College News
Orientation Day
We were blessed with great weather for our final Orientation Day of the Year. Those students who are enrolled in our Year 7 cohort for 2022 attended the day and participated in a variety of activities and information sessions including learning about the College, O'Connor drama, Rube Goldberg Machines (enrichment exercise) and outdoor games.
Mrs Roff our Enrichment Leader of Learning challenged their creative skills with Rube Goldberg Machines. Many groups used dominos, ramps with marbles, small demolition balls, balloons, straws and cardboard tubes.
The game of relay noughts and crosses down on the basketball / netball courts was a great challenge for them.
HSC Continues
Our Year 12 Students continue to sit their HSC Exams at the College and we are seeing many relieved faces as they finish their final exam. One special tradition is to take home their 'star' which are part of a collection of individual photos of Year 12 students which are displayed outside the Examination Centre.
Felix we pretty pleased that he had finished his final exam on Friday last week, with his French Continuers exam completed.
The HSC Examinations finish on 2 Deb with Extension Science Exam.
Debating Final Results
The O’Connor Catholic College Senior Debating Team and Scotch College Melbourne came head to head last Tuesday afternoon in the Final of the Australian Independent Schools Debating Competition. Held via live stream, the topic given to the two Colleges was ‘That voters should have to show ID to vote in a federal election’. O’Connor debated the negative and after a lengthy deliberation by the adjudication time, Scotch College were declared the victors.
Team members Jean Boshoff, Joel Croft, Angus Scrivener and Roie Wood competed in seven debates in total in the nation wide competition, gaining valuable experience. The team defeated The Armidale School in their semi-final a week prior to the Final. According to Ms Menz, “The fact that we had two Armidale Schools in one of the semi-finals shows the quality of education available to the students of Armidale. We are all very proud of what our debating students have achieved in this completion. To reach the Final in such a competition is an admirable result”. O’Connor Debating Coach Jenny Roff also pointed out “They have been wonderful role models for our younger debaters and for our entire O’Connor Community”.
Well done to everyone involved.
Junior Debating Update
Our College Junior Debating Team made up of Year 8 Students Thalia, Abi Maddie and Georgia gained even more debating experience on Friday last week, debating the topic 'That teachers and stents should have equal say in how funding is spent in schools'. They debated the affirmative position against Holy Trinity Inverell and were the victors on the day.
On Thursday this week the Year 7 team competed against Holy Trinity Inverell in the Diocesan Competition. Adjudicated by Roie Wood they debated the topic "That Australia should charge a tax on foods high in fat and/or sugar'. O'Connor was the affirmative and presented a very strong case and were declared the victors.
School of Rock
Our Music and Drama department have been busy with online rehearsals of the College 2022 Musical. Although rehearsals via zoom is difficult, the students and staff area stepping up to the challenge and look forwards to be rehearsing face to face when restrictions ease.