7 February 2025

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to the 2025 school year, one and all.  

It’s a Jubilee year in the Church and Pope Francis has proclaimed 2025 to be the Year of Hope. Great timing, I would say!

We’re so happy to have welcomed Miss Jess McGinty, Mr Darcy Lay, Miss Aleisha Singleton, Mrs Kim Zucker and Miss Gabbi O’Connor to the school staff and we say a warm welcome to the Nicol, Dean, Gomes, Almeida, Forbes, Blanche, Hughes, Ashrafi, Tasker, Waugh, Emonson-Clyde, Lally and Rai families who have joined the school community this year. 

It’s been a 9 year drought but Tuesday finally saw the teachers claim the parents V teachers V students swimming shield. There was much jubilation at the staff meeting on Tuesday.

We can’t wait to see you all on Monday, Kindergarten children and families.

Warm regards
Liz

UPCOMING EVENTS

 2025 Dates

• Monday 10th February - Kindergarten students commence
• Tuesday 18th February - Years 4, 5 & 6 Class Breakfast
• Wednesday 19th February - Years 1, 2 & 3 Class Breakfast
• Thursday 20th February - Kindergarten Class Breakfast
• Monday 24th February - Zone Swimming Carnival
• Tuesday 4th March - Diocesan Swimming Carnival
• Tuesday 11th-12th March - School Photos
• Thursday 10th April - Last day for students - Term 1
• Friday 11th April - Staff Development Day (Pupil-free day)
  

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

School Green Zones

As part of the commitment to Child Safeguarding and requirements put in place by the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Ltd, we will be providing greater clarity for you, our parents and carers, regarding where you can and cannot be when you are on school grounds. We’re thinking this won’t involve huge changes with probably the most significant one concerning where you meet your child in the afternoon. ie on the top pebbled area, not outside of classrooms.

 Look out for the Compass notification around this on Monday.

Traffic Management Plan

Thanks everyone for remembering our safety guidelines, particularly with regards to traffic.

We only need a reminder every now and then regarding not cutting across the bus pull-in area. The pathway around the carpark is a slightly longer way around, but it’s very important that everyone- including adults- adheres to this rule. 

Drivers, please be very mindful of your speed when exiting the school on Lorne Avenue. 

We recommend you travel along this road at walking pace, particularly at the start and finish of the day when there are children and preschoolers in the vicinity. We’re adding a few extra speed bumps along this stretch to assist with slowing traffic.

Here’s a copy of our Traffic Management Plan for your information.

Class Breakfasts

We’re looking forward to three fun-filled Class Breakfasts in Week 3. 

Please RSVP via flexischools.com.au

White socks

We had a sports uniform change last year, replacing our green socks with white socks. 

Last year, 2024, was our transition year where children could wear either green or white socks on their sports day. By Easter this year, please ensure your son/daughter is wearing white socks with his/her school uniform on sports days. Thank you for your support in maintaining our school uniform standards.

LOVING LEARNING

Digital Technology Student User Agreement

Today, all parents and carers will receive a compass notification regarding our Digital Technology Student User Agreement. At Mary Help of Christians, we prioritise responsible and safe digital citizenship. To foster this, we use a variety of digital technologies to support and enhance engagement and creativity within learning. 

The Digital Technology Student User Agreement is an online form to be signed by both students and their parents/carers. Please take a moment to go through the agreement with your child/ren. To further support this, teachers will be exploring each of the dot points over the coming weeks with students in class.  

Thank you for joining us in guiding your child towards responsible digital citizenship. Any questions or inquiries can be sent to Amy Martin - Leader of Digital Technology amy.martin@lism.catholic.edu.au

Mathematics Assessment Interviews

Your child might come home and talk about doing an MAI at school. The Mathematics Assessment Interview (MAI) reveals students’ mathematical thinking and what they can do in mathematics. It is an evidence-based formative assessment tool that assesses critical stages of student development using a framework of growth points.

Each growth point describes progressions in mathematical learning towards mathematical understanding and fluency.

This provides teachers with an efficient way to:

• assess and monitor students’ mathematical understanding
• inform planning and teaching of mathematical learning

Teachers administer the short assessment in a one-to-one interview using prompts and hands-on tasks with students.

FROM THE MISSION DESK

How very wonderful that this year is a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church worldwide. Pope Francis has declared it the Year of Hope. You may remember the Year of Mercy 2015-2016 (which was an extraordinary Jubilee called by Pope Francis). Jubilee Years are traditionally celebrated every 25 years. 

The 2025 Jubilee Year, themed "Pilgrims of Hope," is a significant event in the Catholic Church that invites all believers to embark on a spiritual journey toward deeper faith and connection with God. This Jubilee can have a profound impact on our students, encouraging them to understand the concept of hope and the importance of seeking God in their lives.

In the words of Pope Francis:

“Everyone knows what it is to hope. 

In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. 

Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. 

Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness. 

For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope.”

MHOC Sacramental Program

After consultation with Bishop Gregory, Fr Joy and our parish pastoral team and in alignment with our shared mission to deepen the faith journey of our students, the preparation for and coordination of the Sacraments will now take place in the school. 

What does this new approach mean?

• Under the new arrangement, the preparation for each Sacrament will be taught by the class teachers over a five-week period leading up to the celebration of the Sacrament. This approach will allow our qualified and dedicated teachers to guide students through their spiritual formation, ensuring they are well-prepared and supported as they take these important steps in their faith journey. 
• Parents and caregivers, as the first educators of faith, will continue to play a vital role in the preparation process, and we will ensure there are opportunities for families to engage meaningfully throughout this time. 
• The Parish will continue to play an important supportive and administrative role, fostering strong connections within the school community, providing pastoral guidance, and assisting in the coordination of liturgical events and faith-based initiatives.

Thank you to all of the parent volunteers who have generously given their time and energy to support the Sacramental Program over the years. This program simply could not have run without your support, and your contributions have made a lasting impact, not only on the success of the program, but also on the lives of the students and families involved.

Year 4: First Communion – Term 1: 16th March

Year 3: Confirmation – Term 3: 29th July

Year 2: Reconciliation – Term 4: 19th & 20th November

Term One Class Masses

All parents and carers are invited to attend our weekly class Masses at Sawtell Catholic church. Don’t forget to stay for a cuppa and some morning tea afterwards.

Wednesday 5th March (Ash Wednesday) - Year 5 & 6.

Tuesday 11th March - Year 1 and 2

Tuesday 18th March - Year 3 and 4

Tuesday 25th March - Year 5 and 6

Tuesday 1st April - Kinder and Year 6

Tuesday 8th April - No Mass

MHOC School Meal Register

At Mary Help of Christians, we are blessed to be part of a caring and supportive community that looks out for one another, especially during challenging times. We are reaching out to invite families to volunteer for our School Meal Register. This initiative provides meals to members of our school community who may be experiencing difficult circumstances, such as illness, loss, or other challenges. Volunteers would only be called upon once or twice a year to prepare a simple meal for a family in need.

Please register your interest here

MHOC SCHOOL COMMUNITY FORUM

Parent (and Grandparent!) Involvement

Want to get involved? We’d love some more people to join our parent committees. 

In next week’s newsletter there will be a form to express your interest but, in the meantime, have a think about:

• Joining the Bingo Team
• Volunteering in the canteen
• Joining the Fundraising Committee
• Volunteering at the pre-loved uniform shop
• Joining our new committee: parish/school connections

SPORT NEWS

Swimming Carnival

What a perfect day Tuesday was for our competitive swim trials and the Year 3-6 fun house carnival! There were many smiles around the venue all afternoon and, at the end of the day, Gold House was awarded with the winner’s shield for the second year running.

Swimming Gallery

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Trials

In the morning, we witnessed some very polished performances from our seasoned swimmers who were trialing for a place on the MHOC team to compete at the Clarence Zone carnival in Maclean on Monday 24th February. Our regular volunteer starter, Hugh Goddard, was impressed with the knowledge and techniques of our swimmers and the spirit in which they competed. Well done students!

And what about the staff winning the Teachers v Parents v Captains race for the first time since 2016 (oops, was that a brag?)!

Our age champions will be announced at next week’s assembly, where they will be presented with their champion trophies. Congratulations to the following students who will represent MHOC at the Zone carnival:

Frankie Barreto Gunn, Matias Barreto Gunn, Ava Boundy, Mackenzie Carson, Tessa Chape, Asha Cook, Sonny Diacono, Ella Duncan, Tallan Duncan, Matilda Elkins-Baker, Grace Furey, Xavier Furey, River Griggs, Lachlan Herbert, Max Herbert, Arley Kennedy, Addison Mendoza, Karlos Mendoza, Ella Morton, Harry Munro, Nia Paine, Milla Powell, Ned Raply, Lacey van Hoeck.

Polding Tennis

Congratulations to Olivia Cheney, who earned herself a place on  the Polding tennis team today. Off to State now - what a superstar!

HABITS OF MIND AWARDS

Term 1 Week 1

CANTEEN NEWS

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.

OSHC

Welcome Back – Week 1 at MHOC OSHC! 

We have had a wonderful start to Term 1 at Mary Help of Christians OSHC! It has been fantastic to see all the familiar faces we missed over the Vacation Care program and to hear all about the children’s holiday adventures.

Looking back, our holidays were packed with excitement and memorable experiences! Some of our biggest highlights included a visit from Hannah the Horse, an action-packed excursion to Springloaded, an amazing performance from The Balancing Man, our friendly Educators vs. Kids Day, and so much more! (Check out the photos below to relive the fun! )

This week, we also took the time to celebrate Waitangi Day, an important day for Māori people and New Zealand’s history. Our children engaged in discussions about the significance of the day and enjoyed Waitangi-themed crafts, sparking curiosity and cultural appreciation.

Throughout the week, we have seen so much enthusiasm in both outdoor and indoor play! The children have loved running around outside, engaging in games, and making the most of the fresh air. Indoors, LEGO building, playdough creations, and colourful artworks have been a hit, with plenty of creativity on display.

We are so excited for the term ahead and can’t wait to see what more fun awaits us at MHOC OSHC! 

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NEWS FROM OUR PARISH

AXIOS - Youth Group

Altar Serving

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

Back to School - Road Safety

● Getting In and Out of the Car: 
○ Always use the door closest to the curb to prevent stepping into traffic. 
○ Make sure your child waits until the car has completely stopped before exiting.

● Walking Safely:
○ Encourage distraction-free walking by asking your child to remove headphones and put away devices while crossing streets.
○ Teach your child to stay alert, follow traffic signals, and use designated pedestrian crossings.

● Using the Bus Safely:
○ Wait at the bus stop together, standing at least one step back from the edge of the road.
○ Always meet your child at the bus stop on the same side of the road—never call them across from the opposite side.
○ Wait for the bus to leave before crossing the street, ensuring it is safe to cross.

● Using Wheeled Transport:
○ Remind your child that helmets are mandatory when riding a bike in public—it’s the law.
○ Encourage helmet use and protective gear for other wheeled activities, such as scooters, skateboards, and rollerblades.

Never sacrifice safety for convenience, source: https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/.