Transcription
OLMsCeneSemester 2, 2018
Principal’s ReportFrom the Principal2019: The Year of Service“Be the unseen hero in 130” is the motto of the Year 12 cohort of 2018/19, in what will be the OLMC Year of Service.As I write this report, we are coming closer to the end of the 2018 school year and the commencement of 2019 –the 130th Anniversary of the College.The Parramatta Sisters of Mercy celebratetheir 130th Anniversary on 8 December,2018. The founding of the Parramattacongregation of the Sisters of Mercy in 1888was a direct result of the close relationshipbetween Cardinal Moran and the Sisters ofMercy in Callan in Kilkenny, Ireland. CardinalMoran had a strong sense of mission andthis spirit was shared by the Sisters atCallan. Mother Mary Clare Dunphy wasthe leader of the group of nine Sisters whoresponded to the Cardinal’s invitation toserve the Parramatta community.The relatively young group of women wasinspired with a spirit of adventure andmissionary zeal; they were leaving theirhomeland for the ‘ends of the earth’ – neverto return!On Friday 12 October 1888, the Sisters,accompanied by Cardinal Moran, set sailon the ‘Cuzco’ and arrived in Sydney on29 November 1888. By 5 December 1888,four of the Sisters had set up residence inParramatta. The other five joined them aweek later. The first Mass was celebratedon 8 December, the feast of the ImmaculateConception of Mary.From early records, we learn that theSisters wasted no time in embracing theirmission of Mercy wholeheartedly. On 9December they took children for Catechismafter Sunday Mass and visited the sick inParramatta Hospital. They also visited thosewho were in the Macquarie Street Asylum.Before the end of the first year, the Sistershad prepared many Catholics at the asylumfor Confirmation.On 10 December 1888, the Sisters openedthe primary school with 55 students and on7 January 1889, they opened the secondaryschool with seven girls. A few months later,there were 138 students enrolled in theprimary school and 24 in the high school.As we enter our 130th year, let us,as the broader OLMC community,continue to be inspired to serve bythe example of Catherine McAuley,the Sisters of Mercy and themany thousands of women whohave passed through the gates ofOLMC Parramatta. These womenhave served our community andhave made a difference to thelives of others.Mr Stephen M Walsh, PrincipalOver the next 20 years, the Sistersestablished a further 11 schools fromWoolloomooloo to North Parramatta, inaddition to opening St Michael’s boy’sorphanage in Baulkham Hills and St Brigid’sgirl’s orphanage in Ryde. This extraordinaryresponse to need was replicated in each ofthe decades that followed with a further 33schools opened and/or extended between1908 and 1988.The Sisters’ ministry and service effortswere not limited to primary and secondaryeducation. The visitation of the sickcommenced on the first day after the Sistersarrived, and continues to the present day,now incorporating residential aged care,nursing, physiotherapy, counselling, andpastoral care roles in various health andaged care facilities.Adapted from the Sisters of MercyParramatta website.The Sisters of Mercy were inspired byCatherine McAuley, who knew the powerof a women’s influence. Today, we oftenrefer to this influence as leadership and,particularly, as servant leadership. Itwas Catherine McAuley’s wholeheartedcommitment to serving those who werelonging for God’s Mercy that encouragedother women, such as the ParramattaSisters of Mercy, to share in her life’s work.As I was reading about Catherine McAuleyand the Sisters of Mercy, I came across anarticle that identified 10 servant leadershipprinciples that should guide us as we servethe needs of our community:1. ListeningLearning to listen: we should always listenfirst before we speak.2. EmpathyThe servant leader always empathises andalways accepts the person.3. HealingMeaning to make whole, to feel compassionand stand with those in need.4. Self-Awareness2 OLMsCeneAwareness is not a giver of solace — it isjust the opposite. It is a disturber and anawakener.ABOVE: Venerable Catherine McAuleyLEFT: The founding Parramatta Sisters of Mercy
Principal’s Report5. PersuasionBuilding consensus within groups: servantleaders seek to convince others, ratherthan coerce compliance. The servant leaderis effective in building consensus withingroups.6. Conceptualisation beyond day-to-dayrealitiesServant leaders need to have a sense ofthe unknowable and be able to foresee theunforeseeable. Intuition is a feel for patterns,the ability to generalise based on what hashappened previously.7. ForesightForesight is a better than average guessabout what is going to happen in the future.It begins with a state of mind.8. StewardshipAll people in leadership play significant rolesin holding their institutions in trust for thegreater good of society.9. Commitment to the Growth of PeopleServant leaders believe that people havean intrinsic value beyond their tangiblecontributions as workers.10. Building CommunityServant leaders seek to identify a means forbuilding community.Margaret Wheately stated: “The essentialtruth I’m discovering right now is that whenwe are together, more becomes possible.When we are together, joy is available. Moreand more, I believe that if the real work is tostay together, then we are not only the bestresource to move into the future—we arethe only resource. We need to learn how tobe together: that is the essential work of theservant leader.”So, as we enter our 130th year, let us, asthe broader OLMC community, continueto be inspired by the commitment to servedemonstrated by Catherine McAuley,the Sisters of Mercy and the manythousands of women who have passedthrough the gates of OLMC Parramatta.These women have served ourcommunity and made a difference tothe lives of others.Mr Stephen M WalshPrincipalOLMsCene 3
Image credit: Alphonsus FokOLMC NEWSStudents across the College werewelcomed back to Term 3 with a newflexible learning space, a refurbished setof classrooms in the Brigid Shelley building.The excitement and anticipation of the girlsas they entered this redesigned learningspace for the first time was very special.In redesigning this space, the Collegeprioritised flexible features to enablecollaboration, creativity and autonomy, allimportant parts of the OLMC transforminglearning framework. A positive effect onlearning may be achieved in classroomswhere flexibility and student ownershipare prioritised. This is a prototype spaceand staff and students will continually reevaluate its use. On Saturday 8 September, parents,staff, students and friends of theCollege gathered in the Ailsa MackinnonCommunity Centre for the 2018 P&FEvent, Comedy for a Cause. It was awonderful chance for our community tocome together for a fun evening, raisingmoney for the Mercy Tree.Learning spaces continue tochange and respond to changesin pedagogy and learning.OLMC aims to continue to beagile with learning spaces into thefuture. The College is committedto improving and deepening ourpractice, and we are excited aboutthe opportunities posed by thenewly refurbished learning space.Ms Gemma VandePeer,Director of Teaching and Learning4 OLMsCeneIn October, Chantal Zhang, ElizabethWong, Riley Rodewald and Martha Buitizonfrom Year 9 attended the inaugural Mercy6 Retreat at Rahamim Ecology andEco-Spirituality Centre in Bathurst.The Retreat Centre is a special work ofthe Sisters of Mercy and the girls learntabout sustainable farming, bee keeping,community gardens and eco spirituality.The girls were invited to attend due to theirkeen interest in the environment. Our future Mercy Girls had multipleopportunities to get to know their newschool and their fellow Mercy Girlsthroughout November. In mid-November,the College was buzzing for the Year7, 2019 Student Testing and ParentInformation Morning where future MercyGirls undertook the Allwell Test in the EdithAngel Hall while their parents attendedinformation sessions led by the CollegeLeadership Team. They also watched afashion parade preview of the new CollegeUniform. On November 29, future MercyGirls attended Orientation Day. On Saturday 13 October, Mercy Girlsand staff attended a special ceremony tomark the launch of a ground paintingby Ngemba artist Danny Eastwood.The ground painting was commissionedby the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta torecognise and acknowledge the continuousoccupation and lived culture of the Darugpeople in this area. It is situated near thegravel driveway on the Victoria Road side ofthe College, near the plaque that marks thesite of the first Convent in Australia (whichwas built by the Sisters of Charity in 1839).Guest of honour, artist Danny Eastwood,spoke about the painting, The Journey, andthe meaning of the various elements. He hasused traditional Aboriginal designs to depictaspects of the local Parramatta area, andto reflect the various ministries of groupsof Religious Women who have lived andministered on this site and beyond, includingthe Sisters of Mercy from Callan, Ireland. Our 2018/2019 Student LeadershipTeam was announced, for the first time, inJune, two months earlier than usual. Our2018/2019 Head Girl is Sophie Brown,Assistant Head Girl is Sydrael Fajardo,SRC President is Elisa Halwe and SRCVice President is Laura Bechara. TheCollege has implemented a new systemfor Student Leadership in 2018 in orderto give our Student Leaders four terms ofleadership (Terms 3 and 4 and Terms 1 and2) and to give our outgoing Year 12 MercyGirls more time to focus on their learningand preparation for the Trial and HSCExaminations from June to November.
OLMC NEWSOLMC ex-student and current PDHPEteacher Amanda Farrugia was invitedby Prime Minister Scott Morrison toattend a function with The Duke andDuchess of Sussex. Amanda has madea significant contribution to raising theprofile of women in sport as the Captainof the ALFW GWS Giants. Mercy Girls participated in a number ofactivities including the Student HouseLeaders’ Rowing Challenge and the SallySong Squat Challenge as part of NationalHealth and Physical Education (HPE)Day in September. At a lunchtime in late October, theplayground erupted with cheers andexcitement as our Senior girls modelledthe brand new uniform for all MercyGirls to see. The girls walked through theplayground to show the new Summer andWinter Junior and Senior Uniforms and theSports Uniform (including the reversiblebucket hat featuring navy on one side anda House colour on the other). Walking through the playgroundwith the girls, there really was anundeniable sense of exhilarationand anticipation and, to me, thatsays a lot about where we are as aCollege community. As our 130thyear approaches, we are at aplace where, anchored in our richtradition, we are moving forwardinto the future with confidence,hope and excitement: that wasembodied in the excited faces ofMercy Girls as they saw thenew uniform.Mr Stephen M Walsh, PrincipalOn 24 July, OLMC welcomed 11 studentsfrom Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen HighSchool. Students from this school havebeen visiting our College for the past 25years. The girls are hosted by OLMCfamilies. They attend lessons at our Collegeand also go on excursions to experiencethe Australian way of life. In late August, fathers, grandfathers andfather figures in our College communityjoined their daughters for the FatherDaughter Mass in the Mother Mary ClareDunphy Chapel and were acknowledgedfor the influence they have in shaping theirdaughters’ lives. Mr Peter Khouri spoke onbehalf of those present with heartfelt wordsabout his relationship with his daughter,Lisa. Following the Mass, the OLMCParents and Friends Association provided adelicious breakfast. OLMsCene 5With live music from one of our CollegeEnsembles and food prepared andserved by our Year 11 Hospitalitystudents, the 2018 Art & TASShowcase opening night saw thecommunity come together to appreciatethe effort and dedication that our Year 12Visual Arts students put into creating theirMajor Works and enjoy the developingtalent of our younger students in Years7 to 11. The showcase continued tocaptivate visitors throughout Saturday day two of the exhibition. On Friday 26 October, Year 7 was privilegedto travel to Sydney Olympic Park to watchthe Invictus Games. Mercy Girls had thechance to cheer on Year 10 student SummerGiddings who ran in a Shuttle Relay and a100m race, representing young athletes withCerebral Palsy.
OLMC NEWSIn September we said farewell to Year 12with a number of events, culminating inthe Graduation Mass and Ceremony.This year, for the first time, the girls wereindividually farewelled by their Housefamilies. At their Farewell Assembly, theypresented the College with a gift of two(solar powered) street/garden lights as asymbol of their Mercy light, continuing toshine in the College beyond 2018, drawingon their chosen theme “Ignite your MercyLight.” Principal Stephen Walsh said theYear 12 Mercy Girls have role-modelled forall of us how, as young women, they canmake a difference – not only to our Collegecommunity but to the broader community:“I thank each and every one of them for theircommitment to living our Mercy Values. Thiscohort was given the enormous challenge ofleading the new College House System - atask they readily took on board and, as aresult, they have left the College in a strongposition because of their leadership andcapacity to accept change with a growthmindset. There has been a number of opportunitiesto showcase the talents of Mercy Girls inthe area of Creative and PerformingArts in Semester 2. In late August, theannual Dance Showcase was heldin the Edith Angel Hall where familieswere entertained with skilful danceperformances by students from Years 7to 12. The atmosphere was exciting andthe performances were of a high calibre,reflecting many hours of rehearsals andthe immense dedication of students andstaff. At the Musical Evening, held on28 August, the College showcased morecreative talents of the students in theform of music and singing with piecesfrom ensembles and choirs as well assolo performances, ranging from Jazzand Classical to Modern music. Mercycreative talent was again on display inmid-November for the Year 9 DramaProduction. The theme chosen by Year12, 2018 demonstrated theirunderstanding and commitment toour faith in Christ - our light whoshows us the path to follow himto the Kingdom. May Mary Motherof Mercy and Venerable CatherineMcAuley shine brightly uponyou forever.Mr Stephen M Walsh, Principal6 OLMsCeneIn late September, two Year 10 MercyGirls were delegates at the AMSSA(Australasian Mercy SecondarySchools Association) Conference inPerth. The theme of the five day conferencewas From Humble Beginnings and theactivities had a strong focus on reflectingon our Mercy Heritage. In late August, Mercy Girls and staffshowed their support for Jersey Day bywearing their favourite sporting team’sjersey. Jersey Day raises awareness ofthe Organ and Tissue Authority and theDONATE LIFE Network. In late July, 80 Mercy Girls packed theCatherine McAuley Library for a challengingday of collaboration and learning,participating in the annual Write a Book ina Day Competition. In the October school holidays, the MercyMusic and Performance Academypartnered with the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra Fellows to run their annual three-dayorchestral workshop in the Edith Angel Hall.The workshop drew over 75 students from allover Sydney and beyond and culminated in aspecial performance for parents (Image Credit:Sydney Symphony Orchestra). On 1 August, Mercy musicians performedalongside visitors from China in a specialconcert in the Edith Angel Hall as part ofthe Chinese Cultural Festival Sydney.On the following Saturday night, the OLMCChamber Ensemble and Mercy Choraleperformed at the Festival’s Gala Concert atthe Sydney Opera House.
2018 Women in Leadership ForumStudents, families, alumnae, staff andfriends of the College came together in theAilsa Mackinnon Community Centre on theevening of Wednesday 29 August, 2018to witness and listen to four inspirational,articulate women share their journey at thesecond annual Women in LeadershipForum.2018 Women in Leadership ForumInspirational Stories at theOLMC was privileged to have such adiverse group of women join us for thisuplifting community evening. Marina Go,Chairwoman of Wests Tigers, JusticeJulia Lonergan, Amanda Farrugia, OLMCPDHPE teacher and Captain of theAFLW GWS Giants and Carol Salloum,restaurateur and owner of Almond Bar,all shared their stories in ways thatwere engaging, filled with humour andunderpinned with great honesty.Deputy Principal Mrs Marie Wood saidstories emerged of careers that shiftedas opportunities arose, mentors advisedredirection and risks were taken: “Thecommon theme was having self-belief andbeing prepared to ‘have a go.’ The Q&Athat followed allowed further insights toemerge but, I have to say that one of themost important of them was rememberingto be grateful; all of the speakers agreedthat it was vital to be grateful for everythingand everyone.”The common theme of the 2018Women in Leadership Forumwas the importance of havingself-belief and being prepared to‘have a go.’Mrs Marie Wood, Deputy PrincipalOLMsCene 7
2018 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTSSemester 2, 2018Student AchievementsThree Mercy Girls won prizes inScreenshot 2018, the Art Gallery ofNSW’s student photography prize.Alana Attard (Year 9) won the Intermediatecategory for her photograph ‘LightsCamera Action’ while Abigail Birgen(Year 10) received Highly Commendedin the Intermediate category for herphotograph ‘Please hold a serious face’and Simrat Kaur (Year 11) received HighlyCommended in the Senior category for herphotograph ‘Alysha.’In September, Summer Giddings (Year10) was presented with the Pierre deCoubertin Award at the AustralianInstitute of Sport. The Award recognisessecondary school students whodemonstrate values which are consistentwith the Olympic Movement throughparticipation in sporting activities.The College’s Mock Mediation Teammade the Semi-final of the 2018competition.At an Assembly in August, The RightWorshipful, the Lord Mayor of Parramatta,Councillor Andrew Wilson, presented 2017HSC high achiever Yamema Esber withthe inaugural John McClymont HistoryAward. This award is presented to thehighest scoring History student in theParramatta LGA from the previous year’sHSC. The award is in honour of the lateJohn McClymont, a local historian andformer president of the Parramatta andDistrict Historical Society.Year 10 girls Rachel Bailey andCassandra Holdaway came second inthe Parramatta Eisteddfod TelephonePairs while Claire Cottrell-Dormer andAmelie-Aiko Loof came third.Year 10 student Daphne Fong camesecond in the Soroptimist InternationalCompetition while Amelia Assaad (alsoYear 10) came third.8 OLMsCeneAt the Australian Debating and PublicSpeaking Titles in Brisbane in September,Jessica D’Souza (Year 10) became thefirst ever OLMC student to reach two finalsin this competition, in After Dinner Speakingand Impromptu Speaking. Jessica camethird in the After Dinner Speaking Final.Year 10 students Jessica D’Souza,Daphne Fong and Yvette Roquedelivered an outstanding presentationon the achievements of ex-OLMC HeadGirl Melanie Hogan at the ParramattaHistorical Society Public Speaking Day.Tayla Milicevic (Year 7) was selectedto represent Metropolitan West in theFootball NSW State Championships.Tayla’s team was undefeated and crownedUnder 14 Girls State Title Champions.This year the inaugural OLMC TennisChampionship was held at lunchtimesduring Term 2 to Term 4. Catherine Yue(Year 7) was the Junior Singles winner, MilaPurkovic (Year 10) was the IntermediateSingles winner while Veronica Chacty(Year 9) and Sarneet Kalsi (Year 9) werethe Doubles champions.At the CGSSSA Tennis Competition,Catherine Yue reached the Junior SinglesSemi-finals, while Ruby Sparks (Year 7)and Angelene Lu (Year 8) reached theJunior Doubles Semi-finals.The OLMC PDSSSC Netball Team wasJunior Champion and Open Runners Up.At the CGSSSA Aquathon, Alex Younes(Year 11) was the Senior IndividualChampion while Amelia Harvie (Year 7)and Emily Duque-Herrera (Year 7) werethe Junior Team Runners Up.The OLMC PDSSSC Futsal Team wereJunior Champions.Summer Giddings (Year 10) competedat the World Cerebral Palsy Games inSpain. She achieved Personal Bests in allher events, two Gold Medals in the LongJump and 400m and a Silver Medal in the200m. Summer also set a World Record inher F35 Long Jump event, jumping 2.76m!Tarni Sutton (Year 8) played for NSWMetro in the Under 14s girls’ side inthe National Junior Indoor CricketChampionships in Toowoomba in theJuly school holidays. The team came third,missing out on the Grand-final by only threeruns.OLMC Cheerleaders won the ScholasticPom division at the AASCF SpringCarnival for Cheer and Dance during theOctober school holidays.Summer Giddings (Year 10) competedat the NSW All Schools Cross CountryChampionships in July, finishing third inthe Secondary Multi Class age division andqualifying for the School Sport AustraliaCross Country Championships on theSunshine Coast. Here she finished seventhin the 16 to 19 Years 3km Multi Classevent.At the CCC Athletics, OLMC wasrepresented by Cameron Khadi (Year 7),Hannah Mathews (Year 8) and SummerGiddings (Year 10). Summer Giddingsachieved a Bronze in Shot Put, two Silversin the 200m and 800m and two Golds inthe 100m and Long Jump.At the NSW All Schools AthleticsChampionships, held at Sydney OlympicPark in September, OLMC was representedby Brianna Weatherburn (Year 7), AinslieMcNally (Year 7), Zsofia Varga-Strike(Year 7) and Summer Giddings (Year 10).Summer achieved a Silver in the 16-19Years Multi Class 800m and a Gold inthe Long Jump and has now qualified tocompete at the Australian All SchoolsAthletics Championships to be held inDecember in Cairns.Saskia Brothers (Year 10) travelled toBuenos Aires during the October schoolholidays to compete at the Youth OlympicGames in Judo. Saskia finished seventhout of 16 competitors in her division.Ella Gillies (Year 10) competed in thePony Club NSW State ShowjumpingChampionships at Morriset in July. Shecompeted in four jumping disciplines for 15to 17 year olds over the two days, comingaway with one fifth place, two eleventhplaces and a thirteenth place (out of 20riders).Two Year 12 VET students received RotaryYouth Vocational Awards: SiobhanGregory received an award for Hospitalityand Lucia Mazzotti received an award forBusiness Services.
During the October school holidays, 37 MercyGirls took part in the Duke of EdinburghAdventure Journey which consisted of a fourday hiking/camping experience. Prior to this,students worked on the other sections of theprogram, including Physical Recreation, Skill andService.The Duke of Edinburgh International AwardScheme is a self-development program availableto all young people over the age of 14. TheAward is non-competitive and encouragesyoung people to set and achieve goals at a levelappropriate to their age and development. Thisyear, for the first time in many years, the BronzeAward has been offered at OLMC to all studentsin Years 9 and 10. The College is thrilled to have49 students participating in this year’s program.2018 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTSDuke of EdinburghDuke of Edinburgh participants include: MartaAbicic, Jasmine Abouchrouche, YasmineAlwakal, Rhiannon Athaide, Jala Bakri,Leilani Belessis, Rache Ben, Alyse Berry,Martha Buitizon, Isabella Carney, HannahCastueras, Sabrina Catania, Kyah Day, MaheshiDharmadasa, Jo Engelman, Mia Fennell, CaitlinGallacher, Amelia Gifford, Annie Gittany, CharliGolds, Zali Griffiths, Clarissa Guino, Chelsea Fu,Tamsyn Houseman, Mehaara Joseph, MarinelleJuan, Monique Khatri, Erin Marquez, LouiseMorched, Anne Nguyen, Rose Parajuli, SmrithiRaghunathan, Riley Rodewald, Halle Rowe,Gopika Satheesh, Haylee Shelton, Kate Sloane,Franzine Soliman, Chetna Talwar, Trinity Tecala,Helena Thomas, Carolina Tou, Olivia Towle, LauraTrinder, Victoria Trinh, Winnie Vincent, ElizabethWong, Vanessa Wong Kee and Muqi Zheng.OLMsCene 9
OLMC Alumnae Stay ConnectedSharing Mercy WisdomOLMC Alumnae Stay ConnectedEvery year, ex-students step back through the College gates, eager to share their experience and wisdom with current Mercy Girlsand our broader community. Many ex-students return to their Alma Mater to coach students, be it in debating and public speaking, musictuition, sport or through the new Academic Coaching Program, held in the Mercy After School Study Hub (MASSH).Mercy Girls come back to attend bothCollege and Alumnae events, act as OpenDay Alumnae Ambassadors, present asguest speakers in various subjects andAssembly opportunities and willingly sharetheir stories with our community throughthe OLMsCene Magazine. With so manyopportunities available to contribute to thelife of the College, you are very likely, onany given day, to run into a familiar, smilingex-student’s face in the playground!Principal Mr Stephen Walsh finds thisphenomenon truly encouraging: “To methis speaks volumes about our communitybut also about our Mercy approach. Ourgirls treasure their student experience andwant to remain connected, deeply, to ourcommunity and also to help other MercyGirls equally enjoy their OLMC experience.It’s also a very Mercy approach as the girlsare staying connected by rolling up theirsleeves and working hard as coachesand mentors, in the pursuit of MercyExcellence.”A Mercy Girl never loses hersense of community.Mr Christopher OstrowskiPublic Speaking CoordinatorExcellence which is a day-long workshopheld at the end of every year. I think thatthe girls come back because they lovetheir connection to the College and alsobecause they have a real sense of giving toothers. A Mercy Girl never loses her senseof community. It’s also my observation thatinvolvement in the College through thingslike Public Speaking mentoring developsa sense of real worth. Additionally, currentstudents respond well to ex-students; theyrelate to them so the model works well!”Jodie Rodrigues completed her HSCin 2013 and will soon be finishing herLaw degree and taking up employmentas a Graduate Solicitor in a boutique lawfirm. She has mentored at the PublicSpeaking Day of Excellence and assistsas an adjudicator at CSDA DebatingCompetitions.“In my time at OLMC, ex-studentswould coach or judge Public Speakingand Debating competitions. They werewonderful role models and generous withtheir time and knowledge. I hence decided Iwould assist OLMC in a similar capacity.”10 OLMsCeneBridget KirwanThe College’s strong Public Speaking andDebating Program has fostered immensetalent over the years, with many of thesegirls keen to return to give back. PublicSpeaking Coordinator Mr ChristopherOstrowksi says there is always a verypositive and enthusiastic response torequests for help: “I ask ex-students tobe mentors at the Public Speaking Day ofJodie believes that many of theopportunities she received were madepossible because of the teachers andex-students who gave of their time asvolunteers: “I feel obliged to do my part toensure that current and future generationsof Mercy Girls are able to hone theirinterests and skills in Public Speaking andDebating.”In 2017, the College piloted a newAcademic Coaching Program. Theprogram runs on two afternoons in theCatherine McAuley Library and sees recentex-students work with current studentsas academic coaches. Coaches provideassistance with homework or assessmenttasks, assist students with independentlearning activities and provide helpwith specific learning tasks. Assistancefor students is available in English,History, Visual Arts, Religious Education,Mathematics and Science.Bridget Kirwan (HSC 2017) says it’s beenan honour to be part of the new AcademicCoaching Program: “I came on board toassist the girls, and share knowledge thatI gained during my time at school. I havefound that the girls equally challenge meto reflect on my learning, and I to continueto learn through their insightful questioningand willingness to understand new ideas. Itis my hope that the program continues tofoster a sense of Mercy community throughbuilding friendly and helpful relationshipsbetween coaches and the girls.”For Bridget, it’s the community at OLMCthat makes a Mercy education unique:“Not only does that community assist eachperson through the sharing of knowledge,but it urges reflection on how thatknowledge can be applied in order to helpothers.”A sense of Mercy prideremains beyond graduationand keeps a Mercy Girlconnected to her AlmaMater. For me, coachingand adjudicating is amanifestation of this pride.It’s important to contribute,in some small way, toensure that OLMC’s traditionof excellence in PublicSpeaking and Debatingis maintained for manygenerations to come.Jodie Rodrigues (HSC 2013)
Bridget Kirwan (HSC 2017)Tamara Kort (HSC 2017) feels theAcademic Coaching Program is awonderful idea as the girls are able to askquestions about classwork or assessmentsthat they may not be confident to ask theirteacher: “This enables them to understandconcepts they struggle with andconsequently boost their self-esteem. Thegirls connect with us on a different level aswe have only recently graduated.Samantha Mesia (HSC 2017) came onboard as an academic coach becauseshe felt it would allow her to share herknowledge and guide fellow young MercyGirls in receiving the best Mercy education:“I wanted to give back to the communitythat has supported me throughout theyears, so I am happy to be of service tomy Alma Mater, the College of my heartalways!”For Samantha, there are many things thatmake a Mercy Girl special: “she has aninfectious laugh and her smile is heartwarming. Her optimism is admirable whileher determination is inspirational. Hercourage paves the way for her confidenceto shine as she showcases her talentsto the world. Most of all, a Mercy Girl isso special because she has a heart thatcontinues to have compassion for thosearound her.”The College
the primary school with 55 students and on 7 January 1889, they opened the secondary . nursing, physiotherapy, counselling, and pastoral care roles in various health and aged care facilities. Adapted from the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta website. The Sisters of Mercy were inspired by Catherine McAuley, who knew the power of a women's .
