Dear Parents

Over the past several months, we have reflected on and reviewed the processes surrounding MoGC’s involvement in extracurricular sporting events. As part of this review, I gathered feedback from students, staff and parents. It was particularly valuable to receive written submissions from families across Prep to Year 5, providing insight from those currently eligible to participate in Gala Days and those who will be in the future. I would also like to thank the MoGC Board, who met on multiple occasions and collaborated with me in considering the available information.

This review has highlighted the importance of open, transparent communication and collaborative dialogue in successfully managing change. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this process in such a constructive manner.

Looking ahead, I am excited about the future and the steps we are taking to move forward. Based on the feedback received, I have begun developing a plan that I believe will best serve our students. MoGC will trial participation in selected Gala Day events scheduled for the remainder of 2025, guided by the following points. These experiences will help inform the development of a formal guideline, effective from the beginning of 2026.

• Gala Day participation requires exemplary school attendance (90%), as well as positive engagement and behaviour.
  
• Registration for Gala Days is dependent on the availability of staff and/or parents to supervise, train, coach and attend the event.
  
• Students nominate themselves for team selection and participation.
  
• Costs will be covered by the school through an increase in the MoGC Activity Levy (2026).
  
• Transport arrangements will be determined based on the specific requirements of each event.
  
• MoGC prioritises whole-school events.
  
• To manage student numbers, trials may be held. These are designed to ensure students new to the sport are not disadvantaged.
  
• The registration and participation of students in Gala Days is managed by the school and aligned with the Parent and Staff Codes of Conduct.
  
  

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to enhance the experiences for our students.

Week  6

Monday, May 26

• Feedback Surveys emailed to parents, staff and Year 5 & 6 students
  

Tuesday, May 27

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck
• 2:15 Athletics Briefing & War Cries

Wednesday, May 28

• Newsletter day

Thursday, May 29

• MoGC Athletics Carnival
• Students dropped off and picked up from Barlow Park
• See information and program shared via Seesaw

Friday, May 30

• 8:30 Reconciliation Liturgy - 1A leading 

Saturday, May 31

• 4:15 First Eucharist Preparation Session 1 
• 5:30 Parish Mass

Week 7

Tuesday, June 03

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Thursday, June 05

• World Environment Day
• Wear something blue or green
• 6:00 Confirmation at St. Monica’s Cathedral with Bishop Joe

Friday, June 06

• 8:30 Assembly
• 9:00 Whole School Photo
  • Ensure correct uniform is worn
• 11:15 Whole School Pentecost Mass 

Saturday, June 07

• 4:15 First Eucharist Preparation Session 2
• 5:30 Parish Mass

Week  8

Tuesday, June 10

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck
• 5:30 School Board (members only)
  

Wednesday, June 11

• Newsletter day
  

Thursday, June 12

• Readers Cup at Edge Hill State School
• 8:45 Year 5 Liturgy

Friday, June 13

• Feedback survey closes
• 8:30 Assembly

Saturday, June 14

• Catholic Diocese of Cairns Plenary Consultation
  • registration via the Parish Bulletin
• 4:15 First Eucharist Preparation Session 3 
• 5:30 Parish Mass - celebrating the Sacrament of First Eucharist 

Week  9

Tuesday, June 17

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Wednesday, June 18

• 4:00 Eisteddfod Literary Award Ceremony at Choral Society Hall

Friday, June 20

• 8:30 Assembly - Prep A leading Prayer 

Week  10

Tuesday, June 24

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Wednesday, June 25

• Newsletter day

Thursday, June 26

• Student reports available via the MyCE App

Friday, June 27

• 8:30 Assembly
• Whole school Hip Hop Concert
• 1:45 Hip Hop Concert - parent viewing

Saturday, June 28

• 5:30 Parish Mass

The Sacrament of Confirmation preparation sessions have now been completed. This program culminates in the celebration of Confirmation at St Monica’s Cathedral on Thursday June 5, starting at 6:00pm (arrival from 5:30pm).

This Saturday, May 31, candidates begin their three weeks of preparation for the Sacrament of First Eucharist. First Eucharist will be celebrated at Mother of Good Counsel Church on Saturday 14 June starting at 5:30pm (straight after preparation session 3). 

Year 10 students from St. Monica’s College, who aspire to be teachers, visit MoGC each Wednesday to work with our Year 2 and 3 students. Last week the girls helped 2A create some amazing artwork.

Thanks for joining us on Wednesday, February 14 for our MoGC Connect Family Engagement event - Pizza Night! It is always lovely to have you on site for a relaxed night of catch ups and connection. We loved seeing so many of you there. 

On Friday, May 16 the MOGC community participated in the annual Walk Safely to School Day. We loved seeing lots of students, parents and family members walk with us from the Information Centre at the base of the Red Arrow to school.

On Monday we welcomed our new Health Care Officer, Ms Roohie Kullar, to our team. Students and families will see Roohie around the school and in the office space supporting students with their medical needs. If you see Roohie, please say hello.

MoGC is currently recruiting for a Year 3 teacher to replace Mrs Zoe Morvatjou. While her pregnancy is progressing well, Zoe has commenced her parental leave early and informed the school last week that she will not be returning this term. We wish Zoe a period of rest as she prepares for the birth of her little boy in July.

At the end of their contracts, middle and senior leaders are required to participate in a highly reflective appraisal process. The leader completes a thorough self-reflection and invites school staff and CEDC colleagues to provide performance-based feedback. Breye Buckland, our Leader of Learning and Teaching, has been at MoGC for three years, and is now undergoing this process.

Yesterday, Executive Director Durm O’Riordon visited MoGC. Part of Durm’s visit was to meet with Katherine Boot to discuss the current challenges and successes of MoGC, meet and mingle with staff, and he also had the opportunity to chat with students. During this visit, Durm presented service awards to Jennifer Dall’Alba who has been engaged with Catholic Education Cairns for 20 years, and to Katherine Boot who has been with the Diocese for 30 years! Congratulations ladies, and thank you for your service to Catholic Education and Mother of Good Counsel.

Annually, parents, staff, and Year 5 and 6 students are invited to provide feedback to our school, via a survey. The Feedback Survey is an important tool in providing information and data which assists in determining and refining all aspects of our operations and offerings at both the school and system levels. 

Parents were emailed a survey questionnaire, to their registered email address, on Monday, May 26. The link emailed is unique to your email address, and will make reference, by name, to your child/ren, however the feedback we receive is de-identified, and 100% anonymous. Please complete this survey prior to Friday, June 13. 

Reminders are sent every few days, if the survey has not been completed. If you did not receive this survey on May 26, please check your spam (just in case), prior to contacting secretary.nthcairns@cns.catholic.edu.au, where assistance with this issue can be provided.

Thank you in advance (again) for your feedback!

Thank you for improving the safety of Stop Drop Go in the mornings by:

• entering SDG and driving to the front-most available space
• students exiting independently
• students walking from their car to the closest gate: the black gate at SDG or Blue Gate near the library

If parents need to assist their child to exit the car, finish getting dressed or put sunscreen on, we ask that you park to provide you time to complete these tasks without impacting the flow of traffic and the efficiency of SDG. 

Please pass this information on to family members who assist with drop-offs. Thank you for your support and prioritising student safety.

This Semester, schools in the Cairns Diocese are moving to a new reporting platform - The Learning Dashboard (TLD). Reports will continue to be available to parents through the MyCE application. 

The new system brings some small changes and improvements to the look and feel of the previous student reporting system. 

• TLD follows students across CEDC schools, enabling parents to maintain visibility of academic reports throughout their primary and secondary school years.
• TLD is a web interface enabling an improved viewing experience on all platforms and devices (smart phone, iPad, Laptop).
• With the click of a button, parents can see comparative cohort information about their child.
• Parents can create a PDF copy of the report for their records.
• Students will no longer receive strand achievement judgements in Science and HASS. These learning areas will only receive an overall result.
• Students will receive a General Comment that provides an overall, individualised comment highlighting growth, progress and a goal to focus ongoing improvement.

Last week, May 19-25 was National Volunteer Week. This year’s theme was Connecting Communities which emphasises the power of volunteering to bring people together and strengthen communities. National Volunteer Week aims to recognise the diverse passions and talents each person brings to the act of volunteering, and invites people to consider ways in which they can contribute their time to an important cause. 

Thank you to the many people who volunteer for us.

  ❤️ at camps

  ❤️ through MoGC Connect events

  ❤️ on excursions

  ❤️ covering books

  ❤️ in classrooms

  ❤️ uniform swaps

  ❤️ in the tuckshop and so much more!

There is a legislative requirement that any volunteers at our school must fulfil the following:

• Be a parent OR hold a Blue Card for working with children
• Complete Volunteer Training every two calendar years
• Sign in and out, at the office, for every volunteer session

Changes in legislation and updates to Catholic Education processes have resulted in a change of some aspects of the training and quiz. There are no longer MoGC specific Evacuation and Lockdown procedures outlined within the online training. Information regarding these processes will appear regularly in the newsletter so all members of our community are aware of and can respond accordingly.

Some time during the week commencing Monday, June 9 (Week 8) we will have a Lockdown practice. The purpose of a lockdown is to ensure the safety of students and staff during an immediate threat such as an accident on Sheridan Street, a snake on the oval just before break time or an altercation in the office. It is important we practice these emergency procedures so, if the time comes and an emergency arises, our community can react calmly and routinely.

The Lockdown procedure for MoGC:

1. The lockdown signal is activated
2. Doors and windows are locked and lights are turned off.
3. Students move to the designated space in their classroom where they are out of sight.
4. Students who are out of their classroom at the time of lockdown move to the closest room and follow their procedures.
5. Staff call the office with their room attendance.
6. The school remains in lockdown until the threat has passed.

At Friday’s assembly, students will hear the MoGC Lockdown signal and the process will be explained. Next week, teachers will model and practice their specific routine with students, and as mentioned previously, in Week 8, we will have a whole school practice.

The dates for National Reconciliation Week are the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. 

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2025, Bridging Now to Next, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will, and must, continue.

Families are invite to join us for our Reconciliation Liturgy on Friday, May 30 at 8:30, lead by Year 1A.

Parents and family members are invited to attend our Athletics Carnival being held at Barlow Park on Thursday, May 29.

After the success of last year, the 800m event will again be held at Barlow Park, on Athletics Day. These runners will arrive and complete their event prior to the commencement of the main carnival.

Students are required to make their own way to and from Barlow Park for the event. We ask that students not competing in the 800m do not arrive prior to 8:15 as staff will be busy setting up for the day and managing the 800m event, and unable to supervise them.

Students are required to wear their House Team shirts, appropriate running footwear (no sandals) and school hat, and pack plenty of water, a healthy lunch and snacks. The canteen will be open with a range of food, cold drinks and snacks on sale. No pre-ordering; purchase at eating times with cash only.

Please apply sunscreen before arriving. More will be available for students to reapply during the day.

Students are required to sit with their team throughout the day and parents are welcome to sit in the house team areas. Class teachers will mark the roll in thegrandstand at 8:30. Any students leaving early must be signed out by a staff member at the First Aid station at the top of the grandstand before making their way to the main gate.

Early exit from the carnival closes when the presentations begin. Students cannot be signed out after this time and are required to stay until the conclusion of the carnival.

Students can wear their normal school shirt on Friday, May 30.

As part of their Arts curriculum, students have Hip Hop lessons with Miss Sian from Step It Up Crew. Each year, these lessons culminate in a Hip Hop concert. Families are invited to attend a concert on Friday, June 27 in the Hall from 1:45pm. The hall will be open for seating from 1:30pm so the concert can begin on time. 

Students are encouraged to accessorise their uniform on the day with hats, sunnies, gloves, vests, jackets around waist etc.

Each class will enter the hall, present their dance, and exit straight away. To minimise disruption and ensure the concert runs on time, parents are encouraged to remain for the full duration of the concert. It is a fabulous hour of entertainment!

Every minute of learning time counts! We have a significant number of students who regularly arrive late or leave early from school. This impacts teaching and learning - for that child and others, as it disrupts the flow of lessons. Sadly, ‘Flex-out Fridays’ are becoming a regular practice for some families as they leave early to make the most of the weekend.

Please prioritise your child’s learning by having your child through the gate by 8:25, and minimising the need for early pickups.

Students who arrive late and leave early are required to be signed in/out at the office by an adult.

If you have time after drop off on Tuesday mornings and after assembly on Friday mornings, please drop by the library for our book covering and coffee session. We have lots of new books that need covering before they can be used, and your help is greatly appreciated. Contact mcreighton@cns.catholic.edu.au with any questions.

In 2026, Mother of Good Counsel celebrates 90 years! If you or someone you know has a historical connection to MoGC, has a flair for event management or would like to be part of a committee to plan this special event, we’d love to hear from you. 

Please register your interest at secretary.nthcairns@cns.catholic.edu.au.

MoGC Connect Meeting

Our next MoGC Connect meeting is scheduled for 5:30 on Wednesday, July 23

in the Multipurpose Room, above the library. You are warmly invited. 

Agenda items can be emailed to mogc.connect@cnsstu.catholic.edu.au

Coffee on the Deck

Parents and carers are invited to join us for Coffee on the Deck each Tuesday

between 8:30 and 9:00. This is a great opportunity to chat with staff and meet other families.

The Fathering Project

It’s easy to assume that the big events - holidays, outings, or milestone moments - are what your child will remember most. But often, it’s the little things that leave the biggest mark. Bedtime stories, backyard games, silly jokes at dinner, these everyday interactions help your child feel safe, seen, and truly connected to you.

Make the ordinary moments memorable

It’s not about how much time you have, but how you use it. When you’re present and playful, you’re helping your child develop emotionally, socially, and even physically - and giving them memories they’ll carry for life.

Children will always remember how you made them feel, even if they don't necessarily remember the details of what you did together, especially if they are younger.

Try this: Choose one day this week to go on a low-key “dad date” with your child - just the two of you. It could be a walk, a trip to the local cafe, or a game at the park. Let them pick the activity, and give them your full attention. It’s not about what you do, but the message it sends: “You matter to me.”

Happy Families

Mother of Good Counsel subscribes to Happy Families (previously known as Parenting Ideas), one of Australia's most trusted sources of parenting education and support. This subscription provides families with Insight articles (published here each fortnight) and opportunities to attend FREE online webinars.

Insight articles:

• Hope Builders

Hope Builders

Hope Builders 342.55 KB

• Everyday Counts 

Everyday Counts

Everyday Counts 448.91 KB

2025 Parent Contacts 

If you have a question about your child’s year level, are looking for information or need some guidance on where to direct an enquiry, these parents contacts are happy for you to reach out to them:

Prep: Stacey Watt staceylwatt@outlook.com	Year 1: Louise Bernstein: louise.bernstein@blueoceanic.com
Yr 1: Emma Smith: emmajb21@hotmail.com Yr 3: Paula Kelly: paulajkelly81@gmail.com	Yr 2: James Rickman jamesrickman@yahoo.com.au
Yr 4: Jenny Gangell jenny.gangell@gmail.com	Yr 5: Joeleen Bettini joeleenb1@bigpond.com  Bindi Cooper coopernb@outlook.com
Yr 6: Kate & Carl Vogler: katevogler@hotmail.com

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

BIRTHDAYS