28 June 2024

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

This week, we held the inaugural MHOC Rubik’s Cube Competition. We have some very talented cubers here, and three children battled it out in the final that was held at Assembly today. Congratulations to Harley who took out this year’s event.

We also took two teams to an inter-school chess competition on Monday and one of our teams placed equal second in a very competitive field. Mr Madden was very proud!

This week’s Leadership Star award went to Neve Hunter in Year 6. Her teachers said that she is always willing to help her classmates and listen to others. Congratulations Neve.

Thank you to all the generous parents, grandparents and carers who baked and sold sweet treats for Bunnings cake stall last Sunday, raising over $400.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our NAIDOC activities next week and at Friday’s presentation of Term 2 Effort Awards.

Warm regards,

Liz

UPCOMING EVENTS

Term 2

• Monday 1st July - NAIDOC Week commences 
• Monday 1st July- Tuesday 2nd July - Dental Health Van Visit
• Wednesday 3rd July- Music concert for private tuition students 6.30pm
• Friday 5th July - End of Term Awards
• Friday 5th July - NAIDOC Ceremony 12pm. All welcome.
• Friday 5th July - Semester 1 Reports go home
• Friday 5th July - Last day Term 2

Term 3

• Monday 22nd July - Staff Development Day (pupil-free day)
• Tuesday 23rd July - Term 3 commences for students
• Tuesday 23rd July - Confirmation Retreat at Sawtell Church
• Friday 26th July - Grandparents’ Day 
• Friday 26th July - Book Fair commences
• Friday 26th July - MHOC Olympics
• Friday 2nd August - Confirmation

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

Chess Tournament

We are proud of our chess teams who took part in an inter-school competition on Monday. Congratulations to Patrick, Harry, Cole and Nate whose team took out equal second place.

MHOC Rubik’s Cube Competition

We held heats on Wednesday in the inaugural MHOC Rubik’s Cube Competition. Six skilled cubers took part in the heats;  Chilli, Curtis, Harvey, Harley, Lucas and Charlie. Congratulations to the students who placed in the final, held at today’s assembly:

• 1st place - Harley Bulanyi
• 2nd Place - Lucas Townsend
• 3rd Place - Charlie Schmetzer

Special thanks to Harley whose passion led to the inclusion of a Rubik’s Cube club here at lunch time where children can share tips and strategies for solving this tricky puzzle.

Year 3-6 Choir at The Link

Our senior choir wowed the audience with their beautiful singing at The Link this morning.

Thank you to Mrs Katie Moss, our choir teacher, who always prepares the children so well for these performances.

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NAIDOC Celebrations

We are holding a special week of activities to celebrate NAIDOC here at MHOC next week. 

• For all our students, there will be guest speakersin classrooms,  music and activities at recess each day, and lots of other cultural activities.
• Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families  are invited to a Yarn-up and BBQ on Wednesday. Please RSVP if you are able to come along.
• The week will culminate in a NAIDOC ceremony on Friday at 12pm, including a traditional smoking ceremony. All our families are welcome to join us for this beautiful ceremony.

MHOC OSHC Vacation Care

There are places available in the MHOC Vacation Care program. If your children are not already enrolled at the service, you will need to enrol by next Tuesday 2nd July so that your enrolment can be processed before the holidays.

All existing families, please book your child’s attendance in the usual way.

See the OSHC section of the newsletter for an outline of the daily activities.

Grandparents’ Day 

Our annual Grandparents' Day will be held on Friday 26th July.  For catering purposes, please click on this link to register.

Presentation of Term 2 Effort Awards

Parents and carers are invited to the presentation of Term 2 Effort Awards on Friday at 8:45am in the school hall.

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LOVING LEARNING

The Benefits of Co-curricular Activities

Our children have the opportunity to explore their talents and passions through a wide range of activities provided at school.  

There are many benefits to participating in co-curricular activities. A broad and varied learning experience is known to increase positive outcomes in academic performance. Engaging in extra activities can also assist children to:

• foster a sense of connectedness with their school and their peers
• build self-confidence & develop resilience
• improve mental wellbeing and physical health
• participate in positive risk-taking behaviour within a safe environment
• explore and discover new passions and interests.

Activities vary each term. Here are just some of the co-curricular activities currently on offer  at MHOC:

• Garden Club
• Chess Club and competitions
• Dance Club with an opportunity to participate in the eisteddfod 
• Mario Kart Competitions
• Rubik’s Cube Club and competitions
• Makerspace 
• Japanese Club
• Unicycling 
• Mini Vinnies
• Drama Club
• Choir
• Ukulele Club
• Stitching Club
• Sporting opportunities including gala days
• Peer group activities
• Rock and Water
• Spiritual Retreats
• Book Clubs
• Mathematics and Writing Competitions
• ICAS Competitions (See article below)
• Private music and Japanese tutors
• Cultural activities and celebrations

Opportunity for High Potential Learners 

International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) 

Every year, the opportunity exists for students at MHOC to enter the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS).  ICAS is developed by UNSW Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of New South Wales, with over 35 years’ experience in educational assessments in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling and Digital Technologies. 

ICAS is designed to target students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills and provide an opportunity for high achieving students in Years 3-6 to challenge themselves in a competitive situation with students from around the world.

Each participating student will receive a certificate and an online result report. Top performers will be eligible for medals and are invited to attend special award ceremonies to have their academic excellence publicly recognised. 

Learn more about ICAS here: unsw.global/ICAS

Payment and Permission Information 

• Assessments are available for:

English, Mathematics, Science, Spelling, Digital Technologies and Writing. 

• ICAS fees are to be paid online. 
• Visit https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps and enter the  school’s unique code,  SCZ896  to make a direct payment to UNSW Global.
• When entering your child’s details, please note that it is not compulsory to fill in the Student ID Field.
• Online payment will close on  Monday, 29 July 2024 

Once you have registered your child for these assessments please print and fill out the permission slip and return it to school.

The assessment window is open from 5th August-30th August this year.Partnering with UNSW Global, we are pleased to offer our HPL students the ICAS Assessments, and look forward to receiving their results later in the year.

Your parent page link is: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps

Science & Technology

In Science and Technology this term, the focus has been on Earth and Space sciences throughout the school. Kindergarten students have been learning about daily and seasonal changes. They have designed, produced and tested a shelter for a teddy bear to protect it from the sun, rain and wind. Stage 1 has been exploring the Earth’s natural resources with a particular focus on water. They have been learning about the water cycle and a highlight of the term was the construction and testing of a water filter. Stage 2 has been exploring how the Earth, Moon and Sun are connected. The students were amazed to discover the vast distances between the Earth and the Sun when we measured them to scale on the field. Stage 3 has been focusing on the natural events that can cause sudden and extreme changes to the Earth’s surface. Recently, they have conducted a STEM design task where they were asked to investigate, plan, produce and test a way to minimise the effects of a natural disaster.

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Visual Arts

This term in Visual Arts, K-2 studenst have created some stunning mixed media artworks using stamps, charcoal, oil pastel, paint and collage. Years 3-6 are creating a series of fruit using coloured paper collage with amazing results. Yr 6 are learning our new iPad sketchbook app and are having a lot of fun. Check out their pieces. 

Japanese

All Japanese students have been super busy this term:

Kindergarten are mastering musical beats and Japanese counting

Ich, ni, ich, ni, san (Did you know that native speakers of Japanese often drop the i sound on the end of the word ichi? You’ll hear that natural sound in this quick video. We have also introduced the opportunity to "surf" in class, a very popular way to wiggle and learn

Finding your name badge is fun when there is a snapping crocodile to help you find it. 

Year 1 are getting really good at reading whole words in hiragana script, particularly these colours オレンジ　ピンク　みどり むらさき　あお　ちゃいろ　しろ　あか . They are also learning that adjectives take いif they are a primary colour or の for secondary colours before a noun.

Year 2, along with other groups, have talked about the Children's Day festival,  where families fly a koi fish flag to represent strength and persistence. These are characteristics desired for their children. We read a Japanese audio book from the library called "The Scared Brother Koi" who was fearful of heights, until he was warmly encourage to do his best with this word "Gambatte".  We also use the Early Language Learning Apps (ELLA) to soak in learning via movement and  speaking tasks

Year 3 are preparing a combined Music and Japanese rap with a coronations clapping surprise for assembly soon. It's all about the process of making omochi pounded rice sweets with a large mallet. It takes incredible coordination.

Year 4 are learning how to research the sounds in their last name  and convert them into Katakana. They are also hoping to conquer the karate belt levels in Japanese reading. Some students come at lunch to practise and have even asked for homework over the holidays!. The language learning app has 4 free languages and it is free. You'll  find it hidden under the 'legacy content'. See this picture to see how to find it.

Unicycling on Wednesdays at Recess, has moved up to the junior GaGa pit, much to the delight of an adoring crowd. Sometimes volunteers offer to provide a supporting shoulder to lean on. Balancing on hats is a bit too slippery though.  

FROM THE MISSION DESK

Tomorrow, the Church celebrates Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Below is a beautiful prayer that Saint Paul wrote in his letter to the Christians in Rome.

May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, help us to listen to what you would have us do, so that we may be the answer to someone else’s prayers, as St. Peter and St. Paul were.

Amen

Year 5 Class Mass

On Tuesday, our Year 5 students attended a liturgy led by Matt Digges. It was a beautiful opportunity to reflect, pray and sing together. Matt read the Gospel Matthew 7:6, 12 -14 and explained to us the importance of choosing the right path in life. He also mentioned that Jesus especially wants us to treat others the way we want to be treated. After the liturgy, everyone enjoyed a tasty morning tea together. 

Class Masses

A reminder that there will not be a class Mass next week (2nd July). The Mass roster for Term 3 will be in next week’s newsletter

Rock and Water

Our student wellbeing officer, Mr Terry Cahill, began delivering the Rock and Water program to students in Years 3-6 this week, with a focus on these four key elements: Self Confidence. Communication. Self Reflection. Self Control.

What’s been happening in Religious Education in Year 2?

Year 2 students have been using their iPads to create liturgical calendars that represent the Church’s year through seasons and feasts. Students added the key liturgical seasons, such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time to their calendars, understanding their significance and the ways they help Catholics prepare for and celebrate the mysteries of faith.

MHOC SCHOOL COMMUNITY FORUM

Lismore Diocese Parent Assembly Conference - Your Child, Our Schools: Nurturing Hearts and Minds.

This informative and uplifting conference was held at Opal Cove Resort on Saturday 15th June. Parents from all schools within the Lismore Diocese came together to learn, share experiences, and support each other.
Guest speakers included Michelle Mitchell (The Science Behind Confident Kids), Lael Stone (Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children) and Marty Wilson (Living Well - Resilience In Your Family). These high quality speakers shared their knowledge and provided meaningful insights and tips to use in everyday family life. There was plenty of laughter, and a few tears, with parents forming and strengthening their relationships throughout the conference.
Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools leaders also shared information about the future of Catholic schooling in Australia, with some thought-provoking discussion.
Here are some comments from MHOC parents who attended:
“The calibre of speakers at the conference was incredible and I'm feeling very grateful to be given the opportunity to attend and gain so many practical ideas and the support and company of other parents.”(Mel)
“The opportunity to attend the Your Child, Our Schools: Nurturing Hearts and Minds Conference was one I am extremely grateful for.
I appreciate the talk on our Catholic identity as Catholic schools and that the heart of that identity is a relationship with Jesus Christ with and through his body, the Church. I also really enjoyed the last talk which touched on the importance of humour and not to take one’s self too seriously. It reminded me of a quip I heard from Fulton Sheen :‘Why can angles fly? Because they take themselves so lightly’
The key note speakers were amazing and provided great strategies around supporting young minds to grow and develop.
I was able to take away so many new ideas to assist my children in navigating their growth and development in this often confusing and challenging online world we live in.
Michelle Mitchell provided excellent strategies to communicate and provide feedback to children. Understanding that a child’s quota is different every day was immensely beneficial to me as a parent and I especially liked her narrative around children’s meltdowns and finding the underlying cause of the emotion behind it.
She provided insight and practical advice on talking with our children and engaging them, empowering them to be heard and to accept they will not be excellent at everything but encouraging them to work hardest at what comes easiest to build self esteem resonated with me.
Lael Stone provided insight into allowing children to express emotion and provided strategies to make it safe for them to do so, but also encouraged accountability. Her topics around boundary setting and communication were invaluable. A big take away for me was learning to just listen and not always fix, especially with older children.
“Would you like some advice or suggestions on what is frustrating you...“ (if they say NO, don’t offer any advice)
Marty Wilson spoke about resilience and his 7 questions in 7 minutes provided insight into putting things into perspective and removing the emotion from any given challenging situation. “(Kath)

If you would like to find out more about Parent Assembly, please chat with our MHOC Representatives - Jamie and Genevieve Postlewait, Sarsha Symonds and Jo Melinz, or contact the school office.

Social & Fundraising

The Bunnings cake stall held on Sunday 23rd June was very successful, raising over $400 which will be put towards new playground equipment.
A big THANK YOU to all those families who donated and/ or sold the delicious baked goods on the day - your support is greatly appreciated.

Bingo

The rostered teams for the next few week's Bingo are: 

• Thursday 4th July - team no 2 (Kelly's team)
• Thursday 11th July - team no. 3 (Catherine's team)
• Thursday 18th July - team no. 4 (Donna's team)

SPORT NEWS

Polding Rugby

Good luck to Kaidan Doust, whose family is driving him all the way to Forbes this weekend to trial for a spot on the Polding Rugby team. Good luck Kaidan and don’t forget to pack your woolies!

CANTEEN NEWS

Red Day

Canteen Helpers

Parent and grandparent volunteers are always needed and welcome. Please phone the school, complete this form or email sawp-canteen@lism.catholic.edu.au if you can spare some time in the canteen.

LIBRARY WHISPERS

Book Fair

The Scholastic Book Fair is starting the first week back on Grandparent’s Day, Friday the 26th July. I had some very busy helpers in the library preparing the notes to go with the invitations that everyone will receive next week. The Book Fair will be on from the 26th until Thursday the 1st August. If you can’t make it in, you can prepay with the QR code on the back of the Scholastic invitation or fill in the wishlist children can bring home. If you are unsure, please don’t hesitate to contact me at  rachael.hewitt@lism.catholic.edu.au or through the school office number.

Scholastic Bookclub orders were sent off last week and hopefully the books will be arriving any time now…I’m hoping to get them before the holidays.

OSHC

Wow, we can't believe it's nearly time for Vacation Care. We have been having lots of exciting conversations about all the activities we have planned. A big hit so far has been our Mythical Dress Up Day (17th July) and our Cricket Clinic Incursion (22nd July). Bookings will be closing next week so please ensure you complete the booking form!! This week we have been loving soccer, totem tennis and nail/hair salon role play ! We are always looking for new ways to add variety to our weekly programs so please provide any suggestions you have of activities your children might enjoy !!

July Vacation Care Program 2024

NEWS FROM OUR PARISH

Confirmation Update:
This years Confirmation group received their blessing at a special in church presentation, at Mass or Liturgy last weekend.

‘Let us pray to the Lord for these candidates and for ourselves, that we may live faithfully the promises we have made and share abundantly in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.’~ from the blessing.

AXIOS Update

The children have been thoroughly enjoying an activity named GOD, which involves team work, agility and lots of laughter.

This month we learnt about a mischievous Saint Romuald.

We pondered the light and the dark within each of us, and how as Catholics we stand strong in our foundation’s of Good, knowing that even if we have moments of swaying into mischief (like Saint Romuald) we always return back to the goodness within us, as gifted by God.

Next week to celebrate the end of term we will be enjoying a beach walk & playing a game that Josie from our group chose, where we will be acting out bible stories as the sun sets. Magic!

Next term there will be a new fun experience for all the children at our Axios Group!
Get in touch with Marja at the Parish to find out what it is.

We have room for more heartbeats in our Wednesday afternoon group.
Please get in touch to come along for a visit.

Marja - Sacrament & Youth Ministry Leader.

Baptism

The Sacrament of Baptism is available to those requesting it. Please ring Jennifer at the Parish Office (66583544) or talk to Amber Biddle, Liz Watts or Margaret Ryan at school if you have any questions.  Alternatively, if you wish to register for Baptism, there is now the option of an  online request form .

Parish Website , E-bulletin & Facebook Page

For all the latest news from our parish, check out the Parish website or subscribe to our  new e-bulletin which can be sent directly to your inbox each week. Why not sign up today by entering your details in the sign up box on the Homepage or Contact page of the website!

And don’t forget to check out our FaceBook page

Carolyn Tumminello
Pastoral Associate

COMMUNITY NEWS

Dino Maniacs

See below details;

 AWARD WINNING ‘Best Live Kids Show in Australia’ judged by WHATS ON 4 Kids 

 THE DINO MANIACS - Let’s Time Travel! 

 Sawtell RSL 

 Wednesday, 10 July 2024 

 BOOK NOW! 

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