Around the KLA's (Key Learning Areas) - CAPA 

Stage 4 Instrumental Program

This term, students in Years 7 and 8 were given the opportunity to learn an instrument through online portals. The purpose of this programme is to teach students the foundations of learning an instrument. We have two instrumental groups, the first is a beginner guitar group which is taught by Nick Troon and Miss Roache. The second group is a Woodwind (saxophone, clarinet and flute) group which is taught by Miss Sampson. Students have weekly lessons via zoom or youtube and later this term we will work towards putting together a beginner ensemble.

Visual Arts

Creating something that deeply inspires you is a process of inspiration and exasperation. Our Year 12 Visual Arts Students give us an insight into their HSC Bodies of work for 2020. Your artworks are as individual as you are and an inspiration.   Ms Frazier

Xavier Andrews: My artwork seeks to reverse the roles of the inhumane act of animal cruelty. The animals that appeal to me the most are the elephant, baby harp seal and tiger. Four connected pieces in wire, gouache and design markers make a comedic form with a much deeper meaning.

Zoe Minehan: My goal is to create a piece that acts as an advocate for the Australian animals that have been greatly affected by the recent bushfires. I want to highlight the destruction of the more and less known creatures affected from the treetops to the ground. 

Maddie Holmes: My intent is to create a stylised body of work that embodies my childhood subconscious mind from old artbooks. I am now refining them 5 years later as a means of discovering my journey as an artist. I credit my monochromatic black and red colour scheme to my adoration of old matchbox labels. My cartoon like approach is somewhat inspired by the illustrations featured in many Dr Seuss’s books.

Freddy Griffin: Drought and fire are real world problems which have profoundly affected Australian lives. In my work I am using charcoal to capture the stark reality of the dry, burnt landscape and the memories lost to drought and fire.

Feature Teacher

What is your Full Name?  

Megan Wooster

What schools have you taught at? 

I’ve taught in a range of schools, Catholic, State and Independent schools across NSW including Swansea and Wyong High on the Central Coast, St Joseph's Aberdeen in the Hunter Valley, Tamworth High, Oxley High and Farrer MAHS in Tamworth and at a range of schools in Armidale before taking a position at O’Connor Catholic College in 2003 

What years and subjects are you teaching? I currently teach year 7, 8, 9 and 10 Visual Arts,  year 7 English and coordinate the Leveled Literacy Program with an amazing team of people.

Where have you lived? I grew up in Orange and moved to Barraba as a teenager. I Studied at Newcastle University and lived and worked on the Central Coast for 7 years and then returned inland to Scone, Tamworth and then Armidale.

What kinds of hobbies and interests do you enjoy? 

I am a keen mountain biker and have been very lucky to travel across Australia and internationally, riding in some of the most beautiful and remote locations with my family. I enjoy photography, traveling, gardening and all art forms but especially ceramics and printmaking.

What do you enjoy most about O’Connor? 

 l really like the sense of community at O’Connor, the creativity of its students and staff and the way in which they rise to a challenge whether it is academic or for a community cause. I am especially proud of the way the school embraces and encourages each other in the creative and performing arts. Celebrating the diversity of skills and incredible talents of students and staff and with that in mind I thought I would share some photos for the amazing work done by our junior students over the past few weeks in remote learning. I hope you enjoy their amazing creativity.

PHOTO:  Creative Abstract fish design and portrait drawing by Year 8 student Ava Vaughan.

PHOTO: (below) Zen Portrait by Ella Luchich.

 PHOTO: (Below) Zentangle design by Indy Edwards in Year 7.

PHOTOS: (below) Photographic re-creation of Samuel John Stump’s Painting of Mary Wollstonecraft ( better known as Mary Shelley)  By year 9 student Roie Wood as part of the Art in isolation movement.

Where Are They Now?

Grace Toakley 

What year did you complete the HSC? 

In 2018. 

What did you enjoy most about attending O’Connor Catholic College? 

The community. I felt like all the way through my schooling I had a really strong community behind me. The staff knew everyone and would always take the time to see you, which looking back is something I really appreciated. 

Where are you now? What are you studying/doing? 

In 2019 I moved to Canberra to study music at the Australian National University. I’m currently studying a Bachelor of Music, majoring in jazz and contemporary performance. I also hope to add psychology to my degree. At the moment I’m away from Canberra again due to closures because of COVID-19, but the ANU has plans to reopen from late July so I’ll be back there soon!

What have been your biggest achievements since leaving school? 

This year I started working as a Senior Resident at my college. The position involves monitoring the pastoral care and wellbeing of other residents in my hall, training in first aid (mental and physical) and events planning. I’ve found the position to be really rewarding and encouraging, and it’s been one of my favourite experiences at university so far. I’ve also continued to perform, and my first year Recital at the end of last year was a big achievement, both for my degree and personally. I was ridiculously nervous but it was a huge step forward in overcoming those first year doubts and worries.

If you were to give HSC students some advice to succeed in their final year, what would it be? 

If I could give any advice it would be to ask more questions. It’s something I still struggle with at university, but it makes such a difference. If you’re not sure of something or you want clarification and you don’t want to ask again in front of the class, speak to a teacher privately or email them outside of school. I always have so many questions and speaking about it one-on-one helps. Another thing I was always told to do in Year 12 but didn’t do enough of was to test your knowledge by explaining it to someone else. If you can concisely and accurately demonstrate your understanding of a topic through relaying it to someone else, it will really help you gather your thoughts. This also helps with memory retention! Do it. 

What is one of your most memorable moments from your schooling at O’Connor? 

One experience I’ll always remember is being a part of O’Connor’s High School Musical production. I’ve continued to perform and audition for productions since that time, and I can definitely attribute that to our performances at O’Connor. 

What’s next for you? 

For the rest of this year I’m just hoping to return to Canberra, but beyond that I hope to continue with music and eventually go into music therapy. I want to study psychology and then (fingers crossed) study in Melbourne as they offer a unique music therapy program. Music therapy has been my goal since leaving high school, and it is still something I love and something I want to continue to work towards.

Any final words of advice to O’Connor students? 

I can’t think of any advice that wouldn’t have made my high school self roll my eyes, so I’ll just say that you have more time than you think you do to work it all out.