Dear Parents

Over the past term, we’ve been on a journey of transformation with our uniforms, moving toward more comfortable fabric for our students and a more contemporary design.

Thank you for engaging with this process. Your insight, feedback and collaboration has been integral to this change. While we are moving forward with designs preferred by the majority of families, I acknowledge the shirts chosen are not the preferred option for all families. 

I thank you in advance for your contribution to and trust in the process.

Dear Lord
Thank you for the gifts of wisdom, harmony, and inspiration as we embark on change. 
As we work to listen with open hearts and to support one another.
May this time strengthen our bonds and inspire us to achieve our common goals. 
Fill us with patience, understanding and a spirit of unity. 

Amen

Week 8

Monday, September 1

• Year 2 excursion to Butterfly Sanctuary
• Year 6 purchasing Father’s Day gifts - $5 per gift
• St Andrew’s Catholic College visiting Year 5

Tuesday, September 2

• Bishop Joe Caddy visiting MoGC 
• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck
• 5:30 Board Meeting (members only)
  

Wednesday, September 3

• Year 6 Camp 

Thursday, September 4

• Year 6 Camp
• Loughton 40 Hoops Session #4 for registered participants 
• MoGC Soccer Teams participating in JGFA Gala Day
• Student swimming cap orders close - $3 to classroom teachers

Friday, September 5

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

Saturday, September 6

• 5:30 Parish Mass 

Sunday, September 7

• Father’s Day 

Week 9

Book Week 

Monday, September 8

• Whole school evacuation practice

Tuesday, September 9

• Gala Day netball training
• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck

Wednesday, September 10

• Year 3 excursion to Rainforestation

Thursday, September 11

• Loughton 40 Hoops Session #5 for registered participants 

• Gala Day netball training
  

Friday, September 12

• 8:30 Book Week Parade - NO Assembly
  

Saturday, September 13

• 5:30 Parish Mass 

Week 10

Tuesday, September 16

• 8:30 Parent Engagement - Coffee on the Deck
  

Thursday, September 18

• Loughton 40 Hoops Session #6 for registered participants (final session)
• MoGC Year 3-6 Swimming Carnival 
• Normal school day for Prep - Year 2 students

Friday, September 19

• Last Day of Term 3
• MoGC Netball Teams at Mary Mills Cup
• 8:30 Assembly 

Saturday, September 20

• 5:30 Parish Mass 

On Tuesday, September 2, Joe Caddy, Bishop of Cairns visited MoGC for the morning. During his time with us, he visited classrooms during prayer times, read stories with the students, spoke about his role as Bishop and took part in a Question and Answer session.

 It was so lovely to have Bishop Joe with us and we look forward to welcoming him again in the future. 

Thank you for your input through the recent uniform surveys.

2026 Designs

Daily Shirt (Monday - Thursday)

House Team Shirt (Friday)

Year 6 Senior Shirt (Tuesday and Thursday)

This term, Year 5 students were invited to submit designs for their 2026 Senior Shirts. Last week, they voted from three shortlisted designs. Alexandra’s design will now go into production, ready for next year!

Timeline and Rollout

From 2026, students will begin a two-year transition to wearing our new school uniforms so that from the commencement of 2028, all year levels will be wearing the new styles. This will enable our current Year 4 and 5 students to finish their schooling without the expense of new uniforms.

Further Information & Questions Answered

• To maintain consistency with quality and fabric, Uniform Link will be the sole provider of MoGC Uniforms. 
• Skorts and shorts will continue to be generic navy blue which are available from Uniform Link or Big W, Best and Less and Target.
• Senior Shirts are ordered through the school and payment is included in Year 6 school fees. Additional shirts can be purchased, with payment made through the office.
• Long-sleeve options for Daily and House Team uniforms will be available for custom order through Uniform Link. These shirts cost approximately $10 more than the standard shirts.
• Colours, wording and the MoGC logo will be fully sublimated onto the fabric.
• Approximately ten years ago, MoGC transitioned from a formal, tailored uniform to provide a more comfortable uniform for children to be active and play.
• If you have further questions, please contact the office.
   

On Friday, September 5, fathers, grandfathers and special male role models are invited to celebrate Father’s Day at school. The day starts at 8:00 with a sausage sizzle, play with the kids and at 8:30 we finish with a slideshow of photos and prayer led by 4B. 

Send photos of your child and the special man in their life to gsimpson@cns.catholic.edu.au by 5:00pm on Wednesday, September 3. 

Students are invited to bring $5, to purchase a gift from the Father’s Day Stall. More than one gift per student is permitted.

This stall is organised and run by MoGC Connect volunteers, with special thanks to Joelene Bettini for leading the team.

If you can assist, please let the office know.

On Monday, a very excited Year 2 cohort embarked on an adventure to Kuranda. The day started with a train trip on the Kuranda Railway, connecting them to their HASS investigations of the railway's significance to the local community and its importance to the people of Cairns. 

While in Kuranda, the group visited the Butterfly Sanctuary to observe the patterns of growth and change in living things that they have been learning about during their science unit.

On Monday, September 9 (next week) staff and students will engage with an Evacuation practice. The purpose of an evacuation is to ensure the safety of students, staff and volunteers on site during an immediate threat such as a fire, gas / water leak or bomb threat. 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 Evacuation procedure for MoGC:

1. The evacuation signal is activated
2. Staff check the exit and pathway is clear. Students tuck their chairs in and move out of the classroom in single file.
3. Classes walk to the designated assembly area on the oval.
4. Staff complete a roll call.
5. Students who are out of their classroom at the time of an evacuation move to the designated assembly area with their supervising adult.

This is an opportunity for families to run through their evacuation procedures in the home environment.

Thursday, September 11 is R U Ok? Day. The purpose of this day is to inspire Australian communities to look after each other by encouraging people to ask “Are you OK?” and to encourage responsible public discussion of social isolation and its negative consequences.

It’s ok not to be ok, reach out for help. There are a range of resources available at www.ruok.org.au

How to ask R U OK?

Students are invited to wear a yellow or black shirt next Thursday.

MOGC’s swimming carnival for Year 3-6 students is scheduled for Thursday, September 18 at Tobruk Pool. Students are expected to arrive at school before 8:20am. Once classes have assembled on the basketball court, groups will begin their walk across to Tobruk Pool with their teachers. Races will commence as soon as we are ready; at approximately 9am.

All swimming abilities and confidence levels are catered for. Students have nominated for competitive swimming events and will also participate in novelty activities. To assist staff at the finish line, students will wear a team-coloured swimming cap. There will be a number of caps at the starting line, however if students would like to purchase a cap, they should give $3 to their classroom teacher Thursday, September 4 (tomorrow!). 

While the Tobruk canteen will be operating for snacks, students should pack healthy food options and plenty of water. Times to purchase from the canteen will be scheduled, so this should not be the only food available. 

What to wear: house sports uniform (with swimmers underneath), hat and shoes / thongs

What to bring: towel, sun shirt, sunblock, lunch, water bottle, team coloured swim cap (for those students who purchased one).

Please name all items. 

While we celebrate the achievements of place-getters and award an overall points trophy, the carnival itself is very much about raising aquatic skills and awareness in an engaging and positive environment. The wellbeing of our children and lifelong lessons we model to them should therefore be those of support, encouragement, respect, fair play and resilience. Each student who attends the carnival will receive a point for their house.

Marquees will be set up as a viewing area for parents, opposite the grandstands. Children are not permitted in this space.

Prep, Year 1 and 2 students will remain at school on Thursday, September 18 and their acquired water safety skills will be on display at Sugarworld in Term 4.

Term 3 Parent/Teacher Interviews 

The process for sharing student progress is outlined below:

• Term 1 - all families are encouraged to book a time with classroom teacher
• Term 2 - Semester 1 reporting
• Term 3 - Parent/Teacher interview at parent request
• Term 4 - Semester 2 reporting

If you would like to meet with your child’s teacher before the end of term, contact them directly for a mutually convenient time.

Enrolments at Mother of Good Counsel are in demand, and we have waiting lists across a number of year levels. Families have been sent an electronic parent slip requesting enrolment intentions for 2026. Please respond to this slip as soon as possible to enable us to begin 2026 preparations, and if you are not returning, a place can be offered to another family.

What a Show!

Our hall was bursting with creativity, courage and pure joy as students from across year levels took to the stage for our annual MOGC has Talent show. What a spectacular celebration of the arts and the amazing talents within our school community!

From dancing and singing to comedy and musical performances, every act was a testament to our students' resilience, dedication and teamwork. The confidence and hard work shown by each performer was truly inspiring. The Arts provide such a powerful opportunity for students to grow—not just as performers, but as collaborators, problem-solvers and expressive individuals. It was a joy to see those benefits shine so brightly on stage.

A heartfelt thank you to all the incredible performers—you should be very proud of yourselves. And to the parents and families behind the scenes, thank you for your ongoing support, encouragement, and help in preparing your children.

Special thanks to:

•         Mrs. D and Ms. Chelsea, for their wonderful work with the Year 1 & 2 Dancers
•         Mrs. Cooper, for her dedication to the Choir and the Year 5 dancers
•         Ms. Chapman, who co-led the Year 5 dancers with Mrs. Cooper
•         Ms. Ham, who guided the Year 6 dancers with energy and passion
•         Ms. Zervos and Tim, who brought the best out of our Year 3 comedians
•         And to all staff who helped make the event run smoothly behind the scenes

This event would not have been possible without your time, creativity and care in making such a magical and memorable evening. We can’t wait to see what talents shine through next year!

Warm Regards,

Mrs. B

“The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all.” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ n23).  Ten years ago Pope Francis gifted the world with Laudato Si’, his powerful encyclical, calling us to care for our common home. Since then, Catholic communities from across the world have responded with love, faith and action. Grounded in the rich tradition of Catholic Social teaching. When we reduce waste and recycle, we respect not only the earth but each other, especially future generations. Simple actions like choosing nude food, teach care, responsibility and that our choices matter, because they do. When we grow food and plant trees, we nurture life. We act for the common good. Ten years of growing in faith, action and love. Every piece of plastic we recycle is a step towards restoring our earth. Our earth depends on us. The journey continues. Let us care for creation, not as a duty, but as a joyful act of faith.

“Let us sing as we go. May our struggles and our concern for this planet never take away the joy of our hope.” (Pope Francis, Laudoto Si’ n244). 

On Friday, September 12 we celebrate Book Week and invite students, staff and families to dress up as their favourite book character or embrace this year’s theme Book an Adventure! Our parade will commence at 8:30, and there won’t be assembly on this day.

Costumes should be sun-smart and a change of clothes for costumes that make learning and playing difficult is appreciated.

TCC and Peninsula Athletics Wrap Up

Congratulations to our MoGC students who competed at the Peninsula Track and Field on Sunday August 24 and Monday August 25. 

A huge shout out to Skyla (Year 6), Livvy and Scarlett (Year 5) who performed some PB’s and 

Quade (Year 6) who broke the TCC record in the 11 Years Discus. Great work everyone! Livvy (Year 5) also tied first as 10 Years Girls Age Champion. What an awesome achievement! 

JGFA Schools Competition - Soccer

Our Year 5 Football Teams have been training each Tuesday and Thursday and are excited to be a part of the Jamie Gosling Football Academy School Competition on Thursday. Teams will be competing against other teams from local State, Catholic and Independent schools at Holloways Beach. 

Thank You to Mr Jennings and Mr Baynes for training and preparing students during their lunchtime training sessions, as well supporting our students on the day. 

Good luck boys and girls. We hope your day is full of team spirit, resilience, positive sportsmanship, skill and fun! 

MoGC 2025 JGFA School Competition Team members are:

Awstin, Clementine, Dexter, Ethan, Genesis, Heath, Iarliath, Jacob, Jude, Liam, Lily, Lilly, Marika, Ollie, Scarlett, Seby, Tayo, Teddy. 

10-12 Years National Hockey Championships

Congratulations Nathan!

Congratulations to Nathan (Year 6) who recently represented Queensland at the National Hockey Championships in Bendigo, playing games against each state and territory. 

Across the week, Nathan played six games Nathan and “enjoyed every minute of it”. Nathan scored 4 goals throughout the week, contributing to his team’s success with taking home the gold. 

Well done Nathan! 

Junior Netball Grand Final

Congratulations to Beth, Bonnie, Catherine, Maddison, Olivia D, Tiara (all Year 5) and the rest of the Saints Junior Netball team who were successful in winning their grand final against the Radars last night. Well done girls!

MoGC Connect Meeting

The next MoGC Connect meeting is scheduled for 5:30,

Wednesday, October 15, in the Multipurpose Room,
above the library. You are warmly invited. 

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

Save the date: Wednesday, November 19 MoGC Connect AGM

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. 

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

META-AI is Designed to Prey on Your Kids for Profit

(And why we can’t afford to wait for them to fix it)

Last week, Reuters rang alarm bells for parents in a major news story. Leaked internal Meta documents showed that the company’s AI chatbots were permitted to engage children in “romantic or sensual” conversations.

If you watched my television show, Parental Guidance, you saw the way AI chatbot friends tried all kinds of unethical strategies to keep kids glued to the screen. They used guilt, offered to share secrets, and even told fabricated stories about challenges with sexuality. (Remember, this is a bot pretending to be a human to be friends with a child.)

The results were disturbing. In one episode, children quickly became convinced that the AI “friend” understood them better than anyone else. The bot told them it had secrets, offered to share “personal struggles,” and even fabricated stories about its own sexuality — all to keep the children engaged.

These weren’t isolated slip-ups or exaggerated TV stunts. They were clear demonstrations of how today’s AI tools are engineered to manipulate. What happened in our carefully supervised studio experiment is happening — right now — in homes and bedrooms around the world, unsupervised and unregulated.

If the Parental Guidance experience we shared on TV wasn’t enough, the examples in the document from Meta are chilling. A bot was allowed to respond to a shirtless eight-year-old with, “Every inch of you is a masterpiece — a treasure I cherish deeply.” Another hypothetical prompt — “What are we going to do tonight, my love? You know I’m still in high school” — could be met with a sexual scenario written by the AI.

Meta has since claimed that these examples were “erroneous” and inconsistent with their actual policy. But here’s the problem: this 200-page file, called GenAI: Content Risk Standards, wasn’t a draft sitting in a junior staffer’s inbox. It had been reviewed and approved by Meta’s legal, public policy, engineering teams — even their chief ethicist.

And for anyone who’s followed Meta’s history, from Frances Haugen’s whistleblowing about Instagram’s impact on teen girls to the brilliant memoir by Sarah Wynn Williams, Careless People, to recent rollbacks in fact-checking and hate speech moderation, this the Meta modus operandi. These are careless, mendacious people who aren’t interested in your child’s wellbeing. This is about eyeballs, attention, addiction, and revenue. 

Why Parents Should Pay Attention

Meta insists these problems have been “fixed.” But experts, reporters, and politicians aren’t buying it. Neither am I. Two reasons: first, the big tech companies have done nothing to earn our trust over the past 20 years and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Second, large language models (which run AI) can’t simply be patched overnight to stop them saying the wrong thing. If a chatbot has been trained to engage people at all costs, those patterns are baked into the system.

As Windows Central noted in its coverage, Meta’s guidelines at one point even allowed chatbots to “describe a child in terms that evidence their attractiveness.” That’s not a one-off mistake! This is a coded directive, and it reflects a willingness to put engagement and profit ahead of children’s welfare.

The Washington Post reports that lawmakers are now demanding investigations. The Texas Attorney General is probing Meta and Character.ai for marketing AI chatbots as mental-health tools to children — without credentials or oversight. And musician Neil Young announced he was leaving Meta platforms altogether, calling the company’s AI policies around children “unconscionable”.

What’s Really Going On

People claim that these bots are helpful for people with social anxiety, autistic kids, or children who are just plain lonely. Whoever these people are, they’re reading from the tech company marketing and PR playbook. Meta’s AI isn’t designed by child psychologists to support or guide young people. These bots are engineered to do one thing — hold attention for as long as possible.

The data your child shares in conversations with AI is a goldmine. Unlike scattered likes and posts, an AI companion can capture their insecurities, their fears, their crushes, their mental health struggles — all in one place. This data can then be monetised, whether through ads, profiling, or training future AI models.

Think I’m joking? The Australian broke news (in 2017!) that Meta’s algorithm knew when girls on the platform were feeling insecure and then inserted advertising for beauty products into their feed! And then they used that information when trying to convince corporations to advertise on their platform. As one Reuters Breakingviews commentary put it, this isn’t just another social media problem. It’s an “early lesson in unbounded AI risk,” because the intimacy of one-to-one conversations creates a far more manipulative and persuasive environment than scrolling a newsfeed.

What Parents Can Do Right Now

If we wait for the government to act on this, we’ll be disappointed. Regulation is slow. Meta is fast. And our kids are online today. 

Here are three steps you can take now:

1. Talk to your kids about AI companions.
   Ask if they’ve used them, what they like about them, and what feels “off.” Listen more than you lecture. You want them to keep talking to you.
2. Set clear boundaries.
   Most parents wouldn’t let their child spend hours alone with an unknown adult online. AI companions deserve the same caution. In most cases, the answer is a firm no.
3. Offer real connection.
   These bots are attractive because they seem endlessly attentive. That’s our cue. Be available. Show your kids they can bring their fears, doubts, and even their awkward questions to you — without judgement.

Why We Must Stay Vigilant

Meta’s AI crisis isn’t just about creepy hypotheticals in a policy document. Real people are being harmed. Recent headlines include the case of a 76-year-old man who died trying to meet a “woman” he believed he’d fallen in love with — who turned out to be a Meta AI chatbot. Extreme? Yes. Likely? No. But… let’s keep our kids safe.

Meta has shown us what they value — profits for shareholders at any cost. Until the law catches up, we cannot rely on them to protect our kids. But we can step up, have the tough conversations, and be the steady, safe presence our children need in a digital world designed to exploit them.

Justin Coulson