Week 8, Term 2

Message from the Principal

Spirit of Catholic Education Awards 2025

Congratulations to Laura King!  Our Spirit of Catholic Education Award Nominee for 2025.

Laura is our nomination for the 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Awards in the category of showing outstanding integrity in leading a school community or program.

Here is a snippet of her well-deserved nomination:

Laura’s approach to her work is characterised by humility, integrity and determination to bring about what is right. Consequently, Laura is held in very high regard by the broader community, and is trusted by parents   and carers. As a result of Laura’s contributions, our College has already established a strong reputation for serving the diverse educational needs of our students.

Thank you Laura  for all that you do for the students, staff and families at our college. We are blessed to be witness to your generous spirit and compassionate heart.

Safe Persons at Mary Help of Christians Catholic College 

We have two staff named as Safe Persons who have a specially identified role to be a person whom students can talk to if they are feeling unsafe about anything. They have roles that include:

• Supporting students during school interviews - When police and/or Child Safety assess that they need to undertake an interview with a student at school, a Safe Person may assist by providing support to the child during the interview;
• Educating students and staff on the role of the School Safe Persons; and
• Advising colleagues on student protection processes, and supporting them through this process

Safe Persons:

• Attend training on an annual basis;
• Receive information of harm or risk of harm to a student and complete a report without delay to submit to the Principal; 
• Assist other staff to complete reports; 
• Follow up with staff/students regarding student protection worries.

Safe Persons may be required to:

• Receive information from students, staff or parents and act on information;
• Make a report about inappropriate conduct of a fellow staff member;
• Assist others in managing student protection matters;
• Assist others in writing/making a Student Protection Report;
• Keep confidential records on Student Protection matters involving students and staff.

The Safe Persons at Mary Help of Christians Catholic College are:

Blessings.

Mardi Grubba
Principal

Catholic Identity, Mission and Wellbeing

We are excited to officially announce the names of our College Houses, a major milestone for Mary Help of Christians Catholic College.

Each House is named in honour of a remarkable individual who lived a life of strong Catholic faith and will serve as a powerful role model for our students on their own journeys.

These names will inspire and shape our College identity as we live out our motto: Called to Learning, Service and Compassion.

Student Representative Council

On Monday, we announced the members of our first Student Representative Council. These students have been chosen by their peers to take on a leadership role and to provide an opportunity for students to have their say about a range of matters. Our SRC members will be presented with their badges at our next assembly on Friday 20 June.

Congratulations to:

Bakhita: Aleela C, Luke O

Frassati: Naledi M, Alira U

Kolbe: Ella C, Logan F

MacKillop: Joelle B, Evie S

Romero: Adison P

First Nations Education

National Reconciliation Week

During Integrated Learning time in Week 6, the College celebrated National Reconciliation Week. Staff and students engaged in numerous activities, including a smoking ceremony by Wulgurukaba Walkabouts, a dance workshop led by Will Mabo, along with a weaving activity, cultural walk, yarning circle and activities supporting this year's theme “Bridging Now to Next”. We would like to thank all facilitators of these activities, especially Will Mabo, Carly Leon-Simmons and Pelly Morganson for volunteering their time to share their valuable knowledge with all of our students. Students will have the opportunity to engage with the activities they missed during Week 10 Integrated Learning time.

Co-Curricular Update

We have many events coming up in the Co-Curricular Space. Students are encouraged to check student notices and the College calendar regularly to ensure they don't miss out on any co-curricular opportunities. 

Please find below the Co-curricular activities happening at our College:

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Co-Curricular, please feel free to contact me at larnold5@mhoc.catholic.edu.au or via parent reception.

Kind regards

Lisa Arnold
Co-Curricular Design and Delivery

Guidance Counsellor

Managing Screen Time

Screen time refers to the amount of time spent using electronic devices such as phones, computers, televisions and tablets. Managing screen time is important for a child’s overall wellbeing and development, both physically and mentally. It is important for children to establish healthy habits and boundaries around screen time use from the moment they are handed any electronic device. Developing healthy screen use habits will ensure your child also has plenty of time for other activities such as playing, reading, spending time with family and friends, and participating in physical activities. There are both benefits and drawbacks to screen time, learning how to make good decisions about when and how much to use their devices is important.
SchoolTV suggests that parents empower confidence in their children by using the following strategies to start a conversation around Screen Time.

Digital Media & Literacy Safety Webinar

A free webinar is being held to support families in navigating digital media and literacy safety. It’s a great opportunity for parents, carers, and young people to build awareness around safe and responsible online behaviour.

Details below:

Meet the Staff

Gavin Antolos
School Officer - ASL 

What is your role at the college?

School Officer (Assisting Student Learning) & the coordinator of the homework program. 

What did you do before joining Mary Help of Christians?

Before joining Mary Help of Christians, I worked in college operations at a large multi-campus secondary school in Melbourne.

A couple of fun or interesting facts about you?

A couple of fun facts about me, in January, I packed up my home in Melbourne and relocated to join the team at Mary Help of Christians. I am currently studying to become a teacher, and in my free time, I run fitness classes out of our local gym. This month marks my 10th anniversary of being a fitness instructor! 

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

I love working at Mary Help of Christians because of the incredible sense of belonging and community that surrounds everything we do. Being part of a brand-new school is a truly special experience, and I am filled with excitement as we grow together.