5 September 2025
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
It was wonderful to see so many of our dads and grandads at our Fathers’ Day breakfast this morning. There were some big smiles and some impressive kicks in our annual kicking competition.
When we think about fathers, we remember the great example of St. Joseph, Jesus's own father. He was a man of quiet strength, humility, and faith.
We're so thankful for all the dads in our school community who, like St. Joseph, are a source of strength and wisdom for their families. Your guidance is a true gift from God to your children and to our school. Thank you for everything you do! We hope all our dads and grandads have a wonderful day on Sunday.
Congratulations to Chael McMurray who was the recipient of this week’s Walk Worthy of God Good Sport Award. His teachers describe him as a great sport and allround good human, always playing by the rules, encouraging others and being inclusive.
Warm regards,
Margaret
Margaret Ryan
Acting Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Term 3
- Thursday 11th September - R U OK? Day Canteen Treats
- Friday 12th September - Polding Athletics
- Wednesday 17th September - MHOC Public Speaking Finals
- Sunday 21st - School-Led/Parish Mass
- Monday 22nd - Wednesday 24th September - Year 5 Camp
- Monday 22nd - 23rd September - Year 4 Camp
- Monday 22nd September - Clarence Public Speaking Competition
- Friday 26th September - Last day of Term 3
Term 4
- Monday 13th October - Staff Development Day (pupil-free day)
- Tuesday 14th October - First day of Term 4 for students
- Monday 3rd - 5th November - Year 6 Camp
- Wednesday 17th December - Last day for students
WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
Fathers' Day Stall
Thank you to Lisa Mangan for her amazing work in organising this year’s Father’s Day Stall as well as the wonderful parent helpers who gave up their time help students choose the perfect gifts. We are so lucky to have such a generous and supportive school community. Thank you again for helping to make the Fathers' Day Stall a great success! We hope you enjoy your pressies on Sunday.
R U OK? Day – Thursday 12th September
R U OK? Day is a national day of action in Australia dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and encouraging people to check in on those around them. The aim is to foster meaningful conversations by asking the question, "Are you OK?" and listening with empathy. It promotes the idea that regular check-ins can make a significant difference to someone's mental well-being, especially for those who may be struggling with life's challenges. The day encourages connection, support and reducing the stigma around discussing mental health issues.
Next Thursday, 11th September, there will be some yellow treats for sale in the canteen. Children will be able to purchase on Flexischools - yellow jelly cups for $1, yellow cupcakes $2 and yellow frosty fruits $2.50 to promote awareness.
Fathers' Day Brekkie & Footy Fun!
What a great morning we had at our Father’s Day BBQ Breakfast today! It was so lovely to see so many dads, grandads, and father figures enjoying a bite to eat and spending time with their kids and other dads. The Footy Kicking Comp was a big hit (literally!). Thanks to everyone who gave it a go. A big congratulations to Aaron Clark, who took out the win for the biggest kick of the day.
Wishing all our amazing dads and father figures a very happy Fathers' Day this Sunday. We hope you have a relaxing and joyful day.
Staff Training
On Tuesday, teachers took part in CPR and anaphylaxis training. The session covered how to respond to severe allergic reactions, use EpiPens, and perform CPR in emergencies. It was a great refresher to ensure we're ready to act quickly if needed. This training is part of our ongoing commitment to student safety and emergency preparedness across the school.
LOVING LEARNING
What’s Happening in Year 6?
This Term in Year 6, we have been researching countries in the Asian region. We have learnt about culture, landmarks, trade, sports and food. We have used Google Classroom and Google slides to make our learning interactive and independent.
“I like studying new countries.” Isaac
"I am enjoying learning at my own pace.” Liam
“It is fun discovering new things about places we haven't been.” Isla
“I like learning about culture." Eoin
"It has been interesting learning about differences between Australia and other countries.” Eva
As an assessment for this unit we are looking forward to making videos and brochures to promote our countries as part of a travel expo.
Celebrating the Power of Student Voices
This week marked the beginning of our class speeches and we are incredibly proud of the effort our students have already shown. They have been working diligently on their presentations and have shown lots of courage and confidence when presenting to the class.
As the class finals are concluded, the school finals will be held on Wednesday, 17th September. Parents of the grade winners will be notified of the specific time closer to the date. We wish all our students the very best of luck and look forward to celebrating their achievements.
Brendan Murphy
Assistant Principal
Learning & Teaching
FROM THE MISSION DESK
Fathers' Day Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gift of fathers and all father figures in our lives.
Thank You for their love, care and support.
Bless them with strength, patience and joy.
Help them to lead with kindness and wisdom,
and to be a reflection of Your love each day.
We pray for all fathers, those with us and those who have gone to heaven.
May they always feel Your presence and peace.
May St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus,
watch over and guide them always.
Amen.
What’s Been Happening in Religious Education in Year 5?
In Religious Education, we have been learning about key figures that shaped the early Catholic Church in Australia. We learnt about the first official priests that arrived in Australia including Fr John Therry and Fr Connelly. Year 5 students wrote and created a newspaper article, sharing the excitement of the Catholics at the time, who were finally able to openly celebrate their faith for the first time since arriving in Australia.
We then looked at other significant figures that shaped the early Catholic Church in Australia including Mary MacKillop and Caroline Chisholm. Year 5 students researched these individuals and shared a key fact or finding on each of the six faces of their research cube.
Mini Vinnies - Shoe Boxes
Help bring some holiday cheer to those in need! The Mini Vinnies group is collecting empty shoeboxes to contain Christmas gifts for individuals and families who access support from Pete's Place, a service run by St Vincent de Paul. Later this year, our students will fill these shoeboxes with essential items and gifts, such as toiletries, to provide a little bit of comfort and joy. If you have any empty shoeboxes, please send them to the school office or directly to Mrs. Fletcher in Year 4. Thank you for your generosity!
Term 3 Class Mass Roster
All parents and carers are warmly invited to join us for our weekly class Masses at Sawtell Catholic Church at 9:30am. We’d love for you to stay afterwards for a cuppa and some morning tea. It's a great chance to catch up and connect with others in our school community.
Tuesday 9th September - Year 4
Tuesday 16th September - Year 3
Tuesday 23rd September - Kinder & Year 6
You're Invited
Our Parish School-led Mass will be held on Sunday, 21st September at 9:00am at Sawtell Catholic Church. We hope you can join us for this special celebration with our parish community.
Amber Biddle
Assistant Principal
Mission
Toni Fletcher
Leader of
Catechesis
SENSEI'S CORNER
So many students came to help us reach our 1000 crane goal for our one wish, world peace. We are close, but even if we don’t make it in time for this year’s trip, Sensei has volunteered to go to Japan again next year as well, or perhaps an MHOC family might like to take it to Hiroshima on our behalf?
This is a photo of one strand of 40 cranes to add to our wreath. It will look amazing when we have all the strands ready to go.
SPORT NEWS
What a week in sport it has been! Between soccer, netball, rugby, soccer again, some little legs have had a major workout and pillows have undoubtedly cushioned some lead weights.
Below are Mr Murphy’s (soccer and rugby) and Mrs Dennis’s (netball) accounts.
Barney Barselaar Cup
Our school's soccer team headed to Woolgoolga for the Barney Barselaar Cup. Our opponents were other schools from the region from BDC through to Mulloway. The matches were tough, but our team battled through every challenge. They never gave up, showcasing a remarkable fighting spirit that saw them secure an outstanding third-place finish for the day.
What made us even prouder was their conduct and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. They represented our school with the Mary Help of Christians spirit, showing respect for their opponents and officials. A huge thank you and special mention goes to our captains, River and Harry, whose excellent leadership and encouragement were instrumental in guiding the team.
ZONE KNOCKOUT
Netball
We were so close! Our team was highly competitive on the day, but an early loss in the pool games forced us to the playoff for third and fourth, instead of making the major final, where we fancied our chances against the top two teams.
Our girls won their playoff game to finish third overall and we couldn’t be prouder of them. Well done Team MHOC!
Soccer
The school's soccer team had another outstanding day on Wednesday, traveling to Yamba for the highly competitive zone knockout tournament. We worked hard in hot conditions and came up against some tough opposition. Our hard work paid off in a big way, with the team once again securing a well-deserved third-place finish. We are so proud of every player for their outstanding effort and for representing our school so well.
Rugby Friendly with St Augustine’s
A huge thank you to Mr Murphy who has taken on the job of coaching our MHOC rugby team. He headed the team against St Augustine’s in our friendly on Friday and had this to say about the event:
The Mary Help of Christians rugby team showed incredible courage as they ventured into 'enemy territory' to face one of the state's most formidable teams, a squad that recently finished second in all of the NSW Catholic Primary Schools.
From the moment the whistle blew, our players displayed remarkable heart and determination. Despite the challenging competition, their true character shone through—they competed with smiles on their faces, never giving up on a single play. We could not be prouder of the way they represented our school, proving that true sportsmanship and relentless effort are the greatest victories of all.
Rebecca Bennett
Sports Coordinator
Geraldine Hourigan
Sports Administrator
OSHC
This week, we made the most of the beautiful weather by spending plenty of time outdoors. The children enjoyed endless games of Red Rover and Infinity Tips, showing off their teamwork and energy. Our playground was a hive of activity with lots of adventurous play on the equipment, while in nature play, imaginations came alive as children built their very own fairy gardens. Of course, no week would be complete without some friendly rounds of Gaga, where laughter and good sportsmanship filled the pit.
A quick reminder that we are still accepting bookings for Vacation Care—spots are filling fast, so be sure to get in quick!
Laura McDiarmid
Librarian
HABITS OF MIND AWARDS
Term 3 Week 7
Kinder | Alirah Lye, Eli Pastro, Amos Johnson, Evelyn Hinshaw, Stella Heriot, Clara Smith, Sonny Minichilli |
Year 1 | Lucie De Dassel, Katie McDaid, Titus Geary Roff, Louisa Preece |
Year 2 | Lewis Podesta, Dustin French, Isabella Masefield, Hunter Stevens, Sage Mergulhao, Henry Dean, Ellie Trezise |
Year 3 | Gurdit Dhariwal, Saskia Thompson, Will Andrews, Connor Adams, Zahlie Fell, Arley Kennedy, Charlie Gosney |
Year 4 | Charlee Stevens, Lakey Schomberg, Angelo An, Eila McCarthy, Scarlett Collon, Max Kennedy |
Year 5 | Darcy Nixon, Anna-lese Ross, Nate Little, Eli Fernie, Lauren Waugh, Zac Pearson, Pearle Desic |
Year 6 | Aram Cox, Lacey Van Hoeck, Adam McDonald |
CANTEEN NEWS
Term 3 Red Day
Volunteers
We are looking for more volunteers on Thursdays. If you are able to help, please contact the school office.
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 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
COMMUNITY NEWS
Sawtell Cricket Club
Love Cricket? Play Cricket!
Have fun, make friends, be part of a team, keep fit, build your cricket skills.
SAWTELL CRICKET CLUB registrations are open for the 2025-26 season for U10s, U12s, U14s, U16s, Seniors.
Search ‘sawtellcricketclub.com.au’ and scroll to the ‘Registration’ link
Call Michael on 0419161903 for more information.
