C connection. Please note that iPad Minis are not supported due to NAPLAN testing compatibility.
MacBooks (Secondary): Must meet minimum specification requirements, including an M2 processor (M3 recommended) with at least 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Headphones: Primary students require wired headphones with a USB-C adapter (if needed) to remain at school for classroom use and NAPLAN testing.
You can view the complete specifications, model compatibility, and software setup guides in our full document here: Student Device Requirements Document.
Thank you for partnering with us to keep our learning environments running smoothly.
Japanese Exchange Experiences with MCS
2027 Term Dates
With the release of the MCS Hub and Community Calendar we are hoping families will be able to get across upcoming events and plan their time appropriately to be a part of as many events and opportunities as possible. We also appreciate that sometimes it is helpful to see the year ahead on just one page. Please see our 2027 Term Dates document attached to assist with planning ahead in 2027.
School Student Travel
The following message is from the NSW Government, for parents and students who use public transport to and from school:
Applications are now open for 2027 SSTS travel Applications are now open for 2027 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel. Students must re-apply or update their details as soon as possible if they:
are changing schools or campus location
are changing home address
are repeating a year
have received an expiry notification for their school travel entitlement.
If a student has lost their School Opal card, they will need to apply for a replacement card. Note: a new card will not be issued if an existing School Opal card is updated online – you must submit a replacement application if a School Opal card is lost.
School Opal cards
Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their card at their nominated postal address from mid-January 2027.
In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.
Terms of Use
Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use. Not tapping can result in penalties or losing access to free travel. Tap on and tap off data also helps Transport for NSW and operators understand how many students use each service. If students don’t tap, services may appear underused, which can lead to cuts or cancellations.
School Opal cards allow travel between school and home, within the approved times of 6.30am to 7.00pm, Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.
All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.