Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community
Welcome to the last day of Term 2, Semester 1 and the beginning of the mid-semester break. As I sit to write to you it is two degrees outside my office and the fog is rolling up the hill, the blackness of the night sky is starting to dissipate and the realisation of what I am sure will be a cold crisp, yet beautiful day. The College is still, quiet and empty as it eagerly awaits the arrival of that which will give it life. Each day I give thanks for the beauty of our surrounds and the great gifts that have been bestowed upon us.
Semester 1 Reports
The last few weeks have been full, with the finalisation of semester work, the submission of long term projects and folios, the completion of assignments and exams, corrections and ultimately reports. Those very reports will be available to you this afternoon through the Parent Access Module (PAM) on SIMON and hopefully both you and your child are looking forward to reading them. Generally speaking such reports should not contain any real surprises. Hopefully the reading of a report will be the opportunity for parent and child to celebrate the successes of hard work, development, the achieving of previously set goals and the development of talents and gifts. The discussion of a report should be a positive experience as it is not the time for regret or admonishment. It is also an opportunity. Celebrate the successes and use the opportunity to set future goals, remembering that success is measured in many ways. Success is cumulative. Success is the culminating of setting many many little goals and achieving each of them one step at a time. Success is positive. Success is like building a brick wall; on a solid foundation each brick is built upon one at a time. Congratulations to all our students and families on the many successes of Semester 1 and I look with confidence and a sense of awe to successes that I know we will all experience during Semester 2. To each and every family I wish a happy and safe semester break.
Staff Changes
With the end of Semester a number of staff start well deserved and earnt leave. The first of these worth noting is Miss Mary Ryan. Mary has been a vibrant and long standing member of our community for 38 years and many would say that our College would not be the same without her presence and they are probably right. The lady in red has fulfilled the role of homeroom teacher in Year 7 Red for many years, as well as being a food technology teacher, College registrar and coordinator of the Parents and Friends Association. Although Mary is taking long service leave, it really is the forerunner to her retirement and we wish her every blessing as she departs from that which she considers her home. God bless you always Mary.
The number 38 is a fascinating one. Mr Michael Johnston who has also served the College for that period of time is also taking long service leave. Michael, our Deputy Principal — Pastoral care, is in effect dipping his toe in the calm waters of retirement and he is on leave for Term 3, 2018. He returns for Term 4, 2018 but then leaves us permanently at the beginning of 2019. Michael too is a stalwart of our great College and we will acknowledge his contribution later in the year. Mr John Rodgers has been appointed to the role of Acting Deputy Principal – Pastoral Care in Michael’s absence and only today the Executive Officer of Mercy Education Limited wrote to me appointing John to the role on an ongoing basis from the beginning of 2019. Congratulations John and we look forward to your ongoing leadership within our community.
A number of other staff are taking various forms of leave and I wish them safe travels as I look to the future and their safe return to our community: Mrs Maureen van der Linden, Mr Ashley Gray, Miss Maybelle Pangilinan, Mr Geoff and Mrs Jo-Anne Hopkins and Mr Danny Katzen.
Professional Development Day
Unusually Term 3 will start with full classes for all Years (7 to 12) on Monday 16 July, which is quite different to past years. There will however be a full-staff professional development day on Monday 23 July whereby staff from Aquinas College and St Joseph’s College Ferntree Gully will join with our staff at MLMC for a day of formation with Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP. The whole College, including the office, will be closed for that entire day.
God Bless
Philip Morison
