We look forward to welcoming you to Merici College for Year 7 in 2023! Please find below information that we hope will help with your transition into Merici life.
First Day
Year 7 students will commence on Tuesday 31 January 2023. Students are required to arrive between 8.30am and 9.00am. Senior students will be at the front of the school (Wise Street) from 8.30am to greet the girls and escort them to the auditorium foyer where they will be met by their House Coordinator. A Welcome Assembly will be held in the auditorium at 9.00am and conclude at 9.15am. At the conclusion of Assembly, Pastoral Care (PC) teachers will take their Year 7s to their PC room to go through student timetables, lockers, school facilities and collect their Year 7 Starter Pack.
What equipment should you bring on your first day?
You will need to bring your laptop, a pen and one note pad or exercise book. Each subject teacher will let you know about subject-specific stationery requirements.
Collection of Starter Pack: The starter pack will include the school planner, three exercise books and a lock for the student’s locker in a Merici drawstring bag. A calculator, food technology cooking hat and language books will be distributed when required in appropriate subject classrooms. The drawstring bag can be used to carry sports uniform for PE/Dance classes.
Personal Property: You will be allocated a locker and given a lock on your first day. School bags and phones are not taken to lessons and are to be stored in your locker before PC and accessed during recess and lunch.
Catering: Lunch with the Senior Students will be provided for you on your first day in the New Quad, however students will be required to bring their own recess as the canteen is closed.
Departure: All Year 7 students will be escorted to the auditorium at 2.50pm. If you are travelling home by bus, you will be taken to your bus line by a staff member. It would be greatly appreciated if you could find out what bus number you need to catch prior to the commencement of school. Non-bus travelling students can be picked up from the auditorium or at the collection bay (Wise Street carpark).
Pastoral Care (PC)
Every morning you commence school with PC at 8:45am. Morning PC is a very important class. It is where you receive information, hand in notes, have your name marked off the roll, read the daily notices and participate in a prayer.
Student Services and Attendance Information
Email: [email protected]
We are required to archive all absence notifications hence email communication is always preferred.
Student Services is often the best place to start if you require some information, feel sick, need first aid, have lost property, collect PC rolls or want to hand in late notes. This is where you meet your parents if you are leaving early. Student Services is also where parents/guardians can drop off something you may have forgotten to bring to school.
Attendance
If you feel unwell while at school, please let your classroom teacher know and go the Student Services for first aid attention. Please do not contact your parents directly as we will contact them for you when you report to Student Services. Please note that the school is unable to issue paracetamol to students.
Parents are requested to email the College details of their daughters’ absence, copy your daughter and her Pastoral Care teacher in all emails. NB: If we do not receive notification, an SMS will be sent to the phone number you have listed with the College advising you that your daughter has not arrived at school.
If you are going on extended leave, please request permission via email to the Principal at [email protected]. Please copy your daughter’s House Coordinator and Student Services ([email protected]) in the email.
If you arrive late to school, you are required to sign in at the Student Services Office. Please always sign in if you arrive after the start of the day.
If you need to leave school early, bring in a note signed from your parents. Show the note to the teacher when you need to leave early. Collect your things and make your way to Student Services where you will be signed out by your parents or guardian. Junior students can only sign out with a parent/guardian.
Year 7 Camp
The Year 7 Camp will be held from Monday 6 March-Wednesday 8 March (Group 1) and Wednesday 8 March –Friday 10 March (Group 2). Groups will be arranged closer to the date. The location of the camp is Tallong Centre. More information about the camp, including permission notes, will be presented at a workshop early February 2023.
School Calendar
The School Calendar can be found on the website, as well as in your school planner.
School Planner
Your school planner contains a lot of useful information. Take a moment to read the planner as it contains information about the uniform policy, the Digital Community policy, has a map of the school, your assessment calendar, school dates and events. Don’t forget to list your personal details including your MYWAY card details in your planner.
What Does Your PC Teacher and House Coordinator Do?
Your PC teacher and House Coordinator play a significant role in your schooling at Merici College. They can help with friend and family problems, if you have lost something of value, if you are very sick and you need to take leave. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your House Coordinator.
Balgo: [email protected]
Brescia: [email protected]
Ningil: [email protected]
Penola: [email protected]
Seiwa: [email protected]
Tullow: [email protected]
Uniform
Your summer uniform is worn during Term 1 and Term 4 and your winter uniform is worn during Term 2 and Term 3. Your PE uniform is brought to school and only worn during your PE lesson. Merici operates a uniform shop on the school premises. The shop is located at the “white house” on Limestone Avenue, adjacent to the multipurpose courts. More information on the uniform and the uniform shop operating hours can be found on our website and in your school planner. We recommend that uniform items are labelled with your name.
Canteen
The emphasis in our canteen is on providing healthy and nutritious snacks, meals and drinks. Canteen facilities are available to staff and students before school, at recess and lunch times. Junior students are not permitted to purchase from the canteen during class time. Senior students may purchase from the Canteen throughout the day.
Charge cards will be distributed to students on the first day. Students complete their purchases by swiping their Charge Card. The Charge Card can be loaded with cash before school and at recess Monday to Friday, and lunchtimes Monday and Thursday and is situated outside the Student Services office. The machine accepts EFTPOS and PayPass so you and your parents can top up student cards with a debit or credit card online at https://pay.merici.act.edu.au/MyMonitor/.
School Counsellor
Merici College is very fortunate to have two school counsellors on campus to support our students. It is important to note that School counselling is not a crisis service but should you feel you may benefit from school counselling when school resumes, please speak with your House Coordinator or send an email to [email protected].
College Reception
College Reception can be contacted on telephone 6243 4100 and is open from 8.30am to 4.20pm.
Year 7 Aspiring to Achieve Parent Workshop
A workshop for parents will be held on Tuesday 7 February 2023 to provide information on the camp, pastoral care, the academic program and life at the College. More information will be communicated to families closer to the event.
We look forward to seeing you and your family next year!
Mrs Anna Masters
Principal
