Monday was Remembrance Day and at OLMC our community paused to recognise those who have fought in World Wars and in particular those who did not return. A team of students very ably and reverently led prayer and our remembrance service.
For OLMC 11 November is also a very significant date for us as a Mercy community because it is the anniversary of the passing of Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy.
On Tuesday we welcomed the parents of our Year 7 2025 students. It was wonderful to see parents excited about the next stage in their child’s educational journey. The night also marks the beginning of our transition to the 2025 year.
The Year 12 students are reaching the end of the exam period and are finding ways to celebrate while they await results. Year 10 and 11 students are in exam mode. At OLMC we introduce exams at Year 10 in line with the view that this is the beginning of the Senior years at secondary school and VCE exams are not too far away. As such, this is an important time for students to learn about how they work in preparation for exams and during the exam itself. Following exams, both year levels will have an opportunity to do some preparation work for 2025 during the Orientation Program.
The year is rapidly coming to an end and we will soon move into the season of Advent where we begin our preparations for Christmas. However, we still have some work to do and I encourage all of our students to make the most of the next few weeks, and to continue to strive to achieve their best.
The Leadership Team and College Advisory Council are continuing the work finalising the Strategic Directions 2025-2029. I am grateful to the parents, staff and students who have participated in forums and workshops, deliberating about the key strategic objectives for OLMC into the future.
As I do each year, I share this prayer for exams in the hope that you might also share it with your child. In a small way it may help to bring calm in the exam room.
Prayer For Exam
Come still my heart, O Lord.
Calm my nerves and focus my mind.
Father, I lay before you everything I have studied.
May I channel all I have learnt into this exam.
Please give me the faith to believe I can pass this test,
Yet the peace to know that all is well.
Thank you that you are with me no matter what the result,
Thank you that your friendship is eternal.
Amen.
(a prayer for students taking an exam from www.lords-prayer-words.com)