Term 3, Week 10 Newsletter

Message from the Principal

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

The end of Term 3 is just around the corner and we will soon enter the final term of this very special foundation year. We are also preparing for the Term 4 transition and preparation events to welcome around 135 Year 7 students in 2026. We are excited by the prospect of growing the Mary Help of Christians Catholic College community.

Diocesan Education Council Visit

Last Friday, the Diocesan Education Council (DEC) visited the College. The DEC chooses one of the 30 schools in the diocese to visit each year and it was no surprise that they were keen to see our brand new college. They were impressed by what they saw during their tour of the College. They were also delighted by the plans for Stage 2 of the College Master Plan, which will be out for tender soon, with the hope of starting groundwork before the end of 2025

During the visit, the  DEC spoke with our College Board Chair, Jane Mitchell and with a group of our students, asking them a number of questions about how they were enjoying life at Mary Help of Christians, areas of interest for them and advice for incoming students. It was such a highlight to hear the students proudly speak about their college. A big thank you to Logan B. Ariel W. Naledi M. Tyson D. and Alice M. They demonstrated poise and leadership and we are so proud of them!

House Spirit Cup

The House Spirit Cup is annually awarded to the House that exemplifies the most House Spirit over the course of the school year.

Each House is able to contribute to the awarding of the House Spirit Cup through the activities and actions listed below. The House Spirit Cup will be awarded to the House that demonstrated the most spirit across these areas at the End of Year Mass/Liturgy on the final day of Term 4.

Student Code of Conduct

A new addition has recently been made to Townsville Catholic Education Schools’ websites. 
This code ensures students and all members of Townsville Catholic school communities understand the
following:

The processes outlined in this code are intended to be practical, non-adversarial and non-legal. 

Thank you to our Groundsman Carl Schutz

Our College grounds are becoming more and more established and beautiful. We are so blessed to have Carl leading the development of our grounds. The progress that he has made is truly inspirational, from getting our oval ready to planning and planting our gardens and managing the safety and cleanliness of our grounds and facilities. Carl puts in countless hours over very early mornings, late afternoons and weekends to create and maintain the grounds we enjoy every day.

Over the last week, among other beautiful shrubs and trees, Carl planted a Broad-Leaf Tea Tree at the front of the College. We will be creating a Prayer Pilgrimage as the college grows and this will be the first point on the journey. The Broad-Leaf Tea Tree has special meaning to us as it is one of the trees used by the Wulgurukaba in this area and the cross-section of the flower of the tree features in the shape of the Southern Cross (a nod to Mary Help of Christians, our Patron Saint) on our logo and uniforms.

Thank you Carl for bringing the first step of our vision to life.

May the end of Term 3  school holiday break allow for a well-earned rest and some extra family time.

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

Canonisation of St Pier Giorgio Frassati

Last Sunday, the namesake of our green house, Pier Giorgio Frassati, was canonised by Pope Leo XIV in a ceremony in St Peter’s Square. Canonisation is the final step in the journey towards sainthood and recognises not only his extraordinary service to humankind during his life, but also his capacity to serve and to inspire after his death. He has been linked to various causes, being unofficially dubbed the patron saint of mountaineers, the patron saint of friendship and the patron saint of athletes.

In a recent homily to celebrate the Jubilee of Sport (15/06/2025), Pope Leo highlighted what we can learn from Frassati:

“His straightforward and luminous life reminds us that, just as no one is born a champion, no one is born a saint. It is daily training in love that brings us closer to final victory and enables us to contribute to the building of a new world.”

Like all of our house namesakes, Frassati has been chosen to guide our students to a better understanding of their own place in our society and in God’s plan for our world. We look forward to getting to know him better as we grow as a community.

Finishing the term well

With a little over one week left of Term 3, it is important that we work together to finish the term well. The Leadership Team and staff have been working closely with students to consolidate practices and expectations that help us to grow into a great place to be. Finishing Term 3 well will give us a head-start as we move into Term 4. The following three key messages, which we have addressed with students over the course of this term, will help us to do this:

1. Focus on what matters
   Everything we do in our College is driven by our Mission Statement:
   Inspired by Jesus, with Mary as our model of faith, we are called to experience the fullness of life through learning, service and compassion.
   While it is natural for the attention of young people (and even adults!) to wander occasionally, cementing our mission at the centre of all we do helps us to decide what really matters and what doesn’t. We have made a practice of encouraging our students to refocus on what matters: if their thoughts, conversations and actions distract from this mission, then they need to turn their attention away from those things so they can be present for their schooling experience. Worrying about irrelevant and trivial matters is a distraction and is frequently problematic student wellbeing.

1. Keep it simple
   Our College has a clear set of agreed protocols, outlined in our Student Engagement Framework, that operates alongside our policies and procedures (for example, our Uniform and Personal Presentation requirements, available in our Parent Handbook). These frameworks and guidelines make it very easy to meet expectations and take much of the uncertainty away from each day.
   When we encourage students to “keep it simple” with regard to these expectations, we are encouraging them to stick well within expectations, rather than “seeking the edges” or hunting for technicalities. This helps students to focus on what matters; it also simplifies their day as they can follow decisions that have already been made on their behalf.

1. Embrace realistic optimism
   In our Book Week Assembly, I spoke to students about realistic optimism: the acceptance that things will not always be perfect, but that there is a lot of good to be found in the world around us. Embracing realistic optimism allows us to maintain positive relationships with our peers, to see the good in them and to forgive more easily when we feel that we have been let down by others.
   Realistic optimism, appreciating beauty and responding with wonder and awe have been focal areas in our weekly Wellbeing Wednesday sessions, helping students to build this particularly important character strength.

Service activities in Term 4

Term 4 is a busy term, both educationally and in our lives of service and compassion. Over the course of the term, we will be called upon to contribute to two very worthy causes:

• Catholic Mission Month (October):
  In support of Catholic Mission’s “Socktober” initiative, we will be raising awareness and funds for the work of this important organisation. This year, Catholic Mission is placing its spotlight on Zambia, where food shortages have caused great hardship and challenged traditional and modern ways of life. In addition to raising funds, activities over the course of the month will raise awareness, both of the situation in Zambia and of the good work done by Catholic Mission around the world, across Australia and right here in Townsville.
• St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal (November):
  Each year, Catholic schools across our Diocese have worked with local conferences of the St Vincent de Paul Society to support families who may be struggling in the lead-up to Christmas. We are in the process of formulating a plan with Vinnies to enable our community to participate in this very worthy, and very local, service action. More will be revealed as we approach November.

Graham Joseph 
Assistant Principal - Catholic Identity, Mission and Wellbeing 

Learning and Thinking

Progressive Achievement Test - Reading

Last week, all students completed the PAT-R Adaptive Reading test, which helps us understand how their reading skills are developing. The test adjusts to each child’s responses, giving a clear picture of their individual strengths and areas for growth.

Teachers use this information to track progress over time and to plan the right kinds of support in the classroom. Strong reading skills are the foundation for learning in every subject, so these insights help us make sure each student is on track and getting the guidance they need to succeed.

Inklings Club workshop with Charlotte Barkla

On Wednesday in Week 7, our Inklings Club students had the opportunity to attend an inspiring writing workshop at Citylibraries Riverway, led by Brisbane-based children’s author Charlotte Barkla. Charlotte, a former civil engineer and physics teacher, is the author of the 11 Ruby Road series and Edie’s Experiments.

During the workshop, Charlotte shared her top five tips for creative writing, with a strong message that editing is the key to success. Students were surprised to learn it took Charlotte around thirty drafts before publishing her first book, All Bodies Are Good Bodies. She also revealed her secret to blending facts and fiction, drawing on her childhood experiences on a farm near Toowoomba and her love of world history.

Our students came away motivated and eager to apply Charlotte’s insights to their own writing—both in English classes and through Inklings Club.  A huge thanks to Mr Michael Reedman and Mrs Felicity Wuth for organising this wonderful opportunity for students.

Building academic persistence and stamina

Throughout the term, teachers have continued to place a strong focus on developing students’ persistence and stamina in learning. These qualities are essential not only for academic success now, but also for opening up a wide range of opportunities as students move into their senior years and beyond.

We know that at times, pushing through challenging tasks can feel like a tough ask. That’s completely normal - and it’s what building stamina is all about. Just as athletes improve by training their bodies, students grow academically by stretching themselves and their brains, persisting with tasks when things get boring or tough, and learning to overcome obstacles.

By encouraging persistence, we help students build the resilience and confidence they’ll need to take on new subjects, complex projects, and eventually, pathways in senior schooling, tertiary education, or the workforce. Our goal is to nurture learners who don’t shy away from challenges, but instead see them as chances to grow and achieve their best. We will continue this vital work with all students next term.

Best wishes for the term break

Can you believe that three terms of Year 7 are now almost over? Before you know it, your children will be in Year 8! This end of term break will provide a good opportunity for everyone to recharge in preparation for the final term of 2025. I look forward to seeing you all during Term 4.

Paul Allan
Deputy Principal - Learning and Thinking

College Administration

Important Dates - Term 4

Please see below for a list of important dates for your calendar in Term 4.  This list is current at the time of publication, and events are subject to change. Please refer to the calendar on the college website for the most accurate and up-to-date information about events.  https://www.mhoc.catholic.edu.au/about-us/calendar/ 

• Tuesday 07/10 - Pupil Free Day
• Thursday 09/10 - Street Science
• Friday 10/10 - Interschool Swimming Carnival
• Thursday 16/10 - Emerging Leaders Roadshow
• Monday 27/10 - Get Set for Year 7 2026
• Friday 31/10 - Day for Daniel
• Friday 31/10 - World Teachers’ Day
• Friday 31/10 - Non State Schools Accreditation Board Visit
• Tuesday 18/11 - Arts Showcase
• Thursday 27/11 - Year 7 Retreat
• Friday 28/11 - Final day of school for 2025

Co-Curricular Update

House Cup Challenge

We are excited to announce our very first House Cup Challenge, taking place Friday 19th September during periods 3 and 4, with an assembly in period 5.

During the challenge, houses will compete against each other in a variety of sports to earn points towards winning the annual House Cup trophy.

Important details for students:

• Please wear your sports uniform on Friday.
• You also have the option to wear a coloured sun-safe shirt in your house colour to show your spirit.
• The day’s activities will run during periods 3 and 4, followed by an assembly in period 5.

Let’s make this a fun and competitive day—may the best house win!

Homework Program
Our Homework Program will conclude this week for the term and will resume in Week 2 of Term 4. Thank you to all our teachers and school officers who have supported students with their homework and assessments throughout the term.

Inter-School Athletics
Congratulations to Logan B. and Kalaney W., who were both awarded Age Champion at the Inter-School Athletics event held earlier this term. Both students represented the College with pride over the two days of competition, and it is wonderful to see their sportsmanship recognised.

Instrumental Music
Engaging with music—whether by playing an instrument or singing—is a deeply rewarding experience that enriches students’ lives in many ways. Our Instrumental Music Program gives students the chance to discover and develop their musical talents while enjoying a range of academic, social, and emotional benefits.

Applications are now open for Term Four. If your child is interested in learning an instrument, please complete the enrolment form to secure their place in the program.

We look forward to welcoming new musicians!

Guidance Counsellor

R U OK? Day at Mary Help of Christians College - 11 September 2025

R U OK? Day is a national day in Australia that focuses on mental health promotion by  encouraging people to have meaningful conversations about their wellbeing. It is held annually on the second Thursday of September, making this year's R U OK? Day Thursday, September 11, 2025. The goal is to empower everyone to check in with friends, family, and colleagues who may be struggling, and the day emphasizes that "Ask R U OK? Any Day" by fostering regular conversations and offering support, not just on the official day.  As a College, we held our inaugural R U Ok? Day celebration with a lunch time concert performance by the amazingly talented Ms Brooke Roberts, which highlighted the importance of checking-in with others while also enjoying time with friends.

Here are some photos from R U OK Day:

• How to Participate:
• • Ask: Start a conversation with someone you care about. 
  • Listen: Give them your genuine, undivided attention. 
  • Encourage Action: If they're struggling, encourage them to take action or seek further help. 
  • Check In: Follow up to see how they're doing. 
    
    
• What You Don't Need:
  You don't need to be an expert to ask if someone is okay; you just need to be a good friend and a great listener.
  
  
• Why It Matters:
  • Connection: It helps foster connections and makes people feel supported.
  • Prevention: A conversation can be the first step in preventing someone from reaching a crisis point, as it opens the door for them to seek help.
  • Workplace Culture: It encourages a more supportive workplace where people feel comfortable discussing their mental health.

Meet the Staff

Felicity Wuth
Teacher Librarian

What is your role at the college?
I am the Teacher Librarian at Mary Help of Christians Catholic College.  

What did you do before joining Mary Help of Christians?

I have been a Teacher Librarian for 15 years, working in Catholic and Independent schools.

A couple of fun or interesting facts about you?

I love reading and travelling.  I love comparing how libraries look and feel in different places.
I've seen everything from tiny village shelves to grand historic collections.

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

I love the sense of collaboration and support here at Mary Help of Christians.
We are all working towards the same goals and values.