16 August 2024
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
The Feast of the Assumption provided us with an opportunity to reflect on Mary's important place in the Church. Mary’s life shows us what it means to love and trust in God. She was with Jesus at his birth, nurtured him in childhood, was present throughout his ministry and witnessed his death and resurrection. Her willingness to follow God's plan, no matter how difficult, is a model for us of how to be a follower of Jesus. Mary’s life reminds us to trust in God's guidance and embrace our own challenges with faith and openness.
It’s National Science Week with this year’s theme being Species Survival: More than Just Sustainability and there was a buzz of excitement as children showed off their entries at the Science Fair yesterday.
Easton Fargher was presented with the Walk Worthy of God Good Sport Award at Assembly today. His teachers say that he is always fair and considerate of others. Well done, Easton!
Margaret Ryan
Acting Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Term 3
- Friday 23rd August - Book Week dress up and parade
- Friday 30th August - Fathers' Day Breakfast
- Friday 30th August - Rugby Friendly with St Augustine's
- Friday 13th September - Polding Athletics Carnival
- Friday 13th September - Outdoor Family Fun Night
- Tuesday 17th September - School Disco (5 & 6)
- Wednesday 18th September - Barney Barselaar Soccer Gala Day
- Wednesday 18th September - School Disco (3 & 4)
- Thursday 19th September - School Disco (K, 1 & 2)
- Monday 23rd - 24th September - Year 4 Camp
- Monday 23rd-25th September - Year 5 Camp
- Friday 27th September - Presentation of Term 3 Effort awards
- Friday 27th September - Last Day Term 3
WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
Book Week Parade
Next week is Book Week and we will be holding our annual Book Week parade next Friday 23rd August. Parents and carers are most welcome to come along and join in the fun.
Fathers’ Day Breakfast & Footy Colours Day
We can’t wait to celebrate Father’s Day with all of the wonderful fathers and grandfathers in our school community on Friday 30th August from 7:30am.
All students and visitors are invited to wear their favourite footy colours on this day.
It’s Disco Time! - Save the Date
Mark your calendars! Adrian from ‘The Toads’ will be running our MHOC Disco’s again this year.
- Year 5 and 6- 6pm-7:30pm Tuesday 17th September
- Yrs 3 & 4 - 6pm-7:30pm Wednesday 18th September
- Kinder, Yr 1 and Yr 2 - 6pm-7pm Thursday 19th September
Don’t forget your dancing shoes!
Free Workshop
Did you know you can follow all of our happenings or our socials? Many of our school community follow us on Facebook but did you know we are on Instagram too? Follow along @mhocsawtell (https://www.instagram.com/mhocsawtell/)
LOVING LEARNING
Spelling Bee
Congratulations to all the finalists of the inaugural MHOC Spelling Bee. This week, students battled it out in intense competition to represent their year level in the Stage finals next Wednesday. It has been wonderful to see our students embody the Habit of Mind 'Taking Responsible Risks' and putting their hands up to have a go. Best of luck to all the finalists.
Science Fair
The MHOC Science Fair centered on the National Science Week theme for 2024, Species Survival: More than just sustainability. The fair was a great success, showcasing the creativity and scientific curiosity of our students. Each project, in its own way, contributed to a deeper understanding of how we can move beyond sustainability to actively support and enhance our natural world within the context of environmental stewardship.
Students were asked to design and create a project based on the following ideas:
- Ecosystem in a jar
- Insect hotel
- Bird feeder or nesting box
- Natural pH indicator.
The Science Fair was not only a celebration of student ingenuity but also a reminder of the vital role we all play in ensuring the survival of species.
Year 6 and Kindergarten: Bringing Book Week to Life
Our Year 6 students have been working creatively with our Kindergarteners to bring their Book Week costume ideas to life. By transforming their costume designs into animated line drawings, they’ve created a unique and exciting project. It’s been a wonderful opportunity for both groups to collaborate and learn new digital skills. Stay tuned for a showcase of their fantastic animations!
Amy Martin
Acting Assistant Principal
Learning & Teaching
FROM THE MISSION DESK
The Assumption of Mary
On Thursday we celebrated The Assumption of Mary into heaven. We celebrated Mary going into heaven and thanked God for her example of love and faith.
Visit From Fr Joe and Fr Joy
Today we had the pleasure of hosting morning tea for Fr Joe and Fr Joy. They received a big warm MHOC welcome. It was a great opportunity to catch up and strengthen the bonds between the school and the local parish community.
Sacramental Journey for Children
What’s been happening in Religious Education in Year 3?
Year 3 has been learning about Pentecost and how the apostles and the early Chrsitians continued the mission of Jesus, strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Students used Canva to create a stop-motion retell of Pentecost.
Little Wings
Our Leaders of Sustainability are happy to report that our Little Wings bins are filling fast.
How can you help?
- Bring in your recyclable bottles (cans, poppers, milk cartons and bottles)
- All bottles must be in good condition (not crushed or broken), empty and have the label attached.
- Place them in the bin located at the gate near the front of the school.
What a great opportunity to recycle for a very worthy cause!
MHOC Children-led Mass
Save the date! Father Michael and Zippy will be back to say our MHOC children-led Mass on Saturday 31st August at 5pm. Please stay afterwards for a pizza dinner. Please RSVP here for catering purposes. We hope to see you there.
Term 3 Class Masses
All parents are welcome to attend our weekly Tuesday Mass at 9:30am. These class Masses are held at MHOC Church Sawtell. Please see the timetable below for Term 3.
Tuesday 20th August - Year 6 and Kinder
Tuesday 27th August - Years 1 and 2 - Liturgy
Tuesday 3rd September - Years 3 and 4
Tuesday 10th September - Years 5 and 6
Tuesday 17th September - Kinder
Tuesday 24th September - No Mass this week
Amber Biddle
Assistant Principal
Mission
Toni Fletcher
Leader of
Catechesis
SENSEI'S CORNER
Belt study has kicked off!
Workshop Invitation with Boyd Sensei
Boyd Sensei
MHOC SCHOOL COMMUNITY FORUM
Family Summer Session - 2025
The School Community Forum is busy planning a Family Summer Session night for early 2025. It will be a great evening with lots of fun activities to raise money for a new school playground. Two exciting fundraising committee meetings were held at school today and there are some great plans afoot!
Missed the meeting but willing to lend a hand? Please register here as a volunteer using the Google form and we will be in touch.
Fathers' Day Stall
Outdoor Family Fun Night
Anita Heiss Reads Bidhi Galing
An online literacy event for all families to celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day!
Indigenous Literacy Day is held on the first Wednesday of September and is an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Stories, Cultures and Languages (find out more here: (https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/ild). To celebrate this year, the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee has organised a wonderful online evening event open to all families in our schools.
We are delighted that Aboriginal Australian author Anita Heiss will read her book Bidhi Galing. Dr Anita Heiss AM is a proud member of the Wiradyuri nation of central New South Wales and one of Australia's most prolific and well-known authors publishing across genres including non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction and children's fiction.
Her book Bidhi Galing (Big Rain) tells the story of the Great Flood of Gundagai in 1852 and the Wiradyuri heroes Yarri and Jacky Jacky who paddled bark canoes through raging floodwaters, risking their lives to save countless others. Primary school students aged 7–12 – and their families! – will love this story and the beautiful book illustrations. It’s a chance to sit down together and enjoy a nice, quiet time listening and reading, which is a wonderful way to support children’s literacy skills at home.
Go to the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT website to REGISTER or complete the form here: https://ccsp.schoolzineplus.com/form/63.
Or use the QR code:
Consent and Online Boundaries
The Council of Catholic Schools Parents is hosting a FREE webinar in collaboration with the eSafety Commissioner on Tuesday, 20 August at 7.30pm. To register click here.
Understanding how to support your child with online gaming
Suitable for parents and carers of children and young people in primary and early secondary school.
Tuesday, 3 September, 12.30pm
Register here
An introduction to online safety and emerging technologies
Suitable for parents and carers of children and parents in primary and secondary school.
Thursday, 5 September, 12.30pm
Register here
Bingo
The rostered teams for the next few week's Bingo are:
- Thursday 29th August - team no. 5 (Meg's team)
- Thursday 5th September - team no. 1 (Gemma's team)
- Thursday 12th September - team no. 2 (Kelly's team)
Jo Melinz
PSF President
SPORT NEWS
Clarence Zone Knockout
Last Friday, Mr Warnes and Mrs Morgan took our school soccer and netball teams to the Zone Knockout. This day is always a great day to showcase talents but also to network with other schools within the Clarence Zone.
A big thank you to the teachers for going the extra mile to take our children to this event. They both reported that they had a great day and had this to say about the event:
Mrs Morgan: Netball
On Friday, our MHOC netball team participated in the Clarence Zone Netball Carnival in Yamba, showcasing both their skill and sportsmanship. The girls played a total of five matches in the lead-up to the grand final, winning four with impressive teamwork and determination.
Each game highlighted the girls’ ability to work together, with quick passes, sharp shooting, and strong defense making all the difference on the court. Despite facing tough opponents, the team remained focused and committed, earning them a well-deserved spot in the grand final.
The grand final was a nail-biting match, with our girls giving it their all. It was a close contest from start to finish, with the lead changing hands several times. In the end, they narrowly missed out on victory, but their performance was nothing short of outstanding.
What stood out most throughout the day was the exemplary sportsmanship displayed by our team. Win or lose, the girls showed respect for their opponents, supported one another, and played with the spirit and integrity that makes MHOC proud.
Congratulations to Sophie, Keeley, Emily, Gabrielle, Charlie, Piper, Maia, Neve and Mila on their fantastic effort and for representing our school with such pride and class. We look forward to seeing more great things from these talented athletes in the future!
Mr Warnes: Soccer
Last Friday, MHOC students from Year 5 and 6 represented the school in a Diocesen Soccer Gala Day. They played 7 intense games of soccer and came away with two wins, three draws and two loses. The sportsmanship and sense of fairplay was outstanding and all the students were excellent ambassadors for our school.
Polding Rugby 7s
Congratulations to Maia Bennett and Tianne Carter, who were this week selected in the Polding Rugby 7s team to compete at the State Championships in Camden next month. Best of luck girls!
Other Sporting News
Congratulations to Riley Visser, Charlotte Borchart and Nevaeh Jones who will be representing the Far North Coast at State Gymnastics in October. Good Luck girls!
Bec Bennett
Sports Coordinator
Geraldine Hourigan
Sports Administrator
HABITS OF MINDS AWARDS
Term 3 Week 4
Kinder | Isabella Fox, Charlie Wright, Bodhi Tones, Ted Bright, Lucie de Dassel, Ruby Forrest |
Year 1 | Amu Dhillon, Matisse Algie, Akari Ticli, Nyla Sharkey |
Year 2 | Zahlie Fell, Summer Bright, Cliarah Bergs, Mackenzie Brookes |
Year 3 | Marley Cooper, Coco Lionetti, Sonny Diacono, Curtis McCarthy |
Year 4 | Ada Prowse, Ry Strazzari, Anna-lese Ross, Tyler Rook, Imogen Baylis |
Year 5 | Elise O’Donovan, Violet Higgins, Ella Snow, Gur Singh Mallhi, Harry Munro |
Year 6 | Ruby Culverwell |
CANTEEN NEWS
Red Day - Cheeseburger & Waffles Day
Have you tried our homemade Pasta Bolognese? Packed full of goodness, this is a must try. Available to purchase Monday-Wednesday on Flexischools.
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.
Lisa Mangan
LIBRARY WHISPERS
We’re celebrating Book Week next week at Mary Help. There will be activities all week in the library and on Friday is the big Book Week parade during assembly. Children are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite book or book character. Please don’t go to expense to dress your child up. There are so many books that children can just wear normal clothes to dress up as. Here’s a website for some ideas to get you started
https://www.penguin.com.au/activities/1711-need-a-book-week-costume-quickly
I’ve already started spending our Book Fair rewards and some of our new books have started arriving. Here are just a few of our gorgeous new picture books. There are lots more on their way!
We had a guest reader during Year 2 Library time… Harry had come in to borrow a book and the Year 2 girls insisted he read them their story! I ended up having to take over so he could get back to class!
Rachael Hewitt
Librarian
OSHC
Week 4 at MHOC OSHC has been all about exploring sensory experiences! Our children have enthusiastically engaged with hands-on activities such as playdough, slime, and kinetic sand. We took this further by experimenting with glitter in the slime to create sparkling textures and adding cocoa powder to the playdough to introduce a new scent.
We've also seen impressive block-building activities and a standout project by Oska S. and Jackson W., who created a fantastic cardboard bird box. Their creativity and teamwork are truly inspiring!
To continually improve our service, we’ve sent out a Family Feedback Survey. Your insights are invaluable to us, and we’re always eager to hear your thoughts and ideas. Thank you for helping us enhance our program!
Laura McDiarmid
OSHC Coordinator
NEWS FROM OUR PARISH
YOUR CHILD’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS
Reconciliation, Confirmation & Holy Eucharist.
This September, we will commence preparations with a new group of children to continue the journey they began when they were Baptised. If your child is a Baptised Catholic in Year 2 or above, please complete this google form and Marja from the Parish office will be in touch to welcome you! Any questions please get in touch with our helpful team on 6658 3544.
AXIOS
AXIOS is back in full swing every Wednesday in the church annex from 3.10pm-4.45pm.
We celebrated the Holy Day of Assumption this week, where the children got to read out prayers they made themselves, aloud in church.
They also got to create a dance in groups, to Wildfire’s Song - Praise, with their very own Ashlinn de Dassel.
Every week is a blend of yummy food, friendship, fun and faith & we have space for more heart beats to join us.
So, if your child is in year 4, 5 or 6 please get them to reach out to Marja at the parish office for more info or to come along.
Hospitality Volunteers
A major part of our parish mission to build a loving Christ-centred community, is the ability to meet the needs of the community through outreach and hospitality. Each of us has our own role to play.
DISCOVER WHAT YOUR ROLE MIGHT BE TODAY!
We want to create a new list of volunteers willing to provide hospitality support with meetings and events which occur in the parish.
By completing this form you agree to go on a list to be contacted when the need arises. You can then decide at the time, if you are able to assist. You would be on the list for a set period of time.
Some of you are already involved in aspects of hospitality and your generosity is greatly appreciated. However, we need to expand and develop a stronger support network that is able to respond more reliably to the needs of the parish.
We ask you to please take some time to prayerfully reflect on this need and opportunity and respond to the options below.
God bless and thank you.
Please complete the online form here
Download the form to complete and hand in here
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 & Marja
COMMUNITY NEWS
