Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

Spring has come and gone and summer this week has celebrated its arrival as we start to see some beautiful warm weather and, like me, I am sure that you welcome it. Summer is a very special family time and in these past few weeks we have seen a number of College events, each significant and special within its own right.

These last three years have been difficult and to deny their impact would be to deny their significance and the work of so many to ensure we remain an open, caring, hospitable and welcoming community. These past three years of COVID-19 lockdowns prolonged absences of both staff and students due to COVID-19 and a virulent strain of influenza have indeed been difficult. Getting through this has been a testament to the resilience and dedication of all involved in our College. In many ways it is these past three years that have made these past few weeks very special.

Firstly, on Friday 25 November, the senior class — the Graduating Class of 2022 — trekked into the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to celebrate together by way of their normal Graduation ceremony. It was a delight to attend this event and celebrate with this very special group of young adults, who presented and graduated with esteem. It was a delight to return to the hospitality and facilities of the Convention Centre, whose venue allowed a very special ceremonial passing out for our young adults. We can all be proud of each and every one of them. I am sure that the world will be impacted and benefit from their talent and commitment to bettering the environment for all who walk this earth. I hope to see many of this cohort back in the very near future as Old Collegians and I further look forward to stories of their successes and the detail of the milestones that impact their lives.

This past week we have also seen the whole College undertake the AFP (Academic Foundation Program), whereby each year level has transitioned and stepped up to begin the work of 2023. This, too, is special as it both prepares and acknowledges growth and that with each ending there is a new beginning and new opportunity. Each student is given the opportunity to celebrate their successes from the current year and to realign their future growth based on their intended goals. This is highlighted through the Awards Ceremonies at each year level, and it has been great to see so many parents and families attending these.

It was a joy to again hold a whole College Swimming Carnival on Tuesday, which we have been unable to do for about 10 years as there are few facilities within our vicinity that will allow a whole College event. This carnival, too, is one of those occasions that builds House spirit and allows our staff and students to interact and build relationships in different ways.

With the end of the year approaching it is appropriate to recognise that a number of staff will be leaving us, some of whom after a significant period of their lives working to benefit our students. We thank them for their contributions:

• Miss Carrie Baker
• Mr Jaimin Hudson
• Mr Daniel Kelly
• Miss Emily Attardi
• Mr Louis Papadimitriou
• Dr Andrea Roberts-Davison
• Miss Emma Whitehouse
• Mrs Georgie Rhodes
• Mr Stuart Thornhill
• Ms Glenda Tobias
• Mrs Kirsten White
• Mr Victor Miles
• Mr Danny Katzen
• Ms Anna Napoli (Psychologist)
• Mr Kane Ord (Youth Worker).

While most of these teaching staff are moving from our College to other and new opportunities for growth or for relocation reasons; it is appropriate to highlight two staff in Mr Katzen and Mr Miles, who each retire from teaching and MLMC. Both men have provided dedicated and undeniable service. They will be missed.

Finally, I thank each and every member of the MLMC community for the support shown to the College over this year and I wish each of you a happy, Holy and peaceful family Christmas that is joyful in every way and full of the gift of God’s love and life.

In the Spirit of Catherine,
God bless and Merry Christmas
Philip A Morison

A Christmas prayer for hope

Jesus, the Light of the World,
as we celebrate your birth,
may we begin to see the world in the light of understanding you give us.

As you chose the lowly, the outcasts, and the poor
to receive the greatest news the world had ever known,
so may we worship you in meekness of heart.

May we also remember our brothers and sisters less fortunate than
ourselves in this season of giving.

Amen.
— Karen L. Oberst

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

Dates

• Friday 2 December — Last day of academic year for students
  
• Tuesday 6 December — Orientation Day for 2023 Year 7 students
• Friday 9 December — College Office closed for staff Christmas celebrations
• Friday 16 December — College Office closes for the year, 4.00pm
• Wednesday 18 January 2023 — College Office opens, 8.00am
• Thursday 26 January 2023 — Australia Day public holiday
• Monday 30 January 2023 — Year 7 and Year 12 students commence (parent liturgy to be held in the College chapel)
• Tuesday 31 January 2023 — Year 8-11 students commence
• NOTE: parents are welcome to come to the College Office before it closes on Friday 16 December and after it reopens on Wednesday 18 January to collect Rapid Antigen Tests if they are required. 

Instrumental Music tuition

Mrs Sharon Flint
Instrumental Music Secretary

This is the final call for Term 1 Instrumental Music enrolments! Enrolment forms for 2023 can be found on the Parent Portal under ‘Forms and Information’, on the MLMC website in the ‘Student Life’ section or parents can simply send an email to our Instrumental Music Secretary, Mrs Sharon Flint, via sflint@mlmc.vic.edu.au to request a form. For a student to secure their place in their preferred instrument, they must return the enrolment form to student reception OR to the Music department as soon as possible as vacancies are filling up quickly. 2023 Instrumental Music lessons will commence in the week beginning Monday 13 February.

Counselling and Wellbeing team news

Mrs Tina Tasiopoulos
School Wellbeing Coordinator

The Counselling and Wellbeing team would like to wish all our families a happy Christmas and a safe new year. We're looking forward to supporting you all next year. If you require any counselling support and advice during the school holidays, please refer to the Youth Resource Card below. In the meantime, please enjoy reading the article below.

Best wishes,
Tina, Tony, Emma, Amy and Kane

Last Friday (25 November), our 2022 Year 12 students celebrated their Graduation at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. It was great to see so many students, parents and staff there to recognise the achievements of this group after the challenges of the past three years.

A number of annual awards were presented during the event, with a list of the award winners listed below. Nominees for the Catherine McAuley Award were announced, with the winner to be announced at the Night of Excellence at the College on Tuesday 13 December.

Congratulations to all students and we sincerely wish you all the best for your future endeavours and look forward to hearing of all your success.

For many, the end of a school year can bring with it a range of feelings.

There is a sense of excitement for holidays with friends and family and the opportunity to recharge after a full but challenging year. It is a time we look forward to enjoying a more relaxed pace where we can set the agenda for the day and pursue all those little interests that might have been pushed aside for study or work.

Many will reflect on the challenges they have had in 2022 and give thanks to those who helped them meet these challenges. I continue to give thanks to the staff that have constantly made adjustments to their teaching to ensure all who have been sick or absent this year have not been left behind.

For me, I look forward to spending quality time with others, enjoying the small valuable moments we often don’t see in the hustle and bustle of the school year. I hope you, too, can relax and find joy in a slower pace.

Last week we experienced a wonderful Graduation ceremony for our Class of 2022 to celebrate the culmination of their secondary education. It was a wonderful night to acknowledge the hard work and effort made. I wish our graduating class of 2022 all the very best as they leave our care and begin their new adventure, and I commend our next group of Year 12s for the way in which they have embraced the last few weeks of school preparing for the challenges of next year.

My very best wishes to our Mount Lilydale Mercy College community for this Christmas period. I look forward to working with and for you in 2023. Enjoy the break, and stay safe.

Over the final days of the academic year the College held Award Ceremonies for each year level from Years 7 to 11 to celebrate learning excellence and to acknowledge the outstanding achievement, creativity and commitment to their studies made by a significant number of students.

Each year level gathered in Centennial Hall to celebrate our students’ contributions to the community, their spirituality and learning. College Colour commendations were also presented as staff and students gathered with families to pray and celebrate the school year together.

Principal Mr Philip Morison spoke at each ceremony about students committing to the goals they set for themselves. "Seek out the challenges because nothing is too hard," he said. "Only you will know if you have achieved what you wanted to achieve. Commit to being a full member of our learning community."

Academic awards were presented to students who have achieved academic excellence which included a weighted average of 85% or above in that subject, demonstrated personal organisation, creativity and originality, enthusiasm for the subject and a positive contribution to the learning environment. Students who achieved this level of excellence are commended and continue to serve as an inspiration to their peers.

Merit awards were presented for excellence in relation to enthusiasm for study, completion of work, punctuality and meeting task due dates, a cooperative approach to others and consistency in effort. Students awarded Merit awards showcase the best values of our Vision for Learning at MLMC.

All recipients are well deserving of these accolades and we wish them all the best in the next academic year.

With the first 2023 House points up for grabs, the House Swimming Carnival held on Tuesday 29 November was such a great way to kick-start our 'new' year. The 2023 Year 12s embraced the opportunity to dress up in many different ways and lifted the atmosphere. 

At our new venue, at Croydon Memorial Pool, which included a heated pool, we had swimmers from all year levels in the pool all day. There was also the crowd favourite event tug-of-war competition and many games of water polo in the small activities pool. This was a great way to get everyone involved. This was by far my favourite carnival at MLMC!

It was wonderful to once again celebrate the end of the College year with the Family Service of Carols on Wednesday 30 November. We had a simple liturgy and re-telling of the Christmas story, lots of music and singing, as well as a sausage sizzle.

This was a beautiful community event with children dressed as shepherds and angels and everyone singing along with the band and choir.  

Thank you to all who made this event possible and for the gold coin donations. We collected $70 and this will be used to purchase toys and games to donate to Mullum Mullum Gathering Place.

On Friday 18 November during periods 5 and 6 (during a fortuitous rain break), our Year 9s celebrated the ‘Homecoming’. The ceremony marks the end of their rite of passage through Year 9, and celebrates the journey they have taken. This followed on from earlier ceremonies ‘The Calling’, where our “heroes” acknowledge the journey ahead and ‘The Abyss’, where in solitude they reflected on what has been and what is to come. Parents, students and their mentors (a significant adult in their life), came together to present a project they had worked on throughout the year, to give gratitude for their time and wisdom, and to proclaim seven virtues they wish to take with them into adulthood.

At the ceremony, these words were spoken:

In the stories of heroes throughout mythology, the hero returns, again traversing the threshold between the worlds, coming back to the ordinary world with the treasure they’ve gained, the lessons they’ve learnt (and perhaps a little bit of magic), which they may now use for the benefit of the wider community. They learn that life is not about me … life is about others. The hero themself has been transformed by the adventure and has gained wisdom to take into their future life. The trick in The Return is to retain the wisdom gained on the journey, to integrate that wisdom into a life, and then maybe to figure out how to share the wisdom with the rest of the world.

Students, the people gathered here today are here for you. Your teachers, who hold this great responsibility of your learning, and hold your growth as their greatest reward. Your mentors, who spent their time with you, allowing them to see the necessity of community, as they passed on their wisdom, like Mr Miyagi to Daniel San, or Dumbledore to Harry, Michael Jordan to Kobe Bryant, or Mrs McKenzie to Billy Elliot. Your parents, whose unconditional support of your growth fills them with a pride you don’t always see. It’s in the small but warm smile they give when you say something profound that they haven’t heard you say before. It’s in the welcome ache they get in their hearts when you do something they didn’t teach you, in the realisation that you didn’t need their help. It’s when you solved that problem yourself. It’s in the stare they hold on you when you aren’t looking. It’s when you’ve made your bed. It’s a pride that you may one day feel for your own children, hence the importance of what we do now.

So, here on our hill, with surrounds that show the best view in the Yarra Valley, we congratulate you. We congratulate you on the challenges you completed. We congratulate you on the lessons you’ve learned. We congratulate you on the adult you are becoming. This wasn’t meant to be easy, that’s why it is a journey. That’s why you are the hero. And heroes are always welcomed back with applause.

Along with the students’ gratitude, we here at the College also express our warm thanks to the parents and mentors for joining us on this day and are grateful for the kind words of feedback received:

"It was just beautiful and was an absolute pleasure to attend as a mentor and a mum".

"I enjoyed the experience as the mentor for my granddaughter in Year 9 as they presented their posters and letters. I felt it was very well done. Keep up the good work!"

In Term 3 this year a group of MLMC students from Years 7 to 12 took part in the 2022 International Chemistry Quiz. The competition tests students' knowledge and skills in a range of aspects of Chemistry and its application in society. It has participants from all over Australia as well as from a number of countries around the world.

Our students achieved some great results this year at all year levels. The following students were awarded with Certificates of Distinction and High Distinction and are to be congratulated on their efforts: 

• Year 7: Tess Klinger (7 Aqua) 
• Year 8: Olivia Vanderkolk (8 Red), Thomas Earl (Year 8 Silver)
• Year 9: Angus Upton (9 Blue) and Rachael Roper (9 Jade) 
• Year 11: Max Biddiscombe (11 Bronze) and Jonathan White (11 Silver) (pictured above)
• Year 12: Jack Drummond, Baxter Lill and Teagan McConachy (all 12 Blue).

All students who took part in the competition are commended for taking on the challenge and striving to achieve their personal best. Congratulations to all participants of the 2022 ICQ.

As part of the Year 9 STEM (Science, Technology and Design) program a group of enthusiastic students built and recently successfully launched their very own fuel-powered rockets.

The Year 9 STEM elective sees our young scientists experience integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths through a range of STEM challenges. These students applied design thinking and building skills as well as teamwork during the construction and launch process. They had to take into consideration a number of factors that affected both the launch and flight path of the rockets.

This rocket launch was affected by unfavourable weather throughout the year and we were all very excited to finally see our students’ rockets successfully fly into the air. The students worked under the leadership of their teacher Mr Hans Dharma and guidance of our Laboratory Technician Ms Maeve Wild.

Mount Lilydale Mercy College enjoys a great connection with the booming agricultural sector through its education programs and its Young Farmers Club. With the support of some dedicated staff and local industry partners, our students regularly go on to secure amazing careers in related fields.

On the weekend of 19-20 November, current members of our Young Farmers Club joined Old Collegians who were Young Farmers and teachers for the annual Lilydale Show. The students successfully exhibited our sheep, winning a number of categories, most notably champion stud. This is a wonderful achievement and a great way to celebrate the end of another year of growing and learning for our students.

We are looking forward to another wonderful year of achievement in 2023.

Conditional Early Entry Offer Schemes are entrance programs that universities are embracing more and more as we see a shift away from just focusing on the ATAR for entry into university. La Trobe University, in particular, is embracing this change, and they have already opened applications for our current 2022 Year 11 VCE students to apply for their first round of Early Conditional Offers for 2024 course entry. Applications to the Aspire Scheme are based on a students’ Year 11 academic results (65% average minimum) and their contribution to the MLMC community.

We have been working alongside the Year 11 Level Leaders to support the students with identifying the most suitable courses, explaining the online application process and providing school endorsement letters. If you are a parent who would like to learn more about this opportunity, there is an online webinar that explains the offer in detail. Of course, parents are encouraged to contact us in the Careers department if any assistance is required.

As many of our Year 12 graduating class eagerly lay in wait for their ATARs, which will be released on Monday 12 December, we have been reflecting on those Year 12 students who have already been successful in gaining early entry offers. These students have explained to us that receiving an Early Conditional Offer prior to the end-of-year exams gave them recognition of their capabilities, a self-esteem boost and a positive mindset shift; essentially it calmed their exam nerves, reduced their worry and assisted them to do their best and reach their potential in their studies.

We encourage the incoming Year 12 students (Class of 2023) to really take advantage of Early Conditional Offer schemes, so they, too, can receive the benefits of an early offer like these Year 12 graduates.

We remind our Graduates and their parents that the Careers team — Mrs Jo-Anne Hopkins, Mrs Jennifer Morison and myself — will be available to provide all our 2022 Year 12 graduates with VTAC Change of Preference assistance on Monday 12 December and Tuesday 13 December at the College. No appointment is necessary.

The Flying Solo program at MLMC is focussed on supporting current Grade 6 students joining our community on their own in 2023. On Thursday 24 November, after school, we ran the program for 35 students. It was organised by our Year 7 Level Leaders and facilitated by our Year 10 Peer Support students for 2023.

There is a focus on forming new connections in a smaller group before the entire cohort joins us for Orientation Day on Tuesday 6 December. The students participated in a variety of games and activities, before concluding the evening gathering contact details of other students to assist in their transition.

We look forward to next week’s Orientation Day when we welcome the Year 7 cohort of 2023 to the College to give them an opportunity to get to know others in the homerooms and their homeroom teachers for 2023.

Grand Finals were held for Year 9 EISM competitions over the past two weeks, with MLMC winning premierships in the girls’ ultimate frisbee (pictured) and the boys’ cricket. MLMC finished runner-up after two other Grand Finals. Well done to all of the students involved.

Year 9 (24 November — Grand Finals)

Year 9 (1 December — Grand Final)