Dear members of the Mount Mercy College community

We are well into the Season of Lent and last Sunday I particularly enjoyed the readings (Second Sunday of Lent Year B), but of particular note was the Gospel Reading, The Transfiguration. In the reading, Jesus took three of his Apostles up to the top of a very high mountain so that they could be alone and whilst there, the experience of the transfiguration occurred in which Jesus was fully revealed to those that were with him. Not being a Theologian I am sure that there is much in this that I am yet to learn, however, one part of this reading has always had an impact upon me. Jesus took Peter, James and John up a hill to be with them and it was experiential and they learned from it. Now I understand that in a Biblical context that many important events happen atop a hill, as these are special places to encounter God. I often reflect and wonder if our school, our College, on the top of our hill is such a place. The Sisters of Mercy arrived here some 122 years ago and set up this school on this hill, Rourkes Hill, and indeed we aspire to be a community of deep learning, but I hope that we are far more than that. My hope is that we are a community focused on experiential learning where each one of us can come to see the human face of God and indeed be transfigured in our own individual and personal way.

During the season of Lent, one way we experience learning is through the process of Alms Giving (giving to help those in need). Through such giving, we learn a lot about ourselves. But also, an informed giving process, helps us to learn about the great need in our world and our responsibility to help those that need it. In Lent, we do this through the Project Compassion and through Caritas. The great work of Caritas is undisputed and we are being called to support this Catholic organisation. To aide in this, and only one of the things we are doing, our Religious Education and Faith Development Leader, Mr Paul Morgan, has set up a process whereby donations can be made online. Please consider supporting this work as you reflect on how you prepare for the up and coming Easter Season. The link is: https://fundraise.caritas.org.au/fundraisers/mountlilydalemercycollege

In the last week I have been very pleased to hear that two of our 2017 Year 12 cohort have been selected to display their works in the VCE Top Arts, which is indeed an honour and a testament to the quality of their work and their creativity.

The first is Emmerson Daniel for his piece Obedience (as shown below), which is acrylic on canvas and was the recipient of the Principal’s Choice Award in 2017. Emmerson described his piece: "Uniformity is the state of identical correspondence and, in my theme’s context, relates to the overall similarity and lack of variation that is evident in everyday life. Through a multitude of men in corporate attire sprawling across the urban landscape, a false sense of fulfilment is achieved through their regurgitated actions and demeanour. This artwork represents the insatiable desire for individuals to fit in and conform to society's expectations due to the fear of being judged for not portraying themselves a certain way. This structural society in all of its absurdity is shown metaphorically in all of the urban surrounds such as the uniform lines in the barbershop awning, or the repetition of windows on the building facade. This consistent likeness throughout the work is emblematic of the alarming reflux of original thought and genuine action of individuals in society today and furthermore their similarity to the constructed uniformities of society."

The other is Tahlia Hayes for an unnamed piece, but which has the central theme To be Human. Tahlia explained her piece: "To be Human is a work based on the idea of ritual. Whether we realise it or not, we as humans rule our lives with rituals and habits. They are the processes that bring us comfort and familiarity and a sense of order to our lives. Although fundamental, they can remain private and can be overlooked. With this work, I aim to show the viewer the beauty of ritual and as a result, the beauty of being human."

Congratulations to both Tahlia and Emmerson and to VCE Studio Art teacher Mr Denver Carron on these works being selected. The Top Arts 2018 is on display at the Ian Potter Centre at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), corner Flinders and Russell Streets Federation Square from 23 March until 15 July. I certainly will be attending and I hope you do as well.

This coming Wednesday evening The College will hold the Community Opening Mass. At this Mass all incoming Year 7 students and all new students to the College will be welcomed to our community and so each is invited to attend. Year 12 students too, will be welcomed as the senior class and the graduating class of 2018. All members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community are invited to the Community Opening Mass and I hope to see you all there.

Lastly this week saw the funeral of Robert Leydon, father to teacher Mr Tom Leydon. After a fantastic life of service Robert passed from this life at the age of 80 years to join our Father in Heaven. Let us pray for the repose of his soul and may he, along with all the faithfully departed, rest in peace.

God bless

Philip A Morison
Principal

From Monday 12 to Friday 16 February all Year 7 students went on their first camp to either the Gundawindi Lodge in Wandin North or to Mount Evelyn Recreation Camp. Five students share their experiences with us in the reflections below.

Carissa Manger, Year 7 Green
How was camp? Well in a few words, FUN, EXCITING AND EXHILARATING! The activities were great (my favourite being the giant swing) and the staff were really friendly and patient! I was a little intimidated by the high ropes that stood at the end of an oval, but it was actually quite nice! As soon as we arrived we were sorted into activity and cabin groups. Then it was straight on to the activities! There were initiatives which were basically teamwork activities. The crate stack activity was where someone would be harnessed up and would stand on crates while their team tried to get them super high on the crates. The giant swing was where someone would get in a harness and be pulled as high as you wanted, before being swung back down crazily! The banner painting was where we would splatter and play with paint on the banner! Gaga was a game that was like dodgeball in a small sandy arena and you could only touch the ball with your hands. Something special was where we would bring in something that had a special meaning to us and explain it. The pool was crazy since 70 kids were in it. The high ropes scared the living daylights out of me because I kept looking down - so I got off it early. Altogether I would give it an 8 out of 10!

Lauren De Betue, Year 7 Green
Camp was one of the best, most amazing camps I have ever been on. When we got to the camp it was very windy. Soon after we could go to our cabins and I think our cabin was the best one of all. Some of the activities included the giant swing, high ropes, crate stack, banner painting, something special and other initiatives. In our free time we could go in the pool, play with sport equipment, play gaga ball and talk. My favorite activity was crate stack - I went the highest! In my free time I liked playing with the hoola hoops - I am very good! Overall this was one of the best camps I have ever been on.

Bianca Condon, Year 7 Green
How do I begin to explain it? Camp was a great experience that I would do again in a heartbeat. When the bus pulled in, I was amazed by the lush greenery we were surrounded by. At first I thought that camp wasn’t going to live up to my expectations, which were very high after my past experiences of school camps. I thought wrong. I loved all the amazing activities we participated in. My favourites were by far the crate stack and the giant swing. Why? Well the crate stack required teamwork, balance and strategy which was a perfect formula for an enjoyable activity. I got up to 10 crates high before my group figured out the best approach was to get as high as possible. Figuring out this tactic resulted in us getting 12 crates and I believe we would have got even higher if it weren’t for the time limit. The giant swing was a huge favourite for students at camp, and for obvious reasons. It’s so much fun to challenge yourself and go to the top. Once I went to the top I was overwhelmed with pride as I had overcome something that challenged me. I met so many new people on camp and strengthened friendships with students in my homeroom. I really wished it went longer - I want to relive every second! We were so lucky to have such a great opportunity in Year 7!

Celeste Tisbury, Year 7 Green
Camp! Everybody says that camp in high school is one of the few things that you won’t forget. Well let’s just say that this is my point of view too. When the bus pulled up at Mt Evelyn the first thought that came to my head was ‘hmmm another one of these camps’. Little did I know that for this experience the motto ‘never judge a book by its cover’ would have come in so handy.

The activities helped my fellow classmates and I bond in a way I don’t think we would in the classroom. My friendships grew and I met new people. Some people complained that we had way too much free time but at the end of the camp I discovered that it had helped me come out of my shell. The activities we did pushed us to be brave and try new things and I think I could say the same about the food. Whilst some may not understand or appreciate it, camp did help us in different ways. I’ve been asked to rate the camp out of ten in the last few days and writing this made me think and appreciate camp more. I’m going to rate camp 7.5 rubber chickens out of 10!

Hunter Bourke-Finn, Year 7 Green
Camp. Well where do I start? Camp was interesting, terrific and a bunch of fun! First my group got to go on the high ropes which was hard work, but in the end it was a banger! The giant swing was a blast! Camp had a lot of activities that needed teamwork, strategy and an ability to complete the task in order to succeed. My favourite activities had to be the giant swing and crate stack. The giant swing was like hitting a hole-in one, just perfect. The crate stack was great because it used qualities like teamwork, balance, trust, thought and tests. The free time activities were awesome too! There was a basketball court, a gaga ball pit, a pool, a volleyball court and lots of open space. The food was good and the cooks were working really hard to feed us all and they did a great job really wowing us with their skills. On our last night our Peer Support Group came over and we played lots of games and had heaps of fun together. Camp was all out a better than I expected and I had a fantastic time! I was asked to rate how the camp was and I would say activities-wise it was a 9.0, and food-wise a 7.5!

Prayer

Loving Father, so many times I turn away from you and always you welcome me back. Your mercy and love gives me confidence. Thank you for the invitation to share, fast and pray so that you can form a new heart within me. Your powerful compassion for my weaknesses leads me to ask for mercy and await with great hope the Easter joy you share with us.

Amen

We only need to take one step at a time to return to the Lord. As Catherine McAuley wrote: “The simplest and most practical lesson I know…is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow. Let us take one day only in hands, at a time, merely making a resolve for tomorrow, thus we may hope to get on taking short, careful steps, not great strides.”

In January of this year we read in the media of the tragic death of 14 year old Dolly Everett from the Northern Territory who took her own life as a result of online bullying. In speaking to the media, Dolly’s father displayed enormous courage as he pleaded with parents to become more aware of the online activities of their children. He said that parents need to help young people understand what is actually happening when they engage in online bullying and what the consequences are. As young people mature they do not always make the link between their actions and the consequences. The perceived anonymity of online activity can result in young people making comments they would not normally say directly to people.

Parents and schools share the responsibility of teaching and modelling respect for our young people. Activity in the online world is not separate to this. While we may not feel that we have a knowledge of the technology and platforms that young people may be using, it doesn’t mean we should not play a role in influencing how they use it.

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. We monitor our children's activity in other areas of life, it makes sense to be vigilant in their online world.

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 it is not a game. What rules operate in your home for the use of devices? Whereabouts are they charged? Is there a cut off time after which the devices are stored overnight? It may require the wifi being switched off and this is a good opportunity for the adults in the house to lead by example.

Young people need to develop empathy as part of their character. Adults play a vital role in doing this. The tragic story of Dolly Everett would be a way to have this conversation. The young people who did engage in the online bullying of her did not realise the impact they were having on Dolly and what the possible consequences could be. They now have to live with this for the rest of their lives.

At the same time we should always aim to build resilience in our young people. To understand that there will be setbacks in life and you will not be best friends with everyone. The number of 'friends' on social media is not a measure of your worth. To realise that everyone experiences times where they feel 'down' and where we may not feel great about ourselves but that this passes. The support of family and friends is a vital component of building self esteem and resilience. Teach them that bullying behaviour is wrong and that laws exist to deal with this. The insidious nature of online bullying can make this difficult to believe but by having an interest in and knowledge of your child's online behaviour you will hopefully be in a position to deal with any issues.

Respect is the 2018 theme for our school. Clearly this is central to the responsible use of social media and it drives our programs and efforts in this area. There are a host of very useful and informative resources available. One that you may not be aware of is the Children’s E-Safety Commissioner at the following link

https://www.esafety.gov.au/iparent

TOP ACHIEVERS' ASSEMBLY

On Tuesday 20 February, the College gathered as a school community to both acknowledge, and to welcome back, the Year 12 top ten academic achievers in VCAL, VCE and VCE Baccalaureate for 2017. As part of this assembly recognition was given to the top achieving VCAL student, the six students who successfully completed their VCE Baccalaureate, the top ten achieving VCE students, the College Dux and the recipient of the Catherine McAuley Student of the Year Award. As part of the assembly it was acknowledged that all award recipients shared something in common, that is, during their time at the College they modelled perseverance, application and dedication towards their studies. All are well deserving of the recognition that has been bestowed upon them. Below is a summary of the students acknowledged and awards presented at the assembly.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have included below excerpts from the excellent and inspiring speeches given by Isabella Preston and Madeline Cimo.

MADELINE CIMO - COLLEGE DUX

To achieve success you must work hard and have in your mind a goal of what you want to achieve. That goal has to be a challenge. It has to be something that is only possible if you work hard so that it encourages you to move beyond your comfort zone and what you think you are capable of. Without a goal there is no direction or motivation. Without a goal there is nothing to work towards so there is no reason to work hard. For me, my goal was to get into Medicine, a very competitive field. Anytime I lost motivation, anytime I couldn’t be bothered, that dream was my reason to keep going. It was something that posed a challenge, something that meant I actually had to focus and work hard. I have achieved my dream, but it did not come easily. It took focus, determination and strong motivation. I also had my fair share of setbacks along the journey, but in the end it was all worth it.

Every single one of my failures were all a part of my journey. These setbacks are a natural part of life and any person who has never failed has never truly succeeded. Every single step backwards allows you to stop, reconsider and take actions that will allow you to move two new steps forward. School, Year 12 and life in general is not simply a path straight forward but is filled with twists and turns, roadblocks and potholes and each and every obstacle is a test. How you react to failure is a measure of how likely you will be to succeed. And if you can not find the courage to overcome the hard things in life you can not progress. Your aspirations can only become reality when you stop considering them as dreams and hopes but begin to actually work at making them a possibility. Last years theme that my fellow prefects and I came up with was a perfect way to put this. “Courage is not the absence of failure but the strength to rise above it.” Each year at school, especially Year 12 requires great courage in order for prosperity to be a part of your end result.

I also want to remind you all, that your time at Mount Lilydale is about more than just the piece of paper at the end of it. It is about the relationships you form with your teachers and peers, the memories you create and the lifelong friendships you make.

Your friends and your teachers are such a crucial part of your journey. They are there for you to turn to when you need assistance, advice or just time to destress. Cherish your friendships and I assure you that one of the most amazing parts of Year 12 is these friendships you form and the memories you make. Whilst year 12 is a time to knuckle down and study, it is also a time to celebrate your years of education and I encourage you to make the most it, because you will be graduating before you know it and you do not want to be left with regrets. Get involved in the community, the Mercy Day parades and celebrations, be a part of the play and musical, sign up for EISM and join any groups that interest you. They are all another opportunity for you to expand your friendships and become more triumphant in any areas you are gifted in. They also just make the year so much easier, because you have things to look forward to and times to put aside your stress and just enjoy yourself.

I got involved in everything I possibly could during my time at Mount Lilydale and it was one of the best decisions I made. I studied hard and spent many hours working towards my academic achievements but I also made sure to keep a balance and have fun. I think that was one of the things that allowed me to keep motivation throughout the year and not burn out. Dancing classes, horse riding, 18ths and hanging out with friends all allowed for me to destress for a few hours, and then return to study after.

I just wanted to finish with reminding you all that every single person in this room has the ability to prosper in whatever it is that they wish to do and all they have to do is persistently work towards their success. But remember there is always another option or pathway to your final goal. So get involved, enjoy your time at Mount Lilydale and appreciate the help that you have readily available to you. Most importantly you are the person that is instrumental towards your success and you have to be the one to make the decision to work hard and see Year 12 as an opportunity to accomplish your goals rather than just a year of stress and tears.

My apologies once again for not being able to be here today and good luck to you all. I believe in every single one of you; you all just have to believe in yourselves and your own capabilities.

ISABELLA PRESTON - CATHERINE MCAULEY STUDENT OF THE YEAR

It is an honour to be standing here today, following so many extraordinary people, as the recipient of the Catherine McAuley Award. I have spent my life hearing about Catherine McAuley, although I guess that’s what happens when your family have been a part of this Mercy school for over 40 years. When they are almost a time capsule for all that has happened and tell the stories of not only Catherine, but those who came after her, constantly sharing her values of compassion, respect and service, in trying to make this world a better place. I have been fortunate enough to meet so many of these strong women, whether they were welcoming me to the AMSSA conference, speaking at an assembly or sitting at my dining room table, they spread the word of Catherine, her love and compassion to all who will listen. They inspired me to do what was right, and what was in my heart, rather than what was necessarily popular at the time. Just as they did for many of the previous Catherine McAuley recipients.

It was in reflecting on these people that I realised what I wanted to speak to you about today. In your life at the college, however short it may have been, how many people have said to you get involved? How many have said that school is made so much better by the extra things you do alongside your school work? Their right!! Yet how many have told you why this is? Or better yet, how to ‘get involved’?

You see for me the answer to these questions, how and why, is quite simple. To ‘get involved’ you: firstly find something that you like to do. Then you figure out how to do this with other people. And finally, yet I believe most importantly, you find a way to do this which help others.

I can see a few perplexed faces so how about I try explaining this again. Two of my favourite things to do are solve puzzles, be it jigsaw or real world problems, and create things, from music to props or origami. I took these things I was passionate about and found places I could go to develop my skills and collaborate with others. And I did, whether I was creating props and costumes out of straws and pipe cleaners in Tournament of Minds; Singing the alleluia in choir; marking the stage with the crew for a show, preparing the Easter Liturgy with my Youth Ministry Class or solving an everyday inconvenience with the Student Council. I found a way to express my passions with likeminded people.

You may be thinking but how do these things, which many of you here already do, actually help anyone? Well sometimes helping people is more than just giving goods or money.

Sometimes its about showing a fellow student that they aren’t alone in their love of math, or robotics, or origami, or religion, or lawn bowls, and by doing so someone in our community feels a little less alone. And that is helping someone, as much so as when you give money or food.

So I’m going to ask you all this, instead of saying ‘Get involved’ why don’t we say become a part of our broad community, because we are a school where individuals are taught to thrive. And we walk around with this individuality pinned to our blazers. I have always looked at my badges as mementos of time spent doing something I love, and reminders of service or commitment, or sometimes just fun, rather than a parade of what I’ve accomplished. Because what I gained when I joined Tournament, or Choir, or the musical, Youth Ministry, or the SRC, was friends, confidence, a broader world view and the opportunity to help others. Because sometimes the kindest thing you can do is sit and listen, whether it is to a current or future friend.

So what would be my advice to all of you, in trying to create the most fulfilling time at the College? Join our broader community and use your passions and talents to guide you to the activities that make getting out of bed a little bit easier in August, the stairs a little easier to climb and where you can make a difference, even if just in one persons life.

As part of the Year 7 and 8 Pastoral Care Programs the team from the Resilience Project came to speak to the students about empathy, gratitude and mindfulness and the impact they have on building resilience in today’s youth. The College is proud to continue our relationship with The Resilience Project and we look forward to hosting Hugh van Cuylenburg (Founding Director/Facilitator) and his team again.
Matt Reilly, Assistant Year 7 Level Leader

The Resilience Project presentation was as inspiring story that made us feel grateful for what we have and also mindful of other challenges people face in the world and how lucky we are. It taught us that many people in the world don't have everything that we have and yet they are still happy with what they have. It taught us that we should be grateful for what we have and not to take things for granted. Something that intrigued me was how his sister was battling anxiety. I never knew what anxiety was until Hugh made that speech about his sister, which is now why I know what the word anxiety means. After Hugh talked about his sister he talked about this boy in India. The boy couldn’t say THIS so he said DIS instead. Hugh gave us a challenge to find what we are grateful for - so when we say DIS it means what we’re grateful for. #dis
Olivia Vandenberg and Natasha Rutzou, Year 7 White

What is the CSYMA Lounge?

The CSYMA Lounge is a space where students from all year levels can come together to learn/share about faith and issues of justice. It is a place where all are welcome and able to get involved within the community around them, whether this be participating in activities, helping out in our cafe, raising a hand to volunteer in our fundraisers or just being available to listen to the words of the students around them.

The CSYMA lounge gives students the chance to ask questions without fear of judgement as well as being a place to share their own faith journey.

We would warmly like to welcome all Year 7 students and new students to the college and encourage all to come and visit the lounge.

Many parents with a son or daughter in Year 11 and 12 would be aware that commencing in 2018 students in these year levels have access to the Edrolo resource. For parents who are new to VCE at the College, Edrolo is an online resource designed to provide students with engaging, informative and comprehensive presentations to help them understand and learn key components of VCE courses in addition to the learning that occurs within the classroom.

Edrolo supports the subjects listed below.

The Camps Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families with the costs associated with school trips, 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.

Commencing 2018 the requirement for parents to complete and submit a new application form each year has been removed. Parents that received CSEF at the school in 2017 do not need to complete an application form in 2018 unless any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments ie:your child has started or changed schools in 2018 or you did not apply at the same school in 2017 or
• changed family circumstances such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2018.

If a form was not lodged in 2017, parents or legal guardians are required to complete a CSEF application form and lodge it with their child’s school for processing.

Application forms should be completed and lodged with schools as soon as possible in Term 1, as payments are made from March onwards. However schools 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.

The CSEF application form is attached below. They are also available to download from either our MLMC Finance Website or from www.education.vic.gov.au/csef

Parents must lodge their 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

Ava Bartusch, Georgia Haynes and Shae Preston
The Melbourne Japanese Summer Festival is an annual event where people of all nationalities come together to celebrate Japan’s exquisite culture. It was held on Sunday 25 of February in Federation Square and this year three of us all went along as a group. We would say that if you are not a fan of large crowds or are claustrophobic you may not enjoy this festival as there are people EVERYWHERE. However, the festival itself was a very enjoyable experience and we would all recommend that you check it out next year!

They have performances on their culture, stores that sell Japanese treats, clothing and miscellaneous items and food. Where all the food trucks were, they sold a variety of Japanese cuisine, ranging from fried ice cream to vegan ramen.

Whether you’re an anime fan or just love the culture, there is something for everyone at this festival. If you are an anime lover there were many stalls dedicated to selling anime themed items including stickers, keychains, plushies and collectible figurines. As well as that, there were many cosplayers dressing up as characters from their favorite animes and mangas, there were cosplayers from Yuri on Ice, Love Live, Pokemon and more!

Seeing the kumamon (a Japanese mascot created by the government of Kumamoto Prefect) was definitely a highlight. Overall the festival was certainly an interesting time, meeting friends, eating the food and indulging in the culture and we definitely planning on going again together next year!

Chloe McDonald
On the Sunday 25 February at Federation Square I went to a Japanese Festival dedicated to the culture, traditions and celebrations of Japan. There were many stalls filled with Japanese items such as anime, manga, kimono, yukatas, tea and Japanese foods. There was an abundance of food stalls at the festival all selling different foods traditionally made in Japan. At the kimono stalls there were vintage and handmade kimonos and yukatas that you could buy or just try on. It was an amazing experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the Japanese culture.

This year MLMC is delighted to offer viola lessons in addition to our violin and cello private lessons. Viola lessons are also a private 30 minute one-to one lesson held in Centennial Hall each week with our wonderful strings tutor Mrs Bradley.

The major difference between playing the violin or the viola is in the production of sound. Generally, because of its thicker strings, the viola speaks slower than the violin. That is, it actually takes a bit longer to hear the sound it makes from the time the bow touches the string.

In addition to viola lessons, Mrs Bradley runs a String Ensemble every Monday during lunchtime in Centennial Hall. This ensemble is no charge to our parents as the College has kindly offered to pay for these on behalf of our families.

Enrolment forms may be downloaded from the Parent Portal (forms and information), collected from Student Reception or the Music Department. Alternatively, you can email Mrs Sharon Flint on sflint@mlmc.vic.edu.au to request a form electronically.

On Wednesday 14 March Mount Lilydale Mercy College will open its doors and provide a warm welcome to prospective students and their parents.

From 11am to 5pm you will be able to see the College in action and experience a normal school day. Guided tours will depart regularly, showcasing our beautiful grounds and outstanding facilities. You will also visit classrooms where you’ll see the teachers and students interacting in a normal class setting.

Enrolment Information Sessions for Year 7, 2020
At 12.45pm, the Principal, Mr Philip Morison, will address visitors in Centennial Hall and provide information regarding Year 7 enrolments. If you can’t make it during working hours, there will be an Information Session the following week at the College on Wednesday 21 March from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

Throughout the day there will displays of the faculties and the extensive range of curricular and cocurricular activities that are available to our students. Refreshments will be served by the Parents and Friends’ Association and the Registrar, teachers and senior students will be there throughout the day to answer any questions you may have.

We look forward to welcoming you to the College.

HOUSE SWIMMING CARNIVAL

Last Friday, the annual Mount Lilydale Swimming Carnival was held down at Lilydale Outdoor Pool. We would like to thank the students for their excellent participation (especially our Year 7 students who had the most swimmers in the pool throughout the day!), enthusiasm and positivity displayed throughout the entirety of the day. In addition, we would like to thank our sporting and house prefects for their support and commitment towards the day running smoothly - they were definitely the stars of the day! Congratulations to the swimmers who have advanced to the EISM swimming carnival and will be competing on the 13th of March. The winners for 2018 are Frayne!!!

• 1st Frayne 821
• 2nd Maguire 772
• 3rd Terry Dunn 736
• 4th Carr 717
• 5th O’Neill 591
• 6th Ryan 495

MLMC SWIMMING TRAINING
When: Monday afternoons (3.30-4.45pm) and Wednesday mornings (7.00-8.00am)
Where: Kilsyth Pool
Why: To improve your swimming and fitness levels - ALL abilities welcome. Commendations and house points up for grabs!
Cost: FREE

• Students will be bussed from school to pool on Mondays and back to school from pool on Wednesdays
• Breakfast provided on Wednesdays
• Please see/email Miss Webb in the Doyle Centre for more details

EISM SWIMMING CARNIVAL
When: Tuesday 13th March (all day)
Where: The swim team has been posted on the Doyle Centre window, please check for details
Details to come via email

EISM WEEKLY SPORT REMINDERS
With the Summer seasons of Year 8, 9 and Senior EISM Sport all now underway, 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 lunch to get to venues to play
• That 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 for $10) & mouthguards must be worn for hockey
• NO CORRECT UNIFORM, NO GAME

Please be aware that there may be late returns from EISM away games, check the sport plan on the Doyle Centre window to make sure you know when they will be!

FIXTURES
Live fixtures for EISM matches can be found online at eism.org (Click on “Weekly sport”, then “Junior” for Year 8 and “Senior/Intermediate” for Year 9 and Senior fixtures. Change the sport in the drop down box and click “Go”.

FOLLOW US FOR ALL THE UPDATES!
Instagram - mlmc.sport
Facebook - Mount Lilydale Mercy College Sport.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Futsal
Congratulations to the following Year 10 students who have been competing in the Futsal Oz Division 5 Championship and won the title last Wednesday night! Charlie Schneider, Harrison Van Duuren, Gus Wiffre, Liam Pritchard, Nathan Zmegac, Ben Easterbrook, Kurt Huttig, Joel Starnawski (all Year 10). Thank you to Marco Cardinali for his time and enthusiasm coaching this team throughout the year!

Swimming
Congratulations to Keilani Trewavis (Year 11) who is currently competing at the Open age Australian Swimming Championships/Commonwealth Games Trials on the Gold Coast. To even qualify for these trials is an amazing achievement for a 16 year old. Best wishes Keilani, you have all of our support behind you!

Athletics
Congratulations to Harry van Duuren (Year 10) and Pat Keating (Year 11) who were both members of the Under 18 Yarra Ranges Athletics Club team who won the Athletics Victoria Shield final last weekend.

Warburton Up and Running
Well done to Josh Meerkotter (Year 10) for competing in the Warburton Up and Running 10km event. He completed the course in 45.33 minutes and won his age category. Well done, Josh!

Triathlon
Congratulations to Maddy George (Year 10) for competing in the Kondak Triathlon at Barwon Heads last weekend - 400m swim, 14km cycle and 4km run. Well done Maddy - good luck for the next one this weekend!

Umpiring
Well done to Sam Green (Year 9) who has been selected to umpire the AFL Little League this season. Looking forward to seeing you on the MCG or Etihad soon!

Football
Congratulations to Emerson Woods (Year 12) who has been selected into Eastern Ranges Leadership group. This comes after a terrific 2017 from Emerson who participated in the Under 18 National Carnival for Vic Metro, State of Origin for Victoria against the Allies (Queensland, Tasmania, Western australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales), being named in the TAC Cup Girls Team of the Year and being selected into level 2 of the AIS academy. Emerson looms as a potential draft pick in this year’s AFL Women’s Draft.

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

YEAR 8 RESULTS - 20 February

SENIOR SPORTS RESULTS - 21 February

YEAR 9 SPORTS RESULTS - 22 February

YEAR 8 RESULTS - 27 February

SENIOR RESULTS - 28 February

YEAR 9 SPORTS RESULTS - 1 March

Year 7 Stepping Up Program

As part of the Year 7 camp week, the students participated in a rotation of activities on the two days that they were at the College. Transition to Year 7 is a significant step. Putting activities in place that can encourage the students to mix and become familiar with their peers and the setting are important to set them up for their future success.The two day program introduced the students to various aspects of their learning. The days were designed to engage and stimulate the students. The activities included:

• Learning Our Mercy Story — students were introduced to the Mercy Heritage of our great College and told the story of how the school was founded
• Knowing Myself — conducted by the Careers team, it involved each Year 7 student completing a survey to determine their preferred learning style. The different learning styles were explained and discussed
• Study Skills session — goal setting was introduced and an A3 MLMC Study Wall planner was given to each student (nb: there is scope for discussion at home with your son/ daughter about this, as it includes valuable study and organisational tips and prescribed amounts of homework as your student moves up through the years)
• The PAT-R and PAT-M tests — further extend our knowledge about the students' learning needs in literacy and numeracy
• Kindness To Others - a session that looked at how students interact with their peers and explored the themes of discrimination and tolerance to extend their emotional learning
• Library Orientation — the refurbished McAuley Library introduced students to the facility and online resources the service provides
• Respecting Others — the session honed in on our College theme for the school year, Respect and challenged students to take action and speak up, rather than adopt the bystander role within our community
• Settling In — hosted by members of the Counselling team the session introduced the service that is available to students and also engaged students in discussing moving out of comfort zones and becoming friendly to others
• Chromebook Skills or IT — a session that further advanced student skills in Google Apps For Education use at the College.

The two days back at school were engaging, and enriching for the students’ growing curiosity. Year 7 is an important year and starting well is a key ingredient for success.

Recycling is not a waste of time

A big issue with recycling is people not knowing the specifics of what they can actually recycle! Despite Australians recycling approximately 58% of waste produced, there is still almost one-third of recyclable items being placed in garbage bins that will ultimately end up as landfill. With this being the ongoing issue that it is, the general public should be made aware of what they actually are able to recycle.

These following items are recycling bin friendly:

• aluminium cans
• paper and cardboard
• glass bottles or jars
• steel cans
• hard plastic containers, soft drink bottles, milk, ice-cream, butter and yogurt containers, etc.
• plastic bags and plastic wraps are NOT allowed (these items can be REDcycled via the supermarket)/

So let’s get RECYCLING! There are lots of ways we can reduce the amount of landfill waste but here is a couple of really easy ideas as a starting point:

• bring your lunch in a reusable take home container
• separate your recyclables from your landfill rubbish and deposit into the appropriate bins - remember Red top is landfill, Yellow top is Recycling

You can find more information about about waste percentage increase and recyclable items here:
https://blog.mraconsulting.com.au/2016/04/20/state-of-waste-2016-current-and-future-australian-trends/

Every year in Term 1 the College participates in Project Compassion — a fundraising and awareness raising campaign for Caritas Australia. This appeal is run every Lent, from Ash Wednesday continuing until the end of term. Each homeroom at Mount Lilydale has been given a Project Compassion collection box and through this we hope to raise enough money to make a serious difference in the lives of those who need it most.

We encourage all members of the college to get involved and donate to this worthy cause.

Commit to your Child's Online Safety is a free information session for parents run by Maroondah City Council. A representative from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner will speak on empowering young people, parents, and carers to manage online issues. Further details can be found in the attachment below.

The Homework Club runs every week from 3.30pm to 4.30pm in McAuley Library. Students are encouraged to take advantage of a regular homework time slot and there is also assistance with Maths and Science from Year 12 students and support from teaching staff as well. Parental permission is required and the relevant information is now available on the Parent Portal.

With the official end of summer there is a change in the uniform requirements. The blazer now becomes a compulsory part of the uniform to be worn to and from school each day. In the event of it being warm of an afternoon an announcement will be made informing students that the blazer is not required to be worn home.

The first two weeks of Term 2 will be an optional period to transition to winter uniform. During this time students can choose either winter or summer uniform but by Monday 30 April all students would be expected to be in full winter uniform.

As indicated last year, there is a change in the requirements for the sport uniform at Years 7 and 8 this year. For Terms 2 and 3 all students are required to wear track pants as part of their sports attire. The other uniform change is an optional one for girls. As part of the winter uniform, girls will now have the option of wearing trousers. The only style of trouser that can be worn is the grey pinhead fabric that is stocked at the Bob Stewart uniform shop. The College grey school socks must be worn with these trousers.

Key Assets Victoria is a foster care agency operating in all areas of Melbourne. There is currently a great need for new foster families. If you have thought about foster care, please get in touch and ask the questions you have always wanted to.

Further information is available on the website canifoster.com.au or keyassets.com.au.

Or you can contact the agency by phone (Key Assets Victoria on 1800 932 237 or 1800 We Care) or by email at info@keyassets.com.au