2020 Term Dates

Term 1 2020Thursday 23 JanuaryStaff Day
 Friday 24 JanuaryStaff Day
 Monday 27 JanuaryAustralia Day Public Holiday
 Tuesday 28 JanuaryFirst day of term for all students
 Tuesday 7 AprilLast day of Term for students
 Wednesday 8 AprilStaff Spirituality Day
   
Term 2 2020Tuesday 28 AprilStaff Professional Learning Conference
 Wednesday 29 AprilAll students return
 Friday 26 JuneLast day of Term
   
Term 3 2020Monday 20 JulyStudent-led Conferences (Years 8, 9 & 10)
 Tuesday 21 JulyAll students return
 Friday 25 SeptemberLast day of Term
   
Term 4 2020Monday 12 OctoberAll students return
 Wednesday 2 DecemberCelebration of Achievement Evening
 Thursday 3 DecemberPicnic Day
 Friday 4 DecemberLast day of Term
 Monday 7 DecemberStaff Day
 Tuesday 8 DecemberStaff Day

Stephen Walsh, Former Principal

Dear families,

Welcome back to Term 3. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new Student Leaders for 2019/2020 as they take over the reins of leadership from Year 12. Also, I offer my very best wishes to Year 12 students who commence their HSC Trial Examinations next Monday.

 

It is NAIDOC WeekThe National NAIDOC Committee invites all Australians to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a movement of the nation for a better future.

Under the theme – Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s work together for a shared future 

National NAIDOC Co-Chair Pat Thompson said “For generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have looked for significant and lasting change. We need our fellow Australians to join us on this journey – to finish the unfinished business of this country.”

“The 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart built on generations of consultation and discussions among Indigenous people - we need to be the architects of our lives and futures,” she concluded.

National NAIDOC Co-Chair John Paul Janke believes 2019 is also a unique opportunity to hear this nation’s Indigenous voice with the year being celebrated as the UN’s International Year of Indigenous Languages. “It’s time for our knowledge to be heard through our voice – an Indigenous voice of this country that is over 65,000 plus years old. They are the first words spoken on this continent. Languages that passed down lore, culture and knowledge for over millennia. They are precious to our nation and need to be celebrated but it’s our voice that needs to be listened too,” he said.

The 2019 theme acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have always wanted an enhanced role in decision-making in Australia’s democracy.

The theme also aims at highlighting our various First Nations’ desires for lasting and effective agreements such as Treaties- which cannot be achieved unless we have a shared, truthful understanding of the nature of the dispute, of the history, of how we got to where we stand.

“The history of our First Peoples is the history of all of us, of all of Australia, and we need to own it - hearing this history is necessary before we can come to some true reconciliation, some genuine healing for both sides. Then we can move forward together.”

Last week, Mrs Scanlon (Acting Director of Mission) and I participated in an Indigenous Immersion Program in Cape York far north Queensland.  Wujal Wujal is the home of the Kuku Yalanji, Kuku Nyungul and Jalunji clans – the 'rainforest people', the traditional owners and custodians of Yalanji. Country north of the Daintree.

It was a wonderful and challenging experience. We were welcomed into Country by the Elders. During the week we met the most amazing women and men who shared their lives and stories with us. A number of the Elders were taken (Stolen Generations) into the Mission and sent away to other parts of Qld. Each shared these stories as well as their strong desire for reconciliation and understanding.

Mrs Scanlon and I will now begin the process of setting up an immersion program from 2020 for our girls, so they too may share the same experiences we had. Stay tuned for further information.

        

Our second Open Morning Tour was held this morning – thank you to all students and staff involved.

The Alumnae Welcome is tomorrow night. There is much value for ex-students of staying in touch with OLMC through the Alumnae; each Mercy girl is already part of a network. We have a long and wonderful Alumnae tradition dating back to 1922 and this event is a great way to welcome our newest graduates into that rich tradition.

Save the dates:

  • HSC Showcase 23 and 24 August
  • Music Showcase 26 August
  • Father Daughter Mass 30 August

Towards the end of the Term we will celebrate Mercy Day and our Graduation week as we farewell Year 12, 2019.   

Term Dates for 2020 are now available – see below. Please be sure to book your holidays outside of term time. 

God bless

Mr Stephen M Walsh
Principal


1 August2018 Alumnae Event (4.30-6.00pm)
5 - 19 AugustHSC Trial Examinations
7 AugustYear 8 Reflection Day
13 AugustYear 9 2020 Course Preference Evening

Inclusive Learning

Lego

Thank you for your Lego donations. Your contributions have been tremendous and this has enabled us to start creating masterpieces this week.

NCCD

Click here for information for Parents/Carers.

 

Ms Marisa Zadro
Leader of Inclusive Learning

 

VET/Careers

Women in STEMM

The talents of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) are vital to secure Australia’s health and economy into the future. Since the 1980s, over half of all Bachelor and PhD graduates in the life sciences have been women. While the number of women in the physics, maths, technology and engineering fields is not as strong, new initiatives are offering both study and career opportunities. Here are some opportunities for OLMC girls interested in STEMM.

Girls in Engineering Club  - just launched by the University of NSW Engineering faculty - a fun, inspiring online community for high school girls in Years 7-12 who are interested in STEM and want to explore what engineering is all about! The club is free to join. For more info and to sign up head to unsw.to/gie.

University of NSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing 2019 - Theme: ‘Not-so-smart technology’; entries close 27 August. We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution. We’re living in a new era where pioneering technologies are altering every aspect of life. As far as we’ve come, there are still many problems that are yet to be solved. Scientists are issuing dire warnings about climate change, machine technology is redefining the workforce and diseases like Alzheimer’s are on the rise as we face an ageing population. Read more here.

Sydney Science Festival: Speed - Meet a Scientist on 17 August. 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm at Woollahra Library at Double Bay, 451 New South Head Road, Double Bay. Do you have a budding scientist in your midst? Or burning questions that you have not been able to answer? This is an opportunity for families and anyone who wants to talk to researchers from fields including astronomy, neuroscience, medicine, geophysics and biology. Ask our scientists about earthquakes, volcanoes, the immune system, DNA, careers in science, x-ray vision, and the human brain. This free event is part of Inspiring Australia’s Talking Science library speaker series for Sydney Science Festival in National Science Week. Register here.

UTS Science in Focus: Curing Diseases in Space - 14 August, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, Australian Museum,1 William Street, Sydney: Join Dr Joshua Chou as he prepares for the first Australian space mission, looking into the biology of our cells outside of Earth. The evolution of our cells has been shaped by the physical forces of our home planet. But how will the space environment shape us, and how will we accommodate to this new biology as we delve further into space exploration? Be a part of brand new research in cell biology and biomedical engineering, to uncover the effects of space travel on human biology.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uts-science-in-focus-curing-diseases-in-space-tickets-64281918950?aff=erelexpmlt

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Public Speaking

Eisteddfod Success

The first weekend of the holidays saw the final events of the Parramatta Eisteddfod, a competition spread over seven weekends in May and June. Nearly two thousand entrants were involved in this competition and over sixty of these were OLMC students.

The results in the final events continued the amazing run of success by our girls. There were two sections of Individual Prepared Speaking on the day. Tia Monga was placed first, while Vedika Kothekar and Isabella Samaha were second in their respective sections. Ria Sallakonda was placed third in her section and Yasmin Sampaio received a Highly Commended certificate. Our other entrants also performed very well. Congratulations go to Allison John, Olivia Nesci, Anishha Raychaudhuri and Jacinta Ritchie for their efforts. All girls are in Year 7, a sure sign that public speaking at OLMC will be in good hands for years to come.

2019 has been our most successful year yet in this competition. Almost three-quarters of our students were among the prizewinners, a truly remarkable result. In summary:

  • 10 girls achieved 1st place
  • 10 girls placed 2nd
  • 6 girls came 3rd
  • 20 were awarded Highly Commended certificates

Congratulations to all our girls, to their parents who listened patiently to endless rehearsals and to the teachers who attended events to support our students.

      

Australian Individual Debating and Public Speaking Competition (AIDPSC) and Speakfest

Over the holidays, the students selected to compete at the Australian titles in Melbourne in September attended an all-day workshop in preparation for their competition. The senior team of Yasmine Alwakal, Veronica Chacty, Anne Nguyen (all Year 10) and Daphne Fong (Year 11) will be striving to make the Australian team to compete at the world titles held in Shanghai, China, at Easter 2020. While the junior team does not progress to world titles, their competition (known as Speakfest) gives them good experience should they be selected in the senior team in the years ahead. The junior team comprises Ainslie McNally, Ambeikaa Mishra, Tijana Pavlovic and Freya Scothern, all of Year 8. Tijana was overseas over the holidays so a big thank you must go to Julia Kable of Year 9 who volunteered to participate in the workshop so the practice debate would be possible. In fact, Julia’s contribution throughout the day was significant. Her experience in competing at Speakfest last year was evident in the way she helped in the training session.

A special mention must also go to outstanding Year 11 student Jessica D’Souza who showed the benefit of competing at this year’s World titles in Canada. Jess volunteered to help train both teams and her input into the day was most impressive, certain to give our girls a real advantage when they travel to Melbourne.

I would also like to thank Mrs Pauline Shore who assisted on the day in order to familiarize herself with the structure of the competition. Mrs Shore and Ms Bujnowski will be accompanying the teams in September.

  

Our new DAPS leaders

I’d like to congratulate Daphne Fong and Lily Tambrchi who have been elected Debating and Public Speaking leaders for 2019/2020. Both these Year 11 girls have a proven record of success in public speaking and debating and their energy and enthusiasm is sure to contribute much to these co-curricular initiatives.

 

Mr Christopher Ostrowski
Public Speaking Co-ordinator

Sport

NSW All Schools Cross Country

On Friday 26 July, the NSW All Schools Cross Country Championships were held at Eastern Creek Raceway. OLMC was represented by Lucie Francis and Summer Giddings. Both girls ran extremely well with Lucie finishing 4th in the 13 years event and Summer winning the Senior Multi-Class event. Summer and Lucie have now both qualified to compete at the School Sport Australia Cross Country Championships in late August! Well done to both girls.


  

Oceania Athletics Championships

Congratulations to Summer Giddings, winning the Open Women’s Multi-Class Long Jump at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Townsville in June!

  

Indoor Cricket National Championships

Tarni Sutton spent the second week of the holidays competing in the NSW Metro 17 and Under Girls Team at the National Junior Indoor Cricket Championships in Melbourne. The team had a very successful tournament, making it into the Grand Final against Victoria Blue but losing narrowly, to finish Runners-up for the tournament. Well done Tarni!

 

PDSSSC Netball

OLMC competed at the PDSSSC Netball Championships at Penrith on 24 July. OLMC was represented by Tara Wall, Charlotte Carter, Brianna El-Bayeh, Jaimee Abrahams, Thalia Lake, Alexandra Zito, Gemma Hawkes, Josie Connelly, Natalie Jiang, Analiese Hanna, Alexandria Deloso, Kate Sloane, Haylee Shelton, Abi Van Leeuwen, Jessica Barnes, Charlotte Gillies, Amelia Polley, Brianna Coorey, Abigail Mahoney, Chanelle Maikhael, Jemima McKenna, Brianna Weatherburn, Caitlin Alam, Sienna Stokes, Ella McGirr and Chiara Borthwick.

The Senior girls finished 3rd in their pool, just missing the Semi-finals. While the Intermediates and Juniors, finishing 2nd and 1st in their pools respectively, both made the Semi-finals but unfortunately were narrowly defeated by Caroline Chisholm and Marion. The girls played exceptionally well and should be proud of their efforts.

A big thank you must go to Charlotte Ryan, Mikeeli Lake and Alana Shehadie who umpired for us. Their professionalism and hard work must be commended.

Finally, thank you also to Mrs Cunningham, Mrs McManus and Mrs Bushell for all their time and effort with their teams.

   

Saturday Netball

OLMC has Duty on August 3 at ERNA. OLMC is required to supply 4 helpers in the canteen and 2 on Scorers’ Table duty every hour (7:30am – 4:30pm). You must be 15 or older to be able to help.

Could you please place your name (if you are old enough) on the roster here - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KqN2pcY3nYnxb_n3YD8J8okHpx8a95puvh9yG_uTs8Y/edit?usp=sharing

Please also pass this on to anyone who might be able to help us out.

Action photos will also be taken this Saturday by Anthony Khoury!

You can continue to view the draw and all results here - http://erna.nsw.netball.com.au/common/pages/public/rv/draw.aspx?

A reminder that the final Round will take place on Saturday August 10. Semi-finals for the top 4 teams in each division will take place on Saturday August 17. OLMC 5 and OLMC 6 will play a Round 15 game on August 17.

 

Wednesday Touch Football

Wednesday Touch Football Registrations are now open. All students have been emailed a form and details about the upcoming season which starts on Wednesday September 4 at Doyle Ground.

Registration forms must be handed in by Friday August 9.

Students will be competing in the New OLMC Sports Singlet and PE shorts or bike shorts which can be purchased form the Uniform shop.


Mr Stuart Guthrie
Sport Co-ordinator

 

 

Mercy Music & Performance Academy

Is your child interested in taking instrumental / vocal lessons? Click here to apply.

Our instrumental and vocal mentors are all experienced performers and teachers. Our mentors have completed, or are currently completing University degrees in Music and/or Education. They are passionate and enthusiastic about Music and Music Education. Click here to find out more about our tutors.

Mr Paul Witney
Director of Music Performance


School Fees

School fees were due on Friday 26 July 2019.  If your account remains outstanding, then please ensure that the Finance Office receives payment promptly.

Any queries on fees can be directed to the Finance Office on 8838 1214 (8.00am – 4.00pm) or email finance@olmc.nsw.edu.au

Mrs Frances Morgano
Acting Finance Manager

NAIDOC Week

This week we are celebrating NAIDOC Week. The week began with the raising of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags. These two indigenous flags are raised every morning along with the Australian flag.

Girls attended a special ceremony and were then led through the Aboriginal artwork called ‘The Journey’ which was commissioned by the Sisters of Mercy and painted by Aboriginal artist Danny Eastwood. It tells the story of the Aboriginal connection to the Sisters of Mercy from the time of their arrival to Parramatta in 1888.

At Assembly this week, the girls learnt a few local Darug language words, including:

  • Hello                           Worimi (Wor-ri-mi)
  • Hello, how are you?    Worimi Ngani (Wor-ri-mi  Ing – ga- ni)
  • Good                           Budaryi (Bood-ar-yi)
  • Bad                             Wiri

  

Year 8 Reflection Day

The Year 8 Reflection Day will take place on 7 August at the Edmund Rice Retreat and Conference Centre in Mulgoa. The girls will hear from a range of guest speakers from a variety of Catholic organisations to share information about the people they assist and work in partnership with.

All students should have completed a TryBooking form to select workshops for this day.

Mrs Gabby Scanlon
Director of Mission, Acting

Technology and Design

Creativity is a human quality that exists in every single person.

 

At this point in Term 3 the cycle of learning of designing, producing and evaluating is clearly in evidence. Year 7 students are completing their first project in Technology, while the Year 12 Design & Technology students are also completing their final projects to be submitted as part of their HSC.

 

This year marks the introduction of a new syllabus for Year 7. The design process, which is the backbone of all the Technology courses is still prominent, however, the focus areas have diversified and have come to reveal the importance of focusing on the future in Technology. Consequently, our new areas of study for Year 7 are Food and Agriculture and Engineered Systems.

 

The introduction of engineering has been an exciting process of idea generation and experimentation. Year 7 students have developed ideas around force and motion, examining materials that are both functional and aesthetic. The Food and Agriculture unit has our piqued students’ curiosity for growing their own food and developing their nutritional knowledge, with the girls growing their own sprouts in Semester One. We are hoping to embrace the spring weather later on in the term to further develop the students’ agricultural knowledge. Who knows what we might grow next?

 

As another year of MasterChef finishes on our television screens, so too does the introduction of our very own OLMC version of MasterChef. The Year 9 Food Technology students have studied a variety of food preparation techniques in the first semester to gain confidence in being able to combine flavours and cooking techniques. Allowing the students to develop their own recipes for a specified audience within a time frame, is a pivotal learning curve for all budding chefs and nutritionists.

 

The Year 10 IST students have been developing their knowledge and understanding of artificial intelligence over the last semester. The culmination of the teaching unit was for each group of students to design an AI system that could either amplify human capability, solve global climate issues or support disaster recovery.

Some of the students’ ideas were:

  • A renewable source data analyser
  • A smoke drone
  • A synthetic ozone layer
  • A sunflower that reduces nuclear radiation
  • A safety GPS accessory

Year 12 Design and Technology are definitely at the pointy end of their design journey with their Major Design Projects due on 29 August. At this time of the year, the students are reflecting on the feedback received and refining their design folios, whilst simultaneously finalising their major projects.

 

The Year 12 Major Design Projects will be on display at the College's HSC Art & TAS Showcase on 24 August. We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Ms Marcia Jaimes
Leader of Learning, TAS

Father Daughter Mass

From the Counsellors

Talking to your children about their use of social media

It is incredibly tempting to just ban our daughters from using social media in an attempt to try and protect them from the negativity that is often associated with social media. However, this does them a disservice in not allowing them to develop the skills to learn to use social media in a responsible manner. A colleague recently shared with me a wonderful resource for educators, parents and young women www.mediagirls.org. Media girls is an excellent resource to help us help our girls, navigate how to be responsible in the way that they use their social media accounts.

It is never too late to start a conversation with your daughter about what social media she uses and what steps she takes to minimise or protect herself from negativity. If you are unsure where to start, Media Girls provides both conversation starters as well as a social media contract, which can be used as is, or to help facilitate conversation and adjusted to meet your family’s needs.

http://mediagirls.org/what-to-say-to-your-girl-before-bringing-out-the-social-media-contract/

http://mediagirls.org/parent_toolbox/social-media-contract/

Mrs Sandra Portela
Senior College Counsellor