Information Centre 2023
The year has flown by. It began busily as always, preparing and distributing over 3,100 textbooks within the first few weeks. Term 1 saw us engaged and celebrating being back at school, displays were created, we set up the WIDE reading program and began the database and research lessons. We also launched the new Senior Study in the old iC lab, new furniture was delivered, and seniors have a new space for quiet study.
The Interschool Girls Chess Tournament was also hosted by Merici in Term 1. As it was being held at our school, many more students could join in the fun. We had a strong team of 14 players and our top four players, Hannah, Mary and Sarah David-Hoole and Grace Barber are heading to the playoffs with the hope of making it to Nationals again in December.
During Term 2, Merici College hosted the Canberra Heat of the Kids’ Lit Quiz. This was a huge success. We had participants from Year 5 through to Year 8 from 12 schools across Canberra consisting of 29 teams. This is an opportunity for book lovers and the avid reader to shine, testing their knowledge of book and author trivia. Merici had three teams of four competitors, the top two teams finishing fifth and sixth.
Week 6 of Term 3 had us celebrating Book Week; it was so much fun. It kicked off with a “Where’s Wally” immersion, with staff dressing in their stripes and Wally outfits. The Book Week Committee did an amazing job, creating activities to keep everyone busy and interested in reading, a Scavenger Hunt, lunch time trivia, Kahootz, quizzes during Pastoral Care, a cake decorating competition and the Dress Up Parade. It was fun to have the dress up parade out on the oval, thanks to a lunch time fire alarm! It is always so inspiring to see the creativity expressed and the fun had by everyone involved. This week of activities bring the whole school community together over their love of characters, books and reading.
During Term 3 we also welcomed the author Katrina Nannestad for an author talk for the Year 7s and writers’ workshop for interested volunteers from Years 7-12.
The iC would not be the hub of the school; nor could it run or provide the services it does without the wonderful work of the library staff. It is with gratitude I acknowledge and thank Mrs. Kim Hekimian, Mrs. Anne Lange and Mrs. Nicole Dwyer Johns for everything they do to keep the library looking enticing, running smoothly, meeting the resource needs of both staff and students, and remaining the safe place for all in our school community.
Mrs. Ann Blakey
Teacher Librarian
