Assistant Principal -
Wellbeing

Mrs Mellissa Bell

Who are we?

This year marks an incredible milestone in terms of Catholic Education in Armidale. We will be celebrating 175 years of catholic education in this remarkable city. It was the bravest of Ursuline Sisters that made their way from England to Australia and then to Armidale in 1882 that laid the foundations for the school in what we today know as O’Connor Catholic College. These brave young women arrived in our beautiful city via coach, boat and train. Within one week of being here they began teaching the young people of this community - both boys and girls. They provided opportunities for learning and for almost 100 years supported boarding students as well.

Angela Merici is the founder of the Ursuline order and one thing that Angela Merici and her devout followers are passionate about it is in the recognition of the uniqueness of each and every person and that young women need to be educated to ensure their own wellbeing and success in the world around them.

The Ursuline sisters and hence the Ursuline philosophy of education is founded in the following cornerstones of quality relationships, working together, being flexible and responsive and showing creativity and imagination.

However, O’Connor is also influenced by the strong connections we have with our Lasallian community as well. The Lasallian Brothers began teaching in Armidale in 1906, opening a boarding school to cater for the broader community. The Lasallian Brothers have provided our college with the core principles of faith, respect, service and community. ‘Touching hearts and minds’ is the hope of educators in the lasallian charism.

O’Connor is the amalgamation,in 1975, of these two great schools. We pride ourselves in having strong connections to our past and the fact that by continuing to focus on the core principles of both founders, we are able to prepare our young people for the world in which they live. We will be celebrating this milestone next term with our whole community. Watch this space for more details.

There is a reason for the short history lesson, however. We as a community should be proud of these achievements and as such we should want to show respect and honour to our foundations. Being part of this community means accepting the foundation stones of our school, it means being present and getting involved in learning and all the other opportunities available. But it also means understanding that we are a Catholic community and as such participating in the faith formation on offer. Recently we held our Year 9 retreat day. Those who attended had a great time, However the number of students present was very low. It is also about wearing our uniform and wearing it well and with pride. The uniform is the most recognizable thing about a school, no matter what school it is. There are a high number of students who are, each and every day, not in the correct formal winter uniform. As we approach the holidays and the colder months, can we please work in partnership to ensure our students are wearing their uniform with pride.

Another significant day is fast approaching - FOUNDER’S DAY. This will be celebrated on the last day of term and is sure to be a fun day for all. We have our House Captains working on a trivia competition and our Arts Captains organising the traditional Founder’s Day concert. We will have a mass as a whole school to celebrate our Ursuline and Lasallian founders. This will be another way for students to get involved and show their pride and connection to our school. The day will end with our houses competing against each other in the greatest game of all - Capture the Flag. It is a day of celebrating our traditions in the best way possible.

Over the past fortnight we have also been able to celebrate many student successes. Below is just a snapshot.