Message from the Principal – Christine Harding

Welcome to the community of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic College Burraneer. Striving for excellence, we are the only specialist all-girls school in the Sutherland Shire.

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we come to an end of the 2024 academic year, I would like to congratulate all students and their families on a remarkable year.  As a school, we saw the end of the academic year with our Award Presentation and Assemblies with all Year groups, where we formally recognised students for academic achievement and application to their studies. I would like to congratulate the Award recipients, as a College community we are extremely proud of our students’ efforts and accomplishments this year.   Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to formally recognise the hard work, dedication and effort that our staff have consistently demonstrated to our students throughout the year.

Lord, We thank You for the gift of our departing staff member’s leadership and dedication. Bless them as they embark on a new journey, And may they continue to inspire and guide others with Your wisdom and grace. We are grateful for the time we have shared, And we ask for Your blessings upon them and our community. Our Lady of Mercy    Keep us under your protection and bless our school Catherine McAuley   Pray for Us

Staff who are departing OLM at the end of 2024

Mr Paul Hughes – Mr Hughes’ dedication to educational leadership, and his care for staff, students and their families has been outstanding. His interpersonal and communication skills have enabled him to empower students, parents and staff. We thank Mr Hughes for his service and dedication to the OLM community over the past four years and wish him the very best as he takes up another significant leadership role at an independent school.

Mrs Marg Marriott – Mrs Marriott’s commitment to educational leadership, her work in building the Catholic life of the school, and her religious leadership and support for evangelisation opportunities for students have been outstanding. We extend our gratitude to Mrs Marriott for her warmth and dedicated service to the OLM community over the past two years. We wish her all the best as she embarks on another significant leadership role at OLMC Parramatta.

Mr Tom Mae – For almost fifty years, Mr Mae has been a guiding light in education. His dedication to student success has impacted innumerable lives, instilling a passion for knowledge and encouraging personal development in all his students.  We extend our best wishes for a fulfilling and joyful retirement.

Mrs Amira Ghebranious – Mrs Ghebranios will be transitioning to a new school next year. She has played a pivotal role in the wellbeing space at OLM and has significantly contributed to the debating program. We are thankful for all her efforts and contributions to the OLM community, especially with Year 7.

Mrs Erin Watson – Ms Watson’s commitment to OLM and her efforts in advancing STEM and Science at the College have been valued. As a dedicated teacher, she consistently offers her time, knowledge, and understanding to her students. We are grateful for all her efforts and involvement in the OLM community and wish her the best as she transitions to another SCS school.

Mr Bailey Antilla – Mr Antilla is moving forward in his educational journey at another SCS school. We deeply appreciate his hard work in the HSIE faculty and dedication throughout this year. We wish him success at this new SCS school.

Miss Charlotte Gordon – Miss Gordon is embarking on a new chapter at another SCS school. Her dedication and hard work in the PDHPE faculty has been greatly appreciated. We appreciate all the contributions she has made to the OLM community.

Year 12 Student Leadership Team

We are thrilled to announce the inaugural Year 12 Student Leadership Team for 2025. Our Year 12 student leaders will take on various roles, each crucial to the smooth functioning and vibrant life of our College community.

Throughout Term 4, our Year 11 students underwent training focused on servant leadership. This training emphasised the importance of leading by example, prioritising the needs of others, and fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment.  Congratulations to the following students:

2025 Portfolios – Faith and Justice, Learning, Co-Curricular and Stewardship

We look forward to seeing our student leaders grow and thrive in their roles, embodying the Mercy values of service, compassion, respect, integrity, and excellence.

Home Room 2025

2025 will see a vertical Home Room system implemented throughout the College. This will mean that our Home Room will consist of students from Year 7 through to Year 12, all siblings will be in the same Home Room class and the students will retain the same Home Room teacher for their six years at the College. The research behind a vertical system is very positive and aims to enhance our students’ feeling of belonging. These benefits can contribute to a more cohesive and supportive school environment. A vertical Home Room builds:

• Stronger Relationships: Home Room teachers retain knowledge of and relationships with students and their families over the six years that the student is at the College, fostering a deeper connection
• Enhanced School Spirit: Promotes house spirit and school pride, as students from different year levels interact and support each other. The Home Room classes will be in the four houses.
• Role Models: Senior students can act as role models and provide support for younger students, creating a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Leadership Opportunities: Provides leadership opportunities for all students, encouraging them to take on responsibilities and develop their skills.

Changes to the College Uniform Policy 2025

We would like to inform you of an upcoming change to our school’s uniform policy. Currently, students are permitted to wear TWO sets of small earrings in the lower lobe. Starting next year, students will be allowed to wear only ONE set of small earrings in the lower lobes. This adjustment is being made to align with other Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) policies and for Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) requirements.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Update on Absence Explanation Process in Compass

Please be aware of a change in the process for submitting absence explanations in Compass. 

In line with the NSW Education Act 1990 and the Sydney Catholic Schools Attendance Policy, this process will change from the beginning of 2025. Going forward, parents and carers will have up to 7 days following an absence to provide an explanation. After this period, any unexplained absence will automatically be recorded as such.

If there are rare and extenuating circumstances requiring an explanation beyond this timeframe, a designated school staff member may update the absence code where appropriate. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

It has been a year full of firsts. Thank you to our wonderful students and families for their support throughout 2024. I wish all families a blessed, faith filled Christmas and relaxing break and I hope you enjoy spending the holiday period with your wonderful daughters.

Return to School 2025

Years 7, 11 and 12 students will begin school on Monday, 3 February, 2025. 

Year 7 will have a half day (8.40am – 12.20pm) and Years 8, 9 and 10 students will commence on

Tuesday, 4 February, 2025.  All students are expected to return in the full Summer school uniform.

New College uniforms can be purchased from Noone, Shop 3 / 347 Port Hacking Road , Caringbah.

Christine Harding, Principal