Dear members of the MLMC community,

The seasons are a wonderful reminder of the cyclical nature of our lives; so, welcome to this winter season.

I once read a story, that I have tried to relay below, I have no idea of the source or the detail but vaguely the story in my head went something like;

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a king who summoned all his court to meet him before he went to war. He had fought and won many battles and he wanted wise advice that would encourage him when he lost, but, keep his head level when he won.

Fearful for their lives, the advisors climbed a very high mountain to meet with a wise old prophet who lived there. The prophet gave them words of advice for the king.

The next day, the court members met with the king and presented him with a beautiful gold ring they had made. Inside the ring were four words inscribed “This, too, shall pass”.

These words are significant today just as they were for that king in that land far, far away, many years ago. They remind us that every moment will pass. In times of extreme happiness, like winning a grand final, we need to always remind ourselves to keep a level head and not be too full of ourselves, to be a gracious winner; for this, too, shall pass.

In those moments of extreme sadness, we might remind ourselves not to stay upset, or lie awake at night worrying, for worrying will not resolve the issue and this, too, shall pass.

We might remember that much of our lives are made up of single moments that will inevitably be gone. Worry and regret serve very little purpose. Victory and triumph last only a short time. Treasure the memory, but realise that these, too, shall pass.

As I consider this, our fourth lockdown period and the past 12-18 months, I understand that many in our community have struggled in some way during this COVID-19 pandemic. Like you, I watch the news services daily to try gain a glimpse of what is to come and I know many in our College are fearful of prolonged lockdowns and the isolation associated with them. I understand that connection and social engagement is hugely important. I hear teachers report to me that many students are also fearful of future lockdowns and I do not presume to understand the pressures created by these lockdowns for families nor the associated financial pressures created for some. What I can offer you, is the thought that this, too, shall pass.

As Mother Teresa said: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

Catherine McAuley, herself, said: “The simplest thing I know… is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow. Thus, we may hope to get on, taking short, careful steps, not great strides.”

Many parents, teachers and students ask me when all this will end and, of course, I cannot predict the future and only know the information given to me, which is the same information given to you. What I do know is that one day — this, too, shall end. Let us do what we can do, control what we can control and work today for a better future tomorrow.

Please stay connected with the College and if students are struggling at home have them contact the services available to them. I know our College Captains and Vice Captains made a great video talking about this and offering ways that our students can get help if needed.

Lastly, spend time talking to your children, as children need a trusted adult with whom to share their troubles and fears.

In the spirit of Catherine;
May God bless each and every one of you,
May this present lockdown finish as soon as it is possible,
May we have all students back on campus, which is where we would like them to be.
May vaccination be the pathway to overcoming this virus.

God bless

Philip A Morison
Principal

The changing of the seasons gives us a chance to stop and reflect. As the days grow colder and the nights longer, let us give thanks for all we have and reach out to those less fortunate.

“The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.”
— Acts 28:2

A Winter Prayer

Let us huddle together this morning,
our community a place of warmth in our lives
as we share the flame of hope and connection.
Let us allow the frost of isolation and bitterness to melt away
as we open ourselves to a sense of peace and spirit.
We extend our thoughts to all those who are cold this morning,
lacking shelter or love to keep them warm.
Let us wrap our prayers around them and each other like scarves,
and wish each other safe journeys through the storm.
May we be insulated from fear as the earth is insulated by the snow,
And, like bulbs, may we continue to grow and open inside, despite the cold,
Ready for the spring, to stretch and grow towards justice.
Amen

©2011 Rev. Kate Wilkinson.

Important dates

• Wednesday 9 June — GAT (postponed — date to be advised)
• Friday 18 June — student free day (Staff Professional Development) NB: this was originally set for Friday 11 June
• Wednesday 23 June — last day of Term 2 for students
• Thursday 24 June and Friday 25 June — student free days (Staff Professional Development)
• Monday 12 July — student free day (Staff Formation Day)
• Tuesday 13 July — first day of Term 3 for students

College Office closure

The College will be closed on Thursday 24 June 2021 for a Staff Professional Development day and will re-open on Friday 25 June 2021 at 8.00am. Both Thursday 24 and Friday 25 June 2021 are student free days to allow for Staff Professional Development.

The College Office will remain open 8.00am-4.00pm during the first week of the school holidays, closing on Friday 2 July 2021 at 4.00pm. On Monday 12 July the College will be closed for Staff Formation Day. Term 3 starts for students on Tuesday 13 July 2021.

School crossing update

Due to Stage 4 restrictions extending for another seven days, Yarra Ranges Council advises that school crossings will not be operational from Friday 4 June to Thursday 10 June.

Counselling and Wellbeing team reminder

In this ever-changing landscape the School Counselling and Wellbeing Team are available to provide support. When on campus we offer face-to-face sessions and during remote learning we are able to remain connected using Telehealth (teleconference, phone or email). If you would like to contact the team you can email us at: counsellingwellbeingteam@mlmc.vic.edu.au Further details are available on the information flyer attached.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)

Schools must now complete the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on school students with a disability (NCCD) every year. It counts the number of students who receive additional adjustments or 'help' at school because of a disability. The NCCD helps governments plan for the needs of students with a disability. Please refer to the flyer attached for further information.

New MLMC Shop

This term we have introduced the new MLMC Shop which gives parents a one-stop-shop payment portal for all transactions (excluding College fee payments). We’re asking parents to use this portal for costs associated with device repairs, photocopier funds, Catherine’s Cafe coffee vouchers, IT purchases and replacement ID cards, bus passes and badges.

Please log on via the College website's Portals page (or click HERE), and create a new account. It is a very quick and easy process to set up an account and the steps are outlined in the MLMC Shop Parent’s Guide, which you can find on the website and below. If you have any problems please contact the Finance Office on 9735 4022.

Uniform Shop closure

The Bob Stewart Uniform Shop at the College is closing at the end of Term 2. From Term 3, MLMC uniforms will only be available from their Croydon shop at 1-7 Maroondah Highway. The shop's trading hours are Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm and Saturday 9.30am to 12.30pm. You can call the shop on 9036 7386 or email them at croydon@bobstewart.com.au

This year we have been fortunate to have Fr Rob Galea from FRG Ministry come and minister to our Year 11 and 12 students for their Retreat experience. Fr Rob is the founder of FRG Ministry. He has a heart and passion to see others come to encounter the love of Jesus Christ and find a home in His church. Fr Rob is an ordained Catholic Priest and is currently serving in Sandhurst Diocese after moving to Australia from Malta. He is also an international singer and songwriter.

Over two days last week, 25 and 26 May, the Year 11 and 12 students had a wonderful experience at the Discovery Church in Mount Evelyn. Fr Rob shared his testimony, spoke about the wonders of God’s love and gave a very strong message of hope to our community. After a substantial lunch we made our way back to the College where College Chaplain Father Dean Bradbury celebrated the Eucharist for us. The feedback from both days was very positive.

Here are some student reflections from the Retreat experience:

It was so inspiring to learn about someone else's life and how Fr Rob improved his life. I loved how Fr Rob was able to share his difficult life as a teenager and how he flipped his life around to make it better for himself with the help of God and love of family. I loved learning his stories through his music and how he is still sharing his music as Ministry. It helped me understand that I need hope and faith in my life to keep moving forward and that my family and friends are always there for me if I need a helping hand.
— Mia Baxter (Year 11 Jade)

The day was a lot of fun and the sessions were broken up by songs, played and sung beautifully. We heard Fr Rob’s story and how he struggled as a teenager but then got back up on his feet. This was inspiring because he made me feel like that if he can do it, I can also face difficulties and get through them. The day gave us many good messages, such as ‘do it scared’. This helped me to understand that it’s OK to be frightened, but what matters is what I do about it and how I work through it.
— Charlotte Lorbek (Year 11 Gold)

The Year 12 Retreat was something we had looked forward to. We were not disappointed. Going to Discovery Church in Mount Evelyn was fun and an amazing experience thanks to the incredible singing and musical talents of Fr Rob Galea and his band. It was an amazing experience that I really enjoyed and it will last in my memory forever. It was an amazing and successful day.
— Sebastian Roberts (Year 12 Red)

As part of the Year 9 Compass program, the Community unit aims to educate students about their responsibilities as members of the many communities to which they belong.

One group of students had the opportunity to support Ozanam House through providing them with baked goods. These were shared with the many homeless people who access the service for meals and accommodation.

Thanks to the support of Mrs Linda Yeomans in Food Technology, they were able to bake chocolate chip cookies over several lessons. These were delivered to Ozanam House and served in their lounge area with dinner.

Students then had the privilege of filling an order from Ozanam House for cupcakes and 'thank you' cookies, to be given out at a morning tea for the many volunteers who support this important endeavour. The students were acknowledged with a certificate of appreciation.

On 23 and 24 May our Music department and students attended the College’s inaugural Music Camp at Forest Edge in Neerim. There were 48 students from a range of ensembles at the camp —the College Band, the College Choir, junior guitar ensemble, violin ensemble and our junior a capella choir.

The camp offered these students not only the opportunity to participate in intensive rehearsals with their respective ensembles, but also to bond with students in the department who they perhaps would not have the opportunity to cross paths with during their school rehearsals.

We hosted a concert on the Sunday night, whereby students could perform in their ensembles or present their own personal performance. This was a fantastic evening, with students supporting each other and having the opportunity to see what their fellow music enthusiasts are doing in their area of the department.

Next year, we plan on the camp being bigger and better, including more ensembles and offering the opportunity for ensembles to mix together to explore different music styles.

Here are what some students had to say about their experiences at the camp:

"I got a lot of help and tips from my friends and the teachers during the practices which made me feel that I have improved in some aspects." 
— Taj Ruta (Year 9 White)

"I was able to practice non-stop and work on lots of different songs, parts and techniques. It was certainly educational watching all sorts of music performances and learning from them."
— Daniel Roper (Year 10 Bronze)

"The concert was so fun and the informal nature made it even better. I get really nervous singing in front of people and the informal nature helped to calm my nerves, and everyone was so supportive."
— Charlotte Toohey (Year 9 Purple)

Reconciliation Australia’s theme for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 2021 was ‘More than a word. Reconciliation takes action’. NRW is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to gain a deeper insight into how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

Each year NRW is celebrated from 27 May to 3 June as these dates are significant to Australia's history — 27 May marks the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum and 3 June marks the historic 1992 Mabo court decision. It is also important for us to acknowledge 26 May as being National Sorry Day, which is a day to commemorate, to remember and to honour the Stolen Generations. The week-long NRW celebration is an ideal opportunity for all Australians to explore ways to join the national reconciliation effort.

As a College community, our prayer focus each day was around the themes of reconciliation and unity. Information was posted explaining the theme and why this week is so important. Prayers and messages of reconciliation were written on signs outside of the Chapel. These signs included Indigenous symbols and native Australian animals. Year 10 CSYMA students prepared a NRW liturgy, which will take place when we return to the College.

Science teacher Mr David Banfield (pictured) met with the Year 10 Class Captains to speak about William Barak as well as the 1967 Referendum, Eddie Mabo and the importance of our cultural history. This meeting followed a presentation to Year 10 students in a Term 1 assembly from a local elder. A pack of books celebrating First Nation authors and history was ordered for the library. Various activities also took place during the Pastoral Care period. Unfortunately, due to the lockdown, the Reconciliation Cup at Worawa College has been postponed.

On Friday 21 May, myself, Father Dean Bradbury and nine students from Years 10-12 attended the Seeds of Justice virtual conference. The theme of this day was 'To be shining lamps: Mercy empowering women'. This day allowed us time to reflect on some of the amazing women who have had a big influence on our Mercy history. 

The main presenter was Sister Angela Reed RSM, who is head of Mercy Global Action and a Mercy representative to the United Nations. She spoke to us about the work of Mercy International. Angela Scarafilo, from Young Mercy Links, outlined some of the amazing opportunities available to students beyond Year 12.

The conference reinforced for us just how many opportunities are available at MLMC for students to be empowered to be who God calls them to be. All participants contributed to a plan of ways in which MLMC could further spread Catherine McAuley's vision.

Here are some student reflections from the experience:

“It was an amazing experience to highlight just how much MLMC as a co-educational school is doing to support and empower its students and its community. I really enjoyed the conference, and it's amazing to see how much everything we do can affect the environment, and what we can do to assist with it too.” 
— Abbey Wheeler (Year 12 Green)

“The Seeds of Justice program was very interesting and I found it quite enjoyable to interact with peers about the topics of women's empowerment and equality. I also had the opportunity to learn about other Mercy schools and see how they promote equality and women's empowerment.”
— Sienna Armstrong (Year 10 Silver)

“My favorite part about the conference was discussing the possibilities to create a more welcoming and encouraging environment for girls and other students.”
— Rekik Brilli (Year 10 Jade)

“The experiences shared between the Mercy schools and the discussion was very insightful. Something that stood out to me was the lack of representation of women in the media. I also realised that many women who have done so much for their country or charities do not have a high profile.”
— Perry Leane (Year 11 White)

“I found the meeting both intriguing and insightful. I feel as though I've gained a new perspective on things and am more knowledgeable about equality and the things that the Mercy community is doing in regards to this.”
— Ella Mae Aranco (Year 11 Blue)

Here are some of the initiatives and activities that our fantastic students and staff in the Barak Campus have been involved with in Term 2:

Trialling 'Pulse'

Year 10 students (and Year 8s in McAuley Campus) this term have been given the opportunity to 'check in' online to a weekly quiz. These weekly check-ins work by asking a small number of questions regularly so that Year 10 Level Leader Mr Greg Hysted can quickly build and maintain an up-to-date picture of the year level's wellbeing and engagement. Year 10s have been able to pass on thank yous to subject teachers as well as requests for Mr Hysted or for one of our Counselling team members to check in with them to discuss something they would like assistance with.

40+ Club

Over 40 Year 11 and 12 VCE students came together with Mrs Anita Kay-Taylor (Deputy Principal — Learning and Teaching, VCE English teacher and former GAT assessor) to share her insights, tips and suggestions for undertaking the two writing tasks in the General Achievement Test (GAT). This included how to de-code prompt questions, as well as the language to utilise to achieve high-scoring marks for these tasks. Up next for Session 4 is 'Practice Paper Challenge' with Mrs Janet Barr, who will share the benefits and strategies to best utilise practice exam papers as a preparation tool in anticipation of the race to the end-of-year exams.

Practice GAT

We are proud of the 286 students across Years 11 and 12 studying Units 3 and 4 VCE and Scored VET students who undertook their Practice GAT the day before Lockdown 4.0 began, in preparation for the actual GAT which has now been postponed. This preparatory activity supports our students with their exam-confidence; and enhances their experience at applying their general knowledge, critical thinking and writing-to-time-pressure skills. The VCAA have advised us that the original GAT date of Wednesday 9 June has been postponed — we will communicate the new date once advised by the VCAA.

Year 10 and Year 11 Semester 1 exams

With the interruption of Lockdown 4.0, we have had to make changes to exam arrangements:

• Unit 1 Exams — still to be held on Friday 4 June to Thursday 10 June
• Year 10 Exams (English, Maths, Science and Humanities only) — will be held on Friday 11 June and Tuesday 15 June.

Students and parents can be reassured of the amount of work all Year 10 and 11 subject teachers have put into preparing challenging exam papers that are supportive to the learning undertaken during the semester. Extra effort is being made this semester with enhancing student confidence and resilience, especially after the impact of COVID-19 disruption to learning last year. After marking exam papers, subject teachers and Faculty Learning Leaders will be prioritising the opportunity to provide in-class feedback and suggestions for improvement in the week or so after the exam — to allow students greater time to reflect on their strengths and areas for progressive improvement as they commence Semester 2.

We look forward to a strong finish to the end of term and, as always, the Barak Leadership Team are available during College hours for any questions.

Drug Education Australia visited the College recently to hold two ‘Party Safe’ seminars which were attended by all Year 10 students. The sessions were run by Sharon Torpey, founder and director of Drug Safe Victoria, which provides programs for young people with current, fact-based information about alcohol and other drugs. The aim of the program is to help build young people’s capacity to make safer, healthier decisions while enjoying growing independence.

We chose Sharon to run this session because she provides the latest and most accurate information around drug and alcohol use and also delivers the information in a way that is non-threatening, accessible and age-appropriate. We wanted to ensure that the students' choices around drugs and alcohol are informed by the latest research.

In Semester 1 the Year 10 Outdoor Education students learnt about a range of environmental issues, navigation skills and other activities including rock climbing through the semester. This learning culminated in two excursions over the past few weeks, firstly to HardRock Climbing Centre to gain basic knowledge and climbing competencies before heading to the Cathedral Ranges to test these in a ‘real life’ setting, in sometimes challenging weather conditions. In addition to these skills and knowledge, the students also built terrific relationships with classmates that are much more difficult to develop within the four walls of a classroom.

Here are some student reflections of their experiences:

On 18 May we attended indoor rock climbing as part of our curriculum. We were given instructions to keep us safe. Once we understood these and demonstrated our skills we were allowed onto the walls to start exploring the ways of top-rope climbing. We had to put our trust in each other as well as encouraging each other. We had to have a climber and belayer. The belayer had to hold the rope and make sure their partner was safe. On 20 May we were taken to the Cathedral Ranges to either abseil down or rock climb up. My group got to abseil down. This task required us to be put into harnesses and be tied up to another rock while letting ourselves down. We had to put trust into ourselves as well as encouraging others to trust themselves.
— Alanah Jary (Year 10 Jade)

It was fun to do these activities with my friends. It was very hard for me to walk up the mountain to get to the abseiling, but my friends in the class always supported me, waited for me and we walked up together. The abseiling was a great challenge too.
— Will Toopchan (Year 10 Jade)

Staff and Student Achievements

Congratulations to Karri Pritchard (Year 11 Red) who won the Peta Edebone Award as the best and fairest player in the top open women’s softball league in Victoria. She has also played for Victoria this season, qualifying for the Under-17 Australian softball team. What a fantastic achievement, Karri!

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

EISM Results

Year 8 Results (25 May)

Senior Results (26 May)

EISM Reminders

With the Winter seasons of Year 8, Year 9 and Senior EISM Sport all about to begin, we ask students to please remember the following:

• Check the Sport plans — up on the Doyle Centre window at the beginning of every week and on the College’s Instagram story

• If you are unable to play in your team in a particular week, you need to let your coach know as early as possible

• Please be on time to the Doyle Centre on your sport day. All EISM teams need to leave at the start of lunch (occasionally earlier) to get to venues to play

• Their uniform needs to be 100% correct to ensure no forfeited games — hockey, soccer and football players must wear long navy socks (available at the Doyle Centre) and mouthguards must be worn for hockey. NO CORRECT UNIFORM, NO GAME.

Fixtures

Live fixtures for EISM matches can be found online at eism.org. Click on ‘Weekly sport’, then ‘Fixtures and results’ then ‘Junior’ (Year 8 and 9) or ‘Senior’ (Senior).

Cross Country Training

As cross country training was going to start this week, we decided we'd still get it up and going, but remotely. During Sport time this week, or at any time, students are being asked to complete a run of 5km or more and record it on an app like Strava, Garmin Connect or something similar, and fill out this Google form with screenshot evidence of their run to receive a commendation!

https://forms.gle/N1YUtcjBeYARU7Ez8

The College’s VET Certificate II Agriculture program continues to grow and develop future food producers. Growing in enrolment by 40% this year, the students are enjoying getting their hands dirty and looking after all aspects of animal production.

This past month the course has focused on nutrition as the students complete studies on feeding livestock. Weighing the ewes each week, students have mixed supplement feed to cater for the nutritional needs of our pregnant ewes. By assessing paddocks and performing fecal egg counts as part of a worm control program, the students have developed an understanding of Integrated Pest Management (IMP) practices, optimising the use of drenches.

In recent weeks the students have also learned about stock watering systems, from pulling apart pumps and valves to understanding the design of components (pictured), to building their own miniature water systems and trouble shooting. They also participated in the construction of a wetland at a local farm and learnt about whole catchment management as part of their water management subject.

In the coming months, the students will continue to care for the College’s flock, as well as prepare sheep for showing at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show.

If you want to find out more about the possibilities and employment possibilities for students that stem from studying Agriculture at MLMC, contact the Careers team.

In acknowledgment of National Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June), for this story celebrating 125 years of MLMC we have focused on the College’s connection with First Nations people. We look at how these relationships started and then developed between school students and Aboriginal communities.

In 1999, the College became involved with a special student exchange program set up with the remote First People’s school at Jigalong. Located in the East Pilbara in Western Australia, on a reserve at the edge of the Great Sandy Desert. It is home to the Martu people, whose contact with Europeans was only recent and as a result they have been able to maintain strong traditional ties to their lore, culture and values.

A small group of students and staff from Year 10 and Year 11 were given the opportunity to visit the community at Jigalong for 10 days where they interacted with the students there and participated in activities including "visits to local rock holes, making damper in a dry river bed, playing footy and helping out in the classroom". The aim of the program was to raise awareness about Indigenous culture in the school and the importance of the ‘Closing the Gap’ campaign.

It proved such a success that the visit to Jigalong became an annual event and it paved the way for students and staff from Jigalong to come to Melbourne and visit MLMC.

A few years earlier, in 1997, the College was involved with an outreach program to visit the Ltyente Aputre people at Santa Teresa community at Tennant Creek, in the Northern Territory. Under the leadership of Campus Minister Paul Skippen, students visited the community annually for a number of years and assisted with maintenance and activities that engaged the children.

On Wednesday 26 May our Year 8 students took part in an incursion aimed at supporting them through this time of change and uncertainty.

The Year 8 girls took part in a full-day workshop run by the organisation Flourish Girl that encouraged them to develop tools of empathy, trust and gratitude to build healthier and positive relationships with themselves and others.

The boys participated in a workshop run by The Man Cave that explored how gender stereotypes impact their attitudes and behaviour, what defines a respectful relationship and how they will uniquely contribute to their community and the world.

It is no secret that our Year 8 students had a disrupted start to secondary school last year. The programs offered on this day were chosen because they target the emotional intelligence of our boys and girls and create a safe space where they can open up, be supported by their peers and know that they are not alone — and, in fact, most other people are feeling the same way.

It was an absolutely fantastic day and the students benefited from it enormously. The way the students rallied around and supported each other throughout the day was heart warming.

Here are some student reflections from the incursion:

Flourish Girl allows young women to have a voice and discuss their mental health, take a break from schoolwork and have some much-needed fun. Flourish Girl made everyone there smile and laugh with some fun games and relaxing activities. It was a fun time and when it was time to be serious everyone was extremely respectful. It was an emotional day and everyone by the end of the day had a smile on their face and they felt good, as every woman in the room had felt heard and had some fun.
— Gena Gardner (Year 8 Purple)

Man Cave is an organisation that could help you talk about anything to others and not be judged for it — just wanting to talk, share a story, needing someone to talk to because there is something going on, an issue at school or home, or just everyday things going on in life that you want to share. Man Cave helped the boys understand that sharing emotions or issues that you have going on in your life is OK but they also helped us understand the good things going on in life, too. I liked their saying ‘What’s in the cave, stays in the cave’.
— Aiden Nash (Year 8 Silver)

This incursion was about self-worth and love. We played games, had some deep conversations and we learnt a bit about each other and how we feel. My favourite part was close to the end when we all wrote our own journal entries which included how we felt about the day, our favourite part, what we were grateful for and what the type of woman we want to be in the future was. I got a lot of emotions out. I really enjoyed this day and I know lots of others did as well.
— Sophie Clarke (Year 8 Red)

The Flourish Girl incursion was one of the best things our teachers could have done for us. I have never felt so accepted and loved in a school environment than on the day Zoe and Chantelle came and hung out with us. We spent the whole day in a group of girls from different homerooms and did many activities together. My favourite activity was the last one. We all sat in a large circle and passed around papers for each other to write something nice about our peers. I will keep that piece of paper forever.
— Isabella Hanson (Year 8 Purple)

Tensions were high in the Food rooms as the winning group from the ‘My Kitchen Rules’ competition was announced on Thursday 27 May.

The Year 10 Food Fabulous Food students were split into small groups and given the task of creating an entree and dessert dish that complimented a ‘surf and turf’ main course. These dishes needed to be cooked within 60 minutes with three guest judges, including Year 10 Level Leader Mr Greg Hysted, arriving for the tasting to determine the winning group.

Mini burgers, tomato and basil bruschetta, chicken parcels, calamari and arancini balls were all cooked up as entrees with many groups choosing chocolate brownie as a dessert option to win over the judges.

This task required students to use their numeracy skills in measuring and changing quantities of recipes as well as literacy skills for writing descriptive menus, following recipes and understanding terminology. Teamwork, communication and problem solving skills were also needed as the teams worked to create tasty meals that met the requirements of the task.

Well done to all students involved as well as the overall winning group which was judged to have the best dish appearance, flavour and meeting of the task requirements. The winning group of Amber Usenich (Year 10 Red), Anthony Ciantar (Year 10 Red) and Jay Barnes (Year 10 Green) cooked mini beef burgers and churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar with a chocolate dipping sauce. These dishes were so professional the judges would have paid money to eat them. Congratulations!

The VET Certificate III in Music program at the College offers students an avenue to develop the skills necessary to engage successfully in the music industry.

On Wednesday 26 May, the VET Music students were visited by Maddison McNamara, a contestant on TV show The Voice Australia in 2018 who was described at the time as being one of the strongest vocalists in the country.

Maddison spoke to our students about her experience on The Voice, but most importantly it was the opportunity for the students to receive first-hand advice from a gifted and creative artist that could help them prepare for such a competitive industry.

Given the importance of School Crossing Supervisors in our community, the College is sharing an advertisement from HOBAN recruitment who are looking to urgently grow their pool of School Crossing Supervisors to better serve schools and provide a level of safety and security in the mornings and afternoons for students.

Please see the flyer below for further information.