TAS

Cultivating the Future: Our Exciting New Agricultural Partnership with Trigall Australia

A fantastic new initiative is taking root at the O’Connor Catholic College school farm! We are thrilled to announce an exclusive, real-world research partnership with Trigall Australia, a leading national breeder of long-season wheat varieties.

On Monday 25 May, the Trigall team was on-site with specialised equipment to officially sow our new 2026 Cereal Research Program. This initiative has transformed an 88m x 60m paddock of our school farm into a cutting-edge agricultural Research and Development (R&D) site.

Stewards of Creation: Living Our Catholic Values

At O’Connor, we look at agriculture not just as a science, but as a direct expression of our Catholic identity and core value of stewardship. This partnership allows our students to put Pope Francis's call in Laudato si’ into practical action, learning how to care for our common home through sustainable land management, innovation, and ethical food production. By cultivating this land, our students develop a deeper appreciation for God's creation and our responsibility to feed and serve our wider community.

Bridging Classroom Theory and Industry Practice

This collaboration provides our students with a unique, hands-on opportunity to engage with top-tier agricultural science and industry-leading plant breeding thanks to Trigall’s generous provision of expertise and machinery.

Over the coming months, our students will step out of the classroom and onto the field as active researchers, managing two distinct experimental streams tailored to the unique climate of the New England region:

Trial A (The Dual-Purpose Study): Students will evaluate the "grazing-to-grain" potential of novel Wheat, Barley, and Triticale varieties. They will measure biomass, calculate dry matter yield, and test whether Triticale offers superior financial returns for local farmers.
Trial B (Elite Wheat Genetics Study): Students will monitor pre-commercial, long-season wheat lines. They will track critical growth milestones, such as flowering times, to learn how farmers manage frost risks and optimise grain production.

Developing Science, Data, and Business Skills

This program goes far beyond traditional farming. By tracking growth using the industry-standard Zadoks Scale and conducting real-world "Gross Margin Modeling," students will develop advanced financial literacy and data science skills. They aren't just growing crops; they are analysing real-world data to make informed farm management decisions from soil to shelf.

From May sowing to December harvest our students will manage this crop through the "Armidale Window", monitoring winter establishment, conducting spring forage cuts, and concluding with a final grain harvest in December. In 2027, future classes will even get to analyse the grain quality data (like protein levels and flour strength) from this very crop!

We extend our sincere thanks to Trigall Australia for investing in the future of our students and our agricultural program. Keep an eye on the newsletter for more updates as our crops, and our students' skills, continue to grow! - Mrs Tara Hogan Agriculture Teacher

Textiles

Our Year 9 Textiles Technology class has recently completed their first practical project for the year, titled “Carry It”, based on the focus area of Non-Apparel. Students were challenged to design and construct a functional and aesthetically pleasing tote bag, using a selection of example designs as inspiration throughout Term 1.

As part of the design brief, students were required to incorporate a decorative technique, with many choosing appliqué and embroidery to personalise their work. A number of students also included practical features such as functional pockets.

The finished projects were outstanding, showcasing an impressive level of creativity, design skill, and practical craftsmanship. Students should be extremely proud of the effort and dedication they demonstrated throughout the project.

Here are some of the completed designs.

Year 11 Textiles & Design - Year 11 Textiles & Design students have been engaged in their first unit of work for this senior course, titled Design. As part of this unit, students explored the theme “Self Portrait” through both practical and folio-based components, encouraging them to communicate personal identity, interests, and inspiration through textile art.

For the practical component, students were challenged to design, construct, and evaluate an original textile art item that reflected the theme “Self Portrait”. The project required students to apply the elements and principles of design while incorporating at least three fabric decoration techniques. Throughout the process, students demonstrated creativity, individuality, and a growing confidence in a range of textile techniques.

The accompanying folio work allowed students to further develop and communicate their ideas. Students created inspiration and mood boards featuring textile art examples connected to the theme, while also identifying and explaining contemporary, historical, and cultural influences evident in selected designs. In addition, students produced annotated design sketches that analysed both the functional and aesthetic aspects of their ideas, showing the progression and refinement of their creative thinking.

The quality of work produced has been extremely impressive, with students demonstrating thoughtful design development, strong technical skills, and a high level of creativity. They should be very proud of the effort and dedication shown throughout this project.

Mrs Vicki Channon

Teacher - TAS

Food Technology

Year 9 Food Technology “Mash It Up” Challenge - Year 9 Food Technology students recently took part in a creative fusion food assessment task where they explored the development of Australian cuisine through multicultural influences. Across two practical lessons, students designed and prepared their own unique “mash up” dishes, combining flavours, techniques and traditions from different cultures.

The results were both imaginative and delicious. Some standout creations included butter chicken pizza (Indian and Italian fusion), Vietnamese dumpling pancakes (Vietnamese and Chinese fusion), pizza spring rolls (Italian and Asian fusion), chai tiramisu, churro cheesecake, matcha sponge cake and boba affogato. Students also experimented with sweet and savoury combinations such as chocolate pizza and apple pie spring rolls.

As part of the task, students also created a Canva presentation explaining the cultural and historical influences behind their dishes, along with annotated design concepts and recipe cards. The assessment encouraged students to think creatively while developing practical cookery skills, teamwork, presentation techniques and an understanding of how food connects cultures around the world.

The Food Technology room was filled with excitement, creativity and some incredible aromas as students brought their fusion food ideas to life.

Miss Lauren English

Teacher - TAS

Creative and Performing Arts

Music

The Eisteddfod is in full swing for 2026.

Congratulations to everyone who has competed so far and especially:

- Marisa Suluma who placed in the following events:

1st in Jazz 16yrs & under
1st in Sacred Song 16yrs & under
1st in Musical Theatre 16yrs & under
2nd in Folk Song 16yrs & under
2nd in New England Vocal Champs 18yrs & under

- Year 9 Emilio Morales- Bello who place first in the piano duet section

- Year 11 Music 2 class with their compositions and in particular Laura Ligard who took out first place and Richard May second in a challenging section where students had to compose an original composition.

- Year 10 Drama class who perform this week

Good luck to the elective music classes and Holy Horns who will be competing tomorrow! (Tuesday 02/06)

Showcase Night

We will have a CAPA showcase night on Thursday 18th June from 5:30pm. This is an amazing opportunity to watch our amazing musicians and drama students perform live and walk through the art exhibition showcasing the talented creations of your visual arts students from year 7-11. Everyone is very welcome to attend.

Visual Arts

The art rooms are buzzing with students from year 7 -11 challenging their creative ideas and developing technical skills across a range of areas including; ceramics, sculpture, functional design, painting, photography and mixed media works in both 2D and 3D

Artist of the Month - Congratulations to Juliette Creamer (year 9 Photography) who has been awarded the Artist of the Month for her ability to capture unique photographic perspectives from our school grounds and Scarlett Rummery (year 9 Visual Arts) for her contemporary self portrait.

Year 7 Visual Arts -This term year 7 has been getting creative transforming self portrait drawings into 3 dimensional ceramic sculptures.

From left to right: Savannah McIntyre, Sofia Hogan, Scarlett Hall, Hugo Flavel, Lockie Blanch, Saskia Murat, Vincent Arakaki, Spencer Northey, James Slick.

Year 8 Visual Arts - Year’s 8 ceramic Pop art inspired mugs are filling the kiln ready to be bisque fired and then glazed. In the meantime year 8 are exploring abstract art with their creative designs inspired by fish.

Year 9 Photography - Students have completed taking images around the school to develop and improve their ability to 'see' great compositions in everyday places. Images by Finn Single, Lyla Higgins and Jack Gallagher.

Year 9 Visual arts are continuing to challenge their painting and compositional skills as they transfer their ideas for their contemporary self portraits onto canvas.

From left to right : Scarlett Rummery, Shari Sabry and Anne Ugwumba

Year 11- Duality - Have been delving deeper into the concept of Duality as a means to create a collection of work with a sculptural focus.

These will be on display in week 9 along with the ceramic works and abstract ink painting from year 7 and 8 art students for the creative and performing arts showcase.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Dance

The OCC Year 11 Dance class participated in the New England Dance Eisteddfod in the School Groups Lyrical or Contemporary Year 11 to Year 12 category. The girls performed fantastically and received some really positive feedback from the adjudicator. The group placed 2nd in their category which is such a wonderful achievement. Well done on all your hard work!

Mrs Megan Wooster

On behalf of the CAPA team.

Mathematics

The Mathematics Department has had a very positive and productive start to the term, with Year 11 and 12 reports now completed. We would like to congratulate students on their efforts so far and encourage everyone to continue showing resilience, persistence, and grit as we move through the middle of the term. Mathematics can be challenging at times, but growth comes from perseverance, practice, and a willingness to keep improving.

Across all year groups, assessment tasks and class activities are coming up over the coming weeks. Students are encouraged to stay focused, organised, and prepared so they can confidently demonstrate what they know and do their very best. Consistent revision, completing homework, and asking questions in class are all important habits that lead to success.

Our students across all year groups are engaging with a wide range of mathematical concepts and continuing to build important problem-solving and reasoning skills.

Year 7 students are completing their unit on fractions, decimals, and percentages. They have been developing confidence in converting between forms, solving practical percentage problems, and applying these skills to real-world contexts. Next, students will begin their introduction to algebra, where they will start learning how mathematical rules and patterns can be represented using variables and equations.
Year 8 students are currently focusing on algebra and equations. This unit is helping students strengthen their understanding of mathematical relationships, substitution, simplifying expressions, and solving equations. These skills form an important foundation for future mathematical learning and problem-solving.
Year 9 students are also working through algebraic concepts and equations, extending their ability to solve more complex problems and apply algebraic reasoning in different contexts. Students are being encouraged to show clear working, justify solutions, and develop confidence when tackling multi-step problems.
Year 10 students are currently working within two mathematics pathways designed to support their preparation for senior studies. The Pathway to Advanced and Extension Mathematics class is focusing on logarithms and exponential functions, developing students’ understanding of growth and decay, algebraic manipulation, and higher-level problem-solving skills that are essential for advanced mathematics courses. The Pathway to Standard Mathematics class is concentrating on algebraic equations, index laws, and simplifying algebraic expressions, strengthening the foundational skills needed for success in senior mathematics and everyday problem-solving contexts. Both classes are continuing to build confidence, resilience, and accuracy in their mathematical thinking.
Year 11 Standard Mathematics students are working through finance and measurement topics, applying formulas to practical situations such as budgeting, loans, interest, rates, and measurement calculations. Students are developing strong numeracy skills that are highly relevant to everyday life and future pathways.
Year 11 Advanced Mathematics students are completing a unit on trigonometry, exploring trigonometric ratios, identities, and problem-solving applications. Students are developing their analytical thinking skills and applying trigonometry to increasingly challenging mathematical situations.
Year 12 Advanced Mathematics students are currently studying sequences and series and exploring their applications to financial modelling, patterns, and real-world problem-solving. Students are continuing to refine their mathematical reasoning and preparation for the HSC examinations.
Year 12 Extension 1 Mathematics students are investigating differential equations and developing advanced problem-solving strategies that extend their understanding of calculus and mathematical modelling.
Year 12 Extension 2 Mathematics students are focused on further integration techniques and applying higher-level mathematical concepts to complex problems. Their work requires persistence, precision, and strong analytical thinking skills as they prepare for the challenges of the HSC and beyond.

It has also been fantastic to see a number of students participating in the AMT Maths Challenge. Opportunities such as these allow students to extend their thinking, problem-solving, and mathematical reasoning beyond the classroom.

Mathematics is all around us — in finance, sport, technology, building design, patterns in nature, and everyday problem-solving. If we stop and take the time to look, we can see how important and relevant mathematics is in our daily lives.

Year 7–10 reports will be released later in the term. Grades will be awarded using the NESA Common Grade Scale (A–E) and will reflect what students have demonstrated they can achieve across a variety of assessment mediums and learning experiences throughout the semester. Students are encouraged to continue applying themselves consistently in class, completing assessment tasks to the best of their ability, and seeking support when needed. Effort, persistence, and a positive attitude towards learning all play an important role in achieving success in Mathematics.

Senior Mathematics support sessions continue to run each Thursday afternoon from 3:20pm – 4:45pm. These sessions provide students with an excellent opportunity to seek additional assistance, clarify concepts, work through challenging problems, and prepare for upcoming assessment tasks in a supportive environment. All senior mathematics students are encouraged to attend whenever they would benefit from extra practice or guidance.

As we continue through the term, we encourage all students to keep striving for improvement, remain positive in the face of challenges, and take pride in their learning. I am Mathematics looking forward to seeing continued growth and success from all students in the weeks ahead.

Mr Mark Harris

Leader of Learning - Mathematics

Science

A Busy and Productive Term in Science

As we reach the midpoint of Term 2, students across all year groups have been actively engaging in practical investigations, collaborative learning, and scientific problem-solving. It has been wonderful to see students developing their curiosity and confidence as they deepen their understanding of the world around them.

Year 7 – Forces in Action

Year 7 students have been enthusiastically exploring the topic of forces through a range of hands-on activities and experiments. Students have investigated how forces such as gravity, friction, and air resistance influence motion and have begun applying their knowledge to real-world situations. Practical activities have allowed students to develop their skills in measuring forces, recording data, and drawing scientific conclusions.

Year 8 – Geology and Earth’s Resources

Year 8 students have been examining the processes involved in rock formation and the continual changes that occur within the rock cycle. They have also explored the role of mining and recycling in modern society, considering both the benefits and environmental challenges associated with resource use. Students have shown strong engagement in discussions surrounding sustainability and the responsible management of Earth’s natural resources.

Year 9 – Maintaining Balance in the Human Body

In Year 9 Science, students have been learning about the nervous and endocrine systems and how these systems work together to maintain homeostasis within the body. Through a variety of activities and case studies, students have investigated how the body responds to changes in internal and external environments. This topic has provided students with valuable insight into the complexity and coordination of human body systems.

Year 10 – Climate Science and Sustainability

Year 10 students have continued their study of climate science, analysing evidence for climate change and exploring both natural and human influences on Earth’s climate systems. Students have also been investigating strategies that individuals, communities, and governments can implement to mitigate climate change. Their studies have encouraged thoughtful discussion about sustainability and the importance of scientific understanding in addressing global challenges.

11 and 12 Science (Biology, Chemistry, Extension Science, Investigating Science, Physics) – Preparing for Assessments

Our senior students in Years 11 and 12 are now approaching an important assessment period. As coursework and assessment tasks begin to increase, students are encouraged to manage their time carefully, stay organised, and maintain consistent study habits. Effective preparation throughout the term will help students feel confident and well-prepared for their upcoming assessments.

We congratulate all students on their efforts so far this term and encourage them to continue approaching their studies with curiosity, persistence, and enthusiasm as we move towards the second half of Term 2.

Mr Daniel Fittler

Leader of Learning - Science

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