Dear members of the mount Lilydale Mercy College community

Welcome to the month of November which to some is highlighted by the Spring Racing Carnival and the Melbourne Cup. Hopefully you all enjoyed the long weekend and Cup Day and that many of you were supported by Cup winner Vow and Declare.

Within the Church context November has another special significance. November is the month of Remembrance. In November, we conclude ordinary time for the liturgical year with the Feast of Christ the King on the last Sunday of the month (24 November). November is a month to remember the departed, especially on All Souls’ Day (2 November) and The Solemnity of All Saints (1 November). Thus, we take the time to reflect, remember and pray for the souls of all the faithfully departed, understanding that this process continues to help us in our healing and memory of them while petitioning for them to join with our Father in Heaven.

To this end, the Old Collegians’ Association will join together in prayer at the Annual Memorial Mass to be held at the College Chapel this weekend, Saturday 9 November at 4.00pm. Please feel free to join us on this occasion, especially given the recent passing of Old Collegians this year.

The date of 11 November is also special as we commemorate Remembrance Day. Sometimes referred to as Poppy Day, Remembrance Day is a day of memorial observed to remember all veterans of the armed forces who died in the service of their country. It is a tradition that originated in Armistice Day which highlighted the end of hostilities to World War I at the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1918. The poppy is worn as a sign of remembrance owing to the poppies that populated the fields in France. On Monday 11 November we, as a College, will come together in prayer and to remember all such veterans.

November is also special for our graduating class of 2019 as most will finish their final exams and come together to graduate in a fortnight’s time. Let us continue to pray for our Year 12 group at this important time as they finalise their exams. It is an important time of final study, transition and a milestone that will form them for the rest of their lives. The transition from the safety net of school is an exciting time, but it is also a time of uncertainty for many. Our Year 12 cohort leave us knowing that they have been prepared for the world and knowing they have been empowered to impact upon it.

For me, personally, November 2019 is the time that I have returned from some long service leave and some five to six weeks away from our College and our community. I am grateful for the opportunity to spend time with my family and particularly my wife Jennifer as we experienced some travel together. I appreciate the support of the College Executive and staff to allow me such an opportunity and thank Ms Tanya Hutton and Mr Louis Papadimitriou for acting as Principal in my absence. I am grateful to return to our College having reflected on my absence from it.

November is also a time when students prepare to finalise their academic year. Year 11 students will enter exams soon and then start their Academic Foundation Program. Year 10 will follow with their exams, followed by Year 9 and then the final testing for Years 8 and 7. For many students this could be a time of some distress — and it should not be. Positivity by those around them, especially by parents and caregivers, will help to keep them motivated and understand that they can succeed. Motivation to succeed and accomplish is an important key. Please find below an article about the science of motivation which I read during my leave, which is taken from an article by Grace Tatter, Useable Knowledge, published 7 March, 2019, Harvard University. I hope you find it to be worthwhile.

The Science of Motivation

If students aren't motivated, learning won't happen. What’s going on in children’s brains when they’re motivated, and what’s holding them back? There are two types of motivation: approach motivation, which directs us toward a reward, and avoidance motivation, which helps us to avoid damage. Ideally, they balance each other out. Caring adults can help students develop the motivation systems that will serve them well, long into adulthood.

How to build healthy motivation in your children

Encourage curiosity and exploration. Beyond their basic needs, children are motivated by exploration, play, mastery and success. Parents can reinforce these motivations rather than being overly fearful that children will get hurt — fears that can rub off. Caring adults whom children can trust can help them figure out what to actually be afraid of and avoid.

Don’t rely on incentives. The goal is to help kids develop their own inner fire to learn. Children can stop engaging in activities once they’ve been given a tangible reward for it. Systems focused solely on external rewards and punishments are unlikely to achieve sustained, productive motivation. Positive feedback is more likely to support healthy motivation.

Remind children that success is possible. We’re unlikely to be motivated to do anything if we think it’s impossible. A growth mindset — the belief that we can change and improve through practice — enables children to get motivated.

Social interaction. From babies to adolescents, social interaction is a key to motivation, releasing natural opioids that activate the brain’s reward system. In our digital world, apps and screens can be supplements for learning, but in-person interactions remain essential.

Remember we all have different intrinsic motivators. A child intrinsically motivated to play sports might respond well to constructive criticism from a coach but another student might respond more to encouragement and get discouraged by criticism. These different motivation systems may be due to children's genes and their life experiences, and they might require different approaches to motivate them.

Despite the common misperception that some people naturally have or lack motivation, science shows that the nature of parent/child relationships and opportunities for safe exploration affect the development of these systems — for better or for worse.

The Mark Prest Award

Each year the Mark Prest Award is presented to the staff member who most exemplifies our Mercy education philosophies, values and spirit. Each staff member can only win this award once. The award winner for 2019 will be announced at the Night of Excellence on Friday 13 December. Staff members can be nominated by parents, students, other staff, or community members. If you haven't already done so, and still wish to nominate a staff member, you can do so HERE.

Personal Pars

Sadly over this past week, we at the College learned of the passing of Old Collegian Nathan Michael de Munk , son of our Business Manager Dean de Munk. Nathan was born 13.12.92 and passed from this world on 03.11.19.

Let us remember and pray for the repose of Nathan’s soul, while also praying that Dean and his family will find comfort and support in the love of the many that support them.

“Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” — Isaiah 43:18

Dear God, I spend so much time reliving yesterday
or anticipating tomorrow
that I lose sight of the only time that is really mine,
the present moment.
You give today one moment at a time.
That's all I have,
all I ever will have.
Give the faith which knows that each moment
contains exactly what is best for me.
Give the hope which trusts You enough
to forget past failings and future trials.
Give the love which makes each moment
an anticipation of eternity with You.
We ask this in the name of Jesus
Who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Amen.

Semester 2 Award Ceremonies

The Semester 2 Award ceremonies will take place over the coming weeks. The focus of these assemblies is to gather in year level groupings to acknowledge and celebrate student achievement with the awarding of Academic Awards for excellence in learning and Merit Awards for a positive approach to learning and College Colours. An invitation is extended to all parents to come along to the relevant ceremonies on the following dates:

• Year 11 – Friday 15 November at 11.00 am
• Year 9 – Friday 29 November at 8.50 am
• Year 10 – Friday 29 November at 11.00 am
• Year 7 – Thursday 5 December at 8.50 am
• Year 8 - Thursday 5 December at 11.00 am

All assemblies will be held in Centennial Hall with the exception of the Year 11 gathering which will be held in the Doyle Centre. Parking will be available on the green basketball courts.

Criteria for Academic and Merit Awards

Academic Awards are awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence; personal organisation; a positive contribution to the learning environment; enthusiasm for the subject, creativity and originality and have achieved a subject average of 85% or above in a given semester. The 85% average is a weighted average, each faculty determines how this average is calculated, based on the number and a nature of assessments. Merit Awards are limited to a maximum of 4 per class and are awarded to students who demonstrate enthusiasm to study, consistency in effort, punctuality, completion of homework, meeting task due dates and a cooperative approach to others.

Academic Foundation Program

At the conclusion of examinations for students currently completing Year 9, 10 and 11 the Academic Foundation Program will commence. During this time students will commence their studies for the following year level. The dates are as follows:

• Year 12 (2020) – Monday 18 November until Friday 29 November
• Year 11 (2020) – Monday 2 December until Thursday 5 December
• Year 10 (2020) – Monday 2 December until Thursday 5 December

Attendance in these classes is compulsory for all students.

Booklists

College Booklists are now available from Lilydale Books. Booklist can be accessed via one of two methods:

• Directly via Lilydale Books by using this link here

• Via the link on the College Website under the Learning drop down menu that will also take you to the Lilydale Books website

Families will have the option of printing the relevant booklist and then placing an order via the College Administration Office or via Lilydale Books. Or you can access the list and place an order directly on the Lilydale Books website. Subject confirmations will be available on the Parent Portal by no later than Friday 15 November.

School Bus Tracking Service

Ventura have recently updated their website and have now enabled a live tracking feature for their public school buses that service the College. Families can now see in real time the location of buses as they move along their runs. Please use the link here to access this service.

Uniform Shops Trading Hours

Bob Steward Uniform Shop. Trading hours for the remainder of Term 4 are Monday 8.00am-2.00pm, Tuesday and Thursday 12.30pm-4.00pm. The shop will also be open Saturday 9 November and Saturday 30 November, 9.30am-12.30pm.

Seond-hand Uniform Shop. During Term 4, the Second-hand Uniform Shop will be open every Thursday, from 12.00pm to 1.30pm. The shop will also open on Orientation Day, Tuesday 10 December (NB: the shop hours on this day are to be confirmed).

Instrumental Music Schoolarships

Auditions for 2020 Instrumental Music Scholarships will take place on Monday 25 November and Tuesday 26 November (from 3.30pm to 5.00pm) in the Music Department (SLR 1.1). Instrumental Music Scholarships on offer include: brass, drums, guitar, piano, strings, voice and woodwind. To request and application form or if you have any queries please contact Mrs Flint in the Music department at sflint@mlmc.vic.edu.au. Applications are due Thursday 21 November at 4pm.

Catholic Mission operates in over 160 countries to support initiatives in 1100 dioceses, including remote parts of Australia. They engage in mission and proclaim our faith through words and actions. Catholic Mission empowers people to reach out to help children and communities in need.

Socktober is an initiative of Catholic Mission that we support every October. The ‘sock it to something’ concept is an Australian expression that means to strike out at social issues, such as poverty, child labour, child trafficking, homelessness and lack of education.

The Socktober appeal this year was run by the Year 10 CSYMA students. These students helped plan and facilitate various fundraising activities such as decorating sock-shaped gingerbread cookies and making sock puppets, alongside our annual Crazy Sock Day on Tuesday 29 October. There was even a Crazy Sock Parade, won by Year 7 student Mia Story (pictured above). These students also ran lunchtime activities in our CSYMA Lounge. All money raised was sent to Catholic Mission to help support projects in India and Ghana.

Thanks to everybody who supported this great cause.

The College held its annual Sports Awards evening on Thursday 24 October, with students, staff and parents gathering to recognise the outstanding achievements of our students on the sporting fields and courts throughout the year. The event included a highlight reel from the House Athletics Carnival created by our VCE Media students, thanking our 2019 Sport Prefects Sienna Clark and Jackson Flint for their contribution to the Sport program. We also welcomed 2020 Sport Prefects Madeline George and Harrison Van Duuren and celebrated students’ individual accolades.

We were joined by weightlifting coach Drew Ayres and guest speaker Jack Ross for the evening. It was a fantastic night celebrating our students’ successes and it was great to hear from Jack, who recently celebrated the 2019 AFL premiership with the Richmond Football Club. Hopefully our students can take some inspiration away from his story as it helps them to achieve their goals on the sporting field. Jack is pictured above with Madeline and Harrison.

Thank you to all those who attended and showed their support towards the Sport program at the College.

A list of all of the award winners and Sport Champion nominees is attached.

On Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 November, five Year 11 students —Moses Villani (11 Green), Meghan Wobbes (11 Red), Reanna Corrigan (11 Jade), Finn Reardon (11 Gold) and Sarah Boyle (11 Jade) — attended the Seeds of Justice overnight camp in Templestowe.

Seeds of Justice has been running for about 15 years and MLMC has been a key school in contributing to this unique program. It connects our students with the wider student networks from Mercy schools around Victoria and deepens their appreciation of what we call the ‘Mercy Charism’. This means that a richer understanding of the richness of the Mercy ethos is taken beyond school and put into practice in the world. It is the Corporal Works of Mercy in action. More than that, it is connecting with the wider Mercy family and the possibilities for building lifelong relationships are endless.

Seeds of Justice overnight camps involve a major social justice theme. Last week’s theme was poverty and homelessness. Students listened to guest speakers from three organisations which embody Gospel values: McAuley Services, St Vincent de Paul and the Exodus Community from West Heidelberg. Students were especially struck by the personal stories from young youth worker Sarah Taylor, from St Vincent de Paul, as well as the moving testament to the foundational principle Catholic Social Teaching — human dignity — from one of the women who lives in the West Heidelberg community, which is one of Victoria’s most disadvantaged.

MLMC students also received some awareness-raising in their visits to the eye-opening worlds of the Exodus Community (Finn and Sarah), St Mary’s House of Welcome (Moses and Meghan) or Fare Share (Reanna). Students reported coming away with different perspectives on poverty and homelessness, in the sense that popular opinion about the need to avoid eye contact with the poor was questioned; that there are a lot of people out there who really do care about the social problems of our world; that there is an incredible amount of food wastage but that those who salvage some of it for the benefit of the disadvantaged actually have fun while doing so; but also that human dignity is shown by the love put into the interior spaces of places like the House of Welcome, in ways that surprised the students. Students have been spurred into being the “hands of Mercy” — doing faith — in future, as a result of the two-day experience.

Each of them are commended for being the delightful ambassadors of the College at Seeds of Justice. We look forward to putting into practice some of our awareness-building in the next 12 months.

While one of the Year 9 Outdoor Education classes hiked around Wilsons Promontory last month through wind, rain and hail, the second class was blessed with mid-20 degree weather when we completed the same hike the following week.

Over the three days the students had to put into action all the navigation, meal planning and minimal impact skills they had learnt in the classroom. They also had to carry everything they needed on their backs and be self-sufficient for the three days and 42km of hiking. One of the groups had to walk 16km on the last day and to get back to school on time, they had to wake up at 4am and start hiking by 5am.

It was a challenge but rewarding three day adventure for our Year 9 students, that tested their skills and resilience.

(1) Student Achievements

Athletics
Congratulations to Harrison Van Duuren (Year 11 White) who competed at the Victorian All Schools Athletics Championships on the weekend in the 800m event. Harrison picked up a bronze medal and qualified for the nationals, to be held in March 2020.

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

(2) Sports Awards

The annual MLMC Sports Awards were held on Thursday 24 October. Click HERE to read more about the awards night which celebrates achievements in swimming, athletics, cross country and EISM team sports. Well done to all students who received awards and a big thank you to their parents for supporting the Sports program at MLMC.

(3) Weights training

In Term 4 the supervised gym is open on Wednesday mornings, 7.15-8.15am. Either train with your own program or we can help you out. Breakfast is provided afterwards. See Ms Webb for more information.

(4) EISM Year 9 Results (7 November)

The Old Collegians’ Association Memorial Mass is held each year in November and provides an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate Mass and remember those who have passed. The Mass was initiated by the Old Collegians’ Committee in 2011 with a purpose to offer support to people who are bereaved by paying tribute to loved ones who are no longer with us.

This year the Memorial Mass will be held in the College Chapel on Saturday 9 November at 4.00pm. It will be followed by a light supper.

Everyone is welcome — we hope you can join us.

If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me on 9735 4022.

In previous years MLMC students have made small paper cranes in Origami Club. The 1000 paper cranes, called ‘senbazuru’, have then been taken on the Japan Study Tour and placed at the Hiroshima Peace Park as a way to honour those that have passed and to pray for peace.

During LOTE Week in Term 3, the College had the Paper Cranes for Peace Project to ensure we could make 1000 cranes. Recently, we have resumed Origami Club in McAuley Library to continue to make the cranes as often it can take more than a year to make such small cranes.

Also, our volunteer language assistant, Kiyomi Akahane, has been teaching students to make creations for spring, Halloween and Christmas. The art of folding paper, origami, develops eye-hand coordination and uses mathematical skills such as sequencing, angles and understanding geometric shapes. Other benefits to doing origami are that you learn to slow down, focus and be more patient and some feel it is a form of relaxation.

Staff and students are welcome every Friday at lunchtime in the McAuley Library to join the fun and creativity offered at Origami Club.

On Monday 28 October Year 9 and 10 Textiles students participated in a fashion parade, exhibiting the beautiful garments they had upcycled from bedsheets. Old sheets were donated by staff or sourced from local op-shops. Students then trialled fabric decorating techniques before selecting their chosen decoration method. They used tie-dying, dip-dyeing, bleach printing or machine embroidery to rejuvenate the fabric. They then used their own body measurements, together with garments that they already owned, to self-draft a kimono that fitted their personal dimensions. It was amazing to see all the different variations that students managed to create.

Here are some student reflections on the garments they created:

Yellow/orange coloured kimono:
It is bright and sunny, radiating beach vibes. The kimono is stylish and flowy and can be easily imagined over the top of a pair of bathers.
— Steph Schlueter (Year 9 Bronze)

Orange/pink kimono with fringe:
It is perfect for a Christmas barbecue to keep you warm when the night gets cool. It is made from 100% cotton and is recycled from an old doona cover. It has gorgeous pinks and light orange using the shibori tie-dye technique to brighten up the garment. You can see a champagne fringe at the bottom hem and golden lace around the forearm of the bell sleeves.
— Tiana King (Year 10 Blue)

Pink/grey kimono:
It has a pastel colour pallete in mind. The grey and pink colours were inspired by the early morning. I created this garment with a 16-year-old's birthday party in mind.
— Olivia Savini (Year 10 Orange)