Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community
As we near the end of Term 1 it is pleasing to see that everyone has settled well into classes. A combination of prolonged absences and modified practices marked the first few weeks of the school year. We constantly needed to readjust to remain compliant with the various COVID-19 operational guideline updates sent out by Health Services Victoria.
The Year 7 students have settled well into the routine of secondary school and formed good relationships with their peers. Conversations with Year 7 students during recess and lunch have highlighted their happiness and motivation to do well in their studies. The Year 8-12 students have also settled in well and have quickly adjusted to the busyness of school.
This week our Year 9 students headed off to the Summit Camp in Trafalgar. McAuley Campus Director Mrs Gail Preston and I had the opportunity to visit the staff and students and they were all having a great time and commented that “the activities were fantastic”. Many of the activities challenged the confidence of our students and it was pleasing to see them all have a go and try to overcome fears and complete the various activities. The students also commented that “the food was good”. Reflecting on the experiences with my own children — if their stomachs are full then everything else falls into place. Thank you to the staff who attended and ensured that the students had a great time.
After much disappointment last year in not being able to celebrate our 125-year anniversary as planned, we finally have the opportunity to celebrate this momentous milestone this weekend (Saturday 26 March) with the hosting of our Gala. I am looking forward to celebrating 125 years of Mercy Education in the Lilydale area and pay tribute to those courageous Mercy Sisters who followed in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley. I would like to thank the Old Collegians’ Association for all their hard work and dedication in ensuring that this very important event was not forgotten as a casualty of COVID-19.
Student Parent Interviews
Parents are invited to take advantage of our Student Parent Interviews (SPIs) being held on Wednesday 6 April here at the College, from 4.00pm to 8.00pm, and also online on Thursday 7 April, from 10.00am to 8.00pm. This is a great opportunity to meet your child's teachers and to work together towards improving their academic performance and wellbeing. Please book via the Parent Access Module (PAM) early if you would like to see your child's teachers.
Open Day
On Tuesday 29 March we are holding our annual Open Day, from 4.00pm to 7.00pm. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the College. Prospective students are encouraged to come along with their parent or guardian and see many of our fantastic facilities and learn more about our innovative learning programs.
God bless
Louis Papadimitriou
Acting Principal
