History

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Primary School at Deloraine was opened in February 1895 by a small group of Sisters of Mercy who came from Goulburn in New South Wales. The Sisters ran the school for 101 years but it is now staffed by lay teachers. The Sisters taught both boys and girls from infant to secondary classes. At the beginning of 1897 the Sisters began taking girl boarders. The boarding school operated until 1972. The previous year the secondary section of the school was closed. Since that time it has been a primary school catering for local children. The first lay principal was appointed in 1996. The school maintains an enviable record in the local community for its service, education and involvement. The school has had an active Parents and Friends Association since it was established in 1954, and a Board of Management since 1972. The school was extensively refurbished in 1999 and 2000.  In 2005, Kindergarten commenced for 2 days a week.

Location

Deloraine is part of the Meander Valley Municipality, with a township population of 2000.  Deloraine is located 3 hours from Hobart and is halfway between Launceston and Devonport. The school draws students from Deloraine, Mole Creek, Western Creek, Westbury, Osmaston, Meander, Dunorlan, Elizabeth Town and other small rural communities.

Special Features/Programs

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Primary School is one of seven Catholic schools in Tasmania who are part of the Curriculum Project, an initiative implemented by the Catholic Education Office. The Curriculum Project is aimed to develop professional learning for teachers. It aims to improve best teaching practice and enhance student learning through active engagement in tasks.

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Primary School runs a number of specialist programs. These include the Multi-Lit program which supports children in the area of literacy. We are currently trialling a differentiated program in numeracy involving children from Grades 4-6.

We have a variety of specialist teachers in the areas of Speech & Drama, Physical Education and Music. We have qualified teacher aides that support students and teachers in all curriculum areas.

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Primary School students are provided with a variety of cultural, academic, spiritual and recreational activities during the school year. Some of these include; Deloraine Youth Drama Festival, annual school bush dance, University of New South Wales testing, Northern Midlands State Schools Sporting Association, ANZAC Day parade, Red Cross, Deloraine Craft Fair, student leadership and camping programs. These programs have a focus on values and are held in environmental settings.

All classrooms have computers that are less than two years old and have access to the Internet.

Mission Statement

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Primary School is founded in the Catholic Christian tradition. The focus of this school is the provision of an education for all children which guides their spiritual, academic, social, emotional and physical development through a balanced curriculum.

We are committed to nurturing the faith and encouraging each person's relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.

We value a Christian way of living that promotes a commitment to care, service and respect for justice and compassion within our school community and society in general.

We strive to provide the best possible work and learning environment.

We value excellence in the pursuit of all aspects of school life. We encourage all individuals to achieve their potential.

We value a strong sense of community and encourage full involvement of parents, students, and staff in the life of the school.

We value each child's uniqueness with his/her particular and special abilities and needs.

Employment

Positions available are advertised on the CDEO website www.ceo.catholic.edu.au

Suitably qualified teachers interested in relief teaching may contact the school to register their interest at any time.