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

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.

Dear Parents and Carers,

The article below highlights May Ling Halim’s study on the values girls place on physical appearance from as young as three years of age. Here are some key points from the findings;

1. Early Focus on Appearance: Girls as young as three years old start valuing “being beautiful” and by age five, some even restrict their diet to achieve an ideal physical image.
2. Gender Differences: Girls are about five times more likely than boys to place value on their appearance and choose appearance-related reasons for their preferences.
3. Preschool Influence: The study suggests that gender differences in emphasis on beauty likely start in preschool, with implications extending into adolescence, affecting mental health, academic performance, and career aspirations.
4. Cultural Influences: The early 2000s “girlie-girl” culture and the Disney Princess franchise have contributed to the focus on physical appearance from a young age.
5. Intervention Strategies: To counteract this focus, it’s important to expose girls to diverse toys and games that promote problem-solving and creativity, and to change the language used around girls to emphasize attributes beyond physical appearance.

Girls as young as three are attributing value to physical appearance Taken from ICGS, Issue 10 | June 27, 2024 There is currently an extensive focus in schools, the media and among health professionals about the impact of social media on body image and girls’ mental health. But when do these issues really start? Is social media the root cause, or has it become a space where pre-existing idealised body imagery becomes magnified? May Ling Halim, a developmental psychologist and Professor of Psychology at California State University, has led a study to assess when girls’ focus on appearance actually begins. And the results are concerning. During this study, researchers worked with children aged three to five to establish when girls begin to value “being beautiful” (Halim, 2024). They found that girls as young as three years of age are already demonstrating a concerning focus on appearance and personal attractiveness (Halim, 2024; Halim et al., 2024, p. 1). In fact, by age five, some girls even begin restricting their diet in order to achieve what they perceive to be an ideal physical image (Halim et al., 2024, p. 2). Across every assessment undertaken during this project, girls said “that to be a girl they needed to be pretty, and looking pretty was important” (Halim 2024). This included girls choosing “fancy” clothes and occupations that are related to appearance, such as models and makeup artists. Many girls’ preferences for fictional characters were also chosen because selected characters “are pretty” (Halim, 2024). Even more concerningly, girls were approximately five times more likely than boys to place value on their appearance, or give appearance-related reasons for their choices in response to questions. The outcomes of this research were so compelling that Halim and the other researchers in this study concluded that “gender differences related to how much emphasis we place on beauty likely start in preschool” (Halim, 2024). What makes this potentially more concerning is that implications of this extend well beyond preschool. By the time girls reach adolescence, they are “primed to be preoccupied with how they look”, which places them in a vulnerable position when combined with the use of social media (Halim, 2024). This can then lead to negative impacts on physical and mental health, academic performance and even career aspirations. Awareness that this is happening is only part of the story. We also need to consider what is driving this focus on physical appearance for girls at such a young age. Gender development experts have already suggested that the early 2000s saw the new “girlie-girl” culture develop, which was also influenced by the Disney Princess franchise which was launched around the same time (Halim, 2024). The concern is the risk that the body image issues occurring in adolescent girls and young women are actually starting in the preschool years. This is much earlier than the target age for many current intervention measures (Halim et al., 2024, pp. 11-12). While tackling social media use and body image issues in adolescence is of course vital, more must be done to address this preoccupation and value being placed on appearance at a much earlier age. This is especially important during kindergarten and preschool, “as it’s during this time that children typically begin to strongly identify with a gender” and begin to form gender stereotypes (Halim, 2024). If we are going to change the prevailing focus that “girls are defined by how they look and boys by what they do”, then we need to change what information girls are receiving (Halim, 2024). One of the key ways to do this is to consider what messages girls are receiving on a daily basis. Halim suggests this can be done by considering the toys girls use. Children do not understand the metaphors that we as adults do, and many toys can create perceptions of idealised physical appearances and “standards that are impossible to attain” (Halim, 2024). Exposing girls to a diverse range of toys, especially those that have varied and accurate physical features, can be an effective counterbalance to this problem. There are also many toys and games that focus on areas such as problem solving, creativity and STEM, but young girls are often not exposed to these items because “our culture is still so influenced by gender stereotypes” (Halim, 2024). In addition to providing access to these diverse toys and games, we can also change the language we use around girls. Rather than immediately focussing on appearance or clothes, it is especially important that we focus on other positive attributes and reinforce their value. Teachers and parents can also be aware of not only explicit messages, but implicit ones, such as girls watching parents apply make-up, or teachers and family members “favoring more attractive children” (Halim et al., 2024, p. 13). The strategies suggested by the researchers don’t prevent girls from developing a sense of pride in their appearance, but they do highlight that this can be done without defining one’s value based on physical characteristics. While families and teachers may go to great lengths to encourage girls to explore their value beyond physical beauty, messages about placing value on physical attributes and appearance may still reach girls through advertising, products, friends, extended family, media, movies, social media and television. We can’t control what corporations and companies will do, but we can make informed choices about how we engage with the young girls in our lives. This is critically important, because it provides an opportunity for families and educators to do as much as possible to show young girls that they will each have a unique beauty, but that “their value does not depend on that beauty” (Halim, 2024). References: Halim, M. L. (2024, May 29). My lab conducted a study on preschool girls. What we discovered should disturb you. Huffpost. Retrieved 18 June 2024, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lab-preschool-girls-study-beauty_n_663faf84e4b0866a5b2bfb51.  Halim, M. L., Russo, L. N., Echave, K. N., Tawa, S., Sakamoto, D. J., & Portillo M. A. (2024). “She’s so pretty”: The development of valuing personal attractiveness among young children. Child Development, 1-17, advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14104

Tom Mae – Retirement

Calendar Update

Important Dates for Term 4, 2024

Monday 16th December – Staff Development Day

Tuesday 17th December – Parent / Student / Teacher Conferences – 9am-10.30am and 12.30pm-1.30pm

Wednesday 18th December, Parent / Student / Teacher Conferences – 1pm-3pm

Wednesday 18th December – HSC Results released

Important Dates for Term 1, 2025

Monday 3rd February, – Year 7 (8.40am -12.20pm), Year 11 and 12 Students return for normal day

Tuesday 4th February – Years 8, 9 and 10 Students return for Day 2 of their timetable

Friday 14th February – College Photo Day

Dean of School – Paul Hughes

It is hard to believe that another school year has come to an end!

The holidays are a time of relaxation and recuperation and this is most important at the end of the year. During the festive period of Christmas our focus also shifts towards our families and friends giving thanks for the many things they do for us. It is my hope that Christmas is a joyous time for all of our students and their families and that when the time to return to school is upon us you are ready for another year of challenges.

“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there”

2024 will be my last with the OLM community as I make a change for family and lifestyle reasons. 

From the moment I arrived at OLM I knew that what I was doing as a male leader within an all girls school was a privilege. Being able to play my small part in nurturing each young person into an empowered young lady was something I never took for granted and will remember forever. I would like to thank each and every student of OLM throughout the past 4 years and their families for working with me and our entire staff to support each student’s growth academically and emotionally. 

I will continue to watch from afar of the progress of OLM as it moves to a Years 7-12 school and I know that the significant impact that this school has, will continue well into the future. 

Last, a final thought from me and it is one that I have lived by to the best of my ability: 

It’s normal to not know what you’re doing, if you did it wouldn’t be called growth.

High five your fear, uncertainty and doubt and carry on!

Until we meet again…

Paul Hughes, Dean of School

Dean of Mission – Marg Marriott

Our Concluding Mass for the year was a fitting tribute to the story we shared throughout 2024 and was an opportunity to wish Year 10 all the very best as they embark of their senior studies. We were so proud to present the local Cronulla St Vincent De Paul representatives, John and Imelda O’Neil with a donation of over $1100 towards their Christmas Appeal. The funds will be used to purchase gift cards for local families in need. 

The Literacy Buddies activity at St Aloysius Primary was a wonderful experience for our girls to create a storybook conveying the true meaning of Christmas and then share it with their young friends in Year 1 and Kindergarten. The students then collaborated with their group of little ones to create their own story book, with our girls writing and then the young ones completing the illustrations. 

Our Mercy Excellence Program has seen thousands of hours of work contributed by our students. Initially designed for Senior Students, who receive a pin for each Mercy Value they complete, there were a number of junior school students who also were awarded, bronze silver and gold pins to wear on their uniform. The generosity of our community is remarkable.

Danielle Hayes from Mercy Works addressed our final assembly and received our donation of over $3600 towards local indigenous projects. She was able to update us on where the money from Mercy Day will be spent in supporting local initiatives in Sydney. 

Have a blessed and safe Christmas and a refreshing holiday. It has been my honour to serve this community as the Dean of Mission and I will continue to hold you all in my heart and prayers. 

Marg Marriott, Dean of Mission

End of Year Mass – Gallery

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

College Awards

Congratulations to the following award recipients who we celebrated at Assembly this week.

Principal’s Awards

The Principal’s Acknowledgement Letter for Commitment to Learning

Year 7 award recipients for the Principal’s Acknowledgement Letter for Commitment to Learning are:

Year 8 award recipients for the Principal’s Acknowledgement Letter for Commitment to Learning are:

Year 9 award recipients for the Principal’s Acknowledgement Letter for Commitment to Learning are:

Year 10 award recipients for the Principal’s Acknowledgement Letter for Commitment to Learning are:

Year 11 award recipients for the Principal’s Acknowledgement Letter for Commitment to Learning are:

Presentation of Academic Awards

Year 7

Academic Award recipients for Year 7 are:

Year 8

Academic Award recipients for Year 8 are:

Katherine Chen	Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Mya Deguara	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Olivia Douglas	First place in Catholic Studies First place in Visual Arts Outstanding Achievement
Anna Govindrulu	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Jessica Hammon	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Tamarli Haydon	First place in Mathematics Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Sophia Iffland	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Tenya Kotouc	First place in History Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Charlotte Libro	First place in Music
Saoirse O’Brien	First place in English First place in Geography First place in PDHPE First place in Science First place in Technology Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Emma Romyn	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Deanna Tsotras	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2

Year 9

Academic Award recipients for Year 9 are:

Alexis Barnes	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Rosalie Barnes	First place in Marine and Aquaculture Studies 100 Hour Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Charlotte Burton	Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Mandy Cao	Equal First place in Commerce 100 Hour
Amabel Garvin	First place in Music Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Sahara Hannon	Equal First place in Commerce 100 Hour Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Veronica Lattouf	First place in Visual Arts
Addison Metcalfe	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Tannah Moore	First place in Mathematics Standard
Mia Murray	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Sage Nicholson	First place in Design and Technology 100 Hour Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Rosalie O’Connor	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Isabella Prany	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Mia-Grace Schembri	First place in Catholic Studies Equal first place in English First place in Food Technology 100 Hour First place in History First place in Mathematics Advanced First place in PASS First place in PDHPE Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Skyla Sleeman	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Avy Stockwell	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Nikita Sullivan	First place in Science Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Jessica Tassone	Equal First place in English First place in Geography Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Scarlett Tsigolis	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Eve Wilson	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2

Year 10

Academic Award recipients for Year 10 are:

Holly Andrew	First place in Design and Technology 200 Hour First place in Textiles Technology 200 Hour Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Amelia Baillon	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Lara Best	First place in Dance Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Cloe Callanan	First place in Science Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Elodie Chandler	First place in Child Studies
Elizabeth Chen	First place in History Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Selena Contarino	First place in Catholic Studies Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Daniella Edwards	First place in Commerce 200 Hour First place in Mathematics 5.3 Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Tiarne Evans	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Matilda Fanning	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Eva Goodger	First place in Mathematics 5.2
Sophie Hammon	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Gabrielle Kent	First place in Catholic Studies First place in English Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Sophie Leek	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Mia Martin	Equal First place in Food Technology 200 Hour
Hannah McKay	Equal First place in Food Technology 200 Hour
Grace McLean	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Lucy McLean	First place in PDHPE Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Laila Nicholson	Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Jasmine O’Brien	First place in Dance First place in Textiles Technology 100 Hour Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Ella Paff	First place in Drama First place in Geography Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Sophie Robb	First place in Geography Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Mia Ann Russell	First place in Mathematics 5.1
Mia Paige Russell	First place in Music
Isabella Smith	First place in Independent Learning Project First place in Industrial Technology: Multimedia 200 Hour Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2 Principal’s Medal for Academic Excellence
Isabel West	First place in Mathematics 5.2
Chloe English	First place in German NSL School of Languages
Natalie Kalfas	First place in Modern Greek NSL School of Languages

Year 11

Academic Award recipients for Year 11 are:

Chanel Beydoun	First Place in English Standard
Amelia Buhagiar	First Place in Biology First Place in Chemistry Equal First Place in English Advanced First Place in English Extension 1 Equal First Place in Mathematics Advanced Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Amber Govindrulu	First Place in Studies of Religion 1 Unit
Hamish Kentwell	First Place in Music 1
Christiana Kyriakides	Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Elani Moshous	First Place in Mathematics Standard
Mya Moutevelis	First Place in Business Studies First Place in Legal Studies
Mia Rajkovic	First Place in Economics
Sofia von der Hocht	Equal First Place in English Advanced Equal First Place in Mathematics Advanced First Place in Mathematics Extension 1 First Place in Studies of Religion 2 Unit Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2
Olivia Wellington	First Place in Community and Family Studies First Place in PDHPE Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence – Semester 2

Presentation of Sports Awards

Outstanding Achievement in Sport NSW CCC Team

The following awards recognise students who have achieved outstanding success in their chosen sport, making a NSW Combined Catholic Colleges Team during 2024.

Charli Moses	Athletics, Cross Country
Veronica Rogers	Athletics, Cross Country
Jayde Hartup	Athletics
Lilliy Kate Mewton	Athletics
Liesl Spinner	Cross Country
Kiani Johnson	Swimming
Layla White	Athletics, Cross Country, Triathlon

Outstanding Achievement in Sport NSW All Schools Team and NSW CCC Team

The following awards recognise students who have achieved outstanding success in their chosen sport, making a NSW Combined Catholic Colleges Team and a NSW All Schools Team during 2024.

Allegra Little	Athletics
Matilda Fanning	Netball

Sportswoman of the Year Awards

The Sportswoman of the Year Award is presented to the student in each age group who contributes the most to a variety of Sports at OLM in one Year, contributing to both school teams and further representation.

The 12 Years Sportswoman Award recipient is Veronica Rogers

The 13 Years Sportswoman Award recipient is Charli Moses

The 14 Years Sportswoman Award recipient is Layla White

The 15 Years Sportswoman Award recipient is Roma Taylor

The 16 Years Sportswoman Award recipient is Matilda Fanning

The 17 Years Sportswoman Award recipient is Dakota Strettles

Presentation of Gold Mercy Awards

 

As a Mercy School, service and giving back to others and our community is an important part of who we are. The Mercy Service Program is an outreach initiative at OLM which provides our students with the opportunity to service others. We would like to acknowledge the following students who have obtained a Gold Award for their service to our local community:

Presentation of Awards

Catherine McAuley Award for Service

The Catherine McAuley Award for Service is presented to a student in each Year Group who has been part of the College’s MAG group and has given so generously of her time, service and leadership to our College. She is open with her faith and lives this out through her actions by her participation in Masses, Liturgical events and outreach initiatives. She is a positive contributor and is a wonderful ambassador for our College, continuously showing Mercy and service in all that she does.

Year 7 – Lauren Cuddihy

Year 8 – Saoirse O’Brien

Year 9 – Isabella Petracca

Year 10 – Alana Krizmanic

Year 11 – Olivia Wellington

Evangelisation Award for Faith in Action

The Evangelisation Award for Faith in Action is presented to a student in each Year Group who has demonstrated a commitment to their faith through engagement in various Evangelisation and Religious activities throughout the year, including Parish and School Masses and various liturgical celebrations. She has given leadership to various fundraising initiatives and has undertaken the organisation of events with interest and diligence.

Year 7 – Sandra Vasinova

Year 8 – Tamarli Haydon

Year 9 – Mia Murray

Year 10 – Ella Paff

Year 11 – Sofia von der Hocht

Presentation of Awards

Special Awards

Special Award recipient for

Presentation of Mercy Award: School Spirit & Citizenship Awards: School Spirit & Citizenship Awards

The Mercy Awards for School Spirit and Citizenship are the most significant of awards. They are presented to students who exemplify the best of the mercy qualities that we cherish at Our Lady of Mercy:

• Maintaining good relationships with others
• Displaying outstanding school spirit through engagement in school activities
• Demonstrating respect, dignity, hospitality and values social justice
• They are highly regarded by staff, students and the community

Year 7 – Mia You

Year 8 – Alejandra McKinnon

Year 9 – Addison Metcalfe

Year 10 – Sarah Barrett

Year 11 – Amelia Buhagiar

Congratulations to all of our Award recipients.

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

Leader of Pathways and Partnerships – Lisa Formica

Year 10 Work Experience

Week 7 this term was Work Experience week for our Year 10 students. They spent a large portion of this year preparing for work experience – all girls had to source their own work experience, by contacting employers, getting paperwork completed and undertaking pre-placement activities.

Placements were in a vast range of roles, including Veterinarian, Primary school teacher, Interior Designer, Childcare educator, Hairdresser, OT, Physiotherapy, Designers (all sorts – from costume to graphics to set design), Lawyer, Nurse, Channel 7 and Channel 10, Finance, Marine Rescue and elite sports fields.

Each student received a glowing report from their placement – congratulations! You did yourselves and the College proud. You all looked like you thoroughly enjoyed it, and got a lot out of being in the workplace.

Year 9 – take note as you will be completing Work Experience in Term 4, Week 7 2025. Some places fill quickly, so if you are looking for somewhere specific, you can start the application process now.

Lisa Formica, Leader of Pathways and Partnerships

Public Speaking News

Public Speaking Success

The final of the Sutherland Shire  Public Speaking Competition was held on Tuesday 26 November at the Sutherland Council Chambers. The event was attended by the new Mayor, Jack Boyd as well as a number of other Shire Councillors. 

This competition attracts students from a variety of schools – including Catholic, Public and Independent schools across our region. Students take part in preliminary heats where they deliver a prepared speech on a topic of their choice as well as an impromptu speech on a given topic with less than 4 minutes to prepare. 

To progress through the heats, students must be able to think on their feet while they deliver an engaging, thought provoking and persuasive speech on a substantial topic relevant to their audience. Three of our students were finalists: Saoirse O’Brien (Year 8). Sophie Mooney (Year 10) and Sophie Hammon (Year 10).

Needless to say, the students who reached the final are talented and articulate speakers achieving a standard that certainly impressed the judges and the attending politicians. Congratulations go to all finalists and especially our winners:

Saoirse O’Brien– awarded FIRST place in the Junior Division  

(2nd place went to a DLS Caringbah student)

Sophie Hammon – awarded SECOND place in the Senior Division

(1st place awarded to a St Patrick’s Sutherland student)

PDHPE Faculty – Damien Trevillion

Subject: Kick Off the Ultimate School Holiday Fun with Sydney FC!  

Exciting news for your little future football star this school holiday!  

Sydney FC are back with their popular Holiday Clinics this Summer – bigger and better than ever!

Whether your child is a beginner or ready to take their game to the next level, their 3-day clinics are filled with football fun, skill development, and making new friends. 

The Three-Day Packages cost $310 and includes: 

• Games, challenges, and skill-building fun from 9am to 3pm. 
• Expert coaching with friendly, qualified coaches. 
• Sydney FC training kit & hat. 
• Three-Game Clinic Membership for the 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League season. 

Sydney FC also offers Girls Only Clinics, designed to introduce girls to football or help them boost their skills, motor abilities, and decision-making. These clinics also focus on building teamwork, confidence, and social skills. 

Girls Only Clinics – $119 (or $89 with kit) Includes: 

• Fun from 9am to 3pm. 
• Expert coaching with our friendly female coaches. 
• Sydney FC Training Kit. 
• Three-game Junior Membership. 

Don’t miss out on the fun – let’s kick off the holidays in style!  

Secure your spot NOW https://my.sydneyfc.com/holiday-clinics

Wellbeing and Diverse Learning – Carolyn Burden

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we approach the end of 2024, thank you for your support and collaboration with our College Wellbeing team. Best of wishes are extended to Mrs Ghebranious who is leaving OLM and to Mrs Bernie who takes on another leadership role within the College. We welcome our new Instructional Leaders of Wellbeing, Mr Bailey for Year 8 and Mr Shelston for Year 9. 

In 2025, we look forward to continuing our work with your daughters and families to create a nurturing and inspiring environment for our students where they are supported and empowered to achieve their best to grow and thrive. We wish you all a safe and happy festive season.

Parent Resources:

ReachOut Parents  

Social media is an integral part of most teenagers’ lives today, shaping how they connect and express themselves. It can be hard to keep up with fast-moving trends and emerging risks, especially if you’re not familiar with the platforms your teen is using. (© ReachOut Australia 2024)

eSafety

Downloadable resources to help you start the chat about online safety issues and strategies with your child.

Bite Back 

Bite Back’s Mental Fitness Challenge guides users through five domains of positive psychology (gratitude, mindfulness, character strengths, social connections and meaning and purpose). Each week contains animations, quizzes and activities – plus at the end of the challenge users have the chance to go in the draw for gift vouchers for their favourite brands. (© 2024 Black Dog Institute)

Academy for Enterprising Girls

The Academy for Enterprising Girls is a fun and exciting entrepreneurship program, available FREE to all young women in Australia aged between 10 – 18, funded under the Australian Government’s Women’s Leadership and Development Program. The Academy is designed to cultivate young women’s skills in design thinking, entrepreneurial and business skills

Carolyn Burden, Leader of Wellbeing and Diverse Learning

Instructional Leader – Co-Curricular – Danielle Polson

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

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

Danielle Polson, Instructional Leader Co-Curricular

Leader of Operations – Andrew Mackenzie

Andrew Mackenzie, Leader of Operations