WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE.
You may recall that earlier this year my father passed away and this time of pandemic allows me time to reflect, especially on how he would be dealing with it. He loved story and campfire stories were big in both my childhood and that of my children.
One story he told was that he was born left-handed, and writing with your left hand was not permitted when he was a child in post WWII country Victoria. The nuns who taught him tied his left hand behind his back and forced him to write with his right hand. He must have disliked it greatly. He became ambidextrous. This skill served him well over his life as he became a Fitter and Turner and many times I saw him use tools equally well with both hands.
When I was a boy in Year 8, I had an English teacher, educated at Oxford, who loved poetry. I was a typical Year 8 boy in the 70s who did not. As punishment for misbehaviour, he made us spend the night writing full poems two or three times: The Highwayman, He Fell Among Thieves, The Wreck of the Hesperus and I could go on. Obviously, I spent many nights writing.
One such poem was Gray’s, Elegy written in a Country Churchyard and to this day without reference I can quote stanza and verse:
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear
Full many a flow’r is born to blush unseen
And waste is sweetness on the desert air
Now while this poem may have reflected a dark melancholic mood as evening approaches, it is possible to see other things within it. Yes, it is dark, but it contains a beauty.
The caves at the bottom of the ocean do bear many gems and the desert does produce beautiful flowers, although they may never be seen.
We continue to live in unprecedented times and these times are hard. Remote Learning has been prolonged and I hear stories of how even the best students struggle with some concepts and worry about consolidating their learning. Some students worry about academic success and awards while others struggle to keep up with workload. It is easy to reflect on the dark moods that can prevail, but you must not let that happen. Instead of asking:
What is wrong?
What can’t I do?
Rephrase such questions
What has surprised?
What have I learnt?
What new things can I do?
How do I consolidate?
How can I challenge myself?
Like the flower in the desert that no one might see, the gem at the bottom of the ocean or like my father becoming ambidextrous as a result of not being allowed to write with his left hand, this continues to be a time of great opportunity and great learning. We cannot control much of our environment, but we can control and choose how we react.
Choose to be positive: Choose to challenge yourselves to learn.
One of my favourite quotes from Catherine McAuley: “Let us take one day only in hands at time. Resolve to do good today and be better tomorrow.“
Let us resolve to try our best today and be better tomorrow.
Remember:
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Maroondah Highway Level Crossing Removal
During the week, we received news that the level crossing removal on Maroondah highway has been deemed critical under Stage 4 restrictions and as such some sites will be established and some utilities relocated. This work is due to start on Monday 24 August 2020 and will involve a worker car park in Johns Street and traffic management in place around a number of sites. This may cause some disruption and should be planned for. Information can be found here: https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/
Message from our Archbishop
Last week Archbishop Comensoli sent us all this video, which I commend to you. Please use this link to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuC0xJKoGS0&feature=youtu.be
Personal Pars
Members of our community continue to grieve with the loss of family members in these difficult times.
Maureen Theresa Fogarty, mother to Advisory Council Chair Dr Jo Drummond, Nanna to Georgia (Year 12) and Jack (Year 10). Maureen of Mooroopna passed from this earth unexpected at aged 71 years.
Let us pray for the repose of then soul of Maureen and may she join with the angels at the right of our Father in Heaven. May she, along with all the faithfully departed rest in peace.
God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
— Isaiah 43:19
At this time of uncertainty, I think we could be forgiven for wondering if spring will ever arrive — not just the season itself, but the light and hope and joy that it brings. I love the thoughts reflected in the prayer below. The content has been taken from A Prayer when it feels like winter will never end, by Gregory Coles:
Today, God, I'm not asking for spring to come before its time. I'm just asking that You teach me to cling to a hope that feels far away.
Give me the grace of memory. Remind me of the countless ways, both big and small, that You have already proven Yourself to me.
Remind me that, although hopeless times have come and gone like passing seasons, they have never been the end of my story.
Remind me of breakthrough and laughter and light. Remind me what spring feels like.
Give me fresh reminders of Your love and grace, small mercies to sustain me until the bigger mercies arrive.
And then, when the time comes, please give me spring again.
Give me a heart that rejoices in the delights and sorrows of each passing year, a heart that grows warmer with every winter it endures.
Teach me to believe in spring.
Amen
Last week was a significant one in the life of the College as students engaged in the final stage of the Subject and Pathway Selection process. The process was marked by a number of new experiences for students and staff. An incredible 679,268 visits to the Pathway Portal suggests that students and parents engaged in this resource prior to interviews. In addition, the College community was engaged in booking online interviews, setting up for an online interview and conducting online interviews, within a very time sensitive framework. Thanks to proactive campus leadership teams and ever reliable administrative and IT staff, we ran two very successful nights of confirming Subject and Pathway Selections for 2021.
In the weeks leading up to the interviews, students, parents and guardians were supported by specialist subject teachers, Faculty Learning Leaders, VCE, VET and VCAL leaders and Careers advice through online interviews, emails and phone calls. This speaks strongly to the adaptability and commitment of staff to this important College event and deserves special mention. In preparation for the interviews, select staff reviewed student data and engaged in professional development, for which they are commended.
As we begin planning for 2021 in earnest, trust that MLMC will keep looking towards the future with optimism and continue to design pathways for our students based on their talents, interests and abilities.
Parents and guardians are advised that bookings for Student Progress Interviews for Year 11 and 12, Unit 3/4 students are now open and for Year 7 to 11 students booking open on Tuesday 25 August. Bookings close for all year levels on Sunday 30 August.
A few years ago I wrote an article for the newsletter highlighting the risks of wearing headphones. In that article I raised two important issues pertaining to the constant use of headphones that had come to my attention:
The first looked at an increase in headphone / earbud related injuries and deaths that had increased due to pedestrians wearing headphones being distracted and unaware of the traffic around them. Although this is still a very important issue, I thought it timely to remind people of the other risk in excessive wearing of headphones.
Studies have shown using a listening device for more than 90 minutes per day may have an impact on hearing. It is estimated one in six Australians will experience some level of hearing loss as a result of too much exposure.
In these present circumstances, while teaching online, I have noticed a growing number of students wearing headphones / earbuds during the Google Meet. I write this to alert you to this and ask that you question your child if this is absolutely necessary.
It has been recommended that people should not exceed 90 minutes per day with the volume level set at 80%. The type of noise / music has no bearing on the impact, it is the volume and time used that cause the damage. Another recommendation to assist, is to lower the volume on headphones / earbuds or use noise cancelling headphones . These devices eliminate unwanted sound, reducing the need to crank up the volume.
Many of our smartphones can now track how much time is being spent using headphones / earbuds, informing you of the level of decibels experienced during the time being used. Some phones come with a Health App that track such use and can provide you with extra information about the impacts of overuse.
How much time each day does your child use headphones or earbuds? You may be surprised at how quickly the hours mount up.
Due to Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions, the Bob Stewart uniform suppliers have discontinued the online order service until further notice. Please contact Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care Mr John Rodgers if you have any concerns regarding this.
The Girls in STEMM project is a series of workshops aimed to get junior girls interested in STEMM but mostly Technology-based subjects. I recently attended a series of RMIT lectures that discussed STEMM subjects and they regularly highlighted the low number of girls studying these subjects every year. Science and Mathematics subjects have a similar gender split at MLMC so I decided I wanted to focus on the mostly forgotten Technology and Engineering subjects. Having asked Technology teachers about student numbers and experiencing it myself last year, I found that there is on average one girl every year doing woodwork or IT-based classes here at MLMC.
I’m excited to say that last year there were three girls doing Systems Engineering, but there were none in Software Development. In a bid to try and change that, as well as wanting to provide girls with essential Technology-based skills, I decided to start a series of workshops that hopefully get girls interested in these fields.
I planned to run several workshops covering the basics of CAD programming for things like the 3D printer and laser cutter, coding open-sourced hardware like an Arduino and Raspberry Pi, basic python skills as well as basic wood and tool skills. I now have 11 girls interested in these workshops, which is more than expected.
Although my plan was for these workshops to be face to face, the impact of COVID-19 has redirected me to take them online and will push back things like wood and tool use that require on-site help. I ran my first workshop via a Google Meet this week. I have enlisted the help of my fellow STEM prefects Jamieson Manger (Science) and Ryan Finette (Mathematics), and I have also been supported by Faculty Learning Leaders Mrs Urszula Faulkner (Science), Ms Kerrie Dohrmann (Mathematics) and Mr Warren Stephenson (Technology) as well as Digital Literacy Coordinator Mr John Parlas to get this project up and running.
If this project proves to be a success, I hope to carry these workshops into next year, working with the next Technology prefect, as a way to promote Engineering Week in February and to keep girls interested in male-dominant fields. I hope to show girls that they are just as capable of working in these careers if they choose and that there is plenty of university and job site support that can help them achieve their goals. I hope girls are able to take away some basic skills from these workshops or at least a greater interest in Technology.
Students have the opportunity to record their experience of lockdown for posterity with the College’s Art department organising a photography competition. With JB Hi-Fi vouchers up for grabs as prizes, students are being encouraged to get involved by taking photos capturing their experience of the COVID-19 lockdown.
We would love for every student to submit a photograph so that we could make a whole school art installation or exhibition as a keepsake of the 2020 remote learning and lockdown experience as part of the College’s story. Some students have already submitted entries (above, and in the gallery below).
The idea was sparked by asking my Year 9 photography students to take a walk outside, to notice and really see what life is like at the moment in lockdown. The teddy bears and rainbow paintings displayed in windows, the feeling of isolation and people exercising while wearing masks are just some of the things that could be captured, along with remote learning or any new hobbies and activities students have discovered.
The staff are hoping that we might be able to make a display in our new Visual Arts building or have an online exhibition so that all staff and students can share in the collection of snapshots taken by our students. Those students who contribute to the MLMC community by submitting a photograph will receive College commendations.
The top 10 photographs chosen by the Visual Arts staff and our Principal Mr Philip Morison will be narrowed down to final three, who will each receive a JB Hifi voucher. Judging criteria includes the photographic skills displayed as well as the concept or story behind the photograph taken. Entries are to be submitted via email to mpollock@mlmc.vic.edu.au by Saturday 19 September. Prize winners will be announced in Term 4.
During LOTE Week, held 10-14 August, as a College we celebrated our interest in other cultures and languages around the world. Languages Faculty Learning Leader Ms Maybelle Pangilinan and I worked together to create a LOTE Club on Google Classroom, which will continue. Here students can access various resources under the categories of cooking, including gnocchi (pictured) and tiramisu, songs, videos, origami (I am pictured above with my origami turtle) and crafts, gaming (my friends and I playing Briscola and Scopa online are pictured below), OzCLO and Your Future in LOTE.
We want to provide our students alternative ways to strengthen their language skills. Our main objective is to broaden their understanding of other countries, beyond the literal language.
Although we were not able to take on a face-to-face approach to LOTE Week this year, it has no doubt been a success. We have many students in our club who can easily access our activities. Furthermore, we will be able to use this page as a medium to contact all of our language enthusiasts. I hope this club will spark more and more participation and curiosity of languages and cultures in future years.
In the LOTE Club, students were set some challenges to do at home, including making the 2009 Guinness World Record paper plane with an Italian tutorial. Students could also do their own tik tok-style dance video using the same actions and song Wash Your Hands from a popular Japanese boy band.
We hope to add more topics to the LOTE Club Classroom page each month, including amusing Japanese videos, well-known Japanese characters, virtual tours of art museums in Italy and highlights of past Study Tours to Italy and Japan.
Below LOTE Club member Denisse Lopez Garza (Year 8 Blue) writes about her LOTE Week experience:
I loved all the activities in the LOTE Club Classroom and attempted to do as many as I could and tried to get my family involved too. I tried to do some origami and the plane challenge was fun. I tried my best to do Radio Calisthenics. We re-watched all of my favourite childhood Studio Ghibli movies, which I still enjoy, and I watched some Italian movies too. I looked at OzCLO problems for a while. I was interested in AUSLAN and tried to memorise some of it. My older sister (Marisa) has her mind set on being a translator and has started to learn languages online. She told me how to start learning languages and which ones are better to learn after I asked which were easiest. All the extra resources and information was really fascinating. This was a great experience and kept me busy and happy throughout the week because I tried so many new things.
During these times of working and studying online, we rely heavily on our internet equipment to function effectively. If students are having issues with their home internet, there are funding options available to families.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to consider the COVID-19 Education Assistance Package that is available to families until 30 September 2020. Information about this offer is explained in the flyer attached HERE.
If you require further information, please contact the College’s Counselling and Wellbeing team via an email to counsellingwellbeingteam@mlmc.vic.edu.au
Australian statistics indicate that almost nine in 10 people (88%) use social media. It is therefore important to understand how our young people connect with social media, engage in gaming and how they use screens. On that note, a thought provoking documentary called Screenagers is available to parents, carers, educators and the general public to view online for a period of two weeks, starting on Wednesday 26 August 2020. It is free and can be viewed at your convenience. Please see details on how to register via the flyer attached HERE.
Last Wednesday, the Melbourne Diocese held an Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) reunion special for all Melbourne pilgrims who had attended the festival in Perth in December last year. This reunion was streamed both on YouTube and through the Melbourne ACYF Facebook page and most of the College’s group of festival-goers were able to attend. The event included live music, an interview with Archbishop Peter Commensoli and reflections on the 2019 festival.
Here is what some of our students had to say about the night:
My favourite part of the livestream was definitely the music and reliving memories.
— Amy Roberts (Year 12 Purple, Faith and Ministry prefect)
I loved the music, it took me back to actually being there and it was so nice to have that feeling again.
— Caitlyn Gervasoni (Year 12 White)
Father Rob Galea was my favourite. I got very emotional when he came on and spoke.
— Lexie Cilia (Year 12 Gold)
Definitely would have to agree that the music was AMAZING! I also loved the nostalgia it gave me.
— Moses Villani (Year 12 Orange)
I loved hearing the song I'm Coming Back. It really brought back some beautiful memories. Tara, Georgia and I were on a zoom call watching it and we all cried listening to it. It was very powerful.
— Adriana Hawkins (Year 12 Purple)
The final message of this session was to go out and not forget the experiences and memories we made in Perth, and to always remember to stay connected with each other. We, as a group, are consistently staying connected with one another through Formation sessions, posts on Google Classroom and always keeping each other in our prayers.
Term 3 is always a very busy term for the Career's team at MLMC, but Term 3 of 2020 has been exceptionally busy in a new and different way. Our Year 10 students have attended virtual meetings with the Careers team to help them with their Pathway Selections and while selecting subjects for the following year can be a daunting task, the College has worked hard to support the students through the process.
This year saw the introduction of a new online system, the MLMC Pathways Portal, which is an exciting and interactive way to look at potential subjects and pathways for students. We were proud of the way that the Year 10 students attended their meetings with the Careers team, many of them ready with pathway plans, ideas or questions so that we could assist them with their Year 11 journeys.
Our Year 11 students have also selected their pathways for 2021 and this year we have seen over 10% of Year 11 students apply to do a university extension subject as part of their VCE program and it is very exciting for them to be able to commence their university experience while still at school.
The Year 12 students are in the process of planning their lives after secondary school reviewing countless opportunities and making decisions about their move to employment, further education or training. Those who hope to attend university or TAFE next year are currently selecting their course preferences through the VTAC system. All of the Year 12 students are also attending Google Meet sessions with the Careers team to help them with their VTAC applications or the next steps with their 2021 planning.
The Year 12 students have also attended digital lunchtime sessions with representatives from Monash University, Australian Catholic University, Swinburne University and La Trobe University, and next week The Future Student Coordinator from Deakin University will be joining us for a Q&A session about courses and pathways to Deakin. Parents and students from all levels are invited to attend this session on Wednesday 26 August at 12.45pm. They can join by clicking on this Google Meet link HERE.
We wish our Year 12 students the best of luck over the next few weeks with this process and remind them that the Careers team is available to assist them along the way.
This term the Year 10 Visual Communication Design class has been learning to work with the graphic design element of 'point'. Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to form an image. As the dots increase in closeness we start to see them as shapes, but they still retain their fundamental dot-like qualities. Together a number of points can have an effect where the eye naturally attempts to ‘connect the dots’ to create a line or form.
The students took inspiration from Ai Weiwei’s Sunflower Seeds, with artist Hong Yi setting out to create a portrait using the medium of actual sunflower seeds. The final piece (pictured above) required approximately 100,000 seeds. As most students would not have that many seeds around their home, they were asked to go to the kitchen cupboard and see what they could use as a medium for their exercise in 'point'.
Braedyn Kaplan (Year 10 Red) showed his creativity in this inspirational image of his friend, Peter, on white paper (pictured.
Being a Visual Communication Design teacher during remote learning has been challenging. While there is no substitute for the classroom for sharing thoughts and ideas, we are fortunate to have ways of maintaining visual contact and submitting work online. Knowing that students have limited access to materials and equipment is also a challenge and this design task has shown the need for everyone to improvise during remote learning.
We were told to make an image of something using materials that we can find in our homes and so I decided to make my friend Peter using spices. I used glue to make a layout of the image and then poured the spices over it so they would stick down. I can't remember exactly what spices I used but my parents were happy for me to use the spices.
All parents struggle a little, from time to time, with home schooling — even Rosie the sheep.
It is fitting that working in a Catholic school that values Shepherd Leadership our students in turn care for and maintain a flock of sheep. This year of isolation and coronavirus-related challenges has not changed the seasonal cycles of birth on the College’s McAuley Park Farm and our flock of sheep are now lambing, both at the College and at our Wandin farm site. The beauty of the animals steadily doing as they are supposed to do, caring for and tending to their young, gives great comfort and hope.
Those students involved in Agriculture classes this year, although via remote learning, are now beginning their studies of sheep during this exciting time. Their love of animals and the chance, albeit remotely, to have time with the animals during lambing provides reassurance that life goes on.
Although it is requiring great creativity and flexibility, the farm’s support and teaching team are ensuring that like so many other programs within the College, our Agriculture and Horticulture students do not miss out on the important things. It is a unique and profound privilege that we have, to bring students into close contact with the cycle of life during their time at school.
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
— Isaiah 40:11
Maddy George and Harry van Duuren are our 2020 Sports Prefects. You would usually meet Maddy and Harry at cross country training or see them on the podium at the Athletics Carnival but, but as we all know, this year is a little different. Maddy and Harry have been doing a fantastic job in their roles, even from home, getting involved in our remote sport program each Wednesday afternoon and encouraging others to do the same. If you would like to get to know them a little more, please read on.
Hey guys. My name is Maddy George and I am your Sport perfect for 2020. I love playing ANY sport, particularly netball. Swimming carnivals, athletics, beach carnivals are my favourite parts about being a student here. I have met some of my greatest friends through participating in these events. My goal is to one day be on the netball court for the Collingwood Magpies with my dad cheering me on. I would love to finish my course and become a swimming teacher as well as study a university course in some type of health or sporting profession. This year I am studying Physical Education, Psychology, Business and English. Throughout my time at the College I have studied almost every PE subject there is as well as Sport and Recreation, Outdoor Education, personal training and peak performance. I love trying to earn House points for Maguire. Leadership is a very important quality to have, being confident and knowing how to lead a team. Playing EISM sports and participating in the sporting carnivals has taught me how to be a good, fair leader.
Hey everyone, my name is Harry van Duuren and I am your male Sports prefect for this year. I am excited to take on this role. Sport is a priority for me as I am a runner and spend six days a week either running or in the gym. Since Year 7 I have seen the importance of sport to our College community and wish to make sport a fun experience for all in 2020. I am in Year 12 taking classes in Physics, PE, Methods, English and Economics. I have always thought about the prospect of becoming a Sports prefect as sport and physical activity is a very important part of my life. I wish to extend my love for running to the Olympics some day and I believe it shall be achievable with the right mindset. As well as that, I would like to attend university, hopefully in Design Engineering or Civil Engineering, and extend my schooling for those extra four to five years.
The man, not the house!
Next Monday (24 August) we are launching our new Iso Sport challenge — the Terry Dunn 42.2. This is an event that all students and staff can get involved in to earn points for their House. It will be similar to the Virtual Cross Country, but more of a challenge. The aim of the Terry Dunn 42.2 is to see if students and staff can run a marathon (or more if possible) between now and the end of term. We want as many of our students as possible to get involved. College commendations will be awarded at major milestones, including 5km, 10km, 21km. Everyone is encouraged to aim high and use your hour of exercise wisely. Every time a student runs, they have to click the link on Simon or their year level Google Classroom page to enter a time and distance into the Google Form to enable the Sport staff to keep track of total distances. Prizes from The Running Company will be posted to the students who cover the greatest distance between Monday 24 August and end of term. Inquiries to Mikayla or Ms Webb.
Afternoon sport for Year 8 (Tuesday), Year 9 (Thursday) and Senior students (Wednesday) are still running, they just look a little different to usual. Each week, students are invited to participate in a variety of challenges and health/fitness sessions online. Information will be posted to year level Google Classroom pages each week. Commendations will be awarded for participation and there are prizes up for grabs for high levels of participation across the term. Get involved and stay connected!
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE.
You may recall that earlier this year my father passed away and this time of pandemic allows me time to reflect, especially on how he would be dealing with it. He loved story and campfire stories were big in both my childhood and that of my children.
One story he told was that he was born left-handed, and writing with your left hand was not permitted when he was a child in post WWII country Victoria. The nuns who taught him tied his left hand behind his back and forced him to write with his right hand. He must have disliked it greatly. He became ambidextrous. This skill served him well over his life as he became a Fitter and Turner and many times I saw him use tools equally well with both hands.
When I was a boy in Year 8, I had an English teacher, educated at Oxford, who loved poetry. I was a typical Year 8 boy in the 70s who did not. As punishment for misbehaviour, he made us spend the night writing full poems two or three times: The Highwayman, He Fell Among Thieves, The Wreck of the Hesperus and I could go on. Obviously, I spent many nights writing.
One such poem was Gray’s, Elegy written in a Country Churchyard and to this day without reference I can quote stanza and verse:
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear
Full many a flow’r is born to blush unseen
And waste is sweetness on the desert air
Now while this poem may have reflected a dark melancholic mood as evening approaches, it is possible to see other things within it. Yes, it is dark, but it contains a beauty.
The caves at the bottom of the ocean do bear many gems and the desert does produce beautiful flowers, although they may never be seen.
We continue to live in unprecedented times and these times are hard. Remote Learning has been prolonged and I hear stories of how even the best students struggle with some concepts and worry about consolidating their learning. Some students worry about academic success and awards while others struggle to keep up with workload. It is easy to reflect on the dark moods that can prevail, but you must not let that happen. Instead of asking:
What is wrong?
What can’t I do?
Rephrase such questions
What has surprised?
What have I learnt?
What new things can I do?
How do I consolidate?
How can I challenge myself?
Like the flower in the desert that no one might see, the gem at the bottom of the ocean or like my father becoming ambidextrous as a result of not being allowed to write with his left hand, this continues to be a time of great opportunity and great learning. We cannot control much of our environment, but we can control and choose how we react.
Choose to be positive: Choose to challenge yourselves to learn.
One of my favourite quotes from Catherine McAuley: “Let us take one day only in hands at time. Resolve to do good today and be better tomorrow.“
Let us resolve to try our best today and be better tomorrow.
Remember:
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Maroondah Highway Level Crossing Removal
During the week, we received news that the level crossing removal on Maroondah highway has been deemed critical under Stage 4 restrictions and as such some sites will be established and some utilities relocated. This work is due to start on Monday 24 August 2020 and will involve a worker car park in Johns Street and traffic management in place around a number of sites. This may cause some disruption and should be planned for. Information can be found here: https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/
Message from our Archbishop
Last week Archbishop Comensoli sent us all this video, which I commend to you. Please use this link to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuC0xJKoGS0&feature=youtu.be
Personal Pars
Members of our community continue to grieve with the loss of family members in these difficult times.
Maureen Theresa Fogarty, mother to Advisory Council Chair Dr Jo Drummond, Nanna to Georgia (Year 12) and Jack (Year 10). Maureen of Mooroopna passed from this earth unexpected at aged 71 years.
Let us pray for the repose of then soul of Maureen and may she join with the angels at the right of our Father in Heaven. May she, along with all the faithfully departed rest in peace.
God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
— Isaiah 43:19
At this time of uncertainty, I think we could be forgiven for wondering if spring will ever arrive — not just the season itself, but the light and hope and joy that it brings. I love the thoughts reflected in the prayer below. The content has been taken from A Prayer when it feels like winter will never end, by Gregory Coles:
Today, God, I'm not asking for spring to come before its time. I'm just asking that You teach me to cling to a hope that feels far away.
Give me the grace of memory. Remind me of the countless ways, both big and small, that You have already proven Yourself to me.
Remind me that, although hopeless times have come and gone like passing seasons, they have never been the end of my story.
Remind me of breakthrough and laughter and light. Remind me what spring feels like.
Give me fresh reminders of Your love and grace, small mercies to sustain me until the bigger mercies arrive.
And then, when the time comes, please give me spring again.
Give me a heart that rejoices in the delights and sorrows of each passing year, a heart that grows warmer with every winter it endures.
Teach me to believe in spring.
Amen
Last week was a significant one in the life of the College as students engaged in the final stage of the Subject and Pathway Selection process. The process was marked by a number of new experiences for students and staff. An incredible 679,268 visits to the Pathway Portal suggests that students and parents engaged in this resource prior to interviews. In addition, the College community was engaged in booking online interviews, setting up for an online interview and conducting online interviews, within a very time sensitive framework. Thanks to proactive campus leadership teams and ever reliable administrative and IT staff, we ran two very successful nights of confirming Subject and Pathway Selections for 2021.
In the weeks leading up to the interviews, students, parents and guardians were supported by specialist subject teachers, Faculty Learning Leaders, VCE, VET and VCAL leaders and Careers advice through online interviews, emails and phone calls. This speaks strongly to the adaptability and commitment of staff to this important College event and deserves special mention. In preparation for the interviews, select staff reviewed student data and engaged in professional development, for which they are commended.
As we begin planning for 2021 in earnest, trust that MLMC will keep looking towards the future with optimism and continue to design pathways for our students based on their talents, interests and abilities.
Parents and guardians are advised that bookings for Student Progress Interviews for Year 11 and 12, Unit 3/4 students are now open and for Year 7 to 11 students booking open on Tuesday 25 August. Bookings close for all year levels on Sunday 30 August.
A few years ago I wrote an article for the newsletter highlighting the risks of wearing headphones. In that article I raised two important issues pertaining to the constant use of headphones that had come to my attention:
The first looked at an increase in headphone / earbud related injuries and deaths that had increased due to pedestrians wearing headphones being distracted and unaware of the traffic around them. Although this is still a very important issue, I thought it timely to remind people of the other risk in excessive wearing of headphones.
Studies have shown using a listening device for more than 90 minutes per day may have an impact on hearing. It is estimated one in six Australians will experience some level of hearing loss as a result of too much exposure.
In these present circumstances, while teaching online, I have noticed a growing number of students wearing headphones / earbuds during the Google Meet. I write this to alert you to this and ask that you question your child if this is absolutely necessary.
It has been recommended that people should not exceed 90 minutes per day with the volume level set at 80%. The type of noise / music has no bearing on the impact, it is the volume and time used that cause the damage. Another recommendation to assist, is to lower the volume on headphones / earbuds or use noise cancelling headphones . These devices eliminate unwanted sound, reducing the need to crank up the volume.
Many of our smartphones can now track how much time is being spent using headphones / earbuds, informing you of the level of decibels experienced during the time being used. Some phones come with a Health App that track such use and can provide you with extra information about the impacts of overuse.
How much time each day does your child use headphones or earbuds? You may be surprised at how quickly the hours mount up.
Due to Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions, the Bob Stewart uniform suppliers have discontinued the online order service until further notice. Please contact Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care Mr John Rodgers if you have any concerns regarding this.
The Girls in STEMM project is a series of workshops aimed to get junior girls interested in STEMM but mostly Technology-based subjects. I recently attended a series of RMIT lectures that discussed STEMM subjects and they regularly highlighted the low number of girls studying these subjects every year. Science and Mathematics subjects have a similar gender split at MLMC so I decided I wanted to focus on the mostly forgotten Technology and Engineering subjects. Having asked Technology teachers about student numbers and experiencing it myself last year, I found that there is on average one girl every year doing woodwork or IT-based classes here at MLMC.
I’m excited to say that last year there were three girls doing Systems Engineering, but there were none in Software Development. In a bid to try and change that, as well as wanting to provide girls with essential Technology-based skills, I decided to start a series of workshops that hopefully get girls interested in these fields.
I planned to run several workshops covering the basics of CAD programming for things like the 3D printer and laser cutter, coding open-sourced hardware like an Arduino and Raspberry Pi, basic python skills as well as basic wood and tool skills. I now have 11 girls interested in these workshops, which is more than expected.
Although my plan was for these workshops to be face to face, the impact of COVID-19 has redirected me to take them online and will push back things like wood and tool use that require on-site help. I ran my first workshop via a Google Meet this week. I have enlisted the help of my fellow STEM prefects Jamieson Manger (Science) and Ryan Finette (Mathematics), and I have also been supported by Faculty Learning Leaders Mrs Urszula Faulkner (Science), Ms Kerrie Dohrmann (Mathematics) and Mr Warren Stephenson (Technology) as well as Digital Literacy Coordinator Mr John Parlas to get this project up and running.
If this project proves to be a success, I hope to carry these workshops into next year, working with the next Technology prefect, as a way to promote Engineering Week in February and to keep girls interested in male-dominant fields. I hope to show girls that they are just as capable of working in these careers if they choose and that there is plenty of university and job site support that can help them achieve their goals. I hope girls are able to take away some basic skills from these workshops or at least a greater interest in Technology.
Students have the opportunity to record their experience of lockdown for posterity with the College’s Art department organising a photography competition. With JB Hi-Fi vouchers up for grabs as prizes, students are being encouraged to get involved by taking photos capturing their experience of the COVID-19 lockdown.
We would love for every student to submit a photograph so that we could make a whole school art installation or exhibition as a keepsake of the 2020 remote learning and lockdown experience as part of the College’s story. Some students have already submitted entries (above, and in the gallery below).
The idea was sparked by asking my Year 9 photography students to take a walk outside, to notice and really see what life is like at the moment in lockdown. The teddy bears and rainbow paintings displayed in windows, the feeling of isolation and people exercising while wearing masks are just some of the things that could be captured, along with remote learning or any new hobbies and activities students have discovered.
The staff are hoping that we might be able to make a display in our new Visual Arts building or have an online exhibition so that all staff and students can share in the collection of snapshots taken by our students. Those students who contribute to the MLMC community by submitting a photograph will receive College commendations.
The top 10 photographs chosen by the Visual Arts staff and our Principal Mr Philip Morison will be narrowed down to final three, who will each receive a JB Hifi voucher. Judging criteria includes the photographic skills displayed as well as the concept or story behind the photograph taken. Entries are to be submitted via email to mpollock@mlmc.vic.edu.au by Saturday 19 September. Prize winners will be announced in Term 4.
During LOTE Week, held 10-14 August, as a College we celebrated our interest in other cultures and languages around the world. Languages Faculty Learning Leader Ms Maybelle Pangilinan and I worked together to create a LOTE Club on Google Classroom, which will continue. Here students can access various resources under the categories of cooking, including gnocchi (pictured) and tiramisu, songs, videos, origami (I am pictured above with my origami turtle) and crafts, gaming (my friends and I playing Briscola and Scopa online are pictured below), OzCLO and Your Future in LOTE.
We want to provide our students alternative ways to strengthen their language skills. Our main objective is to broaden their understanding of other countries, beyond the literal language.
Although we were not able to take on a face-to-face approach to LOTE Week this year, it has no doubt been a success. We have many students in our club who can easily access our activities. Furthermore, we will be able to use this page as a medium to contact all of our language enthusiasts. I hope this club will spark more and more participation and curiosity of languages and cultures in future years.
In the LOTE Club, students were set some challenges to do at home, including making the 2009 Guinness World Record paper plane with an Italian tutorial. Students could also do their own tik tok-style dance video using the same actions and song Wash Your Hands from a popular Japanese boy band.
We hope to add more topics to the LOTE Club Classroom page each month, including amusing Japanese videos, well-known Japanese characters, virtual tours of art museums in Italy and highlights of past Study Tours to Italy and Japan.
Below LOTE Club member Denisse Lopez Garza (Year 8 Blue) writes about her LOTE Week experience:
I loved all the activities in the LOTE Club Classroom and attempted to do as many as I could and tried to get my family involved too. I tried to do some origami and the plane challenge was fun. I tried my best to do Radio Calisthenics. We re-watched all of my favourite childhood Studio Ghibli movies, which I still enjoy, and I watched some Italian movies too. I looked at OzCLO problems for a while. I was interested in AUSLAN and tried to memorise some of it. My older sister (Marisa) has her mind set on being a translator and has started to learn languages online. She told me how to start learning languages and which ones are better to learn after I asked which were easiest. All the extra resources and information was really fascinating. This was a great experience and kept me busy and happy throughout the week because I tried so many new things.
During these times of working and studying online, we rely heavily on our internet equipment to function effectively. If students are having issues with their home internet, there are funding options available to families.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to consider the COVID-19 Education Assistance Package that is available to families until 30 September 2020. Information about this offer is explained in the flyer attached HERE.
If you require further information, please contact the College’s Counselling and Wellbeing team via an email to counsellingwellbeingteam@mlmc.vic.edu.au
Australian statistics indicate that almost nine in 10 people (88%) use social media. It is therefore important to understand how our young people connect with social media, engage in gaming and how they use screens. On that note, a thought provoking documentary called Screenagers is available to parents, carers, educators and the general public to view online for a period of two weeks, starting on Wednesday 26 August 2020. It is free and can be viewed at your convenience. Please see details on how to register via the flyer attached HERE.
Last Wednesday, the Melbourne Diocese held an Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) reunion special for all Melbourne pilgrims who had attended the festival in Perth in December last year. This reunion was streamed both on YouTube and through the Melbourne ACYF Facebook page and most of the College’s group of festival-goers were able to attend. The event included live music, an interview with Archbishop Peter Commensoli and reflections on the 2019 festival.
Here is what some of our students had to say about the night:
My favourite part of the livestream was definitely the music and reliving memories.
— Amy Roberts (Year 12 Purple, Faith and Ministry prefect)
I loved the music, it took me back to actually being there and it was so nice to have that feeling again.
— Caitlyn Gervasoni (Year 12 White)
Father Rob Galea was my favourite. I got very emotional when he came on and spoke.
— Lexie Cilia (Year 12 Gold)
Definitely would have to agree that the music was AMAZING! I also loved the nostalgia it gave me.
— Moses Villani (Year 12 Orange)
I loved hearing the song I'm Coming Back. It really brought back some beautiful memories. Tara, Georgia and I were on a zoom call watching it and we all cried listening to it. It was very powerful.
— Adriana Hawkins (Year 12 Purple)
The final message of this session was to go out and not forget the experiences and memories we made in Perth, and to always remember to stay connected with each other. We, as a group, are consistently staying connected with one another through Formation sessions, posts on Google Classroom and always keeping each other in our prayers.
Term 3 is always a very busy term for the Career's team at MLMC, but Term 3 of 2020 has been exceptionally busy in a new and different way. Our Year 10 students have attended virtual meetings with the Careers team to help them with their Pathway Selections and while selecting subjects for the following year can be a daunting task, the College has worked hard to support the students through the process.
This year saw the introduction of a new online system, the MLMC Pathways Portal, which is an exciting and interactive way to look at potential subjects and pathways for students. We were proud of the way that the Year 10 students attended their meetings with the Careers team, many of them ready with pathway plans, ideas or questions so that we could assist them with their Year 11 journeys.
Our Year 11 students have also selected their pathways for 2021 and this year we have seen over 10% of Year 11 students apply to do a university extension subject as part of their VCE program and it is very exciting for them to be able to commence their university experience while still at school.
The Year 12 students are in the process of planning their lives after secondary school reviewing countless opportunities and making decisions about their move to employment, further education or training. Those who hope to attend university or TAFE next year are currently selecting their course preferences through the VTAC system. All of the Year 12 students are also attending Google Meet sessions with the Careers team to help them with their VTAC applications or the next steps with their 2021 planning.
The Year 12 students have also attended digital lunchtime sessions with representatives from Monash University, Australian Catholic University, Swinburne University and La Trobe University, and next week The Future Student Coordinator from Deakin University will be joining us for a Q&A session about courses and pathways to Deakin. Parents and students from all levels are invited to attend this session on Wednesday 26 August at 12.45pm. They can join by clicking on this Google Meet link HERE.
We wish our Year 12 students the best of luck over the next few weeks with this process and remind them that the Careers team is available to assist them along the way.
This term the Year 10 Visual Communication Design class has been learning to work with the graphic design element of 'point'. Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to form an image. As the dots increase in closeness we start to see them as shapes, but they still retain their fundamental dot-like qualities. Together a number of points can have an effect where the eye naturally attempts to ‘connect the dots’ to create a line or form.
The students took inspiration from Ai Weiwei’s Sunflower Seeds, with artist Hong Yi setting out to create a portrait using the medium of actual sunflower seeds. The final piece (pictured above) required approximately 100,000 seeds. As most students would not have that many seeds around their home, they were asked to go to the kitchen cupboard and see what they could use as a medium for their exercise in 'point'.
Braedyn Kaplan (Year 10 Red) showed his creativity in this inspirational image of his friend, Peter, on white paper (pictured.
Being a Visual Communication Design teacher during remote learning has been challenging. While there is no substitute for the classroom for sharing thoughts and ideas, we are fortunate to have ways of maintaining visual contact and submitting work online. Knowing that students have limited access to materials and equipment is also a challenge and this design task has shown the need for everyone to improvise during remote learning.
We were told to make an image of something using materials that we can find in our homes and so I decided to make my friend Peter using spices. I used glue to make a layout of the image and then poured the spices over it so they would stick down. I can't remember exactly what spices I used but my parents were happy for me to use the spices.
All parents struggle a little, from time to time, with home schooling — even Rosie the sheep.
It is fitting that working in a Catholic school that values Shepherd Leadership our students in turn care for and maintain a flock of sheep. This year of isolation and coronavirus-related challenges has not changed the seasonal cycles of birth on the College’s McAuley Park Farm and our flock of sheep are now lambing, both at the College and at our Wandin farm site. The beauty of the animals steadily doing as they are supposed to do, caring for and tending to their young, gives great comfort and hope.
Those students involved in Agriculture classes this year, although via remote learning, are now beginning their studies of sheep during this exciting time. Their love of animals and the chance, albeit remotely, to have time with the animals during lambing provides reassurance that life goes on.
Although it is requiring great creativity and flexibility, the farm’s support and teaching team are ensuring that like so many other programs within the College, our Agriculture and Horticulture students do not miss out on the important things. It is a unique and profound privilege that we have, to bring students into close contact with the cycle of life during their time at school.
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
— Isaiah 40:11
Maddy George and Harry van Duuren are our 2020 Sports Prefects. You would usually meet Maddy and Harry at cross country training or see them on the podium at the Athletics Carnival but, but as we all know, this year is a little different. Maddy and Harry have been doing a fantastic job in their roles, even from home, getting involved in our remote sport program each Wednesday afternoon and encouraging others to do the same. If you would like to get to know them a little more, please read on.
Hey guys. My name is Maddy George and I am your Sport perfect for 2020. I love playing ANY sport, particularly netball. Swimming carnivals, athletics, beach carnivals are my favourite parts about being a student here. I have met some of my greatest friends through participating in these events. My goal is to one day be on the netball court for the Collingwood Magpies with my dad cheering me on. I would love to finish my course and become a swimming teacher as well as study a university course in some type of health or sporting profession. This year I am studying Physical Education, Psychology, Business and English. Throughout my time at the College I have studied almost every PE subject there is as well as Sport and Recreation, Outdoor Education, personal training and peak performance. I love trying to earn House points for Maguire. Leadership is a very important quality to have, being confident and knowing how to lead a team. Playing EISM sports and participating in the sporting carnivals has taught me how to be a good, fair leader.
Hey everyone, my name is Harry van Duuren and I am your male Sports prefect for this year. I am excited to take on this role. Sport is a priority for me as I am a runner and spend six days a week either running or in the gym. Since Year 7 I have seen the importance of sport to our College community and wish to make sport a fun experience for all in 2020. I am in Year 12 taking classes in Physics, PE, Methods, English and Economics. I have always thought about the prospect of becoming a Sports prefect as sport and physical activity is a very important part of my life. I wish to extend my love for running to the Olympics some day and I believe it shall be achievable with the right mindset. As well as that, I would like to attend university, hopefully in Design Engineering or Civil Engineering, and extend my schooling for those extra four to five years.
The man, not the house!
Next Monday (24 August) we are launching our new Iso Sport challenge — the Terry Dunn 42.2. This is an event that all students and staff can get involved in to earn points for their House. It will be similar to the Virtual Cross Country, but more of a challenge. The aim of the Terry Dunn 42.2 is to see if students and staff can run a marathon (or more if possible) between now and the end of term. We want as many of our students as possible to get involved. College commendations will be awarded at major milestones, including 5km, 10km, 21km. Everyone is encouraged to aim high and use your hour of exercise wisely. Every time a student runs, they have to click the link on Simon or their year level Google Classroom page to enter a time and distance into the Google Form to enable the Sport staff to keep track of total distances. Prizes from The Running Company will be posted to the students who cover the greatest distance between Monday 24 August and end of term. Inquiries to Mikayla or Ms Webb.
Afternoon sport for Year 8 (Tuesday), Year 9 (Thursday) and Senior students (Wednesday) are still running, they just look a little different to usual. Each week, students are invited to participate in a variety of challenges and health/fitness sessions online. Information will be posted to year level Google Classroom pages each week. Commendations will be awarded for participation and there are prizes up for grabs for high levels of participation across the term. Get involved and stay connected!