Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

Since I last wrote to you a fortnight ago, things have been very busy here on ’the hill’, Rourke’s Hill, our hill, as the busyness of Term 2 very quickly fills our days. The same is true for me as I am challenged to think and reflect by many issues.

Last week, I attended a Mercy Education Limited (MEL) Principals’ meeting in Perth. MEL governs Mercy schools in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia as well as having associate schools across those and other states. It was interesting and heart-warming to gather as a Mercy network to see other well equipped and beautiful Mercy schools, to hear that issues in schools are common across many states, and to simply be reminded that we are indeed part of a much bigger network capable of providing resources and advice at any time. It did make me wonder about future opportunities for student networking. These are our sister schools.

Last night, I, along with College Advisory Council Members and senior leaders of our College, attended the MEL Victorian College Advisory Council seminar and dinner, whose focus was ’Who is my neighbour?’. At the dinner, there were two well-credentialled and inspiring speakers who spoke from the heart about their organisations, but grounded their work in the theology of Catholic social teaching and the gospel story of the Good Samaritan. The first keynote address was delivered by Jocelyn Bignold OAM, CEO of McAuley Services For Women, which provides support for women and children who have experienced family violence and who are at risk of homelessness. It supports women to change their lives. You can learn more about the organisation at https://www.mcauley.org.au.

The second keynote address was delivered by Anne Henderson, Group Director of The Mackillop Institute (part of Mackillop Family Services), whose focus is to support and provide services for vulnerable children, young people and families and in so doing promote the rights of children to be free to enjoy their childhood in safety, to be nurtured and to have a sense of belonging and cultural identity. You can learn more about Mackillop Family Services at https://www.mackillopinstitute.org.au. Anne is responsible for leading their schools and education programs. Mackillop Family Services has a deep Mercy history and evolved from the work of the Sisters of Mercy, the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of St Joseph.

Again, at various times our student body has raised funds in support of these organisations and we will continue to do so, however, it does make me reflect that we are a part of a much greater organisation doing fantastic work across Victoria and Australia. We should be proud of our association with all things Mercy as we continue to consider that question of ’Who is our neighbour?’.

In thinking about our neighbour, we must also consider our brothers and sisters that walk this earth and this week, the College held its Reconciliation Assembly in preparation for National Reconciliation Week. While I do not want to detract from the keynote address given at that assembly, I would like to share with you part of the address that I presented to the student body, some of which can be found at https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/. Please remember this was written as an address rather than an editorial, but it does challenge us:

We, the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community, acknowledge the
Wurundjeri people as the traditional custodians of the land we work.
We recognise the deep connection to the land, waters, and
rich song lines that tie them to country.
We promise to embed a genuine commitment
to reconciliation within our practices at our College.

Notice I finished that acknowledgment with a promise. A promise to embed a genuine commitment to reconciliation and today is very much a part of that process. Today we hold this assembly to focus on reconciliation in preparation for National Reconciliation Week, which officially runs from 27 May until 3 June. But, of course, reconciliation is a long-term ongoing process and a lifelong commitment.

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

The theme for 2023 is ’Be a Voice for Generations: Act Today for a reconciled tomorrow’, and it encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives — where we live, work and socialise.

For the work of generations past, and the benefit of generations future, it encourages us to choose to create a more just, equitable and reconciled country for all.

And a dedicated choice it must be.

The dates for National Reconciliation Week remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey — the first, the successful 1967 Referendum, which proposed alterations to the Australian Constitution. These alterations would remove references in the Australian Constitution discriminating against First Australians, allowing Australian Parliament to make laws in relation to First Australians and include First Australians in the national Census. The second, the High Court Mabo decision which recognised the traditional rights of the Meriam people to their islands in the eastern Torres Strait. The Court also held that native title existed for all Indigenous people in Australia prior to the establishment of the British Colony of New South Wales in 1788.

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.

We are inspired to reconciliation by some significant events in our history such as The Long Walk, which you will hear about today whereby Essendon football great Michael Long walked from Melbourne to Canberra to highlight the plight of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and get their lives and issues back onto the national agenda.

We commemorate National Sorry Day on 26 May. On this day, we commemorate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families under government policies during the Assimilation era (officially 1910-1970).

Those children stolen from their families have become known as the Stolen Generations.

We acknowledge the ongoing impact of colonisation on Indigenous peoples, including the forced removal of children from their families, loss of land, and the ongoing discrimination.

Here at MLMC we proclaim a Mercy education with values like compassion, justice, hospitality, respect, service and courage.

How are we compassionate to our First Nations people?

Where do we proclaim justice with and for them?

How are hospitable towards them?

How do we show respect to them as the traditional owners of this land?

How are we of service to the idea of reconciliation?

Where is our courage in acting for reconciliation?

At MLMC, our decisions and actions are formed by, and should reflect, our College values; we demonstrate all our College values for our First Nations citizens by working for real reconciliation in our own school, in our local community and the wider community in which we all live.

We must be very visible in this.

These events do ask us what work we need to do to in support of the many who walk this earth with us and to look both inwards into our own community to see what work we need to do, but also look to the much bigger agenda that impacts us each and every day.

This week, I also had the pleasure to attend two different meetings associated with the work of our College: the Old Collegians’ Association meeting and the Parents and Friends’ Association meeting. Both groups are vital to the future direction of our College and one discussion point at the P&F meeting was the Organisation Skills program, which operates in the McAuley Campus but only because of the great work of parent/family volunteers. This program is at risk and we do need more helpers. If you can support the program please contact Community Development Coordinator Natalie Virgona via email to nvirgona@mlmc.vic.edu.au, as she will be happy to discuss options with you.

Another important group that serves our College is the Community Forum Group (CFG), which was formed last year as a consultation group for issues at the College. It is my hope that this group continues to grow and will impact future policy and protocol development and support the work of the College Advisory Council.

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

• College email protocols
• College complaints process
• assessment and reporting guidelines
• scholarships at MLMC (time dependent).

If you would like anything added to the agenda or it is your wish to attend this meeting, please contact me via email to Marilyn Ryan at principal@mlmc.vic.edu.au. Once attendance numbers are known, the venue will be set and papers emailed to participants on Monday afternoon.

In the Spirit of Catherine,

May God bless each and every one of you.

Philip Morison
Principal

Mothers' Day can be a mix of emotions for many people. Let us pray this week for all who are mothers, all who are yet to be mothers and all who are like mothers to us. For anyone grieving the loss of a mother, may God bring them comfort and strength.

Mothers’ Day Prayer to Mary, our Mother

Intercessions from 1727 the Liturgical Order of Blessing

Mary,
Mother of God
and our Mother,
pray for all mothers,
so that they will be able
to fulfill their maternal responsibilities.
Help them to be lovers and nurturers of
all human life from the moment of conception
until natural death,
all the while being examples
for their own children.
Pray for their children,
so that they, too,
will be faithful followers of your Son.
We pray for our mothers,
who have given us life and love,
that we may show them reverence and love.
We pray for mothers,
who have lost a child through death,
that their faith may give them hope
and their family and friend,
support and console them.
We pray for mothers who have died,
that God may bring them
into the joy of His kingdom
We offer these prayers
through Christ, our Lord
and your Son,
in union with the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
Amen

Dates

• Friday 26 May — Staff Professional Development Day (student free day)
• Saturday 20 May — Debutante Ball 1
• Tuesday 23 May — Special Persons’ Day (Year 7). Read more about this event by clicking HERE.
• Thursday 25 May — EISM Athletics Champions Carnival
• Friday 26 May — Debutante Ball 2
  
• Saturday 27 May — Debutante Ball 3

Car parking

As the term is well underway, we would like to remind parents and guardians about the importance of being mindful of where you park your car when dropping off or picking up your children from school. We understand that parking can be a challenge, especially during busy times, but we urge you to avoid parking across neighbours' driveways, even if you're stopping briefly.

We kindly ask that you take a few extra moments to park in a designated spot or in a safe and appropriate location. It's important to respect our neighbours and not block their access to their driveways.

Additionally, we want to remind you that the local council has designated no standing zones in some of the streets around the College. This means that these areas are not to be used for parking, even for a brief moment. We have received reports of parents being fined for using these zones as a drop-off area, so we encourage you to be aware of the designated areas and avoid using them.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and respectful environment for everyone in our community. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

From your School Counselling and Wellbeing Team

Having friends and making new friendships is an important part of preteen and teen development. Positive friendships give pre-teens and teenagers a sense of belonging, confidence and support. This week's Parent Tip Sheet (below) provides some reminders and advice for parents about teens and friendships.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund

Finance Office

Fee help is available for parents holding a current Health Care Card or Pension Card, if you have not already applied for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) in 2023. The 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 or have just received 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 CSEF. The allowance 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.

Parents that received CSEF at the school in 2022 DO NOT need to complete an application form in 2023 unless any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments: your child has started or changed schools in 2023 or you did not apply at the same school in 2022
• changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2023.

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 either Term 1 (30 January 2023) or Term 2 (24 April 2023). If a form has not been lodged in 2022, parents or legal guardians are required to complete a CSEF application form and lodge it with their child’s school for processing.

Application forms should be completed and lodged with the College as soon as possible in Term 2. The College will be able to accept and process applications up until the end of Term 2 (21 June 2023). 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 by visiting www.vic.gov.au/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund. Parents must lodge a CSEF application form with a photocopy of their Health Care/Pension Card or email all the relevant information to the College via mkirkwood@mlmc.vic.edu.au. Please note that no late applications can be accepted.

Mount Lilydale Mercy College has a proud educational history developed over many years of Catholic Mercy teachings, more recently the College has taken great strides in actively supporting the cause of environmental stewardship, this has moved from theory into very practical examples.

This stewardship is guided by the encyclical of Pope Francis from his writings in Laudato Si, where the Pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development and mourns environmental degradation. He calls on all people of the world to “take swift and unified global action”.

MLMC staff and students have been actively working toward environmental stewardship within our immediate school grounds and further afield in the local area with the assistance of partner state and local government agencies. This has seen the College heralded as a leader of sustainable practices and community engagement and has been nominated School of the Year in the annual Sustainability Victoria ResourceSmart school awards. The awards ceremony will be held next month.

You can read more about MLMC’s two award nominations in this newspaper article from the Star Mail newspaper. Click HERE.

Our Year 7 and Year 8 Class Captains attended a full-day leadership seminar on Friday 5 May called ‘Maximising the Badge’. The seminar was organised by the yLead organisation and it focused on their philosophy that ‘leadership is more than a badge, it’s about the action that makes the world you touch a better place’.

During the seminar, the students learned about leadership, built their confidence, improved their skills, and worked together to strengthen group cohesion, unity, and shared vision.

Here are some student reflections from our Class Captains:

It was a fun day. The team-building games were the best. What I think I will take away from it is that being Class Captain is a big responsibility and that we have to be good role models.
— Josh Locantio (Year 7 Purple)

The Class Captain Program was about taking leadership, how we as Class Captains can lead others and how we set examples for others. It was a perfect chance to get to know other Class Captains. We played many fun games and activities that involved teamwork. Overall, it was a great experience and I enjoyed it very much.
— Ezekiel Villani (Year 8 Blue)

The Year 7 and 8 Class Captains were given the opportunity to participate in a Leadership Day which involved many activities that helped us develop our leadership and team-building skills. The most important aspects of the day revolved around what it meant to be a good leader and the various qualities that a leader should possess. I learnt that a leader should be a good listener, show respect for everyone, have good self-awareness and be able to step up and lead at any opportunity. Overall, it was a fun day and I liked that we could connect with other Class Captains and learn from each other's experiences.
— Holly O’Toole (Year 8 Jade)

The whole College gathered in the Doyle Centre on Tuesday 9 May for our annual National Reconciliation Week assembly. The theme for National Reconciliation Week in 2023 is ‘Be a Voice For Generations’ and our student voice was heard loud and clear during the assembly.

Our community welcomed representatives from The Long Walk Foundation, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA), St Patrick’s Primary School and our guest speaker, Ms Courtney Ugle.

Principal Mr Philip Morison opened proceedings with a short history of some of the issues that have impacted on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia over time. Mr Morison reminded the audience of the importance of living out our Mercy values and also delivered a heartfelt pledge of support from the entire Mount Lilydale Mercy College community for First Nations people moving forward.

The Principal’s address was followed by a special Acknowledgement of Country. Our First Nations students drafted and recorded their own Acknowledgement of Country, which included some beautiful Woiwurrung-Wurundjeri language phrases.

Performing Arts Prefect Vivienne Mackenzie delivered a report about the recent Year 12 Student Leadership Day run by The Long Walk at ‘The Hangar’ (headquarters of Essendon Football Club). In a public demonstration of their solidarity, our student leaders voluntarily stood behind her as she spoke to the goals of The Long Walk Foundation. Vivienne addressed the challenges faced by Indigenous Australians and how each member of our community can be authentic in their support.

Courtney, our keynote speaker, is co-captain of the Essendon VFLW team. She delivered a speech that will live long in the memory of those attending. She spoke of her upbringing in Bunbury, south of Perth, and the challenges she faced were profound. Courtney lost her father when she was 12 and became an orphan at age 19 when her mother was murdered.

As Courtney explained that her life could very easily descended into one of self-pity but, inspired by the example of her brother Kirk Ugle, who had played in the AFL for Collingwood, she decided to throw herself into life by being positive and upbeat. She described herself as “a glass half-full type of girl”. In addition to her VFLW career, Courtney shared how she works at an organisation called ‘Djirra’ which helps support female Aboriginals who are experiencing hardship and the horrors of domestic violence; something Courtney lived through herself as a child.

After speaking, Courtney was interviewed by our College Captains Elena Atanasovski and Campbell Manser and she was able to provide more information about resilience and having a positive attitude to the challenges that life throws up. Courtney shared a beautiful quote from her mother which touched many hearts: “Just when you think things might be falling apart, they could just be falling into place”.

The assembly was punctuated and enhanced by the prayerful support of a number of our Year 12 Ministry students and our College Choir who sang two songs — a Yorta Yorta song called Ngarra Burra Ferra and Paul Kelly’s timeless From Little Things, Big Things Grow, a song about the struggle for land justice by Indigenous legend Vincent Lingiari.

The following are some reflections from Year 7 students who attended the assembly:

I learnt that when you're having a hard time in life, you should ask for help and keep pushing through.

From today, I will call people out when they're discriminating towards the First Nations people, or anyone for that matter. I will try to support some charities as well.

Courtney was inspiring and resilient. When bad things happened she was sad but she pushed through and became a great person who helped other people.

Courtney was great because she has gone through a lot and her speech was inspirational. I left with this quote ‘Just when you think things are falling apart, they could just be falling into place!’ In the future, I will remember that when I think things are going upside down, they may not be.

I thought that Courtney was awesome because she spoke very clearly and sounded confident. It was a very inspiring speech and I really enjoyed it. In the future I will definitely use her speech as inspiration and a reason to work harder.

Today in assembly I learnt a lot about Courtney’s life and all the hardships she had to go through to get where she is now. From today, I will make sure I don't complain about the things in my life that I don't have, but be grateful for the things I do have.

Courtney was excellent because she taught us that it is best to look on the good side of life and that even when things get really bad or it's just a bad moment there's always a positive side. She also explained that everything is a choice and it's up to you on which path you take. A quote from her is ‘When things seem to be falling apart they may actually be falling into place’. She lives by this and has it tattooed on her shoulder. From today, the first thing I will be doing is looking on the positive side of things. I will also look into The Long Walk and spread the word about it.

Today in assembly I learnt the many despairing struggles that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders face every day. Courtney was outstanding because she showed a great amount of resilience throughout her childhood. From today I will do my best to donate to Aboriginal organisations and help spread awareness about the Stolen Generation and equality among everyone.

Courtney was excellent because she had an amazing story that would have been really hard for her to talk about, but she was able to relate it to our lives and make us think about how important our lives can be if we do something with them. She also taught us to take advantage of problems or difficult times and get going again and push even harder for our goals are dreams. From today I will not let past memories and hardships get in my way, and begin pushing harder for my dreams.

This year the College is so fortunate to have four teams of enthusiastic debating students who are participating in the Ringwood division of the Debating Association of Victoria (DAV) schools competition.

Last week, MLMC competed in Round 3 of the competition and our C and A Grade teams both took on the challenge of being faced with secret topics. This can be an incredibly daunting experience and all teams navigated the pressure with poise and maturity.

While all teams were unfortunately defeated, they put up an incredible fight and gained invaluable feedback for future debates.

The A Grade team debated "That the government should financially incentivise people to become vegetarian". The team comprised (pictured above from left) Max Biddiscombe and Olly Nielson (research), Mikaylah Wyllie (second speaker), Harley Lucas (third speaker) and Alannah Rudan (first speaker).

MLMC had two teams competing in C Grade to debate "That companies should be required to produce a new product, or offer a new service, every year".

The C Grade 1 team comprised Chanel Lopez (second speaker), Isla Collard (research), Caitlyn Fong (third speaker) and Grace Carlile (first speaker).

The C Grade 2 team comprised Terenja Bork (second speaker), Jessica Gould (research), Shiloh Thurrowgood (third speaker), Ethan Fawdry (research) and Anika Lill (first speaker).

The VET Certificate III in Sport and Recreation course is an integral component of the MLMC program. Over the years, the Prefect body has been overrepresented by Sport and Recreation students. This is largely due to the combination of coursework and practical application where students are encouraged to move from being participants to leaders. Key components of this program are delivered in off-campus expeditions, in particular, our camps. Trips such as these meet various units of competency including: organise personal work priorities and development, provide first aid, respond to emergencies, and participate in workplace health and safety.

From Wednesday 3 May to Friday 5 May, the Year 10 VET Sport and Recreation classes enjoyed a hiking camp to the Grampians/Gariwerd National Park. Students from the three Year 10 classes hiked to the Pinnacle and Mount Rosea (elevation 1004m).

During the camp we also reflected on various aspects of the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung people. In choosing the location for our hikes, we try to choose locations that are challenging, beautiful and fit the requirements of distance for the students to cover. We also consider travel time to the area.

The main challenge for the students was being responsible for themselves for the three-day hike. They did all the planning for their meals and had to carry everything they needed for the 35km. Next year they will be leading their peers on a hike camp across the Falls Creek to Mount Hotham crossing.

Importantly, these trips create memories, relationships and skills that last well beyond the trip, the year and even students’ schooling. I would like to thank the staff for volunteering to give up their time, away from family and friends, to allow the students to have these experiences. I know that our students understand and appreciate their sacrifices.

I would also like to thank the students, who were tested physically and mentally and met these challenges head-on.

Two of the Year 10 students write about their camp experience:

My highlight of the hike camp was most definitely making it up to the top of Mount Rosea and being able to catch up with friends. I was able to look out at the view and take in all the nature surrounding me. Camp was a very enjoyable experience and it was great to accomplish this. At times it was tiring but most definitely worth every minute of it. I was able to become a lot closer with my classmates which will make future camps even better.
— Sarah Ivanovic (Year 10 Jade)

My highlight was getting to the top of Mount Rosea where we ate lunch with the other classes and was able to look at the amazing view. I loved seeing the amazing views, getting to know people better and the full camping experience. The only part I disliked was walking for hours on the first day where my feet were aching, and being hungry. Overall camp was fun and I enjoyed experiencing new things.
— Olivia Jenkins (Year 10 Orange)

(1) EISM Athletics Carnival

Congratulations to the EISM Athletics Team, who took out the overall win at the Division 2 carnival at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park, on Tuesday 9 May. MLMC won the boys’ aggregate, girls’ aggregate and overall trophies. Back to Division 1 we go! Stay tuned for Champions Carnival qualifiers information following the holding of the Division 3 carnival next week.

The EISM Athletics Champions Carnival will be held on Thursday 25 May.

Pictured above are Sports Prefect Sam Wicks and Vice Captain Louisa Inglese with the trophies, with some action photos in the gallery below.

(2) Student Achievements

Karate
The Cameron siblings, Casey (Year 10 Purple) and Stephen (Year 12 Silver), recently competed at the Oceania Championships and the Australian Open in Sydney. Casey won two gold medals including winning the Oceania title, while Stephen won silver for Australia in the Oceania competition and gold at the Australian Open.

Football
Brylee Anderson (Year 9 Jade) has been named one of the two Victorian schools 15 and under girls football teams. The national titles will be held in Ballarat 22-29 July.

Tennis
Good luck to the Harrison sisters, Katie (Year 9 Gold) and Natasha (Year 11 Red), who will compete in the national schools 18 and under tennis championships in Canberra from 13-20 May. 

(3) Old Collegians' Achievements

Boxing
Old Collegians Andrew and Jason Moloney (Class of 2008) have been interviewed by the ABC ahead of their respective upcoming world title fights. Jason will fight in California, USA, for the WBO bantamweight crown on Sunday 14 May, while a week later Andrew fights for the the WBO junior bantamweight title in Las Vegas, USA. Read about them HERE.

(4) Ultimate frisbee

Congratulations to Louisa Inglese, Olivia Spence, Alice McCormick, Livv Gardeniers, Kate Wicks, Amy Wicks and Aiden Nash who have been selected to represent Victoria at the Ultimate Frisbee National Championships on the Gold Coast in the next school holidays. This is an outstanding achievement for our students who play frisbee only once a week at EISM Sport. 

(5) EISM reminders

For EISM competition, 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.

(6) EISM results

Year 8 (2 May)

Year 9 (4 May)

Year 8 (9 May)

Senior (10 May)

Year 9 (11 May)

Some of our VCE Biology students visited the Gene Technology Access Centre on Thursday 27 April to explore how our bodies fight back against disease. They were treated to a presentation by an eminent immunologist and were inspired by the careers session held by university graduates who are currently researching and soon to be trialing exciting new treatments to fight cancer and other deadly diseases.

Today we spent the day at the Gene Technology Access Centre in Melbourne. We were able to talk and learn with PhD students/graduates about how they got into the field of immunology. We did a lab on the Elisa Protocol where we applied the skills we have developed throughout the last few months to gain a deeper understanding of our immune system and its functions. I really appreciate the opportunity my peers and I were given because it deepened my love for Biology and opened our eyes to the world of scientific research.
— Isabella Hanson (Year 10 Silver)

On 3-4 May, the Humanities faculty welcomed the organisation History Up Close to the College. These external providers gave students great insights into ancient civilisations (Year 7 on the Wednesday) and medieval history (Year 8 on the Thursday). Students in Year 7 were involved in sessions on Rulers and Subjects as well as Warriors and Warfare. During the sessions, the students were provided the opportunity to try on clothing and armour from ancient Rome and the Egyptian period.

As you can see from the photos below, the sessions were very hands-on which provided an excellent chance for students to see history up close and reflect on what they had been studying in class.

For the Year 8 students, they have been investigating medieval history in class. Their sessions involved Arms and Armour and Custom and Lifestyle. They had the chance to try on armour from the medieval period and engage in discussions on the techniques involved in making clothing and armour from the period.

I thank the teachers and students involved in the both incursions and hope students were able to consolidate their learning through the sessions on both days.

Below some of our students share their reflections of the incursions:

The Humanities incursion was great! I learnt lots of new things about how ancient Romans would fight and what gear they would use. My favourite part was when we played a fight game at the end.
— Olivia Majdancic (Year 7 Green)

I liked the Humanities incursion when we learnt about ancient Egypt and the stories. I would like to learn more about this civilisation in class.
— Flynn Van Der Klift (Year 7 Green)

I got chosen to get the chainmail armour put on me and it was very cool and it was pretty heavy. When I was brought up they were talking about the different helmets and how they worked. I got to hold a spear and sword and two different shields, but they were all made out of rubber. It was cool when I put on the big helmet that covered my whole face.
— Harrison Sauzier (Year 8 Jade)

We had people come to our school to show us medieval weapons and the unique ways they were used. We learned about long swords, maces, short knives, short swords, battle axes, various types of shields, and armour. We learned how to use many of these weapons and which ones were effective in combat against others and in the end a few kids got to have a fight with long swords made of rubber.
— Thomas Bernadini (Year 8 Jade)

Students from 8 White and 8 Blue have been taking great care of our Harley Science building plants and pets. These Science laboratories are home to various plants such as Monstera, Spider, Cactus and Peace lily plants. Crown and spiny stick insects plus cold water fish can also be found living happily in the Science department.

These additions to our laboratories are not only great for student wellbeing but also teaching students to be responsible in keeping living things alive. Students need to communicate between classes to make sure the plants and pets are not over or underfed. The plants and pets have provided an insight into our unit on cells, allowing students to observe differences in the real world.

Two of the students from 8 Blue write about the experience:

It has been really interesting as we take observations and spend time collecting fresh leaves for stick insects, feeding the fish and watering the plants. It's an awesome way to view different organisms and bio-life. We have learned so much, and are very thankful to have this as an activity in Science.
— Ezekiel Villani

In Term 1 we had the great privilege to help take care of the stick insects, fish and plants that are in our Science rooms. It has been such a fun experience getting to clean the fish tank, refresh the stick insects’ leaves with them climbing on us and refreshing the water for the plants. My favourite part about having these animals in our class each lesson is that we get to play with the stick insects when cleaning their habitats.
— Inara Dean

Across the month of April students and staff were encouraged to be physical active and log their physical activity to earn points for their House. Thank you to all the staff and students who participated in Active April. Overall, a massive 8000 plus minutes of physical activity was completed among the MLMC community.

Physically active children are happy, healthy, and resilient children. Active children are also active learners and are also more likely to become active adults, which benefits society by helping reduce impact on our health care systems.

In 2022, the Australian Council for Health, Physical Activity and Recreation released a Physical Activity Report Card for children (below). One of the most alarming scores on the card was for Screen Time, Overall Physical Activity and Physical Fitness. A score of D minus means that less than 25% of children are meeting the national guidelines for the recommended levels of daily physical activity needed for optimal health and wellbeing. That is — 60 minutes per day minimum, with more being better.

Click HERE for more details regarding these guidelines.

The winning House for the 2023 Active April challenge was Frayne, with the highest number of participants. Well done, Frayne! All students who logged data will receive a commendation for their participation.

The following students showed excellent commitment to the Active April campaign, some logging their activity every day in April. Activities listed were vast — basketball, gymnastics, bike riding, walking, netball, football, umpiring, horse riding, soccer, running, trampoline, cheerleading, dance and cricket.

On Friday 28 April, McAuley Prefect Malindu Chandrasekara, College Captain Campbell Manser and I were blessed with the opportunity to visit Newman College and attend their annual Forum Dinner, accompanied by Mr Andrew Leaumont (Year 12 Year Level Leader) and Mrs Anita Kay-Taylor (Deputy Principal — Learning and Teaching). Newman College is a coeducational residential College affiliated with the University of Melbourne.

The night focused around introducing Year 12 students to the idea of living on campus with other students. Newman College has a long association with Melbourne University, and its heritage was visible throughout the tour.

The College offers many benefits such as tutoring, fully-catered meals and fun ballroom night events to enhance students’ sense of community and belonging when living on residence. Our tour guide was lovely and answered all our questions we had about the College, as she attends the College herself.

The dinner had several presentations including one from Dr Guglielmo Gottoli, Provost of Newman College, ex-Collegian Maximillian Rudd, who spoke about Fracas, Fistfights and Fraternity: Perspectives From a Family of Seven Boys and a final word from the Rector, Father Frank Brennan SJ AO.

Overall, I loved being able to explore options of how I might start my university life, and I am really glad I attended.

On Friday 5 May the first House Celebration lunch of the year was held in the Lecture Theatre, with members of Carr House coming together to boost House spirit. Prefect Jayden Isbester led the group with a Prayer and finished with encouraging words as the battle for the 2023 House Cup continues.

Last Friday at lunchtime, Carr House had our House Celebration Day. It was great to see so many members of Carr House come down and celebrate this day. We spoke about the history of Carr, including our namesake Thomas Carr, and touched on the tight competition we have hoping to win this year’s House Cup. We finished up with a free sausage sizzle which was a great way to end our celebration. Overall, it was good to see the Carr House members showing support for their House.
— Carr Prefect Jayden Isbester

As this week we celebrated the upcoming National Reconciliation Week within the College with an assembly, I took a look into the Archives and found a very significant time in the College’s history, whereby we came together with the local Wurundjeri people.

Barak Campus

The first people who came to inhabit this area were the Wurundjeri people and for 40,000 years the land the College sits on has been part of their traditional homeland. The Wurundjeri did not live in permanent settlements, they moved around their land in seasonal patterns where and when food was plentiful. They camped for periods within their defined clan boundaries and exploited the various animal and plant resources available at different times of the year.

In 2000, the College decided to recognise the Wurundjeri connection to the land by naming the senior campus the Barak Campus, in honour of William Barak (pictured above), a traditional ngurungaeta (elder) of the Wurundjeri-willam clan who was an influential spokesman for Aboriginal social justice.

Born in 1823, not far away at Brushy Creek, North Croydon, it is believed he was a witness to the signing of John Batman’s treaty in 1835. When white settlement forced the Wurundjeri from their land, Barak worked to establish and protect Coranderrk, a self-sufficient Aboriginal community in Healesville. He lived most of his life there and became “a prominent figure in the struggle for Aboriginal rights and justice” before his death in 1903.

At the naming ceremony, Wurundjeri elder Murrundindi (pictured second from left) proclaimed “today we have reached a milestone; coming together for reconciliation by naming the campus ‘Barak’. This is what reconciliation is about; coming together and working as one people”.