From the Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care
Mr John Rodgers
Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care
Please keep students home if they are unwell
Our rudimentary data gathered from conversations with parents is now suggesting that students who show initial signs of feeling unwell take a few extra days before testing positive to COVID-19. In the interests of preventing the spread of COVID-19, we ask that if your child is feeling unwell — even if they test negative — please keep them home. Students can be infectious 48 hours prior to testing positive. Keeping your child home may prevent others from catching the virus.
Testing
Please remember the importance of having your child/children test twice a week before coming to school The College recommends students test on a Monday and Wednesday morning, but please be vigilant and test on any day they feel they have symptoms. More tests will be distributed to students next week.
SRC
The College's Vice Captains, Jack Drummond and Stella Atkinson, are now seeking applications for the 2022 Student Representative Council (SRC). Application forms and details on how to submit them can be found on your child's Year Level Classroom page. Interviews will commence shortly after applications close on Friday 4 March.
Hats
As MLMC is a sun-smart school, please ensure your child has a hat to wear at recess and lunchtime. Students without hats are directed to designated areas to avoid the sun.
Masks
With the relaxation of wearing masks at school from next week, please be mindful that students must continue to wear masks on public transport.
College Fees
Mrs Cathy Pote
Assistant Business Manager
Parents and guardians are advised that all families should now have access to their annual College Fee Statement on the Parent Portal. All statements have also been emailed, in mid-January.
The Early Payment Discount cut-off date is Monday 7 March 2022. Annual fees paid by this date will be eligible for an early payment discount. Please refer to your College Fee Statement for the amount but remember to take off your early payment discount from this amount (pro rata amount for split billers).
Families that have set up an automatic payment plan must ensure funds are available on the day the payment is processed. Please see below for dates.
If you require any information regarding the College Fees, please contact our Finance Office on 9237 1315.
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
Finance Office
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school excursions, camps and sporting activities. If you hold a valid means-tested concession card, are a temporary foster parent or a student between 16 to 18 years old and have a means-tested Disability Pension or Youth Allowance card, you may be eligible for the CSEF allowance. It is paid directly to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is $225 for secondary school students.
For concession card holders CSEF eligibility will be subject to the parent/carer concession card being validated successfully with Centrelink on the first day of Term 1 (Monday 31 January 2022) or Term 2 (Tuesday 26 April 2022).
If you applied for CSEF at Mount Lilydale Mercy College in 2021, you do not need to complete an application form in 2022 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. Your child’s school will apply for CSEF on your behalf. You will need to submit an application form in 2022 if any of the following changes have occurred:
- new student enrolments: your child has started or changed schools in 2022 or you did not apply at the same school in a previous year
- changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2022.
Please note the following if there is shared custody:
- the payment system only allows one application per student. Parents in shared custody situations (who both hold a concession card) must make the decision beforehand who applies for the CSEF at the school on behalf of their children
- the CSEF is for the benefit of the parent who is in receipt of the CSEF
- the College should not be put into the position of arbitrating this decision.
Application forms should be completed and lodged with the College as soon as possible in Term 1, as payments are made from March onwards. However, schools will be able to accept and process applications up until Monday 20 June 2022. Parents must lodge a CSEF application form with a photocopy of their Health Care/Pension Card. CSEF payments are for the current application year and cannot be claimed retrospectively for prior years.
CSEF application forms are available to download below or from either our MLMC Finance Website or from www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/csef.aspx NO LATE APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED. For more information about the CSEF contact the Finance Office on 9237 1315 or visit www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/csef.aspx
