Principal’s Post on Empowering Young Women

Since 1935, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic College has held a legacy of instilling the values of leadership, excellence and service, nurturing confident young women. We empower our girls to make their make on society with confidence and compassion.

The following article in The Australian highlights how social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are linked to a rise in anxiety and poor mental health among teenagers, particularly girls. The article cites internal research showing that these apps are aware they make body image issues worse, yet use algorithms to feed users more negative content for profit. According to interviews with teenagers, social media creates a “pressure cooker” of impossible standards and a constant need for validation, which can lead to addiction and feelings of worthlessness. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that this digital exposure is a primary driver of the youth mental health crisis, urging parents to protect their children in the virtual world. As a school, we encourage parents to have open conversations with their children about these risks and work together to foster healthy digital habits.

Further leaks have shown how Instagram then leveraged that anxiety with invasive algorithms that bombard girls with even more “flawless body” content when they are at their lowest ebb, all to maximise profits. The tech platforms publicly deny causing any harm. Proponents argue they’re a catalyst for positive social change.

But our own children are telling us that social media creates a pressure cooker of expectations for teenagers to be what they’re not: perfect. Among the most illuminating interviews were those from older teens looking back on their smartphone childhoods.

At 16, Lila quit TikTok, blaming her fragile mental health on the social media apps she says crushed her self-esteem: “Girls are obsessed. They’re constantly making TikToks of themselves posing and pouting. They’re so desperate for people to say how pretty they are – but it’s all fake with filters. The more sexual stuff they post, the more the app sucks it up and demands more, and then they get weird men looking at their accounts and messaging them and it’s really, really dangerous. Everyone just feels so bad about themselves on social media because there’s always someone prettier or cooler than you and the reels just never stop. I’d be doomscrolling, lying in bed all day just rotting. I’m old enough now to understand what it was doing to me, but back then I was just freaking out all the time. We have to do something to rescue kids.”

Flynn, 17, from Perth, says of his TikTok habit: “It was like a drug … I hated it. It felt like a dirty way to spend time. I knew I could be doing things I truly loved instead of being blinded by this fake love TikTok was giving me. It was personalising itself to me – the algorithms, you know. It felt almost like I was having a relationship with it. It was giving me what I wanted and I was giving it all my time in return.”

I ask him if boys are choosing social media over a real relationship with a girl. ­“Absolutely. It’s easier, more available and less effort, with no risk of humiliation, embarrassment or failure. It’s there for you whenever you want, you don’t need to put any time or effort into it.”

Anika, 15, is worried about how her moods change when school or family commitments keep her away from her phone. “I get angry,” she says. “My mind feels agitated. I have physical symptoms. It’s very uncomfortable. It’s like I’m an addict and I need a hit. I feel much, much worse about myself because I know I’m missing out on what’s happening online.”

On Insta and TikTok, she tells me, “you’re competing with other people for admiration. If you get lots of likes and comments on your post you feel good. If you don’t, you feel worthless. If you get follow requests from people you admire, you feel good because that means your reputation is good. If someone ignores your request you feel like a loser. So I’m up one minute, down the next. It’s a rollercoaster of feelings. Except I know the more popular you are online, the better it reflects on who you are in real life. And that’s important. Except deep down, I know it’s all fake.”

I ask Anika if she believes social media is worse for girls than boys. “God yes. Boys just watch and share stuff but never post themselves, but girls invest everything in it. I know a girl who took an overdose of paracetamol and went to hospital. She really hated herself and was always on TikTok saying how bad her life was. I’d read her posts and then see her moping around in real life. It was really sad.”

Flynn, 17, agrees. ‘‘Social media preys on girls’ vulnerabilities. They use it so other people will think they’re beautiful and be jealous of them. Boys just use it just for entertainment. I see ripped guys in the gym on Insta, and find them motivating more than demoralising. Girls see ripped female bodies on Insta and see it as their failure.”

Haidt wants parents to understand the consequences of this. “We have vastly overprotected our children in the real world – we have to give them more freedom. And we have vastly underprotected them in the virtual world – we give them an iPhone and an iPad and we say, ‘Here, we’re going to let you be guided into adulthood by a bunch of random people on the internet chosen by algorithms for their extremity’. That’s how you’re going to rewire your brain.”

In June TikTok kicked off a public relations offensive, firing its first salvo against the ­Australian Government’s election promise of a social media ban for the under 16s which covers Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram, as well as Snapchat, TikTok and Google-owned YouTube. TikTok was quick to splash ads across bus shelters, billboards and print trumpeting its success in “getting children to read”.

The social media ban is slated for December, but few youngsters I spoke to were concerned. “It’ll be so easy to get around,” says AJ, 14, from Coolbellup in Perth’s south. “Everyone’ll get a VPN [a virtual private network, which masks your IP address] and get a secure tunnel to the internet. I’ll just change my name, my age, my location, my country. I’ll literally become ­Polish and avoid the ban entirely.”

Father and Daughter Jersey BBQ Breakfast – Gallery

Calendar Update

Term 4 Important Dates

Monday 29 September – Friday 10 October
School Holidays

Monday 13 October
Term 4 Commences – Staff and Students return

Thursday 16 October – Friday 7 November
HSC Examinations

Friday 31 October
Year 10 Assessment block begins

Monday 10 November
Year 9 Assessment Block begins

Tuesday 11 November
Remembrance Day

Wednesday 12 November – Thursday 13 November
Year 10 Marine Studies Camp

Monday 17 November – Wednesday 19 November
Duke of Edinburgh, Silver – Qualifying Hike

Monday 17 November – Wednesday 19 November
Year 9 Marine Studies Camp

Monday 1 December – Wednesday 3 December
Year 10 PASS Camp

Monday 24 November – Friday 28 November
Year 10 Work Experience

Friday 5 December
End of Year College Mass at St Aloysius Cronulla

Wednesday 10 December
College Awards Presentation

Thursday 11 December
Last Day of Classes

Friday 12 December
College Picnic Day

Monday 15 December
Staff Professional Learning Day – No students

Tuesday 16 December
Year 7-11 Parent, Student, Teacher Conferences – 9am – 12pm

Wednesday 17 December
Year 7-11 Parent, Student, Teacher Conferences – 1pm – 3pm

Wednesday 17 December
HSC Results released at 6am

Assistant Principal – Karen Shawcross

Congratulations to the Class of 2025, who this week finished their formal studies and now have the HSC examinations to finish their secondary education.  Their graduation was a true celebration of Mercy spirit and all students wished them the best of luck in their future endeavours. 

Our postponed Mercy Day was a wonderful celebration of who we are; the talent displayed by a small group of staff and students was well received.  It can be daunting to perform in front of your peers, but I hope that 2026 will have a few more courageous performers.  It was a difficult time to hold the day at the end of term but the students rallied well and enjoyed themselves.   The atmosphere was light and relaxed to commence the school break, the weather was great and I am positive everyone had a great time.

Over this term I have reminded the students and parents about the importance of punctuality to school and in turn class.   We have seen some great improvements over the last few weeks and this needs to continue.   As of term 4 the Compass Chronicle will have a negative point attached to it and therefore accumulate towards detention.   If your daughter is consistently late to school, I ask your support in encouraging her to be more organised.  Each minute of missed class time is valuable learning time as every minute counts.   A reminder also about detentions; 

• detentions are held on a Wednesday afternoon commencing at 3pm and conclude at 4pm and they appear in the Compass schedule,
• during this time students are asked to complete a few reflection questions on why they have been issued a detention and the impact that it has had on themselves and others,
• they can then work on assessments, homework or study
• detentions that are missed are moved to the following week, missing two detentions will result in being withdrawn from classes.

I understand that some students may have work or sporting commitments after school and in some cases it is difficult to make their own way home therefore attendance at the detention may be difficult.  However this does not excuse the detention, I encourage these students to speak to me in regards to an alternative afternoon, or they will be withdrawn from classes.  In most cases the dimensions are issued for demerits, these can be easily avoided by doing the right thing.

In the previous newsletter I reminded the community about the use of mobile phones at school.  They are not permitted to be seen, heard or used during the day – once a student has arrived on site.  However, it is interesting to watch the number of students who immediately get their phone out once the day is over to check for messages, posts, social media etc.   From December 10th the government’s legislation of the social media ban will come into effect for young people and it will have an impact.  As a parent or an educator this ban is welcomed, however from a young adult under the age of 16 this may feel quite restrictive or even unnerving.  Over the break I encourage all parents to speak to their daughters about the legislation and listen to how they may feel about it.   Encourage them to start to connect with their peers, without the use of social media; and speak to them about the positive effects this will have on their everyday lives.   The goal of the social media ban is to ensure that young people are mature enough to understand the risks of social media.  

Term 4 commences on Monday October 13th.   All students are to return in summer uniform; skirts need to be at the correct length.   If your daughter has had a growth spurt, please ensure that the skirt is at the correct length; currently many girls are in need of the skirt hem being lowered.   During the break some girls may also have false nails, or coloured nails, etc.  These must be removed prior to the commencement of Term 4 or we will ask parents to collect their daughters to have these removed.   We will be continuing to ask girls to remove make up, false eyelashes and jewellery that is not part of the uniform policy stated in the diary.

Karen Shawcross, Assistant Principal

Year 12 Awards

PRINCIPAL’S COMMITMENT TO LEARNING AWARDS

Students who have demonstrated the dispositions of:

• Creating New Value and Critical Thinking
• Collaboration and Communication
• Cultural capability
• Perseverance, Planning, Distilling, Revising and Meta-learning
• Being a Confident learner

ACADEMIC AWARDS

FIRST PLACE AND OTHER ACADEMIC AWARDS – Year 12, 2025

PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

SIGNIFICANT AWARDS

Year 12 Captain’s Address

Amelia Buhagiar (College Captain) and Jana Nikolakopoulos (College Vice Captain)

2025 College Captains Graduation Address 

Since being in Year 7, so much has changed and not just in the world from COVID to lockdowns, but in our own school community too. 6 years ago, I never would have guessed that we would be standing before you now as the very first Year 12 cohort to graduate from OLM. And yet here we are, although it doesn’t feel quite real yet. 

Looking back on our time at OLM, it’s not the countless assessments, late night cramming sessions or endless homework we’ll remember. It’s the school community and the people that made it such a special place. From dressing up for athletics carnivals and PE lessons spent in the pool, to helping out on Open Day and attempting to bake cookies in food tech,but sometimes making chaos instead, these experiences brought us laughter, teamwork and friendship. And of course, who could forget the iconic Just Dance performances from our teachers every Mercy Day? These memories are not just school events, they’re the stories we will carry with us and treasure long after today.

We’d like to say thank you to everyone who has been there for all these memories and supported us through this journey, through all the good moments and of course, the occasional tears leading up to assessment blocks. We couldn’t have done it alone. So thank you to all of our teachers over the past 6 years, Mrs Harding, Ms Shawcross, Mrs Bernie and Mrs Mahoney. 

And an especially big thank you to the teachers who went above and beyond for us this year. Thank you for the early morning lessons, the lunch time sessions, being there for us as we handed in major works minutes before the deadline and for the late night emails we probably shouldn’t have sent at 11:59 pm. And thank you for reminding us that no question was too silly… even though some of ours definitely tested that theory. We appreciate all the laughs, the pre-exam motivational speeches and the continued support. 

We also extend our gratitude to our parents. We sometimes forget that the reason we’re sitting in this hall today is due to their sacrifice, decision and unwavering support to help us succeed and thrive. Every early morning drop off, every late night pep talk, and every moment waiting after exams with a warm smile, or a tissue box made a difference. So, this is a special thank you to our parents, guardians and loved ones for constantly being our biggest cheerleaders. 

Finally, to the graduating class of 2025. We made it……. almost. Only a few more weeks of stress, neverending revision and late night last minute cramming to go. We have almost survived high school, but more than just surviving, we have grown, becoming more resilient and confident. Even if we don’t all have an answer to the notorious question, “what do you want to be when you grow up,” just yet, we are excited and ready to succeed in the next chapter of our lives, wherever that takes us all. 

Over these past two years down in Coolangatta House, we have made countless memories we will all always treasure, from debriefs in the kitchen, countdowns till the holidays, celebrating birthdays and Christmas… to the dishwasher incident – sorry Ms Shipard. Whilst Year 12 has been rewarding and hard, I can confidently say there is no one else I would have rather go through it all with then you.

To the younger grades, our biggest advice for you today is to slow down. Time goes by faster than you think. One day you’re a Year 7, with your skirt past your knees, hearing about COVID for the first time, whilst navigating high school. The next, you’re figuring out how to apply to university, while also trying to memorise your Shakespeare quotes wondering how time flew by so quickly. So, enjoy your time while you’re here, make the most of it, and get involved wherever you can. 

To the Year 12 Student Leadership Team, we would like to say a special thank you. It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside you this year. From running OLM trivia and discovering how competitive everyone actually is, or organising charity events like the coin line, you’ve shown such dedication and passion for making a real change for the school community. You’ve set a strong pathway for future leaders to follow, and now it’s time to pass our responsibilities to the next leadership team.

It has been an honour to be your captains this year. Congratulations to the 2026 Student Leadership Team, and to all the Year 11s. We wish you the best of luck in the year to come. And always remember: once a Mercy girl, always a Mercy girl.

Year 12 Formal

Religious Education Coordinator – Ian Anderson

Year 7 Incursion

In facilitating our Year 7 students’ introduction to a Mercy school and the Mercy Charism, our students had the opportunity to see a production of the life of Catherine McAuley. This was a worthwhile experience for all the girls, especially the question and answer time, where the actors, still in character, allowed the girls to ask questions and gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of our Mercy Values. The girls also had time on the day to practice their singing for the upcoming Year 12 Graduation.

Camino of St Joseph

Each year the Archdiocese of Sydney coordinates the running of the Camino of St Joseph. This Camino is designed for men as St Joseph is the patron saint of men, husbands and fathers. Usually held near the feast day of St Joseph in March, it was moved this year to be near Father’s Day.

  

This year, and for the first time, the Camino of St Joseph was held in our local area. Men walked throughout the night from St Joseph’s Parish, Como to St Aloysius, Cronulla. Along the way the men stopped at the various Churches to pray. Leaving at 8pm, they arrived at St Aloysius, 7am for Mass and breakfast.

Canonisation of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati

Carlos came to the faith by himself and developed a deep devotion to the Eucharist. He would say to his friends and family, “The more Eucharist we receive, the more we become like Jesus”. He would spend hours before the sacrament in adoration and his devotion brought his family and friends to the faith. Upon developing Leukemia, Carlos created a website that details all the Eucharistic miracles of our church for the last 2000 years. You can find his website here at ​​https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/

Religious Education Coordinator – Ian Anderson

Year 12 Graduation Mass

Mercy Day Celebrations

Leader of Learning – Integrated Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment – Lisa Romberg

Timetables are attached:

Year 9 Assessment Block

Year 10 Assessment Block

Lisa Romberg, Leader of Learning – Integrated Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

Duke of Edinburgh – Bronze Qualifying Journey

Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Qualifying Journey

Over two days and one night, a group of determined Duke of Edinburgh Bronze participants embarked on their Qualifying Journey through the scenic bushland of Lane Cove. Day 1 kicked off at Boronia Park, with the group trekking along the Great North Walk toward Lane Cove. Despite muddy tracks and an unexpected snake sighting, spirits remained high and the group pressed on with enthusiasm.

After arriving at the campsite, participants set up tents and cooked dinner on portable burners, sharing stories and laughter under the stars. Day 2 began with an early pack up and a peaceful walk through Lane Cove National Park via the Riverside Walk, soaking in the natural beauty and reflecting on the journey.

Danielle Polson – Instructional Leader of Co Curricular

Leader of Pathways and Partnerships – Lisa Formica

Empower Lunch

Our final Empower Presentation was Allied Health. A huge thank you to Hiro (Physio) and Karleen (Occupational Therapist) from Sutherland Hospital for their informative presentation.

Our girls learnt about the huge range of Allied Health careers and the entry pathways to obtain those goals.

YEAR 12

Congratulations to Year 12 as they are nearing the end of their secondary schooling. It is an exciting time, and can be daunting. As Year 12 are starting to receive the outcomes of their early entry applications, it is important to understand how to accept, what accepting means, and what to do with an accepted offer.

The following information is from the UAC website:

Accepting your offer

Most institutions require you to accept your offer online. Your offer email will include either a link to accept your offer or further information about how to accept it.

If you receive an offer in one round, don’t assume that you’ll receive another offer in a later round.

Accept any offer you receive by following the instructions the institution gives you. You must accept your offer by the date indicated in your offer material, otherwise your offer will lapse and it may go to another applicant in the next round. If you have questions, contact the institution making the offer.

Accepting an offer doesn’t stop you from being considered in later offer rounds, as long as you remove the successful course from your preferences list to prevent it blocking offers to lower preferences in future rounds.

If you receive an offer in one round and accept it, and then receive an offer in a later round, you can choose to do one of the following:

• Keep your previous offer and not accept your new offer.
• Accept your new offer and hold multiple offers. If the new offer is from the same institution as your previous offer, check its policy on accepting multiple offers: you may need to give up your first offer to accept the second.
• Accept your new offer and withdraw from any other courses you’ve already accepted.

Accepted multiple offers? Withdraw before census date: Census date is the deadline for withdrawing from a course without financial or academic penalties. If you accept multiple offers, make sure you formally withdraw from all courses you are not proceeding with so that you are not charged tuition fees or graded as failed.

Enrolling

Each institution has its own procedures for enrolment.

When you apply, make sure the name on your application matches your official ID (birth certificate, passport, citizenship documents). You’ll need your ID when you enrol and there may be problems if the name on your ID doesn’t match your offer letter.

After you enrol in a semester 1 course, you have until the course census date (usually a couple of weeks after the course start date) to pay your fees, sign up for a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan, or withdraw without penalty from the course.

To summarise the key points are:

• Accept all offers by the due date provided to you by the institution. At this point, you can remove that course from your five UAC preferences.
• Withdraw from any offers you have accepted, and do not wish to proceed with. 
• Only enrol in the course you are interested in attending. You have until the university’s census date to withdraw without financial penalty.

I highly recommend that all students keep their “dream” degree at number 1 on their UAC preferences (unless of course, it has been offered in an early entry offer – in which case, congratulations!!). Even when ATAR’s are released and it may seem out of reach, still keep it there, as you just never know.

UAC Key Dates

30 Sep 2025 @ 11.59pm Early bird processing charge deadline

17 Oct 2025 @ 11.59pm Schools Recommendation Scheme ratings close

13 Nov 2025 @ 7.30am First round of Schools Recommendation Scheme early offers released

18 Nov 2025 @ 11.59pm Closing date for EAS applications for December Round 2

18 Dec 2025 @ 6am HSC results released

18 Dec 2025 @ 9am ATARs released

18 Dec 2025 @ 11.59pm December Round 2 change of preference deadline

23 Dec 2025 @ 7.30am December Round 2 offers released

30 Dec 2025 @ 7.30am January Round 1 change of preference deadline

8 Jan 2026 @ 7.30am January Round 1 offers released

Accounting Cadetships

Boroughs Chartered Accountants are offering an Accounting Cadetship for students who are interested in a career in accounting and tax. This program combines practical skills by working in industry, whilst concurrently undertaking an approved degree. For more information visit www.boroughs.net.au/cadets

Empower Presentations

Last week marked the conclusion of our 2025 Empower Presentation series. We extend our sincere gratitude to all the dedicated presenters who generously shared their time and expertise with our students. These sessions offered an invaluable opportunity for students to gain firsthand insight into various industries and career pathways. It was particularly inspiring for our students to learn about the real world experiences and unique journeys our presenters took to achieve their professional goals.

Karen Bailey	HR – pathways with a psychology degree, not registered psychologist – BNP Paribas
Leanne Formica	Hairdressing – Allegra Hair Studio
Bradley Bishop	Cronulla RSL
Brooke Fitzgerald / Michelle Taylor	Speech TherapyLeap Therapy
Emma Higgins	Registered Midwife, Registered Nurse – Westmead Hospital
Jane Ewing	Electrical Trades, NECA
Stacey Cox	Apprenticeships and Traineeships, MEGT
Jed Wood	Real Estate – Fox and Wood
Deb Wilson	Sutherland Police
Jess	OLF Childcare
Karleen Dumbrell and Hiro	Physio and OT, Sutherland Hospital

Year 10 Work Experience

Year 10 are in the midst of organising their work experience placement for next term. All students should now have completed their “Work Readiness Booklet” and activities. Paperwork from their work experience placement is due to be returned the end of Week 1, Term 4. 

Thank you to the parents and students who attended the “drop-in” workshops. If you are requiring assistance with work experience, please let me know.

School Holiday Job Opportunity – Code Camp

Our Teaching Assistant role, introduced for Year 10, 11, and 12 students, has already yielded great success, offering students an enjoyable learning experience and paving the way for future career paths. You can find more information here.

Beyond this, here are some additional benefits for students:

• Paid Learning: As Teaching Assistants with Code Camp, students gain hands-on experience that enhances their resumes and sets them apart in job and university applications.
• Dynamic Team Environment: Students will join a supportive community of like-minded peers, fostering an inspiring work atmosphere overseen/guided by qualified Teachers as Camp Managers.
• Flexible Casual Work: Students can earn money while enjoying their school break, without sacrificing their term-time commitments.

Our Spring season’s interview process is currently taking place, and we would love to consider your seniors. For further information on our program, feel free to check out our website here: https://www.codecamp.com.au/.

If any student has any questions regarding careers, pathways, options or what next? Please reach out and organise a time for an interview.

Lisa Formica, Leader of Pathways and Partnerships

HSIE Faculty – Karla Treeves

Year 9 History Students Experience the ANZAC Memorial

On Friday 29 August, our Year 9 History students visited the ANZAC Memorial in Sydney for a day of moving and memorable learning experiences. The visit brought history to life in ways that kept students engaged and encouraged them to think deeply about the impact of the First World War on Australia.

The first workshop explored the story of the Australian Light Horse. An actor performed Loyal Creatures by Morris Gleitzman, a powerful tale of an Australian war horse that gave students an insight into the reasons behind Australia’s involvement in the war and the role battles such as Beersheba and Lone Pine played in shaping our national identity.

The second workshop turned the spotlight on the experiences of women in the First World War. Using letters and diary entries, the performance shared the voices of nurses and matrons who served on hospital ships at Gallipoli and beyond. Their stories gave students a new perspective on the Anzac legend and highlighted the courage and resilience of those on the frontline of Australia’s humanitarian response.

Students also explored the Centenary Exhibition and the Memorial’s commemorative spaces, uncovering stories of the Anzacs such as the sinking of the HMHS Gloucester Castle and battles at Gallipoli and the Western Front. Engaging with these personal accounts and primary sources helped students connect with the past in a meaningful way. 

The excursion was both enjoyable and thought provoking, offering students an opportunity to reflect on how the experiences of the First World War continue to shape Australia’s story today.

History Week at OLM: 8–12 September

History Week at OLM was a wonderful celebration of learning, creativity, and fun. Each day brought something new for students to enjoy and get involved in.

The week began with homerooms taking on the challenge of telling ancient poetry apart from modern song lyrics. On Tuesday, students had the chance to sculpt their own Terracotta Warriors, exploring their creativity while learning about ancient China. Wednesday’s quiz highlighted the achievements of key First Nations people, while on Thursday the excitement built with a treasure hunt to recover Tutankhamun’s missing sarcophagus lid.

The week finished on a high with Friday’s History Trivia, organised by Year 11 Ancient History students, alongside the Year 7 History Excursion.

Students across the school joined in with great spirit, making History Week a memorable and enjoyable experience for all.

Year 7 History Excursion to Chau Chak Wing Museum

On Friday 12 September, our Year 7 students enjoyed an immersive excursion to the Chau Chak Wing Museum, exploring an array of artefacts from ancient civilizations. The guided tour took students on a journey through Rome, Egypt, Greece, and the ancient Middle East, offering a hands-on encounter with history.

Highlights included Roman amphorae and a LEGO reconstruction of Pompeii, Egyptian mummies and sarcophagi, and ancient Greek epitaphs. Students had the unique opportunity to handle authentic artefacts, engaging in sketching and inquiry activities to explore their nature, provenance, and purpose.

Our students’ curiosity shone through, with many thoughtful questions and lively discussions sparked throughout the day. It was a highly engaging experience that brought the ancient world vividly to life and deepened students’ appreciation for history.

Mrs Karla Treeves, Acting Instructional Leader of Curriculum – HSIE

Instructional Leader – Co-Curricular – Danielle Polson

The following link has important information from Sydney Catholic Schools regarding sport.

https://sport.syd.catholic.edu.au/

NSW Combined Catholic Colleges – Touch

NSW Combined Catholic Colleges – Athletics

Congratulations to the nine outstanding OLM representatives who competed at the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges Athletics Championships, held at the iconic Sydney Olympic Park on the 25th Anniversary of the Sydney Olympics.

Congratulations to Felicity Barnes, Jayde Hartup, Allegra Little, Lilliy-Kate Mewton, Abbie Russell, Liesl Spinner, Victoria Trajcevski, Layla White and Olivia Wrighter who represented Sydney Catholic Schools at the event. The NSW CCC Championships brought together top athletes from across the state in NSW Catholic Schools.

We are incredibly proud of their efforts and achievements. Congratulations to the following students on their top 6 placings:

Allegra Little- 3rd 15 years Long Jump

Jayde Hartup- 3rd 14 years High Jump

Layla White- 3rd 15 years 1500m, 5th 800m

Felicity Barnes- 4th 14 years 1500m

Abbie Russell- 5th 13 years Discus

Victoria Trajcevski- 6th 12 years 200m

Best of luck to those students who will compete at the NSW All Schools Athletics Championships. Congratulations to Allegra, Jayde and Layla who have been named in the NSW CCC Merit team for the event.

SCS Conference 3 Tennis Day

This SCS Tennis Gala Day was held on 4 September 2025 at The Illawarra Tennis Centre, Rockdale. OLM was represented by two teams of 3 students. Giselle Moussa, Mia You and Lauren Cuddihy represented OLM in the Junior Tennis Team and Tenya Kotouc, Sophie Mathers and Ella McGuinness represented OLM in the
Intermediate Tennis Team. Each team of 3 players consisted of a Singles Player and a Doubles Team.

Schools played against included: Bethany, St John Bosco, Cronulla, Penshurst, St Patricks, and St Ursula’s with the top two teams in each pool progressing to the Finals.

There was fierce competition displayed throughout the day with our two teams unfortunately just missing out in making the Finals. Regardless, our girls did our school proud displaying great bouts of skills and always displaying typical OLM spirit throughout the tournament.

Our students can hold their heads up high on a job well done. Congratulations on your fine effort’s girls.
Mr Lou Pagano.

SCS Holiday Camps

This is a reminder that the closing date for the nominations and registrations for the Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Term 3 Holiday camps is fast approaching.

Week 1

•  Monday 29 September 
• Cricket Blast : Years 4 – 8 : Gannons Park, Peakhurst
• Wednesday 1 October 
• Badminton  : Years 4 – 10 : Trinity College, Auburn

Week 2 

• Tuesday 7 October 
• Fencing : Year 2 – 10 : Sydney Corporate park, Alexandria
• Wednesday 8 October
• Golf :  Year 3 – 8 : Botany Golf Course, Botany Camp Preview
• Fencing : Year 2 – 10 : Sydney Corporate park, Alexandria
• Rugby Girls come and try : Year 5 – 10 : USNSW David Phillips Sport Field, Alexandria
• Thursday 9 October 
• Water Polo : Year 5 – 10 : Sutherland Leisure Centre, Sutherland
• Friday 10 October 
• Rugby 7’s : Year 5 – 10: Southern Districts Rugby Club, Sylvania Waters

Girls – Come & Try Rugby 7s!

Never played before? Perfect!

This 2-hour holiday program is designed especially for beginners in years 5 – 10 to give rugby a go in a fun and supportive environment.

All camps close Wednesday 17 September 2025

For detailed information and to register, visit the following link:  https://bit.ly/SCSHolidayCamps

Best regards,

SCS Sports Team

Catholic Schools NSW Invitational Aquathon

Entries are now open for the Catholic Schools NSW Invitational Aquathon to be held on Wednesday 26 November 2025 at the NEW VENUE of Des Renford Aquatic Centre, Maroubra.

Why Aquathon?

Aquathon is a multi-sport event combining swimming and running (with a transition), with minimal equipment needed and low barriers to entry. Students of all abilities are given the opportunity to challenge themselves in a unique and fun event. Depending on age division, swim legs vary from 100-300m and run legs vary from 1km-1.8km.

What are the details?

See below for everything you will need to know regarding the CSNSW Aquathon:

• Date: Wednesday 26 November 2025
• Time: First race commences at 8:30am. Last race concludes at approximately 2:30pm
• Venue: Des Renford Aquatic Centre, Maroubra
• Address: Jersey Rd & Robey Street, Maroubra NSW 2035
• Entry: $50.00 per athlete

This event is for 8 to 19 year olds, with students competing in combined age groups i.e. 8/9 yrs, 10/11 yrs, 12/13 yrs, 14/15 yrs, 16 – 19 yrs, as well as combined Multi Class age groups, including 8 – 12 years and 13 – 19 years.

See here for proposed order of events:

2025 CSNSW Aquathon – Order of Events

Students may compete in two events on the day – one in the morning for qualifying and one in the afternoon in seeded finals.

How do I register?

Catholic School students are invited to attend with the approval of their School. Independent and Government School students are also invited to attend with the permission of their school and sector.

To register:

• Go to https://csnsw.sport/
• Click on “Create an account”
• Add your child’s profile
• Add your child’s school
  • Non affiliated Catholic Schools, Independent Schools and Government Schools should enter “CSNSW Sport” as their school
  • Click on the “Register For A Sport” buttonSelect “CSNSW Sport Aquathon” under Available Sport Registration
  • Follow the prompts to complete registration

Entries close Wednesday 19 November 2025.

For further information, see https://csnsw.sport/sports/csnsw-sport-programmes/aquathon or contact sportresponses@csnsw.catholic.edu.au

Danielle Polson, Instructional Leader Co-Curricular

Creative and Performing Arts Faculty – Verneen Mason

Congratulations to Veronca Lattouf (OLM Year 10, 2025) who won the prestigious Brian Jordan Prize for Religious Artwork at the Sydney Catholic School’s Clancy Prize Awards.

Veronica is seen pictured with the son of Brian Jordan, who presented her with the $1000 award.

Well done Veronica.

Gemma Mahoney, Visual Art Teacher

Technical and Applied Studies Faculty – Courtney Kramer

OLM Years 9/10 Food Technology class completed their ‘Food Trends’ unit by exhibiting their grazing boards to share and enjoy.

Courtney Kramer, TAS Teacher

Languages Other Than English (LOTE) News – Vanessa Riga

“It’s more than words” – Angela Brooks

🍰 A Sweet Italian Afternoon for Year 8

During Week 7 of Term 3, the Year 8 students swapped books for dolci in a delightful celebration of Italian culture. The afternoon was filled with laughter, creativity, and most importantly sweets.

Students were treated to a delicious array of traditional Italian desserts, including crostoli, brioche buns, nutella and non alcoholic spritz. The classroom became a mini Italian café, as students enthusiastically decorated their spaces with vibrant tablecloths and Italian themed figurines. The green, white and red display was as impressive as the desserts themselves.

The event was not only a feast for the senses but also a chance for students to explore Italian traditions in a hands on, joyful way. 

It was a sweet success—literally—and a reminder that learning about italy can be deliciously fun.

🇮🇹 Year 11 Italian Students Celebrate with a Taste of Italy at Kirrawee

To mark the conclusion of their Year 11 Preliminary Italian course, Chloe English, Catherine Palamara and Ms Riga gathered for a celebratory Italian lunch in Week 8 of Term 3 that was as rich in flavour as it was in cultural spirit.

The event offered a delicious escape to Vitaly Italian & Woodfire Pizza Restaurant at Kirrawee, with students enjoying a variety of traditional dishes from meatballs, burrata, pasta, gnocchi and pizza to a cheeky dolce. The lunch was not only a reward for their hard work throughout the year, but also a chance to immerse themselves in the language and lifestyle they’ve been studying.

Both students are to be commended for their dedication, enthusiasm and hard work this year.

It was a fitting finale to a successful year and a reminder that learning a language is about more than just grammar and vocabulary. It’s about connection, culture, and celebration.

Vanessa Riga

Italian Teacher

PDHPE Faculty – Damien Trevillion

NRLW Players visit

Year 8 and Year 9 students had the opportunity to meet two NRLW players, Jada Taylor and Emma Veran. They took part in a Q&A session compiled with questions from the students regarding their sporting journeys, challenges, mindset, and achievements. The players gave informative and insightful answers that were inspiring and connected well to our daily lives, showing us the importance of hard work, balance and resilience. 

To finish the session, we had a fun passing competition between the players and two students (Charli Moses Year 8 and Grace Stevenson Year 9). It was a great and exciting way to wrap up the assembly, leaving everyone engaged and in high spirits.

Overall, this assembly was definitely memorable as it was inspiring, but also fun and different from the usual routine. It was a great chance for everyone to learn from professional athletes, while also having a laugh and feeling more connected as a community. There will definitely be an increase in viewers this Thursday, as we cheer on Jada, Emma and the rest of the Cronulla NRLW team. 

Tamarli Haydon and Jessica Hammon (Year 9)