House Reports

Half way through Term One, can you believe it? 

It only feels like yesterday that Year 7 entered nervous to begin high school and our seniors were being amazing giants who were assisting them to make the school a safe place. As we enter the second half of the term some major events have already taken place. 

By now we would all know the swimming carnival took place in week three with Ursula streamlining their way past the competition. Congratulations to the team in red, we will get you next time! Maybe… Third times the charm.. Right? However with the points being extremely close from this carnival, commendations are important to take the lead from the house in red. Make sure you guys are giving every lesson your best and get involved with our ensembles, out of school activities and more. 

Well done to Pippa Riggall, Violet Gadd and Ivie Barnden for making it through to the Dio Swimming Carnivals, you are doing the college proud in the sporting department. I am super proud of our Year 11 students who assisted with the Science and Engineering Challenge for primary school students in years 5 and 6. You are all leaders in the making. Students within 9 and 10 participated in the Science and Engineering Challenge competing in competitions with a focus on STEM. It’s always wonderful to see our young adults finding enjoyment and possible career pathways for them to follow through these opportunities. Good luck to all our junior judges, cattle showing and arts and crafts students for the Armidale Show this weekend, you will make the College and our house proud. Our Year 12’s minds were perplexed when asked about their futures at the University Roadshow. Four universities visited to educate our students on the future pathways they could take to allow them to achieve their goals after school. Thank you to Mrs Galvin who organised this amazing opportunity. 

Lastly a small reminder about the uniform, while many have begun to embrace the formal uniform on Wednesdays as a team we just wanted to remind families that Canterbury is not part of the O’Connor uniform. Students who are beginning to feel the cold need to be wearing either the knitted jumper or the soft shell jacket. The OCC Hoodie is NOT part of the uniform in 2026. Students in Benilde will be given one warning then it will be placed in the office for parents/careers to collect. We are also encouraging a check-in with students “leather” shoes, many are not actually wearing the correct shoes and endangering themselves in Science and Industrial spaces. 

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Miss Elizabeth Plane

House Leader - Benilde

La Salle

This term, we have centered our focus on the deep importance of belonging within La Salle House. During our house meeting this week, it was a pleasure to present La Salle badges to our Year 7 group and our new students from other year levels, officially welcoming them into our community. Next week, our PAC period will dive deeper into the theme of belonging, serving as a vital lead-up to Harmony Day on March 19th. We encourage everyone to embrace the theme of inclusiveness and celebrate the cultural diversity that makes our college so special.

Our student leaders also wish to commend the incredible efforts shown at the swimming carnival, particularly noting the improved house cheer and the fantastic effort put into costumes. Each day, we are reminded of our focus and challenged to do our best in all areas of school life.

As always, we continue to emphasize that we are learners. We are placing significant weight on students performing to the best of their ability, recognising that success requires genuine effort. Every worthwhile lesson contributes to academic growth. Our teachers look forward to meeting with parents, carers, and students at our upcoming conference evenings. Please feel free to reach out to teachers via email if you require any assistance in the meantime.

Congratulations are in order for our Champion team who entered the Science and Engineering Competition—we even made the news! A huge thank you to Mr. Fittler for his contributions to this success. Similarly, our Agriculture department is working hard preparing for the regional shows; we recognize the significant time and effort Mrs. Philips and Lucy Selby have invested in these preparations.

Our PAC teachers continue to set our students up for a successful day, ensuring everyone is familiar with our Catholic formation of prayer and reflection while establishing consistent daily routines. We would also like to thank everyone for their continued attention to the uniform policy. Wearing our uniform with pride reflects our school values and promotes that essential sense of belonging. We look forward to the coming weeks of calm, quality learning in our classrooms.

Mrs Kathryn Czinner

House Leader - La Salle 

Merici

Since the school gates opened in late January, Merici House has hit the ground running. It’s been a cracking start to the year for the "Yellow House," defined by a strong sense of community and a fair bit of competitive grit. 

Leadership: The Pride of Merici :

Our House Captains, Regan Nugent and Rhiannon Heagney, have been leading from the front. They’ve been getting stuck in and making themselves a constant presence at our morning gatherings. Whether it’s checking in with the Year 7s as they find their feet or rallying the seniors for the carnivals, Regan and Rhiannon have embodied the "servant leadership" that St. Angela Merici championed. Their focus has been simple: having a go and looking after your mates.

The Commendation Tally:

Under the Living Well, Learning Well (LWLW) framework, Merici students have been racking up Commendations at a steady rate. At O’Connor, these are a meaningful reflection of students being Safe, Valued, and Respectful members of the college.

Consistency in the Classroom:

We’ve seen a significant uptick in Commendations for "Persistence in Learning" and "Contribution to the College Community."

The House Shield:

These individual wins are the backbone of our House Shield campaign. Every Commendation logged on Compass is a point closer to bringing the shield home to the Merici.

Term 1 Highlights:

 From the Pool to the Classroom The Swimming Carnival: This was the first major test for the Merici Lions. While the results on the board were strong, the real win was the sea of yellow in the stands. The atmosphere was classic O’Connor—supportive, loud, and full of house pride.

Lenten Fundraising:

Our Lions have shown a lot of heart during the Lenten period. Through various stalls and initiatives, the house has raised significant funds for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. 

The Merici Way:

During our House gatherings, we’ve spent time reflecting on the Ursuline tradition. It’s about more than just a yellow shirt; it’s about the "Merici Way"—looking out for your peers and putting in the hard yards when it counts.

A Note from the Captains:

"It’s been a great start to 2026. We’ve seen so many students stepping up, earning Commendations, and just generally being good sports. Let’s keep that 'Lion' energy going into the Athletics Carnival!"— Regan Nugent & Rhiannon Heagney

Mr Bruce Myers 

House Leader – Merici

Ursula 

Ursula students have done it again! Through fantastic sportsmanship, high participation and general enthusiasm, we have taken out the Swimming Carnival Cup for the third year in a row! Ursula is on fire! 

A huge thank you to all of the Ursula students who participated on the day - in the war cries, keeping the spaces clean, swimming, cheering on teammates, encouraging others to jump in the pool and have a go and to those who brought tasty treats to the adults on duty - your enthusiasm and determination is the reason we won and are an amazing house! 

Our Ursula captains have been keenly celebrating Ursula’s spectacular victory at the Swimming Carnival! What a legacy to leave! Sophie and Isabella built a victory poster have had it displayed next to the canteen to continue on encouraging and building the momentum of the Ursula house! 

Our two captains should be so proud of their enthusiasm, encouragement, perseverance and sheer determination to ensure Ursula continued victories! 

Miss Jessica Armfield 

On behalf of Ursula House