Dear members of the MLMC community

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful autumnal weather, with clear cold nights and clear warm days. We know change is on the way, but still the days offer us great opportunity to interact with others. I hope all have returned to Term 2 after a wonderful holiday and Easter. It is certainly great to see the staff and students interacting so positively on campus.

There are several items that I wish to discuss with you today:

(1) COVID-19 update

As you will already know, the past few years has seen a regular change in regulations surrounding COVID-19. The following information is the latest information that has been made available to the College by the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV). We share this with you so that you are aware of the guidelines under which we are required to operate:

• Parents, carers and other adult visitors are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine if not performing work or volunteering at the school. Consequently, the College will no longer be conducting vaccination certificate checks. Volunteers are deemed to be engaged in work at the College and must show evidence of vaccination
• While recommended, face masks have not been required in our College setting from 11.59pm 22 April 2022. Any students or staff members who wish to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at-risk. This is especially the case when social distancing cannot be maintained.

Household contacts

• Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the College. Household and household-like contacts are no longer required to quarantine as long as they take additional safety measures in the seven days that would have been their quarantine period
• Household contacts are required to inform the College that they are attending during the seven-day period. Household contacts are required to test negative using a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) on five days of the seven-day period (with tests spaced at least 24 hours apart). The College can supply students who are household contacts with extra Rapid Antigen Tests if required.

As mentioned in previous communications, we ask if your child is feeling unwell, please keep them at home.

• Household contacts attending school must wear a mask in class unless they have personally tested positive to COVID-19 within a 12-week period of the latest household positive case or have a valid exemption
• Masks must be worn when traveling on public transport, taxis or rideshare vehicles
• Face masks may be used as an additional temporary risk-mitigation measure in exceptional circumstances, for example, if a school experiences high levels of or prolonged transmission
• All students are expected to attend onsite unless they are formally registered as being home-schooled or are COVID-19 positive. Parent preference is not an approved reason for students to be absent due to COVID-19
• Students who are required to isolate or quarantine will be supported by the College in the same way as students with an extended absence due to illness or injury, with learning materials provided to support their continued learning
• The College will continue to provide Rapid Antigen Tests for the first four weeks of Term 2. Some students have been collecting but inappropriately disposing of their tests instead of taking them home. If your household does not require a test, please ask your child to indicate this to Student Reception and to not collect them.

What do I do if my child tests positive or is a household close contact?

To assist the College in managing notifications of COVID-19 in households, we ask that you utilise the Parent Access Module (PAM) to inform the College of any student absences. This can be done by logging on to PAM via our website and clicking the Parent Notified Absences button and then including your child’s details and the reason for their absence. For your convenience, please find instructions on how to save PAM to your smartphone. PAM can then be used as an app. Instructions for both iOS and Android phones are included below.

If you are unable to access PAM, please email administration@mlmc.vic.edu.au with any student absences. This will allow the College to best assist you should there be a need. Once you have reported a positive case of COVID-19 in your household, staff can then place work covered in class on Google Classroom pages. As always, families are welcome to contact staff to clarify work if instructions are unclear.

Informing the College of a positive test result enables the College to:

• support students academically and pastorally,
• record that they will be absent while in seven-day isolation, and
• let the rest of the College community know there has been a positive case onsite so that they can monitor their children for symptoms.

All positive reports will be treated confidentially.

If anyone is confused by any of these guidelines, please feel free to contact the College through Administration and your questions will be directed to the correct person.

I again thank you for continuing to work with the College to ensure the safety of all in our community and to help us to continue on campus learning.

(2) The Federal Election

I am sure that you all would be well aware that the Federal Election has been announced for Saturday 21 May 2022, with all major parties in the full swing of election mode.

There are several pieces of communication that I have been asked to share with you for your reading pleasure and to keep you informed.

The Australian Catholics Bishops Conference

Firstly the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) has released its statement for the upcoming federal election. It takes the theme ‘Towards a Better Kind of Politics’ from Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti.

While not endorsing political parties, the document identifies some key issues that the bishops believe voters should consider in casting their vote.

The statement was prepared with reference to the key principles of Catholic social teaching, which are outlined in the document.

You are all invited to read the Australian Catholic Bishops’ 2022 election statement, Towards a Better Kind of Politics, to help you reflect on the good you can do for the community by using your vote for the common good of all. The statement includes a Prayer for the Election and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Download a copy from www.catholic.org.au or click on the document below.

The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC)

The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has worked with stakeholders to identify several national priorities for the upcoming federal election for Catholic education.

This flyer lists the national priorities and can be shared with others if you so choose.

The NCEC has developed a range of materials to support schools and families to engage with members of parliament (MPs) and candidates during the 2022 federal election campaign. This includes a guide to the priorities (which you can read by clicking HERE), which will assist with any conversations about the key issues you might choose to have with your local candidate.

Once again this is provided to you as information which you may choose to read.

(3) Archbishop Peter’s Easter Message

Although Easter Sunday was a couple of weeks ago we are still in the Easter season and I hope Easter has reinvigorated you to your way of life. Please find a link to Archbishop Peter’s Easter message, ‘rediscover our God-given identity, find our personal tasks, and work for our common humanity’.

Let us embrace the challenge placed before us.

(4) ANZAC Day

Finally, Day 1 of Term 2 started with ANZAC Day and a whole College commemoration focusing on Gallipoli and World War I, the ‘war to end all wars’. Although the College ceremony was not at dawn, which is when the attacks at Gallipoli began, on ANZAC Day itself MLMC was well represented at the Lilydale dawn service and many other services across our district.

We remember the great sacrifice of the Anzacs, and those who have fought to defend our nation and its values in any type of war or conflict.

May they rest in peace.

And at this time of conflict in the world, may we never forget.

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

Philip A Morison
Principal

As we celebrate Mothering Sunday on Sunday 8 May, let us give thanks for mothers everywhere. For those who gave birth to us and all those who have been like mothers to us. Let us keep in mind also those for whom Mother’s Day will be difficult.

A Mother's Love

There are times when only a mother's love
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints
And calm all of our fears.
There are times when only a mother's love
Can share the joy we feel
When something we've dreamed about
Quite suddenly is real.
There are times when only a mother's faith
Can help us on life's way
And inspire in us the confidence
We need from day to day.
For a mother's heart and a mother's faith
And a mother's steadfast love
Were fashioned by the angels
And sent from God above.

— Author unknown

Dates

• Saturday 30 April — Debutante Ball No.1
• Thursday 5 May — EISM Athletics Carnival
• Friday 6 May — Debutante Ball No.2
• Saturday 7 May — Debutante Ball No.3
• Friday 13 May and Saturday 14 May — VCE Theatre Studies play The Crucible. Click HERE for further details.

Uniform 

As a new term begins and we head into colder weather, our uniform changes to be the winter uniform. The College has recently been notified that for some uniform items there has been a supply problem, with expected deliveries being delayed. If this is the case for your child, ask them to bring a note from home so a uniform pass can be arranged until the item can be purchased. Students that do not have a winter uniform are expected to attend in their summer uniform, long pants are acceptable. The College sports uniform should not be worn as a replacement to the winter uniform. 

Beanies 

There has been a slight delay in launching an initiative of the 2021 Student Representative Council (SRC). Last year, the SRC designed and organised the College uniform to include a beanie (pictured above). Supply issues have delayed the sale until some time in Week 3 of this term. Bob Stewart Uniform Shop has kindly provided 200 beanies at cost price, allowing the College to sell them at store price ($20) — with the profits going toward Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research. More details on payment methods and when they will be on sale will be circulated in Homerooms soon. 

Update your contact information 

From time to time, the College may need to quickly make contact with parents or guardians, especially in relation to a student’s physical and mental health. To do this we need to have up-to-date contact details and information about your child’s needs. It is, therefore, important that the College has the most current contact details and information regarding your child’s health. If you have new contact details, please take the time to get in touch with the College so that we have the relevant information.

Leaving the College grounds

It is an expectation that students remain at school once they arrive at school. It has come to our attention that a growing number of students are leaving the College in the morning to go down to the local shops. Please remind your child that they need to remain at school once they arrive.

Enrol now for Year 7 in 2024

Families are encouraged to apply now for their child starting Year 7 in 2024. Information regarding enrolments are available via our website. Parents and guardians are asked to please submit your application for Year 7 2024 as soon as possible.

The Year 11 and 12 VCE Media classes met during the school holidays to view Top Screen — the theatrical release of the best films by Unit 3 and 4 VCE Media students from 2021 — at the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne.

The screening was followed by a panel of students who completed the awarded films, and our students were able to ask them questions about how they had achieved such high quality work. Year 12 Media students are able to make a film about any content they choose, in their own style, so it was very inspiring for them to see what Victorian Media students are capable of achieving.

The College congratulates Lachlan Nicholls (Year 12 Purple) who on the weekend won the Modern Pentathlon Australia national championship’s Junior Male competition.

Lachlan claimed the Under-19 title with 1183 points, earning the maximum 300 points in the riding (the only athlete to do so).

It followed on from his gold medal win at the state Under-19 titles in February. Modern pentathlon includes swimming, show jumping, fencing and a laser run and is an Olympic sport.

In March, Lachlan was in Sydney competing in an open men’s epee national level fencing competition where he finished in 27th place, which was a good solid midfield result.

In December, he was part of the Victorian team which won the Australian Championship Cadet (Under-17) epee team gold medal and last year he also won gold at the Senior schools' epee individual fencing championship representing MLMC.

You can read more about Lachlan's success on the Modern Pentathlon Australia website by clicking HERE.

Well done, Lachlan.

The VCE Theatre Studies class has worked hard for the past four months (including during the Easter school holidays) preparing for our upcoming performance of the play The Crucible. It will be on stage on Friday 13 May and Saturday 14 May, from 7.30pm, in Centennial Hall.

Students have worked together to bring to life the sets and costumes as well as rehearsing the play. They also worked on lighting and sound.

Tickets will be $15 for adults and $12 concession and they are available via trybooking.com/BYXEI

The Crucible is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatised and partially fictionalised story of the Salem witch trials of 1692–93, when a group of young Salem women falsely accused other villagers of witchcraft. The play was first performed on Broadway in 1953 and it won the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play.

(1) Student Achievements

Karate

Well done to Stephen Cameron (Year 11 Bronze) who won gold at the Australian Open Karate Championships in Sydney during the school holidays. In doing so, Stephen (pictured above) was selected to represent Australia at the upcoming Oceania Championships, to be held in Noumea, New Caledonia.

He will compete in Noumea in the kumite male juniors under 68kg division on 5-6 June. Stephen will be aiming for selection for the World Championships to be held in Turkey later in the year.

His sister Casey (Year 9 Silver) (pictured below) did really well also competing in Sydney. While Casey did not win a medal, she put up a great effort and knows she will be training with the Victorian squad in the hope of going to the national titles in September.

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

(2) EISM Athletics

The EISM Division 1 Athletics Carnival will be held on Thursday 5 May. Team selection will be sent out via email today, following a final opportunity to trial for the team at training next Wednesday morning.

(3) Athletics training

The final athletics training sessions will be held on Monday 2 May (3.30-4.30pm) and Wednesday 4 May (7-8am). All students are welcome.

(4) EISM results

Year 8 results (26 April)

On Tuesday 26 April the College gathered for our annual ANZAC Day ceremony at the beginning of Period 1. Humanities Prefect Mark Rimando and College Captain Ellie Inglese led us in prayer and to identify some historical reflections from soldiers and commentators of the time. Below is a short extract from the ceremony that encapsulates the spirit of the ANZAC:

The story of Gallipoli is a story of heroism and mateship. During the ill-fated eight-month-long campaign, these men displayed courage, endurance, initiative, discipline, and mateship. Such qualities came to be called ‘the ANZAC spirit’. Nine Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross, with most of the awards made for actions performed during the battle of Lone Pine. The first of these men, Lance Corporal Albert Jacka, immediately became a national hero. This battle is remarkable in that seven Australians won the Victoria Cross on a small stretch of ground on the Turkish Gallipoli ridge — with four going to a single battalion in just 24 hours.
— Correspondent Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett

The above quote gives one a sense of the commitment and courage displayed by the Australian soldiers during this campaign and the gratitude that the past and present Australian soldiers should receive on every ANZAC Day.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank both Mark and Ellie for volunteering to be involved in such an important event on the MLMC calendar. They came together to write about the service below:

On Tuesday 26 April, Mount Lilydale Mercy College held a ceremony over the loudspeaker to commemorate the sacrifices made during times of war, which provided us Australians with the freedom we are blessed with today. We heard readings of servicemen recounts from the First World War, and were reminded of the courage and selflessness of our ancestors. We also remembered the great sacrifice that Jesus Christ made in dying for us, and we commend the soldiers for doing the same.
— Ellie Inglese and Mark Rimando

Dawn Service

A day earlier, Ellie joined fellow College Captain Baxter Lill and Vice Captains Stella Atkinson and Jack Drummond along with members of the College Choir at the ANZAC Day dawn service at the Lilydale cenotaph.

For the first time since 2019 there were no COVID-19 restrictions and there was a big crowd for the service. The four captains lay a wreath at the cenotaph to honour our Australian servicemen and women and as a community we give thanks, we pray and we remember them.

For many years, the College Choir has provided community service by singing at the Lilydale dawn service. This year, the Choir was bolstered by members of the junior a capalla ensemble. The students sang The Recessional, along with both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems, Advance Australia Fair and God Bless New Zealand — the latter both 'te reo Māori' (translates to 'the Maori language') and in English.

Choir leader Ms Caroline Dickason said it was the second year the Choir had sung the New Zealand anthem in 'te reo' since it was taught to the choir by teacher Mr Dean Fox before he left MLMC to return to New Zealand. “The Choir stood perfectly still in the cold pre-dawn morning and represented MLMC very well with their professionalism and lovely voices,” Ms Dickason said. “Most of the students had arisen around 4.30am to be at the service by 5.15am.”

Year 7 and 8 Class Captains participated in a full-day leadership seminar on Thursday 28 April called ‘Maximising the Badge’, run by the yLead organisation.

It focused on their philosophy of ‘leadership is more than a badge, it’s about the action that makes the world you touch a better place’.

Students explored leadership, developed their confidence, enhanced their tool kit and worked together to develop group cohesion, unity and a shared vision.

yLead believes that leadership is “about action not a badge” and that all young people have the capacity to be active and inspiring leaders in their communities.

Students taking part recognise that every leader has their own unique passions, strengths and abilities; and has discovered a way to use them to create a positive difference in the world. Students will be inspired to step out of their comfort zone, aim high and confidently embark on their own leadership journey.

While some of the students were also Class Captains last year, the activities differed and there were greater opportunities for their leadership skills to develop and flourish.

Here are some reflections from our Class Captains:

I had so much fun and learnt so much from this day. We played leadership games to learn about Leadership so we can be a better leader for our class. I learnt that there is so much more to leadership than you see or think, including how you should include everyone and how we can make our class better by making special times during school that we can have fun and grow as a class. Also that by making fun things to do you can make new friends and also grow you confidence in class and for the future.
— Grace Maffescioni (Year 7 White)

Year 7 and 8 leaders alike completed multiple exercises that taught the qualities of a good leader and how to execute these qualities. We completed multiple activities that taught us the morals of being a leader and different actions good leaders might take. An example of an activity was cops and robbers, where the robber would try and escape from the cops. The cops would work as a team to tag all the robbers out. The hidden truth in this game was that the captains must be team players, and we realised that you can accomplish much greater goals when utilising the power of teamwork. 
— Blake Schelfhout (Year 8 White)

I really enjoyed the incursion. I feel I have learnt how important leadership can be and I felt the importance of teamwork and inclusion. I learnt that being a leader doesn't give you the power to be the boss, it gives you the power to connect everyone together and build a sense of community. And the best part, I learnt all this through fun and games.
— Annabel Sargeant (Year 7 Green)

I had a lot of fun working through each activity with a team. It was a good chance to collaborate with new people and it also taught me a lot of new skills that I need to be a better captain.
— Nash Ryan (Year 7 Silver)

After a rather long wait, the annual Debutante Balls are about to take place for our Year 12 students. The last few weeks have seen the students perfect their dances and there has been a lot of discussion about hair, make-up, suits and matching socks.

Rehearsals began in February and they have been working hard to make it a great experience after the balls were postponed last year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The first ball is to be held tomorrow night (Saturday 30 April), with two more to follow next weekend on Friday 6 May and Saturday 7 May.

Balls will be held for Year 11 students in August and September.

We wish all of the students and families involved on each of the nights a wonderful evening.