Dear Families

Welcome back, I hope you managed to enjoy some downtime over the holiday break with your family. We’ve had a fantastic start to Term 3, celebrating NAIDOC Week through a number of school-wide and class-based activities.

The 2025 theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, invites us all to honour the strength of our Elders, recognise the vision of our young people and reflect on the legacy we are building together. This theme encourages our students to think about the kind of world they want to shape, and how they can become leaders, change-makers, and custodians of culture and Country.

Students engaged in rich learning experiences that celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture, and achievements. Our classrooms were filled with stories, art, music and conversations that helped deepen our understanding and appreciation for the world’s oldest continuing culture.

Scroll through the newsletter to view some of the highlights 

Dear Lord
With strength, vision, and legacy in our hearts,
we honour the past, celebrate the present
and look to a future led by the next generation.

Amen

Term 3

Week  2

Monday, July 21

• Year 4 Camp
  

Tuesday, July 22

• Year 4 Camp
• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Wednesday, July 23

• Year 4 Camp
• Prep 100 Days of Learning!
• 5:30 MoGC Connect Meeting in the Multi-purpose Room - all parents welcome!

Friday, July 25

• MoGC Has Talent feedback day with Ms B
• TCC Athletics
• 8:30 Assembly 

Saturday, July 26

• 5:30 Parish Mass

Week 3

Catholic Education Week

Tuesday, July 29

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck
• 5:15 Family Engagement Event
• MoGC Art Gallery Walk

Wednesday, July 30

• 2026 OSHC Re-enrolments open for current families
• Grandparent’s Day
• 8:30 Whole School Liturgy on the basketball court 
• 9:15 - 10:00 Grandparent’s Gallery Walk and classroom visits
• 10:00 - 10:30 Morning Tea on the deck (adults only)

Thursday, July 31

•  10:00 CEW Diocesan Mass
• Leadership Team + Year 6 Students

Friday, August 1

• 8:30 Assembly 
• Year 3-6 Swimming Lesson #1

Saturday, August 2

• 5:30 Parish Mass

Week 4

Monday, August 4

• Liturgy Group visiting Holloways Beach Respite Centre
• Student Wellbeing Survey opens - conducted at school

Tuesday, August 5

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Friday, August 8

• Year 3-6 Swimming Lesson #2
• 8:30 Assembly - prayer lead by 6B
• 5:30 MoGC Disco - Masquerade

Saturday, August 9

• 5:30 Parish Mass

Week 5

Tuesday, August 12

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Wednesday, August 13

• St Monica's Aspire to Teach students visit 2A

Friday, August 15

• NO Assembly this week
• 8:45 Feast of the Assumption Whole School Mass
• Year 3-6 Swimming Lesson #3

Saturday, August 16

• 5:30 Parish Mass

Week 6

Monday, August 18

• MoGC Hast Talent run through with Ms B

Tuesday, August 19

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck
• 5:30 MoGC Has Talent
• Doors open at 5:15

Wednesday, August 20

• St Monica's Aspire to Teach students visit 2A

Friday, August 22

• Student Wellbeing Survey closes
• 8:30 Assembly  - prayer lead by 5B
• Year 3-6 Swimming Lesson #4

Saturday, August 23

• 5:30 Parish Mass

Week 7

Tuesday, August 26

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Wednesday, August 27

• St Monica's Aspire to Teach students visit 2B

Friday, August 29

• 2026 OSHC Re-enrolments close
• 8:30 Assembly 

Saturday, August 30

• 5:30 Parish Mass 

Week 8

Tuesday, September 2

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck
  
  

Wednesday, September 3

• Year 6 Camp 

• St Monica's Aspire to Teach students visit 2B

Thursday, September 4

• Year 6 Camp
• MoGC Soccer Teams at JGFA Competition

Friday, September 5

• Year 6 Camp
• Father’s Day
• 8:00 Father’s Day Breakfast 
• 8:30 Father’s Day Prayer Assembly - lead by 4B

Saturday, September 6

• 5:30 Parish Mass 

Week 9

Book Week 

Tuesday, September 9

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Friday, September 12

• 8:30 Assembly  + Book Week Parade
  

Saturday, September 13

• 5:30 Parish Mass 

Week 10

Tuesday, September 16

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Thursday, September 18

•  MoGC Year 3-6 Swimming Carnival 

Friday, September 19

• MoGC Netball Teams at Mary Mills Cup
• 8:30 Assembly 

Saturday, September 20

• 5:30 Parish Mass 

Next week is Catholic Education Week. The 2025 theme is Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. 

CEW is a time of great celebration for the MoGC community, and we have many

activities planned:

Family Engagement - Gallery Walk

On Tuesday July 29, family members are invited to walk throughout the school grounds and enjoy the artistic flare of our students'. The Blue Gates will open at 5:15 and the art display will remain open until 6:15.

A liquid refreshment is available to adults for a gold coin donation.

Grandparents Day

On Wednesday, July 30 we celebrate Grandparents Day with a liturgy, classroom activities and morning tea. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to share their learning and to hear what school was like across the generations. This year, weather permitting, our student art gallery will be on display for our grandparents to enjoy.

• 8:45 Liturgy and slideshow on the basketball court
• 9:30 Gallery walk and classroom visits
• 10:15 Morning Tea for adults on the deck

If you haven’t yet sent in your grandparents photo for our slideshow please send them to gsimpson@cns.catholic.edu.au by Monday, July 28.

CEW Diocesan Mass

On Thursday, July 31 some of our Year 6 student leaders will join Ms Boot, Mr Grubb and Mrs Simpson to attend the CEW Diocesan Mass at St Monica's Cathedral, with representatives from all CEDC schools. Afterwards, a celebratory morning tea will be held.

Community Engagement

An important part of our Catholic Education Week celebrations is to enact our Mercy traditions to support a range of community agencies. Outlined below are the groups each year level has committed to: 

• Prep = CentaCare at Holloways Beach (Residential home) 
• Year 1= ARC Disability Service
• Year 2 = Care packs for Rosie's 
• Year 3 = Ruth's Women's Shelter 
• Year 4 = Cairns Base Children’s Ward
• Year 5 = PJ Angels
• Year 6 = Vinnies 

Last Saturday night, the last of our First Eucharist candidates celebrated Eucharist for the first time in the North Cairns Parish. Congratulations to the 25 students that celebrated the Sacraments this year. 

At the time of enrolment, MoGC staff join parents as educators of their children. Each child arrives at school with their unique knowledge, skills and understanding of themselves, the world and ways of learning. Our commitment to families is always to meet their child where they are developmentally and build on the knowledge and skills they have.

Educating children, and enabling them to succeed and flourish in their learning is a partnership with each stakeholder having an explicit role and responsibility, and shared accountability for outcomes.

On a daily basis, students engage in a range of learning experiences that expose them to a variety of learning areas, concepts and skills. It is essential that on a daily basis, students consolidate their learning at home. To see students succeed with theirlearning, essential daily at home activities include: listening to and reading aloud to your child (all year levels), consolidating sound knowledge, correct letter and number formation, basic facts (+, -, x, /), counting forwards/backwards, skip counting, measurement and spatial knowledge. These skills provide the foundation for more complex concepts. These are Tier 1 at school and at home strategies.

Some students require additional support and time to consolidate concepts, revise content or develop new skills. At Mother of Good Counsel, these Tier 2 interventions are provided through targeted programs in addition to the universal strategies provided in class through Tier 1 learning. Targeted, Tier 2 programs may be

delivered by school officers, Leader of Learning & Teaching, Literacy & Numeracy Support Teacher, Wellbeing Support Teacher. When support increases at school, the level of support in the home environment should increase accordingly. Schools are resourced to offer short-term Tier 2 supports. When ongoing or long-term therapy or intervention is required, families are encouraged to engage with external agencies.

Students who receive Tier 2 supports receive written communication from the supervising staff member.

When students receive intensive, individualised support at school, a Care Team approach is taken and external therapists, agencies and interventions are often necessary. 

Between Monday, August 4 and Friday, August 22 students will participate in the annual Student Wellbeing Surveys conducted by the Engagement Wellbeing and Learning directorate of Catholic Education, Diocese of Cairns.

Students in Prep and Year 1 complete this survey orally, with a staff member entering their responses, and students in Years 2-6 complete the survey independently. 

More information is provided in the attached document. If you have questions, or do not give permission for your child to participate, contact your child’s teacher and rwing@cns.catholic.edu.au.

On Monday, Year 4 students and staff departed for Daradgee Environmental Education Centre for their first experience of school camp. The facilities and programs offered are excellent and staff and students were looking forward to an exciting and adventure-packed three days. During camp, students participated in a range of challenge-based activities, bouldering, rope climbing and photography, using the farm and farm yard animals as their subjects. 

This is the first time going away for many of our Year 4 students and it was an exciting opportunity to develop resilience and independence. We thank Meegan Glasson, Rachel Wing, Janine McCormick and Simon Grubb for organising and attending this camp, and are also very grateful for our Year 4 parent volunteers; Hollie Lodziak, Ray Clark, Mark Bennett and Stewart Bone.

Term 3 school fees have been emailed to families and are due for payment on or before Monday, August 11 unless you have a direct debit in place. If you are experiencing hardship, please contact the office to arrange a meeting with Katherine Boot so support can be arranged. 

Well done to the students auditioned for MoGC has Talent! The Talent Team has been blown away by the number of auditions; there were over 50 students who auditioned!  So much amazing talent to choose from! 

The stage acts were chosen last week and performers notified. It was a tough job for the Talent team,to select the acts for the stage evening. The show date is fast approaching. Pencil in Tuesday, August 19! Take a night off Netflix and make a night of it. You are guaranteed to laugh and cry-all for a gold coin donation. 

We are still on the hunt for more video submissions, so grab a device, capture your talents and send them to Mrs. B (ebuchan@cns.catholic.edu.au).  

We look forward to seeing you there!

Students will be performing and showing their creative and amazing talents on Tuesday, August 19, at 5:30pm in the Hall.  

The MoGC Talent Team

(Mrs Cooper & Mrs.B)

When: Friday, August 8 from 5.30pm (doors open at 5.15pm)

Theme: Masquerade: Wear your favourite outfit with a touch of mystery. This is a Masked Disco!

Cost: Gold Coin Entry

Food: Sausages available for $2 and Water for $1 or please feel free to BYO.

Glow-UP: Glow Sticks (lanyards and bracelets only) available to purchase on the night or BYO for a GLOWING good time!

DJ Bron will be hosting the event with her usual blend of crazy tunes, lights AND fun and we’ll have a Photo Wall complete with crazy props so our young ones can capture their own memories in style.

HELPERS REQUIRED:

Assistance is appreciated for these tasks:

• Sausage Sizzle Set up/Cooking from 4:30 
• Sausage Sizzle Serving from 5:30 -6:50
• Setting up decorations/tables from 4:00pm
• Pack down at the end of the disco 7:00-8:00pm
• Entry collection 5:15-6:00pm
• Glow sticks & bottled water serving 5:30-6:50

Shifts will be as short as possible so everyone can enjoy the night!

If you can help, email mogc.connect@cnsstu.catholic.edu.au or speak to Desley at the office. 

In preparation for the disco, students will have the opportunity to decorate a mask. Designated lunch hours will be allocated to year levels to decorate their mask under the supervision of staff. Stay tuned to Seesaw for more information and designated decorating days.

Last Thursday students enjoyed a Pupil Free Day, while staff engaged in a valuable professional development opportunity. We were fortunate enough to welcome back Dr Matt Sexton, Professor of Mathematics at the Australian Catholic University (Melbourne), who continued his collaborative work with teaching staff focusing on the development of Multiplicative Thinking. 

Over the next two terms, staff will be lead by our Leader of Learning and Teaching, Breye Buckland, and MoGC Change Agents; Bronwyn Sarles (P-2), Erin Zervos (Yr 3-4) and Leigh Bosell (Yr5-6) to guide staff through modelling and collaboration, to implement this new knowledge into their planning and pedagogy, ensuring that our students benefit from enriched mathematical learning experiences. 

School Officers participated in professional development related to our Behaviour Support Plan, the 3 Levels of Behaviour and responses and Trauma-Informed practices.

Last week staff and students engaged in prayers and activities to celebrate NAIDOC

Week. National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.

NAIDOC Week this year marked a powerful milestone: 50 years of honoring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience. The 2025 theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders, the vision of our communities, and the legacy of our ancestors. 

Classes celebrated NAIDOC Week through story, song and creation.

Prep

Prep A spent time learning about indigenous symbols, they used the yarning circle that they made last year to have a yarn about their school holidays and listened to some dream time stories. They also learnt about animals native to Australia and decorated some to make a display.  

Prep B practised counting in Kuarna (the language of the Adelaide Plains) and learnt about the pattern in the Kuarna counting system. They listened to Aboriginal Dreamtime stories and they also used their yarning stick to share personal stories throughout the week. They talked about the importance of the yarning stick in First Nations culture.

Mrs Sarles set up a story walk for all classes to access based on the book 'Australia: From Dawn to Dusk' by Brentos. 

Year 1

Year 1 each developed a NAIDOC class prayer, read about Australian animals and designed their own animal for display.

Year 2

2A created an artistic montage. Every student in the class did a different page which when placed together made one big beautiful piece of artwork. 

2B learnt about Aboriginal artwork and used that knowledge to decorate their own stones which they used in their prayer space during NAIDOC week. Watch this space, because they will be placed around our school grounds! The stones also used the words from this year’s theme - The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy. 

Year 3

3A learnt about an Acknowledgement of Country, where we hear it and why it is important. They learnt that the Yidinji and Yirrganydji peoples are the Traditional Custodians of this area, including rainforest, reef, rivers and coastal land. They also learnt that “Gimuy” is the First Nations name for Cairns. After looking at some examples, they brainstormed ideas and developed their own Acknowledgement of Country.

3B explored this year’s theme. They watched a Behind the News (BTN) clip that helped them understand the origins of NAIDOC Week and why it is such a special time to recognise and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and histories.

Students used Aboriginal art symbols to create their own stories. Each student carefully chose symbols and placed them on a boomerang template, turning their ideas into meaningful artwork. Students then shared their boomerangs and the stories behind them — a beautiful moment of connection and storytelling. 3B finished their lesson by reading a NAIDOC Week prayer together, reflecting on the strength, spirit, and culture of First Nations peoples.

Year 4

4A reflected on a number of thought-provoking questions about being caretakers of our land to benefit current and future generations.

4B wrote their own Acknowledgement to Country and danced a Torres Strait Islander dance which was shared as prayer. We will hear some of these acknowledgements at assembly over the next few weeks. 

Year 5

5A engaged in a Universal Design of Learning unit around GIMUY the Blue Quandongs or Slippery Blue Figs.

Students chose from a range of methods and materials to create an indigenous art work of the GIMUY figs.

5B examined artwork by Vincent Namatjira, who is a contemporary Aboriginal artist, and the great-grandson of Albert Namatjira, a renowned Australian watercolourist. Vincent’s work explores themes of identity, power, colonisation, and First Nations perspectives. Students built their understanding that not all Indigenous artists paint in a traditional style.

Students responded:

Iarlaith – This picture reminds me of the colonisation of Australia. I like this picture because Vincent Namatjira is standing up for his culture.

Jasper – I like this picture because of its unique style and how it has such a deepmeaning, making me think about European colonisation and how it has shaped the world today. It has such a playful appearance with such detail.

Anita – It makes me think about how the British took over the land and how the Aboriginal people were displaced.

 Emily G – When I look at this image, I think that Vincent Namatjira is protesting Captain Arthur Philip and trying to keep his land.

Year 6

Year 6 took part in two NAIDOC Activities. The first was based on a story called ‘Our Flag, Our Story’. Students listened to the story, learnt about the Torres Strait Island Flag and drew a flag explaining the different elements and colours. 

The second activity was based on the book ‘Walk with us’. Students read the story, discussed it as a class and wrote suggestions for what our community could be doing to care for our land and then researched what Aboriginal and Torres Strait rangers do as part of their role and how it is different depending on where they live (inland, near rivers or near oceans). 

The Arts

To celebrate NAIDOC week in The Arts, students looked at Jeremy Morgan Worrall's artwork Ancestral Lines and discussed how our own ancestral connections to family and elders helps us grow wings to become the people we are.  Students each created a feather showing elements that they have learned from their elders (ie. a love of reading, cooking, outdoor skills, etc) which contributed to a group mural of wings that represents the growth and possibilities learned from elders in their lives.  

Today, Prep students celebrated 100 days of learning, growth and engagement at school. Students wore colourful shirts, completed their final ten frame and participated in activities relating to the number 100.

When students were asked what they had learnt over the past 100 days, they have learnt:

• Lots of letters (Bella)
• How to be kind like Jesus (Nitara)
• The teen numbers (Nate)
• How to read: C A T (Ryleigh)
• Rotations, when the bell rings, we pack up, stand up, push our chair in and point to the next activity (Edi)
• To count to 20 (Stevie)
• Numbers up to twelve (Ryan)
• How to run fast (Poddy)
• Be kind (Digby)
• The world. Too look after it, and don’t trash it (Annie)

Various year levels have swimming and movement through water included in their Health and Physical Education curriculum. Mother of Good Counsel includes swimming In Prep-Year 6 across Terms 3 and 4; Prep-Year 2 in Term 4, and Years 3-6 in Term 3. 

Year 3-6 Swimming

Swimming lessons are fully instructed by qualified Tobruk swimming coaches and supervised by MOGC staff. Swimming is part of the curriculum at Mother of Good Counsel, and costs are included in student Activity Levies. Students are expected to participate. Students are required to have a sun-smart shirt, goggles, slip on footwear, towel and plastic bag for wet items. Please ensure these items are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

Dates for Year 3-6 swimming lessons are:

Friday, August 1

Friday, August 8

Friday, August 15

Friday, August 22

The MoGC swimming carnival for Year 3-6 students is scheduled for Thursday, September 18 at Tobruk Pool.

As we begin a new term, please check that your child is wearing the correct uniform.

School uniform expectations are clearly outlined in our Parent Handbook. Please take the time to review this document to ensure your child is dressed accordingly. 

Some common reminders we need to give include:

• Jewellery includes gold / silver studs or sleepers, single piercing per ear, for boys and girls. Chains with religious attachment. Smart watches are not permitted due to the distraction they create.
• Nail polish is not permitted at any time.
• Jumpers are navy blue.
• Hair should be tidy and free from covering the eyes. Shoulder length hair is tied back and accessories are minimal, and in school colours.
• Shoes must be plain and black. NOT black with white soles or mainly black. All black! Ankle socks are white or navy blue, and must sit just above the ankles.

Cairns Marathon Festival

On Sunday, July 13, members of our community participated in all distances of the Cairns Marathon Festival. There were overcast and cool conditions making it a great morning for a run. Well done everyone! 

Cairns Eisteddfod

Ella competed in the Cairns Eisteddfod for Dance in the first week of the school holidays. She danced 5 solos (Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Ballet and Demi) and ended up coming away with 3 x 1st place and 2 x 2nd place. Ella was also awarded the Most Promising Junior U13 and was received a Queensland Ballet Summer School scholarship. This includes spending five days at the Queensland Ballet in Brisbane in December training in Ballet and Contemporary. Congratulations Ella, we are so proud of your determination and commitment!

Recycling

After each use students empty and rinse their drink container, remove the straw and place it in the recycling bin without a lid. Unfortunately at the moment we are having some students forget to empty and rinse the container and forget to remove the straw and lid which means when the bins get emptied by our Year 6 Student Sustainability group on a Wednesday lunchtime they are very stinky! If you can help us with this at home by reminding students what we need to do with our drink containers and role modelling it that would be awesome. We will keep reminding students at assembly. 

Energy Conservation

MoGC Connect Meeting

Our next MoGC Connect meeting is scheduled for 5:30 TODAY!, 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 

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

Parent Engagement

Maggie Dent Webinar

Out of the Box - Navigating Neurodivergence

Fathering Project

Engaging in interactive role play with your toddler helps to build on their creativity and language development.

As adults, we might not find it intuitive to engage in role play, but we encourage you to give it a go!

Like all areas of learning and development, the skills built in creative play are enriched through practice and experience. By being involved when they would like you to be and providing them with time, space and materials you can support your child’s learning through creative play.   

​​​​​​Top Tips

1.  Be guided

Be guided by them in their role play. Try to go along with their story and not take over or control it.

2. Quiet time

Make sure your children have their quiet time to use their imaginations and be involved in creative play. 

​3. Encourage them to use language

You can do this by asking questions and getting them to explain things to you. i.e. "Could you please tell me how much this can of soup costs in your shop?" or "Can you tell me about the treatment you are going to give to my dog at your vet clinic please?"

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. 

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

JULY BIRTHDAYS