Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

Welcome to the 2019 academic year, after what I hope was a restful family Christmas and an inspiring holiday period. The weather has certainly been varied and the heat has provided some challenges. The College has been open and operating for several weeks now and much work has been completed in that time.

I believe our students have returned to a College which continues to improve and provide better facilities, and an environment that facilitates learning. Improvements over the holiday period include:

• New path/walkway for pedestrians to Nelson Rd
• New car park on Nelson Rd for Year 12 students
• Landscaping works, including new rock walls around Centennial Hall
• Completion of Power Building roof replacement
• New carpet in Centennial Hall foyer
• New carpet in Mt St Joseph’s corridors
• New art sink in CAM 1.1
• Soundproof windows installed in CAM 1.2
• New bitumen laid around Dublin House
• New blinds fitted throughout all of the Harley Building
• Gym matting extended in the gym area under the Doyle Centre
• Re-coating of both gym floors
• Painting Our Lady of Mercy Chapel
• Refurbishment of Centennial Hall toilets
• The installation of defibrillators around school
• Switchboard upgrade in Mount St Joseph
• Re-establishment of abseil structure on the side of Centennial Hall.

While each one of these may seem insignificant, each contributes in some way to the educational environment of our College and the combined list is a substantial investment in time, money and effort. I thank our College maintenance and grounds teams for their committed effort.

Of course, the holiday period also saw significant advances in our building project, which is Stage 1 of our masterplan. Inspection this week revealed that the roof has been completed and the windows have started to be installed. We still expect the building to be handed over to us during Term 2.

2019 Theme

Each year a theme is set to help us focus on a Mercy value. The focus over the previous two years has been courage and respect respectively.

The theme for 2019 is: 'Compassion through us'. It was developed for us by our Prefect team at their induction program and is centred around the Mercy value of compassion. The Bible reference is from Ephesian 4:32 New International Version (NIV): “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

In focusing on this theme, we note that Sr Veronica Lawson rsm wrote on compassion, “In her familiar instructions, Catherine McAuley speaks of ‘things that the poor prize more highly than gold’. She lists ‘the kind word, the gentle compassionate look and the patient hearing of their sorrows.’ The gentle compassionate look came from a heart that was charged with the mercy of God.”

We look forward to exploring the ideas within these concepts together throughout the year.

Having learnt the concept of a Netflix binge over the holidays, I caught up with some TV shows which other people have long before watched and recommended to me, the main one being Filthy Rich and Homeless on SBS. It certainly helped to refocus my compassion. In fact, over the holidays we relocated our eldest son, James, to Canberra to start a job with the Australian Public Service (APS) and in walking the streets I found myself having interesting conversations with people living and begging on the streets.

College Opening Mass and Top Achievers Assembly

Yesterday, the College held the first full College assembly and Eucharist for the year. The Mass was celebrated by Fr Dean, who now regularly joins us from Pallotti College in Milgrove. The Mass saw the first informal launch of our College theme and Fr Dean’s homily certainly started our reflection on the concept of compassion.

The Top Achievers Assembly followed, with our 2018 Dux Rachel Ricciuti (ATAR 96) and the Catherine McAuley Award recipient Danielle Virgona both recognised for their achievements. They were given the opportunity to address the student body. Both delivered messages worthy of our attention.

The College further acknowledge the top achieving students for 2018 in:

• Aragorn Keuken (Music at Melbourne University)
• Hollee Mandelt (Commerce at Melbourne University)
• Grace McKee (Biomedical Science at Monash University)
• Ethan Wake (Science at Melbourne University)
• Darcey Howard-Scales (Agriculture Studies at Melbourne University)
• Erin Jones (Commerce/Arts at Monash University)
• Ana Malnar (Nursing at Deakin University)
• Lilli Totton (Commerce/Science at Monash University)
• Rachel Ricciuti (Music at Box Hill Institute).

As a College, we acknowledged and gave thanks for the success and efforts of our 2018 graduating class.

Congratulations, too, to Year 12 2018 student Ellen Glennie, who has been selected to perform in the Top Class Theatre Studies program as a part of the VCE Seasons of Excellence. The Seasons of Excellence runs over two days, on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 March, at The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne. You can find full details in the Top Class Drama and Theatre Studies 2019 Performer List, available for download from 11 February at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/topclass

Black Saturday 10-Year Anniversary

As a College, we also acknowledged the 10- year anniversary of Black Saturday and recognise that many of our community were deeply affected by the tragic events of the day. We remember the dark day in Victoria’s history and pray for the 173 souls who lost their lives. We have a deep compassion for the many lives impacted by the tragic event. Compassion for those who lost loved ones. Compassion for those who lost property and livestock, and compassion for those who still suffer in the aftermath.

Flowers were blessed at our Mass and then laid at the memorial outside our Chapel. The Chapel was open at lunchtime to give all an opportunity to pray in silence.

The College Newsletter

The College Newsletter is an important source of formation and information. It is published electronically each fortnight on a Friday. Parents and families can read it from the College website. It is on the College website, under the News and Events menu at http://www.mlmc.vic.edu.au/News-Events/newsletter.html

The Parent Portal and Parent Access Module (PAM)

The Parent Portal is also a very important access point to the College. Excursion information, medical forms and individual family letters are all published via the Parent Portal. Families should become familiar with the processes to use it. The College will send an SMS to parents when there is important information to check on the Parent Portal.

We will also continue to develop our Parent Access Module (PAM) which caters for ongoing reporting, as well as semester reports, attendance tracking and access to the College calendar.

Both the Portal and PAM should have the same login details for each family. A user guide for our parent portals can be requested from our College Office if you require assistance using them.

Welcome new students

This year we welcomed a total of 264 Year 7 students to the College, all of whom were anointed with oil at the Anointing Ceremony on Thursday 31 January 2019 in Our Lady of Mercy Chapel.

7 Blue
Alannah Bird, Levi Cannata, Bailey Chandler, Kade Chippendale, Jasmine Conte, Zara Doolan, Josh Duff, Caitlin Finch, Jacob Gould, Natasha Harrison, Talisha Harrison-Nicol, Callum Hobbins, Jai Jackson, Bailey Jenkins, Tahli Lappen, Brodie Mitchell, Isaac Price, Megan Read, Teiya Sisson, Sophie Southall, Remy Stewart, Emma Violi, Jamie Ward, Liam Westlake, and Samantha White.

7 Bronze
Oscar Aquilina, Amelia Atkinson, Charlie Basset, Xavier Bechaz, Stella Beyer, Charlotte Brinkley, Avia Brown, Declan Clinton, Claire Foster, Scarlett Gales-Smith, Liam Gellert, Lucy Hobley, Will Hughes, Kinga Kaczmarek, Denisse Lopez Garza, Matt Mammoliti, Ben Maynard, Mannix McGovern, Mia Pizzuto, Tyler Rainford, Mitch Reichman, Steph Tomada, Amy Wicks, Zander Wills, Shae Yates-Fitzgerald, and Hayley Young.

7 Gold
Benjamin Bernardini, Maddison Bromley, Lily Christensen, Jake Dare, Kane Daz, Damian Fernando, Callum Garlick, Madison Garrett, Charli Gilligan, Daisy Grant, Steph Greaves, Raphael Green, Lucy Hicks, Laura Johnson, Jade Maggs, Neve O’Brien, Jack Parrott, Linken Paterson, Tyler Rooney, Cooper Rosenauer, Taj Ruta, Charlotte Toohey, Sophie Vos, Noah Vulfs, Kate Wicks, and Lily Wilson.

7 Green
Charlize Arrif, Paige Chivers, Lexi Cultrera, Harry Doyle, Brooke Emeny, Nathan Fernando, John Foran, Holly Fox, Imogen Frost, Jemma Gough, Jesse Greening, Benjamin Hendriks, Hannah Jean, Briar Keyser, Ryan Lambie, Alexander McIlfatrick, Joshua Otto, Sam Richardson, Megan Schelfhout, Ella Singer, Kayla Smith, Ally Snell, Jay Van Der Klift, Max Vukic, Erin Whitelaw, Noah Whiteside, and Beau Wilson.

7 Jade
Imogen Bergin, Mikayla Best, Aiden Blazincic, Alexander Boucher, Justin Brooks, Isaac Byrne, Jayden Calvi, Rosanna Corrone, Kaiah Dedic, Sienna Del Giudice, Nadia Geeves, Cassie Lennon, Emma Martin, Chloe Morris, Thomas Mung, Madelin Northmore, Talia Orr, Jesse Prescott, Alannah Rudan, Jena Schaak, Brodie Schubert, Rhylee Stephens, Mia Story, Ronan Taylor, Nick Ward, Alex Wheeler, and Ryder Wilson.

7 Orange
Lachlan Avery, Chloe Baker, Jeremy Bennett, Benjamin Bird, Charli Dobrigh, Luke Ferrall, Jaxon Fraser, Chiara Giudice, Archie Glenn, Joshua Greentree, Hayley Harwood, Gracie Kennedy, Emma Lambert, Joshua Lewington, Oliver Mavor, Darcy Muntz, Willow Pearce, Ashley Prasel, Aaliyah Raudino, Spencer Rolando, Mia Sattler, Cohen Schroeter, Scarlett Sorace, Sophie Starnawski, Sophie Thurgood, Basanti Vanderhyde, and Mikaylah Wyllie.

7 Purple
Lily Bartusch, Henry Burchmore, Marielle Catungal, Amelia English, Alex Gibson, Hannah Griffin, Tadhg Halion, Phoebe Hall, Joshua Handasyde, Poppy Harrison, Samuel Hewitt, Oscar Knight, Nicholas Lantouris, Riley Lowe, Grace Mathers, Hamish Murphy, Ella Murray, Ryan Nunziante, Jack O’Connell, Zacc Prentice, Megan Rieschieck, Lenni Roach, Cooper Smith, Eva Strachan, Shalina Tocci, and Eva Vulling.

7 Red
Felicia Aisea, Wil Arter, Teagan Bethune, Joshua Bourke, Tamara Burns, Monique Campbell, Savannah Coghlan, Rebecca Course, Flynt Culwick, Sienna Finger, Tyson Fitzgerald, Ryan Holloway, Kaijah Holmes, Brody Hull, Nicoleta Ignatiadis, Jordyn Kelly, Amy Langcake, Anthony Marek, Blake Morison, Sarabella Mosca, Oscar Nieuwesteeg, Jay O’Sullivan, Jack Parker, Cooper Synan, Keeley Thompson, Jake Tucker, and Gemma Williams.

7 Silver
Owen Aulich, Rory Bell, Poppy Biagini, Jadis Botterill, Ethan Condon, Oliver Corrone, Amber Damen, Marc De Iulio, Julia Devanny, Lachlan Dove, Lara Graves, Jeremy Green, Ella Hall, Thomas Harvey, Jessica Hendrie, Aaron Howlett, Damian Janssen, Lily McLean, Zinnia Mithen, Christian Phillips, Olivia Robins, Jessica Rogash, Eily Sheehan, Cameron Varone, Harrison Vranken, and Daisy Wells.

7 White
Declan Beekhof, Peter Damen, Tia De Angelis, Allison Farr, Luca Finta, Sarah Frazzetto, Phoebe Gibson, Harry Halkidis, Ella Hamilton, Mitchell Hilston, Rylan Holmes, Grace Jolly, Tyler Maggs, Katherine Mansley, Chloe Morris, Taleesha O’Kane, Grace Patterson, Samantha Peters, Riley Randall, Nathan Sims, Keira Stoll, Sienna Symons, Lincoln van Duuren, Oscar Vout, Mikayla Walpole, Violet Willemsen, and Luke Wyatt.

Staffing

At our first staff liturgy for 2019, we welcomed back a number of returning members:

• Jackie Doherty (from 12 months' leave)
• Geoff Hopkins (from leave in Semester 2)
• Jo-Anne Hopkins (from leave in Semester 2)
• Michael Modini (from leave in Term 4).

We also welcomed and commissioned a number of new staff at the liturgy:

• Carrie Baker (teacher of English)
• Zoe Bruce (teacher of Mathematics and Science)
• Daryn Corish (teacher of Mathematics)
• Luke Deery (teacher of Business Management and Humanities)
• Brigitte Ferguson (teacher of English and Theatre Studies)
• Kassidy Grant-Whiting (teacher of Japanese and Humanities)
• Timothy Mannix (teacher of English, Literature and Humanities)
• Bridgette McGinn (teacher of Religious Education, Art and Visual Communication)
• Maeghan McKenzie (teacher of Mathematics)
• Leanne Rivas Vaquerano (teacher of Mathematics)
• Stephanie Tonietto (teacher of Dance, Drama/Theatre, English and Religious Education)
• Ava Brown (Youth Ministry Officer)
• Ashleigh Clinton (Youth Ministry Officer)
• Thomas Bruckner (IT, AV and Theatre Technician).

We also welcomed three new AFL Trainees for 2019:

• Jessica Duff (Outdoor Education)
• Emily Franken (Events Management)
• Serena Gibbs (Sport).

Community Opening Mass

This year’s Community Opening Mass will be held on Wednesday 27 February 2019, at 7.30pm in the Doyle Centre. This Eucharistic celebration is an important event in the life of the College for it is the first time that we, as a complete community, come together in prayer and recognise the importance of God in our lives. At this time we will also pray for a successful year of studies for all of our students, but especially the incoming Year 7 group and the Year 12 Class of 2019. I would therefore hope and expect to see many families at this Mass.

College Advisory Council

Mount Lilydale Mercy College encourages community involvement within our College through the many activities, but one such way is through our College committee structure. Parents and community members are asked to participate in committees to ensure the College is consultative, but also to increase expertise and skills when making decisions that affect the short and long term future of the College. This year we have vacancies with:

• The College Advisory Council (one place).

If you are interested in being nominated for this committee, or know of someone who you would recommend nominating, please contact me at the College or via email at principal@mlmc.vic.edu.au.

The Parents and Friends' Association (P&F) is also vital within our College and is another avenue used for consultation. We also encourage new members to the P&F and interested parents should contact Mrs Emily Cerra on ecerra@mlmc.vic.edu.au. More information can be found in this newsletter.

Parking and dropping off students

Please remember that there is a drop-off and pick-up zone inside the main entrance. Parking is restricted in both Allison Crescent and The Eyrie. Please do not drop off or pick up students in either of these streets. Such action will cause unnecessary congestion to our neighbours. Be aware of the parking restrictions that apply in the streets adjacent to the College. Cars are not allowed to stop in sections of these streets at the usual drop-off and pick-up times. Council Officers are likely to be present to supervise these parking restrictions and drivers who stop in the NO STANDING areas are likely to be fined. Students who have a medical condition that prevents them walking should be driven into the College via the main gate and dropped off as close as possible to her/his locker.

Who should I call?

With this newsletter please find attached a Communications Guide. Hopefully it will help you when you wish to communicate with staff at the College.

Personal pars

Sadly, recent weeks have seen the passing of a number of community members — Justin Moloney, father to Tyron Galbraith (Year 9), who passed from this world on 19 January 2019, and Nathan Ree, brother to Old Collegians Christian and Mikaela, who passed on 31 January 2019.

Let us pray for the repose of the souls of Justin, Nathan and all those who perished in the Black Saturday fires 10 years ago. May they all rest in peace.

God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal

Welcome to the new school year. With the start of a new year, the College is again abounding with excited students, extremely keen to meet the challenges of a new school year.

At the first assembly it was lovely to welcome our new Year 7s into our College community. Sitting next to our Year 12 students gives a strong reminder of just how much they grow in stature and maturity during their journey here. It is also a reminder to our Year 12 students that time passes quickly and their next adventure is not too far off.

(1) Homeroom Teachers

Please remember during the year ahead that Homeroom Teachers and Year Level Leaders are your child’s best resource and support throughout this year. Please do not hesitate to contact them if you have information that will allow us to get the best out of your child.

The Homeroom teachers are as follows:

YEAR 7
Year Level Leaders:
Mrs Marie Prusac/Mr Matthew Reilly

7 BLUE Mr Michael Slagtman
7 BRONZE Miss Kassidy Grant-Whiting
7 GOLD Miss Christeen Fernando
7 GREEN Mr Matthew Reilly
7 JADE Mrs Rebecca Heyenga
7 ORANGE Mr Dan Kelly
7 PURPLE Mr Sam Waters
7 RED Miss Cassandra Poynter
7 SILVER Mr Timothy Mannix
7 WHITE Mrs Anne Cochrane

YEAR 8
Year Level Leaders:
Mr Greg Hysted/Miss Jessica Tipping

8 BLUE Ms Stephanie Tonietto
8 BRONZE Mrs Bhuwan Autar
8 GOLD Ms Katie Farrell
8 GREEN Mrs Urszula Faulkner
8 JADE Mr John Ryan
8 ORANGE Mr Peter Molinari
8 PURPLE Mr Luke Deery
8 RED Miss Jessica Tipping
8 SILVER Mr John Dimitracopoulos
8 WHITE Mr Rob Risteski

YEAR 9
Year Level Leaders:
Mr Matthew Vallis/Ms Ann Collins

9 BLUE Mr Dan Beard
9 BRONZE Mr Richard Wicks
9 GOLD Mr Marco Cardinali
9 GREEN Miss Maybelle Pangilinan
9 JADE Mr Tom Leydon
9 ORANGE Mr Michael Kerr
9 PURPLE Ms Ann Collins
9 RED Ms Fiona Lynch
9 SILVER Ms Michelle Hansen
9 WHITE

YEAR 10
Year Level Leaders:
Mr Andrew Leaumont/Miss Rachel Berka

10 BLUE Mr Colin Johnson
10 BRONZE Mr Dean Fox
10 GOLD Mrs Emily Farso
10 GREEN Mr David Banfield
10 JADE Mr Michael Modini
10 ORANGE Miss Maeghan McKenzie
10 PURPLE Ms Rachel Berka
10 RED Mr Gus Garces
10 SILVER Mrs Nerrida Burnham
10 WHITE Ms Margaret Quinn

YEAR 11
Year Level Leaders:
Mr Neal Haining/Mrs Tamara Rundle

11 BLUE Mr Warren Stephenson
11 BRONZE Miss Bridgette McGinn
11 GOLD Mr Andrew Feher
11 GREEN Ms Carrie Baker
11 JADE Mr Steve Tarulli
11 ORANGE Mrs Kristy Brown
11 PURPLE Mr Paul Morgan
11 RED Ms Kerrie Dohrmann
11 SILVER Mr Trevor Murray
11 WHITE Mr Thomas Warren

YEAR 12
Year Level Leaders:
Mrs Janet Barr/Mr Tim Thompson

12 BLUE Mr Steve Prosenak
12 GOLD Mr Paul Bernetzke
12 GREEN Ms Zoe Bruce
12 JADE Mr Denver Carron
12 ORANGE Ms Krystle Samios
12 PURPLE Mr Daryn Corish
12 RED Mr Ben Brice
12 SILVER Ms Jackie Doherty
12 WHITE Mr Tim Thompson

(2) Uniforms

A timely reminder about the wearing of correct uniform to commence the school year. This extends to the requirements for jewellery and make-up. Support for the uniform requirements of the College is probably the most basic form of support asked for. Students who are not prepared to cooperate in this area will be required to remain at home until they can give the necessary commitment.

During Terms 1 and 4 the College Sunsmart Policy requires students to wear hats at recess and lunch. The only hat that is permitted is the College bucket hat. Replacement hats can be purchased from the Uniform Shop. We encourage sunscreen to be applied and this is available from various locations around the school.

I would also ask for all items of uniform to be clearly labelled with names. So much uniform ends up in lost property during the year, most of it without any indication as to the owner. A few minutes at the beginning of the year can avoid unnecessary expense later on replacing lost items.

Our new families are reminded that during February the wearing of the blazer is optional. However, the College jumper may not be worn as the outer garment.

(3) Child safety and care

If your child has had a change in their health, please contact Student Reception or myself as soon as possible. We want to be proactive in caring for your son/daughter and can only do so if we have the correct information.

Another important aspect of caring for your child is the College’s practices in regards to the seven Child Safe Standards. This involves refining risk-management strategies, improving opportunities for student voice and developing staff awareness of best practice so that our students remain safe and empowered to seek help if the need arises.

Please make yourself familiar with the College Policy on this by visiting the College website and looking for Policy and Procedures under the Child Safe Tabs.

The College meets this standard by ensuring that:

• we have reviewed and up-to-date child-safe policies
• issues relating to child safety are agenda items at every staff and wellbeing meeting
• staff must complete a mandatory reporting online learning module each year
• well-defined mandatory reporting processes are in place and staff know who to report concerns to, both internally at the College and externally
• only people with Working with Children Checks can work with students, including board members, coaches, guest speakers and volunteers.

I trust that parents and guardians appreciate that the College takes the role of protecting students from harm seriously and that we are continually seeking to improve child-safe practices within the College.

(4) Contacting students/parents

An area that is often overlooked by students and parents is the process of contacting students/parents during the course of the school day. I would ask that parents continue to observe the procedure of using the College Reception if there is a need to contact students during the course of a school day. While it may seem more straightforward to contact your child directly via their mobile phone, this can create other issues. Students can only be dismissed from the care of the school if we have prior contact from parents. The same applies if you need to drop something off to your child during the course of the school day. Please support us by asking your child to have the College contact you if they are unwell or need your assistance.

I look forward to working with you in my new role as Deputy Principal. Please remember that I am always available to assist you.

(1) Welcome to MLMC 2019

This year we welcomed 22 new students (see below) into our school across Years 8 to 12, along with the 264 students who joined us in Year 7. These are listed in the Principal's Report. We look forward to assisting their development and educational growth as they move through the year levels and continue their education at MLMC.

(2) Applications for Enrolment — Year 7 2021

Parents are reminded that applications for Year 7 students for commencing in 2021 are now being taken and will close on Monday 13 May 2019. If you are a current parent and have a child in Year 5, you should have already received an application form which was sent to you in 2018. If you have not yet received this form, please contact the College for a form on 9735 4022 so that we can ensure you do not miss the 13 May deadline.

(3) Events

This year's Taste of MLMC event will be held on Thursday 9 May in the early evening. Further information and bookings will become available closer to the date. In the meantime please save the date for this exciting event which showcases our College to prospective parents and students in Years 4, 5 and 6.

In June we will be hosting all the Year 5 students from our Priority Parish Schools. This annual event, held over two days — Tuesday 4 June and Wednesday 5 June — allows young students the opportunity to experience the College on a normal working day. We look forward to welcoming these young students to the College for a day of fun activities and opportunities to explore the school.

The prayer below is a shortened version of a prayer used at our first staff gathering this year. As a community we will try to live the mercy value of compassion in all that we do and I extend that invitation to you and your families.

Prayer

Lord, please open my eyes so I may see those around me that are in need of my compassion. Give me the heart to be interested in their troubles and provide for me the means to help them.

Lord, let me be the voice of reason to those around me, calling on them to show their compassion, too. Let me be the example of You to them. Let me be the light that they see so that You come through.

Lord, I desire so much to be compassionate. I want to be aware of those in need. I want to have the means to help. Let me give to those who are not as privileged as I am. Give me the confidence in my actions so that I can give back.

Let me be what others need, Lord. This is all I ask. Use me as a vessel of compassion to a world in need.

In your Holy Name, Amen.

Our Top Achievers for 2018 were welcomed back to the College on Thursday 7 February with the Top Achievers Assembly held in conjunction with the first full College Mass of the year in the Doyle Centre. Time was also taken to remember the victims of the Black Saturday bushfires, with the assembly coinciding with the 10^th anniversary of that tragic day.

Father Dean said the anniversary should remind everyone of the compassion demonstrated by many of us at the time and since then, “to understand what had happened, and to give of what they had, through goods or money, or through thoughts and prayers”.

This year’s College theme ‘compassion’ was present throughout in the speeches from Principal Philip Morison, from Tanya Hutton, the Deputy Principal — Learning and Teaching, as well as the homily from Father Dean and two of our Top Achievers, College Dux Rachel Ricciuti and Catherine McAuley Award winner Danielle Virgona.

Rachel spoke of how a realisation that the most important measure of success is whether you have achieved the goals you have set for yourself and how it helped her. For her, 2018 was all about personal growth. With this in mind, while she received an ATAR score of 96 she has forgone the opportunity to attend university this year to instead follow her passion for music, recently spending several weeks in Tamworth, New South Wales, the home of country music in Australia, being surrounded by music.

Catherine McAuley Award winner Danielle, who was the College Captain in 2018, will next week begin university studies to become a paediatriac nurse, a calling sparked by a pilgrimage to the home of Catherine McAuley when Danielle was in Year 11.

“Catherine McAuley is a woman who displayed compassion, selflessness, leadership and deep commitment to her faith. It is honestly a surreal feeling being able to speak about Catherine and how she has influenced me. During Year 11 I had the privilege of participating in the Young Mercy Leaders pilgrimage in Dublin. Here, the life and teachings of Catharine truly came to life and being able to walk in her footsteps brought me to a new understanding of the work she did. I had the opportunity to learn so much about issues in the world and this motivated me to return to the College and try to have a positive impact on others.”

“Always be your best, but give of your best too”, Mr Morison said to the student body on finishing. It’s a tenet exemplified by our two guest speakers.

“My advice for all students at Mount Lilydale Mercy College is to work hard,” Danielle said. “It may seem simple on the surface, but the power of persistence and courage when studying is extraordinary. Never give up. No matter how many times you fall down, find the strength to keep trying because, I promise, with every failure there is a chance to grow.

“My third and final piece of advice is to go about your schooling with a sense of compassion, generosity and a positive outlook. So whatever you aspire to do, become or achieve, chase that dream and remember that you have amazing support from teachers, students, family and God.”

Copies of Rachel and Danielle's speeches are attached.

One week in and our Year 7 students are settling in to life at MLMC after months of preparation. The Year 7s began their life as fully fledged MLMC students on Thursday 31 January, with parents able to take part in a Parent Liturgy in the Chapel followed by morning tea. And next week our newest cohort will head off on their three-day camp.

For the two days not spent at camp, our Year 7s will take part in the Stepping Forward program. Guest speaker Sharon Witt, author of the Teen Talk series, will speak to our students about 'Surviving High School' and they will also have lessons in study skills, cyber safety, careers and religious education.

Orientation Day was held on Tuesday 11 December for all students, which is a big day on the calendar for our newest students. Each year MLMC also hosts the Flying Solo program in November, to welcome and help students from smaller primary schools prepare for Year 7.

During the 22 November Flying Solo program, our youngest students met their new Year Level Leaders, Mrs Marie Prusac and Mr Matthew Reilly, and they participated in a range of get-to-know-you and team building activities run by our student leaders. These were designed to help them meet new people and expand their friendship circles. It builds the bonds between students before Orientation Day and helps to ease some of the nerves all Year 7s feel before joining our College, but especially for those coming to our College only knowing a handful or no other Year 7s.

Here are some reflections from the Flying Solo participants:

The Flying Solo afternoon was a great idea. It was good doing different games to learn about each other and it made me feel more comfortable to walk into Orientation Day knowing some familiar faces. It was fun and made me feel happy about going to school next year. — Chloe Baker (Year 7 Orange, from Bimbadeen Primary School)

The Flying Solo event was an awesome success and an opening for many great opportunities. The games and fun icebreakers also allowed the Prefects to get to know the upcoming year level. — Molly Henderson (McAuley Prefect)

It was nice to see the students’ enthusiasm and how willing these kids were to give everything their best go. I enjoyed the evening meeting some of the graduating class of 2025. — Matthew Phillips (Carr House Prefect)

Parent Welcome Liturgy
The Parent Welcome Liturgy was a beautiful occasion, attended by many parents and families of students new to our College. We came together in prayer and thanksgiving for the gift of these young men and women about to embark on another stage of their life journey and prayed for God’s love and support for all families and staff members. Families were invited to light a candle for their sons and daughters — a very moving experience for all.

Year 7 Anointing Ceremony
The Year 7 students attended a Liturgy in the College Chapel to welcome them to the College. There was a short ritual on anointing where the significance of oil in Biblical times was explained. As well as oil being used in cooking that provided food for nourishment, it was also used as fuel for lamps and a healing agent in medicine. The Jews also anointed the head of a guest with oil as a sign of welcome. The Senior Youth Ministry Team anointed each Year 7 students as a sign of welcome.

Celebration of the Eucharist
We have been fortunate to have had a number of celebrations of the Eucharist in the past few weeks. We had a lovely Mass for staff on the first day of their return where every staff member made a commitment to caring for the students in their care. The Year 12 students returned from their two-day retreat and celebrated Mass together in the College Chapel. The focus of the readings was on compassion, reaching out to others and trusting God. This week we also celebrated the Opening College Mass, with all students and staff participating. This was also the 10th anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires so we took time to reflect and pray for all who were affected by them.

On Friday 15 December we celebrated and acknowledged the academic achievements of our students across the year at our annual Night of Excellence, held at the Doyle Centre. This is a very different type of event to the Year Level Academic Award Ceremonies held each semester. It is one of the few events whereby we bring together and celebrate achievement across the whole College.

With the release of VCE results earlier that day, we also celebrated the achievements of some of our Year 12 students. Rachel Ricciui was named the College Dux for 2018, while College Captain Danielle Virgona was named the Catherine McAuley Student of the Year.

Year 12 students also performed at the event. Aragorn Keuken sang a special piece for the audience, while Ryan Abblitt performed his Theatre Studies monologue.

SCHOLARSHIP AND AWARD RECIPIENTS

Year 12:
College Dux: Rachel Ricciuti
Catherine McAuley Student of the Year: Danielle Virgona
Top Achiever – VCAL: Liam Walker
Top Achievers – VCE:
Darcey Howard-Scales
Erin Jones
Aragorn Keuken
Ana Malnar
Hollee Mandelt
Grace McKee
Rachel Ricciuti
Jordan Schuyt
Lilli Totton
Ethan Wake

Year 11:
Academic Scholarship: Jason Rice and Alana McGurgan
MLMC Old Collegians’ Scholarship: Mikayla Byrne, Grace Clinton and Willow Thomas
VCAL Intermediate: Chloe Baulch

Year 10:
Academic Scholarship: Chloe Rickard and Jelinna Santiago
Parents and Friends’ Association Scholarship: Bridget Deed and Angus Hayes

Year 9:
Academic Scholarship: Kimberley Fiorentino and Brianna Moore
Parents and Friends’ Association Scholarship: Jaidyn Askham and Emily Wicks

Year 8:
Academic Scholarship: Baxter Lill and Ellie Inglese
Parents and Friends’ Association Scholarship: Cheyenne Moore and Seamus Coffey

Year 7:
Academic Scholarship: Elena Atanasovski, Ciara de Vincentis and Louisa Inglese
Parents and Friends’ Association Scholarship: Liam Furey and Sarah Janssen

SPECIALTY AWARDS

Performing Arts Award: Rachel Van Der Linden
Dr Peter Clinch Music Award for Excellence: Aragorn Keuken
Design Acquisition: Sarah McDonald
Public Speaking Award: Kaitlyn Crymble
DAV Debater of the Year: Charlotte Lorbek
Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award: Ella Arter, Isabella Elderhurst, Danielle Greene, Sam Green, Holly Johns, Blake Payne, Luke Phillips, Alisha Rowden, Daniel Ryan, Rebecca Snell and Alyssia Trinnick
Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award: Jessica Myers-Denton
Essay Competition: Abbey Wheeler (McAuley Campus) and Ryan Abblitt (Barak Campus)
Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program Nominee: Jelinna Santiago
Rotary Club for Citizenship: Abbey Wheeler
Rotary Club for Community: Willow Thomas
Rotary Club for Service: Ashleigh Clinton and Sam Wood
ADF Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award: Georgia Drummond (Year 10)
ADF Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award: Joshua Hausler (Year 12)
Ryan McDonald Memorial Award: Emily Franken
Mercy Service Award: Willow Thomas
College Sports Champion – Male: Jay Harris (Year 12)
College Sports Champion – Female: Serena Gibbs (Year 12)

MARK PREST AWARD

Mrs Marie Prusac

TOP ACHIEVERS

Year 7: Morgan Allen, Elena Atanasovski, Ciara De Vincentis, Maxine Flamsteed, Louisa Inglese, Vivienne Mackenzie, Mitchell Mazzarella, Kathleen Rhodes, Riley Spencer, Georgia West

Year 8: Millie Barker, Natalie Contebardo, Jack Drummond, Danielle Gazzola, Grace George, Ellie Inglese, Baxter Lill, Annalise Roper, Noah Ruta, Tahliya Williams

Year 9: Courtney Barnes, Krishia Catungal, Kimberley Fiorentino, Laura Fitzgerald, Jessica Gamble, Nadia Mattucci, Brianna Moore, Alexander Renouf, Dianne Sayco, Connor Taylor

Year 10: Bridget Deed, Paula Del Giudice, Georgia Drummond, Amy Frazzetto, Tomadia Ghali, Jamieson Manger, Olivia Pettinella, Madeline Remminga, Chloe Rickard, Jelinna Santiago

Year 11: Alanah Archer, Ethan Cornish, Emily Gazzola, Lara Griffin-Krenn, Alana McGurgan, Tristan Mifsud, Jason Rice, Kaitlyn Spinks, Meg Thompson, Emily Zmegac

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (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 a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, 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 2018 do not need to complete an application form in 2019 unless any of the following changes have occurred:
your child has started or changed schools in 2019 or you did not apply at the same school in 2018, or
family circumstances have altered, such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2019.

If a form was not lodged in 2018, parents or legal guardians are required to complete a CSEF application form and lodge it with their child’s school for processing.

Application forms (attachedshould be completed and lodged with the school as soon as possible in Term 1, as payments are made from March onwards. However, we will be able to accept and process applications up until the end of Term 2 each year.

CSEF payments are for the current application year and cannot be claimed retrospectively for prior years.

CSEF application forms are available to download from either our MLMC Finance Website or from www.education.vic.gov.au/csef

Parents must lodge a CSEF application form with a photocopy of your Health Care/Pension Card. NO LATE APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED.

For more information about the CSEF, visit www.education.vic.gov.au/csef

The theme of this year’s Year 12 Retreat, held earlier this week, was 'Trust yourself to God and dare to dream'. It gave students the opportunity to reflect on their relationships with God, others and self. Students engaged in a variety of activities including discussion, journal writing, team building, prayer and reflection. Although students were at five different venues, all Year 12 classes returned to College for a celebration of the Eucharist in the Chapel.

Students expressed many positive views about the Retreat, believing it gave them time to think about their futures, not just what they want to do but who they want to be. They were able to explore the Mercy value of compassion and made a commitment to trying to live this in the year ahead. They enjoyed reflecting on the concept of forgiveness and taking steps to let go of grudges and resentment. Students also found it beneficial to spend time getting to know their new Homeroom teachers and peers.

Dear parents and guardians

All families should now have access to their annual College fee statement on the Parent Portal. If you have not set up an automatic direct debit, credit card or other authorised payment plan, please make note of the following important dates:

15 February
First quarterly instalment due. Please refer to your College fee statement for amount. NB: If you are not paying your College Fees in full and are not on an automatic or authorised College payment plan, then you must pay your first quarterly instalment by this date.

28 February
Annual fees paid by this date will be eligible for an early payment discount. Please refer to your College fee statement for the amount but remember to take off your early payment discount from this amount (pro rata amount for split billers).

Families that have set up an automatic payment plan must ensure funds are available on the day the payment is processed. Please see below for dates.

If you require any information regarding the College Fees, please contact our Finance Office on 9237 1315 or 9739 2209.

Happy New Year from the volunteer community at MLMC. We hope you all had a restful break and an enjoyable festive season. We have hit the ground running this year with volunteer events and are looking forward to another busy year.

As always, we welcome volunteers in most areas of the College, and we are always looking for fresh faces to join our volunteer community. This year, there are a number of events which require volunteer assistance.

The dates for these events are as follows:

• Friday 22 February — Swimming Carnival BBQ
• Tuesday 5 March — Special Person’s Day morning tea
• Friday 26 March and Saturday 27 March — Debutante Balls
• Friday 29 March — Athletics Carnival BBQ
• Thursday 9 May — Taste of MLMC supper
• Friday 13 September — Mercy Day
• Tuesday 3 December — Family Carols BBQ

We also have one Parents and Friends’ Association (P&F) meeting per month to discuss upcoming events and how the P&F can enrich the lives of students here at the College. The P&F meeting dates are as follows:

• Tuesday 26 February
• Tuesday 4 June
• Tuesday 13 August
• Tuesday 22 October
  
  

Everyone is welcome at the meetings.

If you are interested in helping at any of the above events, or have any questions about volunteering at the College, please contact Emily Cerra at ecerra@mlmc.vic.edu.au or on 9237 1320.

If you are interested in being a volunteer, and you have not yet completed a volunteer application, you can do so via the link HERE

We look forward to another year of fun events at the College.

All the P&F event dates and further information can be found in the attached flyer.

Both Year 11 VET Sport and Recreation classes got an early start on their learning last week, embarking on an overnight hike at the Cathedral Ranges. They got a chance to practice their leadership skills while walking the northern and southern loops over the two days.

Here is a student reflection from Year 11 Orange students May Flamsteed and Maddy George:

The first camp of the year for the Year 11 VET Sport and Recreation class was to the Cathedral Range State Park from 30-31 January.

When we arrived, standing at the bottom at the mountain in 30 degree heat it looked like this hike was going to be almost impossible, but we were lucky enough to go with a great bunch of people who continued to encourage and push each other throughout. The walk to the peak of the mountain was challenging, but the climb to the top was well worth the epic views.

During this camp, we put the skills we had learnt in class last year to good use, ensuring our groups both enjoyed the hike and were safe throughout. It was extremely rewarding knowing all the hard work we had done in our theory classes and everything we had previously learnt was paying off.

On the Friday we took part in a shorter hike and explored different parts of the mountain, including the challenging Wells Cave track. Overall starting a new school year with a fun experience like this was great. Both classes are very excited for our upcoming camps and another year creating new friendships and learning important life skills.

(1) Student Achievements

Congratulations to Matt Phillips (Year 12 Jade) who was awarded the Yarra Road Primary School 2018 Youth Community Award at the end of last year. Matt won this award for displaying excellent leadership qualities, particularly through coaching his younger brother’s basketball and cricket teams. Matt (pictured) is the 2019 Carr House Prefect. Best wishes for the year ahead, Matt.

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

(2) Swimming

MLMC Swimming Training
Training is held on Monday afternoons (3.30pm-4.30pm) and Wednesday mornings (7.00am-8.00am) at Kilsyth pool. It will help students to improve their swimming and fitness levels. All abilities are welcome. Commendations and House points are up for grabs. It’s free! Students will be bussed from school to pool on Mondays and back to school from pool on Wednesdays, with breakfast provided on Wednesdays. Please see/email Miss Webb in the Doyle Centre for more details.

MLMC Swimming Carnival
The College Swimming Carnival will be held Friday 22 February at the Lilydale outdoor pool. For ears 7-9 attendance is compulsory (Periods 1-4), while for Years 10-12 it is invitational from lunchtime to the end of the day. More details to come via Parent Portal.

EISM Swimming Carnivals
The Division 2 EISM Swimming Carnival will be held on Tuesday 12 March at Ringwood Aquanation and the EISM Champions Carnival will be held on Monday 25 March at MSAC.

(3) EISM Summer season

The Summer season of Year 9 EISM sport began yesterday (Thursday). The season starts for Year 8 on Tuesday 12 February and for Seniors on Wednesday 13 February.

With EISM Sport all beginning, please remember the following:

• Check the Sport plans — up on the Doyle Centre window at the beginning of every week
• 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 lunchtime to get to venues to play
• Your uniform needs to be 100% correct to ensure no forfeited games — hockey, soccer and football must wear long navy socks (available at the Doyle Centre) and mouthguards must be worn for hockey. NO CORRECT UNIFORM, NO GAME
• Live fixtures for EISM matches can be found online at eism.org — click on 'Weekly sport', then 'Junior' (for Year 8) or 'Senior/Intermediate' (Year 9 and Senior fixtures).

(4) Year 9 Results (7 February)

(5) Victorian All Schools Triathlon Championships

Any students interested in competing in the 2019 Victorian All Schools Triathlon Championships on Sunday March 3 please see Miss Webb in the Doyle Centre. The number of entries is limited. There are Junior and Senior categories:

• Junior (Years 7 to 8): 200m swim, 10km bike, 2km run
• Intermediate and Senior (Years 9 to 12): 400m swim, 10km bike, 4km run.

(7) Independent Schools Golf Championships

If there are any students interested in competing at the 2019 Independent Schools Golf Championships on Monday March 18 please see Miss Webb in the Doyle Centre. Students thinking about this should already play golf outside of school and have a handicap.

The MLMC Music department is calling on all singers to join the College Choir or an A Cappella Ensemble with rehearsals starting next week. Both provide a wonderful opportunity to help our students develop one of their most precious gifts — the singing voice.

As parents (and teachers) we have a tremendous influence on our children, also on their decisions and what they tend to see as valuable and important. What we support, they are willing to pursue, and what we encourage and give priority to, they continue to be a part of — even when the lustre at times temporarily wears thin.

The Choir will participate in various College Liturgies, assemblies and concerts, as well as a number of external public events. The Choir is an excellent opportunity for your child to participate in a year-long program and sing with other students under professional guidance. We truly look forward to a great year of rewarding time, learning and spiritual fulfilment. We hope your child will be part of this Choir experience with us.

Choir rehearsals are held every Wednesday after school, from 3.30pm to 5.00pm, in the Music Department SLR1.1 with Ms Caroline Dickason. The first rehearsal will be held on Wednesday 13 February.

The A Cappella Ensembles rehearse each week and have fun learning various songs. Rehearsals get students into a music-filled environment and research has shown that singing relieves stress. It's a calming, yet energising break.

The Junior A Capella Ensemble is open to any Year 7 or Year 8 student. Rehearsals are held every Wednesday at lunchtime in the CEH Foyer (bring your lunch), starting on Wednesday 13 February.

Enrolment in the Senior A Capella Ensemble is by audition and is open to Years 9-12. Rehearsals are held every Tuesday at lunchtime in the CEH Foyer (bring your lunch). Rehearsals begin on Tuesday 12 February.

For further information about the Choir or A Cappella Ensembles, please email Ms Caroline Dickason at cdickason@mlmc.vic.edu.au or Mrs Sharon Flint at sflint@mlmc.vic.edu.au