Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

The Times They Are A Changin' so sang Bob Dylan in 1964 in the song written by himself and Pierre Delanoe ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90WD_ats6eE). While Dylan presented the song as a deliberate attempt to create an impetus for change in the society of the time, and while it has been used for many calls for change since, some of which were political, I use it here in quite a different sense, which I assure you has no political agenda.

The Times They Are a Changing or are they? Last week, the State Government announced what many would consider an easing of the restrictions at the time with the use of QR codes in schools, the removal of density limits and then from midnight tonight the removal of the requirement to wear face masks indoors in secondary schools. These changes were indeed welcome and an indication of the reducing number of positive cases. Surely this is an indication that slowly we are returning to an operational campus similar to that of pre- COVID19.

At about the same time, the State Government directed schools to continue participation in the “at home Rapid Antigen Testing program (RATs)” until at least the end of Term 1. The College will continue to be supplied with and will continue to distribute RAT kits to our students. Students who test positive or who are household contacts of those who test positive must continue to isolate at home and inform the College as soon as such evidence becomes evident.

With all this in mind, we at the College believed that slowly things would open up and indoor whole College events would be possible. This is not the case. While we still wait to be issued with operational guidelines, which the Department of Health must approve, we are told we must do a COVID-19 risk analysis for every event associated with the College which includes camps, excursions and assemblies. Risk assessments must consider space available to the community, the numbers of positive cases within our community who have been positive while on campus, as well as the mixture of attendees and the concepts of groupings and bubbles. \

Accordingly, we still move or change, cancel and postpone where possible College events. Over the last fortnight we have seen both McAuley and Barak Campus Information Nights as well as VCE and VCAL Information Nights held successfully via Zoom. At present, we are now planning our Top Achiever’s Assembly in a different way, with Year 12 students present and socially distanced in the Doyle Centre and the rest of the College joining via zoom. Other events like the Community Mass, which has previously been postponed, will unfortunately need to be cancelled. As soon as new operational guidelines are available I will update you and include information about future events.

Having said all of the above, I want to thank the community for their ongoing support during these constantly changing and interesting times. Please continue to support the whole MLMC community by doing the right thing and continue to use RAT tests twice a week and isolate when needed.

College Deputy Principal, Mr John Rodgers, has been supplying me with constant updates on students who test positive and he is enjoying his new-found skills in data presentation. Yesterday, he supplied me with this data:

Furthermore, I must inform you that we are blessed at MLMC to have a vast array of talent and dedication among the College leadership and staff. I am proud of their commitment to the safety and learning of our students and the work they do. I thank them for their versatility in these times of great change.

I may have previously told you that one of my favourite authors is Charles Handy, who wrote a short story called The White Stone in which he refers to a verse in the Book of Revelation: “To anyone who prevails, the Spirit says I will give you a white stone, on which is written a new name which no one knows except he who receives it”.

Each Monday morning, we have a tradition at MLMC whereby a staff member gives to a colleague the Well Done Award as recognition of all the unnoticed work that they do. This award is like my white stone as each week I do not know who will get it, but it helps me appreciate the talent and work of those who walk our corridors.

And lastly, I did have the pleasure of seeing Bob Dylan live at the Myer Music Bowl in 1977 or 1978, but that story is for another time.

In the Spirit of Catherine

God bless

Philip A Morison
Principal

This year Ash Wednesday is on 2 March. This begins the Church’s season of Lent; a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. As a College community we also launch our Project Compassion Appeal for Caritas. The prayer below is taken from the Ash Wednesday liturgy on the Caritas website. It is a good reminder of our call as Christians.

God of Hope and Compassion,

You remind us of the need to turn away from our own desires, and to care
for our global family, particularly at a time that has seen great loss and suffering.

We pray that during this time of Lent, we may grow in understanding of the
challenges faced by those who are marginalised and vulnerable in our world
as we make a home for them in our hearts.

And as we see the challenges of others, may we respond with love and hope,
now and for all future generations.

Be with us as we walk in solidarity with our brothers and sisters.

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen

From the Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

Mr John Rodgers
Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

Please keep students home if they are unwell

Our rudimentary data gathered from conversations with parents is now suggesting that students who show initial signs of feeling unwell take a few extra days before testing positive to COVID-19. In the interests of preventing the spread of COVID-19, we ask that if your child is feeling unwell — even if they test negative — please keep them home. Students can be infectious 48 hours prior to testing positive. Keeping your child home may prevent others from catching the virus.

Testing

Please remember the importance of having your child/children test twice a week before coming to school The College recommends students test on a Monday and Wednesday morning, but please be vigilant and test on any day they feel they have symptoms. More tests will be distributed to students next week.

SRC

The College's Vice Captains, Jack Drummond and Stella Atkinson, are now seeking applications for the 2022 Student Representative Council (SRC). Application forms and details on how to submit them can be found on your child's Year Level Classroom page. Interviews will commence shortly after applications close on Friday 4 March.

Hats

As MLMC is a sun-smart school, please ensure your child has a hat to wear at recess and lunchtime. Students without hats are directed to designated areas to avoid the sun.

Masks

With the relaxation of wearing masks at school from next week, please be mindful that students must continue to wear masks on public transport.

College Fees

Mrs Cathy Pote
Assistant Business Manager

Parents and guardians are advised that all families should now have access to their annual College Fee Statement on the Parent Portal. All statements have also been emailed, in mid-January.

The Early Payment Discount cut-off date is Monday 7 March 2022. Annual fees paid by this date will be eligible for an early payment discount. Please refer to your College Fee Statement for the amount but remember to take off your early payment discount from this amount (pro rata amount for split billers).

Families that have set up an automatic payment plan must ensure funds are available on the day the payment is processed. Please see below for dates.

If you require any information regarding the College Fees, please contact our Finance Office on 9237 1315.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)

Finance Office

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school excursions, camps and sporting activities. If you hold a valid means-tested concession card, are a temporary foster parent or a student between 16 to 18 years old and have a means-tested Disability Pension or Youth Allowance card, you may be eligible for the CSEF allowance. It is paid directly to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

The annual CSEF amount per student is $225 for secondary school students.

For concession card holders CSEF eligibility will be subject to the parent/carer concession card being validated successfully with Centrelink on the first day of Term 1 (Monday 31 January 2022) or Term 2 (Tuesday 26 April 2022).

If you applied for CSEF at Mount Lilydale Mercy College in 2021, you do not need to complete an application form in 2022 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. Your child’s school will apply for CSEF on your behalf. You will need to submit an application form in 2022 if any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments: your child has started or changed schools in 2022 or you did not apply at the same school in a previous year
• changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2022.

Please note the following if there is shared custody: 

• the payment system only allows one application per student. Parents in shared custody situations (who both hold a concession card) must make the decision beforehand who applies for the CSEF at the school on behalf of their children
• the CSEF is for the benefit of the parent who is in receipt of the CSEF
• the College should not be put into the position of arbitrating this decision.

Application forms should be completed and lodged with the College as soon as possible in Term 1, as payments are made from March onwards. However, schools will be able to accept and process applications up until Monday 20 June 2022. Parents must lodge a CSEF application form with a photocopy of their Health Care/Pension Card. CSEF payments are for the current application year and cannot be claimed retrospectively for prior years.

CSEF application forms are available to download below or from either our MLMC Finance Website or from  www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/csef.aspx NO LATE APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED. For more information about the CSEF contact the Finance Office on 9237 1315 or visit www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/csef.aspx

Our Year 7 students enjoyed a full and busy week of activities from Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February to ensure they are set up for a smooth transition into secondary school.

This year, for the first time in a very long time, we attended a new camp. The Year 7s travelled to Alexandra Adventure Resort. Blue, Silver, Green, Jade, Purple and White were the first homerooms to embark on this new journey on Monday morning. On the Wednesday, the homerooms switched over and Alexandra welcomed Aqua, Red, Orange, Bronze and Gold. This camp offered a new experience for our College, firstly by accommodating our entire cohort over the five days and being able to travel further from home gave them the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones. Alexandra Adventure Resort offered some fantastic activities such as the giant swing, high ropes course, canoeing, an educational wildlife show and some much-needed pool sessions in the hot weather.

On the two days students were not on camp they were at school taking part in the ‘Stepping Forward’ program. Similar to previous years, author Sharon Witt was due to be our guest speaker on the topic ‘Surviving High School’, unfortunately Sharon was unable to attend this year so McAuley Campus Learning Advisor Mr Neal Haining provided the Year 7s with a similar and engaging presentation. During these two days students also received their Chromebooks and learnt about cyber safety, the Counsellors workshopped ideas about friendships and settling in and students again visited our Chapel where they learnt about our Mercy heritage and the story of Catherine McAuley. The Stepping Forward program concluded with a small taste of the MLMC Swimming Carnival. This gave the Year 7s the opportunity to see how this event would run ahead of the main carnival today (Friday 25 February).

Below are some student reflections on the Year 7 camp experience:

This year, on camp, we went to a new camp called Alexandra Adventure Resort. I really enjoyed it. We did many activities there including the giant swing, high ropes, low ropes initiatives, gaga ball, orienteering, canoeing and more. I loved making new friends and hanging out in the cabins. My favourite two activities were the giant swing, which really got your adrenaline pumping, and the wildlife show. We got to see a dingo, a spider, an owl, a lizard, snakes, a turtle and some frogs. I really enjoyed this new experience and I loved everything about this camp.
— Priya Rohead (Year 7 Aqua)

Last week all the Year 7 classes got the chance to attend Alexandra Adventure Resort for Camp. There were so many thrilling activities to be a part of. My personal favourites were the pool and wildlife show. I was in a cabin with some amazing girls, whose company I enjoyed very much. I got the chance to talk to and meet many new faces, which was great. Overall, I enjoyed Year 7 Camp very much as it stretched my social ability and I got to try lots of new things.
— Harper McMillan-Gross (Year 7 Aqua)

I enjoyed camp at the new campsite because it was my first school camp ever. I really enjoyed the pool, giant swing and animal show. It was an amazing experience to get to know my friends and classmates even better than I did before. All the teachers and staff made it a fun and safe experience.
— Inara Dean (Year 7 Bronze)

I really enjoyed camp because we got to experience different activities and events like a 16m high giant swing, low ropes and high ropes course, archery, orienteering, trivia and lots more. A few of the activities you had to work together as a team, so you got to know your homeroom better. My favourite part of camp was definitely making new friends, the giant swing and the wildlife show. My Year 7 camp is differently my favourite one so far.
— Stacey Brogan (Year 7 Bronze)

As part of the Year 9 Compass program, students undertake a unit of work entitled “Learner, Leader, Team Member”. This unit intends to help students reflect on their learning strengths, consider their leadership abilities, and develop a growth mindset, all with the purpose of focusing their interactions and initiatives at Year 9 in a positive, supportive and effective manner.

The goals of this unit dovetail nicely with the Mercy Education value of ‘Courage’, the focus at Year 9. We hope that our students understand that to act with courage takes strength, resilience, and a prudent use of the skills given us. It also often requires us to put others before ourselves and acknowledge that courage is a gift of God, the source of all that is good.

It is in this context that we were privileged to welcome to our College on Wednesday 9 February and Wednesday 23 February the organisation ‘Courage to Care’. Courage to Care presents students with the belief that ordinary people have the power to make a positive difference to the lives of others by being upstanders rather than bystanders. Taking inspiration from extraordinary real-life acts of courage, their programs inspire people to make a true difference in the community by standing up and taking action, creating real change.

The experience was profoundly powerful. Students were exposed to examples of people successfully standing up to hatred and discrimination such as Oskar Schindler, Chiune Sugihara and Indigenous leader William Cooper. However, most moving was the firsthand testimony by Judy Kolt — a Holocaust survivor (pictured above with students) — about her experiences of kindness, courage and sacrifice by others after the invasion of Poland in 1939 when she was only three years old. The message that evil can be challenged when ordinary people act was clearly communicated to our students and was certainly heard. Students were encouraged to look for opportunities to speak out about the injustices they encounter, both small and large, in order to build a community that values diversity, safety and freedom from fear.

When asked if the experience was worthwhile, students responded extremely positively, recommending that this new initiative should continue as part of the Year 9 program in future years — a ringing endorsement. Everyone involved was very satisfied with the gracious and impactful delivery of the program and the enthusiastic and respectful engagement of our students. We hope our students continue to act as upstanders in our school community, fulfilling the words of Catherine McAuley to “speak as your mind directs, and always act with courage”.

The annual Year 8 Survivor Challenge was held on Tuesday morning (Tuesday 22 February). It saw our students competing as homerooms in a series of physical and mental challenges.

Through competing in Survivor, students are able to bond with their new Year 8 homeroom peers and recognise and appreciate each other's strengths and differences. Survivor also provides an invaluable opportunity for students to further develop important skills such as teamwork, leadership, cooperation, communication and problem solving.

After a morning of intense competition and plenty of laughs, 8 Gold was declared the overall winning homeroom. Congratulations to the students of 8 Gold and their homeroom teacher, Mr Stuart Thornhill (pictured below). A thank you also to the amazing people who assisted in making this event possible, especially our Year 8 homeroom teachers.

Below are some students’ reflections on the event:

The Survivor day was all about having fun and learning our peers' strengths and weaknesses. It was about uniting together as a team and a year level to win in fun activities. My favourite part was learning more about my classmates and winning the slingshot activity. I learned from Survivor day that everyone is unique and different, and how boring the world would be if we were all the exact same.
— Blake Schelfhout (Year 8 White)

During Periods 1, 2 and Pastoral Care this Tuesday we participated in Year 8 Survivor. To start off the day we did an icebreaker challenge. It was fun, exciting and disgusting all in one. We had to eat vegemite-covered tim tams, dry Weet-Bix and blow a balloon up until it popped. After that, we went through a rotation of activities which were not only fun and exciting but brought us together as a team and helped us get to know each other better. Even though our homeroom didn't win, it was still an awesome experience and we really enjoyed it.
— Isabella Maurici (Year 8 Orange)

We congratulate Year 12 students Baxter Lill, Teagan McConachy and Weston Tabone, who participated in the 2022 Year 12 National Youth Science Forum in January. The program is an Australia-wide STEM immersion program for students about to enter their final year of their secondary schooling.

The program was forced to move online this year, however students had the opportunity to engage with and learn about cutting-edge research from top scientists, they also undertook workshops and interacted with other like-minded students.

This annual program is endorsed by Rotary Clubs around Australia. The two clubs involved with MLMC this year were Healesville and Wandin, with teacher Mr Terry Hill a member of the Healesville club. Weston, Baxter and Teagan are pictured above (from left), with myself and Mr Hill.

Each of the students share below a reflection of the experience:

The NYSF was an experience that was extremely beneficial and eye-opening for me. While it was very disappointing that the program was entirely virtual this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, I was still able to interact with some of the largest scientific minds in the country. From learning about the applications of artificial intelligence in everyday life to hearing how Nobel Laureates Peter Doherty and Brian Schmidt made it to the top, the NYSF truly exposed me to where I can take science in my future. I now have a goal after Year 12 (to attend Monash University to study Pharmaceutical Science), which is entirely due to the NYSF and its many university lectures and connections with others with the same passion for STEM. It’s been an opportunity that I would recommend to all lovers of science at MLMC.
— Baxter Lill (Year 12 Blue)

The program was very different to anything I had done before and provided many fun and interesting opportunities. There were lectures from professors and doctors, along with careers sessions and at home practical work. I’m sure many people would find sitting at a screen watching 4-5 hours of lectures a day boring but when you are listening to minds as great as these presenters, the time flies. Some of my favourites were from Professor Peter Doherty and Professor Brian Schmidt, both Nobel Laureates, as well as Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Dr Bianca Warnock, who also ran a practical task at the end of her lecture. It gave me the drive to want to achieve the same one day and I was able to get a clear outline of what I need to do in university to achieve my goals. Having the in-person visits postponed was a let-down, but I highly recommend that anyone interested in STEM applies for the program.
— Weston Tabone (Year 12 Purple)

The NYSF program was an incredible experience that allowed me to discover things from a range of STEM areas. While it was disappointing that the in-person events were postponed, the online program was just as engaging. It allowed me to learn more about STEM organisations in Australia and the STEM projects that these organisations are involved in. It also allowed me to connect and interact with mathematicians, scientists and engineers from around Australia and other places including Britain, Switzerland and Antarctica. Through my interactions with these people, I was able to broaden my interests in STEM and learn more about STEM including things I had never heard of before. There were also various social activities that I could participate in, which enabled me to connect with like-minded people. I was also able to further develop my STEM skills by getting the opportunity to participate in the STEM Communication Challenge. The NYSF program is definitely something that I would love to participate in again and would recommend to anyone interested in STEM.
— Teagan McConachy (Year 12 Blue)

The Mount Lilydale Mercy College 125 Year Gala is the College's premiere event of the year. It is a time to celebrate the excellence of alumni, catch up with old friends and make new ones.

At $90 a ticket, you can be part of a three-course dinner with live entertainment and a silent auction. To purchase tickets please click HERE.

The finest beers, wines and ciders of the Yarra Valley will also be available from the bar.

DATE: Saturday 26 March
TIME: 6.30pm start
LOCATION: Mount Lilydale Mercy College Centennial Hall, 120 Anderson St, Lilydale
DRESS CODE: Formal.

Ticket sales close Monday 14 March 2022.

If you have any further questions regarding the event please contact me via email at OC@mlmc.vic.edu.au

(1) Student Achievements

Hut to Hut Ultramarathon

Congratulations to Nikita Garrett (Year 12 Blue) who completed 'The Archie' event last weekend — a 54km ultramarathon in the Victorian high country. Nikita and her team completed the hilly course in 13 hours. Well done, Nikita (pictured below).

Cricket

Congratulations to Luke Ivanovic (Year 8 Purple) who played for the Kilsyth's First XI last weekend against Chirnside Park. It is a huge achievement at such a young age. Well done, Luke.

Equestrian

Well done to Charlee Dobbin (Year 9 Purple) who has recently competed in the Australian Show Jumping Championships where she was crowned the Australian Childrens’ Champion. Congratulations, Charlee.

Football

Congratulations to the 2021 AFL Sports trainee Bridget Deed (Class of 2020) who made history this week in being the first female player to sign with AFLW club Hawthorn.If you have any other student achievements, please email them to dwebb@mlmc.vic.edu.au

(2) MLMC Swimming Training

When: Monday afternoons (3.30-4.30pm) and Wednesday mornings (7.00-8.00am)

Where: Kilsyth Pool

Why: To improve your swimming and fitness levels — ALL abilities welcome. Commendations and House points are up for grabs.

Cost: FREE.

Students will be bussed from school to the pool on Mondays and back to school from the pool on Wednesdays. Breakfast will be provided on Wednesdays. Students should see or email Ms Webb in the Doyle Centre for more details.

(3) EISM Swimming Carnival

The EISM Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 10 March at Ringwood Aquanation. All swimmers who qualify following the House Swimming Carnival will be notified early next week. More details are to come via email and Parent Portal.

(4) EISM fixtures

Live fixtures for EISM matches can be found online at eism.org (Click on 'Weekly sport', then 'Fixtures and results' then 'Junior' for Years 8 and 9 and 'Senior' for Senior fixtures.

(5) EISM results

Year 8 (15 February)

Year 9 (17 February)

Year 8 (22 February)

Senior (23 February)

Year 9 (24 February)

Pictured above and in the gallery below are action photos of our Senior ultimate frisbee teams in practice.

This week all Year 12 VCE and VCAL students undertook ‘Planning for Success’ Workshops — reconnecting with their pathway-aspirations and setting goals for themselves in their final year of secondary school studies.

Workshops included developing a ‘growth mindset’; understanding Study Scores; preparing for upcoming Careers interviews; apprenticeship/traineeship-preparation and linking their goals with their subjects and study skills.

The day started with free pancakes and hot drinks from Catherine's Cafe for the students, which were warmly received.

The next workshops will be held on Wednesday 11 May to review their goals and ongoing progress.

We are excited to welcome back to the College prospective parents and students. Our College tours begin on Monday 28 February. These tours are conducted by one of our Deputy Principals, Registrar and student leaders. Please visit our website for more dates.

On Tuesday 29 March, 4.00–7.00pm, the College will be holding an Open Day. Families can experience the opportunities available at MLMC with faculty stalls, music and drama performances and College tours.

Applications for Year 7 2024 are open, with applications to be received no later than Monday 30 May 2022. You can apply HERE.

If you have any questions regarding these events or enrolment, please contact our College Registrar, Mrs Marilyn Ryan, via email to registrar@mlmc.vic.edu.au

MLMC is part of the Sustainability Victoria’s five-star ResourceSmart Schools program and currently we have achieved four stars. Our last module is focused on waste reduction.

To assist with this, we ask parents to consider reducing the use of plastic clingfilm — try using a lunchbox instead (nude food) to help reduce the amount of waste entering the school.

With this in mind, we also encourage our community members to consider how environmentally friendly their practices are at home.

How enviro friendly is your house? What a waste!

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average Australian creates just over 2,000kg of waste each year. Each household spends $1,266 on goods purchased but were never used. Around $600 worth of food is wasted by each household every year. Toxic chemical waste also accounts for a large amount of landfill that can be diverted via alternative safe methods.

Sustainability Victoria has instigated a program to assist households detox dangerous chemicals. Highly toxic items such as chemicals should never be put in your rubbish bins or poured down the drain. You can drop off household chemicals at free Detox Your Home events, held around Victoria. Disposing of toxic items correctly will:

• reduce the risk to the environment and human health
• help keep our waterways clean
• prevent chemicals from ending up in landfill
• reuse precious resources.

Items accepted include weed killer, cosmetics cooking oil and cleaning products.

Check the full list of items that are accepted. Note Detox Your Home events are for households not commercial operations.

You can also view upcoming events on a map.

Other household products that can be recycled

Old batteries and phones can be deposited at IGA, Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. Mobile phones, chargers and batteries can be returned and added to the Officeworks recycling program.

Australia Post and Nespresso also offer coffee pod recycling programs. The Nespresso coffee capsule recycling program has more than 19,000 collection points throughout Australia (including post boxes). There are three easy ways to recycle the capsules:

• Return your used capsules to your nearest Nespresso boutique
• Use a bulk recycling box to collect capsules on behalf of your workplace or community
• Order your Nespresso Australia Post satchel and return it via Australia Post once it's full.

Check with other manufacturers to find out if they run a recycling program for their capsules. Visit Terracycle for more information on other programs.

Send us a photo and tell us how/what you have set up regarding your recycling efforts. Email to afeher@mlmc.vic.edu.au

Upcoming events

March

Business Clean Up Day (March 1)

ABARES Outlook 2022 Conference (March 1-4)

World Wildlife Day (March 3)

Schools Clean Up Day (March 4)

SeaWeek (March 5-13)

Parks Week (March 5-13)

Clean Up Australia Day (March 6)

National Groundwater Awareness Week (TBC)

Global Recycling Day (TBC)

International Day of Forests (March 21)

Sustainable Seafood Week (March 21-27)

World Water Day (March 22)

World Meteorological Day (March 23)

National Eucalypt Day (March 23)

National Ride2School Day (March 25)

Earth Hour (March 26)

World Veterinary Association Congress (March 29-31)

April

Australian Heritage Festival (April 1 – May 31)

World Heritage Day (April 18)

Earth Day (April 22)

World Penguin Day (April 25)

World Veterinary Day (April 30) (last Saturday in April)

May

International Composting Awareness Week (May 1-7)

Beef Australia 2022 (May 2-8)

National Volunteer Week (TBC)

World Bee Day (May 20)

International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22)

World Turtle Day (May 23)

June

World Environment Day (June 5)

International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (June 5)

World Food Safety Day (June 7)

World Oceans Day (June 8)

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (June 17)

Sustainable Gastronomy Day (June 18)

Whole Grain Week (TBC)

July

Plastic Free July (July 1-31)

World Mangrove Day (International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem) (July 26)

National Farm Safety Week (3rd week July)

Schools Tree Day (July 29)

World Ranger Day (July 31)

National Tree Day (July 31)

August

Platypus month (August 1-31)

Landcare Week (TBC)

National Science Week (August 13-21)

Keep Australia Beautiful Week (TBC)

World Humanitarian Day (August 19)

September

National Biodiversity Month (September 1-31)

National Wattle Day (September 1)

National Walk to Work Day (TBC)

Australasian Seed Science Conference (TBC)

National Threatened Species Day (September 7)

Bushcares Major Day Out – BMDO (TBC)

National Bilby Day (September 11)

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (September 16)

National Organic Week (TBC)

International Microorganism Day (TBC)

World Car-Free Day (September 22 - TBC)

World Rivers Day (September 25)

World Rabies Day (September 28)

International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction(September 29)

World Maritime Day (September 29)

October

Australian Wildlife Week (October 3-9)

World Habitat Day (October 4)

World Seabird Conference (TBC)

World Cotton Day (October 7)

World Migratory Bird Day (May 14, October 8)

International Day for Disaster Reduction (October 13)

World Egg Day (October 14)

International Day of Rural Women (October 15)

World Food Day (October 16)

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (October 17)

Gone Fishing Day (TBC)

National Bird Week (October 17-23)

Aussie Backyard Bird Count (October 17-23)

National Water Week (3rd week in October)

National Ride-2-Work Day (TBC)

Australian National Field Days (ANFD) (October 20-22)

United Nations Day (October 24)

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (October 27)

November

National Biosecurity Forum and Australian Biosecurity Awards (TBC)

One Health Day (November 3)

World Tsunami Awareness Day (November 5)

Pollinator Week (TBC)

National Recycling Week (2nd week of November)

World Science Day for Peace and Development (November 10)

World Antibiotic Awareness Week (November 18-24)

World Toilet Day (November 19)

National Agriculture Day (TBC)

World Fisheries Day (November 21)

World Olive Tree Day (November 26)

December

World Soil Day (December 5)

International Volunteer Day (December 5)

Coastcare Week (TBC)

Congratulations to the students who are enrolled in our Instrumental Music program who have made a brilliant start to their Term 1 lessons and have shown outstanding commitment in their music studies. The Music department is now taking Term 2 enrolments for either private or group Instrumental Music lessons in brass, cello, drums, guitar, piano, violin, voice and woodwind. Please note that group lessons are ONLY offered in brass and woodwind.

All music lessons are run during school hours. If your child is interested in joining this exciting and rewarding program, please download an enrolment form from the MLMC Parent Portal or alternatively, email me at sflint@mlmc.vic.edu.au for an enrolment and information pack.

Enrolments are officially open now. Be quick!