21 February 2025

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Mrs Fletcher. Mrs Watts. Mrs Ryan. Mrs Hall. Can you pick who’s who?

Each of us was celebrating a very memorable day in our journey as Catholics- our First Communion day. Some of us may have been a tad excited about having a fizzy drink in a glass bottle (great photo, Dad!)  but, for all of us, it was the first time we received Jesus in the Eucharist, the nourishing, life-giving sacrament that is at the heart of our faith.

We are so pleased to welcome the sacrament preparation program back into the school, with our first parent information evening held last Tuesday. Parents and carers, if you have any questions about the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation (Penance) of Communion (Eucharist), please don’t hesitate to contact us here at school. As Father Joy reminded us all on Thursday evening: there are no silly questions!

If you're a watcher of Better Homes and Gardens, keep an eye out tonight for a special feature on Sawtell Catholic parish’s beautiful gardens and cafe at The Link.

Please keep our Holy Father Pope Francis, who is very unwell,  in your prayers over the weekend.

Warm regards
Liz

UPCOMING EVENTS

 2025 Dates

• Monday 24th February - Zone Swimming Carnival
• Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd March - Presentation and Blessing of Holy Communion Candidates
• Tuesday 4th March - Diocesan Swimming Carnival
• Tuesday 4th March - Year 6 Leadership Day at Sawtell Catholic Church
• Tuesday 4th March - Parent/Teacher Interviews, 3pm-6pm
• Tuesday 4th March - School Community Forum AGM, 6pm
• Wednesday 5th March - Ash Wednesday
• Monday 10th March - Mini-Retreat for Holy Communion candidates
• Tuesday 11th-12th March - School Photos
• Sunday 16th March - First Holy Communion Mass 11am at Sawtell Catholic Church
• Thursday 10th April - Last day for students - Term 1
• Friday 11th April - Staff Development Day (Pupil-free day)
  

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

School Fees

All families would now have received invoices for 2025 school fees. If you require assistance with any fee related matters, please contact Kim at the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools office (sawp-fees@lism.catholic.edu.au or 02 6653 1655). 

LOVING LEARNING

Parent/ Teacher Interviews

You have an opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher between 3pm-6pm on Tuesday 4th March. Please book via the Conference button on your Compass app.

If you have already been invited to attend a Personalised Planning (PP) Meeting or know that you will be attending a DCLP Meeting for your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child in the next few weeks, there is no need to book an additional interview at this time as your child’s teacher will be in attendance at these meetings.

Parent/teacher interviews will be held in your child’s classroom. Since you will have booked a meeting time, there is no need to sign in at the school office in this instance.

If you are unable to attend a meeting on this day, please email your child’s teacher and arrange a phone or face-to-face interview at a mutually convenient time.

What’s Happening in Year 5?

Our Year 5 students have been diving into The Wild Robot, exploring the vivid settings of the story and using them as inspiration for their own creative writing. After analysing how the author brings landscapes to life, students have been crafting their own imaginative settings as the foundation for their own collaborative narratives. Working in pairs, they are developing rich stories that transport readers to new and exciting worlds. We can’t wait to see their creativity shine in the final pieces!

Seesaw Student Portfolios

All children are once again sharing examples of their learning each week via the Seesaw platform.

Kindergarten families, watch out for a note coming home with your child today with a unique QR code allowing you to access your child’s account.

New families in other grades, keep an eye out for an email inviting you to connect with your child’s account.

Contact Amy Martin, our Leader of Digital Technologies, if you have any difficulties connecting. amy.martin@lism.catholic.edu.au

Makerspace

Students have displayed their ingenuity and craftsmanship skills at Makerspace this week.  During recess, students were challenged to build a working catapult. When tested, some of the creations propelled the cotton balls over 2m! All students in Years 3 -6 are welcome at Makerspace and next week, students will be tasked with building a car that can travel one metre or further. 

FROM THE MISSION DESK

First Holy Communion - Important Dates

First Holy Communion is a sacred celebration in which Catholics receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time. This celebration is a meaningful milestone, as it signifies a growing understanding and involvement in the spiritual aspects of our Catholic community.

Key Dates: 

Presentation and Blessing -  Presentation & Blessing: Saturday 1st March, 6pm OR Sunday 2nd March, 7.30am and 9:00am

Mini-retreat at Sawtell Church -Monday 10th March from 9.30am-1:00pm. More information will be sent via Compass.

First Communion Mass - Sunday 16th March at 11:00am

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 after Tuesday Masses.

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

School Community Forum

Joining one of our School Community Forum committees is an excellent way for parents and carers to meet other parents and be part of a team who are working together for the good of our children.

Want to find out more? Add your name to this form and someone will be in touch with you to explain what the roles entail.

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER

The AGM of the School Community Forum will be held on Tuesday 4th March.

Free Parent Webinars

From the Catholic Schools Parent Assembly

SPORT NEWS

Winter Sports Trials

Thank you to our families who have transported their children to Winter Sports trials this week in soccer at Yamba and netball at Woolgoolga. There was an unprecedented number of students trialing this year, so competition was very tough.

Congratulations to the following students who successfully trialed and have progressed to the Diocesan trials -

Soccer - Harry Munro, Lacey van Hoeck, Ella Duncan, Asha Cook, Layla Verbruggen, Victoria Jones, Matilda Elkins-Baker

Netball - Lillian Whitehill

Good luck also to the following students who were not required to trial at Zone level and have also progressed to Diocesan trials - 

Hockey - Ivy Meehan

Rugby League - Cole Adams, Jackson Wood, Cheyse Blair, Patrick Forshaw. Michael Forshaw, Eoin Handsaker

Zone Rugby Union trials will be held on 10th March.

Diocesan AFL Trials

Nine of our boys attended Diocesan AFL trials in Grafton today amongst over 60 boys from the Diocese. It was a huge turnout this year!. Well done to all our boys, some of whom were competing in the full-rules format for the first time. Congratulations to Eli Fernie and Charlie Schmetzer, who will now try out for a position on the Polding team.

Zone Swimming

Good luck to the following students who will be travelling to Maclean on Monday for the Clarence Zone Swimming carnival. A full report will feature in next week’s newsletter.

Frankie Barreto Gunn, Matias Barreto Gunn, 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 Rapley, Ella Snow, Lacey Van Hoeck    

Rugby 7s and Golf 

In the attached flyers, you will find information about Polding Girls’ Rugby 7s and Polding Golf. Both trials are a little way in the future but are not local, so will involve some planning if you would like your child/ren to participate.

HABITS OF MIND AWARDS

Term 1 Week 3

CANTEEN NEWS

Item Alert

Come try our Delicious wraps, perfect for a quick and satisfying lunch.

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.

LIBRARY WHISPERS

I bought some great new books for the library this week and replaced some that were very loved with new copies. It was hard to come away from the shop with only a few, but I’ve got more on order which I can’t wait to show the children.

The Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival is happening in June and we’ve gotten in early with our wishlist for author visits to the school! It was really hard to choose this year as there is a great list of authors! I’ll let you know who’s coming and when we've had confirmation.

OSHC

This week at OSHC, our love for LEGO and car tracks has continued to thrive, with children creating impressive builds and exciting racing circuits. Cricket has been a major hit, with everyone getting involved in friendly matches and honing their skills. Outdoors, we've also been perfecting our plane-flying techniques with foam aircraft, adding an extra layer of fun to our afternoons.

Indoors, our role-play shop and hair salon have been buzzing with activity, sparking creativity and imagination. Just Dance has kept us moving, while beading has provided a fantastic opportunity for relaxation and fine motor skill development. It’s been another fantastic week of play and learning at OSHC!

Jemma 

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