Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

Welcome back to Term 2 after what I hope was an enjoyable extended term holiday amid both the beautiful autumn weather and the ongoing Easter season. I hope you all enjoyed productive family time together in celebration of all that is positive in living together in community.

As we start this term together I am aware that it is a short week, but one with a clear focus on Anzac Day.

Last Tuesday, I joined the College Choir, led by Ms Caroline Dickason and Mrs Wendy Anderson, at the dawn service at Lilydale. The College Captains laid a wreath on behalf of our College community. I was proud of all our students who volunteered their time in service of our community and in representing our College.

The first day of school was Wednesday and it started with the College Anzac Day service. The tradition is that we have a service within homerooms with staff and students speaking over the PA system while a PowerPoint is being played. It is both an informative and formative experience and one that is done in a respectful prayerful manner. The service was compiled and presented by our Humanities Faculty Learning Leader, Mr John Ryan, and the Humanities Prefect, Olivia Barre, along with Mercy and Justice Prefect Thomas Hobley.

There was much about this service that provided valuable insight for reflection including:

The opening prayer:

Gracious and Loving God

As we mark another Anzac Day, we remember all those who lost their lives through Australia’s involvement in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. On Anzac Day, we especially remember the courageous actions undertaken by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during the First World War. On this national day of commemoration, we pray for airmen, sailors and soldiers who died in battle, sacrificing their lives while on duty. We commemorate their bravery and pray for the families who lost loved ones. As we strive for peace in our country and the world, help us to become instruments of your peace.

And a stanza from the poem Song of the Dardanelles by Henry Lawson:

The sea was hell and the shore was hell

With mine, entanglement, shot and shell,

But they stormed the heights as Australians should,

And they fought and they died as we knew they would.

Knew they would — Knew they would;

They fought and they died as we knew they would.

As we focus on the past and remember with gratitude all those who have served our country in any way, let us continue to educate ourselves and others of the senseless horror associated with war and inhumanity of such conflicts. Let us pray for a world that cherishes peace and seeks to provide a secure life for all humanity. Let us be courageous in our endeavours to create such a world.

Thank you to all those who prepared our Anzac Day service.

(2) Uniform

With Term 2 comes a change of uniform with the introduction of Winter Uniform. Again, I ask that all ensure that Winter uniforms are correctly fitted and serviceable. The cold and wet weather fast approaches and it is important that we are all prepared for it.

In discussing uniform, the College Captains — after working with the Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Community Forum Group (CFG) — have proposed another change to our uniform policy. You may remember that earlier this year a change was proposed and accepted to allow students to wear two earrings or studs in each year, and now they propose a change to the College hair policy. Again, a proposal I am prepared to accept and promulgate.

The proposed new hair policy would read:

(3) Hairstyles

• extremes of hairstyles such as (but not limited to) tails, mohawks, dreadlocks or undercuts are not permitted. Hair length between the back and sides can differ, but only in the instance that side length is no shorter than No. 3 clippers, and the back isn't longer than the student's collar
• haircuts with No. 3 clippers or higher are acceptable. Extremely short or shaved hair and multi, unnatural hair colours or any stripes, are not permitted
• hair that touches the collar, shoulder length hair or longer, must be tied back
• students may wear navy blue, white or yellow ribbons. Bobbie pins and plain clips are acceptable
• students must be clean shaven. No facial hair is acceptable
• false eyelashes or eyelash extensions are not permitted.

The intent of this change is to allow students more freedom and to reduce tensions about chosen hair styles. I again thank our College Captains and the SRC for their work in the process to achieve this change.

(4) Community Forum Group

The next scheduled meeting of the CFG is set for 7.30pm on Tuesday 16 May. Proposed agenda items include:

• College email protocols.
• scholarships at MLMC.

If you would like anything added or is you wish to attend this meeting please contact me via email to principal@mlmc.vic.edu.au

God bless

Philip A Morison
Principal

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
— Ecclesiastes 3:1

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for

the beauty of leaves turning red and gold,
the sense of nature slowing down,
and preparing to rest.

Let us attend to the invitations of autumn,
to the moments when God
invites us to live more gently, and to rest.

For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven.

What “season” am I in?
How does the rhythm of creation
find its echo in the rhythm of my life?
What might God be inviting of me?

I pause and listen —
to my mind, my spirit, my body,
to my circumstances,
to the whispers of the Spirit.

Jesus, you knew the time for action,
and the time for rest and prayer.
Grant me the wisdom and the grace
to live at the rhythm You invite of me,
the rhythm of all God’s creation.

Amen.

Adapted from ‘Late Autumn’ — Uniting Church in Australia

Dates

• Friday 5 May — Carr House Celebration
• Tuesday 9 May – EISM Athletics Carnival
• Thursday 11 May — Year 12 Retreat
• Friday 12 May — Year 11 Retreat

Welcome back

Welcome back to Term 2. It's great to have families back on board for what promises to be another exciting and eventful term. Although this term is shorter than the previous one, it will be jam-packed with various events and work requirements that will keep everyone busy.

As students return to school, it's important that we make getting back into the habit of study and revision a top priority. Consistent effort in these areas will set students up for success and help them achieve their academic goals. We encourage all families to support their children in establishing good study habits and making the most of their learning opportunities this term.

Making the most of learning opportunities means working on 100% attendance. Being at school is crucial for students to succeed academically and develop essential life skills. When students regularly attend school, they are exposed to a structured environment that fosters learning, discipline, and socialisation.

Absenteeism can have a significant impact on a student's education, leading to missed opportunities to learn and falling behind on coursework. Additionally, excessive absences can result in a decline in grades, missed opportunities for extracurricular activities, and strained relationships with teachers and peers. The odd day here or there adds up, creating the habit of avoiding rather than meeting responsibilities. Therefore, developing sound attendance habits is, in so many ways, critical to your child’s success.

Here's to a productive and fulfilling term ahead!

Uniform

As Term 2 has arrived, we would like to remind you that our school has now transitioned to winter uniforms. We would like to take this opportunity to emphasise the importance of adhering to our school's uniform policy.

We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring that your child wears the correct uniform items appropriately, as it promotes a sense of pride and discipline among our students. We believe that wearing the school uniform is an important part of a student's education and instills a sense of unity and belonging.

We would also like to remind parents that uniform should never be an issue, and we expect your support in ensuring that your child is dressed correctly. Please do not leave this for the school to have to correct, we need you to support us with this.

For some students, tying a tie may pose a challenge. We kindly ask that you take the time to teach your child how to tie a tie, as it is an essential part of their uniform. I am sure there are plenty of YouTube videos demonstrating how to do this but if you are stuck, feel free to send them along to me for a quick lesson.

With the cooler and wetter weather almost upon us, please remember the College uniform has an optional light spray/rain jacket and a College beanie available for purchase.

We thank you for your continued support and cooperation in ensuring that our students are dressed appropriately and ready to learn. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the winter uniform, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Central Australia

We are excited to announce expressions of interest to participate in the Year 10 Central Australia/Top End Tour are now being received. Unfortunately, there are only 42 available spaces for students.

This 11-day tour will depart on Thursday, 14 September and return on Sunday, 24 September.

A full itinerary for the tour will soon be placed on the Year 10 Classroom page. However, below is a brief description of the itinerary:

• Day 1 (Thursday, 14 September) — Melbourne to Yulara
• Day 2 (Friday, 15 September) — Yulara to Kings Canyon
• Day 3 (Saturday, 16 September) — Kings Canyon to Alice Springs
• Day 4 (Sunday, 17 September) — Alice Springs
• Day 5 (Monday, 18 September) — Alice Springs to Banka Banka
• Day 6 (Tuesday, 19 September) — Banka Banka to Nitmiluk
• Day 7 (Wednesday, 20 September) — Nitmiluk to Jabiru
• Day 8 (Thursday, 21 September) — Jabiru
• Day 9 (Friday, 22 September) — Jabiru to Darwin
• Day 10 (Saturday, 23 September) — Litchfield National Park
• Day 11 (Sunday, 24 September) — Darwin to Melbourne.

We believe this tour will provide our students with an excellent opportunity to learn about the history, geography, and culture of Central Australia and the Top End. Additionally, it will provide them with opportunities for personal growth and development, as well as a chance to make lasting friendships.

If you would like your child to be considered for the tour, please complete and return the expression of interest Google form by Friday 5 May. The cost of the trip will be advertised to families soon through a letter on the Parent Portal. Please keep an eye open for it.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this tour, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Vaping

Mount Lilydale Mercy College continues to place great importance on raising awareness about the potential health risks associated with vaping, and to help prevent its use among students. As part of this support to families we would like to advertise an upcoming webinar.

The webinar will take place via Zoom on Tuesday 9 May at 7.00pm.

It will cover such topics as:

• what exactly vaping is and how it differs from cigarettes
• why vaping is increasing in popularity, especially among young people
• what the potential harms of vaping are
• how parents can engage with young people about vaping.

To be part of the webinar you need to register. You can do so via this link: Young People & Vaping — Parent, Carer and Educator Webinar — Maroondah City Council

Please note that this webinar is for parents/carers of young people, it is not aimed at actual children or young people. It is recommended that children and young people do not attend. 

Enrolment for Year 7 2025

Mrs Sharon Elderhurst
Enrolments Officer

Applications for Year 7 2025 are now open. Parents/guardians asked to submit an online application via the MLMC website enrolment page no later than Friday 12 May 2023. Applicants will be contacted throughout Term 2 or Term 3 to arrange an application interview. Offers of places will be sent to prospective students on Friday 20 October 2023. Please note that all applicants are encouraged to attend a College Tour with bookings available online.

I am delighted to report that our College Choir and College Captains participated in the Anzac Day dawn service, held on Tuesday 25 April at the Lilydale Cenotaph. It was a privilege to see our students representing our College in such an important event, honoring the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.

Our College Choir sang beautifully, filling the early morning air with heartfelt renditions of classic hymns and both New Zealand and Australian National anthems. They demonstrated their musical talent and dedication, and represented our College with pride. Read more HERE.

Additionally, our College Captains played a role in the event. Elena Atanasovski and Campbell Manser laid a wreath on behalf of our College community to honour the sacrifices of the brave soldiers who fought and died for our country's freedom. Afterwards, they had a photo (below) with Casey MP Aaron Violi, one of our Old Collegians (Class of 2012), who was also part of the service.

The Anzac Day dawn service is a significant event, and it is wonderful to see our students taking part in such an important commemoration. It is essential for the next generation to recognise the significance of the day and to continue to honour the sacrifices made by those who have served our country. To reinforce this, a full school service was held on Wednesday morning with readings from Humanities Prefect Olivia Barre and Mercy and Justice Prefect Thomas Hobley.

Our College community should be proud of the students who attended and represented our school. We are proud of our students and their dedication to honour and remember the bravery and sacrifice of our service members.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Anzac Day dawn service, and we look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come.

You can read more about the Lilydale dawn service via the Star Mail newspaper HERE.

As we remember them, let us look at two of many stories of those who served our country who are connected with Mount Lilydale Mercy College.

1944 — The 15-year-old who went to war

Bill Phillips was one of 11 children from his family who attended the Convent school. In June 1942 he enlisted to serve in the Second World War, even though he was only 15 years old, telling the military authorities he was 19. According to Bill, his parents were unaware that he'd done this. His father was already in the Army and his mother had 10 other children at home to look after and thought he was away working in the bush.

After his training he was transferred into an anti-aircraft battery and was sent to New Guinea. He served on the frontline for a year until he contracted dengue fever and while in hospital the military authorities discovered his real age. Even though he had served for two years, he was still just 17 and still underage and so was discharged in June 1944.

His military career didn’t end there, though. Bill enlisted again in July 1945, when he was 18, and served as an army instructor until 1950, when he volunteered for service in the Korean War. He only made it as far as Japan when his earlier tropical disease flared up, resulting in him being sent home and discharged. Bill passed away in 2015.

1945 — World War II

The Second World War had an impact on the College and the students. There was rationing, blackouts, supply shortages and a number of the staff and boarders had family who were serving in the conflict.

Towards the end of the war, some students recalled German prisoners of war assisting in the gardens at the College. These were more than likely a group of German merchant seamen who were camped at Healesville and allowed to work in small parties around the district.

One former student, Maureen Leggett, worked for the American military at the huge supply depot in Port Melbourne and she also volunteered in her spare time as a voluntary aid detachment. A number of other former students of the Convent school and the College served in uniform during the war, the following are a list of the ones that are known:

• 2nd AIF — Joseph Gallivan, John McMahon, William Phillips
• Army — Valentino Celotti, Thomas Mitchell
• RAAF — Patrick Keenan, Graham Latimer
• WRAN — Alma Rahilly
• AWAS — Audrey Campbell, Frances Flynn
• WAAAF — Sybil Fleming, Audrey Pithie, Ivy Shaw.

One former student, Mary Gowans (Class of 1940), was at school the day the war ended and remembered “people running around shouting the news and crying”. In 2005 a memorial plaque was placed on the traffic island near Centennial Hall commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

In recent years a number of former students have served in the Australian Defence Force — one flew an FA 18 hornet fighter plane over the school in 2016. Another, Fiona Haynes (Class of 1989), went on to become the army’s most senior education officer and was inducted into the Mercy Honour Roll in 2018.

Pictured above: Audrey Wheeler (nee Campbell) (second from left) forming a guard of honour for General Sir Thomas Blamey (photo courtesy of Yarra Ranges Regional Museum).

Throughout Term 1 the Year 10 Agriculture, Horticulture and Viticulture students have undertaken duties to care for the grape vines in the McAuley Park Farm under the guidance of MLMC staff and direction of Dr Andrea Roberts-Davison, who is a Viticulture and Winemaking lecturer at the Melbourne Polytechnic.

Our students have been learning about the various growing requirements of the vines on the vineyard and sampling the ripening grapes to monitor various chemical parameters and determine the optimum harvest time.

Despite the challenging weather conditions this summer, the picking date arrived on Thursday 30 March and our Year 10 and Year 9 Agriculture and Horticulture students worked tirelessly throughout the day to collect and process the grapes in order to learn what is involved in making wine. Our Year 10 students are now helping with monitoring the chemistry of the wine and learning the various steps involved in further processing as they await bottling time later in the year.

This learning opportunity was made possible due to the generous time and the guidance provided by Dr Roberts-Davison from Melbourne Polytechnic (pictured below with students). We have been extremely lucky to have this support and thank Dr Roberts-Davison for her contributions.

We are also grateful to grounds staff Mr Andrew Comerford and Ms Bronwyn Krueger and all of our MLMC Agriculture and Horticulture Science staff for all their support with the winemaking program this year.

Congratulations to the Choir, directed by Ms Caroline Dickason, who represented our College at the Lilydale Anzac Day dawn service on Tuesday 25 April. Thank you to parents and families for ensuring our singers arrived in time for the 5.15am sound-check on the day.

It was a privilege for the Choir to be involved in this community event again. The students were invited to sing Rudyard Kipling's poem The Recessional from which the phrase 'Lest We Forget' originated.

Great War Association member Yulia Panteleeva, dressed in period costume, told the story of nurse Vivian Bullwinkel at the service before joining our choir. She sang the Maori verse of the New Zealand national anthem, along with the English verse with our choir, before they jointly sang the Australian national anthem.

The Choir rehearses on Wednesday and Thursday at lunchtime in Term 2, in preparation for some upcoming big events including The Long Walk — a charity run by Michael Long to support Indigenous education programs across the country.

If your child loves to sing and they are interested in joining the Choir, they should contact Mrs Dickason via email to cdickason@mlmc.vic.edu.au

Our LEAP ICT and STEM students along with our STEM Club students were immersed in a STEM design sprint with a human-centred approach in an excursion to Scienceworks last term. Students met experts in space research and then took on the challenge of developing a prototype of a moon hub for humans during a space exploration.

The excursion and the program we did at Scienceworks taught me a lot about the design thinking process and taught me how to identify a problem and solve it. It was very helpful for my LEAP STEM class and I hope to apply the skills I learnt at Scienceworks to my classes. Overall the day was lots of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
— Nash Ryan (Year 8 Green)

On Friday 10 March the Year 12 Physics class ventured to Luna Park in St Kilda to analyse the motion of some rides in preparation for an assessment. We had a great day and got to try out lots of rides, including the twin dragon, the coney drop and the pharaoh’s curse.

Using tracking software prepared by our teacher, Mr Murphy, we were able to graph the motion of the enterprise (another exhilarating ride) and use this data to form a major part of our Term 1 assessment.

It was a great way to experience physics in the real world and develop a deeper understanding of the concepts covered in class, all while having a good day out at the park.

The MLMC Careers department began the year with Year 7 student sessions focusing on our MLMC alumni’s stories, with an aim to introduce the concept of a ‘career’ and the importance of developing self-awareness to inform pathway, subject and career choices as they grow through their years at our College.

We invited young alumni Nathan Schubank, who was McAuley Prefect in his graduating class (2018), to address our Year 10 students on his career journey so far. Nathan challenged our students' outlook, proposing “it’s okay if you don’t yet know what you want to do after school, but it’s not okay if you’re not actively seeking out and investigating the possibilities and reflecting on what you need in a career to be fulfilled”. In response, our Year 10 students have worked steadily through an intensive Careers Seminar Program focusing on what the labour market is doing in Australia, including the growing gig economy and the place of global online entrepreneurship. They’ve completed occupation investigations across industries. They’ve also learnt how to research and appropriately communicate to apply for a Work Experience placement and completed extensive micro-credentialling on occupational health and safety awareness in preparation for their placements.

Year 10, 11 and 12 students have heard from representatives from Deakin University and La Trobe University about their respective culture, campuses and courses. Our Year 10s currently doing a Unit 1 and 2 subject were particularly keen to hear about how they can include university extension studies into their Year 12 learning Program at Deakin University. We also invited representatives from OELLEN and MEGT, one of the larger group training organisations in our area, to speak to our VCE-Vocational Major students and VCE students keen to explore an apprenticeship pathway.

Year 12 information sessions were held in study periods for Careers advisors to frame the year ahead for our 2023 graduates eager to learn about their options post school. Destination data from last year’s graduates was presented and a 2023 timeline of applications to university, TAFE and apprenticeships was explained. Particular focus was placed on upskilling our Year 12 students with VTAC course search, direct applications, understanding the benefits of applying for university early offer schemes, as well as the difference between a raw ATAR score and a course selection rank (which includes selection rank boosts). These sessions were followed by one-on-one counselling appointments where students were advised on how best to strategically achieve their career aspirations. Our Year 12s echoed each other with their desire for a career that will give them financial security, a chance to contribute positively to the world, as well as the opportunity for a balanced lifestyle, with family, central to their idea of success.

Look at your hands. Examine the creases, the smooth skin, the veins, the colour. Pick up your pen, ready to write, what stories will your hand share today? The Mount Lilydale Mercy College community was fortunate to have author Kirsty Murray visit to inspire and embrace the joy of storytelling at an evening event on Wednesday 26 April.

It provided families with the opportunity to explore creative writing with discussion and a mini writing workshop activity. Highlights of the evening included Kirsty sharing her personal stories about a reader who mailed her a historical book once owned by one of Kirsty’s ancestors, how books Kirsty encountered in the State Library connected with her own characters and the sharing of the stories written by the evening’s participants.

The night concluded with a door prize raffle where families were able to take home one of Kirsty’s fabulous books.

(1) Student Achievements

Athletics
Congratulations to Brigitte Rice (Year 10 Orange) who finished fifth in Australia in the 3000m at the National Athletics Championships held in Brisbane over the holidays.

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

(2) MLMC athletics training

Track and field training is held on Wednesday mornings (7.00-8.00am), with a bus provided back to school. It is held at Morrison Reserve, Mount Evelyn, for all EISM squad members and non-squad members and it is free to students. Breakfast is also provided. Students should see me in the Doyle Centre or email me for more details.

The EISM Athletics Carnival will be held on Tuesday 9 May, while the EISM Athletics Champions Carnival will be held on Thursday 25 May.

(3) EISM sport

With EISM competition soon to resume for Term 2, the following points are important to remember:

• students should check the sport plans which are on the Doyle Centre window and Google Classroom pages at the beginning of every week
• if a student is unable to play in their team in a particular week, they need to let their coach know as early as possible
• students should be on time to the Doyle Centre on their sport day. All EISM teams need to leave at the start of lunch (occasionally earlier) to get to venues to play
• uniforms need to be 100% correct to ensure no forfeited games — hockey, soccer and football players must wear long navy socks (available at the Doyle Centre to purchase for $10) and mouthguards must be worn for hockey. NO CORRECT UNIFORM, NO GAME.