Term 3, Week 6 Newsletter

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers of the Mary Help of Christians Catholic College Community,

We have passed the half way point of the term and have much to celebrate and look forward to. I am often in awe of the passion and energy our staff bring to ensure that our students become curious thinkers who are confident to try new things, and become resilient learners.

Stage 2 of the College Masterplan

The future is looking bright at Mary Help of Christians Catholic College. Our enrolments are full for 2026 and planning for the building of Stage 2 of the College Masterplan is well underway and going out to tender very soon. Stage 2 is indicated by the yellow sections of the plan below and includes the building of a STEM Centre (Block D) and Technologies Hub (E). Stage 2 also includes some conversions in Blocks A and B, a Canteen conversion and external works including the establishment of the northern carpark.

Blocks D and E will cater for the delivery of specialist lessons including Science laboratory work and Design and Technologies specialisations such as Food and Fibre Production, Materials and Technologies specialisations, and Digital systems.

This part of the masterplan caters for both the delivery of the Junior (Years 9 and 10) Curriculum and the Senior Secondary Curriculum. We are very excited about the opening of the new buildings in 2027 and are committed to providing the best possible facilities for our students to learn and thrive.

Staff Update

Jazmine Manoff is now on maternity leave and we wish her and her husband all the best on the upcoming arrival of their baby. We look forward to meeting their bundle of joy and to Jazmine returning in Term 4, 2026.

Graduate Teacher Phillipa Dwyer will join our staff in Term 4 and we look forward to her arrival. Phillipa will teach HPE, Humanities - Civics and Citizenship and she will be the Bakhita Pastoral Care Group Teacher.

We are currently recruiting for staff for 2026. A number of new teachers and School Officers will join our team, including a Pastoral Leader for Year 7, as Shane Richardson will ably lead the current Year 7 cohort into Year 8. We are excited to grow the team and share the journey of building a school together with them.

To promote our recruitment for staff in 2026, some of our foundation staff were filmed giving testimonials about being part of the Mary Help of Christians Catholic College community. All of these testimonials were wonderful examples of the passion and authenticity our foundation staff bring to our growing college.

Michael Reedman, our Integrated Design and Delivery Middle Leader, said a number of moving things, and I will mention here two of many statements he made that demonstrate the essence of what makes Michael, and our college, so special:

“Here we’re not just about ticking a box. We’re actually creating a space for imagination and values and voice by responding to students and teacher passions to lay the foundation for exciting and engaging learning experiences.”

“The fact that we are creating this together, from the ground up, makes working in this new and supportive community so exciting. It’s not just about collaboration. It’s about co-creation. We truly believe that every child can thrive, when given the right prompts and scaffolds, and our faith in each student really unites us - we all support that one mission - unlocking success for every learner.”

As I said, the future is looking bright at Mary Help of Christians Catholic College.

We pray to Mary to magnify our prayers as we move ever closer to knowing and loving Jesus by building this community of learning, service and compassion.

Blessings.

Mardi Grubba
Principal

Catholic Identity, Mission and Wellbeing

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15th August)

On the 15th of August each year, the Catholic Church observes the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known by its shorter name of the Feast of the Assumption. This is one of the most sacred days in the Catholic Church, and one of only two days of obligation for Australian Catholics. At Mary Help of Christians, we recognised this special day during our prayer at our Year Level Assembly on Friday.

Although it only became an official dogma of the Catholic Church in 1950, the concept of the Assumption has long been a part of Catholic tradition. It is the belief that, upon her death, Mary was taken (“assumed”) body and soul into heaven, where she sits at the right hand of her son, Jesus. The concept of the Assumption is closely tied to Mary’s title of “Help of Christians” – it is because of the Assumption that Mary is able to intercede on our behalf today. As such, the Feast of the Assumption will grow into a significant day in the life of our College in years to come.

Bullying No Way! (11th – 15th August)

Last week was the national week of action against bullying, or Bullying No Way! Week. This is a week dedicated to raising awareness and developing strategies for the prevention of bullying. This year, the week’s theme was “Be Bold. Be Kind. Speak Up.” In our assembly on Friday, we addressed the “bystander effect” of bullying and the importance of using our voices to support ourselves and our peers. We also explored a range of messages and tips related to bullying and bullying prevention in our Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Wednesday sessions, reiterating messages and drawing attention to the dangers associated with bullying.

At the end of our assembly, we provided students with an opportunity to give feedback on the state of bullying in our College. This information will be invaluable in framing programs and processes to support action against bullying in the coming months. 

Learning and Thinking

Revised educational guidelines for delivery of the Australian Curriculum

From next year, all Queensland non-state schools will implement updated guidelines for delivering the Australian Curriculum. For students in Years 7 and 8, the focus is on consolidating knowledge, understanding and skills across all learning areas, with a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy. These essential capabilities underpin success across every subject and remain central to our planning.

Alongside English and Mathematics, students will continue to study Science, Humanities, Health and Physical Education, Technologies, Languages and the Arts. This broad exposure gives students the chance to explore new interests and challenges before choosing more specialised subjects in Year 9 and beyond.

Our College is very well placed for this transition to the new guidelines. With an existing strong focus on literacy and numeracy already supported by dedicated teachers and programs, the changes strengthen our commitment to ensuring every student develops the skills, knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive in secondary schooling and beyond.

The new guidelines also encourage schools to connect learning across different subjects so students can see how classroom learning applies to the real world. Our development of the Integrated Learning subject this year is an excellent example of this approach. We look forward to building on this in both Years 7 and 8 in 2026.

We are excited to support our foundation students as they move into Year 8 in 2026. More details about the curriculum changes for Years 7 and 8 will be shared in upcoming newsletters.

Creative Writing Extension with Ian McIntosh

On Tuesday, 19 August, our Mary Help of Christians Catholic College was delighted to welcome author and educator Ian McIntosh to run a series of Creative Writing Extension workshops for students in our Literacy Acceleration Program.

Ian is a highly regarded Australian author and writing coach, well known for his ability to inspire young writers and nurture their creativity. His workshops are designed to help students explore the craft of storytelling in fresh and engaging ways. By focusing on techniques such as character development, building tension, and crafting authentic voices, Ian encourages students to take risks in their writing and discover new possibilities in their own stories.

During the workshops, our students had the opportunity to work closely with Ian, experimenting with ideas and receiving feedback that helped them refine and strengthen their writing. The sessions were both practical and inspiring, giving students a real sense of how writers think, plan, and create.

Our students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and came away with new confidence and motivation to extend their creative writing. We are grateful to Ian for sharing his expertise and passion, and we look forward to seeing the impact of his visit in the students’ future work.

College Administration

Reminder:  Year 7 Immunisations - Thursday, 4 September 2025

The Queensland School Immunisation Program offers every Year 7 student in Queensland free immunisation against human papillomavirus (HPV) and diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) is a combined vaccine (dTpa) and is given as one injection. 

Signed parent / legal guardian / authorised person consent for the vaccines is required. Students will not be administered the vaccines without consent.

Vaccination consent cards were due back to the college by Friday 1 August 2025. 

Please contact the college office if you still have your vaccination consent cards at home.

Reminder:  Pupil Free Days

Please ensure that you are preparing for the two remaining Pupil Free Days scheduled for the 2025 school year:

• Friday, 5 September 2025
• Tuesday, 7 October 2025

These dates have been set aside to support the implementation of version 9 of the Australian Curriculum and the new non-state schools education guidelines, which aim to enhance teaching practices and improve student outcomes.

We kindly ask that you mark these important dates in your calendar. As there will be no school on these days, we encourage families to make any necessary arrangements in advance.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work together to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.

First Nations Education

First Nations Advisory Meeting

We will be holding our second First Nations Advisory meeting on Tuesday 2nd September (Week 8) from 5:30-6:30pm in the auditorium. All community members are welcome to attend. 

NAIDOC Celebrations

On Wednesday 23rd July, Mary Help of Christians celebrated NAIDOC. Students and staff participated in a range of activities including Torres Strait Islander dance and weaving, weapons and tools workshop, craft activities and didgeridoo workshop. Students also participated in a writing workshop based around legacy, that supported the theme “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy”.

Students who volunteered their time to be part of the NAIDOC committee, also assisted in facilitating the liturgy and ran food stalls at lunchtime. This allowed all students to sample some native produce, including raspberry and rosella icy cups, lemon myrtle and wattleseed shortbread and saltbush/dessert lime popcorn.

The day's celebrations were a huge success and we would like to thank all the external organisations (Will Mabo, Ashley Saltner and Komet Torres Strait Islander Art and Culture) for helping to facilitate some of the activities.

Co-Curricular Update

Inter School Athletics Carnival

This week, our College proudly participated in the Townsville Inter-School Athletics Carnival. Our students represented the College with exceptional sportsmanship, determination, and team spirit.

A huge congratulations to all participants for their effort and enthusiasm throughout the event. We are especially proud of the following students who achieved outstanding results in their respective events:

Guidance Counsellor

Bully Zero National Week of Action against Bullying

This National Bullying Prevention Week (11–17 August), Bully Zero is asking Australians to do more than talk. We’re asking them to Act On It.

Reachout.com also provides 10 tips for teenagers who are coping with hard stuff

1. Talk to someone that you trust to share your worries/concerns.
2. Get journalling. Write down your worries.
3. Practice self-love. Look after yourself by doing something that you love each day. This could include exercise, relaxation, listening to music, hanging out with friends.
4. Take a break.  Give yourself permission to leave situations that make you feel upset or angry.
5. Be nice to yourself. Try to use positive self-talk. 
6. Take a step back.  Use to-do lists and schedules so that you don’t overwhelm yourself.
7. Think about the big picture.  Ask yourself regularly “how important is this in the long run?”
8. Focus on the positives as it is too easy to get caught up in the negatives. 
9. Say thank you. Practice gratitude each day by writing down 3 things that you are thankful for.
10. Do something, anything!  When you are feeling stressed it can be easier to withdraw but it is much better to keep busy and be active. 

Reachout.com’s 5 steps to study success for students

• take a planned break and do some physical activity.
• create a timetable to help balance study and fun.
• use organisational tools such as student diary, assessment calendars, homework clubs.
• hang out with friends who are supportive, not competitive.
• break my study time into twenty minute chunks.

Meet the Staff

Lucy Royes
Business Manager

What is your role at the college?
Business & Facilities Manager

What did you do before joining Mary Help of Christians?

I've been an accountant for over 15 years and worked in various roles both in the private and public sector.

A couple of fun or interesting facts about you?

My husband and I have 6 children ranging in age from 19 years to 3 years. In the summer time you will find all of us at our mango farm in Giru picking, washing and packing mangoes. Our children pretend to hate it but I'm sure one day they will cherish the memories... haha

What do you love about working at Mary Help of Christians?

It's exciting to be at a brand new school to watch the plans come together as the buildings rise from the ground. I value my Catholic education as a student and believe it has paved the way for my successful career. I look forward to hearing the achievements of our first cohort of students upon graduating from Mary Help of Christians.