We had a wonderful start to the year. Students and staff were able to enjoy all our new facilities and experience the long walk on our new raised walkway. Everyone appreciates the ease with which we can all make our way around the school without congestion. Due to the impacts of COVID, our canteen will not open until Monday but we are all waiting in eager anticipation. Thank you to our new providers Eureka for all their preparations.
Tuesday, we welcomed the Year 7 students who spent a day getting to know the school, their teachers and each other. They are very lucky to be the first group of students to begin with the new facilities. They all received their computers and now they are logged in and have access to all that they need for class. They are now truly OLMC young people.
Year 12 students also began on the same day with a specific program aimed at supporting them to begin their VCE journey well. Wednesday, the school year began in full. It is always wonderful to watch the excitement of the new school year as all the students arrive full of anticipation for the year ahead. We are hopeful that this year we will not need to be engaged in remote learning. We wish all students the very best for the year and look forward to sharing in new challenges and successes.
Our Gospel Theme this year is:
Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.
Isaiah 54:2
As I outlined in the booklet you received last week, this text challenges us to live our Mercy heritage, welcoming all and opening our lives to the needs of others, especially those who suffer. Catherine McAuley challenges us to put our whole confidence in God so that we can be Mercy, as she challenges us to be. We strive to make OLMC a place of welcome. Students each year commit themselves in so many ways to try to meet the needs of others, and we know that they will continue to do so.
All families should now have a box of five Rapid Antigen Tests for each child at OLMC. These are provided by the Victorian Government as part of the surveillance program in schools. We recommend that students complete a test on Monday and Wednesday mornings. A second box is due to be provided at the beginning of Week Three. If your child tests positive please remember to not only contact the College on 9455 7549 or covidresponse@olmc.vic.edu.au but to also report the result to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398. Email notifications will be sent to parents and caregivers if there is a positive case onsite.
While we are hopeful that this year will be different to the last two; it will continue to be impacted by COVID-19. We have learnt a great deal over the last two years, as have the young people with whom we work. The students of OLMC have demonstrated that they are becoming resilient learners who are resourceful and able to manage their learning no matter how it is delivered. We wish everyone all the very best for this year as we all strive to continue to grow in faith, knowledge, tolerance and understanding.