We are now well into Term 2, and we have certainly had some unusual weeks! After finishing Term 1 with plans for the new COVID regulations to commence in Term 2, things changed dramatically on the first day of school!
From a completely closed campus and masks to ‘freedom again’, we have contacted, traced, and reported cases to the Health Department and now are learning to live with significant numbers of student and staff absences. Despite all of this, our staff have been marvellous in ensuring our classes are able to run, and many are multitasking to help ensure that things run smoothly. I am sure you will join me in thanking our staff. We also would like to thank our families for your patience as we all navigate the changing COVID landscape.
As life returned to the College, we were pleased to be able to enjoy our Junior School Swimming Carnival (albeit with masks that week!), our Mother’s Day Assembly and Morning Tea, and the Year 12 Mother and Daughter Dinner and our Secondary Interhouse Athletics Carnival. Thank you to the families who have been involved in these events. We appreciate that quarantine and home situations have made it difficult for families to attend some events, but we hope that things will be back to normal with time.
These last few weeks, some students have been sitting NAPLAN and ESTS. This too has been a juggling act of sitting these compulsory assessments or trying to catch up upon return to school. We thank Mr Sills and Ms Kathryn White, who has vigilantly planned and replanned for students to have the opportunity to sit these assessments.
Our Years 11-12 students are now busily preparing for their examinations which will commence on 30 May. While Year 10 examinations begin on 9 June. Students will receive detailed timetables and instructions.
On the social justice aspect, our school has commenced a fundraising effort for LifeLink. This term, our students support LifeLink by collecting gold coin donations by donating non-perishable goods for to ‘The Shopfront’ to support needy families. We encourage our students to promote and support these great initiatives through friendly competition between each House. The Year 10s students also joined the Seeds of Justice Conference on 19 May. The students participated in storytelling, ritual and traditions sessions that encompass our Mercy Ethos as we work towards a nation of equity and justice. The theme for the first event was ‘Stories of reconciliation and mercy’. This was a great opportunity to network with students from other Mercy schools.
Next week we will have our first College Twilight Tour on 27 May at 4.00 pm. We encourage you to invite any friends or family who are interested in our College. Registration is via this link.
As winter solidly approaches, we hope that your families continue to stay safe and safety. We continue to pray to the Lord for the safekeeping of our students and their families.
God Bless,
Carmen Cox
Principal
