
Welcome back to the 2021 school year at Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta.
The energy and enthusiasm of the first days of school can never be taken for granted but at OLMC, the vibrancy of staff reconnecting with one another and the girls’ joy to see their friends and teachers are memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.
I thank all in this community for the wonderful welcome I have received as your new Principal and, in turn, I warmly welcome our new students and their families who have joined our community this year and the following new staff:
- Belinda Angilletta, Leader of Learning Music
- Donna Jones, Careers & VET Co-ordinator
- Jacques Willems, TAS Teacher
- Jonathan Saurine, Leader of Learning Science
- Sean Ma, Science Teacher
- Alena Ieroianni, Dance/PDHPE Teacher
- Dominic Fricot, PDPHE Teacher
- Abbey Connor, PDHPE Teacher
- Emma Murray, History Teacher
- Catriona McKellar, English Teacher
- Michelle Emeleus English Teacher
- Monica Herrera, Mathematics
- Lauren Simmons, Science Teacher
- Emma Browning, Inclusive Learning Teacher
- Fiona Tung, Counsellor
We are also pleased to welcome back:
- Cathy McNulty
- Ann-Marie Herd
- Sheila Ibarra
- Christine Hackett
- Barbara McBride
We have had a great start to our school year. I would like to congratulate our new Year 7 students on their seamless entry to life in high school. I would also like to thank Sharlyn Teo and Antonija Mustac - Year 7 Coordinators, the Year 7 House Mentors and College Chaplain, Fr Walter Fogarty, who have all helped to facilitate a successful Transition Program with Year 7, assisting them to be ready to commence classes next week. I would like to acknowledge our Year 12 students who were at school in the last days of their holidays to support our new students and prepare the Year 12 Common Room for their return. Welcome, as well, to our newest OLMC girls in other Year Groups who are settling into our school life as though they were always with us.
This year, as a community, we will focus on the value of Justice. At our opening Assembly, our Senior Leaders were ‘on point’ in their challenge to all students to ‘take a chance to make a change.’ Their analogy of a ladder with several rungs was used beautifully to explain their concept - that every step toward creating a more just world counts. We can start, even in the smallest way, today by noticing what is happening in our College community, our local communities and our global community - reaching out to others and taking the chance to connect in meaningful ways.
As we start our 2021 school year, I congratulate our Class of 2020 on their outstanding HSC results and thank the Leadership Team of 2020, ably led by Mrs Marie Wood, and the entire teaching staff for their unwavering commitment to the 2020 HSC Cohort at every point throughout a challenging year for all schools.
We are excited to be back in 2021 and I am honoured and privileged every day to lead this talented and hardworking staff to celebrate and challenge your daughter. We all look forward to a great year ahead.
Have a wonderful start to 2021.
Lucie Farrugia
Principal