Being an English teacher at Merici College is fantastic for several reasons: we see the curiosity with which our students explore the world through the lens of literature and other forms of communication; we see the way our students’ skills develop and are refined over time through their hard work; we see the empathy of which our students are capable.

On Tuesday 14 December, Merici College staff participating in their annual Spirituality Day.  The theme for this year was

“Be still, and Know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

Be Still and Know. Be Still. Be.  

The Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Department has enjoyed a very productive year despite the restrictions of COVID-19 lockdown. In February, we welcomed a new visual art teacher, Ms. Holly Bray, to our team and she has inspired the students to create some remarkable art works this year. We also welcomed Ms. Stacey Kernaghan, who has been sharing her knowledge of media with the Year 9 and 10 students.

The BSSS Recognition of Excellence Ceremony is a prestigious award ceremony held in two weeks by the BSSS. Awards are given in five categories: Community Services, Vocational Studies, Academic Excellence, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Academic Achievement. These awards were  presented at Canberra Theatre on Monday 13 December.  We would like our community to celebrate with the following awardees:

Vocational Education Award - Awarded to a student achieving excellence in one or more vocational courses. The recipient of this award is: Hanah Rudd

Science @ Merici

Last year, after a year of bushfires, smoke, hail and the impacts of Covid-19, I started my article by reflecting on the resilience of the Merici community, including the Science Department. As I sit here writing the 2021 article, while in an extended period of lockdown and waiting to teach my next class remotely, I reflect that once again it has been a highly unusual school year and that we perhaps will never be truly free of the impacts of Covid-19.

Dear Merici Community,

Dare to Dream

To ‘dare’ is to call on courage, strength, imagination and strategy. To ‘dare’ is to be willing to take on the unknown, to embrace change and to shape things for the better.  To ‘dare’ is to be futures focused, positive, agile and active. To ‘dare to dream’ is to do all of the above as well as to open oneself to awe and wonder.

Jesus dared to dream and hope. He envisaged a wondrous future defined by love and unity.

Today we gather to celebrate the end of the academic calendar in a year of wonders and challenges. We also take this opportunity to recognise the successes, strength, resilience and passion exhibited by our young women in 2021. So much has been achieved, both academically and more broadly, by our students who have had the courage to dream big and to strive to reach for personal and community stars.

This weekend Merici will host the Australian national team for the 2022 International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) as they complete final training. 

The IJSO is an international competition now in its eighteenth year. Countries enter teams of six students under 16 years of age, and the competition challenges the teams across all areas of science.  This year sixty-five countries will be participating, and the host is the United Arab Emirates.