This is our final newsletter for the year. I would like to thank and commend all our staff, students and families for all that has been achieved this year. Our theme has been ‘And, who is my neighbour?’ (Luke 10:29b). During this year, the Year 12 Student Leaders, the Student Representative Council and those with informal student leadership roles worked across all year levels to help all students understand that they are each a neighbour to someone at OLMC.
On Friday evening the Junior Production with Marcellin College of High School Musical Jr will open. It has been wonderful to see the excitement of the students involved as they prepare for their first public performance. They demonstrate amazing courage to share their talents with our community in such a public way. We wish them all the very best for a spectacular opening night.
Over the course of this year, students across all year levels have faced new challenges, developed new knowledge and skills and applied them to solving problems and it is appropriate to reflect on their success. Next week, we will hold our final assembly where we will formally acknowledge the students who have exhibited excellence in their learning or through their engagement within or outside the College. It will be a moment to celebrate and give thanks for all that has been achieved throughout 2023.
Staff Movement
This year a number of people are discontinuing their normal roles at OLMC. Each person has contributed to the fabric of our community, helping to build and nurture young people of courage, compassion, justice and joy. There are many OLMC students who speak about their amazing experiences both in class and in the many co-curricular activities on offer at OLMC because of the dedication of staff like them.
They have offered kindness, mentoring and leadership to all with whom they have worked. While we wish them well in the next part of their journey, we farewell them with some sadness but hope that they will remember that they will always be a part of the OLMC Community:
Christine Al Mourani – Health and Physical Education Team
Caroline Bui - English Team
Janine Daniel - Nurse
Fleur Davison – Languages Learning Leader
Vanessa Dimovski - PA to Leader of Learning Development
Bernadette Mercieca - Maths and Religious Education Teams
Angela Molinari – English and Religious Education Teams
Henry Ralston – Design, Art and Technology and English Teams
John Renkin – Maths Team
Susan Richardson – English Team
Patrick Smithers – Humanities and English Teams
Adrian Stojkovich – Art Technician
Mark Vorster – Maths Learning Leader
Staff on Leave in 2024
Maureen Gleeson
Phina Tran
New Staff
In 2024, we will welcome the following staff:
Sarah Hodge - Maths
Nora Macawali - Maths
Cyvonne Scarica - Languages/Art and Year Level Coordinator/House Coordinator
Shirley Wu- Maths Learning Area Leader
Christmas
In this season of Advent, we prepare for the birth of Jesus. This is a season of great joy, hope and celebration. We spend time with family, and share celebrations with our friends and colleagues. It is a celebration of the gift of life. Christmas can therefore become an occasion to welcome, as a personal gift, the message of hope that emanates from the mystery of the birth of Christ.
My hope for all OLMC families, as it is each year, is that this is a time of great joy where the gift of life and the nourishment for your heart enables you to find a place of encounter with God and each other. May the blessings of Christmas be with you.