Principal's Report

Dear O'Connor Community,

During Catholic Schools Week we were able to celebrate the awards presented to Julie Burton and Josephine Ryan. It is an honour and privilege to know that Julie and Josephine have been recognised for making such a difference to our Community. We are so proud of Julie Burton on being awarded the School Officer Award & Josephine Ryan on being awarded the Student Spirit Award. Thank you to Mr Stephen Chapman and Mr Andrew May for the lovely citations for Julie and Josephine.

Julie Burton

Julie Burton has made an exceptional contribution to Catholic education at O’Connor Catholic College, Armidale. She had held a position in our admin team for many years with varying role descriptions. Her commitment and competency has guided her to the current position of Curriculum Officer. This position has a high degree of responsibility that is not normally associated with a member of the staff administration team. Julie completes these duties efficiently and effectively with a minimum of fuss. 

Julie lives her life by setting the highest standards for moral responsibility. She demonstrates a strong Catholic ethos with care and empathy for others at all times. She and her family set a model example of dedication to doing the right thing with a positive and supportive attitude. Julie and husband Jason trusted O’Connor with the education of both their children and, as a family, were positive and supportive of Catholic education. 

In recent years, Julie has been given roles of increasing responsibility at O’Connor. She had been the staff member responsible for NESA data entries and record keeping; a job normally completed by an Assistant Principal in previous years. Julie also, in 2022, took on the difficult job of organising the casuals and covers each day. In our large school, with activities and absences happening every day, this job is challenging and complicated. Julie continues to do this each day this year with a minimum of fuss. Again, this is a job normally done by leadership. This is an example of a competent admin staff completing tasks that enable teachers and leaders to dedicate their time to other important tasks. 

Julie stands out from others in similar roles through her wide range of responsibilities and skills. She is an expert at using Compass, training others regularly. Julie completed the Breakthrough Coaching course in2022 and has since organised the Assistant Principal she was paired with, resulting in greater efficiency for the whole team. This has continued with a new Assistant Principal this year. Julie learns new things easily with a pragmatic attitude. If she doesn’t know how to do something, she researches and reaches out to experts to learn how to succeed. Julie is an expert in VET, TVET and SBAT issues, working with parents, employers and training organisations to find and organise the ideal pathway for students. She organises excursions at our school with people popping into her office regularly during the day. She is never too busy to help. 

Julie makes a difference in the lives of students, colleagues and parents through her personal and professional manner. She genuinely cares for all the people in our community. Everyone who interacts with Julie goes away dwelling better for the experience. Nothing is too much effort for her. Julie completes her challenging role with extraordinary efficiency and dedication, working countless unpaid hours each week in her own time. Our school, and our extended Catholic community, benefits from Julie’s efforts and care each day. 

Julie is worthy recipient of the School Officer Award, Congratulations Julie!

Josephine Ryan

Josephine Ryan is a current Year 11 student at O’Connor Catholic College, Armidale. She has been enrolled at O’Connor Catholic College since Year 7. Prior to this, Josephine attended St Joseph’s School, Uralla. She is an active member of the faith communities of St Joseph’s Parish and O’Connor and sets an exemplary standard for all members of the College Community to emulate through her positivity and desire to contribute. 

Josephine is an exemplar of Catholic values within O’Connor. Since Year 7, she has distinguished herself through her active involvement in the Faith life of the College. Josephine has served the O’Connor community as an altar server throughout her time at O’Connor, and has actively mentored junior students in this role. Her presence at College Masses helps ensure that these Masses are celebrated in a dignified, reverent manner, helping her peers and younger students gain a closer connection to the faith life of the College. Josephine has also conducted training sessions for younger students seeking to become servers. Her depth of knowledge and understanding of the deeper meanings of the actions carried out by servers during school Masses is plain to see, and she seeks to convey this to the younger students. 

In addition to her role as a senior altar server, Josephine is deeply committed to the school’s St Vincent de Paul group. She is a faithful member of the group, helping to coordinate and conduct activities such as the regular visits to Autumn Lodge as well as fundraising events for Caritas during Lent and Catholic Mission every October. Josephine is the most senior member of the group and is active in introducing new members to the group in order to ensure its viability. 

Josephine’s dedication to good causes extends beyond the O’Connor school boundaries. In 2022 she was one of the first O’Connor students to be trained as an assistant Catechist supporting the Special Religious Education program in state schools in Armidale. Josephine was the most active member of this group of Year 10 students and her involvement in the school groups she supported at both Ben Venue and Martins Gully schools set a very high standard for her peers to emulate. Josephine has offered to be involved in the process again in 2023, helping to train the next generation of assistant Catechists at O’Connor. 

This year, Josephine has stepped up into the role of a Lasallian Youth Leader (LYL), mentoring Year 7 and 8 students at the College. She has immersed herself fully into this role and is highly engaged in the LYL program at O’Connor. This is in addition to her ongoing role with the St Vincent de Paul group and as a senior altar server leading training sessions for younger students. Josephine is very highly regarded by her peers and the Lasallian Youth Mentors at O’Connor for her indefatigable enthusiasm and as an embodiment of the Lasallian and Ursuline values upon which O’Connor stands. She regularly mentors small groups each week and has supported school retreats for Year 7 and 8 students. 

Josephine’s passion for living out Christ’s teachings is made all the more poignant as she has done all of this whilst enduring the most difficult of times as a young person, the loss of her father following a prolonged illness in 2022. his loss has strengthened Josephine’s determination to help others as they face their own struggles. She has never asked for help, but gives her all to help others. 

Josephine is a worthy recipient of the Student Spirit Award, Congratulations!

God Bless,

Mrs Clare Healy

Principal