4 April 2025
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Easter is the most important date on the Christian calendar as it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the very reason for the existence of our Catholic schools.
Easter is a movable feast and this year, it takes place smack bang in the middle of the school holidays, presenting us with a few quandaries here at school with regard to celebrating Easter before it’s actually Easter. (BTW did you know Easter is actually a season that lasts for 40 days, starting on Easter Sunday and finishing at Pentecost?)
We’ve decided to hold our traditional Easter hat parade for our little people K-2 next Thursday and to involve our Years 3-6 students in the Stations of the Cross; these focus on Jesus’ last days on earth as a man. The stations are very moving and we invite you to join with your child's Homebase when they participate in this traditional devotion. Venues and approximate times can be found under the Mission section further down in the newsletter.
As well, we’ve decided to have a Hot Cross Bun and mini egg canteen special on Tuesday to remind the children of the Easter story. Tell them to bring home the little flyer included in their order!
As always, on behalf of our parish communities, we invite you to participate in any or all of the Holy Week and Easter ceremonies that take place in our churches. We will include details for these in next week’s newsletter.
Today’s recipient of the Walk Worthy of God Good Citizenship award is Angela Prince. Mr Wigg spoke of a young lady who listens with kindness, speaks with care, and treats others the way she would like to be treated. Congratulations, Angela!
Congratulations to the Gosneys who have welcomed the beautiful Alianah into their family.
Warm regards and don't forget to put your clocks back one hour on Saturday night!
Liz
Liz Watts
Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Sunday 6th April - Daylight Saving Time Ends
- Monday 7th April - Stations of the Cross
- Tuesday 8th April - Polding AFL
- Wednesday 9th April - Paul Kelly Cup
- Wednesday 9th April - Big Water Walk (Yrs 3-6)
- Thursday 10th April - K-2 Easter hat parade
- Thursday 10th April - End of Term Effort Awards Assembly
- Thursday 10th April - Last day for students - Term 1
- Friday 11th April - Staff Development Day (pupil-free day)
- Friday 18th April - Good Friday
- Saturday 19th April - Holy Saturday
- Sunday 20th April - Easter Sunday
- Friday 25th April - ANZAC Day
- Monday 28th & Tuesday 29th April - Staff Development Days (pupil-free days)
- Wednesday 30th April - Term 2 First day for students
- Friday 2nd May - Outdoor Family Fun Night
- Saturday 3rd May - Federal Election - MHOC Polling Booth
WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
K-2 Easter Hat Parade & Term 1 Effort Awards
Next Thursday, we will be holding an Easter Hat Parade for children in K-2 before we present the Term 1 Effort Awards to students in all grades.
The hats or headpiece can be as fancy as you like or as simple as a pair of bunny ears! Everyone is most welcome to join us for the fun.
Traffic Diversion
There will be some building work taking place adjacent to the car pick-up zone over the coming weekend. On Monday, a small traffic diversion which will not affect the flow of cars, will be in place. Please follow staff directions. Thank you for your cooperation.
Outdoor Family Fun Night
Have you ordered your tickets for the Outdoor Family Fun Night yet? It’s being held at school on the first Friday of Term 2. Check out the details in the School Community Forum section further down in the newsletter.
Did You Know? School Funding in Australia Explained!
Did you know Australia’s school funding system is designed to support every student while giving families the freedom to choose the best education for their child?
- Public schools receive full government funding for every enrolled student.
- Catholic & independent schools receive reduced funding, with more support going to lower-income families and less to higher-income families.
- This means-tested system makes Australian education one of the most equitable in the world.
Let's keep school funding fair so every child gets the opportunity to thrive.
Learn more about @CatholicSchoolsNSW Keep School Funding Fair campaign: https://www.keepfundingfair.org.au/
LOVING LEARNING
What’s happening in Year 6?
In Year 6 History lessons, students have been exploring Australia’s system of law and government by investigating the Australian Constitution. They began by brainstorming their existing knowledge and identifying key terms related to governance. After watching informative videos, students discussed the significance of the Constitution and its impact on Australia’s government. Through guided research, they examined key roles and structures, such as the Prime Minister, Governor-General, House of Representatives, and Senate. Collaborating in groups, students created visual representations—posters, infographics, or slides—to showcase their understanding before presenting their work to the class.
Number Fluency Program
This week, we have introduced the Number Fluency Program in Years 3-6. This program, designed by Dr Ange Rogers of Monash University, is being trialled in selected Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools to improve number fluency in our students.
What do we mean by ‘Number Fluency’? It involves being able to answer simple number problems:
- efficiency, flexibility & with accuracy
- with automaticity i.e. without conscious thought
- with ease and speed
- within 4 seconds (written) or answer verbally in 1 second
Being fluent with simple number problems frees up the brain to apply more complex processes and mathematical thinking to solve more complex problems.
The program involves a wide range of number fluency activities including;
- Combinations to 10, 20 and beyond;
- Multiplications facts;
- One, ten, hundred more/less than a number;
- Adding/subtracting and ordering fractions and decimals;
And so much more
Children complete number fluency activities every day as part of a structured program for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on your child’s Seesaw account and you will see some examples coming home soon.
We will be introducing the program into Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 soon.
Margaret Ryan
Assistant Principal
Learning & Teaching
FROM THE MISSION DESK
Stations of the Cross
As we prepare for Easter, students in Year 4 , 5 and 6 will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of this important time in the Christian calendar. Next Monday, students will be transported by bus to various locations to journey through the Stations of the Cross. By moving through these stations, students will engage in a meaningful and age-appropriate experience of Jesus' sacrifice and love. Class teachers will accompany and guide students as they move through each station, providing support and helping them reflect on the significance of each step in Jesus' journey.
Parents and families are most welcome to participate in the Stations of the Cross with the students. Below are the approximate times and locations:
- Year 6 – SJPC Chapel, 9:00am - 10:30am
- Year 5 – Our Lady of the Way Chapel, Marian Grove, 10:30am– 12:30pm
- Year 4 – Our Lady of the Way Chapel, Marian Grove, 12:30pm – 2:00pm
We look forward to sharing this special time of reflection with you.
Kinder and Year 6 Liturgy of the Word
On Tuesday, our Year 6 students and their Kinder Buddies came together at Sawtell Church to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word with Communion. This special gathering provided a beautiful opportunity for our older and younger students to share in prayer, reflection, and community.
During the liturgy, Matt Diggs read the Gospel reading from John 5:1-3, 5-16, which tells the story of Jesus healing the man at the pool of Bethesda. He explained to the children the significance of Jesus’ compassion and the importance of faith, kindness, and helping those in need.
A special mention to Kinder, who did an amazing job on their first trip to the church by bus. Well done!
Big Water Walk – Update
Please note, the Big Water Walk organised by our Mini Vinnies, will now take place on - Tuesday 8th April
Please donate a gold coin!
Our Mini Vinnies are organising the Big Water Walk for Years 3 to 6 to raise awareness and funds for those living in poverty. Students will walk a course on the school field, stopping at learning stations where Mini Vinnies will share stories of children who walk long distances daily for water. Each group will also carry a weighted bucket to experience this challenge firsthand.
To participate, students are asked to bring a gold coin donation for Project Compassion, supporting communities in need. Let’s walk, learn, and make a difference! 💧💙
What’s Been Happening in Religious Education in Kindergarten?
Over the past week we've begun on a special journey into the Easter Mystery, exploring stories like the Lost Sheep, the Washing of the Feet, and the Last Supper. Through these stories, we’ve learnt about Jesus's love, his service, and how he nourishes us all. Kindergarten students have created beautiful depictions of the Last Supper, capturing the essence of this important moment, which we're excited to share with you below!
Amber Biddle
Assistant Principal
Mission
Toni Fletcher
Leader of
Catechesis
SENSEI'S CORNER
MHOC Kindergarten students seemed so grown up and confident this week as they moved to the hall for Japanese lessons.
In the Japanese space, we try not to step on the zabuton (cushions) but if we do, we can quickly say gomen nasai (sorry) to show we care.
We are taking turns to try the classroom “surfboard,” which helps us get our wriggles out. Check out our interesting poses. It was also great fun pulling funny faces with Mrs Ryan.
Janine Boyd
Japanese Teacher
MHOC SCHOOL COMMUNITY FORUM
Outdoor Family Fun Night
It’s so exciting to be at school at night time! Especially when there’s a movie showing on the big outdoor screen!
Tickets for this fun family event are available now on Flexischools. BYO picnic or pre-order your dinner for an easy night out.
If you are able to help out on the night, please fill in this form.
Webinars - Stepping Stones
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for three free webinars for parents of children with an intellectual disability. Learn more about positive parenting approaches, helping your child reach their full potential and changing problem behaviour into positive behaviour. Provided by The Sydney Children's Hospital Network and Triple P Positive Parenting
Easter Raffle Tickets
The Social and Fundraising Committee are running the annual Easter Raffle again this year. Check your child’s bag for raffle tickets. Tickets are 50c each or 3 for $1. There are three hampers to be won along with one prize per Homebase. Please return tickets and cash by 7th April to be in the draw. The Easter raffle will be drawn after the school holidays.
Polling Booth at MHOC
The MHOC school hall is a polling booth on 3rd May for the Federal Election. The Social and Fundraising Committee are gauging interest in either holding a cake stall or running a ‘Democracy Sausage Sizzle’.
Please complete this form if you are available to volunteer to;
- bake cakes or biscuits etc for a cake stall;
- cook sausages; and/or
- volunteer to work on a stall.
Jo Melinz
SCF President
SPORT NEWS
At MHOC, we’re proud of our partnership with parents in providing sporting opportunities for our students. We are able to send staff to accompany students at Clarence Zone events but staff cannot attend beyond that level. Thank you to all the parents for their commitment to accompanying their children in the Catholic Schools sporting pathways. We understand that traveling to Diocesan, Polding and State events can be a big and expensive commitment.
We love celebrating our students’ participation and achievements, so please keep sending those photos and results through!
Speaking of sporting events …
Polding Swimming
Mackenzie Carson, Max Herbert, Lachlan Herbert and Matilda Elkins-Baker travelled to Sydney this week to represent Lismore Diocese at the Polding Swimming carnival. While there wasn’t a podium finish, we had personal bests all-round and some 4ths and 5ths. Well done, Team!
AFL
We have a big week coming up in the AFL world.
On Tuesday, Eli Fernie and Charlie Schmetzer will be trialing in Newcastle for a place on the Polding team. We wish Eli all the best of form on the day!
On Wednesday we will have 3 teams competing in the Paul Kelly Cup. We will be eagerly awaiting news from the event and we will publish results and photos next week.
Swimming Records
We have been working on updating our historical swimming records. 2024 saw us move from the 25 metre pool at Sawtell to the Olympic size 50m pool at Coffs Harbour. As swimmers would know, the longer course means slower times, so we have updated our historical records to show the fastest pre- and post-2024 times.
Congratulations to the following students who broke long-course records at this year’s carnival -
- Matilda Elkins-Baker
- Max Herbert
- Addison Mendoza
- Mackenzie Carson
- Frankie Barreto-Gunn
- Grace Furey
Special mention goes to Max Herbert, who now holds two overall records (50m backstroke and 200m individual medley), with a faster long-course time than all previous short-course times.
You can view the full list of records below:
Winter Sports Trials
Today saw a contingent of our students compete in Grafton at the Diocesan Winter Sports Trials in soccer. Seven avid soccer players have already made it through Zone selection to earn a place at today’s trials.
Thank you to parents for making the trip to Grafton with their children. From all accounts, all of our students acquitted themselves admirably. Special congratulations goes to Ella Duncan who will join Ivy Meehan (hockey) on the long trip to Bathurst to vye for a place on a Polding team on 2nd May.
Rebecca Bennett
Sports Coordinator
Geraldine Hourigan
Sports Administrator
HABITS OF MIND AWARDS
Term 1 Week 9
Kinder | Harry Boundy, Harper Sullivan, Mehrab Sidhu, Quinn Kelly, Maisie McGinty, Zahra Buckman, Gurbani Thiara |
Year 1 | |
Year 2 | Joban Singh, Willow Zucker, Ekam Kharta, Chance Benedict, Matisse Algie, Arlo Stitt, Ivy Shanahan, Chloe Hiller |
Year 3 | Finn McDonald, Jed Herriot, Saskia Thompson, Ekam Singh, Alexandar Mangan, Jayce Gineesh |
Year 4 | Isla Rogers, Madeleine Thompson,Vinnie Pandelakis, Cooper Woods,Sullivan Watson, Aria Cole |
Year 5 | Ada Prowse, Ava Gallagher, Eli Fernie, Indiana Mitchell, Imogen Baylis, Mieke Appeldoorn |
Year 6 | Abigail Benton, Eva Gould, Charlie Dalton |
CANTEEN NEWS
Hot Cross Buns
Lisa Mangan
Canteen Manager
LIBRARY WHISPERS
All Scholastic Bookclub orders have been distributed to students. If you have ordered something but it hasn’t arrived, please either contact me, or Scholastic directly.
Theo was so impressed with the book they were reading in class, he asked if he could borrow a copy of it to read to himself. I love that he was so engaged in the story that he wanted to re-read it in his own time.
Rachael Hewitt
Librarian
OSHC
This week at Mary Help of Christians OSHC was filled with a variety of exciting activities! The children enjoyed exploring their creativity with crochet, crafting beautiful designs with melty beads, and engaging in sensory play to stimulate their senses. Outdoor play was a highlight, with plenty of fun and energetic moments during basketball and volleyball games. Our budding builders had a blast with craft and construction activities, bringing their ideas to life through hands-on projects. It was a week full of fun, learning, and teamwork, and we can't wait to see what next week has in store!
April Vacation Care (VC) program.
- Families must be enrolled in the service to attend the MHOC OSHC Vacation Care / school holiday program. If they are not enrolled, please email sawp-oshc@lism.catholic.edu.au before the holidays commence.
- Families from the local community are welcome to join the VC program — if your friends or family are interested, feel free to invite them!
- Some incursions and excursions have limited spots, so booking early is recommended.
Laura McDiarmid
OSHC Coordinator
NEWS FROM OUR PARISH
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
Bunnings
It is that time of year, where the Easter Bunny is due to come in the next few weeks & Bunnings are celebrating with their annual Easter Family Night.
This is a FREE event where there will be craft activities, mini golf, clown machine with Bunnings merch for prizes, games, face-painting, sausage sizzle & Easter bunny visit.
There will also be some local community groups attending with information tables & raffles that will have tickets available to purchase through these community groups however everything else is FREE.
Bookings are required so we can ensure we can cater for attendees & this can be found on the Bunnings website.
There is also a colouring in competition attached where completed papers can be dropped in store & they will go in the draw for $50 bunnings voucher.