Educational Leadership honoured

The ACEL Australian Council for Educational Leaders ACT will present the branch Fellowship Award to Merici College Principal Loretta Wholley at an annual presentation dinner this month. The Award is a major achievement that salutes educational leaders who have made a significant contribution to education, educational leadership and the improvement of student and organisational outcomes. Congratulations Loretta.

Fred Hollows Humanity Award

Students Maggie Hotston from St Michael’s Primary, and Grace Brady from Rosary Primary School have been presented with the 2017 Fred Hollows Schools Award in recognition for their outstanding leadership in caring for others. Gabi Hollows, pictured with the girls, explained that the Awards recognise people who go out of their way for others, show compassion, respect and kindness towards their fellow human.

Congratulations to …

• Jessica Lauc, Merici College Year 12 student, for winning the National CPA Business Plan Competition in Melbourne for her "LEADZ" dog band enterprise concept.
• Clare Molony, Merici College Year 11, for winning the 2017 National History Challenge State Award for the category of Women's History.
• Kate Connolly, Merici Year 11 student, for being accepted into the Young Women Speak Out project.

ANZAC Day Schools’ Award

The ACT Secondary School Anzac Day Secondary Schools Award was presented to Merici College, the judges impressed by the high degree of learning demonstrated through a great range of activities, and excellent school wide and community engagement.

With the guidance of Mrs Alison Marks and Mrs Philippa Brotchie, the students in Year 4 from Rosary Primary School, Watson, were commended with ACT Runner-up ANZAC Day Schools’ Award for 2017 in the primary school category.

‘Pens Against Poverty’ Schools Writing Competition Winners- 2017

Students from our Archdiocesan schools have been awarded six of the 16 awards presented at the Anti- Poverty Week event, sponsored by Marymead and Anglicare.

• Callum Webb- Holy Spirit, Nicholls. Special Award: “Promising Young Novelist” award and equal first winner in his category, 5/6 story.
• Mrs Louise Martingale/ Year 10, Merci: “Standout Class”.
• Nick Curtis- St Bede’s Primary School, Red Hill. 3/4 “Winner” (Story)
• Jess Kowalski- St Bede’s Primary School, Red Hill. 3/4 “Highly Commended” (Story)
• Sea Cela- St Thomas Aquinas, West Belconnen. 3/4 “Winner” (Poem)
• Tamara Brammall- St John Vianney’s, Waramanga. 5/6 “Highly Commended” (Poem)
• Shabnam Mohamad Shafiq, Merici College Year 10

What Has Kids Running To Read At St Bernard’s, Batehaven?

Meet Pickles O’Brien, the newest member of the St Bernard’s school community at Bateman’s Bay. Pickles is a Story Dog. That’s right, a real-life pooch who supports children with their reading. The idea is that the children read to Pickles, explain what is happening in the story, and what the pictures tell us on each page. The non-judgmental, attentive and loving nature of dogs provide the magic that helps children to relax, open up, try harder and have fun reading.

Pickles is particularly gifted in connecting with people and comes with glowing references from the local retirement village where he is trained in this special work. Pickles’ owner Mrs Deb O’Brien is the School Officer and Classroom Support Assistant. She ensures that Pickles is where he needs to be at any given lesson.

With anxiety levels amongst young children increasing Principal Mrs Jacqui Heffernan says that education leaders need to think differently about the ways in which children learn, and how they interact and access their learning in the school environment.

A Team Effort at St Monica’s Evatt

St Monica’s Kindergarten, year one and two classes wowed their audience with a stunning performance of the musical ‘Tattybogle’- a heartwarming story of a supremely optimistic scarecrow that is stripped by strong Autumn winds leaving only one stick standing. His optimism is rewarded by Spring when his stick blossoms into a tree. The young children melted hearts and captivated the audience with their acting, singing and dancing. It was a moment these families will remember always.

Boorowa Carnival Biggest And Best

The Boorowa Touch Football/Netball Carnival co-hosted by St Joseph’s and Boorowa Central Schools continues to be the biggest carnival on the NSW Primary school calendar. A total of 444 teams were nominated, 250 touch teams and 194 netball teams, making a total of 52 participating schools – the biggest yet! Needless to say the Carnival Committee was overwhelmed by the response.

This year’s event, attracted schools from the surrounding towns of Young, Murrumburrah, Temora, Crookwell, Goulburn, Queanbeyan, Yass, Braidwood, Cootamundra, Bombala and many primary schools from the ACT.

Thirty of the schools participating come from the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese Catholic school system. Along with these schools come their teachers, their families and a wonderful contingent of senior students from schools such as Hennessy College Young, Trinity College Goulburn, Sacred Heart Cootamundra, and St. Anne’s Temora. It is wonderful to see these senior students assisting with coaching and refereeing their primary school peers.

This year the carnival hosted high profile visitors including, Mr Ricky Sturt, Coach of the Canberra Raiders, Member for Goulburn Prue Goward, the Hilltops Mayor Brian Ingram, many Hilltops councillors, and numerous dignitaries from the town and region, for a turning of the soil for the new facilities to be built on the grounds in 2017-18.

The carnival would not be possible without the support and assistance from many community members who assist with bus and car parking, canteens, line marking and first aid. An enormous thankn you is extended to NSW Touch Association and NSW Netball, the Hilltops Council, the Boorowa Community Bank, and especially the school communities of Boorowa Central School and St Joseph’s School Boorowa who jointly run the carnival.