Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

As we near the end of Term 1 it is pleasing to see that everyone has settled well into classes. A combination of prolonged absences and modified practices marked the first few weeks of the school year. We constantly needed to readjust to remain compliant with the various COVID-19 operational guideline updates sent out by Health Services Victoria.

The Year 7 students have settled well into the routine of secondary school and formed good relationships with their peers. Conversations with Year 7 students during recess and lunch have highlighted their happiness and motivation to do well in their studies. The Year 8-12 students have also settled in well and have quickly adjusted to the busyness of school.

This week our Year 9 students headed off to the Summit Camp in Trafalgar. McAuley Campus Director Mrs Gail Preston and I had the opportunity to visit the staff and students and they were all having a great time and commented that “the activities were fantastic”. Many of the activities challenged the confidence of our students and it was pleasing to see them all have a go and try to overcome fears and complete the various activities. The students also commented that “the food was good”. Reflecting on the experiences with my own children — if their stomachs are full then everything else falls into place. Thank you to the staff who attended and ensured that the students had a great time.

After much disappointment last year in not being able to celebrate our 125-year anniversary as planned, we finally have the opportunity to celebrate this momentous milestone this weekend (Saturday 26 March) with the hosting of our Gala. I am looking forward to celebrating 125 years of Mercy Education in the Lilydale area and pay tribute to those courageous Mercy Sisters who followed in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley. I would like to thank the Old Collegians’ Association for all their hard work and dedication in ensuring that this very important event was not forgotten as a casualty of COVID-19.

Student Parent Interviews

Parents are invited to take advantage of our Student Parent Interviews (SPIs) being held on Wednesday 6 April here at the College, from 4.00pm to 8.00pm, and also online on Thursday 7 April, from 10.00am to 8.00pm. This is a great opportunity to meet your child's teachers and to work together towards improving their academic performance and wellbeing. Please book via the Parent Access Module (PAM) early if you would like to see your child's teachers.

Open Day

On Tuesday 29 March we are holding our annual Open Day, from 4.00pm to 7.00pm. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the College. Prospective students are encouraged to come along with their parent or guardian and see many of our fantastic facilities and learn more about our innovative learning programs.

God bless

Louis Papadimitriou
Acting Principal

As we begin the fourth week of Lent and prepare for the great Feast of Easter, please remember that there are many people and situations around the world that need our prayers. During the coming week let us make the people of Ukraine a focus for our intercessions.

A prayer for Ukraine

Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.

We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.

We pray for the world
that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity
to our brothers and sisters in need.

May we walk in your ways
so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine
and for all the world.

Amen.

(Taken from resources Cafod)

Dates

• Saturday 26 March — Gala dinner
• Sunday 27 March — Old Collegians' Association memorial Mass and 125 years book celebration
• Tuesday 29 March — MLMC Open Day, 4.00-7.00pm. Read more HERE
• Thursday 31 March — parent seminar on cyber safety with ySafe, 7.00pm (further details below) 
• Friday 1 April — Wear A Hoodie Day. Read more HERE
• Monday 4 April — MLMC House Athletics Carnival 
• Tuesday 5 April — Easter Mass
• Wednesday 6 April — Student Progress Interviews (SPIs) at the College, 4.00-8.00pm (further details below)
• Thursday 7 April — Student free day (SPIs to be held via Zoom, 10.00am-8.00pm)
• Friday 8 April — Last day of Term 1 for students
• Thursday 14 April — College Office closes for school holidays, 4.00pm
• Tuesday 26 April — First day of Term 2 for students.

SPI bookings open

Parents and guardians are reminded that bookings are now open for all year levels for the upcoming Student Progress Interviews, to be held at the College on Wednesday 6 April (4.00-8.00pm) and via Zoom on Thursday 7 April (10.00am-8.00pm). Bookings can be made via our Parent Access Module (PAM) until 1.00pm on Monday 4 April 2022.

Winter uniform

Term 2 marks the beginning of winter uniform. Please use the time between now and Tuesday 26 April to ensure all items properly fit your child.

Parent seminar

Protecting children in their digital worlds is an ever-evolving task for Australian families. Now more than ever parents are looking for guidance in how to manage screen time and navigate the world of games and social media. We are pleased to help our parent community by offering a crucial and engaging education session with ySafe, a leading provider of cyber safety education.

It will be held on Thursday 31 March, from 7.00pm.

This practical, strategy-rich session will cover the most important points that all families need to know about online safety, covering key information about:

• social media and gaming,
• screen time recommendations; and
• step-by-step instructions on how to set up a cyber safe home for children of all ages.

If you have ever struggled with getting your children off their devices and into bed, worried about the content of the games that they are playing or felt concern that your child was spending too much time in the digital world, this workshop is for you.

Please register for this event by clicking HERE.

This is an important school event for all parents to attend.

Level crossing works update

Level crossing works around Lilydale Station are continuing. Please see the document below for the latest information.

We are excitedly preparing to welcome back to the College prospective parents and students with our College Open Day to be held next Tuesday. 

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

Our regular College tours are also available to families. These are conducted by one of our Deputy Principals, Registrar and student leaders. Please click HERE for details and more dates.

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

After many failed attempts to formally recognise our 2022 Prefects and Captains, COVID-19 restrictions have finally relaxed enough to hold a formal assembly and present our senior student leaders.

On Tuesday 22 March, during Pastoral Care, a combined Year 7 and Year 12 assembly was held in Centennial Hall. Our 2022 student leaders were recognised and congratulated by their peers and teachers as they were presented with their Prefects badges. Already busy in the job, our Prefects have been serving in Catherine’s Cafe on a Tuesday night as well as organising many school-based activities.

Congratulations to the following students for accepting the extra responsibility of leading our community in the following areas:

A new badge was introduced at the assembly. To recognise and reinforce six Mercy values taught and lived at the College, students in Years 7 and 12 were presented with the Respect and Service badges respectively.

Year 7 students were recognised for their commitment to respectful behaviour in class this term, while Year 12 students were recognised for their service in Catherine’s Cafe on a Tuesday night.

YEAR 7 RESPECT BADGE RECIPIENTS:

• Bridie McCormick
• Riley Weston
• Emma Knox
• Mae Timbury
• Izzy Symons
• Finn Maloney
• India Wynn
• Lucas De Vent
• Ethan Easton
• Niamh Brophy
• Sam Donnelly
• Maya McCall
• Hovig Nenejian.

YEAR 12 SERVICE BADGE RECIPIENTS:

• Alannah Finger
• Alice Rolando
• Annalise Roper
• Baxter Lill
• Charlotte Lorbek
• Danielle Gazzola
• Ella McNair
• Ella Preston
• Ellie Inglese
• Eloise Graves
• Enndia Hicks
• Grace George
• Jack Drummond
• Kahlia Dewar
• Mia Mercuri
• Monica Mockiewicz
• Natalie Contebardo
• Noah Ruta
• Olivia Byrne
• Perry Leane
• Tayler Allwood
• Teagan McConachy
• Weston Tabone.

Combined with College Captain, Prefect and Mercy Values badges, Class Captain badges were also distributed. Congratulations to the following students for their commitment to lead and support their homerooms this year:

Four months after completing exams, some of our Class of 2021 students and their families returned to Centennial Hall on Friday 18 March to celebrate all they have achieved.

Although they have gone in so many different directions, they will always have the bond of being the 2021 graduating class at Mount Lilydale Mercy College.

I consider myself lucky to have welcomed them all into the Barak Campus in 2019 and to have experienced their final year of secondary education last year. I enjoyed seeing their development and growth over this time and I really enjoyed catching up with many of them at the event and hearing about their successes and plans for the future.

The journey each student made from Year 7 in 2016 to where they are now is a credit to them all and to their parents, but also to the many staff that have helped them along that journey — too many to name.

Each student showed resilience, determination and grit over the past two years and while this wasn’t easy, it was proof that each can achieve anything that they put their mind to.

I encourage each of them to enjoy this time, to work hard and enjoy the journey — don't just focus on the destination.

As part of the Year 11 Geography class’s investigation into Area of Study Two: Characteristics and Responses to Hazards and Disasters, they have been investigating the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires — specifically the impacts on humans and the environment. Consequently, on Friday 18 March we participated in field work at Toolangi state forest run by the Gould league. Our guide Karen (pictured above with students) was excellent in providing the students with reflections of the event and facts associated with the lead-up to the fire and the impacts on the surrounding community. It was a pleasure to take the students out for the day.

Below are some student reflections of the experience:

On Friday 18 March, I attended the Geography excursion with Mr Ryan and our guide Karen. We visited key sites associated with the 2009 Black Saturday fires and conducted a number of measurements to assess the fuel load and risk level of another bushfire ripping through the sites. Mason Falls, within the Kinglake National Park, was the highlight for me with its breathtaking views. It really made the excursion just that bit better. As a class, new friendships were formed and existing ones were strengthened. I'll leave you with one point made by Karen: ‘more interest has accumulated on the money allocated to the fires than money actually spent’.
— Mitchell Mazzarella (Year 11 Jade)

It was a fantastic excursion to Kinglake and Toolangi. It gave us the priceless opportunity to obtain some first-hand knowledge on fire management from our expert guide, Karen. We gained an incredible insight into the experiences of a local during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and we were treated with hands-on activities to inspect and measure the forest's natural recovery from the deadly blaze.
— Thomas Hobley (Year 11 Jade)

The theme for Caritas’ 2022 Project Compassion campaign is ‘For All Future Generations’. This theme is an expression of hope and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of all generations to come.

We held our annual St Patrick’s Day Bake Sale and casual clothes day on Thursday 17 March. We raised a total of $1288.95 for Project Compassion, which is amazing. 

A big thank you to all the students, staff and families who baked and donated sweet treats. Also a special thank you goes to all the students who helped serve on the day and all who generously supported this day by purchasing sweet treats and dressing up in green. Know that your support will help change lives today, and For All Future Generations.

(1) EISM Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to the 41 swimmers who have qualified to represent the College at the EISM Champions Swimming Carnival on Monday 28 March at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. We are looking forward to watching some exciting competition.

(2) Staff and Student Achievements

Squash
Congratulations to Will Cerini (Year 12 Silver), Mitch (Year 11 Jade) and brother Nick Mazzarella (Year 7 White) who competed in the Lilydale Squash Junior Pennant B Grade competition last weekend, as well as winning their Grand Final in Templestowe on Saturday. The boys also competed in the Junior Bronze Tournament in which Mitch and Will came third and Nicholas came first. Well done boys!

Lilydale Squash Club would also like to extend an invitation to anyone with interest in giving the sport a go or joining the club. Feel free to contact them via their website for further information.

Athletics
Congratulations to teacher David Banfield (pictured below) who won the gold medal at the Victorian Masters Athletics Track and Field Championships recently, competing in the men's javelin 55-60 years category. A fantastic achievement.

(3) House Athletics Carnival

The MLMC House Athletics Carnival is being held on Monday 4 April at Quarry Road Oval. Students should have signed up for athletic events via the Google Form link sent via email or on Classroom pages. All students are required to bring a hat and water bottle.

There will also be the opportunity to purchase food and drinks on the day, but it is suggested that students take some food with them.

Further details are in the poster below.

(4) Weightlifting

Is your child interested in learning Olympic weightlifting? Do they want to learn how it can assist strength and performance in their chosen sport? Or do they know nothing about it and want to learn how to lift? Students are welcome to come along to our demo day on Friday 1 April at lunchtime on the back courts (bus bays as wet weather alternative). They can see our expert weightlifting coaches demonstrate lifts, along with some of the teachers. It will be followed by a come and try session open to everyone. This is free and we welcome anyone who wants to watch, try or get involved!

(5) Athletics training

Track and field training is happening on Wednesday 30 March, from 7.00am to 8.00am, at Quarry Road Oval, with only one session before the House Athletics Carnival. Breakfast will be provided afterwards. Everyone welcome.

(6) Crossover basketball coaching

Heartland Hoops have partnered with NBL club South East Melbourne Phoenix to invite children aged 5-14 to help improve their basketball skills during the April school Holidays. The session is $85 each and will be running from 10.30am to 3.00pm on Friday 22 April 2022 at Oxley College, Chirnside Park. If your child may be interested, you are encouraged to apply online via their website: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=878339&

(7) EISM results

Senior (16 March)

Year 9 (17 March)

Year 8 (22 March)

Senior (23 March)

Next week Mount Lilydale Mercy College is celebrating Autism Acceptance Week.

The aim of the week is to educate and inform our community about autism and neurodiversity. MLMC is an inclusive community that values respect and dignifies its members; we all have unique talents and gifts that should be shared and celebrated.

Each day next week, homerooms will be involved in activities, videos and discussions covering inclusion, neurodiversity and autism.

As a way to show acceptance and support of Autistic people in our community, we encourage students to ‘Wear a Hoodie’ on Friday 1 April in place of the College blazer. Wearing a hoodie can help others appreciate that some autistic people experience sensory sensitivities and can become overloaded by stimuli in their environment. Wearing their ‘hoodie up’ means they can block out bright lights and busy environments which can help to calm them.

Please find below resources for you and your family to share and enjoy.

Websites

https://www.amaze.org.au/

“Amaze builds autism understanding in the community, influences policy change for autistic people and their families/supporters, and provides independent, credible information and resources to individuals, families, professionals, government and the wider community.”

https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/

“A not-for-profit organisation, we work in partnership with people of all ages on the autism spectrum, and their families to deliver evidence-informed solutions that are person-centred, family-focused and customer driven.”

https://icannetwork.online/

“Now in our seventh year, I CAN Network’s knowledge of Autistic young people, schools and mentoring practice has enabled us to achieve widespread influence across the landscape of children’s rights and inclusive education and employment. I CAN Ltd is an ongoing member of the Victorian Government’s Autism Education Advisory Group and Autism Plan Advisory Group, the Australian Association for Special Education, the Child Rights NGO Taskforce and the Australian Autism Alliance.”

https://www.differentjourneysautism.com/

“Different Journeys started when two mums (Mel and Merrin) came together to do something about the loneliness and isolation they and their Autistic children were experiencing. In February 2016 the first Autistic Teen Peer Support Social Group event was held at Club Kilsyth. It was an overwhelming and immediate success. Different Journeys has continued to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our Autistic community from that day on.”

https://www.yellowladybugs.com.au/

“Yellow Ladybugs runs regular informal social events that offer peer-to-peer connections for autistic girls and gender diverse young people, generally between the ages of five and sixteen. Our events bring our members together in an inclusive, fun and sensory-friendly setting. Underpinning every Yellow Ladybugs event, our mission is to foster a sense of belonging, to help our autistic members connect with their peers, and to instil a sense of autistic pride within our community.”

https://www.thelittleblackduck.com.au/

“The little black duck is an autism-specific service providing support to autistic people by autistic people. Our focus is on autistic quality of life, we follow an evidence-informed quality of life framework based on what autistic adults self-report to improve the quality of their life.”

https://www.theeverydayautismseries.com.au/

“Looks at life through the eyes of Madi, a child with autism and explores how she responds to the world, and the challenges she faces dealing with the twin issues of a heightened sensory response to external stimuli and difficulties in communicating her experience to those around her. The books are written for children to enjoy and learn from, but they are so profound that adults will come away from them with new insights as well.”

https://www.autismactually.com.au/

“Autism Actually is a consultancy and advocacy business based in Victoria, Australia that provides workshops and presentations on Autism in Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary settings. We consist of a small team that combines insights from personal, professional, and personal experience as Autistic adults.”

Podcasts

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/the-parenting-spectrum/?fbclid=IwAR0VWLb_hpHaVivxMhC1mpI0UbkIweF18ME3xiSNBtLgC83ifH3FFPxi2LI

A podcast about autism and family life.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUArbiW1F1WcF-5RQsXEbTzHlIlD5MyZk

"a different brilliant®" is an Aspect podcast made for autistic adults and parents or carers of kids on the autism spectrum. Host Orion Kelly, who is autistic, highlights the strengths, interests and aspirations of the autistic community.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-speaks-podcasts/adulting-spectrum-meet-our-hosts

This podcast is an interview series that features autistic adults from a variety of backgrounds to learn about their life, talents, challenges and the ups and downs of being on the autism spectrum.

Videos

https://amazingthingshappen.tv/?projects=amazing-things-happen

“This introduction to autism video aims to raise awareness among young non-autistic audiences, to stimulate understanding and acceptance in future generations”

https://iview.abc.net.au/video/LE1917H004S00

“By the end of this episode, you'll have met eight remarkable people on the autism spectrum, and been given eight unique windows into a world we rarely, if ever, hear about.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IApo5TBR7jc

Five Questions About Autism — answered by participants of the Aspire Program in Massachusetts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQuM5e0QGLg

We Are All Different — Cole Blakeway TEDx Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8X-SZfCWPw

Autism and Neurodiversity: Different Does Not Mean Broken — Adriana White TEDx Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z2aGG7Uu8w

Hannah Gadsby’s interview on the ABC News. “Hannah Gadsby has returned after her barnstorming show Nanette. Her new Netflix special, Douglas, is a deliberately lighter touch that draws on her experience living with autism and weaves in anecdotes from her life.”

https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/autism-takiw%C4%81tanga-videos

A range of videos and animations, including children's voices about their experience of the autism spectrum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1HQKB2txgY

Autism: How my unstoppable mother proved the experts wrong — Chris Varney (founder and CEO of I CAN Network).

Our Year 9 Gen Z Health class went on an excursion to the Melbourne Museum on Tuesday 15 March to visit the Road to Zero exhibition. When we first arrived, we were given a lanyard with a card on it so that we could use the interactive displays and we were given a stylus. 

We then watched a video about road safety and the State Government’s plan to have zero road deaths by 2050 and what can, and is, being done to help achieve that number. Examples are having raised pedestrian crossings, all cars having lane assist technology and having more safety barriers on the roads. 

After watching the video, we went into the exhibition where we looked around and had a chance to complete the interactives. By doing the interactives, I learnt what happens to passengers in a side-on car crash and the impact that it has on the passengers at different speeds and what your body build would have to be to survive crashes at different speeds. I also learnt that one life is lost every 20 seconds in relation to road accidents in the world, which I was really surprised by. 

After exploring the exhibition, in groups we were given the opportunity to create a road safety advertisement. My group chose for ours to be about driving and using mobile phones. 

I learnt a lot about road safety and the government’s Road to Zero campaign. I found it interesting and really enjoyed going to the Melbourne Museum.

The 37km Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing is known as one of Victoria's iconic multi-day walks, regarded for the spectacular mountain scenery, high country huts and ecologically significant vegetation types.

For the Year 11 VET Sport and Recreation class, the Falls to Hotham hike marks a significant milestone in their progression from participants to leaders. As a practical assessment task, students are responsible for demonstrating their skills and knowledge in communication and leadership, hazard identification, risk management and planning.

Beginning from Heathy Spur, the site the students travelled to on snowshoes last year, the hike starts with an appreciation of the seasonal changes in the alpine region. From here, the students work in leadership teams to navigate the group safely to along the Australian Alps Walking Track to the two campsites at Cope Hut and Dibbins Hut.

Along the way, the student leaders deliver well-planned education sessions on the area’s Indigenous and European history, environmental significance and current land use. The opportunity to spend significant time with their friends, experience the mountain top sunrises (pictured) and take on the responsibility of leadership was long awaited and appreciated by all.