Dear Members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

Year 7s

Last week our 2019 Year 7 group enjoyed each other’s company at camp. The first two groups camped from Monday to Wednesday, one at Gundiwindi Lodge in Wandin and the other at the Mount Evelyn YMCA. While both groups did get some rain in the middle of the camp, most enjoyed great activities, great food and the opportunity to make great friendships. While the first half of Year 7 camped, the second half participated in the Stepping Forward program, which involved guest speaker Sharon Witt talking about ‘Surviving High School’, the distribution of Chromebooks, workshops on the Mercy story and Catherine McAuley, library orientation, study skills, cyber safety and learning styles. They also completed some further testing. On Wednesday, the groups swapped over and the second group attended camp. The end of the week saw some very tired campers — and they were just the staff. I managed to visit each camp for a short time and witnessed the great work of all involved.

Helping our northern neighbours

Also over the last week, a member of our community contacted me and told me of the dire situation with the recent floods in north west and far north Queensland and how they had impacted on her family. You would be aware that in recent times southern Queensland and northern NSW have been experiencing severe drought and bushfires. The situation is even worse in far north Queensland. Having experienced a long period of severe drought, the region has been devastated by severe flooding, followed by temperature variations that saw substantial amounts of stock perish. ABC TV show Landline reported it as a “perfect storm”, with the numbers of stock lost estimated at more than 500,000 head. The flooding has also caused substantial infrastructure damage that will take a prolonged, dedicated effort to overcome and rebuild.

Issues, as described above, cause personal loss and financial hardship and often periods of mental health issues and depression follow. As a community, we have decided we must do something to help. The intent is:

• To hold a casual clothes day fundraiser on Friday, 1 March
• BBQs will also operate at lunchtime to support this cause
• We will also provide information to be shared in Homerooms to educate students about the issues being faced in the region.

Parents, guardians and other family members might like to support this cause and should feel free to make a donation through the College office. Simply put the money in an envelope and mark it ‘College Far North Queensland Appeal’.

MLMC will donate all funds raised through the St Vincent De Paul society. Later in the year, we will again look to see how we can support our northern neighbours. Please support us in our endeavours. I have written a letter to each family providing more details of our plans, which should be available on the parent portal. It gives details of other organisations you might consider supporting if you so choose.

New Australian Government Data Collection

The Australian Government has asked schools to collect the 2019 student residential addresses and other information for them. The information being collected is:

• Student residential address (not student names)
• Student level of education (i.e. whether the student is a primary or secondary student)
• Student boarding school status (i.e. whether the student is boarding or a day student)
• Names and residential addresses of students’ parent(s) and/or guardian(s).

This data is being collected to assist the Australian Government to move towards a fairer, needs-based funding arrangement for non-government schools. The College has been asked to provide parents with two documents which are available on the Parent Portal.

• 2019 Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection Notice
• Frequently Asked Questions (about the data collection).

Families will find these two documents also available to them on the Parent Portal.

College Swimming Carnival

As we go to press, so to speak, I am aware the College Swimming Carnival is being conducted at Lilydale Pool in almost perfect weather conditions. Although a meeting has me off site today, I hope all students and families are enjoying the great carnival atmosphere. More on the Carnival will be included in the next newsletter.

God bless
Principal
Philip A Morison

Online responsibility

With the Year 7 camps over for another year, it is pleasing to see a change in dynamics among our newest students. An extra sense of confidence and belonging to their new College is evident in the levels of energy they bring each day. New friends have been made and an increased appreciation for the work their teachers do has been gained.

With the Year 7 students returning to school from camp they have been given the added responsibility of a Chromebook and another avenue to connect to the wider world. It is this connection that needs our ongoing vigilance. With this new device comes an extra layer of responsibility for parents and guardians. Just as we supervise and monitor our children’s activity in other areas of life, it makes sense to be vigilant in their online world. So please be prepared to look at what your child is doing online. This is much more a safety issue than a privacy issue. It is important to trust your child but experience shows that online activity can see young people demonstrate behaviour that is out of character. The need for acceptance within a peer group can drive this.

The responsibility that goes with having a device that allows young people to be active in the social media world is not a given. They require guidance to understand how their actions can impact on others and to realise that it is not a game. What rules operate in your home for the use of devices? Where in the home are they charged? Is there a cut-off time, after which the devices are stored overnight? It may require the Wi-fi being switched off — and this is a good opportunity for the adults in the house to lead by example. Extra ideas on how to best protect your children in a social media world can be found at the Office of the eSafety Commissioner at www.esafety.gov.au/iparent

Dropping off items during school hours

In a world of improved communication, we are finding parents and students are forgetting some of the processes we have in place to ensure your child’s safety. Understandably, the College has a blanket rule of students not being able to meet people at the gates to collect items. There has recently been a growing trend of students contacting family and friends to drop off a forgotten lunch or item needed for school. The College asks that all items being delivered to students during school hours are done so via Reception.

Uniform

Please be aware that the blazer-free start to the school year is almost over. From March, students will be required to wear their blazer to and from school. Announcements will be made to inform students if they are not required to wear their blazer home. With new holiday piercing still not fully healed, there has been a re-emergence of students wearing plastic piercings. Please be mindful that the College uniform expectations allow students to wear one sleeper/stud in the lower lobe of each ear. Plastic earring or bandaids covering earrings are not permitted. Thank you for your understanding.

Central Australia 2019

Expressions of interest for the 2019 Central Australia trip are now called for. All expressions of interest are being collected on the Parent Portal. To express interest in your child attending the trip in September 2019, you need to open the ‘Events’ tab on the Parent Portal and lodge your RSVP. This RSVP should be completed by Tuesday 5 March. From here the final list will be decided. Participants will be notified by the end of Term 1. Please note: this is the only way ‘Expressions of Interest’ are being collected. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call.

Road safety – dropping off and picking up students

Parents who are picking up and dropping off students at school are reminded to exercise great caution as you drive into the College grounds. You will have noticed our sign asking you to slow down. We cannot emphasise strongly enough how important it is that you monitor your speed so our school remains a safe environment for our students. Please adhere to our speed limits.

Parents who pick up and drop off their children in the streets surrounding the College be aware that some roads have no standing zones in force at the times most popular for drop-off. Please be aware that the council does send out representatives to fine those who do not heed the signage.

Prayer for the Beginning of Autumn

O God of Creation, you have blessed us with the changing of the seasons.
As we welcome the Autumn months,
may the earlier setting of the sun
remind us to take time to rest.
May the brilliant colours of the leaves
remind us of the wonder of your creation.
May the steam of our breath in the cool air
remind us that it is you who gives us the breath of life.
May the harvest from the fields remind us of the abundance we have been given
and bounty we are to share with others.
May the dying of summer’s spirit remind us of your great promise that
death is temporary and life is eternal.
We praise you for your goodness forever and ever.
Amen.

Copyright 2018 University of Notre Dame

The Year 10s were fortunate to have Aboriginal Elder Murrundindi come to MLMC to address them on Tuesday 12 February. Murrundindi is the Ngurungaeta (head man) of the Wurundjeri tribe and the great-great nephew of William Barak, after whom the senior campus of the College was named.

Murrundindi welcomed students to the Barak Campus and spoke of the Indigenous history of the local area as well as Barak’s life and the strong values he held. He also entertained the crowd with a brief performance on the digeridoo. Key messages for the students included: “It’s time to step up,” “Never put a person down” and “Always show respect”.

These are certainly valuable words for our Year 10 students to take forward with them as they embark on their senior school journey.

It was a big week for our Year 7 students, with three days of camp and two days of the Stepping Forward program, which is aimed at helping our youngest cohort transition to life in secondary school.

Guest speaker Sharon Witt (pictured), author of the Teen Talk Series of books, led an interactive and engaging session about 'Surviving High School' with activities on having a growth mindset, perspective, organisation, persistence and homework.

In the session, students were able to investigate the concept of stepping out of your comfort zone, persistence and not giving up by volunteering to take part in various Minute To Win It activities. These included sucking up M&Ms with a straw and transferring them to a plate and stacking cups in a pyramid as a team. Putting things into perspective, empathy and not having a preconceived idea about a teacher were also explored. “There are a whole lot of personalities in this room, give yourself a chance to get to know them,” was one of Ms Witt's pieces of advice.

You can learn more about Sharon Witt's books and programs at https://www.sharonwitt.com.au/

The Stepping Forward program also included sessions on the Mercy story, study skills, cybersafety, library orientation, settling in (with support from Year 10 Peer Support leaders) and 'My Future' with the Careers department.

The first Science and Robotics Club session of the year was held in the Harley Building on Monday at lunchtime, with more than 20 students from all year levels giving up their time to get a taste of how coding is used in robotics.

The students worked in two groups to code their different robots to take on a mission — to move from a fictional Earth towards, and then around, a fictional Moon before safely returning back to Earth.

The groups were initially mentored by a number of our Year 12 Prefects and senior Science, Technology and Maths students including Science Prefect Lara-Griffn Krenn, Maths Prefect Ethan Cornish, Vice Captain Ethan Preston, Tristan Mifsud and Harry Stolzenhain.

Once the basics of the coding programs were learned, students began attempting to complete their mission. With great persistence, teamwork and problem-solving skills the groups were successfully able to code a program into their robots. The smallest robot succeeded in the mission once an appropriate take-off angle was established, while the larger robot required a more complex program and resulted in the students having to modify their mission and land on the moon and go back.

We are looking forward to seeing the students explore more and be challenged in the STEM areas as they continue engaging in the club.

The MLMC Music department is calling on all singers to join the College Choir or an A Cappella Ensemble. Rehearsals began this 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 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). 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).

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

Year 8 Results 12 February

Senior Results 13 February

Year 9 Results 14 February

Year 8 Results 19 February

Senior Results 20 February

Year 9 Results 21 February