Term 3 Week 10 - Thursday 25th September 2025

News From the Principal

Year 12 Students Graduate
This week, as you know, is the final week of school for Year 12 students. 

The celebrations have been just beautiful this week, with the Graduation Mass on Tuesday evening at St Patrick’s Cathedral, followed by supper in the cloisters, and their Graduation Ceremony today, followed by morning tea in Dobson Green. A number of less formal events have also taken place, and they, too, have had the spirit of fun and anticipation the girls deserve at this time.

At the conclusion of their Mass on Tuesday evening, all students received a cup and saucer, a symbol of Mercy hospitality. Inside the cup is a candle which is lit to represent the light of God they take with them as they leave school and embark on their adult journeys. The students form a Circle of Mercy around the inside perimeter of the cathedral, then process out with their candles still lit. In this way, they are replicating the ritual they performed in Year 7, and they are symbolically entering the world outside of school proclaiming the love of Jesus in their future endeavours. It is a very special ceremony, and one that represents all that we are as a Catholic Mercy community.

All students were presented with a certificate of completion of high school at the Graduation Ceremony this morning. There were significant awards presented to students as well. The students who received these awards follow. A very special congratulations goes to all these students, but to the outstanding award winners in particular, who have been acknowledged for their exemplary efforts in a range of areas, and for striving for higher things.

Thank you to all those who joined us for these special events. Photos of all the special award recipients are available on our school's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Staff Changes in Term 4
Next term Ms Grigson, Mrs Thill and Ms Carlin will be on leave, taking a well-deserved break from their work. During Term 4, therefore, there will be a number of changes to roles in the Leadership Team, and some classes will have a change of teacher.

• Miss Brincat will be the Acting Assistant Principal, replacing Ms Grigson. She will oversee student wellbeing and the student wellbeing program.
• Ms O'Donoghue will be the Acting Director of Studies, replacing Miss Brincat
• Ms Ghougassian will the Acting Leader of Learning Mathematics, replacing Ms O’Donoghue
• Miss Tran will replace her as the Acting Assistant Leader of Learning Mathematics during Mrs Thill’s leave.

Affected classes and covering teachers follow:

• Ms Carlin’s classes are being covered by Miss Khoury, who was with us in Terms 1 and 2 this year, except for her Year 11 Modern History class, which is being covered by Mrs Howlett.
• Mrs Thill’s classes will be covered by Miss Brown, a Mathematics teacher who is new to the school. Miss Brown will also take over Ms O’Donoghue’s and Mrs Ghougassian’s Year 7 Maths classes.

New Secondhand Uniform Website Coming
We are in the process of developing a buy and sell website for secondhand school uniforms. We plan to launch the website early next term and will let you know about it then. A presentation on the website will be delivered at the Parents and Carers Meeting on Tuesday, 28th October in Term 4, and we will also include information in the Weekly Review and on our social media pages. Permanent links to the website will be available on both the school’s website and the left hand column of The Weekly Review.

Best Wishes For a Great Break For All Students, Teachers and Families
The school office will be closed next week, but will re-open in the second week of the break, on 7th October. A reminder that Monday, 13th October is a staff professional learning day, and school resumes for students in Years 7 - 11 on Tuesday, 14th October. 

I wish all students, staff and families a well-earned break. Please work with your daughters on limiting their use of social media over the break, and ensuring they access quality thinking time to stretch their critical literacy and to teach them that relaxation can be cognitively stimulating: in this way, we grow stronger, more confident women.

We look forward to seeing you on 14th October.

Mary Refalo,
Principal

Pray With Us

Mercy Day - A Poem by Mary Wickham RSM

Need To Know

• Social Media Age Restrictions
• Term 4 Significant Dates

Upcoming Fortnight

Term 4 Week 1

• Staff Professional Learning Day - Monday 13th October
• Term 4 Commences - Tuesday 14th October
• Year 12 HSC Written Examinations Commence - Thursday 16th October
• Year 8 English Incursion
• Year 8 Mathematics Enrichment Day

Term 4 Week 2

• Year 7 2026 Information Evening - Wednesday 22nd October
• Futsal Gala Day
• Year 8 Karis Ministries Mercy Values Seminar
• Year 12 HSC Written Examinations Continue

Link to Parent Calendar

News Articles

• Class of 2025 Graduation Mass
• Year 12 Class of 2025 Memories
• Dobson House Wins the House Cup for 2025
• Academy U Students Shine at the Sustainable Futures Hackathon
• Students Take on the Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journey

Our School on Social Media

Follow Catherine McAuley Westmead on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for regular updates. A recent post is shown below:

FAREWELL YEAR 12 🥰 Year 12 students were clapped out of the school on Wednesday, 24th September!