6 December 2024
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
This sneaky snap was taken by a certain school principal who was walking behind our newly elected 2025 captains and vice-captains on Tuesday afternoon.
Congratulations to Layla, Aussie, Ella and Eli and congratulations to all of our Year 5 students who, over the last few weeks, have given us a glimpse of a very special Year 6 team in 2025.
We said farewell to a long-serving (28 years!) staff member, Mrs Michaela Miller, this morning. Michaela has been appointed to the position of Assistant Principal (Learning and Teaching) at Saint Francis Xavier Primary School in Woolgoolga. Goodbye and God bless, Michaela.
Congratulations to Miles Thompson who was awarded the Walk Worthy of God Good Sport award at Assembly this morning. Mr Madden spoke of a good sport and good human being. Well done, Miles.
Thank you so much to all who have contributed to the Christmas boxes for Pete’s Place. Your generosity in this Advent season is much appreciated.
Enjoy hitting the slides tonight, everyone. Great weather for it!
Warm regards,
Liz
Liz Watts
Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Term 4
- Monday 9th-13th December - K-2 Water Safety Program
- Wednesday 11th December - Year 6 Graduation Mass & Dinner
- Monday 16th December - 2024 Awards ceremony - 8.45am
- Wednesday 18th December - MHOC Christmas Concert - 11.30am
- Wednesday 18th December - Last day for students 2024
2025 Dates
- Monday 3rd February - Year 1-6 students return
- Monday 3rd-Friday 7th February - Kindergarten BestStart assessments
- Tuesday 4th February - MHOC Swimming Championships & Year 3-6 House Swim Carnival
- Monday 10th February - Kindergarten students commence
WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
2025 Grade Teaching Teams
We’ve finalised our grade teaching teams for 2025. These are as follows:
Kindergarten: Mr Joseph Kolder, Miss Emma Kelly, Mrs Rebecca Edwards
Year 1: Mrs Amy Martin, Mrs Danielle Mears/Mr Darcy Lay, Miss Aleisha Singleton
Year 2: Mrs Meg Withers, Mr Calvin Wigg, Mrs Donna Dennis
Year 3: Mrs Jayne Appeldoorn, Mrs Rebecca Bennett, Mrs Kate Wright
Year 4: Mrs Toni Fletcher, Mrs Nicole Hall, Mrs Kara McFadden
Year 5: Mrs Prue Glover, Mrs Monique Waterworth, Mrs Melanie Morgan
Year 6: Mr Tom Madden, Mr Brendan Murphy, Miss Jessica McGinty
Big Banana Waterslide Night – Tonight!
We can't wait to see you at the Big Banana Waterslides tonight! Remember to BYO picnic dinner, swimmers and towels.
Wristbands will be handed out at the gate from 6pm for the 6:30 session, so be sure to get there early. If you haven’t purchased your ticket yet, don’t worry, you can buy one at the gate, however you must bring the exact amount:
- Children over 1.2m: $20
- Children under 1.2m: $16
- Spectators and children under 3: Free
We’re looking forward to a fantastic evening. See you there!
Parish Christmas Carols
What a night! On Tuesday, our school and parish choirs joined forces at Sawtell Catholic Church for an evening of Christmas carols. It was wonderful to see the church packed to the brim, with children singing alongside parents, teachers and parish members, a true celebration of community and Christmas spirit. A huge thank you to everyone who made this event such a success: Father Joy, the school and parish choirs, the dedicated teachers, and the amazing parish staff and volunteers who helped organise the event and kept everything running smoothly. Events like this remind us of what makes our community so special, coming together to share joy and plenty of fun with the people around us.
End of Year Events
Don’t forget to add these important dates to your calendar:
- Year 6 Graduation Mass and Dinner - Wednesday 11th December from 5pm
- 2024 Awards Ceremony - Monday 16th December from 8:45am
This ceremony includes academic achievement awards in all grades in all Key Learning Areas as well as the presentation of other special awards across the school. - MHOC Christmas Concert - Wednesday 16th December at 11:30am
Come along to see a Christmas-themed performance from every grade and enjoy audience carol singing between each performance.
SJPC Choir Visit
Today, we welcomed the St John Paul College Choir to our school, who came to perform beautiful Christmas carols. Our students loved the performance, with many of them singing along and tapping their feet to the tunes. We also spotted a few familiar faces from the college, it's always nice to see our former students making beautiful music! A big thank you to the choir for their performance.
Pre-loved Uniforms Shop and Trade Day - Friday 13th December
Have your children grown out of their school uniforms? This is a great opportunity to swap smaller uniform items for a larger size. There are two ways you can take advantage of this trade day:
- Come along to Assembly next Friday 13th December. One of our wonderful pre-loved committee members will be there between 8:30 and 9:30am to help you swap your small items for a larger size.
- You can also arrange for a swap on the website by clicking on this link.
Please note, uniforms swaps are dependent on availability.
All donations of uniforms are always gratefully accepted. Just drop them into the school office at any time.
LOVING LEARNING
K-2 Chess competition
Our K- 2 Chess Competition was a huge success! It was great to see our youngest students putting their thinking caps on and showing such focus and strategy on the chessboard. Mr Madden was very impressed with their problem-solving skills, patience, and good sportsmanship. A big congratulations to all the participants and a special congratulations to Levi Postlewait, our champion, and Gabe Norman, the runner-up, for their outstanding performance! Well done!
Music Concert
On Wednesday and Thursday evening, some of our students who receive private music tuition at the school had the wonderful opportunity to showcase their skills at a special concert for their family and friends. Congratulations to all the performers, your confidence and talent shone brightly!
Regional Cultural Connections Excursion
Over the last three days, our MHOC Indigenous Year 6 students had the incredible opportunity to attend a Cultural Connections Camp at Yarrawarra Cultural Centre, Arrawarra Headland, and Red Rock. During this immersive experience, they engaged with Indigenous students from St Augustine's and St Francis Xavier Primary Schools, learning and connecting through cultural activities.
The girls participated in dance, women’s business, weaving, and felting, while the boys enjoyed dance, men's business, didgeridoo lessons, and clapstick making. Both groups had the chance to explore Aboriginal culture further by trying traditional foods, fishing, collecting pipis, listening to creation stories, and learning about the Arrawarra fish traps and middens. The camp also included a visit to Red Rock, deepening the students' connection to the land and its rich cultural history.
A big thank you to Aunty Kelly and Mr Matt Livolsi for coordinating this amazing camp and making it such a wonderful experience for our students.
NORPA Drama Workshop
This week, our Year 4 students were selected to participate in free drama workshops facilitated by NORPA (Northern Rivers Performing Arts). The workshops provided a fantastic opportunity for the students to explore their creativity, build confidence, and develop important performance skills. A big thank you to NORPA for offering these workshops and helping our students discover their potential in the world of drama and performing arts!
Margaret Ryan
Assistant Principal
Learning & Teaching
FROM THE MISSION DESK
As we journey through Advent, the second week invites us to focus on peace. This season is a time of preparation, not just for the festivities of Christmas but for welcoming Jesus into our hearts and lives. The Advent wreath’s second candle, often called the “Peace Candle,” reminds us of the peace that Christ brings into the world and the peace we are called to share with one another.
In the busyness of December, peace can be hard to find. The to-do lists grow, the calendars fill, and moments of stillness are few and far between. Yet, Advent encourages us to pause, even briefly, to reflect on the true meaning of this season.
Take a moment this week to gather as a family and reflect on these questions:
- How can we bring peace into our home during this busy time?
- Is there someone in our lives who might need a kind word or gesture to feel the peace of Christ?
- What small steps can we take to create a sense of calm and togetherness in our family?
As we move through this second week of Advent, let’s embrace the opportunity to slow down and cherish the small, peaceful moments that help us prepare for the joy of Christmas.
Student-led Parish Mass
Last Sunday, our school community came together for a special school-led parish Mass to kick off the First Sunday of Advent. And what a celebration it was! The music was, as always, a highlight, filling the church with beautiful hymns. A huge thank you to the music team for making the whole celebration sound amazing. A big thank you to all the students, staff, and volunteers who helped make the Mass such a lovely start to Advent and of course we can’t forget the extra bit of joy brought by Father Michael and his trusty sidekick, Zippy.
Year 1 and 6 Class Mass
At our last class Mass for the year, Fr Joy read the Gospel reading from Luke 10:21-24 to the congregation. He shared a wonderful message with us, explaining that Jesus wants us to be humble and open-hearted, always ready to learn and follow God's ways. It's not about being the smartest or having all the answers, it's about having a heart that is willing to love, listen, and trust in God. What a great message to end the year on!
A big thank you to all the families who were able to attend our class Masses throughout the year. Your presence at these celebrations means so much to our school community.
Year 4 Accendere Retreat
Our Year 4 students are looking forward to their upcoming Accendere Retreat at school, next Tuesday 10th December. A special day focused on spiritual growth and reflection. Accendere, meaning "to ignite" in Latin, will give the students an opportunity to deepen their faith, connect with God, and ignite their passion for learning and life. Students are invited to wear casual clothing on the day and a pizza lunch will be provided.
Amber Biddle
Assistant Principal
Mission
Toni Fletcher
Leader of
Catechesis
MHOC SCHOOL COMMUNITY FORUM
Bingo
As we wrap up another wonderful year at MHOC, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to all our incredible BINGO volunteers in 2024. Your dedication and generosity of time make a world of difference to our school and its projects.
This year, we say goodbye to the lovely Renate, whose contributions over the years have been invaluable. Thank you, Renate, for everything you’ve done for our school community. We’re thrilled to keep the amazing Barry Walker on board for another year, even though his kids graduated from MHOC long ago. Thank you, Barry, for continuing to support our community with such passion and commitment.
Join Our BINGO Team in 2025!
As we look ahead, MHOC BINGO is in need of more helpers. Volunteering for BINGO is a wonderful way to contribute to the school while being part of a supportive and fun community. The commitment is just 3 hours every five weeks on a Thursday evening.
With more volunteers, we can share the workload and make it even more enjoyable for everyone involved. So, if you’ve been considering lending a hand, now’s the perfect time! For more information or to join the team, please give me a call or text
Gemma 0404 340 494.
If you'd like to check out how it all runs, why not bring the family along for a Bingo night over the holidays?
Good time guaranteed!
Bingo Roster
- Thursday 12th December - team no. 5 (Meg's team)
- Thursday 19th December - team no. 1 (Gemma's team)
- Thursday 26th December - team no. 2 (Kelly's team)
Jo Melinz
SCF President
SPORT NEWS
K-2 Water Safety Program
Don’t forget to pack the swimmers! The K-2 Water Safety program runs each day next week. Check the Compass Event for details.
Reminder - we take your child’s safety very seriously so no permission in Compass means no swimming!
MHOC Swim Trials
In case you missed this item last week …
Our 2025 Year 3-6 Fun House Swimming Carnival will take place on the second day of school next year - Tuesday 4th February. All students in Years 3-6 will attend, and a Compass Event will be published closer to the date.
Preceding the Fun House carnival will be the MHOC Swim Trials and we invite any students turning 8 or older in 2025 and would like to trial for a spot on the MHOC team at the Clarence Zone trials to nominate in the events of their choice. Children nominating for this swim trial should be competent swimmers who are of squad standard, ie. can swim 50m and know the competition strokes.
The trials will take place at the Coffs Harbour Pool at 8am on the 4th Feb, with the Fun House carnival to follow at 11:30am. Nominations are not necessary for the House Carnival, as all students will attend and compete.
As we will be using new timing software for the trials, we will NOT be able to accept late entries for the competitive trials. If your child would like to nominate for the trials, please complete this nomination form by MONDAY 9th DECEMBER.
Any queries can be directed to our Sport Team - Rebecca Bennett (bec.bennett@lism.catholic.edu.au) or Geraldine Hourigan (geraldine.hourigan@lism.catholic.edu.au).
Elective Sport
Rebecca Bennett
Sports Coordinator
Geraldine Hourigan
Sports Administrator
HABITS OF MIND AWARDS
Term 4 Week 8
Kinder | Davey Daniel, Helena Hobson |
Year 1 | Riley Adams, Campbell Miller, Zahra Atwal, Arlo Stitt |
Year 2 | Tegan Orman, Kinsley Brown - Carter |
Year 3 | Scarlett Black, Bethany Brookes, Jacob Harrington, Lucas Donald, Tyler Berg, Brock Felstead |
Year 4 | Frankie Barreto Gunn, Jack Petrohelos, Ry Strazzari, Evalyn Sidhu, Eli Fernie |
Year 5 | Jaxson Power, Mia Spence-Smith, Ella Snow |
Year 6 | Sonny Wilhelm, Gurseerat Kaur |
CANTEEN NEWS
THANK YOU!
Thank you to all of the amazing volunteers who have helped out this year.
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
OSHC
We’ve had another fantastic week at OSHC, filled with fun activities, delicious snacks, and plenty of laughter. This week, the children enjoyed playing group games, building creative marble runs, crafting with clay, and challenging their friends in giant chess. It’s been wonderful to see their teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity in action!
A reminder to families: vacation care bookings are now open, but spots are filling fast. Be sure to secure your place soon to avoid missing out!
Thank you for your ongoing support. We’re looking forward to another exciting week ahead!
Laura McDiarmid
OSHC Coordinator
NEWS FROM OUR PARISH
Sawtell Family Group
de Byl & Jacobsen da Costa – Sawtell Family Group / Gathering on December 1st
We marked the first day of Summer, Advent and our new Family Group with an intergenerational gathering here at Sawtell Parish.
The vibe was hopeful and uplifting. We welcomed each other and our unique stories, planned our monthly catch ups for the year, shared yummy home cooked food and our kids bonded and played.
Bring on 2025 for Sawtell Family Groups!
Would you like to be part of one? Give Marja a buzz at the office
Altar Servers Christmas Party
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
Tennis NSW
Tennis NSW, in partnership with local tennis clubs are delivering FREE Rally As One tennis events next week!
Join us on Wednesday 11th December from 4pm for a day filled with Food Trucks, Kids Activities, Live Music, Tennis Activation's, and the United Cup prizes!
To register click on this link: Coffs Harbour Rally As One event flyer
