Dear members of the MLMC community

We are certainly into the full swing of a Victorian State Election and don’t we know it. Our media channels have been full of advertising for some weeks now as political parties and politicians try to reinvent themselves and present a fresh approach to issues that have been discussion points.

Personally, I find it disappointing when politics becomes a negativity campaign about opponents and way too much energy is directed towards dragging candidates down rather than being positive and uplifting. I can never understand why someone would think that attacking someone else would make them politically attractive, but it seems to be the way of campaigning at the moment.

It does also make me reflect that our society has become too punitive. We often talk about learning from our mistakes and being free to try new things without fear of failure, yet when others make a mistake as a society we call for retribution and punishment. I wonder if we expect too much. Can we, in fact, expect those who represent us to be purer in their actions than we are ourselves? I also wonder where compassion and forgiveness are in this world. Do we not believe that people are essentially good and have good intentions? Perhaps I just choose to believe that.

Anyway, I need to get back to the original intention.

In this State Election, there will be many promises made by all political parties and I am not suggesting anything or trying to alter the way you choose to vote. That is your personal right and I have no desire to personally influence you to a particular party. I do hope in voting that we think of Catholic social teaching, the integrity of each person and the common good.

The Directors of Catholic Education in all the Victorian diocese have been in discussions with the political parties and have written to you so that you may know how your vote might influence the future in Catholic education. I attach this letter below.

In the Spirit of Catherine,
May God bless each and every one of you.

May our Year 12 cohort, who have now completely finished their exams, assessments and who graduate next Friday night, feel satisfied and blessed in their efforts.

As summer approaches, stay safe.

Philip A Morison

Sunday 27 November is the start of Advent — the time when churches around the world celebrate begin a season of reflection and preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. May we make the coming weeks a time of preparation, not just for our homes but in our hearts also.

In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in unity,
that our praise and worship
might echo in these walls
and also through our lives.

In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in mission,
that the hope within
might be the song we sing,
and the melody of our lives.

In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in service,
that the path we follow
might lead us from a stable
to a glimpse of eternity.

Amen

Author unknown

Dates

• Monday 21 November — Staff Professional Practice Day (student free)
• Wednesday 23 November — EISM beach carnival
• Tuesday 22 November-Thursday 1 December — Academic Foundation Program (AFP) for Year 8-12 students in 2023
  
• Tuesday 29 November — MLMC Swimming Carnival at Croydon pool
• Wednesday 30 November — Family Service of Carols
• Wednesday 30 November — Semester 2 Awards Ceremony for Year 9
• Thursday 1 December — Semester 2 Awards Ceremonies for Years 10 and 11
• Friday 2 December — Semester 2 Awards Ceremonies for Years 7 and 8
• Friday 2 December — Last day of academic year for students
• Friday 16 December — College Office closes for the year, 4.00pm

International Study Tour returns in 2023

Mr John Rodgers
Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

Mount Lilydale Mercy College is pleased to announce that planning for an International Study Tour to Japan in 2023 has commenced.

The first step in renewing relationships with our sister school, Horyuji International High School, is underway and will begin in March next year when they visit Australia.

The Japanese Study Tour provides invaluable possibilities for your child to connect with a different culture, make lasting friendships and have a wonderful opportunity to practice their language skills.

An important aspect of the sister school relationship is to accommodate students when they visit. The generosity shown by our families is then returned to our students when we visit Japan. I write today to ask if you would consider being a host. In past Study Tours, both MLMC and Horyuji have hosted students for approximately nine days.

In the past, MLMC students who have hosted Horyuji students are given priority in attending the return visit to Japan. This is both a reward for their generosity in hosting, but predominantly to allow an extension of the relationship that has been established when hosting a Japanese student.

At present we are in the initial stages of offering a Study Tour to Japan in September next year and hope to have more information soon. The September tour is only offered to our 2023 Year 10 and Year 11 students. Priority is given to students who are studying Japanese in 2023, but it may be open to other students in Years 10 and 11 (2023) should numbers permit.

Your child does not need to be studying Japanese to have the opportunity to host a Japanese student. All offers of hospitality are invited.

A letter seeking an expression of interest and/or a willingness to host in March has been sent to families who have a child in Year 10 or 11 next year. Please respond through the Google form so more information can be sent to you.

It really is wonderful that we can now offer such exciting programs to our students once again.

Uniforms

Our uniform supplier, Bob Stewart, would like to advise families that the last delivery to the College will be made on Tuesday 29 November. After this date, families will need to arrange click and collect or visit the shop to collect items.

Bob Stewart Uniform Shop invites families to use their appointment system and visit the Croydon shop as early as possible to purchase their uniform for 2023. Click HERE (or below) for a flyer regarding new families to the College booking appointments for uniform fittings. Families also have the option to purchase uniform via click and collect. The Bob Stewart Uniform Shop assures us that they are more than happy to do uniform exchanges or returns prior to the start of Term 1 in 2023 if required. Appointments will run through November and December and are made through the Bob Stewart website only.

On Friday 11 November, the College paused during homeroom for a Remembrance Day ceremony to honour those who have served our country in times of conflict and the College was also part of the official ceremony at the Lilydale Cenotaph.

Remembrance Day represents the day that World War I ended, with the College pausing for a minute to pay respect to those who fought and died. Australians have been participating in this memorial day since 1918, showing recognition to those on our front lines in the present day and those who have served in the past. It is important for the community to remember the sacrifices that people make for our country to grow and live in peace.

During homeroom, Humanities Prefects Mark Rimando (2022) and Olivia Barre (2023) joined me in a service over the PA system. It included explanations of the history of the minute of silence, as well as scripture, prayers, The Ode, the Last Post and The Rouse as all students were also able to view a presentation relating to the ceremony.

Later in the morning, College Captains for 2023 Elena Atanasovski and Campbell Manser laid a wreath on behalf of the College at the Lilydale Cenotaph. During the service by the Lilydale RSL, our Choir of 23 students sang the hymn Oh God, Our Help In Ages Past as well as the full Australian national anthem. Both were performed a capella over the sound of the traffic passing behind them so they did a magnificent job.

We thank our student leaders as well as all students and staff for the way they expressed meaning and empathy for the fallen during this very special occasion.

Over the last few weeks, Year 10 Ministry students led a campaign to raise awareness and funds for Catholic Mission’s annual Socktober initiative. This year’s focus was on the country of Ethiopia and, in particular, how to support Catholic education and food security.

Students raised awareness through regular posts on SIMON and visits to homerooms and raised money through a number of activities. These activities included a senior students verses staff volleyball match, a raffle, and staff and students wearing crazy socks on Thursday 10 November for a gold coin donation. Congratulations to Angelina Mosca (Year 7 Aqua) (pictured below) for being judged the winner of the Most Crazy Socks prize after the lunchtime parade in McAuley Hall. Megan Rieschieck (Year 10 Jade) won the raffle. Together the College raised $495 for charity. Well done!

Note: Ministry is a Religious Education option that students in Years 10-12 can choose for their studies in the Barak Campus. This course combines aspects of Religion and Society and the CSYMA curriculum with practical activities, to inform their faith and the opportunity to be involved in liturgical and fundraising ministries of the College.

Over recent weeks, our Year 9 Science classes have attended Wearable Technologies workshops at the Yarra Ranges Technical School. The workshops complemented the electricity material that is being covered in class as part of their Science curriculum.

It was a great day of invention and learning how electronics can be used to assist people in real life applications.

One of the groups came up with a really cool idea for tracking the elephants at Melbourne Zoo. They were inspired by the recent event in Sydney when lions escaped from their enclosure at Taronga Zoo.

Here are a couple of reflections from the participants:

I enjoyed creating a new piece of technology with my group. It was an excellent experience working with my group. They came up with some awesome ideas.
— Angelo Enright (Year 9 Red)

The instructors were very helpful and they explained things clearly. Our challenge was to create shoes that tracked athletes' performance.
— Cassidy Ryan (Year 9 Red)

It was great for our students to create and invent. The segue for innovation and designing wearable technology was provided by experienced YRTS staff.
— Science teacher Michelle Hansen

The Personal Best project allows Year 11 VCAL students to undertake an activity that they have a passion for, or is important to them. They are given the opportunity to work with a mentor to assist them to design, plan, and produce a project of their choice. These activities also enable students to refine interpersonal and employability skills by creating a presentation to be delivered to the cohort and also developing a visual portfolio.

Two fine examples of students’ projects this year were completed by Yasmin Riddiford (pictured above) and Flynn McDonald (pictured below).

Yasmin (Year 11 Purple) created an amazing mosaic artwork for her Personal Best project.

“I wanted to express my culture, to talk about it to my classmates and other teachers. It’s about my family, the Bundjalung mob, based on Yorta Yorta land. The white stones on the left represent the men in my family, while the women in my family are on the right and the big circle is the meeting place, which is the Broken River where my Pop lives on the river.”

Yasmin’s mother, Marina, creates mosaics and was Yasmin’s mentor for the project. “My passion is my culture. And I wanted to do something meaningful,” Yasmin said. It took all of Term 3 and a few weeks of Term 4 to complete the piece.

Flynn (Year 11 Bronze) put his amazing carpentry skills to use by designing and building a cubby house. Flynn’s dedication to his project has been outstanding, including early mornings and late afternoons to complete the cubby. Flynn intends to give the cubby house to one of his teachers for his grandchild to enjoy playing in.

Flynn was able to demonstrate the transferable skills he has developed through his VET and VCAL studies to manage his project. It was evident that he has a firm grasp of the occupational health and safety requirements and project management skills required to complete such a complex project. After completing his studies next year, Flynn intends to complete his carpentry apprenticeship.

Other Personal Best projects this year included a formed metal canopy for the back of a ute, resin tables, dog kennel, recipe books with videos, re-built motors, a handmade guitar, tennis racquet and many more amazing projects. Well done to all the students for their time and effort put into these projects.

Ongoing discussions regarding impacts of the climate crisis can leave one feeling it’s all too much. MLMC, on a positive note, has invested extensively in its new and updated facilities and beautiful grounds. This has been undertaken with a heightened awareness to ensure that sustainability is the cornerstone of all that is being done. The College is close to becoming a five-star school through its involvement with Sustainability Victoria's ResourceSmart Schools program. This program has core modules that address how reductions in energy use have been made, along with a reduction in water consumption and reducing our waste stream to landfill.

The general biodiversity of the College grounds has also been improved through hundreds of trees and shrubs being planted with the assistance of numerous staff and student groups. A recent bird count highlighted that the grounds are providing increased habitat for birdlife and insects.

Solar panels, water savings via recycled water tanks and improved light fittings has seen the reduced consumption of water and lower water and electricity bills.

The efforts of teacher Mr Paul Morgan (pictured working with students laying mulch and setting up tree guards to protect recent plantings), Mr Andrew Comerford from the Maintenance and Grounds team, Assistant Business Manager Mrs Cathy Pote and the Sustainability team have been rewarded. We have received news that the College has received grant funding from Melbourne Water and the Yarra Ranges council to continue the vital waterways revegetation work the College has commenced (pictured below). These projects require ongoing support, both financial and through the efforts of many. The College community is blessed and is to be congratulated for its hard work in providing such an attractive setting for all to enjoy.

Throughout the year our Year 11 VCAL and Year 9 Compass students have constructed 22 nesting boxes which were last week handed over to Upper Goulburn Landcare Network coordinator Chris Coburn (pictured below with our students). 

The boxes provide artificial nesting sites for wildlife in areas where natural hollow bearing trees are lacking and are designed for small marsupials like sugar gliders, brush-tailed phascogales, and antechinus. Some of the boxes were also constructed during Sustainability Week. The College is committed to continuing this community project and is always looking for eager participants to assist with the construction of the nesting boxes.

To complete a terrific year of learning in Physical Education all Year 7 classes attended Oz Tenpin Bowling in Chirnside Park this week. One of their units of work this year was to look at a range of lifelong physical activity options.

In Year 7 at MLMC, the Physical Education program aims to develop students' proficiency in a range of movement skills and physical activities. Teachers work with students to enable them to acquire a toolbox of movement skills, concepts and strategies to ensure that they can confidently, competently and creatively participate in a variety of physical activities.

This year the lifelong physical activities included swimming, resistance training, bike riding, walking, team sports and tenpin bowling. The students had a great time bowling and it was a wonderful way to celebrate the end of a fantastic year of learning with their peers and teachers.

(1) Student Achievements

Running
Congratulations to Oliver Coghlan (Year 7 Purple) (pictured above) who recently competed in the 10km event at the Marysville Marathon.

Congratulations also to Katherine Hobson (Year 9 Aqua) who competed in the 12km event at the Rollercoaster Run around Mount Dandenong. She finished in a time of 1.33.55 — a very impressive time considering the elevation of the course.

If you have any student achievements, please email them to me via dwebb@mlmc.vic.edu.au

(2) EISM results

Year 9 (10 November)

(3) Choose your own adventure 

Over the last six weeks, Year 10 students had the opportunity to participate in some different sports and recreation activities (pictured below). The activities ranged from a golf program held at Gardiners Run including lessons from a golf pro, a series of yoga and pilates sessions, a weightlifting program held at CrossFit Lilydale Ranges and a mountain bike program with instructor Cooper Downey (Class of 2019) from Joyride MTB.